Chronobiology

Alarming Link Found Between Insomnia and Heart Disease, Stroke Risk

Millions of Americans suffer from insomnia. This common concern may be affecting our health in a variety of negative ways, according to new research on insomnia and heart disease.

Most of us have suffered from at least a short bout of insomnia: You lay awake in bed for hours, watching the clock as a morning of exhaustion draws ever closer. Other people fall asleep quickly but are awakened so often that they do not feel rested in the morning. Insomnia is a temporary problem for most of us, but for some, it is a daily struggle. Not only does this leave insomniacs fatigued, but it also can increase the chance of developing serious illness. According to new research, there is a link between insomnia and heart attacks, heart disease and stroke.

Insomnia: A Modern Pandemic

Why do modern people struggle to get the sleep they need? For some, anxiety and stress are the root cause. Others may simply be more sensitive to the light pollution around us. Several popular medications can also make it difficult to fall and stay asleep. There are so many reasons to stay awake at night that it is a wonder any of us are sleeping well.

Whatever the reason, insomnia can have huge and negative effects on our lives and our bodies. People who do not get enough sleep are usually fatigued and unable to function optimally the next day. They score more poorly on tests of memory and mental aptitude; they are more likely to have accidents such as motor vehicle collisions. In addition, a lack of sleep means higher levels of inflammation in your body and less cell repair. Over time, this can have serious health effects.

Insomnia and Heart Disease

According to new research, our hearts suffer when we don’t get enough sleep. Heart failure is a disease in which our hearts lose the ability to effectively pump blood through our circulatory system. Almost three-fourths of people with heart failure have a long history of insomnia, suggesting that there is a link. In fact, having insomnia increases our risk of developing heart failure by 300 percent. Insomnia also increases the rate of heart attacks. Women appear to be disproportionately affected by insomnia.

The heart is not the organ that can suffer when people do not get enough sleep. Having insomnia leaves people at a 54 percent increased risk of having a stroke, in which the blood supply to the brain is compromised enough to kill delicate brain tissue. Strokes can have lifelong effects such as paralysis, loss of ability to care for oneself and loss of mental faculties. This increased risk is heightened in young people, who have an eight times greater chance of stroke when they suffer from insomnia.

Why Do We Need Sleep?

Why do people with insomnia suffer from so many negative health effects? They miss out on the restoration that happens when we are dreaming. Our cells perform important “cleanup” work when we are sleeping, getting rid of waste products and repairing the damage from the day. People who do not get enough sleep are not getting enough of this important behind-the-scenes cleanup. Like a house that is not maintained, their bodies slowly fall into disrepair that can compromise the health of the overall structure.

The result is that people who do not get enough sleep have higher levels of inflammation and greater amounts of cytokines and other molecules that cause inflammatory reactions. They do not repair DNA as effectively. Over time, these effects can lead to long-term damage to muscles that make up the heart as well as delicate blood vessels. When these tissues break down, heart disease and stroke are the unfortunate results.

Getting the Sleep You Need for Good Health

These links between insomnia and cardiovascular disease show how important it is to get the right amount of sleep. However, this is a struggle for many people. If you are having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, consider the following natural treatments for insomnia:

Keep a routine. Go to sleep and wake up at the same time, even on weekends and vacations.
Practice good sleep hygiene. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex. Consider implementing a night time routine that calms you and prepares your mind to shut down.
Turn down the lights. Lighting, especially the blue lighting from devices, keeps your brain from making hormones such as melatonin that encourage sleep.
Keep a restful sleeping space. Invest in comfortable sheets and pillows. Make sure the decorations in your bedroom are restful and calming to you.
Avoid caffeine, nicotine and other stimulants in the hours before bedtime.
If stress is keeping you awake, practice yoga or meditation an hour before bed to calm your anxiety level.
Consider taking a natural supplement intended to help with occasional sleeplessness, such as melatonin.
Avoid using sleeping pills and antihistamines like diphenhydramine to sleep. These create dependence and also leave you groggy in the morning.

