Sleep Archive

Health studies rarely involve people on opposite sides of the globe who have very different lifestyles. However, researchers at Vanderbilt Medical School took that approach when they pooled data from dietary studies of 72,000 men and women in the southeastern United States and 135,000 people in Shanghai, China. It turns out that the Americans and Chinese have something in common—they both eat a lot of peanuts—and they may be living longer as a result.

All of the participants filled out detailed questionnaires on the foods they ate regularly. The research team noted that peanuts accounted for 50% of nuts eaten by Americans and almost all the nuts consumed by the Chinese.

Why you should plan now for care you may need later.

Q. Why do people over 60 lose height? I've lost a few inches over the years. Can this be prevented?

Easy ways to increase activity and cut down on sedentary time.

They're linked to calorie absorption, high blood pressure, and heart trouble.

For weight-conscious people who love the bite of carbonation and the taste of various soft drinks, the advent of sugar-free sodas 60 years ago seemed a blessing: if there were no calories, you didn't have to worry about weight gain—and the diseases that go along with obesity, like diabetes and heart disease. "But there are growing doubts about whether diet sodas really help people lose weight and avoid diabetes," says Dr. Anthony Komaroff, editor in chief of the Health Letter.

Standing up more throughout the day may help you dodge heart disease and live longer.

Some first-generation diet pills proved risky to the heart. New drugs may have expanded the options for treating obesity.

High blood pressure is one of the many health risks associated with not getting enough sleep, which is often caused by insomnia, or difficulty falling or staying asleep. Although often considered a nighttime problem, some people with insomnia may be in a state of "hyperarousal" that also makes it hard for them to nod off during the day. Now, new research suggests that people with chronic insomnia who also have trouble napping face a higher risk of high blood pressure.

The study, in the March 2015 issue of Hypertension, included more than 200 people with chronic insomnia (defined as insomnia that lasts more than six months) and almost 100 normal sleepers. All underwent daytime nap tests, which measures how quickly a person falls asleep in a quiet environment during the day. People with chronic insomnia who took longer than 14 minutes to fall asleep during the nap studies had three times the risk of high blood pressure compared with normal sleepers, the researchers found. Treatments such as medications and biofeedback to help dampen hyperarousal may be best for people with this type of insomnia, they suggest, although more research is needed.

Q. Would you suggest I try taking a probiotic supplement for general colon health? I have a sensitive stomach and sometimes suffer from constipation.

A. Probiotics, the beneficial bacteria that live in our intestines and assist in digestion, have gained a lot of support lately. Each week, a new study appears describing health benefits or diseases associated with changes in the so-called microbiome—the diverse community of microorganisms each of us carries inside our body. Still, the benefits of adding probiotics to the intestinal tract are uncertain.

Probiotics have proved helpful in situations where the body's normal, healthy bacteria have been destroyed, such as after taking a powerful antibiotic. Small studies in people with irritable bowel syndrome have suggested that taking probiotics improves pain and diarrhea. The benefit in constipation is less certain, but it's reasonable for you to try taking a probiotic if you are interested.

Soy foods can help you build a healthy diet, but their ability to prevent heart disease and cancer remain unproven. Soy foods, from soy milk to tofu, are often touted for their health benefits. But if you add soy to your diet, be mindful about what you are pushing off the plate.