http://www.businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/642649.html
In this Businessweek column by Ellin Holohan, she explains that teens who get less than the recommended eight hours of sleep each night are much more likely to eat unhealthy food, which puts them at a greater risk of weight gain or obesity. Susan Redline explains that lack of sleep in teens creates "metabolic disturbances" which link to obesity, although these bodily functions are not the only culprit of weight gain in sleep deprived teens. By staying up later into the night, teens have more opportunity to eat - and the current lifestyle influences the teens to stay up later than needed, as they are occupied by cell phones and other technology. According to a study held, the "circadian rhythm" of teens shifts, causing them to stay up late at night and be more tired in the morning, and because most schools starting early in the morning, there is little opportunity for teens to catch up on lost sleep. Overall, the sleep practices of teens can lead to weight gain and obesity if they are not changed, one of the more rapidly noticable results of sleep deprivation when compared to heart issues discussed in my earlier posts.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Marking Period 4 Week 2
http://www.youbeauty.com/sleep/columns/sleeping-beauty/sleep-deprivation-and-daily-living
In this column, James Maas explains how reoccurring sleep deprivation can cause health issues and struggles that we have learned to brush off in the hustle of the 21st century. The recommended needed sleep for an adult, Maas explains, is between seven and a half and nine hours each night, when realistically we get about six. This belief that running on six hours of sleep and feeling fatigued during the day is "normal" causes us to ignore signs (including anxiety, irritability, and reoccurring illness) that we are sleep deprived, which in turn harms our "quality of life". Other health threatening results include weight gain, increased likelihood of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, which are triggered by imbalanced amounts of hormones or overworked nervous systems. Maas also describes another serious problem called "microsleeps" (short periods of sleeping during the day), which may seem less serious than other issues, but can in fact occur behind the wheel of a car or at work and cause more harm. Although lack of sleep may be over looked in current society, the level of harm and long term effects it can so easily cause should be better understood.
In this column, James Maas explains how reoccurring sleep deprivation can cause health issues and struggles that we have learned to brush off in the hustle of the 21st century. The recommended needed sleep for an adult, Maas explains, is between seven and a half and nine hours each night, when realistically we get about six. This belief that running on six hours of sleep and feeling fatigued during the day is "normal" causes us to ignore signs (including anxiety, irritability, and reoccurring illness) that we are sleep deprived, which in turn harms our "quality of life". Other health threatening results include weight gain, increased likelihood of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, which are triggered by imbalanced amounts of hormones or overworked nervous systems. Maas also describes another serious problem called "microsleeps" (short periods of sleeping during the day), which may seem less serious than other issues, but can in fact occur behind the wheel of a car or at work and cause more harm. Although lack of sleep may be over looked in current society, the level of harm and long term effects it can so easily cause should be better understood.
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Marking Period 4 Week 1
http://www.healthnewsdigest.com/news/contributing%20columnist0/Stress_Yes_It_Really_Can_Kill_You_2.shtml
In this article, columnist Michael D. Shaw, explores the various types of stress experienced in current society and how this stress can severely damage our health and damage us more than with just a short lived panic. He summarizes three main types of stress: acute stress, in which we make instant "fight or flight" decisions, chronic stress, caused by the "challenges of modern life", and traumatic stress, caused by a life changing experience. Although an individual may not experience all three types of stress, all types can increase health risks, including leading to hypertension and other related cardiovascular issues, as well as depression or anxiety. He explains that it is often suggested by medical experts that Type 2 diabetes is frequently triggered by stress and anxiety, although the direct connection between the two is not as apparent (as the diabetes may be caused by another reaction to coping with stress). In order to live a healthy life, he emphasizes the importance in reducing stress levels when possible. Because I am a high school student and experience different levels of stress in my everyday life, this article greatly relates to my life as well as my peers because we tend to accept the stress as a part of life, when we should really being taking into consideration our health in the future.
