Sleep
HOW THE BRAIN SOLVES PROBLEMS WHILE YOU SLEEP
Sleep on it – in the morning you will know what to do: We often wrestle with a problem or cannot make up our minds about a decision to be taken, then decide to sleep on it. The next morning, we usually have clarity on what to do. But how does it...
WHAT HAPPENS IN THE BRAIN WHEN YOU DREAM?
Throughout the ages, dreams have had special significance for people. You may not remember most of your dreams, but everyone spends about two hours per night dreaming. The brain does not switch off when you go to sleep, but it is highly active during...
WHY WE NEED PROPER SLEEP
A good night’s sleep is just as important for your health as healthy eating and a daily exercise routine. Like food and water, sleep is essential for survival, no wonder we spend about one-third of our lives sleeping. The average adult needs 7-8 hours of...
COVID 19 AND THE GUT LUNG AXIS
The functioning of the human body can be compared to a chemical factory, where many individual chemical processes are integrated into a single unit with a common purpose – to keep us alive. Just like any factory, the body needs raw materials to fuel these chemical...
MELATONIN
Throughout the ages, mothers have been singing lullabies in the dark of night to put their babies and toddlers to sleep. In a similar vein, our bodies sing a nightly lullaby to put us to sleep – with a song called melatonin. Although this song has no lyrics, it does...
MEMORY
The brain is one of the largest and certainly the most complex organ in the human body. It consists of brain cells and more than 100 billion nerve cells (neurons), estimated to be equal to the number of stars in the Milky Way! Neurons in the brain are linked and...
AGING OF THE FACE
Time and tide waits for no man – and unfortunately the face is the first to reveal the passing of time, even when mutton dresses as lamb! The medical term “intrinsic aging” describes the natural aging process and our genes will dictate when the visible lines start to...
RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME
Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS) describes a condition that causes an uncontrollable urge to move the legs due to a sensation of severe discomfort. The discomfort can take the form of feelings of aching, tingling (‘pins and needles”), itching, a “buzzing” sensation, an...
Sleeping Medication
Many people rely on prescription sleeping medication to be able to fall asleep and to have a good night’s rest. These sleeping medications, usually sleeping tablets, are referred to as sedative hypnotics in the medical profession, and are not designed for long-term...
Improve your sleep!
Healthy sleeping habits and a good night’s sleep (at least seven hours) allow the body time to do important physiological maintenance. During the initial phase of light sleep, the vast amount of information received that day is erased, and only the memories of...