How Can Sleep Affect Men’s Health?

By Hidaya Aliouche, B.Sc.
Reviewed by Sophia Coveney

This article is a repost which originally appeared on News Medical

Edited for content. The opinions expressed in this article may not reflect the opinions of this site’s editors, staff or members.

Key Points

‧ Adults should get an average of 8 hours of sleep per night.

‧ A lack of good sleep can cause many serious maladies.

‧ The use of a CPAP can be beneficial in many cases of sleep apnea

Sleep is known to affect several systems and processes in the body. Overarchingly, sleep deprivation is associated with negative health consequences.

With regards to specific effects of sleep on men’s health, dysfunctional sleeping patterns have been shown to impact erectile dysfunction, lower urinary tract symptoms, hypogonadal symptoms, low testosterone, and male infertility.

What is considered to be appropriate sleep?

The average number of hours of sleep required for an adult is between 7–9 for optimal health. However, a considerable number of adults do not meet this requirement.

A study conducted in 2012 demonstrated that 29.2% of men achieved an average of 6 hours or less of sleep each evening. the institute of Medicine further estimates that between 50 and 70 million Americans suffer from a chronic sleep disorder; this epidemic is associated with societal changes which include increased reliance on technology, increased working hours, and poor sleep hygiene.

In addition, non-standard shift working patterns can divulge significantly from circadian patterns which further increases the risk of impaired sleep quality.

The interrelationship between disrupted or inadequate sleep and the manifestation of disease

The relationship between health and sleep is bi-directional. There are several medical conditions associated with inadequate or disrupted sleep which include restless leg syndrome, insomnia, hypogonadism, sleep apnea, and depression.

Furthermore, several studies have revealed that short and sleep or disrupted sleep can produce health conditions including diabetes, coronary heart disease, hypertension, heart attacks, stroke, and several endocrine and cardiovascular disorders. Moreover, poor sleep also impacts the patients’ perception of symptoms and their severity alongside the clinical responses observed.

Combined with independent risk factors such as age, body mass in tax, mental health conditions that affect the perception of symptoms such as depression, and clinical characteristics, sleep functioning can moderate clinical symptoms and impact the quality of life experienced by patients.

Sleep and erectile dysfunction

In the general population, longitudinal studies have revealed that approximately 50% of men experienced erectile dysfunction to some degree. Several studies have reported that sleep can affect erectile dysfunction. For example, a cross-sectional analysis of 2676 men over the age of 67 found that those with a sleep dysfunction called nocturnal hypoxemia were more likely to experience moderate or complete erectile dysfunction.

In the same study, a similar condition that disrupts sleep, sleep apnea, was studied in relation to erectile dysfunction. In a randomized sham-controlled trial, a total of 61 men were assigned to groups to investigate whether the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) could improve erectile function in men who suffered from both erectile dysfunction and obstructive sleep apnea.

Overall, men who were randomized to CPAP showed no change in erectile dysfunction; however, when further examined in terms of patients who used the CPAP machine for over four hours per night, those who did so experienced a significant improvement. A placebo trial showed that a medication commonly used to treat erectile dysfunction did not significantly improve erectile dysfunction in these men.

These results suggest that in men with obstructive sleep apnea, sleep quality contributes to the condition, and may not respond to first-line treatment for erectile dysfunction with a PDE5 inhibitor; suggesting that in fact, correcting the underlying sleep impairment could produce more significant improvement in erectile dysfunction.

Alongside obstruction to breathing, non-standard shift work that has a significant effect on sleep has been shown to impact erectile dysfunction. A correlation between insomnia and erectile dysfunction has been confirmed by several studies. Some of these studies suggest that the correction of poor sleep in isolation may lead to a clinical improvement in manifestations of erectile dysfunction. This body of research continues to grow.

Sleep and lower urinary tract symptoms

Aging male populations commonly experience lower urinary tract symptoms. This is frequently associated with benign prostatic hypertrophy. Symptoms include poor urine stream, incomplete emptying of the bladder, straining, changes to the frequency of urination, urination hesitancy, and nocturia.

The urge to urinate is often exacerbated during the night, which leads to disrupted sleep and a decrease in overall sleep quality. A survey conducted on 5335 men who were diagnosed with lower urinary tract symptoms demonstrated that only 13% reported continuous sleep periods of more than two to three hours, illustrating the degree to which urinary tract symptoms can affect sleep.

Other studies have verified an association between lower urinary tract symptoms and other sleep-affecting conditions. For example, men with obstructive sleep apnea are more likely to experience urinary tract symptoms compared to those who do not. The severity of obstructive sleep apnea in this context has been found to correlate the most strongly with daytime frequency, urgency, and frequency of nocturia.

CPAP machines have been found to reduce lower urinary tract symptoms in those with obstructive sleep apnea. For example, a man with both lower urinary tract symptoms and obstructive sleep apnea who implemented CPAP for 12 months showed a significant increase in bladder compliance, as well as decreases in nocturia frequency and nighttime urination volumes.

Insomnia is also considered to be an aggravator of lower urinary tract symptoms as well as non-standard shift work.

Sleep and male fertility

Several studies have demonstrated that sperm counts have been decreasing over the past 40 years (50 to 60%). Unlike the linear correlation between erectile dysfunction and sleep, the relationship between sleep and male fertility is less clear.

