Women’s Health Blog

Sleep is an essential part of good health. A good night’s sleep can help you feel good, look healthy, work effectively and think clearly.

But sleep is not always so easy to come by. If you sometimes have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, you’re not alone. A 1991 Gallup study found that more than one-third of all Americans suffer occasional or chronic insomnia.

People often are surprised to learn that daytime drowsiness is not an inevitable, harmless byproduct of modern life, but rather a key sign of a sleep problem that could be disastrous if not treated.

Recent figures show that nearly a quarter of the population regularly cannot go to, or remain asleep, and every year doctors write out more than 14 million prescriptions for sleeping tablets.

The causes of sleeplessness are many and varied. ‘It can be due to a medical condition, such as chronic pain from rheumatism or arthritis,’ says Professor Jim Horne, who runs the Sleep Research Laboratory at Loughborough University. ‘Or it can be chemical, as a result of drinking tea, coffee or alcohol. Chronic or long-term insomnia is often associated with depression or anxiety, and environmental factors certainly contribute.’

And sleepless nights, staring wild-eyed into the darkness, are worse than bad dreams,

For too many people–an estimated 9percent of the American population–a good night’s sleep is an elusive goal. The consequences of fatigue from chronic sleeplessness include accidents in the car and at work, a dramatically increased risk of major depression, and worsening physical illness.

Immediate relief is available, in the form of hypnotic agents, for persons who have difficulty in falling or remaining asleep or who cannot obtain restful, restorative slumber. However, long-term improvement usually involves behavioral therapy. These therapeutic approaches must be integrated if the patient’s short- and long-term needs are to be addressed.

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Scientists have successfully made breakthroughs in decoding the human gene. Years ago, this seemed a too-ambitious project. However, advancements in technology have made the study of human DNA not only possible, but very doable as well. If researchers of skin care products are right, gene sequencing can be the new way of finding the perfect ingredients to make old skin look and feel new once more. More importantly, by better understanding how skin ages on a molecular level, the easier it will be to uncover what is needed to completely win over and even reverse the natural process of aging.

Scientists have been looking at genetics for solving this issue. The process of applying sophisticated genetic research to skin care began roughly ten years ago. The people at work used the technology they had available to test the various ingredients. They wanted to see how each element reacted to the various skin types. They made sure that the effects were felt on a molecular level because this is the best way to overcome the process of aging. If the change happens only on a superficial level, then the effects wont last as long.

They specifically focused on the way skin metabolizes lipids. Lipids are basically compounds that play a major role in keeping your skin healthy and young. They wanted to know how the metabolic process changes with both age and environmental factors play a role in these changes. In fact, they observed that those exposed to the sun aged faster than those who were vigilant about staying away from its harmful rays. The sun reduces the skins ability to repair itself.

They looked for ingredients that could intervene in that declining route. They wanted to enhance lipid production and the repair process that follows. Procter and Gamble, one of the worlds biggest companies, introduced an ingredient known as hexamidine. Along with niacinamide (or vitamin B3) yielded an increase in the gene expression that is connected with lipid production. They made clinical trials and have had great feedback. In fact, those who used the products that had these two components were more than pleased with the results. The other companies such as LOreal and Estee Lauder followed in their footsteps.

These products that are otherwise known as miracles in a jar have aided women in their plight. Each product has given them hope in rejuvenating their skin to make it look young once more. Feeling young can be possible with exercise and the right kind of diet. What these products do is push them forward and encourage them to get into the right attitude. Being vain about your skin is now accepted. Cosmetics and skin-care products fill the shelves to the brim. Many have gotten into the rage, and even the men are starting to appreciate its value.

Over the past many centuries, scientists and alchemists have tried to find a proper method and a cure for aging. While modern science has acknowledged and accepted many of these techniques, slowing down the aging process will work better if the remedy also influences the skins core.

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