Category: Health x Body

Do you experience symptoms such as bloating, gas, cramps, food sensitivities, and aches and pains that aren’t associated with a medically diagnosed condition? If yes, you might be suffering from a condition called leaky gut syndrome—a diagnosis the integrative health world is quick to diagnosis, but that mainstream practitioners and researchers remain unsure of.
While there’s debate between the two camps about the legitimacy of leaky gut diagnoses, one is for certain: The topic of digestive upset and intestinal permeability is all the rage these days and understanding the tenets of digestive and gut health is essential to championing your overall well-being.

What exactly is leaky gut?

According to Frank Lipman, MD, author and founder of Be Well and the Eleven Eleven Wellness Center in New York City, leaky gut syndrome, which is often referred to as intestinal permeability, is said to occur as the result of damage to the intestinal lining, making it more porous than it should be. When this happens, undigested food particles, bacteria, and toxins are then able to escape from the intestines and travel throughout the body via the bloodstream.
Since these particles are not meant to leave your digestive tract, your immune system sees them as foreign invaders and fights back against them, creating an immune response that leads to inflammation, which can catalyze an array of symptoms and chronic health conditions. Lipman notes that the condition is exacerbated by an increase in zonulin, an inflammatory protein that regulates the openings between cells in the lining of the digestive tract.
“Too much zonulin is not a good thing,” says Lipman. “For example, gluten happens to be a strong trigger of zonulin. So, a gluten-rich diet may be making our guts even more permeable, enabling inflammation to flourish system-wide and setting the stage for far more serious problems like heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and more down the road.”

Symptoms of Leaky Gut

Some of the most common symptoms of leaky gut according Raphael Kellman, MD, author of The Whole Brain: The Microbiome Solution to Heal Depression, Anxiety, and Mental Fog Without Prescription Drugs, include:

• Digestive issues—gas, bloating, diarrhea, irritable bowel syndrome, and heartburn
• An increase in allergies and/or food sensitivities
• Anxiety, depression, and mood swings
• Hormonal imbalances like premenstural syndrome and polycystic ovary syndrome
• Excessive fatigue
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Skin rashes, acne, eczema, and skin issues
• Joint pain
• Headaches, brain fog, and migraines
• A weakened immune system
• Autoimmune diseases such as celiac disease, Crohn’s, and rheumatoid arthritis

Causes of Leaky Gut

Digestive distress seems to be at an all time high. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, a whopping 60 to 70 million people are affected by digestive diseases on an annual basis.
According to Lipman, these are some of the commonplae things that can contribute to leaky gut syndrome:

• Over-the-counter (OCT) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), like Advil, Aleve, and Motrin
• OTC products for acid reflux, like Maalox, Mylanta, and Rolaids
• Prescription medications (proton pump inhibitors, or PPIs) for acid reflux or gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), like Nexium and Prilosec
• Antibiotic use
• Habitual alcohol use or overuse
• Food sensitivities to things like gluten and dairy
• Low-fiber diets
• Diets high in processed foods
• Low-grade gut infections caused by yeast, bacteria, and parasites
• Diets high in sugar, which feeds bacteria growth
• Chronic stress

Other conditions such as small intestinal bacterial overgrowth—also known as SIBO—fungal dysbiosis, or parasitic infections are also said to potentially spur on the condition.

Health Conditions That Can Lead to the Discovery of a Leaky Gut (or Result From It)

Aditi Jha, MD, lead physician at JustDoc.com, notes that there are some common conditions that doctors see that can lead to a diagnosis of leaky gut.
“In my practice, I see patients … suffering from IBS, inflammatory bowel syndrome (both Crohn’s and UC—Ulcerative Colitis) once a month at least in my clinic,” she says. “Other scenarios such as people with autoimmune disorders or kidney failure on immunosuppressive medications (steroids) can also develop a leaky gut,” she notes.
Jha says that diarrhea is often the first symptom reported by these patients.
Many health professionals, including Lipman, believe in the saying “Health is in your gut” and hypothesize that leaky gut may be the cause of many other ailments including common autoimmune diseases. Thus, it’s not uncommon for integrative health practitioners to see patients with arthritis, psoriasis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, and similar conditions and conclude that leaky gut is the underlying cause of their diagnoses.

What do mainstream medical professionals actually think about leaky gut syndrome?

While the condition is receiving more and more media attention, with it being a topic featured regularly in publications like The New York Times and The Washington Post, leaky gut is something that isn’t recognized by most traditional medical practitioners.
“Intestinal permeability or so-called leaky gut syndrome is a distinct medical condition mostly claimed by nutritionist[s] and alternative medicine physicians,” says Rudolph Bedford, MD, a gastroenterologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. “Within the traditional medical community this syndrome does not exist. It’s something of a medical mystery. From an MD’s standpoint, it’s a very gray area.”
Mitchell Blume, a dietitian with EduPlated, notes that much of the confusion behind this condition stems from the fact that there is a lack of evidence and research surrounding the issue of intestinal permeability.
“There is minimal research addressing treatment option[s] for this condition. Due to this, there aren’t any recognized medication, procedures, or recommendations that have been shown to help,” he explains.
Blume, however, shares that while there are no scientifically-backed treatments out there, it has generally been found that diet may have an impact on symptomatology. Below is Blume’s list of diet and supplement recommendations, which may help:

How to Change Your Diet and Lifestyle to Address Leaky Gut

According to integrative medicine approaches, a good first step in exploring your gut issues is to adhere to a two-week elimination diet. This will tame inflammation in the digestive system and eliminate any foods that may be triggering your symptoms.
“The best remedy is to note the trigger foods, (everyone has a different trigger) and avoid them,” says Jared Koch, a New York City-based certified health coach, nutritional consultant, and founder of Clean Plates. “Common triggers I see in my patients are restaurant food, spicy food, oily foods, [and] junk such as white flour and burgers/hot dogs.”
As Blume points out, sugar and high-fructose corn syrup are known to cause inflammation, as are trans fats, vegetable and seed oils, refined carbohydrates, excessive alcohol, and processed meats. It’s also a good idea to incorporate anti-inflammatory foods into your diet. Like Blume, Kellman recommends fish oil and healthy fats like coconut and olive oil, avocado, and flax seeds.
Lipman adds that eating whole foods and forgoing anything processed is a good idea. He says that processed foods “offer few nutrients, lots of extra sugar, and chemical additives, as well as plenty of genetically modified ingredients, all of which can wreak havoc on your gut lining, making leaky gut and inflammation matters worse.”
Other tips include adding leafy greens to your meals and taking a high quality probiotic to give your good bacteria a boost. “A daily serving of good gut bacteria will help keep your immunity strong, fend off pathogens, and protect the gut lining,” says Lipman. You also need to address any underlying infections that may be threatening the integrity of your immune system.
Those who suspect they are suffering from leaky gut should prioritize eating plenty of high fiber foods and drinking adequate amounts of water every day, and can consider incorporating a daily dose of L-glutamine into their diet. Lipman corroborates Blume’s assertion that this amino acid helps repair the intestinal walls. “It can be purchased over the counter in health food stores and is plentiful in sources like grass-fed beef, asparagus, and broccoli,” he says.
Bone broth enthusiasts, such as Osso Good Co., a company that ships out pre-packaged broth to its customers, claim that drinking collagen-rich bone broth can help to repair a compromised gut. Regardless of what you add into your diet, common allergens including cow’s milk, eggs, tree nuts, peanuts, shellfish, and wheat can be excluded to see if their absence gives you symptom relief.