Evidence suggests that an inverted U shape relationship exists, meaning that excessive and insufficient sleep are equally associated with reduced fertility. In a study of 198 infertile men, this relationship was found. However, interestingly no differences in semen volume, sperm motility, luteinizing hormone, or follicle-stimulating hormone were observed.

An additional study found via testicular biopsies in idiopathic infertile men that full circadian disruption – as manifested by too little or too much sleep – may affect the oxidation state of the testicle, shifting spermatogenesis.

Despite these correlative studies, no studies have assessed the impact of obstructive sleep apnea on fertility. With regards to non-standard shift work which impairs sleep quality, this has been suggested to impair spermatogenesis, although findings from studies have been inconsistent: some studies have demonstrated that men performing shift work had higher odds of experiencing infertility, while others have found no effect.

Conclusion

Poor sleep affects men and women alike. However, the unique effects in men concern urological problems, including erectile dysfunction, lower urinary tract symptoms, hypogonadism, and male infertility.

Alongside these, poor sleep is associated with a higher risk of several health problems that affect the quality of life including but not limited to cognitive impairment, social impairment, mood disturbances, and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and associated manifestations such as atrial fibrillation.

References

‧  Kohn TP, Kohn JR, Haney NM, et al. (2020) The effect of sleep on men’s health. Transl Androl Urol. doi:10.21037/tau.2019.11.07.
‧  Irer B, Celikhisar A, Celikhisar H, et al. (2018) Evaluation of Sexual Dysfunction, Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms and Quality of Life in Men With Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome and the Efficacy of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Therapy. Urology. doi:10.1016/j.urology.2018.08.001.
‧  Soterio-Pires JH, Hirotsu C, Kim LJ, et al. (2016)The interaction between erectile dysfunction complaints and depression in men: a cross-sectional study about sleep, hormones, and quality of life. Int J Impot Res. doi:10.1038/ijir.2016.4.
‧  McBride JA, Kohn TP, Rodriguez KM, et al. (2018) Incidence and characteristics of men at high risk for sleep apnea in a high volume andrology clinic. J Urol. 10.1016/j.juro.2018.02.1358.

 

 

How To Regain Muscle Mass: 6 Everyday Habits To Do After 60

6 Everyday Habits To Regain Muscle Mass After 60, Fitness Expert Says

Your independence and overall well-being depend on them!

By Alexa Mellardo/ Published on November 10, 2022 | 6:00 AM

This article is a repost which originally appeared on Eat This, Not That!

Edited for content. The opinions expressed in this article may not reflect the opinions of this site’s editors, staff or members.

Key Points

‧ Sarcopenia (muscle loss) is a common ailment in the elderly.

‧ Performing and tracking regular weight training efforts can help to prevent and even reverse muscle loss.

‧ Include stretching in your weight training program for faster recovery and to avoid injuries.

Growing older doesn’t only mean pesky gray hairs and sneaky wrinkles shocking the heck out of you when you look in the mirror. There are a lot of changes your body endures underneath the surface—one of them being the loss of lean muscle mass, also known as sarcopenia. Staying on top of your muscle mass is the name of the game as you age. In fact, your independence and overall well-being depend on it! That’s why we’re here to share exactly how to regain muscle mass after 60 with expert-backed tips.

According to Harvard Health Publishing, you can lose anywhere from 3% to 5% of your muscle mass every decade after your 30th birthday. If you don’t do anything to build up and maintain your lean muscle mass, sarcopenia could cause a decline in mobility. It can also make you feel weak, heightening your risk of suffering from falls, fractures, or other injuries. Needless to say, there’s no better time than the present to take action and give your daily routine a much-needed facelift.

We chatted with Maggie Priore, a personal trainer on Fyt, the biggest personal training service in the nation that offers in-person or virtual expert training, who walks us through the top daily habits to regain muscle mass after 60. It’s time to listen up and take some notes!

1. Start strength training ASAP.

Let’s get real: Strength training is king—especially when it comes to building and preserving your muscle mass. Priore dubs it “the most important habit you can develop to increase muscle mass at any age.”

Performing exercises that have “progressive overload,” which means bumping up the intensity of the movement by slowly increasing the time, number of reps, or weights, helps you build back muscle mass. According to Priore, “Other benefits include having more energy throughout the day, added prevention of arthritis (and other ailments we are more at risk for when we get older), improved posture, and better flexibility.”

If you’re a newbie to strength training, work it into your fitness routine two to three times a week for 30 to 45 minutes.

2. Set strength training goals.

Now that we’ve established just how necessary strength training is, let’s talk about setting goals. When kicking off any health and fitness regimen, it’s essential to provide yourself with small goals. Another key tidbit? Be patient, because it’s all a process!

According to Priore, “Setting too large a goal or expecting to make huge muscle gains after only a couple of weeks can lead to discouragement. It takes time to regain muscle.” She suggests writing down the goals you’d like to achieve in one month, three months, and six months. Once each period comes to a close, note what you succeeded at and what you can work on. Every time you reevaluate your progress, tweak your goals as you see fit.

3. Stretch it out.

Stretching helps you avoid sore muscles and injuries. It’s a necessity—not a question—to perform a solid warm-up and cool-down routine for every workout you do. In addition, Priore explains, “On days when you aren’t strength training, spending a little time stretching will help improve posture, eliminate back pain, and improve flexibility.”

