The Washington Post reports that a new five-year study has found that more sleep can reduce calcium deposits in people’s arteries. Specifically, the study found that people getting one extra hour of sleep each night were less likely to have “artery-stiffening calcium deposits.” The researchers do not know why there is a link between more sleep reduced calcium deposits but they do have theories involving cortisol and reduced blood pressure.

After adjusting for lots of potential risk factors, such as sex, race, and smoking habits, the researchers found that one more hour of sleep a night decreased the risk of calcification by a third. That’s about as much as a 16.5-point reduction in blood pressure, the researchers said.

“Nothing came out of the study as appearing to explain the association,” Lauderdale said. But she believes that there are three possible explanations.

One is that another factor, such as socioeconomic status, was the connection here. A second is that a stress-related hormone, cortisol, which has been tied to decreased sleep and increased calcification, is the link.

“Finally, sleep is related to blood pressure, and that is a coronary artery disease risk factor,” Lauderdale said. “It’s possible that for people who were sleeping more, their 24-hour blood pressure was lower than their daytime blood pressure.”

It’s already been proven that being sleep deprived can be unhealthy so it is best to try to get a full night’s sleep. It’s disturbing news for those who are unable to get a full night’s sleep because of work or health issues. It’s also confusing because no one knows exactly what a full night’s sleep is and the hours of sleep people need varies in individuals. For more on how much sleep you really need read this article from Time that talks about a study that tried to answer this question.

Light is nature’s stimulant

The upbeat feeling we get on a bright sunny day is no accident. This feeling is the result of light triggering our bodies to release “active” hormones to help improve our mood and energy levels.

Winter can be a challenge for many because the shorter days and longer nights leave us simply “light-deprived”. Without the normal light stimulation, we often feel down, lethargic and unhappy.

Light therapy provides a natural boost that helps you feel better, increases energy and even helps you sleep. Using the right wavelength of light, you can trigger your active hormones naturally, boosting your mood and overcoming those down feelings, whatever the season.

Blue light is the key

Researchers have learned that receptors in our eyes convert the blue light from the summer sky into the chemicals our bodies need to be active and energetic. We don’t get this light in the winter, and indoor light doesn’t replace this color, which is why our mood, energy and sleep patterns suffer.

Twice as effective

The goLITE is the newest breakthrough in light therapy that provides just the blue light our bodies need (we call it BLUEWAVE technology). Studies have shown that low-intensity blue light (470 nm, like that from the goLITE) is twice as effective at managing our body clocks compared to other sources of light.

As little as 15 minutes per day

Using light therapy fits easily into your normal daily routine. You can do it while eating breakfast, exercising or getting ready in the morning.

And most people notice a big improvement with only 15 minutes a day.

Backed by years of research

Over the last several decades, dozens of research and clinical studies have shown the effects and potential benefits of light therapy for helping those with mood, sleep and energy problems. We have worked with the National Institutes of Health, NASA, the Mayo Clinic and others to develop the best light therapy products possible.

Safe, easy on your eyes

BLUEWAVE not only makes light therapy more convenient but also easier on the eyes because lower intensity means less glare, eyestrain and headaches. BLUEWAVE technology produces no UV or near-UV light, and passes ocular safety testing as well as all government and industrial ocular safety standards.

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Let’s face it. We live in a “go-go” world! Our lifestyle is harried, our food is fast and statistics now show it’s taking a toll on one of the most important parts of our life–our sleep. The 2002 National Sleep Foundation (NSF) Sleep in America poll found that 74 percent of American adults are experiencing a sleeping problem a few nights a week or more, 39 percent get less than seven hours of sleep each weeknight, and more than one in three (37 percent) are so sleepy during the day that it interferes with daily activities. Our fast paced way of life is getting the best of us. What about you?

