Sleep Health

  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Sleep, Sleep Apnea, Sleep Food, Sleep Health

    Foods That Affect Sleep: What to Eat (and Avoid) for Better Rest

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    Written By Vicki Cohn, DDS, D.ABDSM

    Sleep is essential for our physical and mental well-being, yet many of us struggle to get enough of it. If you’re among the countless people who find themselves tossing and turning at night, it might be time to rethink your diet. The foods you consume throughout the day can have a profound effect on your ability to fall asleep and stay asleep. Let’s dive into the science behind how certain foods can impact your sleep quality, and explore which ones you should include in your diet for better rest — and which ones to avoid.

    Foods That Help Promote Sleep

    1. Almonds
      Almonds are an excellent source of magnesium, a mineral known to help improve sleep quality by promoting muscle relaxation and reducing stress. They also contain melatonin, a hormone that regulates your sleep-wake cycle. A small handful of almonds before bed may help you fall asleep faster and experience deeper sleep.
    2. Cherries
      Cherries, especially tart cherries, are one of the few natural sources of melatonin. This powerful sleep hormone helps to regulate your circadian rhythm. Drinking tart cherry juice or snacking on fresh cherries in the evening can give your body the melatonin boost it needs to fall asleep naturally.
    3. Bananas
      Bananas are rich in potassium and magnesium, both of which help to relax muscles and nerves, making it easier to wind down at night. They also contain tryptophan, an amino acid that your body uses to produce serotonin, which is converted into melatonin. The combination of these nutrients makes bananas a great choice for improving sleep.
    4. Oats
      Oats are a natural source of melatonin, making them a great bedtime snack. They also contain a form of soluble fiber known as beta-glucan, which has been shown to lower cholesterol and improve heart health. The slow-releasing carbs in oats can also help stabilize blood sugar levels, preventing nighttime wakefulness due to dips in blood sugar.
    5. Herbal Tea (Chamomile, Lavender, Peppermint)
      Herbal teas like chamomile, lavender, and peppermint are well-known for their calming properties. Chamomile contains apigenin, an antioxidant that binds to specific receptors in the brain to promote relaxation and sleep. Lavender is also associated with improved sleep quality and has been shown to reduce symptoms of insomnia. Peppermint tea can help relax muscles and relieve stress, making it easier to unwind before bed.
    6. Kiwi
      Kiwi is packed with antioxidants, vitamin C, and serotonin, all of which can contribute to improved sleep quality. Studies have shown that consuming kiwi before bed may help reduce the time it takes to fall asleep, enhance sleep quality, and increase sleep duration. Plus, their high fiber content can help regulate digestion, preventing discomfort that might interfere with your rest.
    7. Turkey
      Turkey is another food high in tryptophan, an amino acid that helps the body produce serotonin and melatonin. While you might think of turkey as a food reserved for Thanksgiving, incorporating it into your dinner can help promote restful sleep, especially when paired with carbohydrates like sweet potatoes or whole grains.

