Hormone Replacement Therapy

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) can be the answer to sleep deprivation. After recent studies conducted at Medical Research Council (MRC) general Practice Research Framework in London, it was found that HRT can be a potential answer to all sleep-related problems that is becoming a concern these days.

“Benefits of HRT justify a rethink” is the headline in The Times. A recent study of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has shown that women “showed significantly fewer hot flushes, night sweats, aching joints and muscles, insomnia and vaginal dryness than those given a placebo”, the newspaper says. The researchers suggest that current guideline advice based on other research showing that HRT could increase the risk of serious diseases including breast cancer, coronary heart disease and blood clots in selected women should be “revisited”.

(Source) NHS Choices

Snoring is something many are now aware of being a health risk and if you are not careful, your kids may develop them if you don’t keep the pets away. In fact, don’t get them pets at all since this study by Karl Franklin of University Hospital in Umea, Sweden revealed that kids exposed to pets such as cats and dogs are susceptible to various germs that may contribute to the inflammatory processes and thereby alter upper airway anatomy early in life.

While we have a hard time to tell our kids no, this time around, we just have to and explain to them that it is all for their own good!

Snoring is no laughing matter. Besides sleep deprivation — for the snorer, and especially for anyone within earshot — snoring is linked to more serious consequences.

It increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, such as heart attacks or a stroke, and can even result in premature death.

(Source) Yahoo News

For couples, it would be quite normal to hear that one of them suddenly finds themselves on the floor after being “kicked” out of bed in a manner of speaking. While it is sure to be not done on purpose, the issue of Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS) cannot be avoided especially for people who have had a rough day at work.

A person cannot help but want to move his legs during these cases. The feeling is not all that pleasant. Normally it feels like you have to get up and do some legwork to help soothe that irritating sensation when you are already lying down. Worst, you are not the only one having trouble sleeping but perhaps your partner too who you may even accidentally kick out of bed.

Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) is something most people haven’t heard of. The disorder results in a strong urge to move one’s legs and is further accompanied with unpleasant sensations in the legs. In such cases, moving one’s legs temporarily relieves the unpleasant feeling. Recent studies conducted have proved that many people suffer from RLS and almost three per cent of them feel that this disorder has severely affected the quality of their everyday life.

(Source) The Times of India

Dopamine

While focusing on sleep deprivation as a growing concern, there are people who are still at it when it comes to needing to be awake for most of the time, mainly for work and personal reasons to which certain drugs and means are being taken to aid them. Dopamine, a fell-good brain chemical helps keep sleep-deprived people awake. But the question here is on whether it is helpful.

Most people are trying to fend off these drugs that keep us awake. Many are likewise looking for cures to cure their sleep deprivation and sleep disorders. But while these things are a given, it would be wise to analyze how Dopamine helps and for what purpose.

For sure there will be after-effects and consequences. But for people who have to be on the go, stay awake most of the time, Dopamine may be an option but for how long?

Sleep deprivation increased dopamine in the striatum, a part of the brain that registers motivation and reward. Dopamine also went up in the thalamus, a brain region that helps control alertness, when the volunteers were sleep-deprived. Increases in the brain chemical kept the volunteers awake, but those same increases also correlated with the volunteers reporting that they felt tired.

(Source) Science News

As far as enumerating which health risk factors are associated with sleeping less, you can place elevated blood pressures to be at the helm of it all. Logically, less sleep means higher abuse to our bodies and heading the pack of high risk body systems include the cardiovascular system to which blood pressures can lead to problems with the heart and other cardio organs as well.

There are a lot of things to consider as to why a person would stay up late or sleep less:

1. Work or Studies
2. Lifestyle choices
3. Hardships in sleeping
4. Presence of electronics or gadgets
5. Too much alcohol or vices

In all, these are common things that a person has to deal with. But if a person wants to lead a healthy life, sleep must be valued better. Among them include ensuring all these obstacles are not around as much as possible when you enter your bedroom to sleep soundly.

(Source) Canada.com