Answer True or False

1. Five hours of sleep at night is good enough. True/False
2. It’s ok to skimp on sleep during the work week as long as you make up the time over the weekends. True/False
3. The effects of sleep deprivation are short-term (e.g., darkness under the eyes and dull and/or splotchy skin after a bad night’s sleep) and has no effect on long-term health. True/False
4. Drinking caffeine early in the evening does not affect sleep. True/False
5. Keeping a TV or computer in the bedroom has no effect on sleep. True/False
6. The amount of sleep I get has nothing to do with my weight, chronic pain, or overall health. True/False

If you answered “true” to two or more questions you may need to make a few changes in order to achieve the highly coveted “good” night’s sleep and keep yourself in optimal health. Experts suggest that most people need between seven and nine hours of sleep each night but that doesn’t apply to everyone. Some people only require six hours while those who are more active or have an illness may require more.

So how do you know if you are getting enough quality sleep?

Those who are sleep deprived often look the part. Dark circles and the “sleepy” look are common, but they also can have unpredictable moods, drowsiness during the day, have difficulty concentrating, weak immune systems and recover poorly from injury. Sounding a little too familiar? In fact, poor sleep has been found to impair the ability to perform tasks involving memory, learning and logical reasoning. This may contribute to mistakes or unfulfilled potential at school or on the job as well as strained relationships at home. Even more disturbing, inadequate amounts of sleep have been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, weight gain, obesity, heart disease and depression, to name just a few. But what if you go to bed early, have every intention on logging in your seven to nine hours but only to lie awake watching the clock… eyes wide open? Well, there are several simple adjustments you can make to stack the cards in favor of a better night’s sleep:

1) Avoid watching TV before bed… especially in bed! The bed should be reserved for two things… sleep and romance… not Desperate Housewives or football! Research shows that those who experienced the most sleep disturbances had televisions in their bedrooms and used the TV to fall asleep.
2) Try a different pillow or mattress. It’s scary to think how long some of us have been sleeping on the same pillows and mattresses for years and years. Does your mattress provide the support you like? Do you wake with your back aching? Is there enough room for you and your sleep partner? Do you sleep better, or worse, when you sleep away from home? These are all things to ask yourself to determine if your mattress could be the “sabotager” of your good night’s sleep. Or more simply, just replacing your pillow with a new, fresh, higher quality version could be all that you need.
3) Avoid caffeine late in the day. Did you know that even a small amount of caffeine even 10-12 hours before bedtime can cause problems falling asleep! Try eliminating the tea, soda and even chocolate and see if sleep improves.
4) Listen to relaxing music. Establishing a relaxing bedtime routine, such as listening to music, could be just the thing you need to signal your body it is time to sleep. So, dim the lights and throw some slow jazz or purchase a “relaxing sounds” CD to help slow your mind and body down for an evening of peaceful sleep.
5) Try mind- body techniques. After an action-packed day, your brain and body need to unwind and detox before sleep can occur (a.k.a. you need to chill!) Create a “ritual” for bedtime – take a bath, meditate, do some easy stretches or yoga. Try to do your “ritual” in the same way, in the same place, at the same time each night. The repetition will trigger your mind and body that it is time to relax and sleep.
6) Try a natural sleep aid. For many people, while the above tips and suggestions may help, it often isn’t enough. if you are one of those people who really have a hard time getting to sleep and staying asleep, you may want to try a natural sleep aid.

While over the counter sleep medications may help you fall asleep, they cannot be taken long-term and many have risky side effects. A sleep aid that uses natural ingredients is a better approach to getting a solid night’s sleep.

We all experience stress on a daily basis, it is every where! We experience it driving in heavy traffic, dealing with a boss who is less than supportive or just the everyday family situations that come up. What most people don’t understand is that stress is stress (emotional or physical) no matter where it comes from, it is all the same! And all this stress affects that body the same way from a physiological point of view, no matter what the source. So, for over all long term health it is very important that we get it under control and learn how to deal with it, because of the damage it will eventually do to our bodies.

When you work out in the gym…that is stress, when you are constantly being emotionally bombarded… that is stress, when you eat the wrong foods…that is stress and the list goes on. The cumulative physiological effect that all this stress has on the body creates ‘free radicals’ (which is not good), they damage blood vessels & our cells which reduces the amount of oxygen that is available to the body. This destroys sleep patterns, causes digestive problems, organ damage and worst of all destroys the vital nutrients that our bodies need to stay healthy.