    Foods That Can Disrupt Sleep

    1. Caffeine
      Caffeine is a well-known stimulant found in coffee, tea, chocolate, and some sodas. It works by blocking adenosine, a brain chemical that promotes sleep. Even if you enjoy a cup of coffee in the afternoon, it can interfere with your ability to fall asleep later in the evening. It’s best to limit your caffeine intake to the morning hours and avoid it at least 6 hours before bedtime.
    2. Alcohol
      While alcohol may make you feel drowsy at first, it can interfere with your sleep cycle. Alcohol disrupts REM sleep, the stage of sleep that is crucial for cognitive functions like memory and learning. It can also lead to frequent awakenings during the night, resulting in a less restful sleep. If you want a good night’s rest, it’s best to avoid alcohol close to bedtime.
    3. Spicy Foods
      Spicy foods can cause discomfort, especially if you’re prone to acid reflux or heartburn. Capsaicin, the compound that gives spicy foods their heat, can increase your body temperature, making it harder for your body to cool down and enter sleep mode. Additionally, the digestive issues caused by spicy foods can keep you up at night.
    4. Heavy or Fatty Meals
      Rich, greasy meals like fast food, pizza, or steak might feel satisfying in the moment, but they can disrupt sleep by triggering indigestion or acid reflux. When you eat large or fatty meals too close to bedtime, your body has to work harder to digest the food, which can cause discomfort and make it difficult to relax and fall asleep. Try to have your last meal 2-3 hours before bed, and avoid overly greasy foods in the evening.
    5. Sugary Snacks
      Foods high in sugar and refined carbs can cause blood sugar spikes followed by crashes that can disturb your sleep. If you consume a sugary treat before bed, you may experience a burst of energy followed by a sudden drop in energy, which can cause you to wake up during the night. Opt for healthier, lower-sugar snacks like fruit or yogurt if you need a late-night bite.
    6. Sugar substitutes Saccharin, Aspartame, Sucralose – these products can actually make you hungrier and apt to eat more, and there is evidence that they can create insomnia 
    7. Processed Meats
      Processed meats like sausages, bacon, and hot dogs are high in sodium and unhealthy fats, both of which can interfere with sleep. Excessive salt can cause bloating and dehydration, which may make it difficult to sleep comfortably. The nitrates and preservatives in processed meats can also disrupt your body’s ability to relax and stay asleep.

    Tips for Better Sleep Through Nutrition

    • Keep your meals light: Eating large meals before bed can interfere with your digestion and sleep quality. Opt for a light snack instead, such as a small bowl of yogurt or a banana.
    • Balance your nutrients: Make sure to incorporate foods that support both your physical and mental well-being, including magnesium, potassium, tryptophan, and antioxidants.
    • Stay hydrated: Dehydration can cause disruptions to your sleep cycle, so be sure to drink enough water during the day. However, avoid excessive amounts of liquids right before bed to minimize bathroom trips during the night.
    • Avoid foods you may be sensitive or allergic to:  Foods that you are sensitive to may create overall inflammation.  Inflammation will adversely affect your sleep quality. For instance, for some people dairy products can create nasal congestion – increased nasal congestion will decrease sleep quality, increase sleep apnea and may be associated with decrease O2 during sleep
    • Avoid late night meals and snacks: Late night eating can increase you sleep apnea and decrease sleep quality.  Start paying attention to your sleep quality after eating late to see how it affects you.
    • Establish a bedtime routine: Pairing your diet with healthy sleep hygiene practices — such as avoiding screens before bed, keeping your bedroom cool and dark, and maintaining a consistent sleep schedule — can optimize your rest.

    Conclusion

    What you eat plays a more significant role in your sleep than you might think. By incorporating sleep-friendly foods into your diet and steering clear of those that disrupt rest, you can improve both the quality and duration of your sleep. A balanced diet rich in nutrients like magnesium, potassium, and melatonin — along with healthy sleep habits — can help you wake up feeling refreshed and energized every morning. So, the next time you’re thinking about what to snack on before bed, remember: your sleep might just depend on it!

  • Sleep Health, Sleep Study, Uncategorized

    8 Health Problems Linked to Not Getting Enough Sleep

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    Original Post | Why Not Getting Enough Sleep Is Bad for Your Health

    A good night’s sleep helps you feel refreshed and perform better the following day. But there’s growing evidence that sleep is critical for maintaining good long-term health, too.

    The body can usually cope with occasionally staying up late, but if you’re frequently or chronically depriving yourself of sleep, there will be a price to pay, says Sigrid C. Veasey, MD, a researcher and professor of medicine at Penn Medicine in Philadelphia.Here are some of the long-term health problems linked to not clocking enough hours of shut-eye.

    Why Sleep Is So Good for Your Immune System

    Learn how sleep boosts your immune system and why it’s essential for overall health.