4. Focus on low-impact cardio.

Okay, we can’t say enough good things about strength training, but let’s not forget to show low-impact cardio some love, too. Carving out time for low-impact cardio workouts like walking, using the elliptical, swimming laps, or hiking your favorite trails is incredibly beneficial. How so? Priore says this form of exercise can aid in fat loss and toning your entire body. Low-impact cardio is a stellar choice to incorporate into any regular fitness rotation, so get started pronto.

5. Increase your protein intake.

Bumping up the amount of protein you consume comes with a number of health benefits. Priore tells us, “Not only [will it] help you regain muscle mass, but [it will] also help promote weight loss. A person trying to increase muscle mass should have .5 to .8 grams of protein per pound of body weight a day.”

6. Make rest a top priority.

You may not know this, but getting enough solid sleep is just as important as staying on track with a healthy diet and workout routine. “Active adults should get at least seven hours of sleep a night,” Priore explains, adding, “A good night’s sleep gives your muscles time to recover from workouts and other activities. When you sleep, your muscles can rebuild, and you will have better energy for your next workout.”

 

 

 

 

Sleep Health Is Associated With Physical Frailty in Older Adults

July 11, 2022

Julia Bonavitacola

This article is a repost which originally appeared on AJMC

Edited for content. The opinions expressed in this article may not reflect the opinions of this site’s editors, staff or members.

Our Takeaways:

· Better sleep will reduce the chance of becoming more frail in advanced age.

· Men and women appear to have different risk factors concerning bone and muscle loss.

· Those with more consistent sleep profiles also reported functioning better during the day in areas of alertness and cognitive function.

A study found that having a better sleep health composite score was associated with a lower risk of physical frailty, with men and women possessing different risk factors.

A study published in Sleep Health found that there was an association between healthy sleep in multiple dimensions and the risk of becoming physically frail. The risk was different in men and women.

The study took place in Taiwan and data were obtained from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study on Aging (TLSA), which includes patients 60 years and older. Patients who were younger than 65 years and/or were living in a long-term care facility were excluded from this study. Patients with missing information or other covariates were also excluded.

Modified definitions of frailty under the Fried criteria were used for this study. Sleep measures were self-reported using the 5 sleep health dimensions in the SATED model: sleep satisfaction, daytime alertness, sleep timing, sleep efficiency, and sleep duration. Physical activity was assessed by frequency of engaging in gardening, walks, bicycling, jogging, hiking, and other outdoor physical exercise.

There were 2015 participants for this study, of whom 9% were considered frail. The mean sleep health composite score was 2.51; the most prevalent good sleep health dimension was daytime alertness (91%) and least prevalent was sleep efficiency (11%).

Participants who were frail scored significantly lower on the sleep health composite compared with participants who were not frail, and significantly fewer frail participants indicated satisfaction with sleep, being alert during the daytime, and having adequate sleep duration.

The adjusted logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between frailty and the multidimensional sleep health composite (odds ratio [OR], 0.57; 95% CI, 0.49-0.68). The effect remained significant after adding comorbidity, cognitive function, pain, depressive symptoms, drinking, smoking, and exercise to the model (OR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.64-0.94). Individuals who scored 1 point higher on the sleep health measure were approximately 22% less likely to be frail.

The multidimensional sleep health composite effect on frailty was significant in both female (OR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.48-0.72) and male (OR, 0.54; 95% CI, 0.39-0.75) participants. A significant effect was only observed in women (OR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.63-0.98) after adjusting for comorbidities.

The adjusted logistic regression analysis found that sleep satisfaction (OR, 0.34; 95% Ci, 0.24-0.48), daytime alertness (OR, 0.21; 95% CI, 0.14-0.31), and sleep duration (OR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.34-0.74) were associated with frailty. When considering individuals’ health, only daytime alertness remained as a significant association (OR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.29-0.75).

Sleep satisfaction (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.19-0.44), daytime alertness (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.18-0.47), and sleep duration (OR, 0.48; 95% CI, 0.30-0.78) were associated with frailty in women but were no longer significant when adding health and risk behaviors to the model. Sleep satisfaction (OR, 0.47; 95% CI, 0.24-0.94) and daytime alertness (OR, 0.10; 95% CI, 0.05-0.21) were associated with frailty in men, although only daytime alertness remained significant after adding health and risk behaviors to the model.

There were some limitations to the study. The cross-sectional design of this study could cause reverse causality. The investigators used self-reported responses to construct an adopted frailty index due to constraints of archival data. Napping, which is often associated with frailty, was not found in the TLSA data set, and therefore couldn’t be tested. Sleep disorders can also increase the risks of frailty but were not available in the TLSA data set.

The researchers concluded that the first empirical evidence of sleep health being an early risk factor of frailty was demonstrated in the study.

Reference

Chen TY, Lee S, Buxton OM. Multidimensional sleep health is associated with physical frailty in a national sample of Taiwanese community-dwelling older adults: sex matters. Sleep Health. Published online July 3, 2022. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2022.05.003

A Renowned Doc Reveals The Simple Secrets To Being A Healthy Man

Dr. Frank Lipman talks about “the male way of seeing” health and how it got us to this men’s health crisis point.

by Fatherly

6.23.2022

This article is a repost which originally appeared on Fatherly

Edited for content. The opinions expressed in this article may not reflect the opinions of this site’s editors, staff or members.

