Think About Better Sleep

I read this article on Friday, November 5th. I was anticipating the extra hour of sleep we would be getting this past weekend and like most people, I love it and use it as a "catch up" strategy. Reading this article made me realize that if you are very sleep deprived, an extra hour will not help you a lot. Most people and students, such as myself, probably do not get the amount of sleep you should. It is very difficult with school and everything else that is going on, so sleep usually takes a backseat. This article talks about how a good night's sleep is just as important as eating a healthy diet and exercising. Being deprived of sleep can make one become irritable, lead to decreased productivity in school/work, and lead to other health problems. Some suggestions the AASM gives to people are:
- try not to exercise right before bed
-follow a consistent bedtime
-keep you bedroom dark and cool
-Try not to sleep in on weekends because you will be overtired on Monday.

These are great tips, but unfortunately with people's schedules these days it is hard to follow a strict bedtime. People also exercise when they get a free moment, and if it's at night time, then I think some exercise is better than never doing anything. Overall, sleep is very important and we should make a conscientious effort to give our bodies the rest it needs.

Can Your Couch Cause Infertility?

This news story was interesting to me. This article talks about a group of chemicals called PBDEs. These chemicals are used to make products flame retardant, and can be found in couches, foams and fabrics, televisions, electronics and plastics. Smaller amounts of PBDEs can be found in certain foods such as dairy products and some fish as well. It is estimated that 97% of Americans have a trace of these chemicals in their blood. Studies have found that having a large amount of these can have some health consequences, such as slower brain development of children when the mother was exposed to more PBDEs. They are also related to liver toxicity. Researchers tested this on a group of females who were trying to get pregnant. They found that the more PBDEs they were exposed to, the longer it took to become pregnant. Their chances of becoming pregnant decreased by 30% when the amount of chemicals increased by ten. One reason this may be the case is that PBDEs affect the thyroid hormone and this influences fertility. PBDEs act as estrogen, so the thyroid hormones levels can be thrown off. Having too much or too little thyroid hormones can affect a woman's fertility. This is an interesting article, but it seems like we are discovering more and more things that are bad for you. It almost seems like everything could have a harmful effect. The good thing is that people are recognizing these problems and can look to the future to prevent such things from happening.

Energy Drinks and Alcohol: A Deadly Duo?

Every college student should read this article. Many college students rely on energy drinks to start their day or to keep themselves awake so they can get their work done. Red Bull energy drink and vodka have been a drink of choice the past few years for many college students. Researchers stood outside a bar in the middle of the night and had college students fill out a survey. Many had put down that they drink an energy drink mixed with alcohol. Researchers found that people who drink an energy drink with alcohol are three times more likely to be intoxicated than people who just drink alcohol. A more alarming fact is that people are four times likely to get in a car and drive drunk. This is because the caffeine from the energy drink eludes the fact that they are actually more sober than they are. Once more drunk driving occurs, it raises the possibility of a fatal accident occurring tremendously. When the researchers tested these people's blood alcohol content, their average reading was .109, and the legal limit is .08. These people are over the limit but say they feel fine because the caffeine in the drinks leads them to believe so. This was a very good article to read because many students have this for their drink of  choice and it is very dangerous. Many students believe they are invincible and nothing bad can ever happen to them. I hope more students realize the harmful effects and practice safe behaviors while drinking and having a good time.

Daily Exercise Helps Keep the Sniffles Away

Recently there was a study conducted to see how exercise affects one's susceptibility to acquire a cold or flu. We already know that exercise can improve one's mood, help one lose weight, and add years to their life, but this study also shows daily exercise can help you fight against colds and flues. This study recorded symptoms of 1000 people from all ages from the fall to the winter over a 12 week period. They found that people who engaged in jogging, biking, or swimming for about 20 minutes five days a week only had an average of a cold or flu for about 5 days. People who exercised one day or less per week experienced on average 8.5 days of cold or flu symptoms. On top of that, those who exercised regularly experienced milder symptoms than the people who did not exercise as much. Exercise is known to improve circulation of white blood cells which are the cells that help fight against disease or infection. This helps boost the immune system. Another aspect that can help boost the immune system is endorphins. It is known that exercise sends out endorphins which makes someone feel good, and in turn boosts the immune system. Also, when people exercise on a regular basis they tend to lead healthier lifestyles such as making better nutrition decisions.
This was a great article to read because I do not know anyone that likes to be sick with a cold or flu. They are more a nuisance than anything, and if exercise can also benefit your immune system, then I do not know why more people do not engage in daily exercise.