Home About Paula Breakfast Club Talks and Workshops Your Health Food Industry What's New Contact Links Sitemap   Eating Well      Your Children      Health & Wellness      Exercise for Health      Recipes        Your Health:        Recipes Eating Well Your Children Exercise for Health Health & Wellness - Sleep! - Water For Life - Slimming Tips for 2010 - Vitamin D - Preparing for a Baby - Pregnancy - Moods - Skin, Hair & Nails - Alcohol - Bones & Joints - Cholesterol - Menopause                             Don’t neglect your Sleep...        It might surprise you to hear that a lack of sleep can threaten your waistline! Here’s a quick overview of some papers, which suggests that insufficient sleep can trigger mild to potentially life-threatening consequences, from weight gain to a high blood pressure. More research is needed, but there seems to be an interesting and strong relationship with inadequate sleep and health problems.        In 2008 a review in the journal Obesity (which analysed 36 different studies of sleep duration and body weight), found that insufficient sleep may disrupt the hormones that control hunger and appetite. The tiredness and fatigue that people felt during the day often then discouraged them from exercising. Excess weight of course puts us at risk of several health problems, including cardiovascular disease.        A 2009 study in Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who slept an average of less than 7 hours per night were 3 times as likely to get sick with viral infections, as those who averaged at least 8 hours.        A 2009 report in Diabetes Care found that people who had insomnia for a year or longer and who slept less than 5 hours per night, had a threefold higher risk of type 2 diabetes compared with those who had no sleep complaints and who slept 6 or more hours nightly.        A 2009 article in the journal Sleep found the risk of high blood pressure was 3.5 times greater among insomniacs who routinely slept less than 6 hours per night, compared with normal sleepers who slept 6 or more hours per night.        I think I’ll be using all the above evidence, legitimately, as a good excuse to stay in bed for an extra hour on Saturday mornings.....        top of page                 Keep in mind that research on these matters is on-going and is subject to change. The information presented is not intended as a substitute for medical treatment. It is intended to provide ongoing support of your healthy lifestyle practices.                   © Paula Mee 2010 Privacy Statement        Home page                Powered by go2web