Stress and Your Gut

Another important change to make is to reduce the amount of stress you experience on a daily basis. Since your digestive process is controlled by your nervous system, continuously spiking your cortisol levels, sending your body into “fight or flight” mode can wreak havoc on your digestion. In fact, studies show that stress can actually change the balance of the healthy bacteria in your gut, which can significantly impact your digestive function.
To get a grip on stress, Patti Johnson, PsyD, a Los Angeles-based therapist, recommends deep breathing, meditation, exercise, watching a funny movie, spending time with friends, taking a relaxing bath, and taking a break from daily work and life stresses to unwind and recharge.
Functional nutritionist Jennie Miremadi, MS, CNS, LDN, agrees that stress can strain your digestive system and makes a point of having her patients practice mindful eating. She says you need to thoroughly chew your food at every meal, as “all digestion begins in the mouth.”
Her tips for eating mindfully include:

• Eating without distractions (i.e. avoid eating while driving, texting, or watching television)
• Only eating when you are physically hungry and not eating as a response to boredom or stress
• Taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly five to 10 times before you start eating your meal in order to calm your digestive system
• Chewing each bite slowly and carefully
• Staying fully present with your food and your hunger levels while eating
• Putting down your fork in between bites
• Stopping your meal before you are overly full, as this can burden your digestive system

How to Tell if You Have Leaky Gut Syndrome

First and foremost, if you suspect that you have leaky gut, you should talk to a health care professional so you can receive a proper diagnosis and medical treatment plan. Per Josh Axe, certified doctor of natural medicine, doctor of chiropractic, and clinical nutritionist, the following tests can help determine whether or not you may have leaky gut syndrome:

• An ELISA test that looks at your zonulin levels, as an abnormally high level of zonulin might suggest that your gut health is compromised
• An IgG food intolerance test, which can help you determine what types of foods you may be sensitive to; if you show intolerance to a lot of foods, that could mean your gut is compromised
• A stool test to check for yeast, parasites, and bacterial infections that can contribute to a leaky gut diagnosis
• Organic acid vitamin and mineral deficiency test to determine whether your body is struggling to digest food properly, which can also be a sign of intestinal permeability

Koch reiterates that when it comes to leaky gut, the medical community is on the fence. “From a medical perspective it is not a specific diagnosis and treatment, so it seems to be more of a grey area relating to digestive symptoms like gas, bloating, constipation, and or loose bowels that have no real clear cause. In the holistic health world it is generally meant that there [are] leaks in the intestines and therefore certain unwanted substances may be leaking into the bloodstream,” he says.
Koch notes, however, that regardless of your diagnosis (or lack thereof), if you are having any sort of digestive upset, you should see a doctor to determine the best plan of action. “Find someone who can help you determine the root cause and then eliminate or reduce the culprits,” he says.
Digestive upset is something that you shouldn’t have to live with and experts, including Kellman, note that conditions like leaky gut can definitely be reversed. Kellman recently worked with a patient who made major changes in her health by following his gut healing recommendations.
“With[in] three weeks, she began to feel better. Within three months, most of her aches and pains were gone. After six months, she began to feel truly well, having regained optimal brain function.”
Kellman’s recommendations include “eating a diet rich in high-fiber prebiotics and healthy fats that support cell integrity, avoiding inflammatory foods like soy, gluten, cow’s milk dairy, and processed foods, regulating … sleep patterns, in order to support [the] gut and microbiome, and addressing … stress.”
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You step on the scale only to see that it hasn’t moved at all. Or you get into the afternoon and just can’t stop yawning. What is causing your system to slow down? In the process of searching for answers, you’ll likely comes across experts and celebrities blaming weight stagnation (aka weight gain) and low energy on slow metabolism.
But what exactly is metabolism? If yours is slow, is there anything that can be done to speed it back up? And is faster always better?
Chances are you’ve asked yourself these questions in your quest to move toward better health, especially as you age. Unfortunately, it can be hard to get straight answers about metabolism, in part because it’s a very complicated bodily process that affects so much more than just our weight and energy levels. In fact, our metabolism affects every single process in our bodies.
You may see celebrities and health experts proclaiming that they’ve found the newest and best way to boost metabolism, but the truth is that keeping your metabolism running at a healthy level requires a holistic approach rather than a quick fix.
HealthyWay talked to experts about the misunderstandings around metabolism and how to naturally give your metabolism a boost.  Here’s what they had to say.

What is metabolism, anyway?

Simply put, metabolism is the process by which your body converts food into energy.
“Metabolism is the process by which your body processes, converts, and utilizes the food you consume,” says Raj Gupta, doctor of chiropractic and founder of Soul Focus Wellness Center.
That sounds fairly simple, right? It is, until you realize that every single system in your body relies on metabolism to keep functioning. When you eat, your body breaks down the calories in your food to fuel your bodily processes. This energy isn’t just directed at keeping you going through a long work day—in fact, most of it is expended on critical bodily functions like breathing, restoring cells, and regulating your hormones.
The amount of energy that your body needs to maintain all these functions is called your basal metabolic rate or BMR. Put a bit differently, your basal metabolic rate tells you how many calories you would need to survive if you were at rest (think, laying in bed) for 24 hours. BMR is what most people are talking about when they refer to metabolism.
Another term frequently used in discussing metabolism is resting metabolic rate or RMR, which is similar to BMR, but is less restrictive when it comes to how it’s measured. According to the American Council on Exercise, a formal measure of a person’s RMR does not require that they sleep overnight at a testing facility, for example.
And while you might think that you use the most energy when you’re moving around and exercising, the truth is that your basal metabolic rate—the energy needed just for critical functions—accounts for about 70 percent of your energy usage each day. That’s important to know since it’s relatively easy to go to the gym and burn a few hundred more calories, but tougher to increase the amount of energy required to keep your body functioning, which is what it takes to boost your BMR.
The food that your body metabolizes quickly is used to fuel your body functions. Food that is not metabolized before you eat again is more likely to be stored as fat, Gupta says.
“The quicker your metabolism, the quicker you are able to make fuel of the nutrients you ingest and the less likely it is to become fat,” he explains. “If you don’t metabolize the food you have eaten from your last meal before eating another, you will have too many calories and much of what you eat will be stored for future energy.”
So, if your body takes longer to convert food into fuel (that is, if you have a slower metabolism), you are more likely to be consuming excess food that will wind up being stored as fat rather than being burned off in the course of daily activity.

What affects your metabolic rate?

We often hear talk about fast or slow metabolisms, but the truth is that there is no ideal metabolism. One study published in the journal Medicine and Science of Sports and Exercise concluded, “No single value for [resting metabolic rate] is appropriate for all adults.” Rather, metabolic rate is determined by various genetic and lifestyle factors.
There are many different (and complicated!) equations for calculating basal metabolic rate. Although they boast varying degrees of accuracy, a study published in the International Journal of Obesity found that a few specific factors that have the biggest effect on basal metabolic rate.
According to the study, body composition has the largest impact on a person’s BMR. People with more fat-free mass (that is, those who have more muscle) are more likely to have a higher metabolic rate. Since men have more muscle than women in general, they typically have a higher metabolic rate. (If you’ve ever noticed that your husband or brother can eat tons of food and never change shape, science says you’re onto something.) As people age, their metabolism tends to slow down, more quickly in men than women, the study found.
Again, this has to do with muscle mass and the fact that muscle generally decreases with age.

Does a higher metabolism help you lose weight?

In popular culture, we talk about weight and metabolism as if the two go hand in hand, but that understanding isn’t entirely accurate. There is a connection between metabolism and weight, but it’s a pretty complicated one, experts say.
Remember how Gupta explained that food that is metabolized quickly is burned as fuel, whereas excess food (calories that are not burned before we eat again) is stored as fat? In this way, yes, having a slower metabolism can lead to having more body fat.
However, weight gain (or the inability to lose weight) is affected more by what we eat, how much we eat, and how much exercise we get than by our basal metabolic rate, experts say.
“Contrary to common belief, a slow metabolism is rarely the cause of excess weight gain,” experts at the Mayo Clinic write in an article on the relationship between metabolism and weight loss. “Although your metabolism influences your body’s basic energy needs, how much you eat and drink along with how much physical activity you get are the things that ultimately determine your weight.”
Basically, we need to eat in line with our unique metabolisms. Since men generally have a higher metabolisms, their daily recommended caloric intake is higher. If a woman (who will generally have a lower metabolism) ate the same amount of calories recommended for a man, she might gain weight, but the reason for her weight gain would be overeating based on her needs, rather than a deficiency when it comes to her metabolism.
That shift in thinking is subtle but important for people who are trying to lose weight. A slower metabolism doesn’t prevent you from losing weight, it just means you need to eat fewer calories.
“While it is true that some people seem to be able to lose weight more quickly and more easily than others, everyone loses weight when they burn up more calories than they eat,” the Mayo Clinic experts write. “To lose weight, you need to create an energy deficit by eating fewer calories or increasing the number of calories you burn through physical activity or both.”
At the same time, if your metabolism is higher, your body may need more calories each day, and therefore you can expect to consume more food without gaining weight because the calories you consume and burn will not be stored as fat.

Does metabolism slow down with age?

Many people are concerned that they will gain weight because their metabolism will slow down as they get older. Women, in particular, may worry that when they reach their forties they will suddenly have slower metabolisms that will thwart their health and fitness goals.
And yes, it’s true that metabolism decreases with age. This slowing of BMR is caused by a combination of lifestyle and physiological effects.
“As we age, we have a tendency to be less active and we also have less muscle mass,” Gupta explains. “As a result, our metabolism does slow down. In order to counteract this, we need to maintain our muscle mass through exercise, which becomes a greater struggle as we age because muscles no longer respond as quickly as they did when we were younger.”

This is the biggest key to boosting your metabolism.

