Latest news with #Insomnia


CNA
2 days ago
- Health
- CNA
Work It - Why the silent strain of menopause in the workplace is too costly to ignore
Brain fog, insomnia, mood swings – many women brush aside these symptoms of menopause, thinking it's just stress. Senior HR leader Julie Lee, shares how the biological changes affected her career and explains why companies need to rethink their policies to retain talent.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Insomnia 'cured' by four gentle exercises, new study shows
Yoga, tai chi, jogging and walking could be the best forms of exercise to help tackle the sleep disorder insomnia, a study suggests. These workouts are 'well-suited' to be recommended to patients due to their low cost and minimal side-effects, researchers said. People with insomnia regularly have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or wake several times during the night. It can cause people to have difficulty concentrating or to be tired and irritable during the day. To explore the effectiveness of different workouts on sleep quality and insomnia, researchers in China analysed 22 trials. The review included 1,348 patients and 13 different measures to boost sleep, including seven exercises: yoga, tai chi; walking or jogging; aerobic plus strength exercise; strength training alone; aerobic exercise combined with therapy; and mixed aerobic exercises. READ MORE: Warning as six DWP benefits to be scrapped in just one year READ MORE: Welsh Government reveals full details of farming scheme that led to huge protests The study found that yoga, in particular, resulted in an increase in sleep time of almost two hours, and could also cut the amount of time spent awake after falling asleep by nearly an hour. Walking or jogging could reduce insomnia severity, while tai chi could boost sleep quality. According to researchers, yoga's focus on body awareness and controlled breathing could help with symptoms of anxiety and depression to help people get a good night's sleep. Tai chi, an ancient Chinese martial art that involves slow, flowing movements, 'emphasises breath control and physical relaxation', they added, and could boost emotional regulation. Elsewhere, the study suggests walking or jogging could reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, while boosting melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep cycles. Researchers said: 'The findings of this study further underscore the therapeutic potential of exercise interventions in the treatment of insomnia. 'Given the advantages of exercise modalities such as yoga, tai chi, and walking or jogging – including low cost, minimal side effects, and high accessibility – these interventions are well-suited for integration into primary care and community health programmes.' Researchers stressed there were some 'methodological limitations' to some of the trials included in the analysis. However, they said the study, published in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine, 'provides comprehensive comparative evidence supporting the efficacy of exercise interventions in improving sleep outcomes among individuals with insomnia'. They also called for large-scale, high-quality trials to confirm and extend their findings. Other non-exercise-based approaches in the trials included the likes of cognitive behavourial therapy (CBT), acupuncture, massage and lifestyle changes. A number of trials found CBT is 'more effective and has a longer-lasting impact on insomnia than medication', researchers said. However, they highlighted a number of 'barriers' to CBT, including a lack of trained professionals.


The Independent
15-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Yoga, tai chi, walking and jogging best ways to tackle insomnia
Yoga, tai chi, jogging and walking could be the best forms of exercise to help tackle the sleep disorder insomnia, a study suggests. These workouts are 'well-suited' to be recommended to patients due to their low cost and minimal side-effects, researchers said. People with insomnia regularly have trouble falling asleep, staying asleep, or wake several times during the night. It can cause people to have difficulty concentrating or to be tired and irritable during the day. To explore the effectiveness of different workouts on sleep quality and insomnia, researchers in China analysed 22 trials. The review included 1,348 patients and 13 different measures to boost sleep, including seven exercises: yoga, tai chi; walking or jogging; aerobic plus strength exercise; strength training alone; aerobic exercise combined with therapy; and mixed aerobic exercises. The study found that yoga, in particular, resulted in an increase in sleep time of almost two hours, and could also cut the amount of time spent awake after falling asleep by nearly an hour. Walking or jogging could reduce insomnia severity, while tai chi could boost sleep quality. According to researchers, yoga's focus on body awareness and controlled breathing could help with symptoms of anxiety and depression to help people get a good night's sleep. Tai chi, an ancient Chinese martial art that involves slow, flowing movements, 'emphasises breath control and physical relaxation', they added, and could boost emotional regulation. Elsewhere, the study suggests walking or jogging could reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, while boosting melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep cycles. Researchers said: 'The findings of this study further underscore the therapeutic potential of exercise interventions in the treatment of insomnia. 'Given the advantages of exercise modalities such as yoga, tai chi, and walking or jogging – including low cost, minimal side effects, and high accessibility – these interventions are well-suited for integration into primary care and community health programmes.' Researchers stressed there were some 'methodological limitations' to some of the trials included in the analysis. However, they said the study, published in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine, 'provides comprehensive comparative evidence supporting the efficacy of exercise interventions in improving sleep outcomes among individuals with insomnia'. They also called for large-scale, high-quality trials to confirm and extend their findings. Other non-exercise-based approaches in the trials included the likes of cognitive behavourial therapy (CBT), acupuncture, massage and lifestyle changes. A number of trials found CBT is 'more effective and has a longer-lasting impact on insomnia than medication', researchers said. However, they highlighted a number of 'barriers' to CBT, including a lack of trained professionals.


