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Re: Sleep: Nature's Sweet Restorer
[Re: Daryl]
#160147
01/08/14 06:51 PM
01/08/14 06:51 PM
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New research suggests that sleep plays a vital role in brain health, with sleep deprivation being conducive to brain tissue loss
by Josh Anderson
(NaturalNews) The importance of sleep in relation to physical health is well known. Too little sleep has been linked to obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even an increased risk of motor vehicle accidents. It is recommended that adults sleep seven to nine hours per night, but 30% of the United States population doesn't get sufficient sleep. When it comes to brain health, recent research indicates that a good night's sleep can be important in strengthening our brains' connective tissue, processing memories and maintaining a healthy brain by preventing brain tissue loss.
The importance of sleep to brain health
In children, sleep is very critical in brain maturation, with connective tissue strengthening between the left and right hemisphere of the brain during sleep, according to a University of Colorado Boulder study. This study, which was conducted on children two, three and five years old indicates that sleep is linked to brain development by strengthening the bonds between the two hemispheres.
Likewise, in adults and even more in children, sleep has been linked to processing and storing what we have learned and encountered during the day by a University of Tubingen study. During sleep, materials that we have learned during the day are stored as long-term memories, making future learning easier. The study looked at the memorization capabilities of children between the ages of eight and 11 and young adults by showing them a series of actions and then either having them sleep for a full night or stay awake for an entire day. The group that slept was significantly better at remembering the previous tests than the group that stayed awake. Not only that, but children were significantly better at remembering than the young adults. It is important for all of us and especially children to get a full night's sleep to store our memories.
Lastly, recent research by Uppsala University in Sweden indicates that sleep deprivation can lead to brain tissue loss. In a relatively small study (n = 15) a group of healthy, young men were sleep-deprived for one full night and then slept for eight hours a different night. Following sleep loss, the men's blood concentration of two molecules typically found in the brain (NSE and S-100B) were significantly increased compared to after a normal nights sleep. The rise of these molecules typically is witnessed during brain damage and brain degeneration, indicating that sleep deprivation may induce brain tissue loss or neurodegeneration. A normal eight hours of sleep per night could be critical in maintaining a healthy brain.
Ways to improve your sleep
Several 2013 studies have demonstrated several ways to improve your sleep. A University of Florida and Research Triangle Park study indicated that smokers sleep substantially less than non-smokers, and those who quit smoking significantly improved their sleep. The study estimated that each cigarette smoked equated to a 1.2 minute loss in sleep. Likewise, a study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine illustrated that late afternoon caffeine (even six hours before bed) can disrupt your sleep. In fact, two-three cups of coffee six hours before bed are enough to significantly reduce total sleep time by more than an hour, without the study participants even being consciously aware of the disturbance in their sleep. The authors suggest avoiding caffeine after 5 pm.
Lastly, a Mayo Clinic study has demonstrated that the use of smartphones or tablets before bed doesn't have to disrupt your sleep. The bright light emitted from tablets and smartphones has been thought to interfere with melatonin (hormone that regulates natural sleep patterns), therefore causing sleep disruption. This study found that using your tablet or smartphone on a low- to mid-level brightness setting and holding the device at least 14 inches from your face did not cause sleep disruption. The low- to mid-level brightness at that distance is not enough to disrupt the melatonin cycle and therefore your sleep.
Sleep's importance in physical health is apparent, and its significance in brain health is equally as important. Individuals who sleep less than five hours or more than nine hours per night were more likely to identify themselves as being of lower overall health, indicating that we need to sleep within the nightly sleep recommendations. Getting seven to nine hours of quality sleep nightly can help strengthen brain connections (especially in children), turn what we learned during the day into long-term memories and help us maintain a healthy brain!