So, what do we do? To decrease stress and stress related weight gain, you need to learn to manage your stress levels. Exercise, use meditation or have a quiet place to retreat to when you’re stressed out. Eating a diet that’s low in refined sugars or that have a low glycemic index helps decrease the stress of blood sugar fluctuations on our bodies. Eat meals at regular times each day (it’s best not to eat after 7pm). Drinking plenty of quality water during the day also helps decrease the fatigue commonly seen around mid-day and early afternoon.

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Sleep apnea is when someone involuntarily does not breath during sleep. It can be either central or obstructive. Central apnea, which is less common, is when the brain forgets to tell the body to breath. Obstructive apnea occurs when the muscles or soft tissue in the throat prevents the normal movement of air. The signs of obstructive sleep apnea include severe snoring, breath holding, fatigue, and morning headache.

Sleep apnea must be diagnosed by a sleep study. A sleep study measures the heart rate, breathing patterns, and brain waves of the patient while they sleep. It is absolutely essential that this study be done on anyone suspected of having sleep apnea.

The treatments for sleep apnea include weight loss, avoidence of sleep depressants (alcohol, sleeping pills, etc), CPAP ( a mask used at night to keep the airway open), dental repositioning devices, and surgery.

During normal breathing, air passes through the throat on its way to the lungs. The air travels past the soft palate, uvula, tonsils, and tongue. When a person is awake, the muscles in the back of the throat tighten to hold these structures in place preventing them from collapsing into the airway. During sleep, these structures can fall into the airway causing snoring and obstructive sleep apnea. Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty with or without tonsillectomy are surgical procedures designed to circumvent this sleep releated collapse of these structures. The new Laser assisted uvulopalatoplasty (LAUP) is a laser surgical procedure designed to sequentially trim and shorten the palate preventing or reducing snoring. Its effect on sleep apnea is unproven.

For more information visit THIS PAGE

I was speaking to someone recently who made an interesting observation. She went away for a long weekend having weighed herself before she left. She then weighed herself on her return and found that she had lost a couple of pounds. As usual, she weighed herself a few days later and noticed that the weight had returned. I asked her what had changed over the period and she wasn’t sure. Although she had been in a different environment, she’d followed her regular routine with food and exercise. When she thought about it in more detail, the only thing that was different while she was away was that she slept better. She slept for longer and had a deeper sleep resulting in her feeling more refreshed when she woke up.

Had she slept herself slimmer?
And could the return to a sleep deprived routine account for her weight gain?

The answer is yes, it could. Research has shown that lack of sleep can make you fat. If we consistently fail to get enough sleep, our bodies release less leptin into our system. Leptin is a hormone that signals the state of fat stores. Sleep deprivation also causes our bodies to release more ghrelin, a hormone that signals hunger. The result of these changes in the balance of our system increase the likelihood of overeating which can, in turn, lead to weight gain.

Even if your tiredness doesn’t lead you to overeating and gain weight, not getting enough sleep can cause problems with your weight loss progamme. Feeling tired can be stressful and when we’re stressed we produce more of the stress hormones adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol. The presence of these hormones in your system can force your metabolism to slow down and hang on to fat. This can impact on your fitness workout, making it less effective in burning body fat than the same routines performed when you are feeling calm.

Remember this if you ever encounter a period when you’re not getting the results you want from your fitness programme or diet plan. There may be no need to change your exercise or your food routine but instead look at your sleep pattern.

Here are the golden rules of getting enough sleep:

1. Work out how much sleep you need and schedule the ideal hours for getting this sleep

2. Stick to a routine and stick to it. Establish a bed time and a waking time and you’ll sleep well in the hours in-between

3. Clear out your sleeping environment. Bedrooms are for sleeping so get rid of the TV, computer, any exercise equipment and put all clothes away every evening.

Isn’t that refreshing? The key to effectively managing your weight is to sleep! Okay – maybe just in part. There’s no escaping the fact that diet and fitness are the greatest contributor to losing weight but it’s worth bearing in mind next time you let your weight worries stress you out and keep you awake.