Latest news with #CharlottesvilleNeurologyandSleepMedicine
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
This 1 Habit Will Transform the Quality of Your Sleep, Says New Study
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." A new study suggests that consistent workout routines raises the likelihood of sleeping well. The more times people did at least 10 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity during a five-day period, the better, deeper sleep they had. Here's why doctors and experts say the secret to better sleep lies in your sweat seshes. If your bedtime routine features an intensive, multi-step process with an arsenal of tools, you might find yourself wondering if there's an easier way to conk out at night. While sleep masks, sound machines, and sleepy girl mocktails can help (sorta), your solution for better sleep may be as easy as just getting regular exercise. That's the big takeaway from new research published in the Journal of Physical Activity & Health. The researchers discovered that having a consistent workout routine raises the odds of logging the deep, restorative sleep of your dreams. Given that regular exercise is good for your health in plenty of other ways, this seems like a health hack worth trying. Here's why doctors are all about it. Meet the experts: Chris Corral, co-lead study author and an exercise scientist at The University of Texas at Austin; Bert Mandelbaum, MD, sports medicine specialist and co-director of the Regenerative Orthobiologic Center at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles; W. Christopher Winter, MD, a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and host of the Sleep Unplugged podcast. What did the study find? For the study, researchers had 69 adults wear a Fitbit to track their physical activity and sleep over eight months. The participants also took surveys three times a week that asked them to rank their levels of energy, stress, contentment, and sleep quality in the morning. The researchers found that people who had more days with at least 10 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity within a five-day period had better, deeper sleep than those who got less exercise. People who exercised also said that they felt like they had more energy and less stress the next morning compared to participants who had less activity in their lives. Why is good sleep connected to exercise? For starters, exercise increases the supply of neurotransmitters that lead to better sleep, says W. Christopher Winter, MD, a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and host of the Sleep Unplugged podcast. Specifically, an increase in the neurotransmitter adenosine is likely the biggest reason exercise helps us sleep, although changes in the feel-good hormones dopamine and serotonin are important, too, Dr. Winter points out. Secondly, regular exercise routines tap into your circadian rhythm. 'Exercise, particularly if it happens around the same time every day, provides a circadian cue that allows the brain to know where it is in its 24-hour day,' Dr. Winter says. 'We call this a zeitgeber. Regular exercise is an important one.' Exercise can also boost your mood, and that can positively impact both how you sleep and feel about sleep, Dr. Winter says. How much exercise do I need to get to reap the sleep benefits? According to the findings in this study, not a lot. Even light movement, like taking regular walks or standing breaks, was linked with better sleep and a boosted mood the next day. Still, 'more is likely better,' says Chris Corral, co-lead study author and an exercise scientist at The University of Texas at Austin. Spreading your exercise out throughout the week also seems to be more helpful for sleep than being a weekend warrior, he says. Bert Mandelbaum, MD, sports medicine specialist and co-director of the Regenerative Orthobiologic Center at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles, agrees. 'You should have daily exercise for better sleep—and health,' he says. What kinds of workouts are the best to promote sleep? Any exercise that gets your heart rate up can be helpful, Corral says. 'There are benefits to both light intensity and moderate-to-vigorous intensity for sleep, although moderate-to-vigorous provides more health benefits beyond sleep, offering a higher return on investment,' he says. Corral also lists weight training, Pilates, and bodyweight exercise, as being helpful, along with yoga and stretching for relaxing. Move more, get better sleep. It's a win-win for your health. Get the Workouts Get the Workouts Get the Workouts Get the Workouts Get the Workouts Get the Workouts Get the Workouts Get the Workouts Get the Workouts You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists Discovered a New Alzheimer's Warning Sign—and It Has to Do With Your Sleep