Sources for this article include:
http://www.colorado.edu
http://www.sciencedaily.com
http://www.sciencedaily.com
http://www.alphagalileo.org
http://www.tandfonline.com
http://www.aasmnet.org
http://www.mayoclinic.org
http://science.naturalnews.com
Suzanne
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Re: Sleep: Nature's Sweet Restorer
[Re: Suzanne]
#162123
02/20/14 11:49 PM
02/20/14 11:49 PM
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Poor quality, disrupted sleep leads to more aggressive and faster growing tumors
by Reuben Chow
(NaturalNews) When you lack sleep, you could feel tired, distracted, and irritable. Your ability to concentrate would be diminished and your immune system would not be functioning at an optimal level, leaving you more susceptible to infections and diseases. Now, recent research has revealed that poor quality sleep could cause cancerous tumors to be more aggressive and grow at a quicker rate.
The study, which was published in the journal Cancer Research, had involved looking at two groups of mice. One group of mice were allowed proper and peaceful sleep during daytime - being nocturnal creatures, this is normal for them - while the other group of mice constantly had their sleep disrupted by motorized brushes that swept through their cages every two minutes. The mice in the latter group were thus constantly awakened from their sleep and could not enjoy a good rest. This took place daily for seven days.
At the end of the week, both groups of mice were injected with tumor cells. Within a period of nine to 12 days, all of the mice developed tumors. What was very telling was that the tumors on the mice which had disrupted sleep were double the size of the tumors on the mice which were allowed to rest undisturbed.
Further, the tumors on the sleep-disturbed mice were also more aggressive and more likely to spread to surrounding tissues.
Disrupted sleep affects the immune system
The growth rate and aggressiveness of tumors could be linked to immune function - more specifically, to how disrupted sleep could impair the healthy function of the immune system. Mice with disturbed sleep were found to have more M2-type tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), while those which slept well had more M1-TAMs; the latter were known to help with improving immune response and fighting cancer cells, whereas the former inhibited immune response and promoted tumor growth.
"It's not the tumor, it's the immune system. Fragmented sleep changes how the immune system deals with cancer in ways that make the disease more aggressive. This study offers biological plausibility to the epidemiological associations between perturbed sleep and cancer outcomes," said David Gozal, chairman of pediatrics at the University of Chicago Comer Children's Hospital and a member of the study team.
"The take home message is to take care of your sleep quality and quantity like you take care of your bank account," he added.
Such good advice applies to everyone, whether you are looking to prevent cancer or in the process of fighting a cancer diagnosis. Cancer sufferers, in particular, are known to have problems with sleeping well, and particular attention needs to be paid to improving sleep quality.
Meditation, regular exercise, stress management, Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and herbal teas such as chamomile and valerian are some good ways to help promote restful sleep. Sleeping in the dark also helps - doing so promotes the production of melatonin by the pineal gland, and this hormone regulates one's sleep-wake cycle. Melatonin has also been shown in recent research to help lower prostate cancer risk and slow down the growth of breast cancer.
Sources for this article include:
http://www.techtimes.com
Alschuler, Lise N, ND, FABNO, and Gazella, Karolyn A. The Definitive Guide to Cancer: An Integrative Approach to Prevention, Treatment, and Healing. 3rd ed. NY, USA: Celestial Arts, 2010. Print.
http://www.naturalnews.com
Suzanne
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Re: Sleep: Nature's Sweet Restorer
[Re: Suzanne]
#164506
04/22/14 11:42 PM
04/22/14 11:42 PM
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Combat Insomnia With Tryptophan-rich Foods
by Antonia
(NaturalNews) Tough time falling asleep? According to the American Psychiatric Association, most people are unable to obtain proper levels of sleep, which impacts mental and physical health. In fact, the National Sleep Foundation says that insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, one that affects almost 60 percent of people in the U.S.
Lack of sleep can take its toll on health by increasing the chances of workplace and drowsing-driving accidents, and it can even lead to conditions such as depression and obesity. In some cases, ongoing lack of sleep can make these health issues chronic problems.