Getting enough sleep can be difficult in the modern world. Lights and stress never go to sleep, so it is hard for our brains to do so. However, it is important to maintain habits that allow you to shut down and get the rest you need to be happy and healthy. Maintaining a stable sleep schedule is one of the most important lifestyle choices that a person can make to encourage whole body health.

The Dangers and Side Effects of Sleeping Pills

Apr 22 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Do you occasionally have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep? If so, you are part of a silent and growing group. Up to one half of Americans suffer from a sleep concern like insomnia. While there are many sleeping pills on the market, many find that the side effects of these are not worth the temporary fix they offer. However, there is good news. If you have sleep problems and are concerned about the short- and long-term side effects of sleeping pills, there may be natural solutions.

Insomnia: A National Epidemic

Americans of every age occasionally have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep, and many suffer from insomnia and other sleep disorders. Modern life is full of stress and anxiety that can interfere with sleep. In addition, we live in a world very different from that of our ancestors. There is constant light and entertainment, making it difficult to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. Even children have plenty of worries and distractions to keep them up at night. The result is that up to half of all people suffer from insomnia and even more have occasional difficulty falling asleep, both of which can have negative effects on your health.

There are many pharmaceutical solutions to help with insomnia and other sleep concerns, but these are highly imperfect. Many people are seeking a safe and long term fix for their sleeping woes.

Are They Worth It? Side Effects of Sleeping Pills

There are many downsides to the medications available on the market to help people sleep. Sleeping pills can sedate you and make it difficult to wake up in the morning or in the case of an emergency. Accidental overdose is a very real and worrisome possibility as well. This is especially true for people with respiratory diseases such as asthma. Sleeping pills can be addictive or habit-forming as well. People who use them may find that they work at first, but that the effects become smaller and smaller. People who try them often find themselves taking increasing amounts of sleep medications to get the same or even smaller effects.

Because there are so many side effects of sleeping pills, many people try to use them only as a last resort. The FDA and other regulatory agencies actually recommend avoiding them and have made the guidelines for prescribing these medications stricter than ever before due to the dangers. Unfortunately this can mean living with sleepless nights. Is there a natural answer to occasional difficulty falling asleep and other sleep concerns?

Melatonin: A Natural Answer

Many people have been able to achieve a healthier sleep cycle using melatonin. In some cases, melatonin can be more effective and have fewer side effects than pharmaceutical sleeping pills. This is due to the fact that it is a completely natural hormone that is already made by your brain. When your body winds down at night, melatonin is released by the pineal gland in your brain to help you fall asleep. Many people have difficulty sleeping due to a deficiency of this important hormone.

Because it is a natural hormone, melatonin has very few side effects. The most common one is sleepiness, which is the very reason so many people take it. Overdoses of melatonin are so rare that they are practically unheard of and dependence is extremely rare because it is not addictive.

Getting the Sleep You Need

In addition to supplementing with melatonin, there are several ways that people with insomnia can get the sleep that they need. Consider making a few lifestyle changes proven to help with insomnia such as these:

1. Save the bed for sleep and romance.

People who read, study, pay bills and perform other tasks in bed are less likely to associate it with sleep and thus may have a hard time settling in for the night.

2. Do not go to bed until you are tired.

Lying awake is stressful and may actually make you stay up even longer than waiting until you are ready for sleep.

3. Meditate in the evening.

Meditation calms you down, brings down the blood pressure and quiets your mind. This is especially important for people who have trouble sleeping due to racing thoughts.

4. Go to bed and wake up at the same time.

This includes weekends. If your body gets into a set sleep-wake cycle, it will be likely to keep it. Sleeping in on weekends actually disrupts your circadian rhythm.

5. Turn down the lights an hour before bed.

This includes your phone and other devices. The blue light from these has been statistically proven to contribute to insomnia and keep your brain from releasing the melatonin that you need for good rest.

6. Consider old wives’ remedies.

If chamomile and hot milk helped your grandmother to sleep, they just might help you as well. These old time remedies are often relaxing and nostalgic, helping you to settle in.