    1. Poor Brain Health

    Studies have linked sleep problems to poor thinking and memory skills later in life, which could put people at higher risk for dementia, says Clémence Cavaillès, PhD, a researcher at the University of California in San Francisco. 

    Bad sleep may also result in premature aging of the brain, says Dr. Cavaillès. She is the author of a recent study that found that people who have poor sleep quality have more signs of poor brain health as they get older compared with people who have fewer sleep issues.

    The study, which followed 600 middle-aged participants over 15 years, found that people with the greatest number of sleep complications had an average brain age that, over this time period, became 2.6 years more advanced than people with the fewest sleep issues. 

    Bad sleep quality, difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, and early morning awakening were linked to greater brain age, especially if the issue persisted over five years. 

    A prematurely aging brain has significant implications for numerous aspects for cognitive health, daily functioning, and overall well-being, says Cavaillès.

    “Specifically, advanced brain aging has been associated with worse cognitive functions and Alzheimer disease–related atrophy patterns,” she says.

    Depression from Lack of Sleep

    2. Depression and Anxiety

    Research shows that people who have chronic insomnia have a higher rate of depression and anxiety compared with people who haven’t been diagnosed with insomnia, says Meena Khan, MD, a neurologist and sleep medicine specialist at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. It’s estimated that about 40 percent of people with insomnia have clinical depression.

    The relationship between mood and sleep is complex and bidirectional, which means that depression or anxiety can worsen sleep, and lack of sleep can also negatively impact mood. Insomnia is considered an independent risk factor for developing a mental health disorder, including depression, in people of all ages.

    Sometimes separate treatments are needed to help with the sleep problems and the anxiety or depression, but in some cases improving sleep can help mood, too, says Dr. Khan.

    3. Type 2 Diabetes

    Poor quality sleep or short sleep duration has been linked to poorer blood sugar control in people with and without diabetes, says Khan. It can increase risk of developing diabetes as well, she says.

    In a group of middle-aged Caucasians, researchers found a strong association between poor sleep quality and metabolic syndrome, insulin levels, fasting blood sugar levels, and insulin resistance, which is often a precursor to type 2 diabetes.

    4. Weight Gain and Obesity

    There is a strong link between having sleep issues and being overweight or having obesity. That’s because not getting enough sleep on a regular basis (sleep deprivation) can create an imbalance in the hormones that regulate your appetite, ghrelin and leptin.

    Leptin helps you feel full, and ghrelin makes you feel hungry. Because leptin levels typically rise during sleep, experts think if you aren’t getting enough, your leptin levels decrease, making you feel hungrier, and that may lead to eating more than you need. On top of that, sleep disruptions of any kind can cause an increase in ghrelin, which also increases your appetite.

    Research suggests that insufficient sleep makes people burn about 100 more calories a day. Although that sounds like a good thing, the extra wake time also increases how much people eat or drink by more than 250 calories, which over time can make people gain weight.

    5. Hypertension, Heart Disease, and Stroke

    The American Heart Association (AHA) includes sleep in its “Life’s Essential 8,” a checklist of modifiable factors that can improve heart health.

    Even small changes in sleep have been linked to heart issues. There are 24 percent more heart attacks for the first three to four days after the clocks change in March, and a 21 percent reduction in heart attack risks in November when clocks “fall back” and people gain an hour of sleep.

    Regularly sleeping five hours or less is associated with a 2 to 3 times greater risk of coronary artery buildup (decreasing the blood flow to your heart), meaning that sleep deprivation may increase the likelihood of coronary artery disease.

    People with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have higher risk of hypertension, heart attack, and stroke, says Khan.

    6. Kidney Problems

    The link between sleep and kidney health hasn’t been as firmly established as the link between sleep and other chronic conditions, says Khan.

    People with chronic kidney disease often have sleep disorders such as restless leg syndrome and insomnia related to their condition.

