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[bs_col class=”col-sm-8″] By PEAK Health and Fitness

CHOOSE TO SNOOZE

There are more benefits to getting enough sleep than just feeling rejuvenated. Getting eight to 10 hours of sleep per night can also benefit your weight, heart, mind and more.

Have you just begun learning something new? For instance, are you learning a new language or a new fun activity/hobby? Did you know that sleep can help practice those skills in your sleep? During a process called consolidation, you can strengthen memories and improve on skills necessary for that new hobby of yours.

Getting more sleep at night may also spring up your creativity. Along with consolidation, you can increase your performance. Athletes studied at Stanford University who increased their sleep to 10 hours per night for eight weeks improved their sprint time and had less fatigue and more stamina. Getting more sleep can also reduce stress levels and can help you control your blood pressure. Getting enough sleep at night can also help to prevent depression.

Are you trying to lose weight but find yourself hitting a plateau? How much sleep are you getting at night? The University of Chicago found that dieters who lost weight – 56 percent fat – were well rested, whereas those who lost muscle mass were sleep deprived. Your metabolism and sleep are controlled by the same areas of the brain. Sleepiness can trigger hunger causing certain hormones to starting flowing in your body.

Can too little sleep have adverse effects on your health? Absolutely. In 2010, women ages 50-79 were studied to see how getting less than five hours differed from getting more than six and a half hours of sleep during their lifetime. The study concluded that more deaths occurred in women within the less than five hours group of women. Getting less than six hours of sleep at night may also increase chances of inflammation – which is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, arthritis and premature aging.[/bs_col][bs_col class=”col-sm-4″]

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HERBAL SUPPLEMENTS THAT ARE ACTUALLY WORTH TAKING
Natural remedies are all the rage right now. There seems to be a supplement, essential oil, drink, or pill for nearly every ailment. But how can you separate truth from fiction? Hear what Dr. Kirtly Jones Parker has to say about herbal supplements that are actually worth taking.

Read the full story here.

WORRIES ABOUT AN ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANT ‘SUPERBUG’
A type of bacteria first identified in Chinese pigs now is causing concern in the U.S. due to its resistance to an antibiotic currently seen as a last-ditch effort.

“An E. coli bacterium has been found that has acquired resistance to colistin,” says Sankar Swaminathan, M.D., the Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases for University of Utah Health Care. “Colistin is an antibiotic that is used to treat some bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics.”

For more expert health news and information, visit healthcare.utah.edu/healthfeed.[/bs_well]
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