If you’re looking for a single thing you can do to boost your metabolism, this is it: Develop more lean muscle, particularly through weightlifting exercise.
“The more muscle mass a person has, the quicker their metabolism,” Gupta says. That’s because lean muscle requires more energy than fat does. If you add lean muscle to your body, your basal metabolic rate increases and your body burns more calories in order to sustain that muscle, which accounts for the assertion (in the International Journal of Obesity study, cited above) that people with more lean muscle have higher metabolic rates.
Robert S. Herbst, a personal trainer and former Olympic official, explains further.
“Having more muscle means having a higher metabolism because muscle is metabolically active,” he says. “It burns energy and gives us body heat. Having more muscle means burning more calories even when you are at rest, just like a six cylinder car burns more gas than a four cylinder one when stopped at a red light.”
In addition to helping you develop more lean muscle, doing weightlifting exercises further boosts your metabolism even when you’re in post-workout recovery mode.
“Weight lifting increases your metabolism because it causes your body to spend energy to recover from the workout,” Herbst explains. “During weight training, the muscle fibers incur microtears. To recover, the body repairs these tears, sending protein to the muscle and removing waste products. All this takes energy.”
In fact, your metabolic rate is raised for up to 72 hours after a weightlifting session while your body expends extra energy to repair the muscle fibers that were damaged during the process, rebuilding them stronger.
To get this benefit, Herbst recommends doing exercises that engage major muscle groups, like squats, lunges, deadlifts, and bench presses. For women, these same exercises are especially beneficial because they also strengthen bones, helping to prevent osteoporosis as well.

The Power of a Good Night’s Sleep

Hitting the gym can be daunting, but it’s an important way to stay healthy and increase your metabolism. This next suggestion is a bit more tame, but still important: Get more sleep.
One study found that sleep disruptions—like shift work, not getting enough sleep, or having sleep apnea—can significantly disrupt metabolism. More studies need to be conducted in order for scientists to pinpoint exactly why this is, but suffice it to say that getting a solid eight hours of sleep is important to keeping your body functioning at its best.

Eat this every day.

Another natural way to boost your metabolism is to make sure you’re getting enough protein, says Anna Morrison, a family nurse practitioner and co-founder of the No BS Supplements Company.
“Protein is the foundation of creating muscle,” she says. We’ve already established that having more muscle is essential for boosting metabolism, and eating protein (especially after a workout) can help you build that muscle.
Morrison points out that it’s important to change protein sources regularly to keep your digestive system healthy and ensure that the protein you’re eating is being metabolized effectively.
“Changing up your protein sources is one of the best ways to increase your metabolism, especially if you’re over 40,” she says. Spend a few days a week getting your protein from beans, lentils, and other plant sources. Then switch to animal proteins like meat and eggs. Morrison points out that this variety is great for overall health.
“Varying your protein source is also a great way to get a well-rounded diet,” she says.

Definitely don’t do this.

If you’re looking to boost your metabolism, it’s important to eat regularly.
“While skipping a meal might seem like a good way to lose weight, it’s actually detrimental to your metabolism,” says Richard Aponte, former personal trainer and head of product development at Myokem Supplements. “Your body will actually assume that you are starving and conserve energy by slowing down your metabolism.”
The most common meal that people skip is breakfast. Mornings can be hectic, but take time to grab a breakfast that is full of lean protein, healthy fat, and complex carbohydrates, Aponte says.
Speaking of healthy fats, Aponte points out that eating plenty of Omega-3 fatty acids is another way to boost your metabolism. These fats, found in seafoods and plant-based sources like flax, can help send signals to your brain that you have eaten enough, keeping you from ingesting so much food that your metabolism can’t keep up.
In many ways, your metabolic rate is determined by things like your genetics, sex, and size. However, taking reasonable steps like incorporating weight training, making time for sleep, and eating intentionally can boost your metabolism and help you look and feel your best.
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From a young age, we’re taught about the importance of dental health. You probably brush your teeth every day, at least twice a day, floss regularly, and avoid eating sugary foods. After all, cavities and dental procedures are no fun, so avoiding them can provide plenty of inspiration for maintaining good dental hygiene. Plus, we now know that dental health is an important part of overall health, so keeping a good oral hygiene routine is about much more than just maintaining those pearly whites.
No matter how healthy you are, though, you might not have heard of oil pulling. However, the practice could be your new go-to for improving your dental and overall health. Sure, the name sounds a little unappealing, and once you realize that oil pulling involves swirling oil around your mouth for 20 minutes at a time, you might not be so keen on giving the practice a try. If you can get over that hesitation, though, you can reap the benefits, which are said to range from whiter teeth to fewer toxins in your body.
Want to know if oil pulling is right for you? Here’s everything you need to know about the ancient practice before incorporating it into your wellness plan.

What is oil pulling?

Before we get too far, let’s take an look at what oil pulling actually is. After all, the term and the practice are unfamiliar to many Americans.
Oil pulling is the practice of using oil to clean the mouth. While the process is fairly involved, the big takeaway is that you put about a tablespoon of oil in your mouth and swish it around, pulling it between your teeth for about 20 minutes before spitting it out. Proponents of oil pulling say the process draws toxins out of the system, cleansing not just the mouth but the entire body. Some say that because of the purification oil pulling causes, it can be used to treat a range of illnesses and diseases.
Oil pulling is often said to be an ancient Ayurvedic practice, stemming from the traditional medicine of India. However, that might be a bit of a misrepresentation.
Ancient Ayurvedic medicine did promote gargling with oil. According to Claudia Welch, doctor of Oriental medicine, one oft-quoted Ayurvedic text reads, “Keeping of oil gargle provides strength in jaws and voice, development of face, maximum taste and relish in food. The person practicing this does not suffer from dryness of throat, there is no fear of lip-cracking, teeth are not affected with caries, rather they become firm-rooted. They (teeth) are not painful, nor are they oversensitive on sour-taking, they become able to chew even the hardest food items.”
However, most experts say that this is fairly different from the oil pulling that people practice today, which has much more modern roots. Bruce Fife, certified nutritionist, naturopathic physician, and expert on oil pulling, writes in an article for the Coconut Research Center that the practice as we know it today was first promoted in 1992.
Whether oil pulling has been practiced for thousands of years or only a few decades, scientific and anecdotal evidence both show that it can be highly effective.

How does oil pulling work?

How can swirling oil around your mouth improve the condition of your teeth and detoxify your body? The process seems a little hard to believe, but a growing cohort of experts insist that it works.
“Oil pulling is a detoxification of your mouth,” says Rebecca Lee, a registered nurse from New York City and the founder of Remedies For Me, a website that promotes natural remedies for various ailments. “This process sucks out toxins that are built up in the mouth and creates a cleaner environment by killing lingering harmful microbes.”
Fife says that the process isn’t too different to what happens in your car’s engine.
“The oil acts like a cleanser,” he writes in the same Coconut Research Center piece. “When you put it in your mouth and work it around your teeth and gums it ‘pulls’ out bacteria and other debris. It acts much like the oil you put in your car engine. The oil picks up dirt and grime. When you drain the oil, it pulls out the dirt and grime with it, leaving the engine relatively clean. Consequently, the engine runs smoother and lasts longer. Likewise, when we expel harmful substances from our bodies our health is improved and we run smoother and last longer.”
Lee says that oils containing fatty acids, like coconut oil, attract inflammation-causing microbes. These are drawn out from the gums and between the teeth and eventually leave the body when you spit out the oil, she says. Because of this, oil pulling can improve a variety of health conditions throughout your whole body.
“Oil pulling flushes out potentially harmful microbes that can cause bad breath and other oral health disorders,” she says.

What does the science say?

Scientific studies strongly support the benefits of oil pulling. One study published in The Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine found that increasing awareness of oil pulling and other Ayurvedic practices could help prevent tooth loss and decay in certain populations. The study notes that Ayurvedic practitioners believe the tongue is connected to organ systems throughout the body, and therefore that detoxifying the mouth can benefit the entire physical body. The authors also note that oil pulling and other complementary and alternative means of oral health care can prevent and cure certain illnesses.  
“The oil therapy is preventative as well as curative. The exciting aspect of this healing method is its simplicity,” they write.
A study published in the Indian Journal of Dental Research concluded, “The myth that the effect of oil-pulling therapy on oral health was just a placebo effect has been broken.” Another study concluded, “Oil pulling can be used as an effective preventive adjunct in maintaining and improving oral health.” Oil pulling with coconut oil has also been shown to reduce plaque formation and gingivitis.
A 2016 study published in the Journal of Contemporary Dental Practice surprised even the researchers. The authors were comparing oil pulling with coconut oil to the use of an antimicrobial mouthwash. They hypothesized that the coconut oil would not reduce the bacteria count in participants’ saliva. However, they found that the coconut oil pulling did reduce the bacteria in participants’ saliva and can be considered “a safe and effective alternative” to chemical mouthwashes.
The study’s authors state that their findings’ have legitimate clinical significance. “Edible oil-pulling therapy is natural, safe, and has no side effects. Hence, it can be considered as a preventive therapy at home to maintain oral hygiene.”

