Study says sleep deprivation
can be linked to weight gain
Scientists have been looking into the association between sleep deprivation and weight gain in both adults and children.
One study concluded that people who slept less than five hours per night were 73 percent more likely to experience weight gain than those getting seven to nine hours.
Other findings:
• Research of sleep deprivation in men found that it increased their desire for foods higher in calories, along with overall calorie intake. A study of women who slept less than six hours or more than nine hours found they were more likely to gain 11 pounds, compared with women who slept seven hours a night.
• The amount of sleep we get influences the hormones insulin, glucose and cortisol, as well as leptin and ghrelin, two hormones that are responsible for regulating hunger. Leptin signals the brain to stop eating, and people who are sleep-deprived have less of it. Ghrelin’s job is to signal you to eat. It has been shown that those who are sleep-deprived have more of this hormone.
With sleep deprivation comes an increased urge to grab a sugary treat or extra cup of coffee for a quick energy boost, but they add up to hundreds of extra calories, making it even harder to lose weight.
— Cox Newspapers
Hints from Heloise:
Makeup brushes need to be washed regularly
Dear Readers: An easily forgotten task is washing makeup brushes, but there’s no end to the list of things, besides makeup, trapped in those bristles. Ideally, makeup brushes should be washed one to two times per month.
Start by moistening the brush with lukewarm water. Point the bristles downward to prevent water from getting into the handle. Using a mild shampoo (I like baby shampoo), start lathering the soap between your fingers, working it from the base to the tip of the brush. Keep the brush pointed down. Gently squeeze down the bristles over and over, adding a little more water each time, until the brush is clean.
Wipe the brush on a paper towel and reshape it. Lay all brushes on their sides. (Setting them upright will allow water to work its way down the bristles and loosen the glue holding the brush together.) Allow brushes to dry overnight before use.
— King Features
Migraine sufferer research
looks at exercise and light
Many migraine sufferers are wary of exercise and bright, flickering lights. Participants in various studies have said bright lights are the cause of these severe headaches about half the time, exercise about 20 percent.
But medical literature on migraine causes is based almost entirely on self-reporting; rarely have researchers tested these triggers directly.
A team of scientists recently studied 27 people who reported that strenuous exercise and bright or flickering lights triggered their migraines. To look at the effects of intense exercise, the subjects ran or pedaled on stationary bikes at a pace that brought them close to their maximum heart rates. In other scenarios, the subjects were exposed to bright lighting.
The study, published in the journal Neurology, found that none of the subjects had migraines after exposure to light alone. Six experienced migraines from exercise alone or from a combination of bright light and exercise.
— Anahad O’Connor,
New York Times