Fall bustles with the start of school and the continual grind at work. It's easy to skimp on your rest. We’ve got five reasons for you to make sleep a priority, and five health issues that could be ruining your rest.

1. Plenty of R&R (rest and relaxation) can boost your mood, focus and energy. Conversely, people with poor sleep habits experience higher levels of stress, depression and anxiety.

2. Want your kids to get A’s and B’s? Make sure they catch their Z’s. Well-rested equals alert in the classroom, and a regular sleep routine may boost math and literacy scores. Some schools are even starting later in an effort to help kids improve learning.

3. Reap the benefits of beauty sleep. When the body is sleep-deprived it produces more of the stress hormone cortisol. Cortisol can cause weight gain and oily skin.

4. Getting your eight hours in could cut your risk for chest pain, heart attack and stroke. A recent study by West Virginia University indicates that people who sleep five hours daily are more than twice as likely to experience these problems.

5. Rest is a responsibility, and apparently so is justice. In a study that appears in SLEEP, Swedish naval officers were more likely to act morally and make moral judgments when fully rested.

Maybe you want to get your shut-eye but can’t quite get your eyes to shut? Sleeplessness plagues 60 million Americans. These are just a few health problems that could be keeping you up at night:

1. Your thyroid helps regulate your sleep patterns. An overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) can cause difficulty sleeping, fatigue and irritability.

2. Believe it or not, menstruation can affect your sleep patterns. Two in three women experience menstrual insomnia—disturbed sleep due to tossing and turning and general menstrual discomfort.

3. Maybe you do sleep, but continue to experience tiredness regardless of how much sleep you get? If you snore, have a dry throat on waking or regularly become irritable, you may want to talk to your doctor. This could be a symptom of sleep apnea.

4. Your sweetie slumbers soundly while you lay awake at night, so you decide to wake him up. Sound familiar? Ladies, you may have a case of sleep envy. You’re not alone, either. Up to 40 percent of women envy the ease with which their darlings doze. Jealous much?

5. Some people toss and turn through the night before finding sleep. If this is caused by painful or irritating tingling or tugging in your lower limbs, you may have a condition known as restless leg syndrome (RLS).

Want to keep up with the latest sleep science? Visit the National Sleep Foundation site or check out the journal SLEEP.

It’s no secret that a diet low in fat can help reduce LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels. Cutting out fatty foods can also help you shed pounds, but what about the other guy—HDL?

Even after adopting a low-fat diet, heart attack survivors and those at-risk sometimes continue to struggle to boost HDL (“good”) cholesterol. A two-year study led by Dr. Gary Foster of Temple University’s Center for Obesity Research & Education suggests the solution may rest in a low-carb, Atkins style diet.

“When comparing these two popular weight loss plans, none of the existing research had included a comprehensive, long-term, behavioral support component,” Foster said in a news release. “For years, the conventional wisdom was that low-carb diets had a host of ill effects on health, but these results suggest that those concerns are unfounded.”

Although LDL was higher in low-carb dieters in the beginning, both groups had similar levels by the end of the study. There wasn’t a significant weight loss difference between the groups, either.

Low-carb dieters experienced a 23 percent increase in HDL compared to just 12 percent in those who ate less fat. These statistics are comparable to levels in people who rely on medication to regulate good cholesterol.

The reason behind these differences is still a mystery. As for which diet is best, the answer is both.

"It doesn't make a difference for weight loss how you get there," Foster told MSNBC. “Both of these are options. These diets work." The big goal, he said, should be developing good eating habits.

Want to know more? Read the study’s abstract in the Annals of Internal Medicine.

 

You could be getting more than you bargained for in your daily vitamin. According to a story in Consumer Reports, many of America's dietary supplements are also packing carcinogens and kidney- and heart-damaging contaminants.

This information comes from an article in the September issue of Consumer Reports. The article lists 12 different supplemental ingredients associated with negative health consequences. These include bitter orange (an ephedra-like supplement associated with heart attack and stroke), germanium, coltsfoot and colloidal silver, which has been marketed as an immune system booster but is known to cause argyria and kidney damage.

Wonder how these vitamins managed to slip past the FDA? Guidelines for vitamins and supplements differ greatly from those for food and traditional drugs. Supplement manufacturers are responsible for clearing the safety of their products and providing information, but many companies aren’t even required to register products or gain approval. The FDA can’t take action until the product goes to market.

“Supplements are marketed with very seductive and sometimes overblown sales pitches,” Nancy Metcalf, senior program editor for Consumer Reports, said in a news release. “Consumers are easily lulled into believing that supplements can do no harm because they’re ‘natural’.”

Metcalf also noted that not all natural ingredients are safe. “The FDA has repeatedly found hazardous ingredients, including synthetic prescription drugs,” she added.

