Lois Trader's Blog

Posted by Lois Trader

Identifying the unique complications that contribute to sleep problems in women is an important step in achieving better sleep.

Women’s Sleep Habits

• Almost three out of four women do not get eight or more hours of sleep per night during the workweek.1 On average, women sleep approximately 6.5 hours per night during the workweek.1
• While many women experience difficulty sleeping,1 only 4% of adults currently see a physician regarding their sleep problems.2

Hormones Affect Sleep

• Sleep is disturbed 2.5 days on average during the menstrual cycle.1 More women complain of sleep problems during menstruation (71%), when hormone levels are at their lowest, than during the premenstrual week (43%).1
• A majority (79%) of women report an increase in sleep problems during pregnancy.1
• Forty percent of menopausal women suffer from sleep problems, which are usually related to hot flashes.3 A majority of menopausal/postmenopausal women report frequent insomnia.1

Medical Conditions

• Depression and anxiety, conditions associated with sleep loss, are twice as common in women as they are in men.4
• More women than men suffer from nighttime pain,5 including pain due to arthritis,4 which may make it more difficult to get a good night’s sleep.5

Maternal Responsibilities

• Most moms develop a high sensitivity to the sounds of their children and awaken more easily than women without children.6 This heightened sensitivity may continue long after their children sleep through the night.6

Consequences of Sleep Loss

• Middle-aged women who sleep an average of five hours or less nightly may be more likely to have heart disease than women who sleep eight hours nightly.7
• Sleep loss may increase hunger and affect the body’s metabolism, which may make it more difficult to maintain or lose weight.8-10
• A majority of women surveyed say that sleep problems hinder their ability to perform daily activities at least a few days per month.1
• Of those women who report that their sleep problems hinder their daily activities, forty-six percent report that sleep problems interfere with household duties, and nearly two thirds say sleep problems interfere with their relationship with either their spouse or their children.1

How Women Can Achieve Better Sleep

• Avoid alcohol as well as foods or beverages high in caffeine (eg, coffee, colas, tea, chocolate), sugar (including honey), and salt.5
• Exercise regularly, but do so at least three hours before bedtime.4
• Try warming up your feet if you’re having trouble sleeping. Inadequate vasodilation (opening of blood vessels to increase blood flow) may cause sleep problems.4
• If you can’t fall asleep, participate in a quiet, relaxing activity in a dimly lit room.4

If you experience sleep problems for more than a few weeks, consult your doctor.

Posted by Lois Trader

The techniques above are similar to Reiki. Healing touch, developed by Janet Mentgen, RN is used extensively by nurses (68,000 participants in the U.S.) at all levels of health care, but it based on little supportive controlled data. Universal energy is believed to be channeled to work with human "energy fields" to restore harmony and balance.

If this information is even slightly true, it can't hurt and hug someone today. Make sure they want a hug, but if they do, there are healing benefits in the human touch.

Posted by Lois Trader

May, possibly, could, should are all words that should be used to explain studies that are not completely conclusive by the FDA. Therefore consumption of omega-3 fatty acids MAY reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Dietary supplemnts containing the omega-3 long chainployunsaturated fayy acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and/or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). FDA encourages manufacturers to limit the proucts that bear the qualified claim to a daily intake of 1 gram of emega-3 fatty acids or below.

However, the FDA has approved a drug called OMACOR. So be proactive and research omega-3 fatty acids today.

Posted by Lois Trader

Depressed post-menopausal women have a 50% greater risk of developing or dying from heart disease than those who are not depressed, raising the possibility that treating the mind could help the body fight cardiovascular ills. This finding came from a four-year government study of 100,000 women across the United States. What is most striking is that depression was found to be an independent risk factor for subsequent cardiovascular death.

Obviously, volatile emotions such as anger and hostility are bad for your heart’s health. But studies have also shown that some of the quieter emotions can be just as toxic and damaging. Dr. Dean Ornish said, “Study after study has shown that people who feel lonely, depressed, and isolated are many times more likely to get sick and die prematurely, not only of heart disease but from virtually all causes, than those who have a sense of connection, love, and community.”

In cases of depression, women outnumber men 2-1. Women seem to adopt the “tend and befriend” attitude; they internalize their anger and disappointment instead of expressing these emotions, and they become nicer and more nurturing. Quiet people who hold everything in can experience a great increase in stress reactions. Women commonly put themselves last on the list and feel too pressed for time to exercise or give themselves down time. (Research in this area was conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University and cited in the New England Journal of Medicine.)

Posted by Lois Trader

Research shows that for every hour of regular exercise, you can increase your life expectancy by two hours. That's a great return on investment. Encouragement here: walk more, eat well and live longer. Start walking today and get more out of life tomorrow. With all those extra hours, think what you could do! What are you waiting for? Start! living a healthier, longer life today.

These days adults are spending more time at work than ever before, with little time spent being active. Start! Walking At Work day was created to remind you to take a time-out from your daily schedule and find just a little time for your heart. Taking just 10 minutes three times a day to walk will help you live longer. In fact, studies show that just one hour of vigorous exercise will increase your life expectancy by two hours. It makes sense to Walk More and Eat Well to Live Longer.