    [10] But there’s evidence that poor sleep quality is associated with developing chronic kidney disease, which researchers believe could be related to the disruptions in circadian rhythms.

    7. Impaired Immune Function

    Not getting enough or good enough quality sleep can shortchange your immune system, says Khan.

    “There is evidence that getting plenty of sleep can benefit your immune system and that impaired sleep is linked with being more susceptible to infections,” she says.

    Research has linked poor sleep to an increased susceptibility to certain types of illness. People who chronically get less than seven hours of sleep a night are 3 times as likely to develop the common cold compared with those who routinely get eight hours or more of sleep.

    Additionally, studies on flu vaccines and hepatitis A and B vaccines suggest that not sleeping hurts your body’s ability to make disease-fighting antibodies. When study participants were deprived of sleep for about four hours a night in the days before and one to two days following vaccination, they developed a significantly lower level of antibodies compared to those who were not sleep-deprived.

    8. A Less Healthy Gut

    The gut microbiome is all the microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi that are found in the gastrointestinal tract, and experts believe that the more diverse the microbiome, the better it is for overall health.

    There are some studies that suggest that altered sleep — for example, what night shift workers would experience — may impact your gut health, Khan says.

    A study using Mendelian randomization, a method that uses genetic variation to study causal effects of different health variables, found that sleep issues may alter the abundance of gut microbiota.

    Investigators also found several types of gut bacteria may be involved in many different aspects of sleep regulation, which suggests the relationship between sleep and the gut goes in both directions. 

    The Takeaway

     

      • Poor sleep quality may lead to cognitive problems and a higher risk of dementia, with studies showing a correlation between sleep issues and accelerated brain aging.

      • Chronic sleep deprivation significantly increases the risk of depression and anxiety, with about 40 percent of those with insomnia experiencing clinical depression.

      • Sleep problems are associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome due to impaired blood sugar control.

      • Regularly getting less than five hours of sleep is linked to a higher risk of hypertension, heart disease, and stroke, potentially increasing coronary artery disease risk.

  • Sleep, Sleep Health

    Sleep Chaos Fuels Type 2 Diabetes Risk

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    Original Article | Sleep Review Magazine

    Middle-aged to older adults with inconsistent sleep duration had a heightened risk of developing diabetes compared to those with more consistent sleep patterns.

    Summary: A study conducted by Brigham and Women’s Hospital found that middle-aged to older adults with inconsistent sleep durations had a significantly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those with more consistent sleep patterns. The research, analyzing data from over 84,000 participants, revealed that irregular sleep patterns increased diabetes risk by 34%. Researchers say the study underscores the importance of maintaining regular sleep patterns as a modifiable lifestyle factor to prevent type 2 diabetes.

    Woman with Diabetes

    Key Takeaways:

    • Increased Diabetes Risk with Irregular Sleep: The study found that individuals with the most irregular sleep patterns had a 34% higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes compared to those with consistent sleep durations.
    • Importance of Regular Sleep for Diabetes Prevention: Researchers highlighted the importance of regular sleep patterns as a modifiable lifestyle factor that can help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. The findings suggest that promoting consistent sleep could be a key strategy in diabetes prevention efforts.
    • Need for Diverse and Long-term Studies: The study had limitations, including a predominantly older, white, and healthy participant group, and short-term sleep data collection. Future research aims to include younger and more diverse populations to better understand the biological mechanisms and confirm these findings across different demographics.

    Getting consistent sleep could help stave off type 2 diabetes, new research suggests. 

    A study led by investigators at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, analyzed sleep patterns over seven nights and then followed participants for more than seven years. 

    The researchers discovered that irregular sleep durations were associated with an increased risk of diabetes, with individuals with the greatest irregular patterns having a 34% higher diabetes risk than their counterparts. 

    Importance of Regular Sleep Patterns

    Researchers say the findings, published in Diabetes Care, suggest the importance of regular sleep for diabetes prevention.

