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Cell Phones Linked to Insomnia and Headaches
Talking on your cell phone before going to bed could interfere with getting a good night's sleep, a recent study suggests. Carried out by Sweden's Karolinska Institute and Wayne State University in the US, the study suggests radiation from the handset can cause insomnia, headaches, and confusion. Scientists studied 35 men and 36 women between the ages of 18 and 45 who were exposed to radiation equivalent to that received when using a mobile phone. Others were placed in the same conditions, but given only false exposure. Those exposed to radiation took longer to enter the first of the deeper stages of sleep, and spent less time in the deepest one. (Read more about Cell Phones Linked to Insomnia and Headaches)
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Understanding Stress
For many, stress is just a normal part of a busy work schedule. Even though stress is becoming routine, it is self destructive in numerous ways. Studies reveal that stress causes deterioration in everything from your heart to your gums, and can make you more susceptible to everything from a common cold to cancer. One of the main culprits in the stress-illness connection is the hormone cortisol - though it plays a necessary role in helping us cope with acute or short-term threats. When an animal perceives danger, the body triggers a chain reaction of signals to release various hormones, like epinephrine (adrenaline), nor-epinephrine, and cortisol, from the adrenal glands. These hormones boost heart rate, increase respiration and increase the availability of glucose in the blood, thus enabling the "fight or flight" response. Because this response requires a great deal of energy, cortisol tells other taxing physical processes like digestion, reproduction, physical growth, and the immune system - to slow down or shut down altogether. (Read more about Understanding Stress)
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Researchers Find A Solution to Sleep Deprivation
Many adolescents and young adults harbor a desire to skip sleep in favor of getting more from daily life. Now new research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine has revealed this desire may not be far from the realm of possibility. A naturally occurring brain peptide, orexin-A, has been shown to reverse the effects of sleep deprivation on cognitive performance in monkeys. Researchers believe these findings may hold potential for patients suffering from sleep disorders and for shift workers, military personnel, and other occupations where sleep is limited, but cognitive demand is high. (Read more about Researchers Find A Solution to Sleep Deprivation)
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Cold and Flu Questions Answered
Each year, as many as 20% of Americans get the flu, and close to one billion Americans suffer from colds. Despite the prevalence of these seasonal infections, people continue to have numerous misconceptions. A report from Harvard Medical School debunks common myths and dishes the facts you need to know during this year's cold and flu season. (Read more about Cold and Flu Questions Answered)
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Top Women's Health Stories of 2007
With 2008 only a few days away, there's no better time than now to reflect on the most impactful women's health stories of the year. These stories are firm reminders that men and women are not equally affected in all realms of health.
5. Diabetes Death Rates Among Women Remain Unchanged
Diabetes mortality rates have been on the decline for decades. Good news, right? Unfortunately, this is true only for men. Death rates for women with
diabetes have remained the same, and the difference in mortality rates for women with and without diabetes has doubled over that time. Women with diabetes can maximize thir life expectancy by eating a healthy diet, not smoking, and staying active. (Read more about Top Women's Health Stories of 2007)
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How COPD Affects Women
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease is on the rise among women and, since 2000, their mortality rates have surpassed those of men. However, despite the rising prevalence, morbidity, and mortality among women, there is little medical understanding of the disease's gender differences. A recent study in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine has demonstrate the disease is manifested differently in the genders, and risk factors, symptoms, disease progression, and even diagnosis, differ substantially. (Read more about How COPD Affects Women)
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The Top Wellness Stories of 2007
The new year is fast approaching and it's time to start thinking about those yearly resolutions. Here are some suggestions from the top 2007 wellness stories on how to begin 2008 with a healthy and refreshing lifestyle. (Read more about The Top Wellness Stories of 2007)
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Sleeping Seven or Eight Hours Per Night is Best for Health
A study published in the latest issue of the journal SLEEP has found that either a decrease or an increase in sleep duration is associated with an elevated risk of mortality. The study conducted by the University College London Medical School followed over 10,000 participants between 35 and 55 years of age. The individual screenings were conducted between 1985 and 1988 and involved a clinical examination and self-administered questionnaire. The results found that a decrease in sleep duration among participants sleeping six, seven, or eight hours at baseline was associated with a 10 percent risk of cardiovascular mortality. However, an increase in sleep duration among those who were already sleeping seven or eight hours was associated with a 10 percent excess risk of non-cardiovascular mortality. (Read more about Sleeping Seven or Eight Hours Per Night is Best for Health)
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Gender Differences in Handling Stress
A recent study that appears in Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience reveals how men and women differ in the neural response to psychological stress. Researchers claim to have found different parts of the brain that activate with different spatial and temporal profiles for men and women when they are faced with performance-related stress. These findings suggest that stress responses may be fundamentally different in each gender, sometimes referred to as "fight-or-flight" in men and "tend-and-befriend" in women. Through our evolution, males may have had to confront a stressor either by overcoming or fleeing from it, while women may have instead responded by nurturing offspring and affiliating with social groups during times of adversity. (Read more about Gender Differences in Handling Stress)
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A Sound Night's Sleep Creates Strong Memories
Two recent studies detailed in the latest issue of Science journal are providing more evidence that a good night's sleep can play an important role in cementing memories formed during the day. One new study has discovered a new region of the brain involved, along with the hippocampus, with creating memories of the day's activities during sleep. A second study suggests that melatonin, a hormone involved in regulating our circadian rhythm, acts to suppress the formation of new memories as bed time approaches. This could possibly function to give memories made early in the day a chance to be prepared for long-term storage. (Read more about A Sound Night's Sleep Creates Strong Memories)
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