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First Post
a day ago
- Health
- First Post
Wake-up call: How snoozing your alarm is costing you more sleep
A study by Mass General Brigham has found that hitting the snooze button on a morning alarm does more harm than good. Not only does it disrupt the important REM sleep stages, required for optimal cognitive functioning, but it also leads to poorer sleep quality and grogginess throughout the day. So, how can you fix this habit? read more A new study from researchers at Mass General Brigham, the largest hospital-based research group in the US, has found that the cherished snooze button might be doing more harm than good. AI-generated representative image We've all been there. Monday morning, alarm blasting, and without even thinking, your hand shoots out to hit snooze. 'Just five more minutes', you whisper to yourself. Maybe even ten. But while those extra moments under the covers feel like sweet relief, they might actually be messing with your sleep more than helping. A new study from researchers at Mass General Brigham, the largest hospital-based research group in the US, has found that the cherished snooze button might be doing more harm than good. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Published in Scientific Reports, the study analysed over 3 million nights of sleep using data from the Sleep Cycle app. And what it found could make you rethink your morning routine. So, how common is snoozing? What does it really do to your brain and body? And is there a better way to wake up? Here's a closer look. You are not the only one If you thought you were alone in your morning snooze ritual, think again. The study led by researchers at Mass General Brigham shows that reaching for the snooze button is a habit shared by many around the world. Using data from more than 21,000 users of the Sleep Cycle app, the team discovered that nearly 56 per cent of sleep sessions involved hitting the snooze button. On average, users squeezed in about 11 extra minutes of sleep between alarms before actually getting out of bed. 'Many of us hit the snooze alarm in the morning with the hope of getting a little more sleep,' explained Dr Rebecca Robbins, the study's lead author and a sleep expert at Brigham and Women's Hospital. 'But that extra sleep is usually very light and fragmented,' she added. On average, people squeeze in about 11 extra minutes of sleep between alarms before actually getting out of bed. Representational Image/Pixabay The research also showed that snoozing is far more common on weekdays, particularly Monday through Friday, when rigid work schedules make early wake-ups unavoidable. On weekends, people are less likely to snooze, perhaps because they're waking up on their own or simply allowing themselves more rest. Interestingly, those clocking fewer than five hours of sleep per night were found to be the least likely to snooze, likely because they had no choice but to get moving immediately due to responsibilities or time constraints. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Geographically, the snoozing trend was most prominent in countries like the United States, Sweden, and Germany. Meanwhile, users in Japan and Australia were least likely to delay their alarms. Why snoozing does more harm than good While those few extra minutes in bed might feel like a small morning luxury, experts warn that snoozing could be quietly sabotaging the quality of your rest—and your day. According to Robbins, the sleep we get after pressing snooze is typically fragmented and shallow, meaning it doesn't offer the same restorative benefits as uninterrupted sleep. Instead of feeling refreshed, many people end up groggier than before. 'Certainly, if you're feeling worse off (and) more tired from the snooze alarm, I would recommend going back to waking up cold turkey without it,' Fiala, who also runs the CommunityHealth Chicago sleep clinic told CNN. But why does this happen? This is because the last stages of sleep before we naturally wake up are crucial. This is when our brain gets rich amounts of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, important for memory and emotional processing. According to Robbins, the sleep we get after pressing snooze is typically fragmented and shallow, meaning it doesn't offer the same restorative benefits as uninterrupted sleep. Image for Representation 'The hours just before waking are rich in rapid eye movement sleep. Hitting the snooze alarm will interrupt these critical stages of sleep and typically only offer you light sleep in between snooze alarms,' said Robbins. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD So while hitting snooze might seem harmless, it's not just costing you a few extra minutes; it could be robbing you of the quality sleep your body needs to function at its best. What should you do? Tempting as it may be to sneak in those extra few minutes of sleep, experts suggest you're better off resisting the snooze button altogether. 'The best approach for optimising your sleep and next day performance is to set your alarm for the latest possible time, then commit to getting out of bed when your first alarm goes off,' said Robbins. In short: set it and don't forget it. Another strategy is to build a consistent sleep schedule. According to Kimberly Honn, associate professor of psychology at Washington State University Spokane, maintaining regular sleep and wake times helps your body complete its sleep cycles properly, reducing that groggy, fogged-up feeling known as sleep inertia. At deep stages of sleep, electric pulses of the brain reach a highly rhythmic pattern, Honn explained to CNN. Trying to wake up during these stages cuts important brain maintenance processes short and can lead one to experience sleep inertia, which can last for several minutes or even hours. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But when your body follows a regular routine, it starts to move through sleep stages at predictable times. That way, you're more likely to wake during lighter sleep, and feel sharper and more refreshed. Having a morning routine can help with waking up early, and you will be less likely to hit the snooze button. AI-generated representative image 'In the perfect world, we would not be relying on an alarm clock at all,' said Robbins. 'We would be able to fall asleep and wake up naturally and have energy throughout the day.' If you're struggling to make the switch, try giving yourself something to look forward to in the morning, a warm cup of tea, your favourite breakfast, or a quick walk in the sun. It's all about building a routine that supports both your body and your motivation. And if you must tweak your schedule, do it slowly. Sleep specialist Fiala advises adjusting your bedtime by no more than 30 minutes, even on weekends. Shifting gradually, he says, is better than shocking your system. The bottom line: Better sleep starts the moment you stop snoozing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With input from agencies
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
This Nutrient May Help Lower Your Stroke Risk by 36%, New Study Says
Reviewed by Dietitian Annie Nguyen, M.A., RDA new study suggests that eating the right amount of zinc may help reduce stroke risk. Having more than the recommended amount did not further reduce stroke risk. Zinc is found in foods like seafood, meat, poultry, dairy, nuts and year, nearly 800,000 Americans have a stroke—it's one of the leading causes of death and disability in the U.S. The good news is that some strokes can be prevented through lifestyle habits. For example, getting plenty of physical activity, managing your stressors, not smoking, limiting salt and alcohol and eating plenty of fiber and seafood each week have all been linked to lower stroke risk. We also know that certain eating patterns, like the Mediterranean diet, are linked to lower risk factors for stroke, including blood pressure and cholesterol. Researchers sometimes hone in on one particular nutrient, as opposed to an eating pattern, to take a closer look at associations between it and certain conditions. In this case, researchers from China examined the relationship between dietary zinc intake and stroke risk. They recently published their findings in Scientific Reports. Let's break them down. Researchers drew data from a long-running U.S. study called the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). After weeding through potential participants, they ended up with 2,642 for this current assessment. Around 54% of them were female, and participants had an average age of 63. For NHANES, participants completed several 24-hour dietary recalls, documenting what they had eaten the previous day. For this study, researchers took those recalls and looked for foods containing zinc, as well as zinc-containing supplements. The average of two 24-hour dietary recalls was used for each participant's total zinc intake. Researchers then divided participants into four quartiles (or groups) based on zinc intake: less than 6.08 mg/day (Q1), 6.08-8.83 mg/day (Q2), 8.84-13.02 mg/day (Q3) and more than 13.02 mg/day (Q4). The assessment of stroke was also self-reported and based on whether a health professional had ever diagnosed the participant with a stroke. During statistical analyses, researchers adjusted for factors including age, gender, race or ethnicity, BMI, smoking history, average caloric intake, health history and some other factors. After running several statistical analyses, researchers state that those who consumed about 6 to 9 mg per day of zinc had a lower risk of stroke compared to those who consumed less than 6 mg per day. Specifically, those in Q2 had 36% lower odds of having a stroke compared to those in Q1. Interestingly, higher zinc intake—more than 9 mg per day (Q3 and Q4)—did not provide any more protection against stroke risk than consuming 6 to 9 mg per day (Q2) did. That suggests that moderation is key when it comes to zinc consumption. This study has several limitations, including the fact that everything was self-reported, including dietary intake, stroke diagnosis and medical history. This always leaves room for bias and inaccuracies in remembering. The study sample size of participants used was also small, which tends to lower the statistical power and accuracy of the results. Finally, this study cannot establish cause and effect. In other words, it cannot be said that lower zinc intake increases stroke risk; it can only be concluded that there appears to be an association between zinc intake and stroke risk. Related: The #1 Food You Should Limit to Reduce Stroke Risk, According to Dietitians The recommended intake for zinc is a minimum of 8 mg/day for women and 11 mg/day for men. So it's interesting that the benefits of zinc were seen even for those who fell under the minimum recommended amount. The upper limit for zinc is 40 mg/day for both men and women—eat or take more than that, and it can be harmful and cause some nasty side effects, including headaches, upset stomach and vomiting. Lower stroke risk isn't the only thing zinc may help with. We previously reported that people who had recommended levels of zinc intake had slower biological aging compared to those with too little or too much zinc. And its positive effects multiplied when people were also getting enough physical activity. It's important to note, though, that those taking more than the recommended upper limit of 40 mg/day showed an increase of 7 years of biological aging. Again, more is not necessarily better, and it can result in overdosing, even with vitamins and minerals. Zinc is important because it's involved in many processes in the body, including immunity, growth and development and wound healing. It's also necessary for proper cell development and for manufacturing DNA. Zinc is found in many foods, including meats, poultry, seafood, dairy, nuts and seeds. Eating patterns like the Mediterranean diet, DASH diet (a diet specifically for healthy blood pressure) and the MIND diet, which is a fusion of the DASH and Mediterranean diets, all provide plenty of zinc-rich foods and limit sodium, added sugars and processed and red meats—all factors that play into disease risk, including stroke. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke. If you're trying to manage your blood pressure, give this 7-Day High-Protein Mediterranean Diet Meal Plan for High Blood Pressure a go. Physical activity, stress and sleep also play major roles in managing blood pressure and stroke prevention, so assess which areas need some attention. Choose one or two areas and start with small, sustainable changes so that you can gradually build on your success over time. Related: 7 Habits to Reduce Your Risk of Stroke, According to Doctors and Dietitians This study suggests that the minimal daily recommended amount of zinc was associated with a reduced risk of stroke compared to those with lower levels; the benefits plateaued, and those with higher levels than the minimal recommended amount did not show any additional benefits regarding stroke risk. Include foods rich in zinc each day, like meat, poultry, seafood, dairy, nuts and seeds. If you think your zinc intake might be too low or too high, meet with a registered dietitian or healthcare provider who can help figure that out. A dietitian can also help you determine if a supplement would be helpful if you're having trouble eating enough foods rich in zinc. Read the original article on EATINGWELL
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
ExThera Medical's Blood Filtration Device Shows Promise for Sepsis Patients After Cardiac Surgery
New Study Shows Seraph 100 Removes Pathogens, Improves Outcomes MARTINEZ, Calif., May 29, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A newly published study in Nature's Scientific Reports finds that use of ExThera's Seraph® 100 blood filter in septic patients following cardiac surgery significantly improved outcomes by rapidly reducing pathogen load in the bloodstream. Sepsis—a life-threatening condition caused by the body's extreme response to infection—can lead to organ failure and death if not treated quickly. Patients undergoing surgery for infective endocarditis (IE), a serious infection of the heart's inner lining, face particularly high risk of developing post-operative sepsis due to widespread bacterial contamination in the blood. The hospital-led study, conducted at the ICU of Papardo Hospital in Messina, Italy, evaluated patients who developed sepsis after cardiac surgery for IE. Thirteen patients were treated with the Seraph® 100 Microbind® Affinity Blood Filter (Seraph 100), and their outcomes were compared to a retrospective control group of fifteen patients who did not receive the treatment. Within just four hours of using the Seraph 100 filter, pathogen load in the bloodstream dropped significantly. In addition to fighting the infection, patients who received this treatment also showed signs of faster recovery, including: Lower levels of inflammation in the body based on various biomarkers More stable blood pressure Reduced need for medications that support blood pressure Shorter stays in the ICU Importantly, only 15% of patients who received the Seraph 100 developed acute kidney injury (AKI) that required dialysis—a common and serious complication of sepsis—compared to 40% in the untreated group. Impressively, in this study, two dangerous and difficult-to-treat pathogens – Pseudomonas and Candida – were effectively removed. Candida organisms have been identified as "superbugs" with few treatment options. These data suggest that the Seraph 100 may have utility for these difficult-to-treat infections. "These results suggest the Seraph 100 device can help critically ill patients recover more quickly by removing harmful and difficult-to-treat pathogens like Staph, Pseudomonas, and Candida species," said Mink Chawla, MD, Chief Medical Officer of ExThera. "The authors document improved clinical outcomes with the use of Seraph 100 technology and also demonstrated the ability for the filter to capture intact pathogens thereby allowing the Seraph 100 to be an effective diagnostic tool for blood-borne pathogens." The results of the study were published in Nature's Scientific Reports. About ExThera Medical Corporation ExThera Medical Corporation develops extracorporeal blood filtration devices, including the Seraph® 100 Microbind® Affinity Blood Filter (Seraph 100) for removing a broad range of pathogens from the bloodstream of patients. Seraph 100 can be used in hospitals, clinics, on battlefields and in other austere environments to address nosocomial and community-acquired infections as well as those caused by battlefield wounds, pandemics, and biological warfare agents. ExThera Medical's extracorporeal products have demonstrated life-saving capabilities in a wide range of critically ill patients suffering from sepsis, COVID-19, and many other severe bloodstream infections. With a growing body of outcome and health economic evidence from independent clinical studies, success in the DARPA Dialysis-Like Therapeutics program, and from successful clinical use in the U.S., the EU, and the Middle East, the company is well positioned to serve healthcare professionals and patients alike. The Seraph 100 device has neither been cleared nor approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for any indication. The Seraph 100 