Latest news with #Rido
New York Post
5 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
Super common habit is keeping your brain awake while you sleep — even when you do it hours before bed
Late-night scrolling isn't the only thing sabotaging your slumber. New research suggests that a common daily habit may send your brain into overdrive while you sleep — even if you do it hours before bedtime. Scientists warn the disruption could interfere with the brain's overnight recovery processes, potentially taking a toll on your cognitive health. 4 Caffeine is a stimulant that can make it hard to fall asleep, but it might also affect your brain once you doze off. Rido – In the study, Canadian researchers had 40 healthy adults spend two nonconsecutive nights in a sleep lab. On one night, participants consumed 200 milligrams of caffeine — the equivalent of about two cups of coffee — a few hours before bed. On the other, they were given a placebo. While most people know caffeine can make it harder to fall asleep, researchers used EEG scans to track brain activity after participants dozed off and found it kept their brains in a heightened state of alertness long after they shut their eyes. They found, for the first time, that the stimulant pushed the brain into a state of 'criticality,' making it more awake, alert and reactive than it should be while catching Zzz's. 'While this is useful during the day for concentration, this state could interfere with rest at night: the brain would neither relax nor recover properly,' said Dr. Julie Carrier, a psychology professor at the University of Montreal and co-author of the study. 4 The majority of Americans drink at least one caffeinated beverage daily. sebra – The team used artificial intelligence to detect subtle changes in neuronal activity and found that caffeine increased the complexity of brain signals, preventing the brain from fully powering down during sleep. The effect was especially strong during non-REM sleep — the deep stage critical for memory and cognitive recovery. Researchers also observed changes in brain wave patterns. Slow waves linked to deep, restorative rest were reduced, while faster waves associated with wakefulness and mental activity increased. 'These changes suggest that even during sleep, the brain remains in a more activated, less restorative state under the influence of caffeine,' said Dr. Karim Jerbi, a psychology professor at the University of Montreal and researcher at the Mila Quebec Artificial Intelligence Institute, who co-authored the study. 'This change in the brain's rhythmic activity may help explain why caffeine affects the efficiency with which the brain recovers during the night, with potential consequences for memory processing,' he added. 4 Caffeine increased neural activity during sleep and suppressed slow waves linked to deep, restorative rest. Maryna – Notably, the stimulant's effect's were far more pronounced in participants aged 20 to 27 compared to those aged 41 to 58 — especially during REM sleep, the dreaming phase tied to emotional and cognitive processing. Researchers believe younger adults responded more strongly due to having more adenosine receptors. These molecules gradually accumulate in the brain throughout the day, triggering fatigue. 'Adenosine receptors naturally decrease with age, reducing caffeine's ability to block them and improve brain complexity, which may partly explain the reduced effect of caffeine observed in middle-aged participants,' Carrier said. The findings suggest younger brains may be especially vulnerable to caffeine's hidden impact on rest. 4 Caffiene might have an event greater impact on the sleeping brain's of young people. Svitlana – Caffeine is the most widely consumed psychoactive drug in the world, commonly found in products such as coffee, tea, chocolate, sodas and energy drinks. A 2023 Sleep Foundation survey found that 94% of US adults consume caffeinated beverages, and 64% drink them daily. Of those, 40% said they didn't think it affected their sleep. While the FDA says up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day is generally safe for healthy adults, the study suggests it could still be interfering with sleep quality — even hours after your last sip. The scientists are calling for further research exploring how these nighttime brain changes affect day-to-day functioning and cognitive health. This, they said, could one day shape personalized caffeine recommendations.
New York Post
25-05-2025
- Health
- New York Post
Dog owners who dwell on work stress may pass anxiety to their pooch: study
If your job has you feeling tense, your dog might be feeling it too. A new study published in Scientific Reports finds that stress from work can affect your dog at home. Advertisement The research, led by Tanya Mitropoulos and Allison Andrukonis, shows that when dog owners dwell on work problems after hours, a habit known as 'work-related rumination,' their pets show more signs of stress. Researchers surveyed 85 working dog owners. They measured job stress and how often people kept thinking about work during their free time. Then they asked how stressed owners thought their dogs were and also tracked actual behaviors linked to canine stress, like whining, pacing or restlessness. Advertisement The study found that owners with higher job stress had dogs who showed more stress-related behaviors. That link stayed strong even when the researchers accounted for other stress in the home. 3 A new study revealed that dogs can be affected by their owners' stress levels. sauseyphotos – Interestingly, owners didn't always realize their dogs were stressed. Advertisement It was a pup's behavior that told the story. The big factor driving the connection? Rumination. Owners who mentally took work home were more likely to have stressed-out dogs. Thinking about work off the clock seemed to spread stress from humans to pets. Advertisement 3 Dog owners in the study didn't realize their dogs were stressed. Rido – This idea is known as 'crossover,' when one person's stress spills over to others in a home. Previous research has shown this happens between spouses, and now there's evidence it can happen between people and their pets too. Dogs are especially sensitive to their owners' moods. Scientists call this 'emotional contagion,' the idea that dogs can pick up on human feelings through tone of voice, body language and other subtle cues. When an owner is distracted or irritable from work stress, the dog notices. Over time, this can affect the dog's well-being. The study also suggests another explanation. 3 Researchers suggest pet owners try to avoid dwelling on work-related topics at home. Tatyana Gladskih – When people are focused on work problems, they may become less patient, more distant or less consistent with routines like walks and feeding. Advertisement That kind of change in care can also increase stress in dogs. The authors point out that Americans overwhelmingly see their pets as part of the family. That makes it even more important to understand how our behavior affects them. Advertisement In the study's words, 'employed dog owners might benefit from avoiding work-related ruminations when at home to protect the well-being of man's best friend.' Putting work aside when you walk through the door doesn't just help your own health. It helps your dog, too.
