New research suggests there is a strong link between loud snoring and both heart disease and strokes.

Hungarian scientists did interviews with more than 12,000 patients.

They concluded that heavy snorers were significantly more likely to have a heart attack or stroke compared to the rest of the population.

This new data, published in the Journal Sleep, adds weight to existing theories about the link between snoring and cardiovascular disease.

We all snore at some stage in our lives. And while it is more common in people who are overweight it is estimated that about 40% of adult males and 24% of adult females are habitual snorers.

For several years now, scientists have been aware of a relationship between snoring and cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.

But this new study from Hungary adds more weight to the idea. Read more

Sunday is the hardest night of the week to get a good, undisturbed sleep, research suggests.

The study of 3,500 adults, commissioned by the hotel chain Travelodge, found nearly 60% of workers have their worst night’s sleep on a Sunday
More than a quarter of those surveyed admitted to calling in sick on Monday after having a dreadful night’s sleep.

• The survey also found as many as 80% of people slept soundest on a Friday night, at the end of the working week.
• Disrupted sleep has been blamed for a lack of concentration at work, increased irritability towards bosses and even for falling asleep at the desk.

• Nearly half of those questioned said they suffered from a lack of concentration which lead to mistakes, one in three became irritable with their boss and colleagues and a fifth said they had nodded off at some point. Read more

Sociable people tend to be overweight, while anxious types are more likely to be thin, according to Japanese researchers who examined the relations between personality and body mass.

• More than 30,000 people in northeastern Japan aged between 40 and 64 were quizzed about their height and weight, and given a personality test, according to a study published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research this month.

• The results showed that outgoing people were far more likely than other people to have a body mass index (BMI) of more than 25, a widely used definition of overweight, said Masako Kakizaki of Tohoku University, who led the analysis.

• After controlling for other factors, such as smoking, men in the most extrovert category were 1.73 times more likely to be obese than their most introvert counterparts. Extrovert women were 1.53 times as likely to be obese. Read more

People who assume four principles for a healthy lifestyle can add as much as 14 years to their lives, a study revealed in january 2008.

• Researchers found that not smoking, taking exercise, drinking in moderation and eating five servings of fruit and vegetables, a day could have a enormous impact on life expectancy.

• Academics at Cambridge University monitored the health of 20,000 men and women aged between 45 and 79 from Norfolk between 1993 and 2006.

• The study concluded: “The results strongly suggest that these four achievable lifestyle changes could have a marked improvement on the health of middle-aged and older people, which is particularly important given the ageing population in the UK and other European countries.” Read more

Aromatherapy treats mind and body together. The scent of the essential oils used can have a powerful effect on the emotions while the oils’ chemistry affects the body.

Aromatherapy refers to the use of essential oils extracted from herbs, trees and plants for therapeutic purposes. The oils are obtained by steam distillation, expression (squeezing the oil from peel), maceration (immersing the plant in hot oil to release the essence) or effleurage (pressing flowers between oiled glass plates).Today, most practitioners of aromatherapy use about 40 different scents, either on their own or in various combinations, to relieve stress, invigorate the body and promote well-being. Generally, the scent is mixed with a neutral oil (like vegetable oil) and spread over the body in a massage, added to bathwater or inhaled.

Types of Aromatherapy:

• Cosmetic Aromatherapy Cosmetic aromatherapy uses essential oils in facial, skin, body and hair care products. Essential oils can be toning, cleansing, drying or moisturizing. Certain oils are appropriate for various skin and hair types. An aromatherapy facial demonstrates the versatility of essential oils in promoting healthy skin. A full-body or footbath is a simple way to experience cosmetic aromatherapy on a personal level. A few drops of the appropriate oil in a warm bath will create a rejuvenating, revitalizing experience. The Ancient Egyptians are believed to have been the first to employ essential oils for beautifying purposes, thereby becoming the first aroma therapists some 5,000 years ago.

• Psycho-Aromatherapy Psycho-Aromatherapy is the influence of scents on moods and emotions. The Psycho-Therapeutic Aromatherapy and Perfumery is the use of essential oils in perfumery and for the psycho-therapeutic effect. In this form, the oils are usually inhaled directly, or sometimes indirectly by infusing into a room. Psycho-aromatherapy shares similarities with aromachology, the perfume industry’s study of the effects of both natural and artificial aromas. Psycho-aromatherapy sets itself apart, however, by dealing solely with natural essential oils. Read more

Sleeping too little or too much can significantly increase the risk of mortality, according to a study conducted in Britain the results of which were published in the United States Saturday.

• A decrease in sleep duration among participants sleeping six, seven or eight hours was associated with a 110 percent excess risk of cardiovascular mortality, said the study authored by Jane Ferrie of the University College London Medical School in London.

• The study, authored by Jane E. Ferrie , PhD, of the University College London Medical School in London, U.K., focused on 10,308 participants between 35 and 55 years of age. Baseline screening (Phase 1), conducted between 1985 and 1988, involved a clinical examination and a self-administered questionnaire. Data collection at Phase 3 (1992-1993) also included a clinical examination (8,104 participants) and questionnaire (8,642 participants). 

• According to the results, U-shaped associations were observed between sleep at             Read more