Less Rhythm = Less Sleep

I recently spent an extended holiday with my grandparents in South Africa. It was an amazing trip all round. But I found myself sleeping very little, waking up at insane hours, and surviving on vast amounts of coffee, which I have since managed to wean myself off of. It got me thinking though; a lot of the old people I know find it difficult to sleep, why is that?

The body clock which maintains circadian rhythm (sleep-wake patterns among many other patterns) is called the suprachiasmatic nucleus (or SCN) which is located in the hypothalamus in the brain. Neural signals from many parts of the body are received by the SCN which, coupled with other minor body clocks, generate a pattern of rhythmic activity, all in response to various factors including daylight, hormone levels and temperature.

A study lead by UCLA Chancellor Gene Block involved examination of the signals emitted by the SCN in mice. Results showed that the signals from this clock start to decline in middle age, and this may be true for humans as well. Normally during the day, SCN brain cells are active, while at night they are silent. It was suggested and proven the case that it is a change in this pulsing that affects sleep patterns in older mice (or people). Indeed, disruptions in the SCN lead to disrupted sleep, dysfuntion in memory, the cardiovascular system and even the body’s immune response and metabolism. The study suggests that one of the causes of these changes is a reduction in the amplitude of the signals being emitted from the SCN.

So now I get why old people struggle to sleep and why they are often tired. Even more than that, the decline of rhythm affects so many other body functions. I don’t think it accounts for bad dancing though…

Retrieved August 1, 2011, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2011/07/110719093808.htm

Eat more wheat and less meat: Is a Vegetarian diet better?

I have met many a vegetarian who holds the view that they are better than I because of their dietary choices. At one point, even I followed suit, hanging up the meat hooks in exchange for gardening gloves. I loved it – I felt healthier and lighter and actually enjoyed the ‘green’, meat-free diet. A few years later, I got very hungry at a barbeque, and succumbed to a delicious chicken drumstick. I haven’t looked back… until now…

It was recently suggested that vegetarians are approximately 30% less likely to get common bowel disorder than meat-eaters. Bowel disorders (or diverticular disease) are common in western civilisation with symptoms that include abdominal cramps, bloating, excessive wind, constipation and diarrhoea.

Nearly 50 thousand people took part in the study set up by a team in Oxford, of which approximately 15 thousand reported to consume a vegetarian diet. Over about 11 years, there were 812 cases of bowel disease. After adjusting the statistics to include other possible factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption and weight, the study revealed that vegetarians had a 31% lower risk of getting bowel disease compared with meat eaters.Furthermore, people who had a high intake of fiber (around 25g per day) also had a lower risk of being admitted to hospital or dying from diverticular disease compared with those who ate less than 14g per day.

Fibre or roughage is the indigestible portion of plant foods. Some types of fibre are broken down by bacteria in the colon and are used as energy sources, while other types absorb water and expand, moving through the digestive tract, easing defecation. So it makes sense that a diet that relies more on fibre rather than meat would lead to a lower risk of bowel disorders.

I don’t think I will betray my taste buds again and deny myself carnivorous pleasures, but I could easily devour more greens and beans, especially if there is a chance it will save on hospital bills…

Credits: BMJ 2011; 343:d4131