Poor sleep may increase the risk of high blood pressure and stroke, researchers find
According to a new study published in hypertensiona journal of the American Heart Association.
Study participants who took regular daytime naps were 12 percent more likely to develop high blood pressure over time, and they were 24 percent more likely to have a stroke — compared to people who didn’t nap. never. For study participants younger than 60, the risk was greater. If they napped regularly, their risk of developing high blood pressure increased by 20 percent, compared to those who never or rarely napped.
The findings confirm the importance of a full night’s sleep, which benefits overall health. According to Newly updated 8 Essential Life Factors for achieving optimal cardiovascular health by the American Heart Association (AHA). People who sleep regularly do so because they don’t get enough sleep at night and are more likely to have other bad lifestyle habits, previous studies have shown.
In the new study, researchers analyzed data from the UK Biobank, a previous study that recorded genetic and health data on more than 500,000 individuals, aged 40-69, who lived in the UK between 2006 and 2010. Those who already had hypertension or a stroke at the start of the study were excluded, leaving 358,451 study participants. The researchers looked at three sleep categories: usually, sometimes, and never/rarely.
Of the participants, 50,507 had hypertension and 4,333 had stroke with a mean follow-up time of 11.2 years.
Researchers: Physical and mental activities with age help prevent cognitive decline
A new study shows that the benefits previously built up from physical and mental activities as people age can preserve the brain’s processing speed and may help delay or fight cognitive aging.
The study focused on the effects of exercise and mental activities – such as reading, going to class, or playing cards or other games – on “cognitive reserve” as it relates to thinking speed and memory. Cognitive reserve refers to the brain’s buffer or protection against the development of cognitive impairment and dementia.
A slowdown in the brain’s processing speed is a key factor in cognitive aging. The ability to think faster helps with problem solving, daily tasks, and the ability to focus and engage in conversations with others.
“We found that greater physical activity was associated with greater reserve of thinking speed in women, but not in men,” said study author Judy Pa, Ph.D., of the University of California, San Diego. . “Participating in more mental activities was associated with a greater reserve of thinking speed for both men and women.”
According to the study, which was published in Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
The study involved 758 people with an average age of 76. Participants underwent brain scans and underwent mental “speed and memory tests,” according to a news release. “To calculate cognitive reserve, people’s thinking test scores were compared to changes in the brain associated with dementia, such as the total volume of the hippocampus, a key brain region affected by Alzheimer’s disease,” the release said. new.
Study participants were also asked about their usual weekly physical activity. In the domain of mental activity, they were asked whether they participated in three types of activities: reading magazines, newspapers or books; going to classes; and playing cards, games or bingo. They were assigned one point for each type of activity, for a maximum of three points.
For mental activity, participants averaged 1.4 points. For physical activity, participants participated in an average of at least 15 minutes per week of exercise, such as brisk walking and cycling.
Each additional mental activity people participated in corresponded to 13 years less aging in their processing speed – 17 years in men and 10 years in women.
“Knowing that people can potentially improve their cognitive reserve by taking simple steps, such as going to classes at the community center, playing bingo with their friends, or spending more time walking or gardening It’s very exciting,” said Dr. Pa, the author of the study. .
Study: Walking 10,000 steps daily may reduce risk of early death for those with diabetes, prediabetes
Walking 10,000 steps a day may help keep you healthy overall, but the benefits may go even further for those with prediabetes and diabetes, according to a new study.
Such a daily routine was best at reducing the risk of death from any cause for people who find it difficult to control their blood sugar levels, according to researchers from the University of Seville, Spain, who evaluated a group of American adults. with prediabetes and diabetes using data. from CDC’s National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The findings were published in Diabetes carea publication of the American Diabetes Association.
Of the people who participated in the study, 1,194 adults had prediabetes and 493 had diabetes. Participants wore an accelerometer on their waist to count their steps. The researchers adjusted for age, gender, ethnicity, smoking, alcohol use, and use of prescription diabetes medications. The group was monitored for nine years.
In a separate study released last year, researchers found that middle-aged adults who walked an average of at least 7,000 steps a day were 50 percent to 70 percent less likely to die of any cause over the next decade. future, compared to adults who. took fewer steps, according to the results published this month in JAMA Network Open.
“Being physically active offers significant health benefits for many conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some types of cancer, as well as improving quality of life,” the researchers point out as part of the study. “The number of steps people take each day is a meaningful metric for quantifying total daily activity.”
US Physical Activity Guidelines recommend at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, which includes brisk walking.