In this article, columnist Michael D. Shaw, explores the various types of stress experienced in current society and how this stress can severely damage our health and damage us more than with just a short lived panic. He summarizes three main types of stress: acute stress, in which we make instant "fight or flight" decisions, chronic stress, caused by the "challenges of modern life", and traumatic stress, caused by a life changing experience. Although an individual may not experience all three types of stress, all types can increase health risks, including leading to hypertension and other related cardiovascular issues, as well as depression or anxiety. He explains that it is often suggested by medical experts that Type 2 diabetes is frequently triggered by stress and anxiety, although the direct connection between the two is not as apparent (as the diabetes may be caused by another reaction to coping with stress). In order to live a healthy life, he emphasizes the importance in reducing stress levels when possible. Because I am a high school student and experience different levels of stress in my everyday life, this article greatly relates to my life as well as my peers because we tend to accept the stress as a part of life, when we should really being taking into consideration our health in the future.
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Marking Period 3 Week 4
Snyder views society as always having something new to teach us, and that we must have the confidence in ourselves to try something new if we really want to learn and grow from what unexpected opportunities are offered to us. Although society can be hostile at times, she explains how taking rough situations with a grain a salt is important because not everything is going to be easy, and hard or unfamiliar situations may take more effort but you can get something out of it in the end. If we do not experiment and push our normal 'boundaries', then we are not able to really appreciate what we have available to us. Snyder therefore also shows her view that one does not have to be successful at something to learn a lessen and benefit from it. Overall, she sees society as being full of opportunity that we just have to take advantage of, even the smallest situations.
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Marking Period 3 Week 3
http://www.lauraonlife.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=225:thoughts-on-turning-50&catid=1:columns&Itemid=2
In Snyder's column this week, she shares her unique more optimistic views about turning 50, one of the ages many make to be a big deal. She illustrates her optimistic point of view through numerous examples that many would generally pass by while they focus on the more negative aspects of it. She first explains how she is not too upset about turning 50 and is "not in denial" because she knows that years from now, she'll be wishing she could be back at 50 again. Also, she explains how society as a whole (although we still make a big deal of turning 50) has moved some of the hype and excitement away from that age because senior discounts now must wait until she is 55 or 60 - one of the more unfortunate parts reaching that age right now, and she still must pay mortgage for 20 or so years. Snyder explains how her first 50 years have almost gone by in a blur of events, and therefore not having time to stop and really think about her age has allowed her to not be frustrated over turning 50, just as having children to still chase around and having to tell them to pick up after themselves or do their homework gives her more of a sense of youthfulness. Although some may look at turning 50 as a time to start doing all those adventures you promised yourself you would do before time runs out, Snyder feels there is no need to change the way she has been happily living her life, and sees the only difference in her next 50 years to be the adventure of not knowing exactly how they will be spent. She therefore looks into the future more with excitement than most people would when turning 50.
In Snyder's column this week, she shares her unique more optimistic views about turning 50, one of the ages many make to be a big deal. She illustrates her optimistic point of view through numerous examples that many would generally pass by while they focus on the more negative aspects of it. She first explains how she is not too upset about turning 50 and is "not in denial" because she knows that years from now, she'll be wishing she could be back at 50 again. Also, she explains how society as a whole (although we still make a big deal of turning 50) has moved some of the hype and excitement away from that age because senior discounts now must wait until she is 55 or 60 - one of the more unfortunate parts reaching that age right now, and she still must pay mortgage for 20 or so years. Snyder explains how her first 50 years have almost gone by in a blur of events, and therefore not having time to stop and really think about her age has allowed her to not be frustrated over turning 50, just as having children to still chase around and having to tell them to pick up after themselves or do their homework gives her more of a sense of youthfulness. Although some may look at turning 50 as a time to start doing all those adventures you promised yourself you would do before time runs out, Snyder feels there is no need to change the way she has been happily living her life, and sees the only difference in her next 50 years to be the adventure of not knowing exactly how they will be spent. She therefore looks into the future more with excitement than most people would when turning 50.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Marking Period 3 Week 2
http://www.lauraonlife.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=224:watering-your-peacocks&catid=1:columns&Itemid=2
This week, Snyder discusses her choice to move her plants inside as winter moves in, to protect them from the cold and hopefully help her hold on to such greenery and life until the cold leaves in spring. She points out that no matter her intentions to keep watering them and keep them alive, it usually leads to the plants dying due to her forgetfulness. The question then becomes why not just leave the plants outside to die if they will end up dying inside anyways. This brings up her point that "there is a huge difference between negligence and murder, and she goes on to explain that she can "forgive [her] forgetfulness", showing how even though we might fail at something, it really is the effort that counts. By not even trying something, there is no excuse if it ends up not working. Snyder discovers the irony of her solution to put peacock feathers into the pots to replace the flowers, because at first, living things were giving her trouble because she struggled to keep them alive, but then when she thought a non-living product was the answer, it failed because it was not living and therefore could not "reproduce". Therefore, she discusses how what we think may be a great solution can end up leading to more problems to solve.