has been authorized by FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to treat patients with COVID-19 infection. The Seraph 100 is authorized only for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of the emergency use of the Seraph 100 device under section 564(b)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner. For more information, visit the company's website at About Seraph 100 and the ONCObind Procedure As a patient's blood flows through the Seraph® 100 Microbind® Affinity Filter (Seraph 100), it passes through a bed of small beads with receptors that mimic the receptors on human cells that pathogens target when they invade the body. Many harmful substances are quickly captured and adsorbed onto the surface of the beads and are thereby subtracted from the bloodstream. Seraph 100 adds nothing to the bloodstream. It targets the pathogens that cause the infection, while it also binds and removes harmful substances generated by the pathogen and by the body's response to the infection. Seraph's proprietary adsorption media (the beads) constitute a flexible platform that uses immobilized (chemically bonded) heparin for its well-established blood compatibility and its unique ability to bind circulating tumor cells, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and important sepsis mediators reported to contribute to organ failure during sepsis. ExThera Medical is currently developing the ONCObind Procedure Hemoperfusion Filter (ONCObind) to support cancer treatment. ONCObind is part of the same platform technology as Seraph 100. For more news stories on Seraph 100 and ONCObind, click here. Disclaimer All information contained in this news release derives from plausible, reliable sources, however they have not been independently examined or verified. There is no representation, warranty, or guarantee provided herein. Except as otherwise required by appliable law, all liability for any direct or indirect claims, damages or losses are hereby disclaimed whether or not foreseeable. This communication includes forward-looking statements regarding events, trends and business prospects that may affect our future operating results and financial position. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results and financial position to differ materially. Accordingly, the investment and/or the revenues that arise from it can rise or fall or fail entirely. We assume no responsibility to update or revise any statements contained in this news release, including forward-looking, to reflect events, trends, or circumstances that might arise after the date of this news release. Results from case studies (reviews) may not be predictive of future results. View source version on Contacts Stephanie Connollymedia@
Business Wire
4 days ago
- Health
- Business Wire
ExThera Medical's Blood Filtration Device Shows Promise for Sepsis Patients After Cardiac Surgery
MARTINEZ, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A newly published study in Nature's Scientific Reports finds that use of ExThera's Seraph ® 100 blood filter in septic patients following cardiac surgery significantly improved outcomes by rapidly reducing pathogen load in the bloodstream. Sepsis—a life-threatening condition caused by the body's extreme response to infection—can lead to organ failure and death if not treated quickly. Patients undergoing surgery for infective endocarditis (IE), a serious infection of the heart's inner lining, face particularly high risk of developing post-operative sepsis due to widespread bacterial contamination in the blood. The hospital-led study, conducted at the ICU of Papardo Hospital in Messina, Italy, evaluated patients who developed sepsis after cardiac surgery for IE. Thirteen patients were treated with the Seraph ® 100 Microbind ® Affinity Blood Filter (Seraph 100), and their outcomes were compared to a retrospective control group of fifteen patients who did not receive the treatment. Within just four hours of using the Seraph 100 filter, pathogen load in the bloodstream dropped significantly. In addition to fighting the infection, patients who received this treatment also showed signs of faster recovery, including: Lower levels of inflammation in the body based on various biomarkers More stable blood pressure Reduced need for medications that support blood pressure Shorter stays in the ICU Importantly, only 15% of patients who received the Seraph 100 developed acute kidney injury (AKI) that required dialysis—a common and serious complication of sepsis—compared to 40% in the untreated group. Impressively, in this study, two dangerous and difficult-to-treat pathogens – Pseudomonas and Candida – were effectively removed. Candida organisms have been identified as 'superbugs' with few treatment options. These data suggest that the Seraph 100 may have utility for these difficult-to-treat infections. 'These results suggest the Seraph 100 device can help critically ill patients recover more quickly by removing harmful and difficult-to-treat pathogens like Staph, Pseudomonas, and Candida species,' said Mink Chawla, MD, Chief Medical Officer of ExThera. 