Weight loss through diet changes can improve sleep at any body weight, study finds

Source: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Weight loss due to dietary changes can improve sleepiness at any weight, says a study published by researchers from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania this month in the journal Sleep. The findings offer new insights into how weight fluctuations impact numerous aspects of sleep independent of body weight.

Previous studies have linked obesity with persistent sleepiness, lack of energy during the day, and poor sleep quality, all of which can be successfully combatted with weight loss treatment. But until now, researchers have known little about the link between excessive weight, poor dietary habits, and sleep/wake abnormalities.
Nearly 185 million adults and 24 million children in the United States are overweight or obese. In Philadelphia, an estimated 68 percent of adults are overweight or obese. Beyond impaired cognitive function, poor sleep is associated with a host of chronic health problems including depression, obesity, and hypertension. Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 50 to 70 million U.S. adults experience sleep or wakefulness disorders.
In the current research, obesity was studied using diet-induced obese mice. Half the mice were randomly chosen to receive regular chow (RC) while the other mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD, more than three times higher in fat content) for eight weeks. At the end of that period, some of the mice were switched to the alternative diet for one week, causing newly-fed HFD mice to gain weight and newly-fed RC mice to lose weight, while the rest of the mice continued to consume their current diet.
After the ninth week, mice maintained on HFD weighed 30 percent more, slept more than one hour longer per day, and suffered from increased wake fragmentation (frequently slipping into sleep) compared to mice maintained on RC. The "diet switch" groups, however, had similar body weight at week nine, but completely different sleep/wake profiles when compared to each other.
"Our findings suggest body weight is a less important factor than changes in weight for regulating sleepiness," said the study's lead author, Isaac Perron, a PhD student in Neuroscience at the University of Pennsylvania. "Diet-induced obese mice that ate a regular chow diet for only one week showed the same sleep/wake profile as mice that ate a regular chow diet for nine weeks."
The findings have implications for the lean population as well, since mice consuming the low-fat diet for eight weeks followed by only one week of HFD had similar sleep as those eating a HFD for nine weeks.
"The diet consumed during the final week was key to driving the sleep effects, independent of the starting body weight," said Perron. "If you're overweight and often feel tired, you may not need to lose all the weight to improve sleep, but rather just beginning to lose that excess weight may improve your sleep abnormalities and wake impairments."
As individuals pursue these dietary changes, they may start to feel more awake during the day and be motivated to live a healthier lifestyle.
"This study has mapped a completely novel food and sleep interaction," said co-author Sigrid Veasey, MD, DABSM, a professor in the division of Sleep Medicine and a member of Penn's Center for Sleep and Circadian Neurobiology. "That changing to a healthier diet can acutely improve alertness and sleep, is extremely important and certainly an interaction to now test in humans."

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/12/151216110200.htm

Insomnia, Not All Created Equal

By Jonathon Byron

What is Insomnia?
Insomnia is a common sleep disorder. Generally speaking, Insomnia is the difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep or both, despite the opportunity to do so. This deprivation of sleep or poor quality of sleep leaves the person feeling less than refreshed the next day.
The amount of sleep required to make one feel refreshed can vary from person to person. Four and a half hours of good sleep for some people is more than enough. Others need as many as nine hours or more per day to reach the same level as those who require much less. Regardless of where you fall on this scale, if the quality of sleep you experience is less than optimal, it doesn't matter how many hours are spent doing so. Your body will not rejuvenate itself. You will suffer and will continue to do so until you're able to take steps toward your recovery.
Regardless of how yours was created, all Insomnia is not equal. Those who have studied it have come to a general agreement that there are three main categories of Insomnia; Transient, Acute and Chronic. For the most part, it's the duration or persistence of the complications that identifies them from one another.