At the core of this is the hormone serotonin. Associated with calm and sleepy feelings, serotonin is essential for achieving a good night's rest, and lack of it is often a key reason behind people's inability to sleep well, if at all.
The importance of tryptophan
To sleep better, it's important to eat foods that contain high levels of tryptophan. This amino acid can't be made by the body, so consumption of tryptophan-rich foods is essential. Once in the body and with easy access to the brain, it helps to make that vital hormone, serotonin.
The bottom line is that serotonin regulates mood and sleep cycles, and to do so, tryptophan is a must-have part of the process. So, too, is melatonin, which also helps regulate the body's sleep cycle.
Top sleep-promoting foods
Here are some of the top foods to eat to ensure a more restful sleep.
1. Nuts
Most notably, nuts like hazelnuts, Brazil nuts, walnuts, cashews and almonds are good choices.
2. Legumes
Black beans, kidney beans and split peas help promote better rest.
3. Bananas
What's important about bananas is that they digest slowly in the body, which means that serotonin is released in the sleep cycle later. For that reason, bananas can help foster deeper sleep for a longer duration.
The key is to combine these foods with a carbohydrate-rich food, like beans with rice or whole grain toast, for example. Doing so balances the body's insulin and tryptophan balance so that the brain can function optimally.
Sources for this article include:
http://psychology.about.com
http://www.naturalnews.com
http://livewell.jillianmichaels.com
http://www.livestrong.com
http://www.livestrong.com
http://science.naturalnews.com
Suzanne
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Re: Sleep: Nature's Sweet Restorer
[Re: Suzanne]
#164677
05/02/14 11:50 PM
05/02/14 11:50 PM
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The Natural Illness Remedy: Sleep
by J. Anderson
(NaturalNews) You can take the medication and you can eat the right foods, but many people believe that the best way to get over being sick is by sleeping and being well-rested. Now, recent research published in the journal SLEEP backs this commonly held belief; the best natural remedy for a speedy recovery from an illness is to get as much sleep as possible!
The Study
Dr. Julie Williams, research associate on the project, said, "It's an intuitive response to want to sleep when you get sick... but there is surprisingly little experimental evidence that supports the notion that more sleep helps us to recover. We used a fruitfly model to answer these questions." By modeling the recovery of sick fruit flies (either sleep-deprived or allowed to sleep), the researchers found the first evidence that sleeping can actually help induce a faster recovery by enhancing the response of the immune system. Dr. Williams explained, "increased sleep somehow helps to facilitate the immune response by increasing resistance to infection and survival after infection."
Sleep and the Immune System
Science has shown that poor sleep can lead to some disruptions in the immune system. For instance, it has been shown that poor sleep during pregnancy can result in disruptions in the immune system which have been linked to lower birth weights (among other complications). In fact, science has shown that lack of sleep can actually increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and even cardiovascular diseases all due to disrupting the immune system and causing an inflammatory response! The SLEEP study brings all of these studies together by indicating not only that sleep affects the immune system but that sleeping more when sick can speed up the recovery process.
Wrap-Up
It seems that research now does back the notion that sleep can be the best road to recovery, as Dr. Williams noted, "The take-home message from these papers is that when you get sick, you should sleep as much as you can -- we now have the data that supports this idea." Next time you are feeling under the weather, it might be a good idea to just stay home and get some quality, immune-system-enhancing sleep!
Sources for this article include:
http://www.uphs.upenn.edu
http://www.sciencedaily.com
http://www.sciencedaily.com
http://science.naturalnews.com
Suzanne
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Re: Sleep: Nature's Sweet Restorer
[Re: Suzanne]
#165156
05/19/14 06:42 PM
05/19/14 06:42 PM
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Five Foods That Can Treat Insomnia And Improve Sleep
by Michael Ravensthorpe
(NaturalNews) According to the Stanford Center for Sleep Sciences and Medicine, nearly 1 in 10 adults in the United States suffers from insomnia. Although most of these people suffer from short-term insomnia, many of them also suffer from chronic insomnia (i.e., difficulty falling or staying asleep for more than six months). Such sleep deprivation can significantly decrease the quality of one's life.