    “Our study identified a modifiable lifestyle factor that can help lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes,” says lead author Sina Kianersi, PhD, a research fellow in the Channing Division of Network Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, in a release. “Our findings underscore the importance of consistent sleep patterns as a strategy to reduce type 2 diabetes.”

    Type 2 diabetes affects close to half a billion people worldwide and is one of the top 10 leading causes of death and disability. The number of people with type 2 diabetes is expected to more than double to 1.3 billion by 2050. Researchers say this situation highlights the need for innovative strategies for diabetes prevention.

    Study Details and Findings

    The new study analyzed accelerometry data from more than 84,000 participants in the UK Biobank Study to investigate any possible association between sleep and type 2 diabetes. 

    Participants were an average age of 62 years (57% female, 97% white) and were initially free of diabetes. They wore accelerometers—devices like watches that monitor movement—for seven nights. The participants were followed for approximately 7.5 years, tracking diabetes development mostly through medical records.

    The study set out to investigate two key questions: First, whether irregular sleep durations may promote diabetes development through circadian disruption and sleep disturbance and, second, whether this association varies across genetic predispositions to diabetes.

    Risk Factors and Analysis

    The investigators found that more irregular sleep duration was associated with higher diabetes risk after adjusting for a wide range of risk factors. This association was more pronounced in individuals with longer sleep duration and lower polygenic risk score for diabetes.

    The data revealed that compared to participants with regular sleep patterns, those with irregular sleep (where day-to-day sleep duration varied by more than 60 minutes on average) had a 34% higher risk of developing diabetes. The risk decreased, yet persisted, even after accounting for lifestyle, co-morbidities, family history of diabetes, and obesity indicators.

    There were some study limitations. Certain lifestyle information used in the research was collected up to five years before the accelerometer study began. This might have affected the accuracy of the results. Also, the assessment of sleep duration based on seven days may not capture long-term sleep patterns. Lastly, study participants were mainly healthy, older, and white, and may not represent outcomes for more diverse populations.

    Future Research Directions

    The researchers plan to study participants from younger age groups and with diverse racial backgrounds. They are also interested in exploring the biological reasons why sleep irregularity increases the risk of diabetes.

    “Our findings have the potential to improve diabetes prevention on multiple levels,” says Kianersi in a release. “Clinically, they might inform better patient care and treatment plans. Public health guidelines could promote regular sleep patterns. However, more research is needed to fully understand the mechanism and confirm the results in other populations.”

    Photo 91507451 © Piotr Adamowicz | Dreamstime.com

  • Sleep, Sleep Health

    Why sleep soothes distress: Neurobiology explained

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    Original Post | Caroline Pierce, Medical Express

    A study published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience by an international team including the Woolcock’s Dr. Rick Wassing examined research into sleep disorders over more than two decades to prove a good night’s sleep is the perfect remedy for emotional distress.

    Nothing we haven’t known forever, some would argue, but Dr. Wassing who has spent the past two years on the project says there’s much more to it than that.

    “What we have done with this study is explain why. We looked at studies in neurobiology, neurochemistry and clinical psychology to get a real understanding of the mechanisms underlying how sleep helps us to deal with our emotional memories.”

    What the team of researchers believe after aggregating more than 20 years’ of scientific knowledge is that the way certain neurochemicals (for example, serotonin and noradrenaline) are regulated during sleep is crucial for the processing of emotional memories and our long-term mental health.

    Chemistry and circuitry

    Serotonin is involved in many, if not almost all, aspects of learning emotional experiences. It helps us assess and understand the world around us. Noradrenaline is all about “fight or flight”—it allows us to assess and respond to danger. Both are turned off during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and that creates this “really beautiful opportunity for the brain to engage in processes that are otherwise not doable when we are awake,” explains Dr. Wassing.

    There are two main ways we process emotional memory during sleep, he says, and they involve the brain’s hippocampus and amygdala.

