Many people in the Western world are heavier than ideal. Despite the wide year-round availability of healthy foods, too many of us reach for high-calorie junk food on a regular basis. Part of this is due to cost and taste, but cravings also play a huge role. A large proportion of people describe late night […]
Key Mechanism in How We Fall Asleep and Wake Up Discovered: BK Channels
Researchers have discovered the exact mechanism of how mice fall asleep and wake, offering the hope of new treatment for people with sleep disorders. Millions of people suffer from sleep disorders such as insomnia, jet lag and circadian disorders. However, medicine offers few answers for these debilitating problems. This is due to the fact that there […]
Hormonal Contraception Use Shown to Increase Risk of Depression
Hormonal contraception use is so common that it is almost ubiquitous. However, it may be increasing the risk of depression in some women who use it. Although millions of women worldwide use hormone contraception, the Pill and other contraceptives can have a variety of side effects. While many of these side effects are generally minor, […]
How Chronobiology is Affecting Cancer Treatment
Scientists are just beginning to understand the human brain’s relationship with time. We have known for decades that the body runs on circadian rhythms, with cycles repeating themselves every 24-hours. Our body actually runs on several different clocks, with cell growth, hormone release and other daily activities wired to a cycle based on sleep, levels […]
Social Jet Lag and Your Health
How do your sleep habits on weekends compare to those of weekdays? For many modern people, there is a sizable difference in when they wake, when they go to bed, and how many hours they sleep. Weekends come with later bedtimes and alarm clocks turned off, allowing sleep-deprived people to catch up on sleep missed […]