While stress related to work and family remains the number one cause of insomnia, eating the wrong foods -- such as those rich in sugar, caffeine, gluten or polyunsaturated fat -- can also contribute to insomnia. Therefore, improving one's diet is an important first step toward ending insomnia, especially if one favors foods that are known to improve sleep.
Five foods that aid sleep
1.) Almonds -- Almonds are one of the best foods for treating insomnia since they're excellent sources of magnesium, which is a natural muscle relaxant and contains anti-stress properties. A study published in the Journal of Research in Medical Sciences in December 2012 found that magnesium supplementation could "improve subjective measures of insomnia, such as ISI score, sleep efficiency, sleep time and sleep onset latency, early morning awakening, and likewise, insomnia objective measures, such as concentration of serum renin, melatonin and serum cortisol, in elderly people."
2.) Cherries -- Cherries and cherry products have often been linked to improved sleep. For example, a study published in the European Journal of Nutrition in December 2012 found that volunteers who consumed a tart cherry juice concentrate for seven days demonstrated "significantly elevated" total melatonin content in their urine compared to the control group. Consequently, the study group experienced improved sleep quality and efficiency.
3.) Bananas -- Many people are often surprised to find that bananas can aid sleep, since they're well-known for boosting energy. Nonetheless, bananas are also rich in magnesium, potassium and tryptophan, which are the "magic trio" of sleep boosters. Tryptophan is especially effective in this regard since it is the precursor to the two neurotransmitters, serotonin and melatonin, which modulate sleep.
4.) Valerian -- The root of the valerian plant, which is usually consumed in tea or tincture form, has been used as a sleeping aid since Ancient Greece and Rome. Moreover, its sedative and anxiolytic properties have been proven by numerous studies. For example, a 2011 study published in Menopause found that valerian extracts provided a "statistically significant" improvement in sleep quality among postmenopausal women suffering from insomnia. The study authors concluded that the "findings from this study add support to the reported effectiveness of valerian in the clinical management of insomnia."
5.) Oatmeal -- Although oatmeal is usually associated with breakfast, its nutritional composition -- high in magnesium and potassium -- also makes it a suitable evening food. Even the very nature of oatmeal (warm, soothing and soft) is indicative of sleep and calm. Moreover, oatmeal tends to be mixed with milk, which is one of the best-known relaxation drinks.
Sources for this article include:
http://stanfordhospital.org
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23853635
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22038497
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21775910
http://science.naturalnews.com/Insomnia.html
Suzanne
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Re: Sleep: Nature's Sweet Restorer
[Re: Suzanne]
#167133
07/28/14 04:06 PM
07/28/14 04:06 PM
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CDC Calls Insufficient Sleep a Public Health Epidemic: Learn To Sleep Like a Baby
by Mike Bundrant
(NaturalNews) The CDC has it right in declaring lack of sleep a public health epidemic.
Lack of sleep has been linked to a number of public issues such as industrial disasters, medical and occupational errors, and motor vehicle accidents.
In addition to these well-known consequences, however, new studies have shown that people who receive insufficient sleep are at increased risk for chronic disease such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and even cancer.
Research backs the call for better sleep with shocking statistics
Two recent studies have shown that unhealthy sleep behaviors and self-reported sleep difficulties are becoming more prevalent across the country, and insufficient sleep is becoming of increasing concern.
According to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey, 35% of the nearly 75,000 adults who responded received less than seven hours per night. A number of other health problems were also reported, including 38% of respondents reporting that they fell asleep unintentionally during the day at least once during the preceding month.
An alarming 4.7 percent nodded off while driving. This is especially concerning when you consider that drowsy driving accounts for at least 1550 fatalities and 40,000 traffic accident injuries each year.