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Alzheimer's disease is a devastating condition that impacts millions of families around the world. But scientists are still trying to pinpoint the elements that go into why some people develop Alzheimer's disease and others don't. Now, a new study suggests that your sleep patterns may play a role. The study, which was published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, specifically looked at the relationship between REM sleep and Alzheimer's disease. But what's the link between the two and, more importantly, how can you use this information to lower your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease? A neurologist explains. Meet the expert: W. Christopher Winter, MD, a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and host of the podcast. What did the study find? For the study, researchers looked at how long it took 123 people to reach rapid eye movement (REM) sleep for the first time after falling asleep, as well as several biomarkers linked to Alzheimer's disease. (REM sleep is a stage of sleep where your eyes move quickly and you dream, per the Cleveland Clinic. It's important for learning and memory, too.) Of the participants, 64 had Alzheimer's disease and 41 had mild cognitive impairment, while the others had normal cognitive function. All of the participants did a sleep study, as well as scans for biomarkers that indicated Alzheimer's. The researchers discovered that people who took longer to get to the REM stage of sleep were more likely to have biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease. Is there a relationship between sleep and Alzheimer's? The relationship between sleep and Alzheimer's disease is still being explored. The Alzheimer's Society notes that people living with dementia tend to have sleep issues, but the evidence is currently unclear on whether poor sleep is a risk factor for the disease. However, some research suggests that poor sleep could raise your risk of Alzheimer's. A study published in November found that 35 percent of people who were considered poor sleepers (and felt excessively tired during the day as a result) went on to develop motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR), which is considered a precursor to dementia. 'Poor sleep quality has been linked to Alzheimer's disease,' says W. Christopher Winter, MD, a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and host of the podcast. 'Conversely, individuals who sleep well, and get consistent amounts of sleep on a consistent schedule, seem to reduce their risk of cognitive impairment.' Can a lack of REM sleep increase my risk of Alzheimer's? It's hard to say for sure at this point. While the researchers concluded that more studies are needed, they also said a slower movement to REM sleep could serve as a 'potential marker' for Alzheimer's disease. Given that good sleep is linked to good overall health, it can't hurt to try to improve your sleep. How can I get more REM sleep? Most people go through four to six sleep cycles a night, and REM sleep is part of that. Unfortunately, you can't dictate the stages of sleep you enter and when. What you can do is try to focus on getting good sleep, period. Winter offers up these tips to help support good sleep: Have a set bedtime and wake time, and do your best to stick to it. Limit alcohol and caffeine, especially avoiding caffeine later in the day. Try to be physically active, and aim to work out in the mornings to support your body's natural sleep/wake cycle. Create a good, consistent bedtime routine that helps you wind down for the evening. Be wary of sleep aids. 'Ironically, some sleep aids affect REM sleep,' Winter says. How can I reduce my risk of Alzheimer's? Researchers don't know exactly what causes Alzheimer's disease and dementia, making it tough to know for sure how to prevent it. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends doing these things to help lower your risk: Be physically active Try to prevent or manage diabetes Manage your blood pressure Try to prevent or correct hearing loss Try to limit or avoid drinking alcohol Try to limit or avoid smoking If you're struggling with sleep, Winter says it's important to consult with a healthcare professional sooner rather than later. They should be able to do a sleep study—which can give you more information on what's behind your sleep issues—and make personalized recommendations from there. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Yahoo
21-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Scientists Discovered a New Alzheimer's Warning Sign—and It Has to Do With Your Sleep