'The authors document improved clinical outcomes with the use of Seraph 100 technology and also demonstrated the ability for the filter to capture intact pathogens thereby allowing the Seraph 100 to be an effective diagnostic tool for blood-borne pathogens.' The results of the study were published in Nature' s Scientific Reports. About ExThera Medical Corporation ExThera Medical Corporation develops extracorporeal blood filtration devices, including the Seraph ® 100 Microbind ® Affinity Blood Filter (Seraph 100) for removing a broad range of pathogens from the bloodstream of patients. Seraph 100 can be used in hospitals, clinics, on battlefields and in other austere environments to address nosocomial and community-acquired infections as well as those caused by battlefield wounds, pandemics, and biological warfare agents. ExThera Medical's extracorporeal products have demonstrated life-saving capabilities in a wide range of critically ill patients suffering from sepsis, COVID-19, and many other severe bloodstream infections. With a growing body of outcome and health economic evidence from independent clinical studies, success in the DARPA Dialysis-Like Therapeutics program, and from successful clinical use in the U.S., the EU, and the Middle East, the company is well positioned to serve healthcare professionals and patients alike. The Seraph 100 device has neither been cleared nor approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for any indication. The Seraph 100 has been authorized by FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) to treat patients with COVID-19 infection. The Seraph 100 is authorized only for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of the emergency use of the Seraph 100 device under section 564(b)(1) of the Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the authorization is terminated or revoked sooner. For more information, visit the company's website at About Seraph 100 and the ONCObind Procedure As a patient's blood flows through the Seraph ® 100 Microbind ® Affinity Filter (Seraph 100), it passes through a bed of small beads with receptors that mimic the receptors on human cells that pathogens target when they invade the body. Many harmful substances are quickly captured and adsorbed onto the surface of the beads and are thereby subtracted from the bloodstream. Seraph 100 adds nothing to the bloodstream. It targets the pathogens that cause the infection, while it also binds and removes harmful substances generated by the pathogen and by the body's response to the infection. Seraph's proprietary adsorption media (the beads) constitute a flexible platform that uses immobilized (chemically bonded) heparin for its well-established blood compatibility and its unique ability to bind circulating tumor cells, bacteria, viruses, fungi, and important sepsis mediators reported to contribute to organ failure during sepsis. ExThera Medical is currently developing the ONCObind Procedure Hemoperfusion Filter (ONCObind) to support cancer treatment. ONCObind is part of the same platform technology as Seraph 100. For more news stories on Seraph 100 and ONCObind, click here. Disclaimer All information contained in this news release derives from plausible, reliable sources, however they have not been independently examined or verified. There is no representation, warranty, or guarantee provided herein. Except as otherwise required by appliable law, all liability for any direct or indirect claims, damages or losses are hereby disclaimed whether or not foreseeable. This communication includes forward-looking statements regarding events, trends and business prospects that may affect our future operating results and financial position. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause our actual results and financial position to differ materially. Accordingly, the investment and/or the revenues that arise from it can rise or fall or fail entirely. We assume no responsibility to update or revise any statements contained in this news release, including forward-looking, to reflect events, trends, or circumstances that might arise after the date of this news release. Results from case studies (reviews) may not be predictive of future results.
India Today
4 days ago
- Health
- India Today
Study uncovers the digestibility problem in protein bars
Protein bars are a go-to snack for health-conscious consumers, often marketed as "high in protein" and packed with a new study suggests that, despite their labels, many of these products may fall short of delivering real nutritional value, especially when it comes to the quality of protein they from the Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences in Budapest analysed more than 1,600 commercially available protein bars using public data from In the study published in Scientific Reports, they found that 81% of these bars met the European Union's standard for being labelled "high in protein," meaning over 20% of their calories came from a deeper dive into how the body actually digests and uses this protein revealed more concerning assess protein quality, scientists selected four representative bars with varying protein sources: plant-based (pea and rice), animal-based (milk), and two mixed-source bars combining milk, egg, collagen, and soy. These bars were tested using a lab method that simulates human findings were consistent: even bars made with high-quality proteins showed reduced digestibility when consumed as part of the full product, compared to when the same proteins were tested on their own. The study found that 81% of these bars met the European Union's standard for being labelled advertisementThe highest-performing bar, made solely with milk proteins, still scored below the threshold recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) for claiming high protein likely reason, the researchers noted, is that additional ingredients like sugars, fats, and fibres, commonly used to improve texture and taste, could interfere with the body's ability to absorb essential amino study raises important questions about how we evaluate protein-rich foods. While these bars may be convenient, experts caution against relying on them as a primary protein consumers are encouraged to look beyond the label. "It's not just about how much protein a bar contains. The type and digestibility of that protein matters too," the researchers findings highlight a growing need for clearer labelling and more rigorous standards when it comes to protein claims on processed foods.
