Tag Archive for 'calories'
Some Myths of Sleeping and Insomnia
0 Comments Published by Brian Yalung July 17th, 2008 in How to sleep better, Insomnia, SLEEP News, Sleep Myths.
Sleeping is one of the things that people would love to do. But apparently, people have to discipline themselves and make sure that they get the adequate sleep recommended for people today. Apparently, there are some beliefs that many would agree to while others would consider as based on beliefs and myths. But myth or not, it remains that we have to manage ourselves well since in the end, lacking sleep will take its toll on us.
Here are some common myths of sleeping and insomnia. We may or may not agree with them but they are apparently related to how we perceive and understand sleep as a whole.
- Humans Need Eight Hours Sleep a Night: There are many ways of sleeping and few cultures sleep in eight-hour consolidated blocks like we do. In places like Bali and New Guinea, people tend to slip in and out of sleep as they need it, napping more during the day, and getting up more at night.
- Sleep Isn’t Just a Bodily Function: Sleep is a biological, physiological system, akin to the cardiovascular system, the nervous system and so on.
- Animals Don’t Have Sleep Problems: Insomnia occurs in animals and insects, too, sort of. Technically, insomnia is defined as a “complaint,” and since animals can’t complain, it’s difficult to measure in them
- Falling Asleep Is a Gradual Process. Nope. Instead, for most people, it switches on and off like a light switch. But for insomniacs and narcoleptics, the switch doesn’t quite work.
- Sleeping Less Burns More Calories. In the short term, yes, but sleeping less probably won’t help you lose weight. Lack of sleep suppresses our natural appetite-depressants, while fueling appetite-increasers, often leading to weight gain.
(Source) Newsweek
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Muscles Need Sleep to Regenerate Strength
0 Comments Published by Brian Yalung July 14th, 2008 in Health Issues, How to sleep better, SLEEP News, Sleep Disorders, Sleep Education, Sleep Issues.
Sleep has a lot of benefits. Aside from the usual rest that most people long for, it also has its share of contributing towards people who undertake strenuous exercises such as sports and body building. Hence, while you are counting your calories, it would be best to see the power that sleep can bring as far as pulling the overall power back to normal.
Apparently factors such as proper sleeping hours and the bed we lay on are relevant. We are often told to get some rest. Now on how to analyze and go about it is another thing. We just have to think practical.
Sleep helps your body heal. It’s really the only time your muscles can completely rest and recover. There are a ton of studies linking sleep with healing. They show that, among other things, human growth hormone and melatonin, both of which play a big role in tissue recovery and immunity, are produced during sleep.
So if you’re not getting good sleep-whether it’s due to pain, anxiety, fear or whatever-you’re not giving your muscles, especially your back muscles, time to rejuvenate themselves for the next day’s activities.
(Source) American Chronicle
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Shortened Sleep Can Make People Fatter
0 Comments Published by Brian Yalung March 14th, 2008 in Health Issues, How to sleep better, SLEEP News, Sleep Disorders.
Sleeping less could make you bulge more. This is one finding that a study in Japan showed, owing it to a hormonal imbalance within males who tend to sleep less but eat more in the process. Worst, it can even lead to serious health risks as well concerning the heart and other key areas of the human body.
Contrary to what people believe that shorter sleep is good for the body since it allows us to burn more calories, we tend to make up for it by digesting food to serve as energy sources of our body. But while you are satisfying one aspect of the picture, do remember that you are also putting another area at risk which is the overall health of our bodies.
Lack of sleep triggers a hormone in the blood which stimulates the appetite, said the study’s lead author, Nihon University medical department associate professor Yoshitaka Kaneita.
“It increases a sense of hunger as well as an appetite for high-calorie food,” he said Thursday, calling for people to pay due attention to how much they sleep.
(Source) AFP
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Take Walnuts to Sleep
0 Comments Published by Brian Yalung November 17th, 2007 in How to sleep better, SLEEP News, Sleep Cures.
This is something interesting for all sleep deprived patients out there. Walnuts have been found to help you sleep better. And by all means, it does seem to be effective.
We all know that taking in various food intakes may eventually contribute towards our hard times of being able to sleep and based on a study on walnuts, its monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have been found to be the healthful properties contributing to allow people to sleep safer.
Walnuts have a number of healthful properties. They contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats to help your cholesterol levels. There also seems to be an element of truth to the idea that walnuts can help you go to sleep. Walnuts have a substance similar to the body’s melatonin, which is a hormone involved in inducing and regulating sleep. A “dose” of walnuts could be 4 to 5 halves, equal to about 100 calories. It might be worth 100 calories if it helps you sleep, and it certainly would be a more healthful snack choice than chips, cheese puffs or candy.
Source: Walnuts can help you sleep
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