Many people do not need sleeping pills, but rather a relaxing sleep schedule and a few natural solutions. These natural remedies are healthy lifestyle choices that will get you to sleep without the many side effects of sleeping pills.

Exposure to Blue Light Could Be Damaging Your Vision

Mar 06 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Do you spend a lot of time under artificial lights or even just staring at screens? It could be taking a toll on your eye health and vision. New studies have found a link between exposure to blue light and eye damage.

Artificial light is ubiquitous in the modern world. Not only do light bulbs and other artificial lighting sources illuminate indoor and outdoor spaces at all times of day and night, but many people are also exposed to light on computers, smartphones and other devices. This constant exposure to light is a form of pollution—light pollution—that has been found to cause serious health problems and disrupt circadian rhythms. New research on blue light and eye damage suggests that it may be bad for our vision as well.

The Difference Between Natural and Artificial Light

Humans and other living things evolved to live under an endless cycle of sunlight and darkness. Sunlight is mostly made up of white light, which contains all of the visible colors of the light spectrum. This is the reason that light beaming through a prism creates a rainbow. Artificial light, however, tends to be mainly from the blue wavelength of light. As mankind has begun to spend most of our lives indoors and an increasing amount of time in front of devices, we have increased our exposure to blue lights.

How does this change in light wavelength affect our health? According to numerous studies, the increase in exposure to blue light suppresses melatonin production, which in turn can lead to a wide variety of health problems. However, this blue light also may have a negative effect on our eyesight as well.

The Link Between Blue Light and Eye Damage

As we age, the cells in our eyes gradually become damaged and slowly deteriorate. This leads to an increase in sight problems such as macular degeneration, a disorder in which the cells of the retina that are responsible for vision lose their ability to see. Melanin, a pigment that gives our hair and skin color, protects retinal cells from some of this damage. However, we lose melanin as we age, leaving our eyes increasingly prone to damage from light. High energy blue light, the kind emitted by high-efficiency light bulbs and electronic devices, does the most damage to these delicate cells.

People who are exposed to high levels of blue light on a regular basis are more likely to suffer from a variety of vision problems. You have probably noticed that you suffer from eye strain after reading from a screen for an extended period of time. However, this is just the beginning. High exposure to blue light has also been found in several recent studies to increase the risk of macular degeneration, cataracts and other eye diseases. The effects are so great that optometrists now recommend eye protection from blue light as standard preventative eye care.

Protecting Your Vision From Blue Light

There are ways that we can protect our eyesight to support good vision over a long lifetime. Experts recommend wearing sunglasses and hats when we are in bright light, whether this is indoor or outdoor lighting. Limiting screen time is also an important way to protect your eyes. It is especially important to limit exposure to blue light in the hours before sleep so your body can begin to produce and release melatonin. Choose a paperback rather than a tablet or e-reader for your bedtime reading. Use traditional white light bulbs rather than energy efficient LED lighting in rooms where you spend your late evening hours.

It is possible to reduce exposure to high-energy blue light, but eliminating it altogether is not possible for many people. Many people work in environments where blue light in the form of lighting and screens is simply a fact of life. There are special eyeglasses that filter out blue light to reduce strain and damage, but it is also important to address the problem with good nutrition.

Supporting Good Vision From the Inside Out

Because melanin protects your eyes from some of the damaging effects of blue light, oxidative damage to melanin in your retinas is a huge risk factor for eye disease. Supplements that contain certain antioxidant nutrients such as lutein and zeaxanthin have been found to support good eye health by reducing oxidative damage to retinal cells. Taking a multivitamin is also important, as vitamin E and other nutrients act as potent antioxidants throughout our bodies.

Even if you avoid screens and electronic devices, it is difficult to eliminate exposure to blue light and eye damage that may result. Modern offices, stores and even schools are lit with bulbs emitting mainly this wavelength of light. However, common sense lifestyle changes along with supplements supporting good eye health will reduce vision damage for many people who cannot avoid exposure. While some eye damage is natural in aging, we should do everything we can to maintain good vision and whole body health throughout our lifetimes.

