# SLEEP AND YOUR HEALTH



## StaffyDaddy (Mar 28, 2009)

With a good night's rest increasingly losing out to the Internet, e-mail, late-night cable and other distractions of modern life, a growing body of scientific evidence suggests that too little or erratic sleep may be taking an unappreciated toll on Americans' health. 
Beyond leaving people bleary-eyed, clutching a Starbucks cup and dozing off at afternoon meetings, failing to get enough sleep or sleeping at odd hours heightens the risk for a variety of major illnesses, including cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity, recent studies indicate. 
"We're shifting to a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week society, and as a result we're increasingly not sleeping like we used to," said Najib T. Ayas of the University of British Columbia. "We're really only now starting to understand how that is affecting health, and it appears to be significant." 
A large, new study, for example, provides the latest in a flurry of evidence suggesting that the nation's obesity epidemic is being driven, at least in part, by a corresponding decrease in the average number of hours that Americans are sleeping, possibly by disrupting hormones that regulate appetite. The analysis of a nationally representative sample of nearly 10,000 adults found that those between the ages of 32 and 49 who sleep less than seven hours a night are significantly more likely to be obese. 
The study follows a series of others that have found similar associations with other illnesses, including several reports from the Harvard-run Nurses' Health Study that has linked insufficient or irregular sleep to increased risk for colon cancer, breast cancer, heart disease and diabetes. Other research groups scattered around the country have subsequently found clues that might explain the associations, indications that sleep disruption affects crucial hormones and proteins that play roles in these diseases.




"There has been an avalanche of studies in this area. It's moving very rapidly," said Emmanuel Mignot of Stanford University, who wrote an editorial accompanying the new obesity study in the October issue of the journal Sleep. "People are starting to believe that there is an important relationship between short sleep and all sorts of health problems." 
Not everyone agrees, with some experts arguing that any link between sleep patterns and health problems appears weak at best and could easily be explained by other factors. 
"There are Chicken Little people running around saying that the sky is falling because people are not sleeping enough," said Daniel F. Kripke of the University of California at San Diego. "But everyone knows that people are getting healthier. Life expectancy has been increasing, and people are healthier today than they were generations ago." 
Other researchers acknowledge that much more research is needed to prove that the apparent associations are real, and to fully understand how sleep disturbances may affect health. But they argue that the case is rapidly getting stronger that sleep is an important factor in many of the biggest killers. 
"We have in our society this idea that you can just get by without sleep or manipulate when you sleep without any consequences," said Lawrence Epstein, president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "What we're finding is that's just not true." 
While many aspects of sleep remain a mystery -- including exactly why we sleep -- the picture that appears to be emerging is that not sleeping enough or being awake in the wee hours runs counter to the body's internal clock, throwing a host of basic bodily functions out of sync. 
"Lack of sleep disrupts every physiologic function in the body," said Eve Van Cauter of the University of Chicago. "We have nothing in our biology that allows us to adapt to this behavior." 
The amount of necessary sleep varies from person to person, with some breezing through their days on just a few hours' slumber and others barely functioning without a full 10 hours, experts say. But most people apparently need between about seven and nine hours, with studies indicating that an increased risk for disease starts to kick in when people get less than six or seven, experts say. 
Scientists have long known that sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, narcolepsy and chronic insomnia, can lead to serious health problems, and that difficulty sleeping may be a red flag for a serious illness. But the first clues that otherwise healthy people who do not get enough sleep or who shift their sleep schedules because of work, family or lifestyle may be endangering their health emerged from large epidemiological studies that found people who slept the least appeared to be significantly more likely to die. 
"The strongest evidence out there right now is for the risk of overall mortality, but we also see the association for a number of specific causes," said Sanjay R. Patel of Harvard Medical School, who led one of the studies, involving more than 82,000 nurses, that found an increased risk of death among those who slept less than six hours a night. "Now we're starting to get insights into what's happening in the body when you don't get enough sleep." 
Physiologic studies suggest that a sleep deficit may put the body into a state of high alert, increasing the production of stress hormones and driving up blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart attacks and strokes. Moreover, people who are sleep-deprived have elevated levels of substances in the blood that indicate a heightened state of inflammation in the body, which has also recently emerged as a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, cancer and diabetes. 
"Based on our findings, we believe that if you lose sleep that your body needs, then you produce these inflammatory markers that on a chronic basis can create low-grade inflammation and predispose you to cardiovascular events and a shorter life span," said Alexandros N. Vgontzas of Pennsylvania State University, who recently presented data at a scientific meeting indicating that naps can help counter harmful effects of sleep loss. 
Other studies have found that sleep influences the functioning of the lining inside blood vessels, which could explain why people are most prone to heart attacks and strokes during early morning hours. 
"We've really only scratched the surface when it comes to understanding what's going on regarding sleep and heart disease," said Virend Somers of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "I suspect as we understand more about this relationship, we'll realize how important it really is." 
After several studies found that people who work at night appear unusually prone to breast and colon cancer, researchers investigating the possible explanation for this association found exposure to light at night reduces levels of the hormone melatonin. Melatonin is believed to protect against cancer by affecting levels of other hormones, such as estrogen. 
"Melatonin can prevent tumor cells from growing -- it's cancer-protective," said Eva S. Schernhammer of Harvard Medical School, who has conducted a series of studies on volunteers in sleep laboratories. "The theory is, if you are exposed to light at night, on average you will produce less melatonin, increasing your cancer risk." 
Other researchers are exploring a possible link to other malignancies, including prostate cancer. 
"There's absolutely no reason it should be limited to breast cancer, and it wouldn't necessarily be restricted to people who work night shifts. People with disrupted sleep or people who are up late at night or get up frequently in the night could potentially have the same sort of effect," said Scott Davis of the University of Washington. 
The newest study on obesity, from Columbia University, is just the latest to find that adults who sleep the least appear to be the most likely to gain weight and to become obese. 
Other researchers have found that even mild sleep deprivation quickly disrupts normal levels of the recently discovered hormones ghrelin and leptin, which regulate appetite. That fits with the theory that humans may be genetically wired to be awake at night only when they need to be searching for food or fending off danger -- circumstances when they would need to eat to have enough energy. 
"The modern equivalence to that situation today may unfortunately be often just a few steps to the refrigerator next door," Mignot wrote in his editorial. 
In addition, studies show sleep-deprived people tend to develop problems regulating their blood sugar, which may put them at increased risk for diabetes. 
"The research in this area is really just in its infancy," Van Cauter said. "This is really just the tip of the iceberg that has just begun to emerge."


