Another Reason Why Sleep is Important
SLEEP LOSS DECREASES TESTOSTERONE, INCREASING HEALTH RISKS
A small study has concluded that young men who sleep less than five hours a night for eight days experience an average reduction of 10 to 15 percent in their testosterone levels, with the lowest levels occurring between 2pm and 10 pm, and that these lower levels increase the risk of low-testosterone-related health effects. (Testosterone levels very gradually diminish with age, about one to two percent per year, but especially low levels can cause symptoms such as reduced bone and muscle mass, as well as decreased energy, erectile dysfunction, mood problems, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and low sex drive.)
The men in the study, whose average age was 24, were rigorously screened to rule out any endocrine, psychological, or sleep problems.
They slept 10 hours a night for three days, then five hours a night for eight days, and testosterone was measured after each phase.
Also, the participants reported reduced mood, vigor, and sense of well-being, worsening with each day of the reduced sleep phase.
This study was published in the June 1, 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Associations. It is accessible online now at http://bit.ly/iNYIFs with subscription or fee.
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Loose 10lbs With Sleep & Meditation
MODERATE SLEEP & REDUCED STRESS AIDS WEIGHT LOSS
Researchers have found that people who had the lowest stress levels and who slept more than six hours but not more than eight, were twice as likely to succeed at losing ten pounds over six months, even on the same weight loss program.
However, there was no association between weight loss success and the level of depression or the amount of time spent watching television or using a computer.
Previous studies have found a link between these factors and the level of obesity but this study is the first to show these factors can predict weight loss success. The researchers suggested that, to achieve weight loss, some people may have to get more sleep, or less, and others may have to supplement their weight loss regimen with stress-relieving, mind-body techniques such as meditation.
The team also observed twice the rate of success at weight loss among people who kept a food diary. This study was released March 29, 2011 but will not appear in print until a future issue of the International Journal of Obesity. It is available online now at http://bit.ly/eINv47.
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Your Heart Health Needs More than 6 Hours of Sleep
INSUFFICIENT SLEEP INCREASES RISK OF STROKE AND HEART ATTACK
Researchers conclude that chronically getting less than six hours of sleep a night produces hormones and chemicals in the body that are associated with greater risks of developing high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, heart attacks, strokes, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity.
In fact, regularly sleeping less than six hours a night can result in a 48% higher risk of developing or dying of heart disease and a 15% greater risk of developing or dying of a stroke.
Sleeping over nine hours a night has been linked to illness, including cardiovascular disease.
It is the chronic lack of sufficient sleep that produces long-term risk, not an occasional late night and early morning. The study analyzed data from 470,000 participants from eight countries. This study was released online February 8, 2011 by the European Heart Journal and will appear in a future print issue. It is available online now at http://bit.ly/erusY4 without charge.
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Ways to Support Healthy Longevity
Several Habits To Support Longevity
From Prevention Magazine:
1. Cut out the bad fat.
Bad fat being saturated and trans fats. Good fats like Omega 3 essential fatty acids (EFA) are really important for heart, brain and skin health. For an excellent source of Omega 3 EFA, see Antarcti-Krill. Another type of “good fat” are the monounsaturated fats like those from nuts, avocados and olive oil.
2. Reduce your “added” sugar intake.
Too much “added” sugar can result in additional wrinkles because sugar binds to proteins in skin, damaging collagen. To avoid “added sugars,” reduce your consumption of packaged foods and any resulting “added sugar” to no more than 160 calories per day. That would be equivalent to 1 can of soda per day.
3. Develop your friendships.
Close friendships are actually more important in your overall longevity than strong family ties.
4. Get to bed on time.
Lack of sleep affects aging. It adversely affects weight, diabetes and high blood pressure. To help you get the sleep you need, try Z-Caps.
5. Reduce your stress.
Increased stress builds hormones in the blood stream which delay wound healing, increase blood pressure, reduce cognitive function memory, adversely affect mood and learning. To help you cope with stress, try InSight Natural or InSight HT.
Try deep breathing at least twice a day to support healthy stress management.
