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.

Losing a baby, new research shows, often affects women significantly longer than their male companions.

It is well known that mothers begin to develop a bond with their children before they’re even born. Miscarriage can leave a woman devastated. Research has shown that this proves true for men as well, especially in cases of planned pregnancy.

Several researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology recruited 83 heterosexual couples who’d experienced a miscarriage. Researchers followed these couples for a year, assessing the psychological and emotional effects of miscarriage on men versus women.

As many as two in five men experienced significant psychological distress immediately following a miscarriage, compared to just over half of women. This dropped after three months, when about 7 percent of men and 20 percent of women continued to experience grief and depressive symptoms.

Men’s grief leveled after the three-month mark, while women’s symptoms declined more slowly. By the end of the study, men and women experienced similar rates of depressive symptoms, at 5 and 8 percent, respectively.

“Although the psychological impact of miscarriage on men was less enduring when compared with that on women, a significant proportion of men demonstrated psychological distress after miscarriage,” authors of the study concluded.

Creating a solid support network can help couples cope with the pain of a lost pregnancy. Find support in Healia’s Pregnancy Loss Community, or see the study in the British Journal of Obstetrics&Gynecology.

If you're having trouble keeping your daughter out of the tanning bed, and talking to her about cancer isn't helping, you may consider stressing wrinkles as a consequence of too much tanning time.

To test the effectiveness of an appearance-based intervention, Dr. June Robinson, professor of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and her colleagues assembled a 25-page book detailing the history of tanning and the effects it can have on skin and collagen, as well as tanning alternatives. They distributed the booklets to college-aged women (18-22) who tanned as often as four times per week.

These women said they tanned for one of two reasons: To boost mood (symptomatic of seasonal affective disorder), or because they detested their skin color. Six months after reading the booklet, tanning visits among the young women fell by roughly 35 percent and some eventually gave up tanning all together. Why?

“They’re not worried about skin cancer, but they are worried about getting wrinkled and being unattractive,” Robinson said in a press release. “The fear of looking horrible trumped everything else.”

East Tennessee State University’s Joel Hillhouse, Ph.D, was lead author of the report, and wrote the booklet used in the study. He says this experiment was originally meant to serve as an appearance intervention, which means it would have less of an effect on the group with symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

"We found the opposite,” he said. “The intervention worked just as well for people with seasonal affective disorder as for people who didn't like their skin color. That means it's a really good intervention for everyone."

That includes your daughter, your niece, or maybe even your sister. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, the number of women under age 40 diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma has doubled in the last three decades, and the risk of melanoma increases by 75 percent if she has used a tanning bed before age 35. Talking about responsible tanning is important.

The key?

"You have to balance the positive and the negative forces that motivate someone to change," Robinson said. "First you have the fear that they will look horrible, then you offer a positive—an alternative to meet their needs."

Read The Archives of Dermatology for more about the intervention study, or visit the Skin Cancer Foundation’s site to learn more about melanoma.

Magnets may be a treatment option for people with depression who don't respond to antidepressants. In a small study by the Medical University of South Carolina, 14 percent of individuals who underwent magnetic therapy reported no symptoms of depression.

Dr. Mark George and colleagues from the Medical University of South Carolina recruited 190 adults to participate in the study. Participants had been depressed anywhere from 3 months to 5 years, and all had been unresponsive to treatment with antidepressants.

Half of the participants received a simulated placebo treatment, while the other half were treated using transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), a form of magnetic therapy in which electric pulses are used to stimulate the brain. TMS is currently being used treat depression, as well as chronic pain, migraines and Parkinson’s disease.

After three weeks, 13 of the 92 patients (14 percent) who underwent TMS treatment reported no depressive symptoms, compared to 5 percent of people in the simulation.

"This study should help settle the debate about whether rTMS works for depression," said George, who led the research team. "We can now follow up clues suggesting ways to improve its effectiveness, and hopefully further develop a potential new class of stimulation treatments for other brain disorders."

Remission more than doubled in another similar study in which all participants underwent TMS. Although these results may seem meager, this could spell relief for many of the 17.5 million Americans who suffer from depression. Further studies will provide more concrete information on the long-term effects of TMS.

“We have settled a fundamental question about (TMS) therapy, which is: ‘Does it work?’” George told Health Day. “The answer,” he said, “ is ‘yes’.”

Learn more about the results of this study from the National Institute of Health, or visit the Archives of General Psychiatry to view the study’s abstract.

Women have long been claiming chocolate as a comfort food, but research shows that chocolate is something that both men and women reach for. According to a new study, people of both genders with mild or major depression eat more chocolate. Researchers believe depression could trigger this craving.

Researchers from the University of California monitored the diets of 931 men and women, focusing on chocolate consumption. None of the participants were taking antidepressants, and they had their moods assessed routinely.