Our Takeaways:

· It’s thought men’s health is threatened by their not being preventative enough.

· Technology and a more holistic approach to this challenge appears to be helpful.

· Mental and physical wellness should be seen as a singular thing.

One of the biggest threats to men’s health has always been the challenge of getting them to care about it. “It’s hard to say the exact reason, but men don’t really do anything preventatively,” explains physician Frank Lipman, M.D. Through nearly 40 years of experience practicing functional medicine, he has found that men generally “are not interested in subtle changes in their body, and they traditionally wait until they have a heart attack or something serious,” Lipman says. And although he can’t point to a single catchall reason for why this is, it’s always been the case. “That’s the male way of seeing things: It’s not a problem until it’s a big problem.”

That’s not to say there haven’t been attempts to engage men to take a more proactive approach to their health and wellness. But much of this has been geared toward optimizing their performance. That’s why erectile dysfunction and low testosterone have been a major part of these efforts, because they affect men’s ability to perform in bed, at work, and on the field. As a result, these are the concerns that might get men in to see their doctors and screened for more serious risks such as heart disease and diabetes.

But now, thanks to a combination of telemedicine, wearable tech, and the mainstreaming of biohacking, doctors like Lipman have been able to spin this competitive edge into a more holistic approach to healthcare. “A lot of guys are learning that they can do a lot of health testing at home, use wearables, and do things in order to perform better,” Lipman says. Being able to track things like their sleep, exercise, and how much alcohol they’ve cut back on, and bond with other guys while competing over these progress, might be what gets them paying more attention to their minds and bodies.

“Men generally are more competitive, so if that can be spun in a positive way, then they will take more notice,” Lipman says. “Being able to measure these things at home and compare it to their friends is a positive.”

Although the overall outcome remains to be seen, Lipman sat down with Fatherly to discuss his optimism about the future of men’s health, and how we can gamify it for the better.

Over the course of your career, how have you seen men’s interest in their health change? What’s different now, and what is still the same?

Traditionally it’s been the spouse or significant other bringing men into the doctor. But there’s been a shift, and now men seem to be paying more attention to athletes and other role models for men, on Twitter and social media, talking about how when they started doing ice plunges, they started performing better. A lot of them are athletes because there’s a lot more awareness about health for them. All of that has made men more aware. Instead of their spouses getting them to care about their health, there are successful role models.

With so many men getting this information from social media, are there concerns about misinformation?

There’s always going to be some misinformation, but overall I think it’s much more positive. There’s much more good coming from it. And if it brings them into the doctor, they can do more testing, and their health can be a little bit more controlled.

What conditions are guys coming into your office worried about?

They’ve become more aware of heart disease, which usually is a disease that’s easily picked up from biomarkers. I think men are usually more concerned about performance and issues related to that, like Alzheimer’s and other cognitive issues. They’re worried about not having the energy to play basketball with their friends. They’re worried about not being able to perform as well as the younger people at work.

It seems like men aren’t that interested in worrying about diseases like cancer that could develop. Is it fair to say, when you try to get men to worry about preventative healthcare so far in the future, it may not work?

Yes, you’ve got to present it in a way that’s going to make them make changes. You can’t say, “If you don’t do this, you’re going to get heart disease.” Or, “If you don’t do this, you’re going to put on weight.” It’s more about, “If you don’t do this, you’re not going to have the energy to do the thing you want to do.

Having heart disease or a problem with your health is going to affect your penis as well, because ED is not isolated to that particular organ. Usually when someone has ED, it’s a systemic thing — it’s vascular disease all over the body. That’s a generalization, but you’ve got to scare men in a way that’s going to change the way they’re going to see things.

You mentioned biomarkers. For someone who’s new to telemedicine, wearable tech, and biohacking, what are some biomarkers they should pay attention to? Or what sort of things should they have tested?

A lot of the blood work done by doctors is not particularly helpful. Guys should be asking for an advanced lipid panel that looks at the particle size of the cholesterol molecules — that measures inflammatory markers. It’s a much more extensive test that gives us much more information about heart disease and inflammation than regular tests.

They should have their uric acid checked. They should have nutrient levels checked, which are not usually checked. For instance, they should have their Omega-3 levels checked. They should have their red blood cell magnesium checked. They should have their B-12 checked.

And then hormones; men should not only have their testosterone and free testosterone checked, they should check for estrogens as well. Too much estrogen can be a problem for men as well as women.

What are the limits to biohacking?

The biggest things that get ignored are moving your body, how you sleep, meditation or stress reduction, spending time in nature, having some purpose in life, having some connection, or being connected to family or a community. Those to me are the primary biohacks of the body.

The secondary hacks are when you want to take it to the next level. So guys who are biohacking by measuring their blood glucose and their sleep and taking all these crazy supplements, it’s all fine, and I don’t think they’re dangerous. But to me, those are secondary hacks. If you’re thinking of biohacking, you can’t ignore the primary biohacks.

Sleeping seems to be a big thing that men can track for the sake of their mental and physical health.