6. Listen to your iPod at <50% volume.
Listening to loud music can result in early hearing loss. Experts suggest listening to your iPod at <50% volume and invest in a good set of noise canceling headsets so that you can still hear the music, but at a lower and safer volume level.
The Link Between Sleep & Inflammation
POOR OR INSUFFICIENT SLEEP INCREASES HEART RISK
Researchers have found that insufficient or poor-quality sleep causes higher levels of inflammation in the body. Inflammation is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
The study team recorded sleep quality, using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index survey, as well as the number of hours of sleep. Subjects regularly getting fewer than six hours of sleep, as well as those regularly getting a poor quality of sleep, had higher levels of three inflammation markers: fibrinogen, IL-6 and C-reactive protein (CRP). People in the highest third of CRP levels have been shown to have roughly twice the risk of heart attack, compared to those with lower levels, according to the American Heart Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Previous studies have shown that people getting between seven and eight hours of sleep live longer, while those getting more than eight, or less than seven, are more likely to have high blood pressure, obesity, or psychological stress. Inflammation may be the mechanism by which poor sleep quality increases heart disease and stroke risk. This study was presented in Chicago on November 14, 2010 at the Scientific Sessions of the American Heart Association. It has not yet been journal-published.
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The Importance of Nighttime Sleep for Infants & Preschoolers
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129636783
Can you sleep away pounds? 
Well, not exactly, but research has shown that people who sleep a good eight hours-plus are more likely to maintain a normal weight than those who sleep less than eight hours a night. Now, a new study finds that even for infants and preschoolers, a good, long night’s sleep may be just as important as diet and physical activity.
Over the past three decades, obesity rates have doubled among children age 2 to 5, and tripled among 6- to 11-year-olds. So University of Washington maternal and child health researcher Janice Bell wanted to know whether sleep had anything to do with it.
She looked at federal data collected on nearly 2,000 children and compared those who slept 10 hours or more a night with those who slept less. She also looked at how much the children weighed over a five-year period. The most striking findings had to do with infants and toddlers. The study appears in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.
“They were nearly twice as likely to move from normal weight to overweight, or overweight to obese in that five-year period,” she says.
Can’t Catch Up With Naps
This is also an important message to parents, Bell says, to encourage them to help their children get on routine schedules of a long and solid night’s sleep. Especially, she says, because it turned out that napping during the day did not reduce the risk that these kids would gain weight.
“We found that their napping didn’t have any effect on their later obesity, whereas the nighttime sleep was significant,” Bell says. That led her to conclude that napping didn’t seem to be a substitute for nighttime sleep in terms of obesity prevention.
Psychiatrist Emmanuel Mignot, who directs the Center for Sleep Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine, suggests that one reason naps may not work is because daytime sleep is qualitatively different than nighttime sleep. Mignot says that sleeping at night is deeper and therefore more restorative than sleeping during the day. It makes sense, he says, that one can’t “make up” for lost sleep by dozing during the day or even having scheduled naps as toddlers often do.
Why The Connection?
Bell’s study didn’t examine the reasons why children who sleep less have an increased risk of gaining weight within just a few years, but she does have some theories.
“It may be that children who don’t sleep enough at night are too tired to engage in the kind of physical activity that may prevent obesity,” Bell says. She adds that another reason may be the result of the relationships between hormones that control appetite and sleep.
Mignot says that studies done in his sleep lab found that if you sleep less, certain hormones like leptin and ghrelin change in a way that stimulates appetite. Leptin, which is a starvation signal, decreases and gives you the feeling that you should eat more. At the same time, levels of ghrelin, which stimulate the appetite, increase.
It’s an unfortunate combination adding up to an increased risk of weight gain. Mignot’s studies were done in adults, but he says a similar hormonal shift likely takes place in children as well. This hormonal shift also increases cravings for unhealthy foods like those high in salt, sugar and fat.
On average, Mignot says children up to age 5 need at least 10 hours of sleep a night. Infants and young toddlers, of course, need even more.