This week, Snyder discusses her choice to move her plants inside as winter moves in, to protect them from the cold and hopefully help her hold on to such greenery and life until the cold leaves in spring. She points out that no matter her intentions to keep watering them and keep them alive, it usually leads to the plants dying due to her forgetfulness. The question then becomes why not just leave the plants outside to die if they will end up dying inside anyways. This brings up her point that "there is a huge difference between negligence and murder, and she goes on to explain that she can "forgive [her] forgetfulness", showing how even though we might fail at something, it really is the effort that counts. By not even trying something, there is no excuse if it ends up not working. Snyder discovers the irony of her solution to put peacock feathers into the pots to replace the flowers, because at first, living things were giving her trouble because she struggled to keep them alive, but then when she thought a non-living product was the answer, it failed because it was not living and therefore could not "reproduce". Therefore, she discusses how what we think may be a great solution can end up leading to more problems to solve.
Marking Period 3 Week 1
http://www.lauraonlife.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=223:tae-kwon-do-ing-why&catid=1:columns&Itemid=2
Laura Snyder is a humor columnist and speaker who writes from her experience as a mother and wife on the knowledge the bizarre experiences of normal activities in her family's everyday life that she hopes others can benefit from. This week, she explains what unexpected yet valuable lessons trying her son's tae kwon do class has taught her. For example, having a goal to strive for, such as earning her black belt eventually, teaches her to appreciate each smaller step it takes to get there just as much as her ultimate goal. Her position is that we must not lose sight of the little things one can learn when reaching for a large goal, even if we do not get all the way there. She shows this by directly addressing the dissenting opinion of others, saying "If they ever said what they actually thought, I would say they were right: I'm not training for a black belt, I'm simply training for the next belt". She uses humor to also make a point that letting loose and being able to do something out of the ordinary, like "yelling like Tarzan", gives you a freedom you otherwise wouldn't discover. Snyder stresses that while you might not become a champion at something, it is valuable to seize unexpected opportunities.
Laura Snyder is a humor columnist and speaker who writes from her experience as a mother and wife on the knowledge the bizarre experiences of normal activities in her family's everyday life that she hopes others can benefit from. This week, she explains what unexpected yet valuable lessons trying her son's tae kwon do class has taught her. For example, having a goal to strive for, such as earning her black belt eventually, teaches her to appreciate each smaller step it takes to get there just as much as her ultimate goal. Her position is that we must not lose sight of the little things one can learn when reaching for a large goal, even if we do not get all the way there. She shows this by directly addressing the dissenting opinion of others, saying "If they ever said what they actually thought, I would say they were right: I'm not training for a black belt, I'm simply training for the next belt". She uses humor to also make a point that letting loose and being able to do something out of the ordinary, like "yelling like Tarzan", gives you a freedom you otherwise wouldn't discover. Snyder stresses that while you might not become a champion at something, it is valuable to seize unexpected opportunities.
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