Transient Insomnia
Short bouts of Insomnia usually lasting less than a week are commonly classified to be Transient Insomnia. Transient Insomnia is the most forgiving of the three main types that one can suffer from.
Generally speaking, Transient Insomnia usually doesn't require treatment or the intervention of a medical specialist. Often, the reason behind one's sort term Insomnia can be self-evident. Some common causes are jet lag, changes in work shift, discomfort, excessive changes in one's environment, stress, the presence of a common medical illness as well as the withdrawal from drugs, alcohol or other stimulants.
Acute Insomnia
Acute Insomnia, which shares many of the same characteristics with Transient Insomnia, is normally identified as a condition that lasts longer. As different as we all are, there's not an exact number or a line that can be drawn in the sand as to say that you now have Acute Insomnia. The general consensus however is that periods of Insomnia lasting for several weeks are typically classified as Acute Insomnia.
Acute Insomnia is by far the most common form that we suffer from. Unlike some of the obvious causes of short term Insomnia such as jet lag or work shift change that tend to go away on their own, Acute Insomnia will take some working through in order to subside.
Often, as Acute Insomnia sets in, the reasons for our sleeplessness tend to shift away from those outside distractions that were originally keeping us awake. The fact that we've identified and are aware that we have a sleeping issue can become center stage. It's become more of an issue of mind rather than body. As time goes by you've began to associate your attempts to sleep with failed outcomes and sleepless nights. Dealing with and overcoming your thoughts have become the new battle so to speak.

Chronic Insomnia
Chronic Insomnia can be defined as periods of Insomnia lasting for more than a couple months
. Although Chronic Insomnia can be overcome and successfully managed, the underlying problem may be one that stems much deeper than the scenarios we've described. It is suggested that anyone suffering from Insomnia for an extended period of time seek the advice of a medical physician. If a serious illness is the root cause of your battle with sleep, you will need first deal with that.
Are you suffering from Insomnia? Tens of millions of Americans struggle with Insomnia every day and unfortunately, there's not a single pill on the market that cures this disorder. The best defense against Insomnia is a good understanding of what causes it and how to manage it.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Insomnia,-Not-All-Created-Equal&id=9221915

Meditation for Improved Sleep and Happier Holiday Time

By Paula Eder

Meditation is portable, profound, and powerful. It improves your life in all sorts of ways, ranging from the spiritual to the physical.
Today I want to share about how you can take concrete and effective steps to improve your sleep and, by extension boost your energy, through meditation
Meditation is a practice that you build incrementally over time. The more you do it, the more natural it becomes for you. And right from the start, just a few moments of meditation can help you fall asleep faster, as well as improving the quality of your sleep. In fact, it's quite possible that meditation could help you feel more refreshed with fewer hours of sleep.
Here are 7 simple practices to encourage mindfulness and increase energy:
Meditation Practices to Do Anytime

• Breathe deeply. Breathing fully from your abdomen gets more oxygen to your brain. You'll have more energy all day long and feel more relaxed when night falls.

• Scan your body. Get in the habit of paying attention to your body. When you notice an ache or pain, try adjusting your position to address small discomforts before they build up and interfere with your energy and your sleep.

• Let go of judgments. Meditation also helps develop a mind free from judgment. As you observe your thoughts you notice (and reduce) negative self-talk.

• Identify obstacles. If some thoughts recur as you meditate, they could be trying to tell you something. They may be issues you need to resolve so you can sleep better.

• Become more mindful. Focusing on the present moment helps you stay calm. Studies show that multi-tasking erodes concentration and creates stress that contributes to insomnia.

• Try Yoga or Tai chi. Exercises like these are especially helpful when you approach them as a mental discipline as well as a physical workout. They encourage deep breathing, stress reduction and enhanced concentration.

• Use meditation to complement sleep. People who go on prolonged retreats are sometimes surprised that meditating all day may dramatically reduce their need for sleep at night. Proceed at your own pace to find the right combination of sleep and meditation for you. You may someday find that your body requires less sleep as you meditate more.

Ready to explore meditation and the ways it can enhance your life - and especially the quality of your sleep? Let's get a bit more concrete, with these 5 specific tips, to use at night and in the morning. I think you'll find them very helpful!
Meditation Practices for Bedtime and On Waking
1. Limit your screen time. Meditation works wonders and stepping away from the TV or the internet will help you fall asleep. Studies show that many Americans are suffering from sleep problems because of the mental stimulation and looking at a brightly lit screen just before retiring. Turn all your devices off at least an hour before bed.
2. Create a quiet setting. Silence is conducive to both meditation and sleep. Now that

you've got the TV off, put your phone away too.

