Sleep apnea, Sleep study, Sleep treatment: More on sleeping

The biggest reward that one can gain from living an active, healthy lifestyle is the gift of life. Obesity has become a dangerous epidemic in the United States and has led to a series of diseases and even death for many Americans. Amongst the ailments caused by obesity is sleep apnea, which is often linked with hypertension, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease. The most effective method for combating Sleep Apnea is weight loss. Along with diet, exercise is a healthy, positive, and life changing habit that can reverse many diseases and improve a person's overall well being. Several exercise options, programs, and fitness communities can assist in establishing and continuing on a path to wellness.

Traditional exercise can be a simple start to lose weight and enjoy a good night's Sleep study. For instance, walking and running, for most, are safe ways to begin a fitness routine. They require no more than a comfortable pair of sneakers and a determination to get in shape. If walking and running don’t sound engaging enough, there are countless aerobic and weight-training programs to fit any interest. Aerobic and cardio workouts, in addition to those mentioned above include swimming, biking, Zumba, step and water aerobics, and really any exercise that increases the heart-rate over an extended period of time. Because of the increased heart rate, aerobic exercise burns calories and, combined with a nutritious diet, is an optimal way to lose weight. A consistent aerobic routine will also increase oxygen consumption while burning fat and cholesterol, control weight, reduce health hazards, lower blood pressure and so much more.

Weight lifting, if done correctly, will burn calories and increase your metabolism. It can also improve your immune system and decrease your chances of developing severe diseases. Types of weight training include squatting, crunches, shrugs, leg curls and presses, arm curls and presses; in fact the list goes on and on. There is a weight training exercise for nearly every muscle in the body. Because conventional weight lifting is generally associated with strength and muscle development it may not always result in drastic weight loss. However, decreasing weight, increasing reps and shortening the time between exercises will help to keep the heart rate elevated, therefore burning more calories.

For many, working out in a gym can be intimidating, expensive or even unavailable. If this is the case there are countless sports, hobbies and activities, aside from traditional exercise, that can result in weight loss. Swimming, biking, hiking, and rollerblading are fun ways to get fit and enjoy the outdoors. Yoga and dancing are fantastic examples of exercise that can be done in the home and allow for personal expression and stress relief. Joining a sports league, coaching a little league team, or just dusting off the football or basketball for a few minutes in the backyard with family or friends, can be fun ways to lose weight while enjoying the company and community of others. Even non-athletic hobbies such as fishing, building a car, remodeling your home can have a beneficial impact on your health. Don’t just sit on the couch and watch other people do the things you’re interested in, get out and do them yourself.

If weight loss is your goal, open your mind to the many different options and possibilities you have. People have even found ways to turn everyday housework into a beneficial exercise regime. More specifically, putting dishes away can turn into a squatting routine by merely using your entire body. In addition, vacuuming and washing windows can utilize numerous parts of the body, including calves, thighs, shoulders, arms, back and abdomen. Exaggerated motions and a little creativity can turn housework into a clean home, a daily workout and a full nights rest. Video games have also become a fun way to shed a few pounds. These games include the Wii fit, which offers a personalized fitness routine for any individual. Xbox, PlayStation and even Nintendo DS have games available that can help anyone lose weight. Games such as, The Biggest Loser, presents fitness routines geared toward each individual. There are many creative activities that can be enjoyable and improve health at the same time.

Still getting into shape may seem like an overwhelming task, especially when going at it alone. However, there are ways to stay on track while working with others. In particular, SparkPeople.com is an outstanding web community that tracks your progress, offers fitness and diet plans, allows you to contact dieticians and trainers, and links you to people who are also committed to making a change. Becoming part of community, such as this one, can be encouraging and beneficial motivators, especially during the hardships often associated with working out. Getting involved in fitness clubs can also boost your enthusiasm. Most clubs offer an assortment of classes, such as racquetball, kickboxing, cycling, yoga, and personal training. By setting goals and utilizing all of the options that are out there, it can be easier to get into gear and begin a longer and healthier life.

It is helpful to understand just how many calories are burned by some of the activities mentioned. To begin, just 30 minutes of housework such as vacuuming, doing dishes and washing windows can burn an average of 110 calories. Also, spending nearly 30 minutes skating, roller-blading or cycling can burn about 250 calories. A brisk 30-minute walk can burn approximately 90 calories. An hour of aerobic exercise can expend about 450 calories. Nonetheless, these are merely averages because height, weight and age are all factors that determine the exact number of calories burned. It is important to remember that 1 pound of fat is equal to roughly 3500 calories, which is why the combination of diet and exercise are imperative. For more on calories read the diet feature.

In essence, there are various exercise options and support groups available for anyone that is interested in improving their lifestyle. Getting fit does not have to include spending endless and grueling hours in the gym. All of the activities mentioned above could kick start an enhanced way of life that consists of weight loss and improved Sleep treatment. An early day exercise, hobby, or leisure activity is guaranteed to boost your overall health, which can insure an improved quality of sleep at night.

