5 startling new facts about sleep

As the summer draws to a drowsy end, here's a bracing roundup of recent scientific findings about sleep

We're entering the dog days of August, and sleep is on everyone's minds — whether it's a contented siesta on a beachfront sun-lounger, or a nap after a sweaty commute from the office. Luckily, the world's foremost experts in sleep have been hard at work to better understand our favorite nighttime activity. Here are five noteworthy new findings:

1. "Violent sleepers" are at higher risk of dementia

Do you find yourself kicking your partner in bed at night? If so, you might want to get tested by a neurologist, reports AOL Health. People who suffer from sleep behavior disorder, which causes them to violently act out dreams, seem to be more susceptible to neurological illnesses like Parkinson's disease and dementia. These patients have "about a 50 percent chance" of developing such a condition later in life, says Dr. Charles 

Cantor of the University of Pennsylvania.

2. Inception-style "dream mastery" exists

It may not allow you to perform balletic fight sequences, but "dream mastery" is not unlike that seen in the summer blockbuster Inception,reports The New York Times. But at the Maimonides Sleep Arts and Sciences center, "scripting" your dreams is therapy for nightmares — and carried out during therapy sessions while the sleeper is awake. With these doctors' help, you'll be dreaming of Leonardo DiCaprio in no time.  

3. Daylight savings time can hurt school grades

Daylight savings time has long been blamed for auto accidents, but it can also cause mood changes, obesity, and poor academic performance,according to researchers at Rennselaer Polytechnic Institute. They found that increased natural light during spring represses buildup of the melatonin hormone. The solution? Make your teen go to bed earlier during the spring, says the professor in charge of the study. Easier than it sounds, we'll wager.

4. New parents miss out on 6 months' worth of sleep

It won't be a big surprise to anyone with a toddler, but researchers in the U.K. have determined exactly how much sleep new parents miss out on during the first two years of their child's life: an astonishing six months' worth. Many new moms and dads get by on less than four hours a night. There's a simple fix, though, according to research from Penn State University. Babies tend to respond to "emotional availability," meaning the children of sensitive parents begin sleeping through the night earlier. Getting angry with your wailing kid, says the study, only makes things worse.

5. It's official: You need 7 hours of sleep

Sleep researchers have long argued over the optimal duration of sleep for healthy adults, with most balancing somewhere between five and eight. West Virginia University claims to have come up with the "magic number": seven hours. A study of 30,000 adults found that the risk of cardiovascular disease was significantly lower among those who claimed to regularly sleep seven hours a night.

Source : http://theweek.com/article/index/205988/5-startling-new-facts-about-sleep

Put Your Kids to Sleep

So You Can Get Some Too

Do your kids keep you up half the night? Is getting enough sleep—for you and them—an elusive dream? Pediatrician Jennifer Trachtenberg, MD, RealAge's children's health expert, shares her surefire sleep tips to keep the whole family well rested.

Is this you? The kids are finally in bed, after a few false starts. All you can think of is putting your feet up, pouring a glass of wine and clicking on a silly sitcom. Then a child appears out of nowhere, mumbling, "Mom, I can't sleep." Your brain does a silent scream, but then you get up and patiently say, "C'mon, little one, back to bed."

Or is this you? After a long day of trying to be your mommy best, do you fall into bed in a heap of exhaustion, only to be woken in the middle of the night by a small voice whispering in your ear, "I'm scared, Mommy." Do you pull back the covers, scoot over and make room, or do you drag yourself out of your bed and lead your child back to his bed?

I know sleep issues can be huge for you and your children. I have three kids—I've been there! Sleep troubles usually crop up at around 5 months and smooth out after age 4 or so. But those 3 or 4 years in between can be exhausting, and they make squeezing your child into bed with you at 3 a.m. totally tempting. Try not to. It can almost instantly turn into a bad habit that's hard to break. Kids (like adults!) need to learn how to self-sooth and calm themselves down after a long day. An "everyone into the king-sized bed" ritual not only keeps children from learning this vital go-to-sleep skill, but it also eliminates what is often the last shred of privacy you and your husband have.

I've had bleary-eyed moms and dads in my office virtually weeping about their child's problems with sleep. They weren't just crying for their kids. A child who doesn't sleep can wreak havoc on the entire household, to say nothing about interfering with his growth and development.

4 ways to foster healthy sleep habits in your children

So how do you get your kids to conk out so that all of you can get your much-needed zzzs? Use these four tips to help you help your child get enough sleep.

Don't Give In

Establish a regular bedtime and stick with it. Yes, even on weekends. If your child gets up after he's tucked in, gently guide him back to bed. Try not to fight or fuss. Just firmly enforce the routine.