Can your dental health actually have an impact on your whole body?

The idea that your dental health has an impact on all areas of your body might seem extreme, but research supports its validity. Your mouth is full of bacteria (most of which are good or harmless). If those bacteria get out of control, however, they can wreak havoc on your whole body. This happens when you have dental conditions like gingivitis (gum inflammation) or periodontitis, a serious gum disease.
Some research suggests that there is a noteworthy relationship between oral health and cardiovascular disease. The science is not yet definitive, but the American Heart Association (AHA) says that oral health can be a good indicator of overall health.
“The mouth can be a good warning signpost,” Ann Bolger, MD, William Watt Kerr Professor of Clinical Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, told the AHA. “People with periodontitis often have risk factors that not only put their mouth at risk, but their heart and blood vessels, too. But whether one causes the other has not actually been shown.”
There are additional ways that the health of your mouth affects your overall health, too. One of the main functions of saliva is to sweep bacteria away from our teeth. However, the fluid is also critical for promoting healthy digestion. Lee says that increasing saliva through oil pulling can help us digest food more efficiently.
“Oil pulling increases the production of saliva, which increases the speed of digestion,” she says.

Giving Oil Pulling a Try (And Why You’ll Need a Trash Can Nearby)

If you’re ready to give oil pulling a try, the first step is to make sure that you have the right kind of oil on hand. Coconut oil is the most commonly used. In addition to being a popular oil in Ayurvedic tradition, coconut oil has strong antimicrobial properties that make it especially effective at removing toxins during oil pulling. Additionally, most coconut oils contain vitamin E, which has been known to help repair tissue and fight inflammation. Sesame oil is another common choice that has similar benefits, and really any vegetable-based oil can be used.
“Coconut oil, olive oil, sunflower seed oil, and sesame oil have strong antimicrobial and antifungal properties that can keep your teeth strong and healthy,” says Lee. “Coconut oil contains lauric acid and produces monolaurin after digestion. Both lauric acid and monolaurin are powerful agents against harmful bacteria, viruses, and fungi.”
You’ll also want to make sure that you have a trash can with a plastic or removable liner nearby. That’s because when you’re finished oil pulling you can’t simply spit the oil into the sink or even the toilet.
“The used oil can cause a clogged drain,” Lee explains.

What does the process of oil pulling entail?

Now that you’ve stocked up on your oil of choice, it’s time to actually give oil pulling a try. The best time to oil pull is in the morning on an empty stomach as soon as you wake up.
“Make sure to oil pull before you eat, drink, or brush your teeth,” Lee says.
Begin by putting one to two tablespoons of oil in your mouth (you’ll want your mouth about half full). If you’re using coconut oil, make sure it is in its liquid form, not hardened because of exposure to cold. Once the oil is in your mouth, simply swish it around for 15 to 20 minutes, making sure to pass it over your gums and pull it through your teeth, Lee says.
During that time, be careful not to swallow any of the oil. After all, you’re using it to collect all the bacteria and toxins that you don’t want in your mouth, and you certainly don’t want to ingest them any further into your system.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, spit a little bit of the oil out (into the trash, not the sink!). As time passes, you’ll notice the texture of the oil changing as it picks up substances from your gums and teeth. When you spit it out, it will likely be whitish and lumpy.
When you’re done, rinse your mouth with warm water, or Lee recommends a sea salt or pink Himalayan salt solution for added cleansing. After that, you can brush your teeth and carry on with your day.

Tips and tricks to make oil pulling easier.

Lee says that oil pulling is safe for nearly anyone—including pregnant and nursing women. Even people with dentures can benefit from the removal of toxins via oil pulling, although dentures should be removed during the process, she says.
She shares that kids ages 5 and older can try it as well, but should use less oil and aim to pull it through their teeth for a shorter amount of time. It’s important that a child knows not to swallow the oil and has demonstrated that they don’t swallow toothpaste, gum, or mouthwash before being allowed to participate in oil pulling like Mom or Dad.
Many people balk at the idea of spending 20 minutes swishing oil. If that’s a concern, try oil pulling while you are in the shower, or use it as a way to work a little more relaxation time into your morning.
“Just put the oil in your mouth, get back into bed with your phone to keep you company, and it’ll be over before you know it,” Lee says.

It’s important to recognize that oil pulling—which can be done multiple times a day or just a few days a week—is a supplement to your current dental routine, not a substitute.
“Oil pulling should not replace the physical brushing of your teeth, flossing, or the visitation of your dentist every six months,” Lee says. “It is rather an effective addition to your already established oral routine.”
The process may take some time to get used to, but if you can incorporate oil pulling into your life, the results will be worth it.
Lee’s best advice? “Don’t discredit oil pulling until you’ve actually tried it for at least a week.”

Your mom telling you to sit up straight may have been an eye roll–inducing experience when you were a kid, but it turns out when it comes to posture, mother does know best. How you stand (and sit and lie down) can have a serious impact on your health. Proper posture is helpful not just in social settings—it can boost your confidence and help you avoid modern health problems that stem from poor posture as well.

The Sedentary Lifestyle

Think about your average day. You sit in your car commuting to work, sit at your desk for eight hours, sit driving home, then sit to watch some Netflix and go to bed. Even if you have a regular exercise routine, there is a fairly good chance you’re spending most of your day sitting.
All that sitting isn’t good for you, and research shows that now more than ever we’re living a sedentary lifestyle, which basically means we’re spending most of our time sitting and not moving all that much. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that adults who sit for more than 11 hours a day had a 40 percent increased risk of dying over a three-year period when compared to people who sat for less than four hours per day.
If you’re starting to panic, don’t worry; all you need is a regular exercise routine.
People who get regular exercise a minimum of four hours per week are just as healthy as people who sit for less than four hours a day. If you squeeze in a little more than a half-hour workout per day, you’ll hit the four-hour mark, and that exercise will help decrease your risk of sedentary lifestyle–related health concerns such as obesity and cardiovascular disease.
Unfortunately, exercise alone won’t take away the damage caused by sitting with poor posture for a good part of the day.
Even if you do get enough exercise to mitigate the risk of a totally sedentary lifestyle, your desk job may be negatively affecting your health.

Poor Posture and Poor Health

Having a desk job is known to promote bad posture. This study from the Association of Schools of Public Health found that seated computer use led to improper posture over time. Surprisingly, men and women showed different types of poor posture from sitting at a computer desk. Men were found to have more posture issues around the neck, and women were found to have more issues in the lower back.
And it isn’t just sitting at your desk that’s cause for concern. Staring at your phone can be bad for your posture and your breathing, according to a study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science. Researchers discovered that prolonged phone use led to forward head posture, rounded shoulders, and impaired respiratory function.
That forward head posture is actually really bad for your health. You know the look—when you’re leaning forward to look at a screen, be it your phone or a computer. Having your head held at such an angle can lead to headaches, vertebrae disorders, lowered shoulder mobility, and neck pain. The worst part is that it’s subconscious. We all slouch from time to time because we don’t always notice when our necks are out of proper alignment.
Bad posture can even negatively affect your balance, which demonstrates without a doubt that the impacts of slouching over our desks are farther reaching than most of us have ever considered.
Not only can improper posture cause physical health problems; it can also make it harder to have a positive attitude. This is one of those areas where “fake it till you make it” is key. Sitting or standing with proper posture in a confident position can improve your confidence and decrease feelings of fear, whereas poor posture can make you moody, resulting in risk-averse decision making.
We know you probably won’t be doing the superhero pose during most of your day, but if it’s a quick confidence boost (and stretch!) you need, it may just do the trick.

What does proper posture look like?