According to the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey Sleep Disorders Questionnaire, adults between the ages of 40-59 are most likely to get less than eight hours of sleep at 40.3 percent, with the ages of 20-39 not far behind at 37 percent.
Furthermore, those adults who did report getting less than seven hours of sleep per night also experienced more difficulties with performing daily tasks.
How much sleep is necessary?
According to the National Institutes of Health, school-age children need a minimum of 10 hours of sleep per day, while teenagers need around nine hours. Adults need at least seven hours. Unfortunately, the National Health Interview Survey finds that nearly 30 percent of adults get less than six hours of sleep per night on average. Only 31 percent of high school students receive eight hours of sleep on an average school night.
There are a number of ways for both adults and children to improve their sleep habits, known as sleep hygiene. First, try to go to bed at the same time each day. Likewise, set an alarm to ensure you rise at the same time every morning. Avoiding caffeine and alcohol before bed can both make falling asleep easier and improve the quality of your sleep, as will avoiding nicotine. While a small bedtime snack is okay, it's best to avoid eating a large meal.
For many with busy minds, sleep hygiene falls short
Indeed, practicing good sleep hygiene does NOT mean that your busy head calms down when you hop into bed. If you really want to sleep like a baby, then you've got to find a way to turn off all the inner commotion.
What causes the mental commotion that you can't just turn off? Fascinating research as reported in the March 2010 issue of Scientific American Magazine suggests that the brain's Default Mode Network (DMN) is the culprit. Scientific American positioned the DMN as the brain's dark energy.
The DMN is responsible for self-referential thoughts (autopilot thinking). When the DMN is overactive, your mind churns and spins, generating thoughts that keep you tense and awake.
Most people have never heard of the DMN, much less how to turn it off. You can, in fact, turn off your DMN, clear your head and relax. This has been proven via fMRI scans. It's relatively easy to do and it leads to natural sleep when you are tired.
The iNLP Center's Sleep Switch program has been helping thousands to turn off their busy head and get to sleep quickly. Click here to learn more.
Suzanne
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Re: Sleep: Nature's Sweet Restorer
[Re: Suzanne]
#167153
07/30/14 12:15 AM
07/30/14 12:15 AM
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Latest Study Finds That Interrupted Sleep Akin To Getting Virtually No Sleep At All
by Antonia
(NaturalNews) A recent conducted by researchers from Tel Aviv University's (TAU) School of Psychological Sciences has concluded that interrupted sleep is as detrimental to health as getting virtually no sleep at all.(1) Specifically, the researchers discovered that interrupted sleep, even if they come in short 5 to 10 minutes stretches of waking time, is like getting fewer than four consecutive hours of sleep.(1)
Population not getting sufficient sleep
It's recommended that adults get seven to nine hours of solid sleep nightly, however, only about 30 percent of the U.S. population does.(2) The issue doesn't just mean people will be yawning more throughout the day, either. According to the National Sleep Foundation, "One in five American adults show signs of chronic sleep deprivation," a problem that's linked to memory, obesity and heart problems.(3)
"The sleep of many parents is often disrupted by external sources such as a crying baby demanding care during the night. Doctors on call, who may receive several phone calls a night, also experience disruptions," said TAU professor Avi Sadeh. "These night wakings could be relatively short . . . but they disrupt the natural sleep rhythm."(1)
Add to this the reliance on cell phones and technology, where people are often sending quick texts in the middle of the night or even responding to work emails in the wee hours of the morning, and it's easy to understand just how little sleep people are actually getting.