----------



## StaffyDaddy (Mar 28, 2009)

*THE BED THEN, THE BED NOW*

_Comfortable, supportive mattresses are something most of us take for granted. We don't think about how they've evolved over time. Here's an eye-opening lesson on the bed throughout history and in more modern times. Give your readers something to think about the next time they go to sleep. So lie down and let us tell you a story._

 *10,000 years ago*, in the Neolithic period, people began sleeping on primitive "beds."
 *3400 BCE*. Egyptian pharaohs discover the benefits of raising a pallet off the earth. King Tutankahmen had a bed of ebony and gold. Common people slept on palm bows heaped in the corner of their home.
* Roman Empire*. First luxury bed. Often decorated with gold, silver or bronze, these beds featured mattresses stuffed with reeds, hay, wool or feathers.
* Roman Empire*. Romans discover the waterbed. The sleeper would recline in a cradle of warm water until drowsy, then be lifted onto an adjacent cradle with a mattress, where they would be rocked to sleep.
 *Renaissance*. Mattresses were made of pea shucks or straw, sometimes feathers, stuffed into coarse ticks, then covered with sumptuous velvets, brocades and silks.
*16th and 17th centuries*. Mattresses were generally stuffed with straw or down, placed atop a latticework of rope.
 *The late 18th century*. Advent of the cast iron bed and cotton mattresses. Together, they provided a sleeping space that was less attractive to bugs. Until that time, assorted vermin were simply accepted as an accepted component of even the most royal beds.
 *1865*. The first coil spring construction for bedding was patented.
 *1930's*. Innerspring mattresses and upholstered foundations became serious contenders for the dominant position they now enjoy in the U.S. and Canada.
 *1940's*. Futons introduced to North America.
 *1950's*. Foam rubber mattresses and pillows appeared on the market.
1*960's*. Modern waterbed introduced. Adjustable beds become popular with consumers.
 *1980's*. Airbeds introduced.
 *1990's*. Spacious sleeping is once again on the rise. In 1999, the queen-size mattress became America's most popular choice for mattress size - for the first time ever - beating the twin.
 *2000's*. Choice and comfort are key words in contemporary bedding. In addition to an almost unlimited range of innerspring mattress designs, new types of foam mattress cores (such as "memory" or visco-elastic foam and refinements to traditional latex) as well as airbeds, waterbeds and high-tech adjustable sleep sets offer consumers attractive, quality alternatives. Pillowtop mattresses, a popular innovation in luxury, offer an extra layer of soft cushioning, and single-sided no-flip mattresses are common.


----------



## FloorCandy (Feb 19, 2009)

Good post, however I would like to add that I sleep a lot, and I am still fat  Do you sell a mattress that can take care of that?


----------



## StaffyDaddy (Mar 28, 2009)

Lol shut up!

hahaha...