The Magic 7 – Sleep & Cardiovascular Risk
A recent study shows that even among healthy people who regularly get five hours or less sleep a night have more than double the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Also, people who regularly get nine or more hours of sleep a night have a greater than fifty percent increased risk of cardiovascular disease. Perhaps more surprising, people who get six or eight hours sleep also have a higher – but far less dramatic – increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
The study advised that seven hours sleep per night, not six or eight or anything more extreme, was the ideal regular sleep period for cardiovascular health.
But how could sleep period affect heart health?
The researchers suggested that shorter sleep times can cause “impaired glucose tolerance, reduced insulin sensitivity, increased sympathetic [nerve] activity and elevated blood pressure,” all of which increase the risk of hardening of the arteries.
Longer sleep duration may be related to an underlying sleep-related breathing disorder or poor sleep quality.
This study was published in the August 1, 2010 issue of the journal, Sleep. It is available online with a subscription to the journal or a membership the American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
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Lack Of REM Sleep Linked To Chronic Migraines
A new study suggests that a lack of sleep, as well as a lack during sleep of the dreaming phases known as REM, can trigger migraines and increase the risk of chronic migraines.
Rapid Eye Movement or REM phases of sleep are those brief periods during which we experience dreaming. Regularly losing sleep, or sleeping but without REM periods – as often occurs when alcohol, drugs or stress are involved – increases the expression, or activity, of certain proteins related to lowering our threshold of pain.
The proteins are known as p38, PKA, and P2X3 and lower expression of them can cause the pain of migraine. The study will be presented in Los Angeles to the attendees of the American Headache Society’s annual scientific meeting on one of the days between June 24 and 26. It has not been published and details are not yet available.
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How ‘True’ Loneliness Can Affect Your Health
Two studies by the same team have found that true loneliness is caused by a lack of depth in communication and connection and that it can often be an underlying health problem in people who hoard friends and have a busy social life.
Meeting up with numerous friends, following them on Twitter, or staying in touch with former coworkers does not carry much clout in combating true loneliness, which is a lack of depth of one-to-one communication. Lacking this underlying deeper connection affects health in ways that are becoming clearer: it reduces the regenerative effect of sleep, the ability to cope with stress and individuals’ attention to health. The mere presence of a relationship, even a “close” one, did not affect this tendency towards loneliness and diminished health.
One study appears in summary form in the June issue of the journal, Health Communication and the second will appear in a future issue. The first study is now available in full-text format at: http://bit.ly/coSuiC.
Holiday Survival Tips
This statement rings from stores, appears in our mail and seems to permeate all of November & December. Instead of experiencing “happy holidays,” many are likely to be feeling holiday blues for different reasons.
- Holidays can be a reminder of loss-a relationship, a family, a marriage, a loved one.
- Many feel overwhelmed by the stress of family dynamics at a time when everything you see and hear tells you to be happy at family gatherings.
- Economic uncertainty and unemployment leave many feeling blue and stressed about how to manage.
- The shopping, cooking, baking, gift giving marathon can leave people feeling drained and incapable of relaxing.
- This time of year can be a time of self-evaluation and reflection about the past but also creates anxiety about the future.
- Some feel excluded and lonely if they do not partake in the holidays or have no family.
- Reduced day light during shorter winter days can contribute to feeling sluggish, tired and short on energy.
- A myriad of stressors can produce feelings of sadness, loneliness, gloom, hopelessness, fatigue, etc. If you were already feeling blue before this time of year, these feelings may only intensify.
Basic Holiday Survival Tips & Product Recommendations
We would like to share a few key “Holiday Survival Tips” that have helped many people make it through “the happiest time of year” and suggest several products for those who need a little help this holiday season. Take the biggest step first: resolve to help yourself.
1. Don’t sacrifice sleep. Visiting friends, baking cookies and shopping are no longer fun if you are worn out and ready to collapse. Fatigue can also darken your mood.
PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS:
Z-Caps: If getting to sleep is troublesome, try (1-2) Z-Caps at least one hour before bedtime.
To learn more about Z-Caps, click on the Z-Caps bottle to the left.
Myo-Nerve: If you need even deeper sleep to calm a busy mind or address pain support, try Myo-Nerve one hour before bedtime. Myo-Nerve is our latest innovation for neuromuscular relaxation. Just add 1 scoop or less to a small serving of natural applesauce or yogurt one hour before bedtime.
