Why Sleeping With Lights On is Bad for Your Health

If you thought that sleeping with lights on was bad for the environment, according to a new study it is bad for your health as well.

Human body have been exposed to roughly equal amounts of sunlight and darkness, throughout its evolution. So our bodies have evolved to synchronize with this switching of night and day. When Thomas Alva Edison invented the light bulb, it changed everything. We started enjoying more light. But our bodies couldn't catch up with this sudden change brightness.

Our bodies produce the hormone melatonin in response to darkness. The photosensitive cells of the retina of our eyes send signals to the brain which then produces melatonin, releasing it into the blood stream. It is an important hormone in controlling our circadian rhythm or the biological clock. Melatonin is also a potent antioxidant.

A research done using mice revealed that when exposed to light during the night, increased the chances of developing cancer. And the researches believe that the results can be applied to humans.

Studies have shown that blind women have 50 percent less breast cancer incidence compared to women with intact eye sight. It is interesting to note that blind people (as far as their photosensitive cells were concerned) were exposed to twice the amount of darkness than usual.

This benefit in reduced cancer risk may well be due to the antioxidant properties of melatonin. Antioxidants prevent the oxidation of DNA leading to mutation. The mutations can trigger uncontrolled proliferation and cancer of those cells.

So the next time you fall asleep, remind yourselves that switching off those lights can help you fight cancer better.

Playing the Didgeridoo Can Reduce Snoring and Relieve Obstructive Sleep Apnoea

Ancient Aborigines never would have expected the didgeridoo to be used in sleep medicine. But research links didgeridoo playing to a significant reduction in snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea.

Didgeridoo is a wooden musical instrument dating back over a 1000 years. The Australian Aborigines used the didgeridoo mainly for ceremonial dancing and singing, but today it is widely used as a recreational solo musical instrument.

Health benefits of didgeridoo playing
Positive effects of didgeridoo playing on sleep was demonstrated in a study published in the British Medical Journal. The research involved 25 subjects with moderate obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Their sleep habits were assessed using standard scales like Epworth's sleepiness scale and Pittsburgh quality of sleep index. Sleep disturbance of the partner (i.e. due to snoring etc) was also rated.

After the initial assessment some of them underwent a 4 month training on playing the didgeridoo. They practiced for at least 20 minutes for more than 5 days per week. The other group received no training.

The results were astonishing. All the subjects who played the didgeridoo had improved their sleep related symptoms. They had,

• Less snoring
• Reduction in obstructive sleep apnoea
• Less daytime sleepiness
• Less disturbance to partners

Top 10 Sleep Wrecking Jobs

Have you ever wondered which occupation caused most sleep deprivation? A recent survey in US based on interviews of 27,000 people, has revealed the top 10 jobs that are sleep-killers.

1. Home Health Aides
2. Lawyers
3. Police Officers
4. Physicians, Paramedics
5. Economists
6. Social Workers
7. Computer Programmers
8. Financial Analysts
9. Plant Operators
10. Secretaries

 These jobs involve stressful and awkward work shifts. And most of them work inside offices or rooms. In the opposite end of the spectrum, the following occupations were most conducive for sleep.

1. Forest, Logging Workers
2. Hairstylists
3. Sales Representatives
4. Bartenders
5. Construction Workers
6. Athletes
7. Landscapers
8. Engineers
9. Aircraft Pilots
10. Teachers

These jobs involve more outdoor activities which can reduce the stress build up.

Do you agree with this list? Share your views about the best and worst jobs for sleep.
 

Is Your Sleep Responsible for Your Hair Loss?

Hair loss is a slow but a distressing problem for many people. It is seen among both men and women and across all ethnic groups and cultures. Hair loss prevention or reversal is a booming industry and shows how concerned we are about our hair. Leading hair loss experts now confirm that insomnia is is a promoter of baldness.

Insomnia may well be as common as hair loss. Many people find it difficult to get a good sleep. While a good sleep can bring you many benefits, now you can add another to the list - preventing baldness.

Sleep is our body's way of restoring all systems and hair is no exception. Long term sleep loss can cost you your hair. The luster of your hair will diminish even before you lose them for good.

How insomnia causes hair loss
The amount of sleep required can vary greatly between two individuals. If you are worried that you are not getting enough sleep, you can take the spoon test to see if you have any sleep debt. Sleeping less than what is needed for your body can trigger stress.

When our bodies are under stress, it triggers a cascade of hormonal and metabolic reactions. These reactions were life saving when we are 'hunter-gatherers'. But since our bodies have lagged behind our social development, stress is counterproductive to our modern humans.

The result is,

• Lackluster hair with less shine and thickness.
• Diffuse hair loss across the scalp.
• Triggering or speeding up hereditary hair loss such as male pattern baldness and female pattern baldness.