Sunday, October 28, 2007

Is this you?

By Cathryn Conroy, Netscape News Editor
...you could be sleep deprived and putting yourself at risk for an early death. That stunning conclusion was reached by researchers at Penn State College of Medicine, who determined that when we get just six hours of sleep a night, we are actually sleep deprived. And sleep deprivation not only makes us sleepy during the day and decreases our productivity and performance levels, but also promotes the potentially dangerous process of inflammation. Inflammation of this sort can lead to a variety of problems, including heart disease and hardening of the arteries, reports WebMD.

Previous studies have examined the effects of severe sleep deprivation, which is five hours or less of sleep. This one looked at the effects of modest sleep restriction, something that many people live with day in and day out in order to meet the pressing demands of work and family. The levels of inflammatory factors skyrocketed in the 25 study volunteers--who spent 12 consecutive nights in a sleep laboratory--when they had just six hours of sleep, compared with eight hours. So when you pass up sleep to watch more television, talk to your spouse, or clean the house, you are putting yourself at risk for cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.

8 comments:

  1. this is not good.....I knew it was not good that I cannot sleep...sometimes for days at a time...but I have not slept 6 or more hours a night in years...
    usually I only sleep 3 or 4...
    darn it

    Ellie

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  2. I normally get 6 to 7 hours during the work week! depends on the night and what is on TV. yesterday I got 4 more hours then I normally do! that can be bad for you too, I hear!



    Tick or treat! Stop by my place!
    ~Happy Halloween!~

             Sharon
    http://journals.aol.com/buggieboo1/ImASurvivor/entries/2007/10/27/trick-or-treat-thru-j-land/2835

    ReplyDelete
  3. I only wish there was some way to make myself sleep over six hours!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I can give up the house cleaning, and maybe even talking to Kevin, but TV???  Are you crazy? LOL  I average 6-7...sometimes getting 8, and always 8-9 on weekends.

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  5. Oh, brother!  I know if I sleep regular; you know go to bed at a certain time and don't have to rise by an alarm clock, I naturally sleep about 9 hours.  But, in truth I get 6 hours usually.  Sometimes 7.  Occasionally 5.  -  Barbara
    http://journals.aol.com/bhbner2him/LifeFaithinCaneyhead/entries/2358

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  6. I usually don't sleep more then five or six hours straight. May stay up two or three and then go back to bed for a couple more. Crazy! Hasn't always been this way just since I'm older. Paula

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  7. IfI don't get nine I am dangerous.  This sounds like a joke but it is true.  I am the oldest child and I was forced to get to bed to go to sleep way ahead of all the other kids because I needed more sleep, just couldn't concentrate, cranky, daydreamy.  Yes, this is all me above.  

    Nelishia
    http://journals.aol.com/nelishianatl/PrayingandBelieving/

    ReplyDelete

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