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Too much or too little sleep not good for heart: Study Lifestyle
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Too much or too little sleep not good for heart: Study

New York, March 19 (IANS) Getting too much or too little sleep, may be bad for your heart, say researchers, adding that people who get seven or eight hours of sleep per night have less stiffness in their arteries, which is associated with a lower risk of developing heart disease or suffering a stroke. ## "The message, based on our findings, is 'sleep well, but not too well.' Getting too little sleep appears bad for your health but too much seems to be harmful as well," said study lead author Evangelos Oikonomou from Yale University in the US. ## For this analysis, researchers assessed sleep patterns in 1,752 people living in the Corinthia region of Greece using a standard questionnaire. ## They ranged in age from 40 to 98 years, with a mean age of 64 years old ## Participants were then divided into one of four groups based on self-reported sleep duration: normal (seven to eight hours a night), short sleep duration (six to seven hours a night), very short sleep duration (less than six hours a night) or long sleep duration (greater than eight hours a night). ## At the time of the study, each participant also underwent ultrasound imaging to measure the thickness of the inner part of the arterial wall. ## Thickening of the arterial walls reflects plaque buildup and is associated with an increased risk of stroke and other cardiovascular events. ## The researchers found that even after accounting for other known risk factors for heart disease or stroke, people who slept less than six hours or more than eight hours a night had significantly greater odds of having plaque buildup in the walls of their carotid arteries--a 54 per cent and 39 per cent increase, respectively--compared with those who got seven or eight hours of shut eye. ## The study adds to mounting evidence that sleep patterns, similar to diet and exercise, may play a defining role in someone's cardiovascular risk. ## "We don't fully understand the relationship between sleep and cardiovascular health. It could be that sympathetic nervous system withdrawal or a slowing [of this system] that occurs during sleep may act as a recovery phase for [usual] vascular and cardiac strain," Oikonomou said. ## "Moreover, short sleep duration may be associated with increased cardiovascular risk factors--for example, unhealthy diet, stress, being overweight or greater alcohol consumption--whereas longer sleep duration may be associated with a less active lifestyle pattern and lower physical activity," Oikonomou added. ## The research is scheduled to be presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session Together with World Congress of Cardiology on March 28-30 in the US. ## For more and the latest news about Lifestyle, stay tuned to us.

Negative thoughts, bad sleep habits can depress teens: Study Lifestyle
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Negative thoughts, bad sleep habits can depress teens: Study

Sydney, March 19 (IANS) Nagging negative thoughts - and striving for perfection - keep teenagers awake at night, raising their chance of becoming depressed and anxious, say researchers. ## An online study of almost 400 adolescents aged 14 to 20 years confirmed the link, leading researchers at Flinders University in Australia, to recommend alternative treatments for repetitive negative thinking and perfectionism in dealing with delayed sleep and mental health problems among teenagers. ## The study, published in the journal Sleep Health,confirmed a link between repeated negative thinking and delayed sleep. ## "Repetitive negative thinking is habit forming and it can significantly contribute to making sleep difficult and causing depressed mood in teenagers, who already like to stay up late at night," said study researcher Michael Gradisar, Professor at Flinders University in Australia. ## "This study supports the need to recognise repetitive negative thinking in preventing and treating sleep problems, along with individual differences in perfectionism and mood," Gradisar added. ## According to the researchers, the role of repetitive negative thinking and perfectionism in explaining the link between sleep onset problems and depressed mood has important clinical implications through providing possible treatment targets. ## International studies indicates depression affects between three per cent and eigh per cent of adolescents. It is often recurring and may continue to develop into more severe depressive disorders during adulthood. ## In teenagers, depression can cause poor concentration, a loss of interest in schoolwork, difficulties in peer relationships, and even suicide, the researchers said. ## The researchers stresses that sleep plays an important part in preventing and treating depression in teenagers. ## Parents and carers can implement better sleep health by encouraging regular bedtime routines during the school week and weekends, and encouraging mobile phones to be turned off earlier in the evening, according to the study. ## According to the researchers, busy lifestyles, stress and screen time makes self-help and accessible resources for better sleep increasingly important. ## For more and the latest news about Lifestyle, stay tuned to us.

Daytime sleepiness among the elderly may indicate cancer risk Lifestyle
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Daytime sleepiness among the elderly may indicate cancer risk

New York, March 2 (IANS) Older people who experience daytime sleepiness even after having adequate sleep at night may be at the risk of developing new medical conditions, including diabetes, cancer, and high blood pressure, says a study. ## The condition called hypersomnolence is defined as excessive daytime sleepiness even after having seven or more hours of sleep. ## It can be debilitating for some people, affecting the way that they perform at work and in other daily activities. ## "Paying attention to sleepiness in older adults could help doctors predict and prevent future medical conditions," said study author Maurice Ohayon of Stanford University in California. ## "Older adults and their family members may want to take a closer look at sleeping habits to understand the potential risk for developing a more serious medical condition," said Ohayon. ## The study involved 10,930 people. About 34 percent of the participants were 65 years or older. ## The findings are scheduled to be presented at the American Academy of Neurology's 72nd annual meeting to be held in Toronto from April 25 to May 1. ## For the study, the researchers interviewed participants over the phone two times, three years apart. In the first interview, 23 percent of people over 65 met the criteria for excessive sleepiness. ## In the second interview, 24 percent reported excessive sleepiness. Of those, 41 percent said the sleepiness was a chronic problem. ## The study found that people who reported sleepiness in the first phone interview had a 2.3 times greater risk of developing diabetes or high blood pressure three years later than those who did not experience sleepiness. ## They were also twice as likely to develop cancer. ## Of the 840 people who reported sleepiness at the first interview, 52 people, or 6.2 percent, developed diabetes compared to 74 people, or 2.9 percent of those who were never sleepy during the day. ## Also, of the 840 people who reported sleepiness, 20 people, or 2.4 percent, developed cancer compared to 21 people, or 0.8 percent of those who were never sleepy during the day. ## People who reported daytime sleepiness during both interviews had a 2.5 times greater risk of developing heart disease. Those who reported sleepiness only in the second interview were 50 percent more likely to also have diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue, such as arthritis, tendinitis, and lupus, than those who did not have daytime sleepiness. ## For more and the latest news about Lifestyle, stay tuned to us.