Avoiding all those health risks is as simple as practicing good posture. Standing or sitting with proper posture isn’t the hard part: It’s making sure you do so consistently. Staying aware of your posture in the back of your mind is key until you naturally sit, stand, and lie down using proper posture.
Orthopedic surgeon David Geier says the key to proper posture is to avoid slouching at all times. This probably has that “Sit up straight!” eye roll popping back into your mind. We know that taking the time to focus on your posture may seem antiquated, but once you become used to it, the benefits are well worth the effort.
When you’re sitting, Geier suggests you “sit up with your weight on your sits bones.” The sits bones, formally known as the ischial tuberosities, form the lowest part of your pelvis or your hips. Instead of scooting your butt forward and leaning backward, you want sit up straight so the pressure is on your sits bones, not your glutes.
Your feet should be flat on the floor, uncrossed to avoid unintentional twisting of your hips or spine. Geier advises you continue to “lift your head so that the bones behind your ears are elevated. That position should pull your shoulders back and keep your chin parallel to the floor.”
Proper standing posture is also anti-slump. You’ll want to stand with your hips even, which means not leaning into one side of your hip. Standing into one side of your hip keeps the majority of your weight on just one leg and makes it hard to keep your spine aligned. Remember the superhero pose we mentioned earlier? Think about that, minus the power arm position. Keep your hips in line over your heels and your shoulders in line over your hips. Hold your head up high with your chin parallel to the floor.
Obviously this stance can be hard to maintain in stilettos. Surprisingly enough, another study published in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science found that the ideal heel height is four centimeters (or 1.5 inches). The study found that both flats and taller heels had “adverse effects on the body” caused by changing the center of pressure on the foot.
So if you have a job or event that requires you to stand or walk for long periodse, it may just be a good idea to invest in a few pairs of kitten heels!
When it comes time for bed, Geier recommends sleeping on your side for proper spine alignment. Use a pillow to support your neck and head, and keep your arms in front of you, not crushed underneath you. Also, it can be helpful to use another pillow between your legs to keep them separated and your hips in line. If you are going to lie down on your back, make sure your pillow is supporting both your head and your neck. In this position it can also be helpful to use a pillow under your knees for support.

Tips for Improving Posture at Work

Back or shoulder pain from habitual poor posture isn’t surprising, and it can be managed through proper posture exercises. But it’s not like you’re going to pull out the weights at work. Instead, you need to focus on sitting with proper posture during the workday and finding opportunities move regularly so you aren’t totally sedentary. You can also do stretches at work to keep your body loose and your spine comfortable.
We like to shake up our work day with a bit of desk yoga. Getting a little bit of a stretch in can help you feel more relaxed mentally, too! We recommend putting on this Yoga With Adriene video to guide you in a little yoga sesh at your desk. Or you could also do this lunch break yoga routine if you need the extra stretch!
Other ways you can make your work week a little more bearable for your bod may require improvements to your desk. Choosing to work from a treadmill desk would be a great option, but isn’t necessarily feasible for everyone. Having the option of a standing desk can also help, though less so than the treadmill desk because you can’t keep moving throughout the day.
The one desk improvement that we wholeheartedly do not recommend is switching to an exercise ball instead of a traditional chair. An exercise ball has no lumbar or upper back support, and it can be a safety issue. Plus, studies show exercise balls result in minimal actual improvement in posture or gains in calories burned.
Instead, work from a chair and use a lumbar pillow if you experience lower back pain during the day. Lumbar pillows aren’t necessarily the cutest way to make your workspace feel homey, but they can help you get the back support you need. We recommend this memory foam lumbar pillow, as it has straps to hold onto your chair and it comes in a few shades in case you want a pop of color!
Sitting with proper posture can help you have a better mood at work and lead to higher self esteem. Fortunately, these improvements can help to ease pain (and stress) for office workers. We’re totally on board for taking an hour to spruce up our desks to make them healthier and more comfortable spaces to work.

Exercises to Improve Posture

When you’re at the gym getting in those four hours of exercise per week, Geier suggests doing back exercises: “Working on the muscles of the upper or lower back and core muscles can help with posture and help to decrease discomfort from poor posture.”
If working out isn’t your jam, don’t try to do this alone. A personal trainer can help to make sure you are doing exercises properly so you don’t hurt yourself. If you’re experiencing chronic bad back pain, it may be a good idea to see a doctor or physical therapist to build an exercise plan that’s right for you.
Exercises like the lat pulldown, back extensions, or using a rowing machine can help with this. For an at-home option, try out this fun Blogilates back exercise video.
When it comes to the core, you want to focus on strengthening your “deep trunk muscles” to help relieve lower back pain. You can target your core by doing exercises like the dreaded plank. This is the move in which you hold your body in the pushup position (on your elbows or on your hands for more advanced plank practitioners) for as long as you can. It’s an isometric exercise (you’re not actively moving), and we can say from experience that it’s way harder than it looks. If you prefer more active exercise, we suggest following along with this Pilates for the People workout video.

The Importance of Good Posture for Kids

If you have children, it’s important to note that proper posture is equally important for their health as it is for ours. Kiddos, especially of school age, can start to develop posture problems when sitting at desks and when heavy backpacks are involved.
In fact, carrying heavy backpacks can be dangerous for children. A study published in Gait and Posture found that backpacks loaded with weight heavier than 15 percent of a child’s body weight cause children to lean forward. Leaning forward while carrying a heavy backpack can help to maintain center of gravity, but it can also create a greater risk of falling. It’s also helpful to make sure your child’s backpack fits properly and that they use both straps; using a cross-body backpack or a tote bag (which leads to uneven weight distribution) can result in back pain.
Making a few small changes to your posture can make a world of difference in your day-to-day life. Reducing back pain while at work can lift your spirits, and proper posture can contribute to your overall feelings of confidence and wellness. Once proper posture becomes your go-to, we’re sure your back will thank you.

Period cramps: Few women escape them entirely, and many downright suffer. More than 50 percent of women who menstruate report at least some pain from cramps one or two days each month, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and period pain keeps 10 in every 100 women from their usual activities one to three days every month, according to information from the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care.
Meanwhile, across the pond, a study whose results were published in October 2017 found that bad period cramps cost employers in the UK more than 5.5 million sick days every year. An analogous Australian survey published on YouGov.au revealed that, of Australian women who soldiered on and went to work despite menstrual cramps, three-quarters said it negatively affected their job performance. That’s just affirmation of what females everywhere already knew. What was more surprising—and also more disturbing—was that just about half of the respondents to the British survey chalked up having to deal with heavy, painful periods to “just part of being a woman.”
Silently suffering in bitter resignation is not the way to go. Cramps can be managed, both by way of natural remedies and medications that bring period pain relief. Of course, figuring out which of the home remedies—or over the counter (OTC) solutions—are right for you takes a bit of careful consideration and, especially if the pain is severe, consultation with your gynecologist.
First: the basics of menstrual pain and discomfort, because understanding the nature of period cramps is an important step in learning how to get rid of them.

Why do we have menstrual cramps, anyway?

Period cramps are part and parcel of female bodily function, a necessary evil in a way. In order for the uterus to shed its lining each month, it has to tighten up and relax in an irregular rhythm. This detaches the tissue lining the uterus and essentially pushes it out of the body. Unsurprisingly, women who have a heavier flow during their monthly period tend to have stronger, and thus more painful, menstrual cramps.
While painful cramps can occur at any age, the nature of a woman’s period will change throughout her life, notes Jacadi Bignami, OB-GYN at St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, California. “How often periods come, how long they last, and how much bleeding occurs can vary from the teen years to menopause due to changes in hormonal balances, which changes the communication that occurs between the brain and the ovaries,” she explains.
Doctors split period pain, also known as dysmenorrhea, into two types: primary and secondary dysmenorrhea. If the pain is caused strictly by the uterine contractions, it’s called primary dysmenorrhea. Moderate to severe primary dysmenorrhea is more commonly experienced by women under the age of 20. In general, it tends to lessen the older a woman gets. Also, many women have less primary dysmenorrhea once they’ve given birth, especially if their first delivery is spontaneous as opposed to cesarean.
Secondary dysmenorrhea is period pain that occurs for reasons other than uterine contractions alone. These might include polyps, fibroids, or another health condition like irritable bowel syndrome, which is why it’s a good idea to talk with your gynecologist about the specifics of your menstrual pain, especially if you suddenly start experiencing pain when you’ve never had any before.
Worth noting: Period pain is different from premenstrual syndrome (PMS). PMS is actually a constellation of symptoms that can include weight gain, bloating, crankiness, and fatigue. Also, PMS often hits one to two weeks before your period starts, whereas period pain has a much shorter timeline, kicking in more or less right when your period starts (although secondary dysmenorrhea can start earlier in your cycle than primary dysmenorrhea, last longer, and even occur when you don’t have your period).

Why don’t all women get the same severity of period cramps?