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Alzheimer's disease is a devastating condition that impacts millions of families around the world. But scientists are still trying to pinpoint the elements that go into why some people develop Alzheimer's disease and others don't. Now, a new study suggests that your sleep patterns may play a role. The study, which was published in the journal Alzheimer's & Dementia, specifically looked at the relationship between REM sleep and Alzheimer's disease. But what's the link between the two and, more importantly, how can you use this information to lower your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease? A neurologist explains. Meet the expert: W. Christopher Winter, MD, a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and host of the podcast. What did the study find? For the study, researchers looked at how long it took 123 people to reach rapid eye movement (REM) sleep for the first time after falling asleep, as well as several biomarkers linked to Alzheimer's disease. (REM sleep is a stage of sleep where your eyes move quickly and you dream, per the Cleveland Clinic. It's important for learning and memory, too.) Of the participants, 64 had Alzheimer's disease and 41 had mild cognitive impairment, while the others had normal cognitive function. All of the participants did a sleep study, as well as scans for biomarkers that indicated Alzheimer's. The researchers discovered that people who took longer to get to the REM stage of sleep were more likely to have biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease. Is there a relationship between sleep and Alzheimer's? The relationship between sleep and Alzheimer's disease is still being explored. The Alzheimer's Society notes that people living with dementia tend to have sleep issues, but the evidence is currently unclear on whether poor sleep is a risk factor for the disease. However, some research suggests that poor sleep could raise your risk of Alzheimer's. A study published in November found that 35 percent of people who were considered poor sleepers (and felt excessively tired during the day as a result) went on to develop motoric cognitive risk syndrome (MCR), which is considered a precursor to dementia. 'Poor sleep quality has been linked to Alzheimer's disease,' says W. Christopher Winter, MD, a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and host of the podcast. 'Conversely, individuals who sleep well, and get consistent amounts of sleep on a consistent schedule, seem to reduce their risk of cognitive impairment.' Can a lack of REM sleep increase my risk of Alzheimer's? It's hard to say for sure at this point. While the researchers concluded that more studies are needed, they also said a slower movement to REM sleep could serve as a 'potential marker' for Alzheimer's disease. Given that good sleep is linked to good overall health, it can't hurt to try to improve your sleep. How can I get more REM sleep? Most people go through four to six sleep cycles a night, and REM sleep is part of that. Unfortunately, you can't dictate the stages of sleep you enter and when. What you can do is try to focus on getting good sleep, period. Winter offers up these tips to help support good sleep: Have a set bedtime and wake time, and do your best to stick to it. Limit alcohol and caffeine, especially avoiding caffeine later in the day. Try to be physically active, and aim to work out in the mornings to support your body's natural sleep/wake cycle. Create a good, consistent bedtime routine that helps you wind down for the evening. Be wary of sleep aids. 'Ironically, some sleep aids affect REM sleep,' Winter says. How can I reduce my risk of Alzheimer's? Researchers don't know exactly what causes Alzheimer's disease and dementia, making it tough to know for sure how to prevent it. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends doing these things to help lower your risk: Be physically active Try to prevent or manage diabetes Manage your blood pressure Try to prevent or correct hearing loss Try to limit or avoid drinking alcohol Try to limit or avoid smoking If you're struggling with sleep, Winter says it's important to consult with a healthcare professional sooner rather than later. They should be able to do a sleep study—which can give you more information on what's behind your sleep issues—and make personalized recommendations from there. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Your Plate Could Be Sabotaging Your Sleep—Here's What to Eat Instead
New research suggests that tweaking your diet may help support good sleep. Fruits, vegetables, and complex carbs seem to be the most helpful. Doctors stress that this isn't the only thing you should do for good sleep. Getting a good night's sleep seems easy in theory—you just crash into bed and fall asleep. But sleep is a complex process, and it doesn't come as easily for some as it does for others. In fact, data suggest that nearly 37% of American adults don't get enough sleep, putting them at risk for a host of health issues. Now, new research suggests that eating certain foods may help you get better sleep. Meet the experts Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Ph.D., study co-author and director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep & Circadian Research at Columbia University Irving Medical Center; W. Christopher Winter, M.D., is a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and host of the Sleep Unplugged podcast If you're consistently struggling with sleep, it's important to see a doctor for a proper evaluation to determine what could be behind this. But adjusting your diet is a simple move that could make an impact. Here's what's behind the latest findings, plus why healthcare professionals aren't shocked. For the