With the increased awareness of the importance of sleep quantity and sleep quality there’s been a rise in interest in natural methods of improving both. Exercise has been recognized as one of the most effective methods of getting better sleep, but many people have been put off by the warnings that exercise should be separated from bedtime by several hours. With busy work schedules, kids to take care of, classes to attend and a number of other obligations, it is often difficult for people to find time to exercise during the day.  Continue reading →

Sleep scientists and physicians have been urging the public to get more sleep, and bemoaning the lack of priority that this important function earns in our daily schedule, but that all may be changing as the popularity of fitness trackers and sleep trackers continue to rise. The sales of these devices, which some view as a novelty, has been booming, and that’s not a bad thing. The more people are realizing how little sleep they are getting, the more attention they are paying to educational materials about how much sleep they need, and they’re starting to take action. Continue reading →

It’s been estimated that at any given moment there are 31 million Americans suffering from back pain. About half of working adults in the United States say that they have had some kind of back pain during the year, and pain in the back is one of the most common reasons that people miss work, and the second most common reason for people to go to see their doctor – the only malady more common is the common cold. If you are among those who suffer from back pain, then finding a mattress that suits your particular sleeping style and any injuries or problems you may have simply makes sense, but most people don’t know what they should be looking for to help with their specific issue. Continue reading →

It has long been known that obstructive sleep apnea is associated an increased risk in heart conditions. The sleep disorder contributes to high blood pressure, atrial fibrillation and heart attacks. A recent study now indicates that in addition to these problems, obstruction sleep apnea has a significant impact on an individual’s risk for sudden cardiac death. Continue reading →

The ‘munchies’ describes a sudden strong desire for food. The phrase, and the phenomenon, has long been associated with the use of marijuana, as after smoking pot people have a tendency to want to eat a lot, particularly junk food and sweets. But a new report has revealed that the munchies also appear after insufficient sleep, and researchers believe that they now know why.

The study was conducted as a collaboration between the University of Chicago’s Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, the University of Chicago Medicine and the Medical College of Wisconsin, and was led by Erin Hanlon, PhD, research associate and assistant professor. They found that insufficient sleep raises the level of a specific substance that is a natural appetite stimulant. This, in addition to already-known shifts in the hormone levels of leptin and ghrelin, provide more evidence as to why lack of sleep contributes to weight gain and obesity. According to Hanlon, “Past experimental studies show that sleep restriction increases hunger and appetite. The mechanism for overeating after inadequate sleep may be an elevation in this endocannabinoid molecule, called 2-arachidonoylglycerol, or 2-AG.” Continue reading →