The Independent
15-07-2025
- Health
- The Independent
New health study reveals the exercises that can help insomnia
Yoga, tai chi, jogging, and even a simple walk could be the most effective forms of exercise to combat the sleep disorder, insomnia, a new study suggests. Researchers advocate for these activities, noting their suitability for patient recommendation due to their low cost and minimal side-effects. Insomnia, characterised by persistent difficulty falling or staying asleep, or frequent nocturnal awakenings, can significantly impair daily life, leading to issues with concentration, fatigue, and irritability. To ascertain the efficacy of various physical activities on sleep quality and insomnia, researchers in China conducted a comprehensive analysis of 22 trials. The review encompassed 1,348 patients and evaluated 13 distinct measures aimed at improving sleep, including seven specific exercise regimens: yoga, tai chi, walking or jogging, combined aerobic and strength exercise, strength training alone, aerobic exercise paired with therapy, and mixed aerobic exercises. The study found that yoga, in particular, resulted in an increase in sleep time of almost two hours, and could also cut the amount of time spent awake after falling asleep by nearly an hour. Walking or jogging could reduce insomnia severity, while tai chi could boost sleep quality. According to researchers, yoga's focus on body awareness and controlled breathing could help with symptoms of anxiety and depression to help people get a good night's sleep. Tai chi, an ancient Chinese martial art that involves slow, flowing movements, 'emphasises breath control and physical relaxation', they added, and could boost emotional regulation. Elsewhere, the study suggests walking or jogging could reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol, while boosting melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep cycles. Researchers said: 'The findings of this study further underscore the therapeutic potential of exercise interventions in the treatment of insomnia. 'Given the advantages of exercise modalities such as yoga, tai chi, and walking or jogging – including low cost, minimal side effects, and high accessibility – these interventions are well-suited for integration into primary care and community health programmes.' Researchers stressed there were some 'methodological limitations' to some of the trials included in the analysis. However, they said the study, published in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine, 'provides comprehensive comparative evidence supporting the efficacy of exercise interventions in improving sleep outcomes among individuals with insomnia'. They also called for large-scale, high-quality trials to confirm and extend their findings. Other non-exercise-based approaches in the trials included the likes of cognitive behavourial therapy (CBT), acupuncture, massage and lifestyle changes. A number of trials found CBT is 'more effective and has a longer-lasting impact on insomnia than medication', researchers said. However, they highlighted a number of 'barriers' to CBT, including a lack of trained professionals.


Buzz Feed
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Stellan Skarsgård Took Pay Cut For Crew To Get Lunch
Stellan Skarsgård is opening up about accepting a lower salary on the set of his new movie, Sentimental Value. As well as taking a pay cut, Stellan said he became an executive producer because he wanted to ensure that the crew received good lunches on set. 'I wasn't supposed to be [an executive producer] at first, but I said I'd never film in Norway without having a special contract,' he explained at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, per Variety. Stellan then claimed that after a negative experience shooting Erik Skjoldbjærg's Insomnia (1997), he vowed never to film in Norway again unless good lunches were provided. 'I lost eight kilos on Insomnia. We would usually get a loaf of bread, that's pre-sliced, and a plastic salami. That's it!' Stellan claimed. 'I've made other films in Norway since then, but it has always said in my contract that everybody should get lunches of the highest European standard. And that's expensive. Norway, they're the richest country, but they don't want to spend money on food.' 'I went down, I think, half a million kroner in my salary to pay for this, for the food for everybody,' he continued. 'And the producer said, 'You'll get credit for that.' Also, the food has to be served on real china – no plastic, paper bags or whatever. And you're not standing in line, you sit down and eat. It makes everybody happier and makes the film much better. I haven't made one bad film in Norway since.' Stellan isn't the only actor who has accepted a pay cut for the benefit of others. Will Smith, for example, paid the King Richard cast bonuses out of his own pocket in 2021 after WarnerMedia chose to release the film on streaming services and in theaters simultaneously, resulting in a loss of theatrical returns. Keanu Reeves once reportedly gave the visual effects crew of The Matrix a 'very hefty bonus' to ensure that they were fairly compensated for their hard work. Back in 2017, it was reported that the original five stars of The Big Bang Theory — Jim Parsons, Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, Kunal Nayyar, and Simon Helberg — all agreed to $100,000 per episode pay cuts to allow their costars Mayim Bialik and Melissa Rauch to receive higher salaries. Meanwhile, the screenwriters behind Deadpool (Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick) once claimed that Ryan Reynolds paid for them to be on set during filming because the studio refused to. Stories like these absolutely restore my faith in Hollywood. If you can think of more examples, let me know in the comments.