Poor sleep puts you at risk for almost every chronic disease from Alzheimer’s to heart disease to diabetes to obesity. So poor sleep is the first place you need to do some work, because men don’t take sleep seriously enough. Sleep is when your body is recovering and repairing. It’s when your brain cleans all the toxins out. Sleep is crucial to one’s health.

Alcohol seems similar, in that it puts men at risk for a lot of problems, but it also can be managed and tracked easily with apps. Does it work the same way?

Yes, too many people drink too much alcohol, which not only affects sleep, but it can affect so many other parts of the body and predispose you to so many problems. Three to four drinks a week isn’t a problem, but most men are drinking three to four drinks a night for three or four nights a week, and that becomes a problem. It puts a load on most organ systems, and is probably one of the primary risk factors for many of the diseases men are presenting with.

Sleep and alcohol also seem to have a large effect on men’s mental health, which has been said to be in a state of crisis. Do you believe men are facing a mental health crisis, and has it always been this way?

I’m not sure the problems with men’s mental health are a new thing. I think it’s probably more of an issue now because there’s more stress in people’s lives, whether it’s financial or otherwise. And men are starting to deal with it instead of suppressing it. Younger men are much more aware of their mental health and are in therapy, again because there have been more role models. People like Michael Phelps make a difference and help things.

I think younger men are more aware of their mental and emotional health, and it’s great that that’s shifted. But also, there is more pressure on everyone, including men, than there was 20 years ago.

And how can paying attention to physical health in the ways we’ve discussed help with mental health?

To me, mental and physical health are all one thing. Men paying more attention to their physical health will absolutely help with their mental health. I think teletherapy has made men more comfortable going to therapy from their home and that’s also helped a lot with that.

If you were to take into account all the avoidance and mental and physical health risks we’ve discussed, do you think that being a man should be considered a pre-existing condition, or a medical diagnosis in itself?

I don’t see it that way. We all have different pre-dispositions. Especially with genetic testing now, we can tell who’s more genetically predisposed to heart disease or diabetes or whatever. Certain diseases might happen more for men, but I don’t see being a man as a health risk, to be quite honest. I think it comes down to how health information is presented, and I think now it is being presented to men in a more accessible way.

The Best Lighting Hacks for a Good Night’s Sleep (And an Easier Morning)

Set the mood for settling into bed

By Michelle Tchea

Illustration by Soleil Summer
March 15, 2022

This article is a repost which originally appeared on Architectural Digest/Clever
Edited for content.

Our Takeaways:

· Many people do not get enough quality sleep to maintain optimal health

· Certain types of light received daily can have a profound effect on sleep

· Being exposed to blue light before sleep may cause difficulties

March celebrates the under appreciated art of a good night’s sleep—something many of us probably don’t get enough of. Statistics show that more than 25% of Americans have a sleep disorder, and that more than 70 million Americans have a form of insomnia—that’s a lot of sheep unaccounted for. In 1998 the National Sleep Foundation started a campaign to help get Americans thinking about the health benefits of sleep, and this is what we now know as Sleep Awareness Week.

Some may argue that the pandemic has strengthened this campaign with hotels offering sleep programs providing anything from better mattresses to medical consultations, a new trend in the wellness space. But if you think traveling to a tropical destination to sleep sounds a little ridiculous, there are ways to improve your sleeping habits in the comfort of your own home.

Although there are many factors that contribute to a good night’s sleep, one of the greatest problems (and easiest solutions) comes down to one word: Lighting. Specifically, how much you get during the day and also what you are exposed to before you crawl into bed.

According to Dr. Guénolé Addor, the medical director of the wellness and sleep program at Clinique Nescens in Switzerland, your body’s ability to sleep is controlled by your internal clock, which controls your feelings of hunger, thirst, fatigue, and ultimately sleep cycles. As he further explains, “Human beings have developed a natural cycle between daylight and nighttime. This cycle is called the circadian rhythm, and with increased exposure to sunlight during the day, it actually helps us sleep better at night.”

Even though Dr. Addor recommends sleeping seven to nine hours a day and mimicking the planet’s circadian rhythm (sleeping after the sun sets and waking up when it rises), he admits that, in the modern world, this is “rarely possible.” Although some habits are hard to break, like not drinking coffee after 2 p.m. and avoiding sleep-reducing blue light from devices before you jump into bed, Dr. Addor suggests simple tricks he refers to as “biohacks” to help you make the most of your time in bed. One of those hacks is as simple as changing the lighting in your bedroom.

A good amount of light in the form of sunlight is important for healthy sleeping patterns which programs your body’s internal clock to wake up and sleep at the right times in a 24-hour cycle. Conversely, light exposure at night can impact your ability to switch from being awake to sleep and reduce the quality of sleep, as found by Harvard Medical School. Dr. Addor confirms that too much light can cause repeat awakenings and stop you from having the appropriate restorative sleep recommended by the Sleep Foundation. “The ambient and subdued light in the evening (rich in red light) is particularly conducive to letting the brain know that it is time to relax and prepare for sleep,” he says.

Below are some mood-inducing lighting fixtures to swap into your bedroom to help you sleep–and wake–better and avoid becoming another statistic.