There's so much that goes into weight control, and sleep does add to it, but even people with "inheritantly" bad metabolisms can modify their regimens to speed up the break down of food. 

Right now I'm overweight, but I don't stress about it too much because once the winter months come around, business will be less, and we should have our house by then, and I'll have more time to get to working out.

My daily regimen for three months...

1. Wake up at 7:00 am, take testosterone (not steroids), work on major body group (pecs and tric, abs and back, shoulders and biceps, or legs) and do a different weight train group every day.

2. stay hydrated, take a shower and have 3 egg beaters( no fat, no cholesterol, same protein) with deli meat mixed in. wash it down with a glass of unsweetened grapefruit juice (echhh) and have premixed protein shakes throughout the day.

3. eat whole grains. no white bread, no french bread, no corn chips, only grains. also had fiber yogurt. 

4. eat cheese sparingly, but consume for the nutrients it provides (calcium, protein, certain ones have probiotics)

5. cardio exercise at night (when chino gets big enough he'll be involved)

throughout the day I would eat maybe 6 small portions, and drank a total of 9-10 cups of water daily. not to be gross but i'd go to the bathroom not so often to VERY VERY often and gained about 20 lbs of muscle, dropped about 30 lbs of unwanted body mass, and got my body fat lowered by 5%. 

That was realistic. I had a regimen. You have to be consistent to see permanent results.


----------



## Proud Marine Dad (Apr 1, 2009)

Reading that long post made me sleepy. :rofl::rofl::rofl:


----------



## ~StangChick~ (Jan 1, 2009)

Proud Marine Dad said:


> Reading that long post made me sleepy. :rofl::rofl::rofl:


totally agree!!!


----------



## StaffyDaddy (Mar 28, 2009)

No one made you guys read it. Just thought I'd post it because people take their sleep for granted when it affects every aspect of your everyday and longterm life.


----------



## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

I read it. didn't make me fall asleep, but then again I read everything. I just enjoy learning new crud.


----------



## StaffyDaddy (Mar 28, 2009)

Indigo Bully Connection said:


> I read it. didn't make me fall asleep, but then again I read everything. I just enjoy learning new crud.


lol im not offended that people make remarks on it. yeah, its a longwinded post but 80 percent of people (at least) don't get the sleep that they need.

you know the funniest thing...

I have people that come in with 40, 50, 75,000 cars and trucks and they want to see my selection of bedding 500 and under.

Some peoples priorities are just messed up LOL


----------



## Indigo Bully Connection (Dec 21, 2006)

hay-ell no, that's not my style... I bought my car for almost the same price as my matress... I just should have stopped more locations. 1200 bones amigo


----------



## ~StangChick~ (Jan 1, 2009)

StaffyDaddy said:


> No one made you guys read it. Just thought I'd post it because people take their sleep for granted when it affects every aspect of your everyday and longterm life.


whoa easy..it's all good, just saying that because it was about sleep.


----------



## StaffyDaddy (Mar 28, 2009)

~StangChick~ said:


> whoa easy..it's all good, just saying that because it was about sleep.


gotcha. if i could have put it into a simpler post tho, believe me I would have !!! :rofl::rofl:


----------



## Proud Marine Dad (Apr 1, 2009)

StaffyDaddy said:


> No one made you guys read it. Just thought I'd post it because people take their sleep for granted when it affects every aspect of your everyday and longterm life.


I didn't read it Oz. :rofl:

Come and work my schedule bro and sleep becomes something you may or may not get.


----------



## StaffyDaddy (Mar 28, 2009)

Proud Marine Dad said:


> I didn't read it Oz. :rofl:
> 
> Come and work my schedule bro and sleep becomes something you may or may not get.


Well thanks for the useless input, since you didn't read it. I live a busy life but I manage to find time for everything that needs to be done, including my sleep. Not always as much as I need, but enough.


----------



## Proud Marine Dad (Apr 1, 2009)

StaffyDaddy said:


> Well thanks for the useless input, since you didn't read it. I live a busy life but I manage to find time for everything that needs to be done, including my sleep. Not always as much as I need, but enough.


Have a couple drinks and chill Oz. I was just yanking your chain.


----------



## intensive (Apr 22, 2008)

hey man, your natural test. levels will drop if you take testosterone supplements. once your body becomes accustomed to supplements, it slowly quites to produce its own and it will rely on the supplements, making healthy workout regiments harder and tougher, and muscle mass gain minimal.


their are BETTER testosterone supplements that only help your body use the test. its already making, and doesnt make you become reliant on supplements.


----------



## intensive (Apr 22, 2008)

o and taking small servings of glutamin(sp?) with your protein shakes once a day helps keep your immune system healthy while your tearing down and rebuilding muscle groups


----------