Set the Scene

Does your child like a bedtime story, a warm bath, soft music or a stuffed pal to cuddle with in bed? Consistent patterns, as well as consistent lights-out times, help kids nod off easily. Small, healthy snacks are fine, but avoid large meals close to bedtime or anything with caffeine, including hot chocolate or tea. Make sure the bedroom is dark and cool.

Try a Little Jaunt Before Shuteye

Do your kids get enough physical activity each day—meaning, at least one good hour of heart-pumping exercise? It will help them sleep. My husband takes my oldest son, who's autistic, for a brisk 30-to-40-minute walk around our neighborhood almost nightly. Sleep problems often go along with developmental issues, and we've found the walk helps him transition to sleep and stay asleep. Sometimes my daughter goes along, but my other son plays hours of sports every day and doesn't need a minute of extra exercise. Just get that activity in at least an hour or so before bedtime. You don't want it to have the opposite effect and give your child a second wind.

Set Up the Bedroom for Sleeping Only

Keep computers and TVs out of kids' bedrooms (yours too, while you're at it). This may be harder as kids get older, but hang tough. Why? First, older kids often sneak out of bed and surf on their computers all night. Second, research shows the flickering light from a TV, computer or cell phone can stimulate the brain in ways that delay both the production of melatonin (the chemical that makes us sleepy) and the drop in body temperature that makes us want to snuggle under the covers.

7 Bonus Facts About Kids and Sleep

• Kids who regularly sleep more than 8 to 9 hours tend to have stronger immune systems and get fewer colds.

• Kids who sleep less than 9 hours a night are more likely to be overweight. One connection: When they're up late, they tend to eat. (Same phenomenon as midnight food raids on college campuses.) Also, not getting enough sleep may throw off their metabolism in ways that make it easier to gain weight.

• Over-the-counter cold and flu remedies can keep your child awake. Ask your doctor before using these at night.

• On average, children who drink caffeinated beverages lose 30 minutes of sleep nightly. But kids, like adults, vary in their caffeine sensitivity. If you think it's a sleep issue with your children, try to cut off caffeine after 2 or 3 in the afternoon.

• Snoring can be a sign of sleep apnea—those episodes of loud snoring and gasping breaths during sleep. Yes, this can happen in kids, not just adults (especially overweight kids). Talk to your doctor.

• Kids who sleep poorly often have behavior problems and trouble concentrating. Work with your doc to find the cause and solutions. These might include underlying anxiety or depression, which need treatment.

• Most school-age kids need 10 or 11 hours of sleep each night. Go for that goal. If they get their zzzs, you'll get yours!

Dr. Jennifer Trachtenberg—or Dr. Jen—is RealAge's pediatric expert and the author of The Smart Parent's Guide to Getting Your Kids Through Checkups, Illnesses, and Accidents and Good Kids, Bad Habits: The RealAge Guide to Raising Healthy Children. Get more of her advice at RealAge.com.

Source :  http://www.oprah.com/health/RealAges-Tips-for-Better-Sleeping-Children/print/1

10 Common Ways to delay Wrinkles

Wrinkles are one of the many signs of aging and need special attention both by men and women alike.  Women are particularly more itchy of wrinkles and spend huge amount of money to get rid of them.

The American Academy of Dermatology reports that 90-95% of the wrinkles are caused by sun exposure.

http://www.skincarephysicians.com-
/agingskinnet/non_facial.html

If certain measures are taken regularly, the gap between developments of wrinkles could be widened though it is not possible to remove them completely.  It is a natural process and could only be controlled to a certain limits.

Here are 10 common ways to save you from having wrinkles:

1.           Drink a lot of water.  Instead of popular concept of 6-8 glasses of water, I suggest 10-12 glasses daily on the basis of my personal experience.  This much quantity of water is also good for hydration of your skin and keeps the digestive system smooth.

2.           Protect your skin with a Sunscreen.  Choose the best moisturizer available in your area after thorough consultation with your doctor or study it on internet.

3.           Protective clothing is also essential when you go out in the sun.  Use wide brimmed hats or properly cover your head with a scarf.  Also use sunglasses to protect your eyes.

4.           Extreme and fast weight loss also causes sagging of skin that leads to wrinkles.  Follow a steady formula for losing weight.

5.           Cleansing your face in the morning and evening is a must to keep your skin healthy.

6.           Stop smoking and drinking alcohol that ages the skin permanently.  Regular exercise also increases your blood flow and keeps the whole body fit and healthy and makes your skin healthy too.

7.           Always prefer fruit and vegetables that are high in anti-oxidants over fast food.  Preferably choose that contains more vitamin A, C and E.  The latest researches indicate that natural sources of vitamins are better than supplements.

8.           Get plenty of sleep and use the techniques of relaxing your body.  Deep breathing helps you inhale required quantity of oxygen and exhale the unwanted pollutants from your body.