Posted on 12/24/2008 1:07:13 AM PST by FocusNexus
A good night's sleep may be just what your arteries need.
So finds a new five-year study in which middle-aged people who had an extra hour of sleep each night were less likely to have artery-stiffening calcium deposits.
Lauderdale and her colleagues have been following a group of young adults for years, studying their heart arteries from a number of angles. The latest report linked the sleeping habits of 495 participants, ages 35 to 47, with the incidence of artery calcification, measured by CT scans.
Calcium deposits can make the coronary arteries less flexible and ultimately lead to heart disease. None of the participants had detectable calcium deposits when the study began, but five years later, 61 (12.3 percent) did.
After adjusting for lots of potential risk factors, such as sex, race, and smoking habits, the researchers found that one more hour of sleep a night decreased the risk of calcification by a third. That's about as much as a 16.5-point reduction in blood pressure, the researchers said.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Can anyone suggest a really good bed?
I tested several Duxiana and Sleep Numbers in the stores but you really can’t tell without an overnight.
I hate insomnia.
I’m screwed...
I’d get more sleep, but those durn calcium depoisits keep me up! ;-)
Simmons Beautyrest with the indivicually wrapped coils — firm or extra firm, try it out in a store. I’ve been using them for some time and found them really great.
I tried sleep number mattress, since they had them in some hotels I stayed in, I did not like them at all.
I have a Temperpedic clone but don't care for how the memory foam absorbs body heat. I'm using a couple of mattress pads to insulate but still not satisfied.
THE best beds I’ve slept in are in the better Hilton Hotels. Downtown Nashville, and S. Michigan Ave. in Chicago. Contact them and I think you may resolve your issues.
Happy FReeper anniversary tomorrow!
Anyway, he always maintains that sex is good for the heart and that people should be more active sexually in order to prevent coronary disease.
Recently I overheard another coworker complaining to him about his chronic lower back pain. "Back ache?" said Ali, "You need to be having more sex. Sex is the best thing you can do for a bad back."
Now I understand why his patients love him so much.
“What did you not like about the sleep number bed?”
I missed the springs.
Different people like different things, some people like the memory foam and sleep number type mattresses. But since we spend a third or so of our time sleeping, I think it’s important to have a mattress that is comfortable.
As I said, I personally can’t stand the memory foam, sleep number stuff. I also hate foam pillows, only like pure down pillows.
I know someone, who had a lot of back problems, I recommended Beautyrest mattress, she bought one, and no back problems since, knock wood.
It looks like I'm not the only one up late.
Thanks, I think I’m going to have to *sleep around* a lot more before I purchase another bed. Nothing worse than buying a new bed and waking up with a backache.
That time of year. We had west coast relatives arrive and we stayed up playing cards until their schedules drove them off to bed. That's the best part of the holidays for me.
Also, the Sleep Number beds got bad feedback on the QVC website. Apparently they lose air over time, the nozzles break and they’re hard to assemble. I did like the way it felt in the store, though.
Maybe people with clear arteries sleep longer. And not that sleeping longer is good for arteries.
later in the article they speculate that the stress hormone cortisol contributes to hardening of arteries, and the extra sleep helps reduce stress — or conversely, as you are alluding ot, people who are less stresses sleep more?
Sounds like my waterbed 20+ years ago.
Your waterbed lost air?
Well, if you find one, post it for all. I’ve been awake since 3am after 3 hours rest.
Sleep Number is wonderful that and add my C.P.A.P. machine I’m sleeping like a baby again.
well worth the $$
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