Night lights

All types of light impact the quality of your sleep and according to researchers from King’s College in London, the worst one is blue light (but only during the night), which is emitted by LEDs, tablets, and cell phones. “Light is arousing, it stimulates the brain and that’s the opposite of what we want when going to bed, so choose a warm light and definitely not anything that emits blue light,” says Michael Breus, the Sleep Doctor. The Casper Light, a favorite of Architectural Digest writer Zoë Sessums, produces a soft hue with LED white light to help you drift off to sleep.

Sufficient sunlight is important in harnessing a natural sleep-wake cycle, but if you live in an area where you can not get enough sun during the day, artificial lighting at home also works. The Verilux Happy Light mimics the sun’s natural light to help you fall asleep much easier at night. As Dr. Addor says, “If you live in a place without much sunlight, artificial light in the day and red light later in the day is recommended.”

Scientists have shown that the use of timed light like those from a sunrise alarm clock can be helpful in improving your sleep pattern. With the sunset-stimulated Philips Smart Sleep light, you can wake up with ease rather than to a squeaking beeping noise found in a regular alarm clock. “The ideal bedroom should be a temple of sleep,” Dr. Addor says. “Use a dawn simulator alarm clock to avoid the very harmful stress of a shrieking alarm going off in the morning, but don’t forget, the best way to wake up is a spontaneous and natural wake up.”

What we love about these little LED lights is that they have a very low light setting that won’t interfere with your sleep, but they also allow a steady nighttime pathway to your bathroom if you happen to wake up needing to go to the toilet. “If you need to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, it is better to do so in the dark or with a red light because a bright light may prevent you from falling back to sleep,” Dr. Addor points out. “Turning the light on may trick the brain into thinking that it is already morning.”

According to Vibray Chandran Weisbecker, holistic wellness and mindfulness expert at Mindbody, freeing yourself of external disturbances and finding a peaceful location for sleep is essential to better sleeping patterns. “Most people don’t prefer sounds while sleeping. However, those that have difficulty falling asleep can use natural sounds such as soundtracks of crickets or ocean waves,” he says. “A guided sleep meditation before bed is also another excellent way to prepare for sleep.” This travel-friendly night light has both a soft glow and a variety of sounds to choose from including ocean, rain, and waves.

A self-professed insomniac, Alexandre Dujoncquoy designed this drug-free device to help you fall asleep more easily. A simple touch projects light onto the ceiling and helps you wind down. For those who want a bit of meditation to help you sleep, the gentle light works almost like counting sheep but with light pulses, producing an almost hypnotic effect to induce sleep.

“Avoid blue light at least one hour before going to bed like the light emitted by television screens, computers, and smartphones, even LED light bulbs,” Dr. Addor says. “Try reading a book by candlelight or incandescent bulb. A clever biohack is to use essential oils for sleep, like lavender, vanilla or ylang-ylang to promote sleep.” The HappyHaves Original Moon is both a lamp and essential oil diffuser, just like the doctor ordered.

Wake up lights

According to doctors waking up to both a soft-sounding alarm and soft light is important for a healthy sleep cycle. The Sunrise Alarm Clock not only has a sunrise simulation that emits soft light in the morning, but it also has a sunset mode to dim the light down as you get ready for bed.

If waking up to the sounds of chirping birds sounds good to all you city-dwellers out there, the MoMA Chirp Alarm Clock and Lamp is perfect for you. The intensity of the alarm gradually rises, giving you an opportunity to wake up naturally, rather than forcefully. “A great biohack is to never use the snooze button on your alarm clock. Instead, put the alarm clock away from your bed, this will make you get up to turn it off,” Dr. Addor adds.

The Lumie Body Clock Rise Lamps not only wake you up gradually in the morning by emitting natural sunlight but at night, but they also project an ambient light in your bedroom that mimics a fading sunset to help you fall asleep. Proven to help treat the winter blues, the lamp is a great addition to your bedroom according to wellness experts. “Mood lighting, such as salt lamps or nightlights, are a great solution for those that tend to wake up often from their sleep, as the muted warm light can be comforting,” Vibray explains. “The key is to use lighting that still keeps the room dark but lets in enough light to be able to get around if necessary.”

How the timing of dinner and genetics affect individuals’ blood sugar control

Eating dinner close to bedtime, when melatonin levels are high, disturbs blood sugar control, especially in individuals with a genetic variant in the melatonin receptor MTNR1B, which has been linked to an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes. The high melatonin levels and food intake associated with late eating impairs blood sugar control in carriers of the MTNR1B genetic risk variant through a defect in insulin secretion

This article is a repost which originally appeared on ScienceDaily
Massachusetts General Hospital - January 25, 2022
Edited for content and readability - Images sourced from Pexels 
Source: DOI: 10.2337/dc21-1314

Our Takeaways:

  • The melatonin receptor-1b gene (MTNR1B) has been linked with an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes.
  • Late dinner timing resulted in lower insulin levels and higher blood sugar levels for the entire group
  • People with the MTNR1B gene had higher blood sugar levels than those without this genetic variant.

Blood sugar control, which is impaired in individuals with diabetes, is affected by various factors — including the timing of meals relative to sleep as well as levels of melatonin, a hormone primarily released at night that helps control sleep-wake cycles. In research published in Diabetes Care, a team led by investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Brigham and Women’s Hospital (BWH) and the University of Murcia in Spain conducted a clinical trial to look for connections between these two factors.

