Binge-Watching TV? You May Not Sleep Well – HealthCentral.com

Binge-Watching TV? You May Not Sleep Well

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Poor sleep quality, increased fatigue, and insomnia in young adults are associated with binge-watching television, according to researchers. Watching multiple episodes of the same television show in succession in one sitting, on a television, computer, or mobile device raises your level of cognitive alertness, which interferes with sleep.

The researchers, whose study was published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, looked at binge-watching and sleep habits in 423 young adults between 18 and 25. Study participants completed an online survey assessing their regular TV watching, binge-watching, sleep quality, fatigue, insomnia, and alertness before going to sleep. Average binge-watching lasted 3 hours and 8 minutes and three to four episodes.

Study results suggest that more than 80 percent of young adults identify as binge-watchers, and 20.2 percent binge-watch television at least a few times per week. Binge-watchers reported more fatigue and insomnia and higher levels of alertness before going to sleep than those who dont binge-watch television. The bingers were also 98 percent more likely to have poor sleep quality.

Sourced from: Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine

Published On: Aug 15th 2017

How a Low-Calorie Diet May Slow Aging

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Previous research suggests that a lifelong low-calorie diet can boost longevity, but a new mouse study demonstrates, for the first time, how restricting calories may affect circadian rhythm and, in turn, the aging process. The study was conducted by researchers at the Center for Epigenetics & Metabolism at the University of California, Irvine, and the results were published in Cell.

According to the researchers, our circadian rhythm, or biological clock, changes as a result of aging, and these changes are based in part on the metabolism of energy within our cells. In a study involving 6-monthold and 18-month-old mice, the researchers determined that older cells process energy less efficiently than younger cells. But when a group of older mice were fed a diet with 30 percent fewer calories for a period of six months, the energy process was rejuvenated promoting healthy aging.

A companion study from the Barcelona Institute for Research in Biomedicine in Spain tested body clock function in stem cells collected from older and younger mice. This study confirmed that a low-calorie diet helps protect circadian rhythm function.

Sourced from: ScienceDaily

Published On: Aug 15th 2017

Don't Look at the Sun! Solar Eclipse Safety Tips

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In the absence of cloud cover, a total solar eclipse will be visible on Monday, August 21 in a 70-mile wide band across the entire continental United States, from central Oregon through South Carolina. In a total solar eclipse, the moon moves in between the earth and the sun, completely blocking out the sun for a short period of time. Prior to the total eclipse, which will last about two minutes, and in other areas of the country, and other parts of North and Central America, a partial solar eclipse will be visible.

Ahead of this amazing event, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning that viewing a partial solar eclipse without proper eye protection even very briefly can cause permanent vision loss and blindness. Looking directly at the sun can damage the retinas, light-sensitive parts of the eye that transmit what we see to our brain. Retinal damage can occur without pain and, according to the CDC, it can take a few hours, or even days, for symptoms like an inability to see colors or loss of central vision to develop. Anyone who experiences vision changes after viewing the solar eclipse next week should contact an eye care professional immediately.

The only way to look directly at the sun safely when its not eclipsed or is partly eclipsed is with a special solar filter or a handheld solar viewer. Goggles, homemade filters, and dark sunglasses do not offer enough protection. Avoid looking at the sun through an unfiltered camera including a smartphone telescope, binoculars, or any other device. You can also make your own simple and inexpensive pinhole projector to safely view the eclipse, but be sure to follow instructions for making and using the projector carefully.

Sourced from: CDC

Published On: Aug 15th 2017

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