We always think of wearing something cosy to bed to get a good night's sleep. We even dress up kids to be comfortable and bundled up so they can get a sound sleep. Studies have shown that contrary to popular belief, sleeping nude is the best way to a sound sleep. In addition to good sleep, there are other benefits that have been identified too, as listed below:

1) Improves sleep quality: While most of us think of keeping ourselves cosy in our nightwear leads to good sleep, science believes otherwise. A reduced core body temperature is what leads to better sleep. This happens when you sleep with no extra layers of clothes to keep you warm. Research conducted showed better depth of sleep and reduced number of awakenings when there are no extra clothing layers.

2) Better skin and hair health: Melatonin and growth hormone are essential for anti-aging and they are released when the body temperature is cooler, which happens when sleeping in the nude. Growth hormone is essential for bone mineralization, improved immunity, and muscle mass building. Melatonin is a good hormone regulator, and manages the functioning of other hormones essential for our body. The armpits and groin area are always covered, and sleeping without clothes can help these areas breathe and feel fresher. The chances of yeast infection are also reduced.

3) Reduced stress levels: The stress hormone cortisol is also optimal, both in release and function, when the body gets a good sleep. This is essential for better immunity and cognitive function, better sugar regulation. Reduced stress leads to reduced chances of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, etc. Therefore, sleeping without clothes helps to better equip you with fighting stress.

4) Weight loss: Our body has two types of fat, both brown and white. While fat helps to keep the body warm, sleeping without clothes burns more of this fat and thereby, increases weight loss. Another mechanism is the  good sleep that you get when sleeping without clothes helps improve metabolism, reduce fat and sugar cravings, thereby further adding to weight loss.

5) Improved relationships: Needless to say, getting into the habit of sleeping without clothes will help your sex life. The science behind it is the improved release of oxytocin, which is the cuddle hormone.

6) Better sperm quality: The testes produce better sperm quality when body temperature is cooler, thereby improving male fertility. Warm clothes at night also has a bad effect on testosterone, which is essential for boosting libido and other male sexual features.

There you go, a lot of valid scientifically proven reasons to drop those night suits and pajamas off  what is more, there is also a cost saving here!

Sleep NAKED to Be Healthier and Happier

What is the best time to sleep?
This is one of those questions which bother many and sundry. Considering the different sleep schedules which different people might develop as a result of their work or other reasons, the correct answer is roughly around 10 p. M. It is good to follow a proper sleeping schedule so that you go to bed and wake up at the same time almost every single day. The body's internal clock or the circadian rhythm is linked to the cycle of the sun. Technically, it is better to wake up with the sun as it has a number of benefits for the human body.

The quality of sleep is known to be influenced by how late you retire for the night. The quality of rem (rapid eye movement) sleep tends to decrease if you go to sleep late. There is another type of sleep which is known as non rem sleep; this is a deeper state of sleep. The non rem sleep helps in revitalizing the body and leaves you energized once you wake up. Sleeping late at night is linked to higher levels of rem sleep, which might not be very beneficial for your physical or mental health.

If you go to bed late at night, you will experience more of the lighter rem sleep. This may lead to fatigue and restlessness the following day. It is also been shown that going to bed late and sleeping less than the usual eight hours is linked with problems in blood sugar levels and decline in cognitive function. It also raises your risks of high blood pressure.

Exposure to radiation from your cellphones or the glare from your computer screen before going to sleep may also affect the quantity and quality of your sleep. Make sure you eat a light dinner consisting of salads. Eating a heavy dinner before going to bed may cause digestive problems, thus impairing your sleep. Also make sure to exercise on a regular basis as it releases various hormones in the body that help in improving your overall wellbeing.

Just What Is the Best Time to Go to Sleep?

Pneumonia is a lung infection that can be potentially fatal if it is not treated on time. This disease may cause fever, cough, cold and congestion and is known to clear within two to three weeks with bed rest and proper remedies at home. Yet, it is best to have it checked by a doctor, especially if it happens to affect a child. The causes of symptoms of this condition are as follows:

Symptoms: The most common symptom of pneumonia is a painful cough with which you will end up throwing out lots of mucus. This mucus or sputum usually comes from the lungs. The patient may also have fever and may experience shortness of breath and shallow breathing on several occasions. Further, chills that cause chattering teeth and shivering, can also afflict the patient, especially during the night. Chest pain is also a common symptom of this condition due to the excessive and persistent coughing, laboured breathing and congestion. Due to this, the patient may also experience accelerated heartbeat and a pounding heart. Nausea, weakness, fatigue and loose motions are some of the other symptoms of this condition.