“We decided to test if late eating that usually occurs with elevated melatonin levels results in disturbed blood sugar control,” says senior author Richa Saxena, PhD, a principal investigator at the Center for Genomic Medicine at MGH.

For the randomized crossover study that included 845 adults from Spain, each participant fasted for eight hours and then for the next two evenings had first an early meal and then a late meal relative to their typical bedtime. The investigators also analyzed each participant’s genetic code within the melatonin receptor-1b gene (MTNR1B) because previous research has linked a variant (called the G-allele) in MTNR1B with an elevated risk of type 2 diabetes.

“In natural late eaters, we simulated early and late dinner timing by administering a glucose drink and compared effects on blood sugar control over two hours,” explains Saxena. “We also examined differences between individuals who were carriers or not carriers of the genetic variant in the melatonin receptor.”

The team found that melatonin levels in participants’ blood were 3.5-fold higher after the late dinner. The late dinner timing also resulted in lower insulin levels and higher blood sugar levels. (This connection makes sense because insulin acts to decrease blood sugar levels.) In the late dinner timing, participants with the MTNR1B G-allele had higher blood sugar levels than those without this genetic variant.

“We found that late eating disturbed blood sugar control in the whole group. Furthermore, this impaired glucose control was predominantly seen in genetic risk variant carriers, representing about half of the cohort,” says lead author Marta Garaulet, PhD, a professor of physiology and nutrition in the Department of Physiology at the University of Murcia.

Experiments revealed that the high melatonin levels and carbohydrate intake associated with late eating impairs blood sugar control through a defect in insulin secretion.

“Our study results may be important in the effort towards prevention of type 2 diabetes,” says co-senior author Frank A.J.L. Scheer, PhD, MSc, director of the Medical Chronobiology Program at BWH. “Our findings are applicable to about a third of the population in the industrialized world who consume food close to bedtime, as well as other populations who eat at night, including shift workers, or those experiencing jetlag or night eating disorders, as well as those who routinely use melatonin supplements close to food intake.”

The authors note that for the general population, it may be advisable to abstain from eating for at least a couple of hours before bedtime. “Genotype information for the melatonin receptor variant may further aid in developing personalized behavioral recommendations,” says Saxena. “Notably, our study does not include patients with diabetes, so additional studies are needed to examine the impact of food timing and its link with melatonin and receptor variation in patients with diabetes.”

8 Ways to Boost Your Natural Testosterone

By David Thompson Jan 06, 2022 12:20 PM EST

This article is a repost which originally appeared on NATURE WORLD NEWS

Edited for content

A normal testosterone level for a man ranges from 264 and 964 nanograms per deciliter. Low testosterone can have a number of adverse health effects, including low libido, fatigue, hair loss and weight gain. There are medications that can increase your testosterone. However, many of these medications come with risks.

That is why it is best for you to try to boost your testosterone naturally. You can implement the following lifestyle changes to boost your testosterone.

Get Plenty of Sleep

A lack of sleep can cause a hormone imbalance. Testosterone is one of the hormones that can get out of whack if you do not get enough sleep. There have been studies done to confirm that your testosterone levels drop when you do not get enough sleep.

One study was done by the University of Chicago. It involved 10 men who were 24-years-old. They slept for eight hours for one week while at home. They then slept in the lab for the next 11 days. After that, they only slept for five hours for eight days.

The researchers found that the men’s testosterone levels dropped by 15 percent when they only got five hours of sleep. Keep in mind that a man’s testosterone only drops by one or two percent per year due to the natural aging process.

That is why it is important for you to prioritize getting the right amount of sleep. You need seven to eight hours per day. If you do not get enough sleep, then you should talk to your doctor.

Follow a Healthy Diet

A nutritious diet is important for maintaining a healthy testosterone level. You should avoid dieting because this can cause an imbalance in your hormone levels. You should eat plenty of whole foods so that you can get the right balance of proteins, carbohydrates and fats.

In reproduction and bodily functions, free testosterone is just as effective as bound testosterone. To determine if they are within the recommended quota, it is important to test their levels. They are essential for the body to connect with its testosterone receptors. A fractional reduction in this hormone could cause reproductive problems and impairment of primary bodily functions, such as muscle development.

Lose Weight

Studies have shown that obese men are more likely to suffer from low T. In fact, a study published in “Clinical Endocrinology” that showed that obese males who are between the ages of 14 and 20 have 50 percent less testosterone.

Stay Active

Being active can naturally boost your testosterone levels. You should try to exercise every day. However, it is important for you to avoid overdoing a good thing. If you are too active, then it can actually decrease your testosterone levels. That is why it is common for athletes to suffer from low testosterone.

Stress

Stress is something that we all have. It is impossible to completely avoid stress because it comes with living. When you are stressed, your cortisol levels are higher. This can impair your metabolism and immune system response. If you have too much cortisol, then your testosterone levels will be lower.

Vitamins And Supplements

Vitamin D is one of the supplements that can help you increase your testosterone levels. There have been studies that have linked low testosterone levels to vitamin D deficiency. In addition to taking a supplement, you can increase your vitamin D levels by spending at least 15 minutes in the sun. You can also eat fortified cereal, milk and salmon.

