Individuals who get less than seven hours of sleep per night appear about three times as likely to develop respiratory illness following exposure to a cold virus as those who sleep eight hours or more, according to recent research findings.
Studies have demonstrated that sleep deprivation impairs some immune function, according to background information in the article. Research indicates that those who sleep approximately seven to eight hours per night have the lowest rates of heart disease illness and death. However, there has previously been little direct evidence that poor sleep increases susceptibility to the common cold.
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Study results published in the September 1, 2008 issue of the journal Sleep shows that daytime sleeping during a rehabilitation stay predicts less functional recovery for older adults, with effects lasting as long as three months.
Results show that a higher percentage of daytime sleep during rehabilitation was significantly associated with less functional recovery from admission to discharge even after adjusting for other predictors such as mental status, hours of therapy received and reason for admission. More daytime sleeping during rehab remained a significant predictor of less functional recovery at a three-month follow-up.
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Sleep disruption is common, especially during times when you may feel emotionally overwhelmed. Anxiety, relentless replaying of the day’s events, and heightened emotions may significantly interfere with your sleep. Lack of sleep robs you of needed rest, making management of your illness more difficult.
Some people, for a variety of reasons, still have sleep disturbances related to the events of September 11, 2001, which saw the destruction of the World Trade Centers and partial destruction of the Pentagon. Other people, especially family members and friends of deployed American military personnel, don’t always sleep well. There are always those people who are stressed about things, such as stress at work, lack of a job, loss of a job, family issues, or financial issues.
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