3. Take the pressure off. Getting anxious about falling asleep is enough to keep you up at night. By shifting your attention to more constructive activities, you'll dispel these tensions.
4. Use guided imagery or phrases. You can adapt some of the concepts you use in your meditation when you're going to sleep. Select any soothing image or thought and allow your mind to become fully engaged with it. You might think about a still lake or a line of poetry. If you wake up after falling asleep, return your mind to your object of meditation.
5. Wake up more gently. Try going to bed and getting up at the same time each day so you can wake up naturally without using an alarm clock. Easing your mind awake gradually enables you to transition gently, reflecting on dreams and welcoming the new day.
Meditation is a safe and effective method for alleviating insomnia. These techniques will enhance your sleep time and boost your energy, no matter what else is going on in your life!

And to move toward your Heart-Based Time Success, sign up for our free gift, The Finding Time Success Kit, which includes "The New Finding Time Boundary Template: 9 Simple, Sequential Steps to Find More Time and Recharge Your Energy!" Using a workbook format this powerful and practical time template helps you progress beyond disappointment and frustration. Discover that 24 hours really are enough!

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Chronic Insomnia - Do You Have the Symptoms, Do You Fit the Type, and Do You Have the Risk Factors?

By Shirley Crawford

This article informs the reader of the four main aspects of insomnia. The four aspects of insomnia are symptoms, types, causes, and risk factors. We will define insomnia and show you how it can affect a person's life. We will look at the three types of insomnia, the criteria for each, and the causes of insomnia. Finally, we will discover some of the risk factors, who are more at risk, examples, and reasons for insomnia. With knowledge, there is power and the more you know about insomnia the more you are able to understand and take appropriate action in order to get a good night sleep.
Insomnia is one of the most common medical complaints and is often why people seek professional help. Most adults have experienced insomnia at one point or another during their life and roughly 10% experience chronic insomnia. Insomnia affects any age group and tends to increase due to age. In the year 2007, approximately 64 million Americans suffered from insomnia on a regular basis according to the Department of Health and Human Services. They also state that insomnia is more prevalent in women by 41% over men. Insomnia is prevalent in our society and many people have first hand knowledge by experiencing it.
Insomnia has a specific definition, several characteristics, and can have a detrimental effect on you. It is a symptom of a condition characterized by difficulty falling and staying asleep and/or by the lack of non-restorative sleep so much that the lack of sleep begins to impair your ability to function during waking hours. Chronic insomnia is determined by the duration of the symptoms rather than by a certain number of hours of sleep you get a night because each person varies on their individual sleep needs. Non-restorative sleep means you usually feel like you did not have a good night sleep and you awake feeling tired. You can also wake up too early in the morning or wake up frequently, during the night, and then have difficulty going back to sleep. This lack of restful sleep can effect your energy level, your mood, and ultimately your health, which effects your quality of life. Insomnia is more easily defined and harder to see the long-term affects it may have on you
How much sleep do we need, what is restorative sleep and when do we know we have had enough sleep? As a rule, most adults generally require seven to eight hours of restorative sleep a night. Restorative sleep is being able to attain the level of sleep, such that, you reach Stage 4 (deep sleep) of the sleep cycle and Stage 5 (REM or rapid eye movement) of the sleep cycle. Restorative sleep means when you wake up you feel refreshed, awake, and ready for the day. It is then you can say you have had enough sleep. If you are not getting enough restorative sleep each night and you do not address your insomnia issues, it can lead to chronic insomnia. Although the amount of sleep required may vary from person to person, restorative sleep is the key and you are the one who can decide if you feel like you got a good nights sleep or not.