It seems really unfair that you can barely leave your couch when your period hits while your best friend seems to breeze through her monthly cycle. Experts remain uncertain about why some women seem to luck out when it comes to period pain, but according to a National Cancer Institute resource published by PubMedHealth, the difference may have to do with how sensitive a woman is to prostaglandins, which are chemical messengers that trigger the uterus to tighten. In fact, research published in The Journal of Pain indicates that women who suffer from severe dysmenorrhea tend to be more sensitive to pain in general.
An Australian study suggested that smoking increases the risk of having painful period cramps. Another study from the National Institutes of Health pointed to a possible genetic link. Thus, like so many other things, it appears that if your mother always had bad period cramps, that ups the odds that you will too.
And pain and discomfort from periods often goes beyond pelvic cramps. Back pain that radiates from the uterus contracting is also common, says Bignami. “The changes in hormone levels that occur when women have their periods can cause headaches as well. Some women even have nausea and diarrhea from the hormonal changes and prostaglandins released,” she adds.
As if all that weren’t bad enough, Bignami also points out that sheer exhaustion can come along with periods, due again to hormone fluctuations and blood loss. In short, the manifestation of pain and discomfort can and does vary from woman to woman.

Natural Remedies to Get Rid of Period Cramps

While the bad news is that menstrual pain and discomfort can take many forms and happen for many reasons—and a quick, sure cure is hard to pin down—the good news is that home remedies can alleviate much of the unpleasantry for many women. Among those natural remedies are:

• Diet Adjustments

  According to Bignami, foods high in saturated fats and simple sugars have been shown to increase the pain and other uncomfortable symptoms felt during your time of the month. On the other hand, though, she notes that “foods high in omega-3s, calcium, or iron can improve unpleasant symptoms of periods.”
  She goes on to say, “A healthy diet of lean meats, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains is recommended for those with painful periods.”
  Camille Finamore, a mom of two in New Hyde Park, New York, discovered the power of a healthier diet in easing period cramps. She recalls reading about how diet adjustments can help. Fed up with being relegated to bed for one day a month, she decided it was worth a try.
  “I made a real effort to avoid processed foods and all the snacks I was eating that were high in sugar or fat or both.” After several months of making a slate of swaps such as fresh fruit for donuts, she noticed a change. “While I can’t say my menstrual pain vanished, it was noticeably more tolerable. And just as good, I lost five pounds.”

• Light to Moderate Exercise

  It may not be the first thing you think about doing in the throes of a painful period, but exercise—in particular 10 minutes or so of gentle stretching—is a great way to improve circulation and reduce pain.
  However, Bignami points out that “there is always a fine line between the right amount of exercise and too much.” If you have always been pretty sedentary, suddenly jumping into a high-intensity exercise routine can cause more problems than it solves. Bignami says regardless of your fitness level, “light, easy exercise, such as stretching, walking, or biking, can alleviate period symptoms greatly.”

• Stress Reduction

  “Stress can impact every aspect of your life, including your period,” Bignami says. “Stress can cause your cycle to become irregular in frequency or duration, can alter your immune response, and even make you more sensitive to pain. Understanding how stress impacts your cycle is complex and can be different for each person. But what is certain is that finding a healthy and safe way to combat stress that works for you is important for your overall health.”
  Regular exercise is widely recognized as a healthy, effective way to keep stress in check. Learning to say no to unnecessary demands on your time doesn’t hurt either. But one hugely helpful technique to combat stress is practicing mindfulness. Being mindful amounts to being in the habit of focusing on the present moment, not wringing your hands about the past or worrying about the future, and calmly accepting your thoughts and feelings in the moment without judgement.
  “Mindfulness activities have been shown to help with pain by decreasing stress and aiding relaxation,” says Bignami. In fact, a study published in the journal Clinical Psychology Review found that mindfulness has several benefits to overall health.
  Bignami says she likes the Headspace App, especially for women who are short on time.
  “It’s a great way to improve your health in 10-minute sessions.”

• Massage and More

  Bignami also notes that massage therapy is an effective way to boost circulation, aid in relaxation, and decrease period pain. Can’t get to the spa? Taking a leisurely warm shower can also help relax tight muscles and improve circulation.
  “Acupuncture, as well as acupressure, when performed by a licensed practitioner, may decrease pain and inflammation in some women as well,” adds Bignami. (Acupressure applies firm pressure to touchpoints along the meridians of the body, but doesn’t employ the hair-thin needles of acupuncture.)
  Also, according to not only our moms, but also to a period pain resource published by MedlinePlus, curling up with a heating pad or hot water bottle and/or taking a hot bath are all tried-and-true means of period pain relief.

OTC Help for Period Cramps

As much as we’d all prefer to manage our pain with natural remedies, there may be times—the morning of a big job interview, say—when you need to be able to just take something to make the pain stop. OTC options for period cramps abound.
“Non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs], such as ibuprofen, Advil, and naproxen work by inhibiting a substance called cyclooxygenase, or COX. That ultimately decreases the prostaglandins which are made during your cycle. And by blocking the prostaglandins, you decrease inflammation and pain,” explains Bignami. Another benefit of NSAIDs, according to Bignami, is that taking one of those medicines a few days prior to your period may actually decrease blood flow in women who experience heavy bleeding.
Tylenol, which is the widely recognized brand name for acetaminophen, on the other hand, works by directly blocking the reception of pain. That old standby, menstrual cramp-specific Midol, combines acetaminophen with caffeine and an antihistamine. The caffeine increases energy levels and acts as a diuretic—decreasing water retention, also known as bloating, which may be just enough to give you the symptom relief you need.

When to Bring in the Professionals

Severe, debilitating period pain warrants a check-in with your gynecologist. They may consider prescribing you birth control pills, a Mirena IUD, or another prescription medication to regulate your cycle, decrease blood flow, and help control the pain. Some women, with the help of their doctors, even opt to use birth control continuously to stop their periods.
Still, Bignami cautions that severe pain with your cycle might be caused by something more than just your period.
“If you have pain that is not controlled with over the counter medications nor any of the natural lifestyle adjustments, you should be evaluated by a gynecologist.”
Endometriosis, fibroids, adenomyosis, and infections can all cause pelvic pain. In fact, in September 2017, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence in the UK issued new recommendations on endometriosis, which state that women presenting with chronic pelvic pain should be routinely checked for the condition.
Let’s face it: Your monthly period is never going to be easy-peasy. For the most part, minor pain and other discomforts are normal, but that doesn’t mean you need to suffer through adverse impacts on your quality of life. Experiment with natural and OTC remedies, and if your pain is persistent or severe, be sure to rule out more serious health conditions with your gynecologist.
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From [linkbuilder id=”2308″ text=”sweat suits”] to hot yoga, some wellness seekers really like to turn up the heat, but when it comes to the infrared sauna trend, you might be feeling skeptical, and you’re not alone.
“There’s a lot of fad treatments out there, so it can be hard for consumers to decipher what’s truly backed with scientific research and what’s bogus,” says Sydney Ziverts, a health and nutrition investigator for ConsumerSafety.org. Ziverts has investigated infrared saunas and says that the science shows real benefits to infrared sauna treatment. In fact, she was so convinced that she decided to give it a try and felt the benefits firsthand.
“I have used infrared saunas and always feel wonderful afterwards,” Ziverts says. “I suffer from celiac disease and other autoimmune disorders, so I tend to notice that inflammation is reduced after a treatment.”
Many spa-goers will swing into the sauna if they get the chance. Relaxing in a dark, quiet room entirely enveloped by heat is calming, and sweating it out in a traditional sauna has many health benefits, from helping your body purify toxins that you encounter or ingest in the course of day-to-day living to inducing exercise-like heart rates. Many of us feel great after our intensely sweaty workouts, so getting that buzz without having to do any of the hard work is just another sauna perk.
But, unfortunately, many sauna-goers are let down by the reality, which is defined by high heat. Opening the door to the sauna means being blasted with a heatwave that may overwhelm and intimidate even the most committed health seeker. Instead of relaxing, minutes into your sauna sit you may find yourself wondering how long you can last in the intense heat before scampering out to partake in other spa activities (or maybe even a workout) that are a bit more enjoyable—while also asking yourself how anyone ever survives summers in Arizona.
Ultimately, to reap the benefits of sitting in a sauna, you have to start slow, build up your time, and visit frequently. If you’re scared off by the fiery blast or just can’t manage to sweat it out long enough, the sauna will be one more fad you tried and moved on from.
The thing is, the sauna is good for you. People have used saunas for thousands of years to promote healing and wellness. And if ancient wisdom isn’t enough to get you looking for a sauna near you, modern science has proven that saunas have myriad health benefits, especially for your cardiovascular system, which women should take note of since heart disease is the leading cause of death in American females.
Enter infrared saunas. You might think infrared light sounds scary or think, “If it’s safe, it’s sure to be a gimmick.” In fact, infrared saunas have all the same health benefits as traditional saunas, plus some others. Best of all, the temperature of the rooms remains lower, keeping patrons more comfortable and helping them stay in the sauna long enough to reap its real health benefits.
Infrared is legit, and the next time I head to the spa, I’ll be choosing one with an infrared sauna. Here’s why you should too.

