There’s no doubt we love our digital devices at all hours, including after the sun goes down. Who hasn’t snuggled up with a smart phone, tablet or watched their flat screen TV from the comfort of bed? A new study by researchers at the University of Houston College of Optometry, published in Ophthalmic & Physiological Optics, […]
Sleeping less than 7 hours could cut years off your life
A nationwide analysis found that not getting enough sleep is strongly linked to shorter life expectancy—more so than poor diet or lack of exercise. Researchers say this makes sleep one of the most overlooked pillars of long-term health. Credit: Shutterstock Getting a full night of sleep may play a larger role in longevity than many […]
Seven hours of sleep is optimal in middle and old age, say researchers
Seven hours is the ideal amount of sleep for people in their middle age and upwards, with too little or too much little sleep associated with poorer cognitive performance and mental health, say researchers from the University of Cambridge and Fudan University. Sleep plays an important role in enabling cognitive function and maintaining good psychological […]
Music listening near bedtime disruptive to sleep
Most people listen to music throughout their day and often near bedtime to wind down. But can that actually cause your sleep to suffer? When sleep researcher Michael Scullin, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor University, realized he was waking in the middle of the night with a song stuck in his […]
Sleep loss limits fat loss
Cutting back on sleep reduces the benefits of dieting, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. When dieters in the study got a full night’s sleep, they lost the same amount of weight as when they slept less. When dieters got adequate sleep, however, more than half of the weight they lost […]
Drink coffee after breakfast, not before, for better metabolic control
A strong, black coffee to wake you up after a bad night’s sleep could impair control of blood sugar levels, according to a new study. Research from the Centre for Nutrition, Exercise & Metabolism at the University of Bath (UK) looked at the effect of broken sleep and morning coffee across a range of different […]
Healthy sleep habits help lower risk of heart failure
Adults with the healthiest sleep patterns had a 42% lower risk of heart failure regardless of other risk factors compared to adults with unhealthy sleep patterns, according to new research published today in the American Heart Association’s flagship journal Circulation. Healthy sleep patterns are rising in the morning, sleeping 7-8 hours a day and having no […]
Feeling sleepy? Might be the melatonin
If you walk into your local drug store and ask for a supplement to help you sleep, you might be directed to a bottle labeled “melatonin.” The hormone supplement’s use as a sleep aid is supported by anecdotal evidence and even some reputable research studies. However, our bodies also make melatonin naturally, and until a […]
Possible Role Of Melatonin In The Management Of Viral Infections
Besides playing an important role in various functions of the body, including sleep and circadian rhythm regulation, melatonin also shows immunoregulatory, free radical scavenger and antioxidant functions. Because of these latter characteristics melatonin has also been found to be effective in fighting viral infections in a variety of experimental animal and in vitro studies. These data suggest […]
When You Eat Might Be As Important As What You Eat
During the years 1976 through 1980, 15% of U.S. adults were obese. Today, about 40% of adults are obese. Another 33% are overweight. Coinciding with this increase in weight are ever-rising rates of heart disease, diabetes, cancer and health complications caused by obesity, such as hypertension. Even Alzheimer’s disease may be partly attributable to obesity […]