Those with depression consumed 8.4 servings of chocolate (1 ounce is one serving) per month, while those with major depression ate an average of 11.4 servings per month. Their counterparts who showed no signs of depression ate an average of 5.4 servings per month.

Chocolate sends signals to the brain to release serotonin and endorphins, two “feel happy” opioids. Endorphins are responsible for that satisfied buzz you get after exercise, while serotonin is believed to produce feelings of love and happiness.

This study is the first to examine the chocolate-mood link for both men and women, and, based off their findings, Doctors Natalie Rose (U.C., Davis) and Beatrice Golomb (U.C., San Diego) believe there may be a direct link between depression and chocolate cravings.

"The findings did not appear to be explained by a general increase in caffeine, fat, carbohydrate or energy intake, suggesting that our findings are specific to chocolate," Golomb said in a press release. “Our study confirms long-held suspicions that eating chocolate is something that people (including men) do when they are feeling down."

One speculation is that when a person is down in the dumps, he or she will reach for this “comfort food” to boost his/her mood. Another possibility, however, is that eating chocolate (which is often high in fat and sugar) causes a person’s moods to spike for a short period of time only to crash later.

"Because it was a cross sectional study, meaning a slice in time,” Golomb explained, “it did not tell us whether the chocolate decreased or intensified the depression."

The research team plans to conduct further research investigating the effects of chocolate on mood to gain more insight into this relationship. “Whether there is a causal connection, and if so in which direction, is a matter for future prospective study,” they concluded in their report.

­Read the study’s abstract at the Archives of Internal Medicine, or check out the University of California’s press release for more information.

Worries over job security and the stigma attached to mental illness may be keeping workers from seeking professional help for mental and emotional disorders.

An online survey conducted by the American Psychiatric Association reported three out of five workers expressed concern that mental health counseling would threaten professional status. More than 2,000 adults participated in the study; 1,129 were employed full- or part-time.

Although 40 percent of respondents said their employers were supportive of employee health treatment, others said their employers were less supportive of health services, more so for those concerning mental health.

Participants affected by drug addiction, alcoholism and depression were most concerned. People with diabetes and heart disease were shortly behind.

According to a report in Research Works, a publication of the Partnership for Workplace Mental Health (PWMH), there is a high prevalence of these conditions in the workplace.

“The majority (about two thirds) of people with symptoms of clinical criteria for having mental and substance use disorders do not receive any treatment at all for these conditions,” wrote report author Mark Attridge, PhD. In addition to job security and professional status, confidentiality was another concern for employees.

Researchers say that employee access to quality mental health and addiction services is needed. They suggest that the workplace promote promotion and intervention, and that employers make sure employees know how to access their benefits. They also encourage employers to be supportive and to reassure workers of confidentiality.

Dr. Alan Axelson, PWMH council chairman, stresses the importance of encouraging employees to take care of their mental and physical health, and explains that it can benefit employers as well.

“Research supports the fact that when people receive needed care, they are healthier and more productive,” he said in a press release, “Employers realize the return on their healthcare investment.”

You might want to resist the urge to reach for a pint of ice cream when you’re feeling blue.  New information suggests that eating junk food may actually promote depression.

Nearly 3,500 Londoners between the ages of 35 and 55 were asked about their eating habits. Analysts were able to detect diet patterns and divide participants into two groups: processed food consumers and “whole food” consumers. Several years later each group was screened for depression. People who regularly ate processed foods had a slightly higher incidence of depression.

“Our results suggest a protective effect of an overall diet rich in fruits, vegetables and fish (Mediterranean-style diet) affords protection against the onset of depressive symptoms 5 years later,” study authors explain, “whereas a diet rich in processed meat, chocolates, sweet desserts, fried food, refined cereals and high-fat dairy products increases vulnerability.”

Most processed foods lack the nutrients needed to maintain a happy, healthy body. Not only does it contribute to weight gain, but it can also decrease mental alertness and inhibit normal brain function. This translates into a slew of mood and behavioral changes.

A steady diet of junk food has other risks to consider, too. Authors note that this sort of diet has also been associated with coronary heart disease and inflammation. As many as one in five Americans is affected by depression, and one in three have some form of heart disease. Limiting junk food consumption may be one way to reduce these risks.

This is the first to focus on the effects of how a person’s overall diet may be related to depression. Although further research is needed to fully understand this relationship, cutting back on unhealthy food can benefit the mind, body and spirit.

Read more in The British Journal of Psychiatry.

A new study challenges the success of antidepressants in treating depression. The study, which appears in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), suggests that placebos may be just as effective in cases of mild to moderate depression.

Information for the study was gathered from six different placebo-controlled studies taking place across a 29-year span. It included data from 718 adult outpatients being treated for minor or major depressive disorder.