DHEA is a hormone that your body needs in order to produce testosterone. Your DHEA levels tend to decrease as you get older. DHEA supplements may help your body produce more testosterone.

If you are deficient in magnesium, then taking a supplement can help your levels return to normal. A zinc deficiency can also cause your testosterone levels to drop. Additionally, there has been evidence to suggest that creatine can increase testosterone. It is also found in tuna, beef and salmon.

Review the Medications That You Take

It is important for you to look at the side effects of the medication. Low testosterone may be a side effect of the medication that you are taking. If you think that your medication is causing you to experience low testosterone, then it is a good idea for you to talk to your doctor. Your doctor can either adjust your medication or switch you to one that does not affect your testosterone levels. Do not stop taking your medication or adjust your dosage without talking to your doctor’s first.

Do Not Abuse Alcohol or Drugs

If you abuse drugs and alcohol, then your testosterone levels can drop. They can also cause serious damage to the cells in your body. That is why you should avoid drugs completely. If you drink alcohol, then you should avoid overdoing it. Do not have more than two alcoholic beverages per day.

The Best Exercise that Helps to Treat Depression Problems

The Best Exercise that Helps to Treat Depression Problems

This article is a repost which originally appeared on KISSPR

Edited for content.

Choosing exercise to help deal with depression is a great idea. Not only does this discharge feel-good endorphins, but in addition, it allows for social interaction and gives structure to our days.

Exercise is as great for your general mental health as it is for the physical body. Get into routine workout habits when you have conditions like anxiety or depression. Some exercises may conduct an essential part in getting the better of symptoms. The physical and psychological elements of the human body operate hand-in-hand and influence each other also. As soon as we take better care of a single stage of our bodies, we all take better care of the whole system.

How does exercise deal with depression?

High-intensity exercise induces your system to deliver Endorphins instantly, which might help improve our mood degrees. But, low-intensity exercise over the years releases neurotrophic proteins (growth hormones); those enable nerve cells to grow and create new contacts. Scientists have discovered the area which will help improve mood, i.e., along with the hippocampus, is smaller.

Another extra benefit of exercise is that it may help us keep our minds off regular stresses, leading to less anxiety. Exercise can enhance our physical look and also give us a feeling of achievement, improving self-confidence. Explore the best tips from Top Rated Buyer Guides to fight depression and live a healthy and active life.

Best Exercise To Get Fight Depression:-

Going to get a Jog

Runners frequently describe the euphoric feeling. Called a Running has long-term health advantages too, having overcome depression and nervousness. If you can’t run as a result of an injury or other medical problem, look at trying cycling instead.

Yoga

The main health benefit of yoga is It Is, and The action of managing your breathing and ideas during yoga makes it possible to exercise, cleaning out the darker emotions, and focusing on the current. Learning the presents also gives you a feeling of accomplishment and provides you with knew goals to work towards, which will provide you with a feeling of purpose with every excess session. Yoga can also help enhance general sexual function or men’s wellness disease. Fildena 100mg treatment is improving men’s sexual wellness and additionally Super P Force.

Power Training

Going to the lifting weights and fitness centre Might Not Be everybody’s Cup of java, but the gradual process of building strength makes strength training a concrete kind of exercise to exploit discipline and self-control. Strength training is a great discipline for overcoming depression since it’s all about continuous improvement and achieving aims, making for an immensely satisfying experience.

Cardiovascular Exercise

Tasks that increase an individual’s heartbeat are fantastic. Aerobic exercises such as running are so well-known for their effect on an individual’s manner the expression runner’s high is well known. These briefer studies were randomly chosen some individuals to perform aerobic exercise, though other participants received medical attention.

Participants who’d exercised two to 3 times per year a Week were likely to find a decrease in depression signs versus individuals who didn’t have aerobic exercise. There was a more pronounced positive influence once the participants conducted an aerobic exercise 5 times each week. On the other hand, both aerobic bands’ changes were too small to rule out the chance that it was due to opportunity.

Breath pressure off

Studies indicate taking deep breaths in which you exhale more than you inhale the autonomic nervous system.

I’ve understood this workout increase self-esteem, decreases anxiety, and allows you to sleep better. For all those health benefits and lots more, weight training is a superb means that will assist you to decrease depression and anxiety.

Laugh

Experts say bliss may lead to physical changes in your It burns off calories. 1 study from Vanderbilt University allegedly discovered 10-15 minutes of bliss may burn 50 calories. Have a moment each day to check in the grin, mirror, and laugh. Force it in case you must. Just watching yourself will create more laughter!

Rest

Sleep and rest are all depression-prevention pursuits. It will boost your mood, hormones, hunger, and energy level if it is possible to modulate your sleep. “These variables help you’re going to bed at precisely the same time each night, waking up in the same time daily, while it’s a weekday or a weekend.”

Take these measures to encourage sleep quality and diminish Melancholy:

  • Establish a sleeping routine.
  • Sleep in serene, uncluttered surroundings.

If you are a patient of melancholy, it is Vital to Begin any physical action under supervision. Begin a workout regime just following your doctor’s recommendation, and make sure a fitness trainer monitors your regimen and monitors your progress.

Get forward by setting targets –not only physical ones since you Would do if you’re aiming at weight reduction but psychological goals like exercising. Manage yourself if you adhere to Your strategy, so you keep on track. And happier with routine exercise.