What is an infrared sauna and how does it work?

Traditional saunas work by creating intense heat in a room. When you go into that room, your body heats up because the environment it is in is very hot. If you stay in the sauna long enough (but not too long), your body will reap the health benefits of the heat, but you must endure the discomfort of being in a very hot room.
Infrared saunas work by using far infrared light to heat the cells of your body directly, rather than heating up the surrounding air.
“Traditional saunas work by creating a hot room, which indirectly heats you up and leads to sweating,” says Joe Gibson, CEO of Red Light Man, a company that sells products for light therapy. “Far infrared saunas work more directly—the water in your skin cells directly absorbs the radiation, converting it to heat. The end result is similar, in that your body gets hot and you begin to sweat.”
Gibson explains that there are different types of infrared light: near infrared (NIR), mid infrared (MIR) and far infrared (FIR). Near infrared is visible and can be used for light therapy. Far infrared is invisible to the human eye and is sometimes more descriptively referred to as infrared heat.
“Infrared saunas typically use far infrared, which is more similar to microwave radiation than it is to visible light,” Gibson says.
When you enter an infrared sauna, the light permeates your skin, heating your cells from the inside.
“This invisible light penetrates a few inches into the body and creates heat, resulting in a whole-body hyperthermia (increased heat) and increase of energy on a cellular level to make you sweat, revitalizing cells,” says Zinia Thomas, who is one of a group of doctors who own Radiance Float + Wellness in St. Louis, a spa and wellness center that includes an infrared sauna.

Are infrared saunas safe?

The term “radiation” can definitely put people on edge. However, experts say that infrared saunas are perfectly safe. The Mayo Clinic reports that “no adverse effects have been reported with infrared saunas.”
Of course, there are some exceptions to those rules. Women who are pregnant shouldn’t use any type of sauna, because a raised body temperature can be harmful to the fetus. Ziverts cautions that “it’s important to note [that sauna use] is not recommended for folks who have unstable angina [chest pain] or those who’ve had a recent heart attack.”
She goes on to say, “The primary risk of either an infrared or traditional sauna is overdoing it, which can cause dehydration,” so be sure to drink plenty of water before, during, and after your sauna time.

What do infrared saunas feel like?

Most people who have experienced the overwhelming heat of a traditional sauna will find that infrared saunas are more comfortable.
“Traditional saunas use high heat with low humidity, which can be unpleasant, whereas infrared saunas are much milder in temperature,” Ziverts says.
Because infrared saunas heat your body directly, rather than relying on hot air to do so, they can be more comfortable to sit in. This means you’re more likely to stay in the sauna longer, which gets you closer to those sauna health gains.
“Saunas that use infrared light are more tolerable and comfortable to remain in for a longer time, thus one can fully enjoy the benefits,” Thomas says.
Check out this video to see what users say about the experience:

How do infrared saunas affect heart health?

Heart disease is a big threat to women, accounting for one in four deaths of American women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Because of this, it’s important that women know that infrared saunas have been proven to have benefits for cardiovascular health. One study from the National Institutes of Health concluded that sauna use—including infrared saunas—“appears to be safe and offers multiple health benefits to regular users” who have heart conditions.
Additionally, a 2015 study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that regular sauna visits can help people live longer because they reduce the risk of certain cardiac problems. In response to that study, Dr. Thomas H. Lee, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, told Harvard Health Blog that he was not surprised that sauna visits can increase longevity.
“The cardiovascular effects of sauna have been well documented in the past. It lowers blood pressure, and there is every reason to believe that its effects are good for blood vessels,” he said.
A scientific review from 2009 found evidence to support that infrared saunas specifically had a positive effect on stabilizing blood pressure and treating congestive heart failure.
People with those conditions are often limited in the duration and variety of exercises they can do. But thanks to infrared saunas, there is more good news for people with blood pressure problems and congestive heart failure: Sitting in a sauna can raise their heart rate and increase the number of calories they burn, giving their bodies some of the benefits of working out even while they’re sitting still.
“The cardiovascular effects have been shown to normalize blood pressure, improve cholesterol levels and produce a ‘cardio’ workout, great for someone who is sedentary due to pain or arthritis,” Thomas says.
Since most people remain in an infrared sauna longer than a traditional sauna, those effects can be amplified, helping patrons burn up to 600 calories an hour, Thomas tells HealthyWay.
However, Ziverts says not to ditch the gym any time soon.
“While saunas may have some similar effects of mild exercise such as sweating or increased heart rate, it’s simply an addition to a healthy routine rather than a substitute,” she says.

Heart-health benefits are just the start.

For about half the year, it seems like most of us are either battling the cold that’s being passed around the office or washing our hands obsessively trying to avoid the next illness. It turns out that a trip to the sauna can help boost our immune systems, which might keep fall and winter illnesses at bay.
A 2013 study found that spending time in a sauna can increase your white blood cell count, which is an indicator of a healthy immune system. That was no surprise to Thomas, who said that infrared saunas are a great way to improve immune health.
“In the blood, white cells, neutrophils, and lymphocytes become more active, which boosts biological defense mechanisms,” she says. “This helps especially in winter time—when the core body temperature is relatively lower—to fight viruses and other infections.”
Another study from 2013 found that saunas can increase the amount of antioxidants in one’s body, which help repair and restore damaged cells.
Thomas says that really, infrared sauna affects all the systems in our bodies.
“Infrared sauna therapy treats the whole body by increasing the core body temperature, and the hyperthermia it induces helps vascular function and all organs in the body,” she says.
Another popular benefit from infrared saunas is detoxification. As your body heats up, you will sweat out toxins and other substances that might be making you feel less than your best.
“The toxins in our body are typically stored in the upper layer of fat, so sweating can rid the body of these toxins from toxic drugs, pollutants, pesticides, and heavy metals, which in turn improves the immune system and overall health,” Thomas says.
Since you’re able to stay in an infrared sauna for longer than a traditional sauna, you’ll be able to spend more time sweating out the toxins in your system. Since toxins can build up over time, Thomas says that there is a cumulative health benefit to using infrared saunas regularly.

Can infrared saunas provide pain relief?

Chronic pain is one of the most common conditions in America, affecting one in four adults, according to the American Academy of Pain Medicine. Treatment for chronic pain often includes opioids, which present a high risk of addiction. It is partially because of this that research shows women are at a particularly high risk for becoming addicted to prescription pills.
Many people report that visiting an infrared sauna can provide pain relief without the need for controlled substances.
“The main effect of saunas in our body is vasodilation (a widening of blood vessels),” says Gibson. “These are various direct relief effects from this, especially in people with pain, sore muscles, or stiff joints. If you have arthritis, injuries, and any sort of pain condition, you can expect benefits.”
Ziverts agrees.
“Treatments can help to balance general pain, inflammation, and poor circulation without unwanted side effects,” she says.

What to Know Before You Go

If you’re ready to give an infrared sauna a try, it should be easy to find one in your area since they are popping up with increasing regularity. Ziverts recommends checking local reviews or the Better Business Bureau to make sure you’re choosing a spa with a good reputation.
Once you’ve booked yourself an appointment, bring a towel and water (or call ahead to find out if those amenities will be provided). Be sure to research any health concerns you have ahead of time or to speak with your doctor.
Also, once you’re in the sauna, listen to your body.
“Although those working at the facility should all be knowledgeable about treatments and appropriate time spent inside the sauna, you should do some research beforehand, and never stay in the sauna if you begin to feel lightheaded, dizzy, or uncomfortable in any way,” Ziverts says.
They might sound super futuristic, but infrared saunas are just a modern spin on a therapy that has been giving people physical, mental, and emotional benefits for millennia. Next time you’re looking to recharge, an infrared sauna is well worth a try.

Picture this: You have a whole afternoon to yourself to do anything you want. You consider the possibilities: strolling through a bookstore, inhaling the beautiful smell of fresh, new pages, hitting the Target aisle to stock up on 8,000 more pillows and throws that you’ll probably never use, or indulging in some solo pampering.
But instead of hitting the spa for a relaxing massage or getting your toes updated with a brightly colored pedicure, you consider trying something totally new: cryotherapy. Unlike a warm blanket or the reassuring hands of a massage therapist, you will be plunged into literal below-freezing temperatures and be subjected to the frigid, cold air as you shiver in a chamber specifically designed to keep you chilly.
Sound relaxing?
Maybe not, but whole-body cryotherapy (WBC) is one of the latest crazes in the wellness world, and proponents swear it has a lot of benefits, like decreasing pain, improving muscle recovery, and boosting circulation. So does it work? And should you try it? Here’s what you should know before paying someone to let you plunge into an icy air bath.