    Our brains store what we learn each day. This learning is governed by the hippocampus aggregating and cataloging this new information into the “novelty” memory store as we process it. At the same time, if that new experience is emotional, the amygdala is very active and coupled with the autonomic nervous system—think racing heart, knots in your stomach, skin crawling.

    During REM sleep, our brains reactivate these new memories. It is as if the brain replays a summary of what had happened when we experienced the memory. But during REM sleep, when the noradrenergic and serotonergic systems are turned off, these memories can be moved into the “familiar” storage without experiencing the physical “fight or flight” response. That can’t happen while we’re awake or—as is the case for people with sleep disorders—when we don’t get consistent blocks of REM sleep.

    Shining a light on the brain

    Much of what we now know about the way information is processed by the brain comes from the relatively new field of optogenetics which is used to activate or inhibit very specific cell types in a neuronal network. This has allowed researchers to see what cell types and brain regions are involved in encoding emotional memories.

    According to Dr. Wassing, it has meant real breakthroughs in terms of our understanding of brain circuitry and neurobiology.

    It’s all well and good, he says, to look at neurons and receptors and circuits, but the researchers also assessed clinical psychology studies and found that their findings, especially relating to disconnecting amygdala reactivity and shutting down the autonomic nervous system, were corroborated.

    “All three levels of neuroscience align to produce the same conclusion, that the way the brain functions during REM sleep is important for processing emotional memories.”

    Making ‘good sleepers’

    So, where to now? “We know that with insomnia or other sleep disorders where people wake up from sleep a lot, we see an increased risk of developing mental health problems. Our hypothesis would be that that these awakenings from sleep lead to the fact that the noradrenergic system is not shut down for long periods of time (in fact, they might actually show enhanced activity) and that’s why these people might not be able to regulate emotional memories.”

    “The solution is to try to get a good night’s sleep, yes, but the problem is how then do we do that? We know that two out of three people with insomnia benefit from cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBTI) but that is mostly based on subjective ratings. There’s less evidence on objective sleep measures. The insomnia patient after CBTI is not necessarily a good sleeping individual, they still have some sleep disturbances but CBTI is enabling them to better deal with them.”

    “We need to critically think more about the mechanisms that regulate sleep. It’s very hard to target one system because sleep is very dynamic—the noradrenergic system shuts down during REM sleep, but it actually needs to be active during non-REM sleep so you can’t just turn it off for the entire sleep cycle.”

    “We need really creative ideas about how to design an intervention or a drug that can target these dynamics that happen during sleep and enable those systems to renormalize. We need to be targeting objective sleep and making people with insomnia good sleepers again.”

  • Sleep Apnea, Sleep Health, Sleep Study

    Study reveals sleep effects how young you feel

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    By Eric Ralls Earth.com staff writer

    Have you ever noticed how a well-maintained classic car can turn heads and exude a timeless charm? Its age has become subjective. Just like a vintage automobile that has been meticulously cared for, feeling young is not merely a superficial notion — it is intrinsically connected to tangible health benefits.

    Subjective age, the internal gauge that measures how old we perceive ourselves to be, transcends the realm of simple self-perception.

    Much like how a classic car’s performance and longevity are tied to its upkeep, research has revealed that individuals who feel younger than their chronological age tend to enjoy longer lifespans, superior mental and physical well-being, and a host of positive psychological attributes.

    These findings have led experts to propose the integration of subjective age as a biophysical indicator of aging, serving as a vital component of comprehensive health assessments.

    Young and Youthful Woman

    Sleep-age connection

    Researchers at Stockholm University have discovered that sleep affects how old you feel. The study, published in the scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, reveals that feeling sleepy can make you feel ten years older.

    Leonie Balter, a researcher at the Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, explains, “Given that sleep is essential for brain function and overall well-being, we decided to test whether sleep holds any secrets to preserving a youthful sense of age.”

