Health News
- End Of Daylight Saving Time, Which Can Disrupt Sleep Pattern, Is A Good Time To Review Your Sleep Habits, Experts Say
Sunday, Nov. 2, is the end of Daylight Saving Time this year and for those who already sleep poorly, it might mean further disruption to their sleep patterns. Turning our clocks back one hour in the fall can be disruptive to our sleep patterns, says Sabrina...
- Immediate Benefits Of Exercise
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom We all know the benefits of regular physical activity on our long-term health. But many people do not find that the reward of sustained good health is sufficient for them to stick with any activity plan. Some new information...
- Take A Vacation For Better Health
By Dr. Madelyn FernstromWhile many of us are walking databases of information about healthy living ? a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, daily exercise, sufficient sleep ? we often forget about one very important factor. Want to take a guess? It?s...
- Daylight Savings Ends Sunday
If you have trouble sleeping, there's good news - you are getting an extra hour this weekend. Don't forget to adjust your clocks an hour back at 2 a.m. Sunday due to the end of Daylight Savings. But you may also want to pause this weekend to ask...
- Heating Up
Are you too hot? Hot flashes, a common term for a sudden wave of heat usually partnered with sweating, can be extremely uncomfortable for women, who can experience them during peri-menopause and up to five or more years after menopause. However, a new...
Health News
Naps May Reduce Stress
A recent study shows midday naps may have a positive impact on the heart, especially for working men.
The Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Athens Medical School ran a six-year study on more than 23,000 Greek adults, the results of which appeared in The Archives of Internal Medicine in February 2007. Investigators found those who took a nap three times per week for an average of at least 30 minutes had a 37 percent lower coronary mortality than those not taking siestas. The study?s investigators concluded that ?afternoon siesta in a healthy individual may act as a stress-releasing habit, and there is considerable evidence that stress has both short- and long-term effects on incidence of and mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD).?
Experts agree it?s the stress release value of a nap that is likely the reason behind the health benefits. Brian Bohner, M.D., director of the Sinai Sleep Center, says stress reduction in any form?be it napping, meditation or biofeedback?is a good idea.
?The message from this study should not be that everyone should go out and take a two-hour siesta,? he says. ?But stress has an impact on coronary mortality, and stress reduction in whatever form you do it is important.?
LifeBridge Health internist Steven Gambert, M.D., says a nap should be between 30-45 minutes, and those who nap should expect to sleep less at night. For those who don?t receive enough sleep?less than eight hours a night for most people?Bohner suggests there may be restorative value to an occasional nap.
?The most traditional advice is not to take a routine nap but a nap to catch up on lost sleep,? he says.
The Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Athens Medical School ran a six-year study on more than 23,000 Greek adults, the results of which appeared in The Archives of Internal Medicine in February 2007. Investigators found those who took a nap three times per week for an average of at least 30 minutes had a 37 percent lower coronary mortality than those not taking siestas. The study?s investigators concluded that ?afternoon siesta in a healthy individual may act as a stress-releasing habit, and there is considerable evidence that stress has both short- and long-term effects on incidence of and mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD).?
Experts agree it?s the stress release value of a nap that is likely the reason behind the health benefits. Brian Bohner, M.D., director of the Sinai Sleep Center, says stress reduction in any form?be it napping, meditation or biofeedback?is a good idea.
?The message from this study should not be that everyone should go out and take a two-hour siesta,? he says. ?But stress has an impact on coronary mortality, and stress reduction in whatever form you do it is important.?
LifeBridge Health internist Steven Gambert, M.D., says a nap should be between 30-45 minutes, and those who nap should expect to sleep less at night. For those who don?t receive enough sleep?less than eight hours a night for most people?Bohner suggests there may be restorative value to an occasional nap.
?The most traditional advice is not to take a routine nap but a nap to catch up on lost sleep,? he says.
- End Of Daylight Saving Time, Which Can Disrupt Sleep Pattern, Is A Good Time To Review Your Sleep Habits, Experts Say
Sunday, Nov. 2, is the end of Daylight Saving Time this year and for those who already sleep poorly, it might mean further disruption to their sleep patterns. Turning our clocks back one hour in the fall can be disruptive to our sleep patterns, says Sabrina...
- Immediate Benefits Of Exercise
By Dr. Madelyn Fernstrom We all know the benefits of regular physical activity on our long-term health. But many people do not find that the reward of sustained good health is sufficient for them to stick with any activity plan. Some new information...
- Take A Vacation For Better Health
By Dr. Madelyn FernstromWhile many of us are walking databases of information about healthy living ? a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, daily exercise, sufficient sleep ? we often forget about one very important factor. Want to take a guess? It?s...
- Daylight Savings Ends Sunday
If you have trouble sleeping, there's good news - you are getting an extra hour this weekend. Don't forget to adjust your clocks an hour back at 2 a.m. Sunday due to the end of Daylight Savings. But you may also want to pause this weekend to ask...
- Heating Up
Are you too hot? Hot flashes, a common term for a sudden wave of heat usually partnered with sweating, can be extremely uncomfortable for women, who can experience them during peri-menopause and up to five or more years after menopause. However, a new...