There are three types of insomnia and each has characteristics and causes. The three types of insomnia are transient, acute or short-term, and chronic or long-term. Transient insomnia lasts less than seven days and acute or short-term insomnia can last from one to three weeks. The causes of these two types of insomnia can be similar and can be as simple as you drank too much caffeine, ate too much food to late in the evening, or simply a change in your normal routine. An example of a change in routine can be switching shifts at work, taking a trip from one time zone to another, both of which disrupt your body's circadian rhythms. Sleeping in a place where there is too much noise, too much light or it is too hot or too cold can also keep you awake. Other examples for transient or
acute insomnia might be a life stressor such as loss of or changing jobs, an acute illness, or having to move. Life stressors like fear and anxiety about something going on in your life-like an upcoming exam or an acute medical condition of your own or of a loved one, all of these can be the source of your insomnia. Some medications prescribed, or over the counter, can be a reason for acute insomnia and once discontinued the insomnia corrects itself. The third type of insomnia is chronic insomnia. Chronic insomnia last for three weeks or more and can be a primary disorder or a secondary disorder. Primary insomnia means that a person is having sleeping problems but unrelated to a physical or mental condition. Secondary insomnia means there is another condition in which insomnia is a symptom of that condition. These disorders can be an underlying psychological or physiological disorder. These three types of insomnia are generally discernible with diverse origins.
There are various psychological and physiological reasons for having chronic insomnia and they can have significant effects on you. The effects of chronic insomnia can vary depending on what the cause of the chronic insomnia happens to be. The persons overall health, both physical and mental health, plays a role. The most common psychological reasons for insomnia are anxiety, stress, and depression and insomnia is an indicator of depression. These psychological reasons can affect you and those around you and professional help is often essential. Some of the physiological reason can vary from chronic pain, diabetes, GERD, sleep apnea and other reasons. Besides being unable to sleep, mental and physical tiredness occurs with overall decreased alertness. This decreased alertness is similar to the effects of someone who has been sleep deprived and studies have shown sleep deprivation puts themselves, as well as others, at risk. The effects of chronic insomnia, due to various psychological and physiological components, warrant your attention.
Several groups and situations increase the risk factor of developing chronic insomnia and one such group are the people ages 60 and up. Regardless of their age, this segment of the population requires the same amount of sleep as the rest of the population but, because of certain factors, common to this group, they often get less sleep. This age group generally has more medical issues then younger populations and these issues can create stress and anxiety. They can come in the form of aches and pains you feel during the day that transmit to your sleeping hours making it impossible to get a full, restful nights sleep. As a result, of medical conditions, this group may take one or more medications and these medications may have side effects that disturb sleep. This group may be more sedentary then they use to be and just are not sleepy at their usual bedtime. Drinking alcohol also contributes to lack of restful, restorative sleep. Lack of sleep at night can lead to excessive sleepiness during the day. Taking frequent naps during the day may mean less sleep at night. If you are not asleep long enough then it is more difficult to reach Stage 4 and Stage 5 during the nighttime hours. More illnesses and deaths of family or friends occur typically the older a person gets. Chronic insomnia can result from the stress of a long-term illness or death of someone close. Increasing awareness that people age 60 and up have a greater risk of developing chronic insomnia is informative and beneficial for ourselves and those around us.