Melatonin for Anxiety: Promising New Applications for a Familiar Sleep Supplement

Mar 01 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Many people all over the world take melatonin to help them sleep. However, new research suggests that some may benefit from taking melatonin for anxiety as well.

Around one in five adults suffer from anxiety. While certain types of therapy and medications such as SSRIs can help, many people struggle to manage their symptoms. The loss of daily function and lack of sleep can severely interfere with the lives of people who suffer from this concern. As a result, many people are on a search for safe, natural remedies that will help manage their anxiety and the often-associated occasional difficulty sleeping once and for all. Several new studies suggest that taking melatonin for anxiety may be the answer many have been looking for.

Deciphering the Underlying Causes of Anxiety

Scientists and doctors do not understand why some people suffer from anxiety on a daily basis while others do not. However, there is a lot that we do know about this condition thanks to a great deal of research. PET scans show that the root cause appears to be an imbalance of certain neurotransmitters such as serotonin and epinephrine. The autonomic nervous system, which controls instincts such as “fight-or-flight” behavior, also appears to play a role. People with anxiety appear to have a smaller temporal lobe volume, reduced numbers of serotonin receptors and increased blood flow in areas of the brain that mediate emotions such as fear. While people once thought that anxiety was a personal weakness, we now know that it can have very real physical causes.

The result is that people with anxiety suffer from excessive panic and fear compared to other people in similar situations. They also have a wide range of physical symptoms such as sweating, tremors, rapid heart beat, dilated pupils and insomnia. The constant presence of anxiety in one’s life can make it difficult to function normally both at work and with loved ones. Doctors currently treat anxiety with therapy as well as a range of pharmaceuticals that quiet physical symptoms and increase serotonin levels. Sedating medications are also a popular treatment as they quiet a mind and body that are on edge.

Melatonin for Anxiety: A Natural Treatment with Potential

Melatonin may be a potential treatment for helping to soothe anxiety, especially anxiety that comes with occasional difficulty falling asleep and other sleep concerns. Melatonin has long been noted to decrease anxious behaviors in research animals, even as far back as 1984. Researchers noted that animals who had higher levels of melatonin showed less of the hallmark behaviors of anxiety while also performing better on tests, making fewer errors. They also slept better at night. Part of this was believed to be due to melatonin’s slightly sedating effect as well as the fact that these lab animals were getting better sleep. After all, sedatives of various kinds are already used successfully in treating anxiety. In addition, melatonin is a hormone that helps us to fall asleep at night and stay asleep, so it is no surprise that we will generally be better rested while taking a melatonin supplement.

However, more recent research suggests that melatonin may have a calming effect on people with anxiety even outside of its sleep benefits. People who take melatonin before and after surgery—times when physiological and psychological stress run high—have less anxiety and also fewer instances of postoperative delirium. This is significant because many anesthetics, such as Propofol, reduce plasma melatonin levels. This may actually be contributing to high levels of anxiety in patients undergoing surgical procedures. This is more significant when you consider that Ramelteon, a drug that increases melatonin, has already been shown to be effective in treating anxiety associated with insomnia.

More Sleep and Less Stress

Anxiety is one of the most common mental afflictions in the world, while occasional difficulty falling asleep also affects millions of people. Could these disorders be somehow linked? Scientists are still studying the connections between difficulty sleeping and anxiety, but the remedies for these two disorders remain very similar. Whether you are suffering from anxiety, occasional difficulty sleeping, or both, cognitive behavioral therapy, lifestyle modifications and increasing melatonin are promising treatments. Whether you increase melatonin levels by taking a melatonin supplement or taking a drug such as Ramelteon, you may find that you are less anxious and more able to handle the stresses of daily life without unpleasant physical symptoms.

Melatonin may help anxiety simply by sedating sufferers, increasing sleep or even by a mechanism that is not yet known. The research is clear that taking melatonin for anxiety appears to help treat many of the symptoms. It is important to talk to your physician before adding any medication or supplement to your regimen, especially if you are already being treated for anxiety or insomnia with pharmaceuticals. However, the evidence behind melatonin indicates that it may have a very beneficial effect for people with a variety of health concerns.

