We spend about a third of our life sleeping. The average adult sleeps 7 to 8.6 hours a day. Children sleep more than adults; they spent about 10 hours a day sleeping. Newborns, however, may sleep for nearly two-thirds of their day. There is an age-related difference in average time spent sleeping. As a person ages, they require less sleep. The elderly only spent around 6.5 hours a day sleeping.

The amount of time spent sleeping may be genetically influenced. Deprived of sleep, we run the risk of fatigue; depressed immune system; impaired concentration, creativity, and communication; irritability; and deteriorated performance. In the long-run, sleep deprivation may contribute to obesity, hypertension, and memory impairment.

Who is More Stressed?

- 26% of women report trouble sleeping at least once a week compared to only

- 16% of men

- 19% of individuals ages 45-64 admit to losing sleep due to stress a few nights per week

Sleep Facts

- Up to 15% of people is sleep walking

- Approximately 15% of people have restless leg syndrome

- Vehicular crashes are the third leading cause of death and injury in the United States, and up to 20% of them are sleep related

- Untreated sleep apnea causes 500,000 motor vehicle crashes annually

- One in 20 men have sleep apnea

- Seizures occur more commonly during sleep than during waking hours

- Many tranquilizers actually decrease deeper stages of sleep that are

required for the restoration and fresh feeling in the morning

- Jet Lag is worse when traveling toward the East

- Sleep loss of four hours is equivalent to being drunk with a blood alcohol

level of 0.1%

- One-third of young adults are pathologically sleepy during the day Read The Full Story…

To stop snoring would be a priority for health reasons alone, however there are other concerns. Could it be affecting your relationship? Over half the adults who snore sleep in separate rooms to their partners, doesn’t argue well for marital bliss does it?

Snoring can leave you tired and cranky in the morning. Follow these seven steps for sound sleep:

1. Change Sleep Position

There are many experts that recommend avoiding sleeping on the back if snoring is a problem. Changing the sleeping position can help to increase the ease of airflow that can occur through the nose, mouth and to the lungs. Therefore, sometimes, the culprit of snoring can be seen in the sleeping position. Experts recommend sleeping on your side for best results when trying to quell snoring.

2. Lose Weight

Overweight people tend have bulky neck tissue which increases snoring risk. If you are overweight, losing just modest amount of weight – even just 10% of your body weight — can help you stop snoring.

3. Use a Good Pillow

A good pillow, how old is yours? You don’t want to know what can live in old pillows! Should it be consigned to the rubbish bin? Could it be causing allergies?

4. Avoid Alcohol and Pills

Both alcohol and sleeping pills can depress your central nervous system and relax the muscles of your throat and jaw, making snoring more likely. These substances are also known to contribute to sleep apnea, a dangerous condition that has been linked with cardiovascular disease. And they should never, ever be used together. Read The Full Story…

Stomach ulcers form when acid comes into contact with unprotected tissues in the lining of the stomach. The healthy stomach protects itself from erosion through a mucosal layer secreted by special cells on the stomach wall. Occasionally however, this protection breaks down for various reasons. The result is basically an open sore that develops on the lining of the stomach. Most people used to think that ulcers were caused by stress or by eating too much spicy food. While either of these can cause more acid in the stomach, it has now been found that most ulcers are caused by H. pylori, but only when certain conditions are present. In fact, many people have H. pylori in their gut, but never develop ulcers.

What causes Stomach Ulcers?

The direct cause of peptic ulcers is the destruction of the gastric or intestinal mucosal lining of the stomach by hydrochloric acid, an acid normally present in the digestive juices of the stomach. Infection with the bacterium Helicobacter pylori is thought to play an important role in causing both gastric and duodenal ulcers. Helicobacter pylori may be transmitted from person to person through contaminated food and water. Antibiotics are the most effective treatment for Helicobacter pylori peptic ulcers.

Acid Reflux occurs when the tube that you uses to intake the food from the throat to stomach is not strong enough to handle the acid. The food intaken by you is digested by the stomach with the help of an acid produced and stored by it. The stomach walls are built strong enough to store that acid without causing damage.

Here is Remedies for Acid Reflux Disease, Reflux Foods and Side Effects of Antacids.

Injury of the gastric mucosal lining, and weakening of the mucous defenses are also responsible for gastric ulcers. Excess secretion of hydrochloric acid, genetic predisposition, and psychological stress are important contributing factors in the formation and worsening of duodenal ulcers.

Another major cause of ulcers is the chronic use of anti-inflammatory medications, such as aspirin. Cigarette smoking is also an important cause of ulcer formation and ulcer treatment failure.

How long can humans stay awake?

J. Christian Gillin, a professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, conducts research on sleep, chronobiology and mood disorders. He supplies the following answer.

In 1964, as a 17-year-old high school student in San Diego, California, Gardner stayed awake for 264 hours (11 days) with the help of friends, TV reporters, and shooting hoops His stunt was part of a school science project on sleep patterns.

The effects of sleep deprivation on Randy Gardner included moodiness, problems with concentration and memory, paranoia and hallucinations. After four days, he had the delusion that he was a famous American football player winning the Rose Bowl. He also mistook a street sign for a person.

On the 11th day, he was asked to subtract seven repeatedly, starting from 100. He stopped when he got to 65… and said he had forgotten what he was doing. Read The Full Story…