Disease Proof : sleep

Posted on May 22, 2009 by Gerald Pugliese

Sex is important, especially if you’re not getting any, and for women with type-1 diabetes sex can be a real drag. According to a new study in the journal Diabetes Care involving 652 women with type-1 diabetes, completing a survey on sex and undergoing a physical examination, mood evaluation and laboratory testing, 51% of women reported orgasm problems; Reuters explains.

Presented at the American Thoracic Society's annual meeting, researchers found overweight mothers are 65% more likely to have children with asthma. The study assessed the weight of mothers of nearly 4,000 children prior to pregnancy, following them from birth to age 8. The average age of mothers was 30, and almost 21% were overweight; HealthDay News reports.

Also discussed at Thoracic Society's meeting was research claiming vitamin D may slow the decline in asthmatic people’s ability to breathe, specifically those with human airway smooth muscle (HASM) proliferation. HASM causes remodeling of the airway, leading to reduced lung function. Vitamin D was shown to lower growth rate of proliferation cells; via ScienceDaily.

Another study in Diabetes Care reveals sleep apnea is going largely undiagnosed among obese people with type-2 diabetes. Of the 306 obese patients with type-2 diabetes studied, almost 87% of individuals reported symptoms but received no diagnosis. The scary part is 30% of people had 16 to 20 episodes of stopped breathing per hour of sleep; from EurekAlert!

Back to the annual meeting, experts determined flu shots are not effective at preventing flu-related hospitalizations in kids with asthma. Researchers examined 263 children from six months to 18 years of age. Each had influenza between 1996 and 2006. Data revealed kids getting the flu shot were three times more likely to be hospitalized than kids not getting the shot; via NewsWise.

One more from Diabetes Care, a new report suggests girls with poorly manage type-2 diabetes have a higher risk of cardiac abnormalities, than healthy kids with type-1 diabetes. Testing showed certain heart dimensions were larger in type-2 diabetics. And only 1 of the 8 girls studied with type-2 diabetes had no cardiac abnormalities; Reuters investigates.

Posted on May 20, 2009 by Gerald Pugliese

Stop yawning! It’s a bad sign. Discussed at the American Thoracic Society's International Conference, a new study suggests body mass index and sleep share a strong relationship. Scientists analyzed sleep, activity levels and energy expenditure of 14 nurses enrolled in a heart-health program, which included stress management and sleep improvement. Data revealed numerous conclusions, but most notably that insufficient sleep causes or worsens stress, leading to stress eating and weight-gain; via EurekAlert!

Sleep is very important. According to Dr. Fuhrman, sleep allows your body to clean up brain waste, which helps keep your nervous and endocrine systems functioning normally. Your immune system too! Not getting enough sleep makes you more likely to get the sniffles.

Image credit: scott92116

Posted on May 13, 2009 by Gerald Pugliese

New research in the journal BMC Psychiatry claims constant sunlight may cause sleep disturbances, leading to insomnia and ultimately raising suicide risk. For the study, scientists analyzed suicides in Greenland between 1968 and 2002, finding a cluster of suicides during summer months when the days are longer. Experts speculate days of constant sunlight may cause an imbalance of brain chemicals linked to mood and when paired with lack of sleep, could be deadly; Reuters investigates.

I’d have to put tinfoil on the windows! Dr. Fuhrman told me it’s about balance. Sunlight is necessary, our bodies convert the sun’s ultraviolet rays into vitamin D, which improves bone health, but sleep is important too. When we sleep our body removes brain waste and this allows for normal function of the nervous and endocrine systems.

Image credit: markbarky