Causes

Germs: Germs finding their way into the lungs is a sure shot way of contracting pneumonia. These bacteria are most likely to strike when you have just recovered from a flu, cold or fever following which your immunity is pretty low.
Chronic Ailments: Patients who are suffering from chronic ailments like asthma, heart disease, diabetes and even cancer, are at risk of getting pneumonia, in which case immediate treatment will be required so that it does not become a fatality.
Bacteria: While the specific bacteria cannot be diagnosed with the help of tests, the most common bacteria that cause this condition are known as Streptococcus Pneumoniae. Other bacteria that can cause this disease include the Mycoplasma Pneumoniae which can cause a more mild form of pneumonia known as walking pneumonia.
Virus: The viruses that cause influenza like virus A and B can also cause this disease along with the respiratory syncytial virus or RSV. These affect the nose, lungs and throat.
Immunity: When your immune system is impaired or when you have just recovered from a bout of moderate to serious ailments, this virus or bacteria is most rampant and can afflict you. In case the patient is suffering from AIDS or other fungal infections, the risk of contracting pneumonia is heightened.
This is a contagious disease that may be caused when you breathe the same infected air as another patient with the same disease. It can also follow viral diseases like chickenpox and measles.
 If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a pulmonologist.

Common Causes and Symptoms of Pneumonia

Insomnia is a disorder where a person has difficulty sleeping. One can have problem falling asleep or staying asleep for long. Some people also have disturbed sleep. This can be a major problem as due to lack of sleep one feels tired and fatigued all day.

Recurring cases of insomnia hamper your daily activities and interfere with the smooth functioning of your life. Therefore, this condition should not be ignored and treated immediately.

Here are the various ways to treat insomnia:
Non-Medical (Cognitive and Behavioral treatment)
Several psychological and behavioral techniques can be used for the treatment of insomnia. Many of these methods can be easily self-taught and others require a therapist to be carried out properly. 

1. Relaxation training, which is also called progressive muscle relaxation involves the patient to tense and relax his muscles systematically in various parts or regions of the body. Relaxation techniques, such as breathing exercises, various forms of meditation, mindfulness and guided imagery are used for treating insomnia people. The use of audio recordings for guidance in these techniques is quite popular.

2. Stimulus control enables building an association between the bedroom and sleep. This is done by limiting several kinds of activities done in a bedroom. This may include going to bed only when very sleepy and leaving bed if you cannot sleep within twenty minutes. A strict bedtime and wake up time schedule has to be maintained.

3. Cognitive behavioral therapy or CBT involves changes in behavior like maintaining a strict sleep time schedule, elimination of afternoon naps and other habits related to sleep. A cognitive component is also added to this method. Unhealthy beliefs and fear regarding sleep are challenged and positive, rational thinking is encouraged. CBT is a very effective procedure for treating insomnia and the track record regarding success is high.

4. Changes in lifestyle are required to treat insomnia and prevent recurrence of insomnia, you should change certain habits and start some new practices. You should limit your intake of caffeine, alcohol and nicotine. Do not consume coffee or tea before going to sleep and avoid smoking. The habits may be stimulating and will keep you awake. Your diet should be balanced. You should avoid having rich and spicy food before going to bed. Avoid late meals and maintain a proper schedule for meals. Regular exercise can improve the symptoms of insomnia and you should try to work out every day.

Medical Treatment
There are many forms of medicines, which can treat insomnia. This includes over-the-counter medicines, as well as prescribed medicines. The type of medicine required completely depends on the severity and symptoms of your insomnia and other factors related to health. Therefore, you must consult a doctor before having any kind of medicine for treating insomnia.

The most common medicines for insomnia, which are usually prescribed by doctors are benzodiazepine hypnotics, non-benzodiazepine hypnotics and melatonin receptor agonists. However, medicines should only be taken after consulting with a specialist. Insomnia not only affects your health but also interferes with all your daily activities. Proper treatment should be taken to treat the same.