small study, which was published in the journal Sleep Health, researchers recruited 34 healthy young adults with no known sleep problems. The study participants logged what they ate each day in an app and wore a wrist monitor that tracked their sleep patterns. After crunching the data, the researchers discovered that what the participants ate each day had an impact on how well they slept at night. Those who ate more fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates (like whole grains and legumes), but little to no added sugar, during the day had fewer disruptions in their sleep compared to people who didn't have as much of those foods. There was also a link between having foods with high levels of fiber and magnesium with fewer sleep disruptions. The researchers estimated that, compared to someone who doesn't eat any fruits and vegetables, those who have the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) recommended five cups of produce a day could have up to a 16% boost in sleep quality. 'These findings suggest that diets rich in complex carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables may promote better sleep health,' the researchers wrote in the conclusion. While the study just found an association between eating a healthy diet and good sleep, there are a few theories on what could be behind this. One is that the carbs found in fruits and vegetables help the brain absorb the amino acid tryptophan. That can spark a process that leads to a higher production of melatonin, a hormone that supports sleep, explains Marie-Pierre St-Onge, Ph.D., study co-author and director of the Center of Excellence for Sleep & Circadian Research at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Whole grains, fruits, and vegetables also deliver fiber, which is linked with more deep sleep and less light sleep, St-Onge says. 'Those plant foods also contain 'phytomelatonin'—the plant version of human melatonin—that can contribute to melatonin levels and improve our ability to fall asleep and sustain restful sleep throughout the night,' St-Onge says. Certain nutrients in some produce and complex carbs may help support good sleep, too. Tryptophan, along with magnesium, which is found in a lot of plant-based foods like pumpkin and chia seeds, almonds, spinach, and peanuts, may be helpful, St-Onge points out. Some complex carbs like oats, along with produce like tart cherries, grapes, and bananas, are also high in melatonin, which can support sleep. Eating more fruits, vegetables, and complex carbs can also have a good influence on your gut microbiome and the neurotransmitters it produces, which could enhance sleep, says W. Christopher Winter, M.D., a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and host of the Sleep Unplugged podcast. It's a stretch to say that the solution to your sleep woes is simply eating more complex carbs, fruits, and vegetables. Even the study found that adding these to your diet may lead to a 16% boost in sleep—that's a significant amount, but it's not going to radically change your night. Also, this was an observational study, so it can be hard to say for sure what the data means, Dr. Winter points out. 'Adding more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains to the diet is a good place to start, as our data show that this is associated with less disrupted sleep,' St-Onge says. 'But we must also pay attention to other things in the diet that can sabotage efforts for better sleep.' Dr. Winter agrees. 'Diet is one cog in a much bigger machine that includes ensuring adequate sleep amount, consistent timing, regular exercise and light exposure, avoiding things detrimental to sleep—alcohol, screens—and managing stress and mood in a positive way,' he says. 'Will diet help move the needle a little? Most likely. Will it solve significant sleep struggles? Doubtful, but never hurts to try.' Experts recommend thinking of dietary tweaks as one part of your healthy sleep toolkit. The CDC also recommends making these moves to support good sleep: Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Keep your bedroom quiet, relaxing, and at a cool temperature. Turn off electronic devices at least 30 minutes before bedtime. Avoid large meals and alcohol before bedtime. Avoid caffeine in the afternoon or evening. Exercise regularly and maintain a healthy diet. St-Onge also recommends cutting back on how much processed meat you eat and limiting liquids at night (having too much before bed can increase the odds you'll get up to pee). 'That said, those recommendations were not provided to our participants and we still saw better sleep with higher fruit and vegetable intakes,' she says. If you've tried all of this and your sleep still isn't great, it's time to rope in a healthcare professional. They can give you a proper evaluation to try to figure out what's going on with your sleep—and come up with a solution from there. You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Sex Before Bed May Help You Sleep Better, According to Science