The guidelines for supplements are flawed, but legislators have been moving slowly to boost the FDA’s oversight. Until then, Consumer Reports urges consumers to take responsibility in educating themselves on the health effects of their vitamins.

Get the full scoop at ConsumerReports.org or get vitamin information from the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine.

Despite the economic state of our nation, more Americans than ever are bringing home the bacon—to eat with eggs, on cheeseburgers, or sandwiched between two slabs of fried chicken. The new Double Down by KFC  has plenty of mouths watering, and plenty of nutritionists and cardiologists cringing and wondering what to do about the U.S. bacon infatuation.

One pound of bacon (16-20 medium slices) can contain as much as 81 grams of fat, most of which (68 grams) is heart-clogging saturated fat. The Double Down is loaded with 540 calories and 32 grams of fat (10 g saturated). The recommended daily limit for saturated fat is 16 grams.

Bacon’s saturated fat is different from the mono- and poly-unsaturated fats found in fish, nuts and olive or soybean oils. While these fats can help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease, too much saturated fat can clog arteries and increase the risk of heart attack. The high sodium levels (up to 10,487 mg per pound) can also cause a cholesterol spike.

The good news is you don’t have to choose between saving your heart and nurturing your soul. As with caffeine and sweets, the key to this affair of the heart (or the stomach) is moderation.

“As a flavoring and ingredient, [bacon is] wonderful,” dietitian Susan Moores of the American Dietetic Association told MSNBC. “As a diet mainstay, not so much.”

A few strips now and then won’t hurt you, and there are plenty of other options to help tide you over. Turkey bacon, for example, has about half the fat and sodium. Canadian bacon and reduced-sodium bacon are also healthier options. Traditional bacon isn’t completely off limits, either.

“It all boils down to: How much?,” Moores says.

For the full story on America’s most delicious love affair, visit MSNBC.

All that pent-up rage you’ve been feeling on the job could cause damage to the heart. Holding back anger when you’re being treated unfairly at work may increase your chances of having a heart attack, according to new information from the Stress Research Institute of Stockholm University.

Information is based on a study of 2,755 men with no history of heart attack. Researchers wanted to examine how covert coping mechanisms for unfair treatment in the workplace affected heart health.

“There was a close-response relationship between covert coping and the risk of incident myocardial infarction (heart attack) or cardiac death,” authors of the study write.

Covert coping mechanisms included waiting for things to “just go away,” letting unfair actions slide and walking away from conflict. These responses were measured using questionnaires on how the participants responded to situations they believed were unfair between themselves and co-workers or employers.

Using their responses, participants were divided into three groups based on how they coped. They were classified as either being low (8-14), medium (15-18) or high (19-32).

On follow-up, 47 of the men had had a heart attack or died from ischemic heart disease. Men who had higher covert coping scores were up to three times as likely to have a heart attack when treated unfairly by a boss than those with lower scores.

“Men who frequently used covert coping had a 2.29 times higher risk than those who did not use this coping,” authors write. “In this study, covert coping is strongly related to increased risk of hard-end-point cardiovascular disease.

While stifling anger appears to be harmful, keeping a cool head is advised. Although more investigation is needed, the authors say this poses an interesting speculation on whether or not covert coping behavior intervention would change the risk of heart attack or cardiac death.

Read the study's abstract in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.

Current unemployment rates stand at nearly 10 percent, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects this number to continue to rise. While this has been the cause of serious worry among the labor force, there may also be a reason to celebrate. A poor economy appears to add years to a person’s life expectancy, according to research from the University of Michigan.

Communities are finally starting to see payoff from bans on public smoking. The bans, which prohibit smoking in restaurants, health facilities, and businesses, correspond with a decline in the rate of heart attacks.

Information comes from a recent study published in Circulation, a journal of the American Heart Association. The study is a compilation of nine previously published research articles on the topic. The study notes a decrease in the risk of AMI (acute myocardial infarction), another name for a heart attack.

“The risk of AMI falls rapidly after smoking cessation,” wrote study authors James M. Lightwood, Ph. D, and Stanton A. Glantz, Ph.D. And even those who never light up themselves benefit. “The effects of secondhand smoke (SHS) on many biological mediators that lead to heart disease occur rapidly and are nearly as large as those of smoking.”

Research showed an estimated 15 percent decline in the incidence of heart attacks in the first year of smoking bans alone. Three years following enforcement of the laws saw an even greater decline, roughly 36 percent, with a 40 percent drop in Montana.

Research from five European countries that have adopted similar policies was also examined in this study. Heart attack rates fell a full 11 percent in just two months following a ban on smoking in Italy. Similar statistics were found in Ireland.    

“Secondhand smoke (SHS) increases the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) by 25% to 31% (1–5),” researchers^* from the Kansas University School of Medicine’s Division of Cardiovascular Diseases write. “In countries where smoking prevalence is high, for example, Britain 50%, Europe 62%, and Greece 156%, versus 22% in the U.S., AMI in nonsmokers is particularly increased.”