    Power of a good night’s sleep

    In the first study, 429 individuals aged 18 to 70 were asked how old they felt, how many days in the past month they had not gotten enough sleep, and how sleepy they were.

    The results showed that for each night with insufficient sleep in the past month, participants felt on average 0.23 years older.

    To further investigate the causal relationship between sleep and subjective age, the researchers conducted a second study involving 186 participants aged 18 to 46.

    Participants restricted their sleep for two nights, with only four hours in bed each night, and another time slept sufficiently for two nights, with nine hours in bed each night.

    The findings were striking. After sleep restriction, participants felt on average 4.4 years older compared to when having enjoyed sufficient sleep.

    Staying young at heart by safeguarding your sleep

    The effects of sleep on subjective age appeared to be related to how sleepy they felt. Feeling extremely alert was related to feeling 4 years younger than one’s actual age, while extreme sleepiness was related to feeling 6 years older than one’s actual age.

    “This means that going from feeling alert to sleepy added a striking 10 years to how old one felt,” says Leonie Balter.

    Previous studies have shown that feeling younger than one’s actual age is associated with longer, healthier lives. There is even support for subjective age to predict actual brain age, with those feeling younger having younger brains.

    The implications of this study are clear. “Safeguarding our sleep is crucial for maintaining a youthful feeling. This, in turn, may promote a more active lifestyle and encourage behaviours that promote health, as both feeling young and alert are important for our motivation to be active,” states Leonie Balter.

    Unlocking the secrets of age by sleeping

    In a world where we are constantly searching for the fountain of youth, it turns out that the secret to feeling young again might be as simple as getting a good night’s sleep.

    By prioritizing our sleep and ensuring that we get enough rest each night, we can not only feel more alert and energized but also maintain a youthful sense of age.

    So, the next time you find yourself longing for the vitality of your younger years, remember that the key to unlocking that feeling might just be a few extra hours of shut-eye.

    More about subjective age

    As discussed above, subjective age refers to how old an individual feels, regardless of their chronological age. It is a personal perception that can be influenced by various factors, such as physical health, mental well-being, and life experiences.

    People often report feeling younger or older than their actual age, and this subjective age can have significant implications for their overall health and quality of life.

    Benefits of feeling younger

    Numerous studies have shown that feeling younger than one’s chronological age is associated with a range of positive outcomes.

    Individuals who feel younger tend to have better physical and mental health, higher levels of life satisfaction, and a more positive outlook on life.

    They are also more likely to engage in healthy behaviors, such as regular exercise and maintaining a balanced diet.

    Impact of subjective age on longevity

    Research suggests that subjective age may even predict longevity. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that individuals who felt younger than their actual age had a lower risk of mortality compared to those who felt older.

    This finding highlights the potential importance of subjective age as a biophysical marker of aging and its relevance in health assessments.

    Factors influencing subjective age

    Several factors can influence an individual’s subjective age, including:

    • Physical health: Chronic illnesses, disabilities, and poor physical functioning can make people feel older than their chronological age.
    • Mental health: Depression, anxiety, and stress can contribute to feeling older, while positive emotions and a sense of purpose can help individuals feel younger.
    • Social connections: Strong social support and engaging in meaningful relationships can promote a youthful sense of age.
    • Life experiences: Major life events, such as retirement, the loss of a loved one, or becoming a grandparent, can impact how old an individual feels.

    Harnessing the power of subjective aging

    In summary, subjective age is a fascinating concept that has garnered increasing attention from researchers and healthcare professionals alike.

    By understanding the factors that influence subjective age and its potential implications for health and well-being, we can develop strategies to promote a more youthful mindset and improve overall quality of life.

    Encouragingly, recent research on the link between sleep and subjective age suggests that we may have more control over how old we feel than previously thought.

    The full study was published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences.

