Doctors have known for a long time that getting too little sleep and disrupted sleep are bad for the heart. But they are still figuring out why. A new study in the journal, PLOS, has some hints. Researchers looked at the sleep patterns of more than 1600 people after spending the night in a sleep lab and having other sleep …
Can Energy Drinks Harm Your Heart?
Energy drinks are popular with people who want a power boost, including children and athletes. But these drinks, which contain caffeine, sugar, herbs, and other ingredients, may do more harm than good. A recent study from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston found that having just one energy drink had a bad effect on the flow of …
5 Everyday Habits to Lower Inflammation and Help Your Heart and Brain Health
It can take years for hidden inflammation to harm your health, raising your risk for heart attacks and stroke. Fortunately this damage can be reversed. Over time, a poor diet (too much sugar, for example), lack of exercise, a smoking habit, and other personal lifestyle choices may lead to low levels of long-term, continuing inflammation. This type of inflammation can …
6 Essential Heart Healthy Habits for the New Year
The start of a new year is a good time to reflect on past behaviors and identify where you need to improve. One of the best ways to promote your overall well-being is to nurture your heart’s health. Here are six key measures to ensure you’re doing right by yours in the coming year: 1. Know your numbers Your cholesterol, …
Cheat Sleep At Your Own Risk
Running on empty. Burning the candle at both ends. Pulling an all-nighter. Sleep loss is so endemic to American society that we have a whole vocabulary for it. Despite a couple of decades of research revealing the health dangers of cheating on sleep, the culture seems to expect effort and achievement at any cost, including widespread sleep deprivation. In …