Individuals who ceased smoking after the laws went into effect were not accounted for, and most of the statistics come from restaurant workers. Although this somewhat limits the data, researchers believe rates are underestimated and expect this trend to continue exponentially as more legislation goes into effect.

Authors of the study write, “Passage of strong smoke-free legislation produces rapid and substantial benefits in terms of reduced AMIs and that these benefits grow with time.”

*David G. Meyers, M.D, M.Ph.; John S. Neuberger, DRPH, M.Ph.; M.B.A., and Jianghua He, Ph.D

Legislators are considering the option of food taxes on sweetened beverages, including soda pop, and snack foods in an effort to battle obesity. Forty states are in support of a small tax on soda, while New York and Maine believe a higher tax may be necessary.

 
According to a report in The New England Journal of Medicine, sugar consumption has risen 30 percent over the last decade. For teens and children, soda accounts for 10-15 percent of total calories consumed. By removing just ¼ of the sugar in sweetened beverages, consumers can reduce annual caloric intake by 8,000 calories. This figure equates to roughly two pounds of weight in a year.

“Americans consume about 250 to 300 more calories daily today than they did several decades ago,” according to authors Kelly D. Brownell, Ph.D., and Thomas R. Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “Though no single intervention will solve the obesity problem, that is hardly a reason to take no action.”

Such a high rate of sugar intake can do more than expand the waistline. It can also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other problems as a result of poor nutrition and weight gain. The objectives of those in support of a tax are twofold—to lower consumption, and to encourage soft drink producers to decrease the amount of caloric sweeteners in their products.

There are strong arguments on both sides. People arguing against the tax point out that food is necessary to survive. They believe raising prices will make it more difficult for low-income families to eat. Others argue that the poor would benefit the most. As the price of fresh produce and other healthier options goes up, soda and junk food prices are going down. People with tighter budgets consume more of the cheap but less nutritious foods and beverages.

“As Coca-Cola prices increased by 12 percent, sales dropped by 14.6 percent,” Frieden and Brownell wrote. Analysts believe that a 1 cent-per-ounce price increase could reduce consumption by as much as 10 percent. Justin Wilson, senior research analyst for the Center for Consumer Freedom, argues that such a tax is manipulation against the consumer. “The tax code should not be used as a method for social engineering, and that’s what this is,” he said.  Legislators see the issue a little differently.

Higher prices have been used effectively in the past to reduce tobacco sales, and any revenue from a tax on soda could raise up to $14.9 billion per year. This money could be used to support health reforms or other programs. New Yorkers’ support rose by 20 percent when lawmakers suggested using these funds for obesity prevention programs.

A recent study conducted by the Indiana University School of Medicine and Medco Health Solutions Inc. suggests that taking heartburn medications while using anticlotting drugs called clopidogrel can increase patients’ likelihood of heart attack by 50 percent. The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Intervention recommends patients taking anticlotting drugs discontinue the use of heartburn medications called proton-pump inhibitors.

Patients who have experienced a heart attack or stroke, or who have a heart stent to treat blocked arteries often take anticlotting drugs. Doctors commonly prescribe the proton-pump inhibitors when patients experience side effects like acid reflux and stomach bleeding while taking clopidogrel. No risk has been identified in taking heartburn medications alone.

The society suggests patients use alternative treatments for bothersome gastro-intestinal side effects. Effective medications include over-the-counter antacids and prescription heartburn medications.

Challenge your heart disease knowledge using the Healia Heart Diseases Quiz. If you need more information on heart diseases and treatments, check out the Healia Heart Disease Health Guide. Share your personal experiences with heart disease medications at the Healia Heart Diseases Online Health Community and Support Group.


_{Photo: Publik15, Flickr, Creative Commons}

Swiss researchers reported Monday that any of several types of exercise can benefit people who have recently survived a heart attack. They also found that those benefits disappear when exercise is discontinued.

The researchers assigned more than 200 people who had previously suffered a heart attack to one of four exercise groups: aerobic training, resistance workouts, a combination of the two, or no exercise at all. They found that after four weeks, all three groups who were assigned to some type of exercise showed similar levels of improvement in blood vessel function, while those who did not participate in regular exercise showed no such improvement.

Some of the participants were then asked to stop their exercise regimens. One month later, all the improvements related to exercise were gone: the blood vessels of those who stopped working out had returned to their pre-exercise state.

It is unknown if the improvements in blood vessel function associated with exercise actually translate to better health and longer lives, but the researchers think it is likely. Heart disease is the world’s leading cause of death, while poor blood vessel health is the major cause of heart disease. Any improvement in vessel health is likely to reduce the risk of future heart problems.

To find out more about heart diseases, read the Healia Health Guide to Heart Disease.

^{_{Photo: Mr. T. in DC, Flickr, Creative Commons}}