    —–

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  • Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Sleep Health

    Best CPAP Alternatives

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    If you have sleep apnea, here’s what to know about dental devices, tongue trainers, mouth tape, and more.

    Consumer Reports | By Kevin Loria

    When you have obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA addressing it is key. Left untreated, OSA is linked to daytime sleepiness and an increased risk of anxiety, diabetes, hypertension, and stroke.

    With OSA, your breathing pauses during sleep because something blocks your airway, like your tongue or relaxed throat muscles, explains Richard Schwab, MD, chief of the division of sleep medicine at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia. Losing weight, quitting smoking, and limiting alcohol can all help ease obstructive sleep apnea symptoms such as snoring, says Ana Krieger, MD, medical director of the Center for Sleep Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City.

    CPAP Machine

    Sleep apnea’s severity is determined by something called your apnea-hypopnea index (AHI): the number of times per hour you fully or partially stop breathing for 10 seconds or longer. The primary treatment for people with moderate (15 to 29 AHI) or severe (30 AHI and higher) obstructive sleep apnea is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, which keeps your airway open by pumping air through a mask you wear over your mouth and/or nose when you sleep.

    Many people have difficulty tolerating CPAP and don’t stick with it, however. The good news is that CPAP machines have become smaller and quieter, with more comfortable options available. And for some people with mild (5 to 14 AHI) or even moderate OSA, less invasive alternatives to CPAP may be worth considering.

    A Common CPAP Alternative

    A dental device designed to move the jaw so that the tongue shifts toward the front of the mouth can help keep the airway open. It’s one of the primary alternatives to CPAP, Schwab says, and can also be used with CPAP to help make severe obstructive sleep apnea milder.

    A dentist who specializes in sleep medicine (find one at dentalsleep.org) will be able to customize its fit to help your breathing without causing harm to your bite or teeth, says Kevin Postol, DDS, president-elect of the American Academy of Dental Sleep Medicine. These custom-made oral appliances can cost between $2,000 and $4,000, according to Schwab, but may be covered by insurance.

    There are much cheaper options available online to treat snoring, but experts say these may not help with OSA, and could move teeth out of place or cause jaw issues if they’re not properly fitted.

    Other Sleep Apnea Treatments

    • Position therapy: For some, sleeping on the back can make obstructive sleep apnea dramatically worse. In these cases, switching to side sleeping—perhaps using pillows or a tennis ball attached to a shirt back—can sometimes get AHI into the mild range.
    • Tongue trainer: In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration approved a tongue-stimulating device for mild sleep apnea called eXciteOSA, which people wear for 20 minutes a day for six weeks and then 20 minutes a couple of times a week indefinitely. It costs $1,650 and is not covered by insurance. More research is still needed on its efficacy, Krieger says.
    • Mouth tape: While it’s a popular suggestion that may reduce snoring, taping the mouth shut is not an effective or safe option for people with obstructive sleep apnea, Schwab says.
    • Surgery: Some people who can’t tolerate CPAP have upper airway surgery to reduce the size of their soft palate or other tissue in their throat. But such options don’t always work, have serious potential complications, and cannot be reversed. So in general, they should not be first-line treatments, Schwab says. A newer option is a surgically implanted device called Inspire. Approved in 2014, it stimulates a nerve that moves your tongue to keep your airway open. Inspire can be removed if it is not tolerated, but it should also be tried only if someone is unable to use CPAP, and it is not an option for everyone.

    Could Weight Loss Meds Treat OSA?

    Because sleep apnea is an anatomic disorder, drugs typically have not been effective, Schwab says. But GLP-1 weight loss medications such as Wegovy may be used in the future, perhaps in concert with an oral appliance or airway surgery.

    That’s on the table because obesity is a primary risk factor for OSA: One 2022 study found that for every 7-pound drop in weight, there’s a roughly 7 percent drop in AHI. But more research on using these meds for obstructive sleep apnea is needed.

    Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the April 2024 issue of Consumer Reports On Health.