Click on Myo-Nerve (to the right) for more information.
2. Set your boundaries. A person who struggles with personal boundaries often gets stressed and hangs on to anger and frustration, making them more likely to experience holiday blues.
3. Exercise. Don’t wait to make a New Year’s resolution to start or resume your exercise program. Your body’s ability fight the blues is strengthened by the natural chemistry that occurs when your body moves regularly. So write yourself a reminder to enjoy a brisk walk, take stairs, ride your bike or make use of your gym membership now.
PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS:
ProSport & ProSport MAX: To maximize your exercise benefits, enhance your hydration. ProSport and ProSport MAX are the choice of elite and amateur athletes who rely on the antioxidant power these drinks deliver.
ProSport MAX offers 2075 ORAC units/serving — the antioxidant equivalent of 4-7 servings of fresh fruit or berries.
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At only $2 – $2.50/serving, ProSport & ProSport MAX offer so much more than designer coffee or mass market energy drinks.
Click on the ProSport MAX photo to learn more.
ProSport MAX delivers 4200 ORAC units/serving – the antioxidant equivalent of 10-14 servings of fresh fruit or berries.
Try either drink powder in a delicious smoothie for quick energy or “nutrition on the run.”
4. Monitor Caffeine & Alcohol Intake. Caffeine can give you a quick high but a jolting crash once it wears off, leaving you feeling worse than before you drank that high calorie, triple strength, ultra-sized Italian-sounding coffee bar drink. Alcohol is a depressant and can intensify seasonal blues. Bring your own healthy alternative to parties if you think there may not be a non-alcoholic option.
PRODUCT RECOMMENDATION:
PowerThru: If you’re feeling low on energy, boost your body’s own cellular energy production with our botancial, EGCG Green tea formulation that contains time tested natural ingredients. Try PowerThru in the morning or at lunchtime for smooth alertness without the jolt & crash.
Click on the PowerThru bottle for more information.
5. Savor the treats in moderation. At home, you’re in charge. Choose to prepare healthy, balanced meals that in turn, keep you feeling more emotionally and physically balanced. If you know that it may be difficult to stick with your regimen away from home, eat lightly before you leave home so that you can savor treats in moderation and spend more time in conversation.
6. Lighten the load. Yours and others. Volunteer at the food bank, at a soup kitchen, for children or people in need. Don’t underestimate the power of helping others.
7. Keep track and be reasonable. Make lists to stay on top of a reasonable number of tasks, gifts, events to attend and money to spend. Staying in control is empowering and a critical step in maintaining healthy emotional balance.
PRODUCT RECOMMENDATIONS:
InSight Natural: For natural mental health support and a positive, proactive attitude, try our cocoa flavonoid-based formulation that has been dispensed by physicians to thousands of patients.
For more information on InSight Natural, click on the product photo to the left.
InSight HT: When high tension and stress require an extra strength mood/relaxation product, try InSight HT to help you manage stress better. Unlike other natural “mood” products, both InSight HT and InSight Natural offer noticeable benefits.
To read more about InSight HT, including stress management tips, click on the InSight HT bottle to the left.
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If you would like to share your tips for enjoying the season, we invite you to post your comments or questions. The Advantig Blog is a moderated blog, so please expect approved comments and answers to questions to post within 24-48 hours.
You Can Control Stress
Stress is not only a harmful state of mind, it can also become a harmful condition for your overall health because it actually changes your body chemistry. These chemical changes over time can adversely impact your immune health, your cardiovascular health and your entire well being.
We’ve collected some great stress relief tips that are posted to the Advantig website to help reduce anxiety and maintain a balanced life. Take a look at some of these time tested techniques to help you optimize your day-to-day management of stress:
Relaxation & Meditation: Structured relaxation & meditation can help control stress and improve your physical and mental well-being. The options are almost infinite. We’ve summarized just a few here:
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Biofeedback: a method of learning to relax, control stress responses, or modify the body’s reactions through the use of monitoring equipment, training the autonomic nervous system (the part we don’t consciously use) to relax.