What getting by on hardly any sleep does to the body and brain
In this particular study, volunteers slept for eight hours, then the next day, had their sleep interrupted four times in the course of the night by phone calls. Upon awakening each of the four times, they were asked to complete a brief computer task where they remained awake for about 15 minutes. The following morning, they engaged in some additional computer tasks as well as answered questions pertaining to their mood. A direct link between waning attention span and a negative mood was observed when the volunteers were functioning on interrupted sleep.(1)
This isn't the first time lack of sleep has been associated with negative physical and emotional outcomes. Other studies have also shown that sleep is vital for brain development and that when it's compromised, memory and mood decline.(2) Some research has even shown that molecules in the body that are typically linked to brain damage and degeneration increase in people who are getting by on little sleep.(2)
So serious is the issue of insufficient amounts of sleep that terms such as "Driving while Drowsy" exist and there is even legislation being considered that would charge drowsy drivers with criminal negligence should they injure or kill someone in a driving while drowsy situation.(3)
Sources for this article include:
(1) http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140708121728.htm
(2) http://www.naturalnews.com
(3) http://www.naturalnews.com
Suzanne
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Re: Sleep: Nature's Sweet Restorer
[Re: Suzanne]
#167249
08/05/14 11:02 PM
08/05/14 11:02 PM
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Not Getting Enough Sleep Can Lead To False Memories, Schizophrenia And Other Health Problems
by Julie Wilson
(NaturalNews) Scientists with the Department of Psychology and Social Behavior at the University of California, Irvine, ventured into unexplored waters when their research unveiled a link between sleep deprivation and false memories.
Led by Steven J. Frenda, the study found that sleeping five hours or less a night was linked to false memory formation, as reported by Medical News Today.
While past research has examined the relationship between lack of sleep and memory loss, this experiment, published in the journal Psychological Science, suggested that sleep deprivation could increase one's susceptibility to false memories.
"I was surprised to find that there were so few empirical studies connecting sleep deprivation with memory distortion in an eyewitness context," said Frenda.
"The studies that do exist look mostly at sleep-deprived people's ability to accurately remember lists of words - not real people, places and events."
Experiment asks over 100 college-age volunteers to review crime photos
The research team developed a test in which they could investigate how getting no sleep at all affects the formation of false memories by studying a group of 104 college-age participants.
The participants were divided into four groups. Two of the groups were shown photos of a crime taking place at a laboratory late at night. One of the groups was allowed to sleep, while the other stayed up all night.
The other two groups, one slept while the other stayed awake, reviewed the crime photos the morning after rather than the night before. The participants were then required to read narratives of eyewitness statements that gave different information than what the photos showed.
One example included an eyewitness stating that a thief put a stolen wallet in the pocket of his pants, when the photo showed that he placed it in his jacket.
The volunteers were then asked to recall what was shown in the photos.
Researchers found that the group who viewed the photos, read the narratives and attempted to recall the pictures after staying awake all night were more likely to say that the details in the eyewitness narratives were present in the photos, when in reality they weren't, an indication of false memory formation.
Contrastingly, the groups that were allowed to sleep remembered what they saw in the pictures and were far less likely to report false memories.
Getting enough sleep offers a better quality of life
Sleep is incredibly important and crucial to maintaining overall health. Adequate sleep allows your brain to prepare for the next day by sharpening your learning and problem-solving abilities.
A good night's rest also affects your physical health. Sleep helps your body heal and repair your heart and blood vessels, and maintain a healthy balance of hormones, in addition to supporting growth and development in children and teens.
Sleep deprivation can quickly lead to a host of health complications including increased stress levels, weight gain and more serious illnesses like schizophrenia.
Researchers previously believed that disrupted sleep was a symptom of schizophrenia, but experts are now suggesting that these disturbances could actually trigger the fatal hallucinogenic disease.
The findings, published in the journal Neuron, examined the association between poor sleep and schizophrenia by measuring electrical activity in the brain during sleep.
Led by researchers from the University of Bristol, the study's authors believe that prolonged sleep deprivation increases the occurrence of schizophrenia symptoms such as hallucinations, confusion and memory loss.
"Decoupling of brain regions involved in memory formation and decision-making during wakefulness are already implicated in schizophrenia, but decoupling during sleep provides a new mechanistic explanation for the cognitive deficits observed in both the animal model and patients: sleep disturbances might be a cause, not just a consequence of schizophrenia," noted Dr. Matt Jones, the study's lead author.