New Research Indicates Omega-3 for Asthma Could Help You Breathe Easier

Feb 17 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Are you one of the millions of people who struggle with respiratory concerns? New research on omega-3 for asthma suggests this natural remedy may make a huge difference.

Asthma is a common disease, affecting around one of out every 12 people. Overall, asthma costs the United States alone around $56 billion a year in medical costs, lost work productivity and other expenses. While modern medicine offers a variety of treatments for this and other inflammatory respiratory conditions, there are few ways to actually prevent it. However, new research on omega-3 for asthma suggests that in addition to the myriad of other health benefits this fatty acid provides, taking in sufficient amounts could be effective as a treatment for this devastating health concern.

What Causes Asthma?

People with asthma have chronic inflammation and narrowing of their airways that interferes with their breathing on a daily basis. In addition, this inflammation and narrowing can lead to asthma attacks, which is when the muscles that make up airways narrow and can even prevent breathing. People with asthma also tend to have mucus build up in airways from the inflammation, which can further compromise breathing. Over time, the airway inflammation can lead to permanent damage to the airways and chronic obstruction.

Modern medicine offers a variety of treatments that can reduce and slow the damage caused by asthma. Beta-agonists such as albuterol can immediately open airways that are constricted by tight muscles. Steroids such as cortisol and prednisone are also used because they reduce inflammation. However, many people still suffer—and sometimes die—from asthma every year, even in developed countries with excellent medical care. Many people have begun trying alternative remedies in addition to traditional medicines as a way to breathe a little easier.

Asthma and the Circadian Rhythm

Research on the circadian rhythm of asthma has offered a great deal of promise for people looking to overcome this condition. Our respiratory tracts have a distinctive circadian rhythm. People who have a dysregulated circadian rhythm, such as those with insomnia, are more likely to develop asthma. In addition, they are more likely to have severe asthma instead of a milder form. While most people think of asthma as a childhood disease, these findings indicate that adults who do not sleep well are also at risk.

How can sleep affect asthma? First, sleep affects the immune system. People who do not get enough high-quality sleep are likely to suffer from dysfunction of the immune system, which can lead to an autoimmune attack on airways. Second, our respiratory systems, and thus conditions affecting these systems, follow a circadian rhythm. Timing daily medications to coincide with the times when asthma sufferers are most at risk for an attack may be beneficial.

Omega-3 for Asthma: A New Treatment Option

There are several natural supplements that also may be beneficial for people who suffer from asthma and other respiratory concerns. Omega-3 fatty acids are currently the supplements with the most evidence backing them. Research on omega-3 for asthma suggests that these fatty acids have a regulatory effect on B cells, the type of immune cell that governs IgE reactions such as asthma attacks. People who are suffering from regular asthma attacks may see the frequency and severity lessened if they get more omega-3 fatty acids, either from diet or from a supplement.

Women who are pregnant may even be able to lower the chances of their offspring having asthma by taking one of these supplements. A recent study found that women who took 2.4 mg of omega-3 fatty acids in their third trimester of pregnancy were almost a third less likely to have babies who grew up to have asthma. Supplementing with omega-3 fatty acids when pregnant may not only remove the burden of chronic disease from many children, but also remove a large burden from our economy in which asthma and other respiratory conditions are an expensive problem.

Getting Enough Omega-3s in Your Diet

This new research on using omega-3 for asthma is promising, but still in the preliminary stages. However, there are plenty of reasons to ensure that you ingest plenty of these fatty acids. They are available not just in supplements but in a variety of foods including:

pasture-raised or grass-fed meats
free-range poultry and their eggs
fresh soy foods such as edamame
wild rice
walnuts and walnut oil
flaxseeds and flaxseed oil
certain legumes such as black beans and kidney beans
fatty fish such as bluefin tuna and salmon

Because the Western diet tends to be low in or even completely devoid of these foods, many experts suggest taking an omega-3 supplement to ensure that you get all the benefits of these nutrient-rich oils.