Another such group that is at greater risk, for numerous reasons, of sleep disturbances leading to chronic insomnia is women. One reason, women are at greater risk of chronic insomnia is because of the flood of hormones she receives during her lifetime. Females have hormonal changes starting very early in their life. The influx of hormones begins with the premenstrual cycle prior to the onset of the menstrual cycle. Women, in their childbearing years also have hormonal changes that affect their sleep. A woman, once a child is born, often has a heightened awareness to the noise their child may make and can awaken easily. Although waking up easily is a learned behavior, some women are unable to unlearn that behavior even after the child is grown and out of the house. Later in life when a woman is going through menopause, she has hormonal changes with hot flashes and night sweats that can be a source of sleep disturbance. Once a woman's is through menopause, she can have decreased estrogen levels, which can contribute to a woman's lack of restorative sleep. Although insomnia does tend to be more prevalent in women, restorative sleep decreases equally in men and women as they age.
The final group, discussed in this article, that are at greater risk of developing chronic insomnia are people who suffer from mental disorders. This population is at risk of chronic insomnia by the mere fact they have a mental disorder. These mental disorders include (but not limited to) anxiety, depression, bi-polar and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Women, in this group, have two strikes against them, one for being a woman and the second for having a mental disorder. Insomnia is a known symptom for depression and since women are more prone to depression, they are more disposed to insomnia.
People who are under continual stress have an increased risk factors for developing chronic insomnia. There are different types of stress known as "good" stress and "bad" stress. The good stresses are short-term, and are not damaging to the immune system however, they can cause short-term or transient insomnia. The bad stress is the long-term stress, or chronic stress, which can damage the immune system and cause chronic insomnia. The bad stress is the topic of discussion here. The amount of continual stress in your life increases the risk factor for developing chronic insomnia. There are many reasons a person may feel stressed and each person responds different to the stresses in their life. What is stress to one person may not be stress to another person. Examples of stress that can lead to chronic insomnia can be your own illness or your loved ones illness or their death. Stress can come in the form of conflicts with someone at work or a fear of being laid off or fired from your job. If you have been laid off work or fired, you have the stress of worrying about how you will pay your bills or put food on the table. This stress can increase when you have more than yourself to feed. Conflicts at home, a separation, or a pending divorce are stressful situations that can cause chronic insomnia. You may feel overworked or feel pressured to perform at work or at home. The stresses of being in a lower economic class or being unemployed can also increase your risk factor for developing chronic insomnia. With the persisting current economic environment, it makes sense that chronic insomnia could increase right now. Stress and anxiety can affect every part of your being from your digestive system, to headaches, fighting off infections even your sex drive. Stress can make it harder to do the things you know would be beneficial to your health like quitting smoking or changing your diet. Constant stress has many negative health effects and chronic insomnia is one of them.

In conclusion, chronic insomnia is prevalent in today's society. Insomnia that lasts less than three weeks and rights itself within that period is generally of less concern. When insomnia lasts longer than three weeks this long-term chronic condition requires attention. Monitoring your sleep patterns, how much sleep you are getting and how you feel when you wake up in the morning is vital to your health. People age 60 and up, women, people with mental disorders and people under constant stress need to be vigilant in monitoring the amount of sleep they get. This group especially needs to attend to any psychological or physiological issues going on for them. Chronic insomnia is a symptom and those symptoms are a signal to you that you need to do something different because what you have been doing is not working. You can rid yourself of chronic insomnia, sleep restfully again, and wake refreshed ready for the day.

The stress and anxiety, that keeps you awake at night, is a symptom of the problem, not the problem. Learn to listen to what is going on with you. You do not have to live with sleepless nights anymore. Pay attention to what your body is telling you and get your life back on track.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Chronic-Insomnia---Do-You-Have-the-Symptoms,-Do-You-Fit-the-Type,-and-Do-You-Have-the-Risk-Factors?&id=4955631

Six Signs It Is Time for a New Mattress

By Antoinette Ayana

The average person spends approximately one-third of their life asleep. Maintaining a regular, uninterrupted sleep schedule is crucial for physical and mental health, helping to improve energy, mood, weight control, and productivity. Due to its extreme importance, it only makes sense to replace an old or faulty bed when it begins to affect one's quality of sleep. According to Consumer Reports, a mattress should be replaced at least every 10 years. The following signs may also indicate the need for a replacement.
1. You Wake Up Sore and Stiff
A comfortable bed doesn't always equate to proper body support. Old mattresses tend to weaken and sag over time, and the comfort layers often lose their shape and compression. The result is commonly back, shoulder, or neck pain and stiffness. Sleeping on the wrong support type can also cause pain, such as slumbering on a soft bed when your body requires a firm.