“The magnitude of benefit of antidepressant medication compared with placebo increases with severity of depression symptoms,” authors of the study explain, “and may be minimal or nonexistent, on average, in patients with mild or moderate symptoms.”

According to the New York Times, the success rate of placebos in some studies such as this can be as high as 50 percent for individuals with mild to moderate depression. People who continue to use antidepressants do appear to have a lower relapse rate, though—just one-third to one-half that of those taking placebos.

The study has its limitations, however. First of all, its conclusions are based on studies including just two different antidepressants. Another drawback is that, for the purpose of discovering which drugs are most effective, many studies of antidepressant medications exclude people who get better using placebos.

Finally, results may be limited because of the difficulty of finding studies that include people with mild to moderate depression, rather than just those with severe depression. A study with a much larger pool of participants would provide greater insight into the effectiveness of placebos versus antidepressants.

The study is merely suggestive, and neither proves nor disproves the claim that antidepressants are no more effective than placebos. In no way does it mean that someone should stop taking medication prescribed for depression. Rather, it provides something for antidepressant users to consider and discuss with their doctors.

“For patients with very severe depression, the benefit of medications over placebo is substantial,” authors concluded.

Visit Healia's Depression Community.

Today marks the last day of Mental Illness Awareness Week, first recognized by Congress in 1990. The first week of October has since been used to raise awareness about mental health issues. As fall approaches, seasonal affective disorder may be one issue to look out for.

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a common mood disorder that occurs in autumn and winter. The reduced sunlight during these months causes the body to fall out of its natural rhythm. People with the disorder may feel drained, depressed, or lack interest in normal activity, among other symptoms.

Not to worry, though. These five tips may help you lose those winter blues:

• Exercise regularly. Just 30 minutes of exercise is enough to flood the brain with endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good hormones.

• Eat a balanced diet. Cutting out excess carbohydrates and saturated fats and replacing them with healthier foods can boost your metabolism and give you more energy.

• Get plenty of sunlight. Most physicians recommend getting at least 30 minutes of sunlight to boost brain chemistry. If sunlight is scarce, you might consider a form of light therapy.

• Consult your physician. There are lots of health conditions with similar symptoms as sad. SAD can be mistaken as hypothyroidism, mononucleosis, or another mental disorder.

• Consider medication. For more severe cases of SAD, medication may be needed to balance the brain’s chemical levels. Talk to your doctor about different medications and other treatment options.

According to the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI), as many as 26 percent of adults and 10 percent of children living in the U.S. are directly affected by a mental health disorder every year. Mental illness affects everyone, but it doesn’t have to wreak havoc on your life. Taking extra steps toward positive mental health can keep a smile on your face this season.

Get more information about symptoms of seasonal affective disorder (SAD), or find resources on how to make Mental Illness Awareness Week recognized in your community.

Hopelessness may increase your risk of stroke, according to new information from the University of Minnesota. Researchers found that higher levels of hopelessness are linked with accelerated development of early atherosclerosis in middle-aged women.

Atherosclerosis causes plaque to build up on the insides of arteries, reducing the flow of oxygen-rich blood to organs and other parts of the body. Arteries in the neck can thicken, a condition called carotid artery intimal-medial thickening (IMT). Atherosclerosis increases risk of heart attack and can block blood flow to the brain and lead to stroke.

Science has explored the connection between hopelessness and IMT in men and women with cardiovascular disease, but little was known about the link in healthy women. “This is the first study to suggest that hopelessness may be related to subclinical cardiovascular disease in women without clinical symptoms of heart disease,” said Susan A. Everson-Rose, Ph.D., M.P.H., associate professor of medicine at the University of Minnesota and co-author of the study.

Data for the study was collected from two sites in Chicago and Pittsburgh, using the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN). Five hundred and fifty-nine women (average age 50) living in the city participated in the study. Participants appeared to be in good health, showing no signs of cardiovascular disease.

SWAN used questionnaires to measure the association between IMT and hopelessness frequency using an eight-point scale, asking participants about personal goals and future life expectations. Scores of five and above were considered “high.” Ultrasounds were then used to measure the thickness of arteries in the neck.

Participants with the highest hopelessness scores showed an average of .06 mm greater thickening than their hopeful counterparts (.02 mm is equal to roughly one year’s thickening). Researchers discovered that hopelessness triggered a hormonal release in response to mood change that can amplify the effects of atherosclerosis and the thickening of neck arteries.

Researchers plan to continue exploring the unique relationship between hopelessness and cardiovascular disease in future studies. “These findings suggest that women who experience feelings of hopelessness may have greater risk for future heart disease and stroke,” Everson-Rose said. "We look forward to examining the longitudinal relations between hopelessness and heart disease risk in women."