If you have not been getting enough omega-3 fatty acids in your diet, there has never been a better time to start. New research on the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids for asthma as well as a variety of other health disorders suggests that everyone should be getting plenty of these oils in their daily diet.

New Links Between Sleep and Health Highlight the Importance of Getting Your Zzzs

Feb 07 by Ewcopywriting Leave a Comment

Millions of people struggle to get adequate, restful sleep. New research on sleep and health suggests that not getting enough sleep can have more serious effects on your health than previously realized.

Have you ever struggled to fall asleep? Have you ever woken from a deep slumber unable to get back to sleep? If so, you are not alone. Sleep disorders are a common problem that leaves many people fatigued and sleepy throughout the day. However, the effects may go far beyond temporarily feeling too tired. New studies have found links between sleep and health that suggest that getting enough high-quality sleep is one of the most important parts of a healthy lifestyle.

Sleep and Health: Immune Effects

Many people notice that they are more likely to get sick when they are overworked or simply worn out. Scientific research supports this observation. Studies of twins have found that even among identical twins, the twin who does not get enough sleep is more likely to become sick when they are both exposed to bacteria or viruses. They also have measurably lower levels of white blood cells circulating in their bloodstream, which are the first line of defense against pathogens.

This is especially important when you consider that people in the Western world are getting less sleep than ever before; as many as one to two hours less per night. This can have a very negative effect on our immune systems, which we rely upon to keep out foreign pathogens and fight the ones that somehow breach our barriers. The result is that we may be more prone to infections than ever before, spending more days ill and living at higher risk of developing an infection that can be deadly.

Cognitive Impairment: A Side Effect of Insomnia?

Sleep disturbances may also have an effect on how you well you think and remember. Doctors tested elderly people with cognitive impairments and those without them. They found that those who have better cognition also report better sleep patterns. A similar link has been found in several other studies as well: Older people who sleep well suffer less of the loss of thinking skills that we associate with aging. While we think of retirement as a time of rest, many older people do not appear to be getting enough sleep.

This makes intuitive sense to people who have suffered a sleepless night or even jet lag. Most people who have not had adequate sleep find that they struggle with concentration and memory for one or more days. Although more study is needed, it is logical that people who struggle with sleep throughout their lives may see more long-term effects.

The Circadian Rhythm of Respiratory Health

Although we think of asthma as a childhood disease, it affects many adults as well. This and other chronic respiratory illnesses are a major cause of emergency room visits in the United States. While most adults with asthma develop it as children, some actually do not get the disease until well into adulthood. Doctors and scientists have struggled to determine exactly why this happens. Obesity, pollution and other factors have been linked to adult asthma, but insomnia also appears to play a role. Researchers looked at adults with sleep disorders and those without. Over an 11-year period, those with sleep disorders were around three times as likely to develop asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

How can asthma be linked to sleep? Researchers believe that the effect of insomnia on the immune system may be partially to blame. People who do not sleep as well are more likely to live with high levels of inflammation, which is a key feature of asthma and several other respiratory illnesses. This link suggests that the issue of sleep and health may be extremely important in preventing costly chronic illnesses and even in preventing deaths from respiratory failure.

In the Bedroom and Beyond

One final area that modern research suggests may be impacted by sleep is sexuality. In a study of almost 100,000 pre-menopausal and menopausal women, researchers found a clear link between sexual satisfaction and getting high-quality sleep. Women who report sleeping seven to eight hours a night, which most researchers consider ideal, are also more likely to experience higher sexual satisfaction.

While most people believe that menopause is a time when women lose their sex drive, this does not always appear to be true. Over half of women who get adequate slumber report feeling sexually active and satisfied with their sex lives.

Many of these new links between sleep and health are correlations, which means that they merely show a link between two variables and do not offer definitive proof that one causes the other. However, it is clear that getting enough high-quality sleep is important in maintaining the good health that we all wish to enjoy over our lifetimes.