2. You Don't Feel Refreshed When You Wake
A person should feel refreshed and reenergized after a full night's rest. However, if fatigue and drowsiness occur throughout the day, the mattress may be to blame. Tossing and turning throughout the night in an attempt to find a comfortable position can result in poor quality sleep. If you don't wake refreshed, be sure to rule out other potential causes, such as insomnia.
3. You Notice Lumps and Bumps
Over time, the padding inside of a mattress may shift around, causing an uneven distribution of comfort layers. Slumbering on these lumps and bumps can cause significant back pain, and can make it difficult to stay asleep for extended periods of time without waking up in discomfort. These lumps and bumps may develop prematurely in poor quality beds in which the fill is not properly stitched.
4. You Suffer from Allergies
Allergies can make life miserable, especially when the person has yet to determine the cause. Beds, as well as the sheets, blankets, and pillows that cover it, can collect a wide variety of allergy triggers, such as dust mites and pet dander. Investing in a new sleep set can help allergy sufferers get a "new start" due to the elimination of years of contaminant buildup.
5. You Hear Creaking Sounds
There's nothing more irritating than a creaking box spring when attempting to rest. The box spring is a vital part of any bedding set, providing the mattress with the support it needs to prevent sagging. Old box springs can break or begin to wear down over time, which directly affects the comfort, shape, and support of your bed.

6. You See an Impression
One of the most obvious signs that a replacement is needed is a noticeable permanent impression in the top comfort layers. An impression can develop over time, as the padding and top compression layers shift. For individuals who tend to slumber in the same spot and position night after night, a sag can occur where the weight of the body is.
The telltale signs that it's time for a new bed are often hard to miss. To ensure a proper night's rest, invest in a new sleep set that provides adequate comfort and support.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Six-Signs-It-Is-Time-for-a-New-Mattress&id=9255157

Types of Insomnia and Its Causes and Symptoms

By Dr Andrew Napier

Insomnia is a condition characterized by severe sleep disorders within a human being. It is a chronic condition in which a person faces persistent difficulty falling asleep or has a problem staying asleep for a longer period of time. Insomnia can affect a person of any age and gender but it is generally common in women and aged people.
Types of Insomnia
Insomnia is further classified according to its cause and duration into the following types:
1. Primary Insomnia: This type of insomnia is caused due to stress or anxiety and is not related to any medical condition.
2. Secondary Insomnia: This type of insomnia is caused by some medical condition, such as depression, sleep apnea, etc.

3. Transient Insomnia: It is the type of insomnia in which the symptoms last from a few days to a few weeks.
4. Acute or Short Term Insomnia: In this type of insomnia the symptoms last for several weeks.
5. Chronic Insomnia: Insomnia is referred to as chronic when the symptoms last for several months or may be several years.
Causes of Insomnia
There are several factors contributing to the onset of Insomnia in a person: These factors include:
1. Lifestyle: The lifestyle of a person is a major contributing factor to the condition like Insomnia. People who are addict to smoking, drinking, awaking late in the nights are more prone to Insomnia. Apart from this, people working in the night shifts, people living in high altitudes, and people living in areas with frequent variation in temperature are also prone to Insomnia.
2. Medical Conditions: The people suffering from angina, acid reflux disease (GERD), asthma, arthritis, tumors, chronic fatigue syndrome, and hyperthyroidism are more prone to Insomnia. Apart from these, pregnant women, elderly people, and menopausal women are also more prone to Insomnia.
3. People consuming certain types of medicines or drugs, such as allergy medicines, heart and blood pressure medicines, weight loss medicines, etc are also more prone to Insomnia.
Symptoms of Insomnia
1. Difficulty falling asleep
2. Problem having a continuous sleep
3. Poor concentration and coordination
4. Depression
5. Headaches
6. Acid Reflux
7. Irritability
8. Feeling tired all the time

Risks associated to Insomnia
This condition can lead to poor immunity, depression, anxiety, obesity, and many other short and long term medical conditions in a person. The person with insomnia has an increased risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, and high blood pressure. Along with this, people with this condition are more prone to accidents. However, the good news is that insomnia is a curable disease and can be easily cured by simple herbal remedies. Aaram capsule is one of the best known and safe herbal remedy for insomnia or sleeplessness.

http://ezinearticles.com/?Types-of-Insomnia-and-Its-Causes-and-Symptoms&id=5972793