A new pilot study suggests having sex before bed could help you sleep better. This isn't the first study to link sex before bed to better sleep. Sex creates a surge of oxytocin, which is a natural sedative, and provides stress relief, all of which might explain boosted sleep performance. Finding the perfect recipe for a good night's sleep can feel pretty complicated. Experts have recommended everything from keeping your bedroom cool at night, to sticking with consistent sleep and wake times, to avoiding screens for hours before bed. But you can now add a much simpler sleep-enhancing hack to the list: Have sex. That's the major takeaway from a new study published in the journal Sleep Health. This is a pilot study, so the findings are preliminary, but they raise a lot of questions about how sexual activity may help us sleep better and whether you should consider this move for yourself. Here's what the study found, plus what doctors want you to keep in mind. Meet the experts: W. Christopher Winter, MD, a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and host of the Sleep Unplugged podcast; Jessica O'Reilly, PhD, relationship expert and Astroglide's sexologist; Jennifer Wider, MD. For the study, researchers recruited seven heterosexual couples who were healthy, sexually active, and living together in Australia. The participants, who were in their mid-20s, all reported that they had sex at least twice a week. The researchers monitored the participants over 11 nights, and asked them to do three different things: Have no sexual activity, engage in solo sex that ended in an orgasm, and have partnered sex that ended in an orgasm. To measure their sleep, the participants wore a wireless headband to track their brain activity, movement, and breathing overnight. They also filled out diaries every morning to track their sexual activity, sleep quality, mood, and feelings of readiness for the day ahead. The researchers discovered all kinds of interesting things. On nights when the participants had sex, they went to bed later than on nights with no sex. But they also spent about seven minutes less being awake during the night after they conked out, and spent a larger amount of their time in bed actually sleeping (basically, they had good sleep efficiency). In general, sleep efficiency was 93.2 percent after masturbation and 93.4 percent after partnered sex, while it was 91.5 percent on nights when people didn't have sex. Worth noting: The participants didn't notice any big differences in how well they thought they slept—this is just what the sleep tracking data found. That said, the participants reported feeling more motivated and ready for their day the morning after having partnered sex than when they abstained. It's important to point out that this isn't the first study to link sex before bed to better sleep. A study published in the Journal of Sleep Research had people keep a diary for 14 days and found that those who had partnered sex that ended in orgasm fell asleep faster and reported having better sleep quality than those who didn't have sex before bed. But the latest study actually showed that there were improvements in sleep quality. There are probably a few things going on to result in this positive sleep effect, according to W. Christopher Winter, MD, a neurologist and sleep medicine physician with Charlottesville Neurology and Sleep Medicine and host of the Sleep Unplugged podcast. 'The first is probably related to the chemical changes brought about by orgasm,' he says. 'The hormone oxytocin—which is released after you have an orgasm—acts as a natural sedative,' he says. In addition to oxytocin, the hormone prolactin is released after orgasm, leading to a relaxed feeling, says women's health expert Jennifer Wider, MD. All of those factors combined 'can definitely enhance sleepiness,' she says. From a more holistic view, sex is usually a stress-relieving activity, so it may be that people felt more ready to fall asleep afterward, Dr. Winter says. And it may also just quiet down your mind, says Jessica O'Reilly, PhD, relationship expert and Astroglide's sexologist. 'Post-orgasm, decreased activity in brain regions like the amygdala and cingulate cortex reduces arousal and emotional stimulation,' she says. That can also make it easier to fall asleep, she points out. A lot, actually. 'During arousal and orgasm, you may experience elevated levels of dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins, which can elevate mood, reduce stress and assuage anxiety,' O'Reilly says. 'Natural opioids released during sex can also make you more resilient to pain, like headaches and cramps.' Ultimately, if you have the option to have sex or not and you want to ensure you'll get a good night's sleep, it may be best to get down with a partner before bed. 'Sex in general contributes to positive emotional feelings and contentment, which is where you want to be in the moment before sleep,' Dr. Winter says. 'Feeling that sense of being connected is a great way to head to sleep.' You Might Also Like Can Apple Cider Vinegar Lead to Weight Loss? Bobbi Brown Shares Her Top Face-Transforming Makeup Tips for Women Over 50
