SLEEP
Sleep, How much do you need for a happy heart ?
Late-to-bed, early-to-rise schedules may be harming your heart A Canadian study of well over 70,000 U.S. women (all healthcare professionals, 45-65 years old, enrolled in the Nurses' Health Study) showed that those averaging five hours or less sleep per night were almost 50 percent more likely to develop heart disease than those who slept eight hours per night.
The risk of heart disease was reduced dramatically for women who slept an average of six or seven hours per night, compared with those who slept five.
It would seem that for most of us, seven or eight hours is best for optimal heart health. Less than that places stress on the heart, probably due to increased blood pressure and decreased glucose intolerance - two known hazards of sleep deprivation, according to previous studies.
But this is not a case of more being better. The unusual finding in this study was that women who slept nine or more hours per night actually had a greater risk of heart disease when compared to those who slept between six and eight hours.
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Your Bed Mattress |
The mattress for one's bed is a crucial purchase! For living! For loving!
And, it's equally important for one's health and well-being. A proper night's sleep as well as a correctly aligned spine can depend on your choice of mattress. It should not be too hard, nor too soft. Look for support without discomfort or sag.
To ensure that it is of the right degree of firmness conduct this test before you decide on a mattress.
Lie down on the mattress and slide your hand flat under the hollow of your back. If it goes all the way under, the mattress is too firm. If it doesn't budge, it's too soft. If the fingers slide under, but not your whole hand, it's just right.
To be comfortable at night and prolong the life of your mattress, use it evenly. Turn the mattress 180º every 15 days and flip it over every month. |
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