Ways to Treat Insomnia

At some point in life most people experience acute pain in their lower back which is extremely painful. Pain in the spine causes a lot of discomfort and disruption in the life of an individual and hence, it is always better to get it checked on time. There are patients who even wonder when they should consult a neurosurgeon or a spine surgeon for their back pain. It is advisable that a physical examination is done by a primary care physician for low back pain before consulting a spine surgeon.

Why consult a Physical care Physician First?
The main reason to consult a primary care physician at first is that he would prescribe medications for severe lower back pain. The medications could include non-narcotic pain medications such as Ultram or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as Motrin. The physician can even refer you to a chiropractor or for physical therapy to get relief from the back pain. Mechanical means are made use of by a chiropractor mainly to alleviate the back pain of the patient.

If the patient feels better with the physical therapy or the medications prescribed by the family doctor and is able to resume normal activities, then there is no need to see a spine surgeon. It is often recommended to take good care of the back and to exercise. A combination of ergonomics, regular stretching and improved everyday posture is beneficial as it reduces the chance of causing pain in the lower back. Exercise plays a very important role and it provides the possibility of reducing the pain.

Conservative Care for Treating Lower back Pain
It is best for patients to consult a conservative care specialist if after consulting a chiropractor they do not find any reduction in their pain and they do not want to undergo spine surgery. The conservative care specialists are well-trained in rehabilitation of musculoskeletal disorders and specialize in spine care. The role of the conservative care specialist is similar to a cardiologist who specializes in treating neurological disorders.

The specialist for spine care works along with the surgeon in a spine center to treat the lower back pain. The specialist is trained in diagnostic techniques and is capable of making use of a combination of diagnostic tests as well as injection techniques such as epidural steroid injections to diagnose the source of the lower back pain in a patient. They can even advise patients whether it is appropriate to consult a spine surgeon for surgery. Surgery is done to correct the anatomical conditions and it is performed only when non-surgical treatments are not successful in alleviating the pain of the patient.

When Is The Right Time To See A Spine Surgeon?

Pneumonia is a lung infection that affects one or both lungs. It can be triggered by bacteria, virus or fungi and causes inflammation in the lung s air sacs that make it difficult to breathe. Pneumonia can range from a mild infection to being a life threatening condition. This severity depends on the age and general health of the patient along with the cause of the inflammation and type of infection.
Pneumonia can be classified in many ways. There are three main types of pneumonia based on the type of microbe that causes the infection; bacterial, viral and mycoplasmic pneumonia.

Bacterial Pneumonia: Streptococcus pneumonia is the most common cause of bacterial pneumonia. It can affect people at any age and can develop on its own or be triggered by flu. A weak immune system increases the risk of suffering from this condition. Breathlessness and pain while breathing are some of the symptoms associated with this type of pneumonia.
Viral Pneumonia: When it comes to young children and the elderly, pneumonia is often caused by respiratory viruses. This type of pneumonia is short lived but the virus that triggers the infection can be fatal. Viral pneumonia can be extremely harmful to pregnant women and individuals with heart or lung issues.
Mycoplasma pneumonia: This is also known as atypical or walking pneumonia. It affects people of all age groups but is commonly seen in cases where the patient is below 40 years of age. Mycoplasma pneumonia cases are usually mild with a persistent cough being the most prominent symptom.
Pneumonia is not always caused by microbes. Aspiration pneumonia can be contacted by inhaling a foreign object such as food, drinks or regurgitated food into the lungs. This type of pneumonia affects the elderly and people under sedation or anesthesia. Along with breathing difficulties, it also causes a decreased gag reflex and difficulty swallowing food.

Though it is not possible to completely prevent pneumonia, the risks of contacting this disease can be easily lowered. Some of the steps you could take to lower your chance of suffering from this disease are:

Avoid close contact with people suffering from viral infections like flu, colds, etc.
Wash your hands often to prevent the spreading of viruses and bacteria
Stop smoking and avoid exposure to second hand smoke
Get vaccinated against the bacteria that cause pneumonia
Get vaccinated against flu to prevent seasonal colds
Exercise regularly and follow a healthy diet

Pneumonia - Can It Be Prevented?

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