Experts admit that more research is needed; however, the information sheds light on new techniques for neurocognitive therapy in schizophrenia and other related psychiatric diseases.
Additional sources:
http://www.healthcentral.com
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com
http://www.elementsbehavioralhealth.com
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov
http://science.naturalnews.com
http://science.naturalnews.com
Suzanne
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Re: Sleep: Nature's Sweet Restorer
[Re: Suzanne]
#167303
08/07/14 06:42 PM
08/07/14 06:42 PM
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Sleepless In The USA: New Study Finds Tart Cherry Juice Significantly Increases Sleep Time
by Paul Fassa
(NaturalNews) According to the CDC insufficient sleep is a public health epidemic. The CDC warns that people who are struggling with sleep deficiencies are at risk for serious, debilitating, chronic diseases and even death from: "hypertension, diabetes, depression, and obesity, as well as cancer, increased mortality, and reduced quality of life and productivity."
The CDC estimates that approximately 50 to 70 million US adults suffer from some form of sleep or "wakefulness disorder". [1]
Synthetic Melatonin Dangers
Most health conscious consumers do not realize that supplemental melatonin is a synthetic hormone that carries a full array of not only mildly unpleasant side-effects like grogginess upon awakening or dizziness, [2] but also potentially lethal side effects, like "inhibited thyroid function and vasoconstriction of the brain, organs, and heart and more." [3]
According to Emily Benfit of butterbeliever.com, "There simply is no solid scientific evidence to support melatonin's effectiveness for treating insomnia in young and middle-aged adults. NONE! And there have been several studies which actually concluded that melatonin definitively does not significantly improve total sleep time, nor reduce the time it takes to fall asleep." [3] [2]
Avoid sleeping pills
In Dr. Daniel F. Kripke's book The Dark Side of Sleeping Pills, Mortality and Cancer Risks, Which Pills to Avoid & Better Alternatives Dr. Kripke cautions that sleeping pills are extremely dangerous and could hasten an early death from cancer, heart disease, or other serious illnesses.
In fact, he states that, "patients who took sleeping pills died 4.6 times more often (on average) than patients who avoided sleeping pills." [4]
Tart Cherry Juice for Insomnia
New research from Louisiana State University revealed that consuming Montmorency tart cherry juice twice a day increased sleeping time for adults with insomnia by 1.5 hours.
Montmorency cherries are rich in melatonin a hormone made by the pineal gland housed in the brain. Melatonin's primary function is to regulate sleep-wake cycles via light and darkness signaling. Low levels of melatonin can cause sleeping difficulties for some.
Lead author Frank L. Greenway, MD, and his colleagues wanted to know if melatonin alone was responsible for the sleep enhancing benefits in Montmorency cherries or was there something else. They wondered if the abundant Proanthocyanidins found in cherry pigments was also a factor. [5]
In their in-vitro study, cherry juice inhibited the enzyme indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase, which delays the degradation of the essential amino acid tryptophan that acts as a precursor to serotonin and facilitates sleep.
"Tryptophan degradation is a known predictor of insomnia and is also related to inflammation, said study co-authors Jack Losso and John Finley, professors in the School of Nutrition and Food Sciences at Louisiana State University.
"Even though the amount of tryptophan in tart cherry juice is smaller than a normal dose given to aid sleep, the compounds in tart cherries could prevent the tryptophan from breaking down so it's able to work in the body more effectively," Greenway explained.