This article has been taken from http://www.ideamarketers.com/?articleid=2733006&wherefrom=LOGIN&CFID=72258069&CFTOKEN=95831316

Sleep apnea, Sleep study, Sleep treatment: Finding the Right Fit

Do you find yourself thirstier than usual, as well as hungry—even after eating? Frequently urinating or having a dry mouth? Fatigued or breathing more heavily? All of these are symptoms of diabetes, a disease that affects more than twenty-five million children and adults in the United States. In 2010, there were a little less than two million new cases of diabetes diagnosed among adults who were twenty years of age or older. It is roughly as common among men (11.8%) as it is among women (10.8%).

The key to understanding diabetes is to understanding the importance of insulin. Insulin is a hormone that plays a significant role in regulating blood sugar levels and enabling the body to convert sugar (also called glucose) into the energy needed for daily functioning. Some people with diabetes are unable to make insulin, which is referred to as Type 1 diabetes. The more common form of diabetes, however, is Type 2. Individuals with Type 2 diabetes do produce insulin, but it is produced in either insufficient amounts or the amounts that are produced are not recognized by the body’s cells, preventing the insulin from turning sugar into the energy needed for functioning. The symptoms for Type 2 diabetes often take a long time to develop, and in addition to the ones mentioned in the beginning, can include slow-healing cuts or sores, numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, and impotence.

Sleep Apnea and Diabetes: An Unhealthy Pair

For a while, most observations about sleep apnea and diabetes were that they often occurred simultaneously in those who were already obese, a condition common to both sleep apnea and diabetes. However, further investigation of the two has found that there is likely a direct relationship between them.

A 2008 literature review examined eight clinical studies concerning Sleep study and diabetes and found an association between the severity of obstructive sleep apnea and alterations in participants’ glucose metabolism that were consistent with an increased risk for diabetes. A 2010 study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine evaluated sixty diabetic patients and found that 77% of them had sleep apnea. Among the participants, increasing apnea severity was associated with poorer glucose control as measured by hemoglobin A1C levels. These results held true even after controlling for other factors that could explain the conditions, such as age, race, sex, body mass index, level of exercise, number of diabetic medications, years of diabetes, and total sleep time.

When an apneic event occurs during the night, the airway collapses and oxygen levels drop because the person has stopped breathing. This lowered oxygen level is referred to as hypoxia. Apneic events can also lead to arousals that can significantly fragment sleep over the course of the entire night. The combined effect of hypoxia and sleep fragmentation can lead to altered glucose (blood sugar) metabolism, a risk factor for diabetes.

Compared to normal sleep, the body undergoes a stress response due to the hypoxia and sleep fragmentation. Blood pressure and heart rates can increase, and breathing can momentarily speed up, particularly during arousals. Other changes include altering levels of leptin—a hormone that regulates energy intake and expenditure—and an increase in insulin resistance. The result of these changes due to sleep apnea—altered glucose metabolism, leptin levels, and increased insulin resistance—is an elevated risk for glucose intolerance, or type 2 diabetes.

Once diabetes has developed, the body is unable to get adequate energy from blood sugar to function appropriately. This means the control mechanisms for breathing during the night can be altered, resulting in the impaired breathing patterns typical of sleep apnea.

CPAP: Resolve Sleep Apnea, Improve Type 2 Diabetes

While sleep apnea and diabetes have a significant and mutually deteriorating relationship, the good news is that the opposite is also true—treating or improving the symptoms of one can often lead to an improvement in the other. For example, using diet and exercise to control diabetes may improve a person’s sleep.

The most common treatment for sleep apnea is Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), which involves using air blown into a mask at a set pressure to keep the airway held open and prevent it from collapsing. To better understand how using CPAP to treat sleep apnea could improve diabetes, it is helpful to know how each condition can cause the other.

How does using CPAP to resolve Sleep treatment affect diabetes? In a 2005 study of twenty-five patients with diabetes and obstructive sleep apnea, a significant decrease in hemoglobin A1C levels (used for measuring diabetes) was noted at the thirty and ninety day point of CPAP therapy. These decreases were correlated to the number of nights that participants used CPAP for at least four hours (the common standard for compliance).

The effects of CPAP in improving diabetes symptoms can occur fairly quickly. One study investigating the effects of CPAP on insulin sensitivity found that sensitivities were significantly improved after just two days of CPAP use. This effect was smaller in obese participants than non-obese ones, suggesting that insulin sensitivity for obese individuals may be regulated more by their obesity than by sleep apnea.

This article has been taken from http://www.zimbio.com/Insomnia/articles/V7Sjy1hG-q9/Sleep+apnea+Sleep+study+Sleep+treatment+Finding?add=True