HEALTH TIPS....from yahoo. news... .. Surprising Symptoms That Mean You Need More Sleep RealBuzz – Tue, Jan 20, 2015 5:00 PM PHT.. Constant yawning, dark circles and regular coffee-fixes are the tell tale signs of a bad night’s sleep. If you find yourself constantly clock-watching until bedtime, then you need more z’s, ASAP. Never underestimate the power of sleep. You might think you can function on four hours, but it will catch up with you eventually. Here are 5 reasons to visit the land of nod. You Gain Weight If your diet has hit a brick wall, you might need more sleep. Skipping the required 7-8 hours not only affects how the body uses energy and what fat is burnt; it also encourages you to eat more. According to a study conducted by the American Heart Association, on average, women who only have 4 hours sleep a night eat 330 calories more than they did after 9 hours sleep. You turn to sugars for a quick pick-me-up, and the calories keep on coming. Not enough pillow action also increases cravings. It can raise the level of ghrelin; a hormone which stimulates growth and fat production in the body. To help, there are slight tweaks you can make to your diet to encourage a better night’s sleep – limit your caffeine intake, avoid large evening meals and brew-up a soothing camomile tea. You Forget Things We all get brain fog once in a while – why did I put the remote in the fridge again? But when it starts becoming a regular habit, it’s time to make sleeping a priority. Sleep expert Dr. Lawrence Epstein of Harvard Medical School explains poor sleep has an adverse impact on thinking. It reduces concentration, attention and reaction time, which can be life threatening in some cases, like driving. It’s important that you get the sleep you need to function effectively. Struggle making simple decisions? Can’t answer easy questions? Wonder where your short-term memory went? Try going to bed at the same time each night. Sticking to a regular pattern makes it easier to drop off. You Look Older A lack of sleep can cause serious, even permanent damage to your skin. Like the rest of our body; when we sleep our skin rejuvenates and repairs, leaving it in the best condition to fight harmful free radicals. Without it, our body produces increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which causes inflammation and accelerates aging. To beat the fine lines caused by tiredness, try to get your beauty sleep. Poor quality sleep can worsen existing skin conditions and drain your complexion of its natural glow. Exercise can help achieve both younger-looking skin and a good night’s sleep. According to researchers in the Department of Neurology at Northwestern University, “increased levels of structured social and physical activity have positive effects on sleep.” Be it going for a run with friends or cycling at the gym, 30 minutes of aerobic exercise four times a week has proven to help insomniacs get the rest they need. You’re Moody There’s getting out on the wrong side of the bed and there’s getting no sleep at all. When nights spent tossing and turning become the norm, things start to get serious. Research from the Division of Sleep Medicine at Harvard Medical School explains how “chronic insomnia may increase the risk of developing a mood disorder, such as anxiety or depression.” It exacerbates symptoms of stress, and leaves you feeling miserable. If you feel that your mood is being impacted by a lack of sleep, step back, take 5 and relax. Don’t let sleep be a last minute thought – write any worries you have in a diary, take a hot bath and concentrate on winding down. Meditating and deep breaths are simple but effective calming techniques to try this evening. You’re Not Well If you’re catching one cold too many, it could be sleep deprivation. Poor sleeping habits hit the immune system hard, leaving you more susceptible to illness and infection. Stopping your body from getting the rest it needs to fight bad bugs harms the granulocytes (a type of white blood cell) in our body, which in turn can increase our likelihood of developing serious chronic inflammatory / autoimmune diseases – not just colds and flu. Sleep has a restorative function. Remove it, and our body suffers as a consequence. This makes those 7-8 hours even more essential. If you’re feeling under the weather and can’t seem to switch off at night, go see your doctor. Sometimes the little things won’t make a difference, and it takes a professional eye to really get to the root of the problem. .. . @yahooph on Twitter and Facebook ..
Posted on: Fri, 23 Jan 2015 23:41:06 +0000
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