He added, "These compounds may help to improve tryptophan bioavailability for serotonin synthesis, which could have a positive effect on sleep. Increasing serotonin also helps improve mood and decrease inflammation." [5]
The researchers discovered that the study participants who drank two glasses of Montmorency tart cherry juice daily, one in the morning and one glass in the evening "were able to sleep more than an hour longer each night (averaging 84 minutes) compared to the placebo, and their sleep tended to be more efficient." [5]
Greenway concluded that the synergistic effect of melatonin and tryptophan in Montmorency tart cherries were probably behind the sleep benefits. [5]
Sources for this article include:
[1] http://www.cdc.gov/features/dssleep/
[2] http://www.emedicinehealth.com
[3] http://butterbeliever.com/the-melatonin-scam/
[4] http://www.darksideofsleepingpills.com/
[5] http://www.choosecherries.com
Suzanne
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Re: Sleep: Nature's Sweet Restorer
[Re: Suzanne]
#167997
09/07/14 04:42 PM
09/07/14 04:42 PM
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OP
SDA
Active Member 2016
Dedicated Member
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,275
Calif. USA
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Lack Of Sleep Linked To Insatiable Junk Food Cravings
by Mike Bundrant
(NaturalNews) According to a study conducted by researchers from UC Berkeley, a sleepless night may make you likely to eat junk food rather than healthier choices like vegetables and whole grains. This study offers additional insights into the link between obesity and poor sleep.
Researchers scanned the brains of 23 young adults using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The participants were scanned both after a normal night's sleep and after a sleepless night. When comparing the results of the scans, researchers found that, following sleep deprivation, the brain's frontal lobe activity was impaired.
Furthermore, there was increased activity in the deeper brain centers that are known to respond to rewards. They also found that participants were much more likely to favor unhealthy foods when sleep deprived.
According to UC Berkeley professor of psychology and neuroscience Matthew Walker, this shows that, while the more primal brain structures controlling motivation and desire are amplified following sleep deprivation, the higher level brain regions required for more complex decision-making were impaired. This is how junk food cravings become insatiable -- the combination is increased primal desire with impairment in higher brain function.
When combined with the fact that unhealthy, high-calorie foods become significantly more desirable to a person who has been sleep-deprived, this explains why people who sleep less are more likely to become overweight or obese.
While previous studies have shown the link between sleep and obesity, this study is one of the first to illustrate a cause for that link. Participants' brain activities were measured as they were shown images of 80 food items ranging from low- to high-calorie count, as well as healthy and unhealthy choices.
These included fruits and vegetables as well as junk foods such as pizza, doughnuts and burgers. Participants were more likely to desire items from the second group following a sleepless night.
If you're attempting to lose weight, this may be good news. Ensuring that you get the proper amount of sleep each night can help reduce your cravings and make it easier for you to make healthier choices during the day.
Good sleep practices:
Searching for "sleep hygiene tips" is a good way to get standard sleep hygiene methods that are commonly recommended. The effectiveness of sleep hygiene itself has been the subject of much debate. Many report good results, while others suggest that, regardless of the sleep environment or preparatory sleep practices, the hygiene is not 100% effective because it does not serve to calm a busy mind.
Other healthy sleep practices involve herbal formulas and melatonin supplementation. Mostly, people experiment with these and discover on their own whether or not they work. However, it is wise to consult your health practitioner for more precise suggestions and testing.
And there are numerous other solutions online, such as binaural beats and various "sleep sound" apps. The goals of these devices seems to be to calm the mind down through distraction so that you can relax and go to sleep.
The iNLP Center's Sleep Switch program is another option that roughly 500 known people have used. The goal of Sleep Switch is to turn off the part of your brain that causes self-referential thoughts (autopilot thinking), associated with the brain's Default Mode Network (DMN), that impede the natural sleep cycle.
If your restless mind and body do not relax when you get into bed, your DMN may be overactive. MRI scans prove that a certain kind of awareness activity switches off the DMN (highlighted in the March 2010 issue of Scientific American).
The iNLP Center does not have clinical data on the effectiveness of Sleep Switch, other than anecdotal evidence. Dozens of people have reported getting a good night's sleep on the first night of use, with consistent results thereafter. The iNLP Center offers a money-back guarantee on the program, which has been used 2.3% of the time.
Suzanne
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Here is the link to this week's Sabbath School Lesson Study and Discussion Material: Click Here
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