Why Do We Have Relaxation Drinks? Americans are pretty wired up these days, and getting enough sleep is tough. Close to 40% complain of insomnia making them too tired to fully function (http://www.jhsph.edu/healthymonday/2011/03072011_sleep.html), perhaps 5-10% of the population is presently suffering significant depression (http://userpages.umbc.edu/~marcotte/depression%20prevalence.pdf), and many millions more complain of high levels of anxiety – […]
Electronic Insomnia Part I
When Humans and Machines Collide When human evolution and technology collide billions of us became experimental subjects. The results include new behaviors, new diseases, and new versions of old disorders. So prepare now for the future – the new world of electronic insomnia. But first a very short look at the past. We’ve Even Got […]
When should I exercise to sleep? (6/17/11)
Is Morning or Evening Exercise Better? Exercise has multiple, generally positive effects. You can exercise to regenerate brain cells; to improve mental acuity; to control weight; to improve memory; to look younger and fitter. Some argue regular exercise can add about six to seven years to the average lifespan. The “best” times for these […]
Testosterone – less sleep means less? (6/6/11)
Say It Isn’t So – Less Sleep Means Less Testosterone? Yep, it’s true – give healthy young men less sleep time and down goes the testosterone. The data come from the University of Chicago, where checking hormone changes wrought by partial sleep deprivation has become a minor research industry by itself (http://news.consumerreports.org/health/2011/06/sleep-deprivation-may-lower-testosterone.html). The guys […]
Let the kids sleep (6/3/11)
Rest Changes Through the Life Cycle Rest is required for growth and maturation, but the requirements change over the life cycle. We need separate kinds of rest for special purposes at every stage of life – infancy, childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. Recent work points out some of what’s required for growing kids: Infancy […]