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Meditations: Focusing on religion, spiritual beliefs or purely on physical relaxation, meditation is one of the most popular techniques to achieve physical and mental relaxation.
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Progressive Muscle Relaxation: A method developed in the 1930s in which muscle groups are tightened and then relaxed in succession based on the idea that mental relaxation will be a natural outcome of physical relaxation.
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Qigong: (pronounced “chee gong”) This ancient Chinese Martial Art/health-care system combines physical training (such as isometrics, isotonics, and aerobic conditioning) with Eastern philosophy and relaxation techniques.
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Tai chi: “Meditation in motion” is characterized by soft, flowing movements that stress precision and force.
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Yoga: Yoga’s goal is to restore balance and harmony in the body and emotions through numerous postural and breathing exercises.
Exercise: Exercise promotes overall fitness and helps you manage emotional stress and tension from the release of endorphins. Being fit and healthy also increases your body’s ability to deal with stress. Start slow by taking the stairs, walking in your neighborhood, riding your bike. Just get moving!
Time management: Learn to prioritize tasks, avoid over-commitment, being overscheduled and feeling pressured. Check your calendar, planner, or PDA before commit or learn to say “let me get back to you after I check my calendar” to avoid commitments made under pressure that can cause you stress later.
Organization: Schedule time to organize your physical surroundings (office, desk, kitchen, closet, car) so that you won’t be faced with the stress of constantly searching for misplaced items or being overwhelmed by clutter. Take 10 minutes to periodically sort through and organize piles of paperwork and clutter.
Take 5: Take a 5 minute deep breathing break, look away from the computer screen, close your eyes and visualize a relaxing place, stand up and stretch your arms, neck or legs. Breaking the monotony and changing the pace helps to refresh your perspective.
Lend a Helping Hand: Do something nice for another person. Studies show that altruism is good for your emotional well-being, and can measurably enhance your peace of mind. When you feel stressed and overwhelmed, you may feel like you’re least able to give; however, altruism activates the area of the brain associated with positive feelings, lifting your spirits, making you feel better the more you give.
Support systems: People with strong social support systems experience fewer physical and emotional symptoms of stress than their less-connected counterparts. Loved ones, friends, business associates, neighbors, and even pets are all part of our social networks. Cultivating and developing a social support network is healthy for both body and mind.
YOU CAN CONTROL STRESS
In addition to the mind-body techniques listed above, you can combine these products to help you control stress and support a balanced state of mind:
Healthy Attitude – Proactive State of Mind – Balance. InSight Natural is a cocoa flavonoid-based dietary supplement. Cocoa flavonoids are scientifically linked to brain function and healthy brain oxygenation. We say that InSight supports a “winning state of mind” – which is a phrased coined by one of our customers who found that InSight Natural helped him “break through the wall” in athletic competition. Endurance athletes are finely tuned individuals who benefit from InSight Natural. If these highly specialized individuals can benefit, no fears – so can you. You can learn more about InSight Natural’s here: http://www.advantig.net/products/insight-natural.
Mental tranquility – Calmer Mind – Mental Relaxation. InSight HT is designed for people who want to experience the positive mental state InSight Natural offers, but need more intensive help for “High Tension” (which is why we call it HT). InSight HT blends InSight Natural with 3 additional ingredients that have a scientific basis for supporting a more relaxed, calmer mental state required to manage stress: 5-HTP, L-theanine & Vinpocetine. For more information on these ingredients and InSight HT, got to: http://www.advantig.net/products/insight-ht. If you can take the time for a relaxing massage, take 1 InSight HT an hour before your treatment for ultimate relaxation.
Deep, Restful Sleep & Refreshed Awakening. When you’re under stress, sleep is the ultimate mental recharge. The problem is that sometimes the mind just keeps repeating scenarios as though it were on a loop as a way to problem solve or cope. This can leave you feeling drained and even more tired in the morning. For those times, take 1 Z-Cap an hour before bedtime for the deep sleep your body needs. Unlike prescription sleeping pills, Z-Caps will help you feel refreshed and ready for the day. You can read more here: http://www.advantig.net/products/z-caps.