What is cryotherapy?

Put simply, cryotherapy is “cold therapy” for the skin and body. According to an article published in the Journal of Sports Medicine (JSM), whole-body cryotherapy, just one of many types of cryotherapy, involves exposing the entire body to temperatures between –100 degrees Celsius and –140 degrees celsius, which translates to between –148 degrees Fahrenheit and –220 degrees Fahrenheit, for therapeutic purposes. This is done in a special chamber that controls the temperature for short bursts of time, usually between two and five minutes.
The JSM article explains that whole-body cryotherapy was originally developed to treat chronic, painful medical conditions such as multiple sclerosis (MS) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by reducing inflammation. Before long, athletes decided to hack the frigid treatment to perform better on the courts and fields. In the world of athletes, who tend to use the treatment within a day of exercise, the purported benefits of cryotherapy include a reduction in tissue inflammation, instant and ongoing pain relief, and increased muscle recovery.
Now, however, cryotherapy is going beyond treatment for people with MS, RA, and pro athletes and being extended to anyone who wants to try to benefit from making like they’re in Antarctica for a few minutes. Typically, you can choose between whole-body cryotherapy or a targeted treatment, like a cryotherapy facial, which applies cold air just to the face.
So how exactly is voluntarily freezing yourself beneficial in any way, shape, or form? Madeline Lovell, the owner of Celsius STL Cryotherapy in St. Louis, says that it’s all in the science of what’s going on inside the body while the outside of your body is freezing its pants off (if you’re even wearing any, that is). Celsius STL has two brick-and-mortar cryotherapy chambers and a mobile cryotherapy chamber that travels to local gyms, spas, chiropractors’ offices, and businesses.
“Common sense tells you that standing in [negative] 200 degrees for two to three minutes would make you frozen solid,” Lovell says. “However, the cool temperature only affects your skin’s surface, triggering your thermoreceptors to send electrical impulses to the brain making you ‘think’ you are freezing. This sends your body into a defensive mode by quickly transporting the body’s blood, nutrients, and resources to the organs in the core. During this process the body starts oxygenating your blood, flushing it of toxins and lactic acid. Immediately after exiting the cryosauna, your body starts returning to its normal state by increasing blood flow of your newly oxygenated blood back out to your limbs. Your body responds to the increased blood flow by dilating the blood vessels to distribute heat. The body starts absorbing the blood, which is now enriched with erythrocytes, oxygen, collagen, and other essential nutrients.”
Long story short, there’s a lot going on beneath the cold surface of your skin when you go cryo. And Lovell says a great deal of the cryotherapy magic happens after your time in the chamber is over, too, as the treatment boosts your body’s natural healing abilities, reducing swelling, inflammation, and joint and muscle pain; increasing your metabolism; reducing cellulite; speeding up muscle recovery; and much more.
In addition to health and wellness cryotherapy treatments, the medical world also has harnessed some Frozen powers to treat certain skin conditions. There is another intervention called cryosurgery, which uses extremely cold temperatures from liquid nitrogen to destroy tumors or moles on the skin. Unlike cryotherapy, which is supposed to provide benefits to the skin, muscles, and blood vessels, however, cryosurgery is extremely different from whole-body cryotherapy in that it’s meant to kill off unwanted tissue by literally freezing it.

What Cryotherapy Feels Like

If you get the treatment, you can expect to visit a special cryotherapy center, sometimes called a cryosauna, that features chambers designed specifically for the therapy. Cryotherapy chambers often resemble upright tanning beds with open tops. You stand inside the chamber with your head sticking out as frigid air, which is produced from liquid nitrogen cooling within the internal elements of the chamber, flows around you. Lovell explains that people who get the treatment step into the chamber with gloves, socks, and shoes that the center provides because it’s important to avoid getting in with any wet or damp skin or clothing because it can freeze, which is a serious risk considering frostbite can damage tissue in less than 10 minutes in temperatures under –35 degrees Fahrenheit.
In discussing precautions such as socks, gloves, and shoes, Lovell goes on to say, “Cryotherapy has over 30 years of research in order to perfect the treatment process for optimal client experience.”
So what does it feel like? Lovell describes the sensation of the whole-body treatment as akin to rolling around in the snow naked. There’s a visual you’re not likely to forget, right? However, she swears it’s not painful in any way and that a specialist is nearby during the entire procedure.
“You feel a pins and needles sensation during the treatment, but it disappears the second you step out of the chamber,” she says. “Cryotherapy is definitely cold, and you will feel uncomfortable, but it is not painful. It’s a dry cold, that feels different than a wet cold. It’s not like putting your hand or body in a bucket of ice, which hurts. There is no actual freezing, just the feeling of being cold.”
Health blogger Christina Rice chronicled her experience with cryotherapy on her site, Addicted to Lovely, where she walks readers through the entire process at a treatment center in Hollywood. The center she visited actually had a chamber that enclosed her entire body, head and all—more like a shower—and she and her friend, who underwent the treatment together, donned face masks, headbands, towels, and thick gloves to protect their bodies. Rice and her companion stayed in the chamber for three minutes and used the “medium” setting of cold, which she described as similar to being outside on a cold day.
“My eyelashes got frosted white and the hair on my arms was standing up straight, which really entertained me,” she wrote.
Rice said that she was a fan of the procedure and that she experienced a huge boost of mental clarity and whole-body relaxation, “like a really good massage without the soreness” after the treatment. She also tried a cryotherapy facial, which she says helped reduce some of her facial discoloration.
Lovell does warn that there’s an unexpected side effect of cryotherapy you should know about. “[It] makes your body crave extra rest at night, causing you to sleep deeper and longer when you decide to go to bed,” she says.
Bring on the pillows!

What are the benefits of cryotherapy?

According to Lovell, cryotherapy has benefits for pretty much everyone, “whether you are an athlete, a mom, a couch potato, grandpa, or average Joe.”
She notes that she does see a lot of athletes seeking to use cryotherapy for recovery and that women especially turn to cryotherapy as an easy way to get a short and effective workout in. Lovell claims that just one session of cryotherapy can burn between 500 and 800 calories and boosts your metabolism hours after the treatment is over.
She also adds that older clients or clients with joint issues may find relief from joint pain and muscle aches and those with skin conditions such as acne, blemishes, eczema, and psoriasis might find the cold air helps with clearing up their skin.
Lovell points HealthyWay readers to this long list of benefits that cryotherapy can provide, but remember: None of these claims are endorsed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which actually warns that “not a single WBC device has been cleared or approved by the agency in support of [any] claims” pertaining to cryotherapy’s potential when it comes to treating asthma, Alzheimer’s, anxiety, chronic pain, depression, fibromyalgia, insomnia, migraines, MS, osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis, or facilitating weight loss.

What the Studies Say

Although cryotherapy might be the latest trend in the health and wellness field, peer-reviewed studies on the treatment aren’t as enthusiastic. So far, there isn’t a whole lot of strong evidence that cryotherapy is beneficial for everyone. For example, the cryotherapy article published in JSM explains that cold therapy does have benefits for improving muscle recovery and reducing soreness, but a simple ice pack or cold-water bath is far more affordable and accessible and could be just as effective, if not more so. Cryotherapy costs between $60 and $100 a session, according to a recent piece by Groupon’s editorial team, whereas even a nice ice pack runs under $12 and can be used over and over again.
Studies have found, however, that whole-body cryotherapy can be helpful in reducing the pain experienced by individual with certain medical conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and acute low back pain.

Who should use cryotherapy?

Lovell uses cryotherapy every single day, which I, for one, have trouble understanding—maybe because I live in Michigan and the thought of voluntarily signing up to be cold any more than I already am most days of the year seems like torture.
Regardless of my aversion to cold, though, Lovell maintains that almost everyone can benefit from the therapy. “I have been most surprised at how quickly cryotherapy works for people,” she says.
Lovell claims that since beginning her practice of using cryotherapy daily, she has more energy and stamina, especially while exercising. She says she no longer gets sore after workouts and has been able to achieve some impressive personal records in both lifting and cardio, which she attributes to cryotherapy boosting her muscle recovery. And if that’s not enough, she also says she sleeps better, averaging eight to ten hours a night (um, am I dreaming?) and has noticed that her anxiety and chronic migraines have also decreased.
“There is an instant relief for a lot of chronic pain and suffering,” she notes. “Lots of tears of joy and hugs from clients who suffer from chronic pain feeling some relief for the first time in a long time. A lot of people are skeptical at how standing in a cold chamber for two to three minutes could have so many benefits. I was skeptical at first as well. I am just an average young woman. I did not think I needed fixing by cryotherapy, but it has changed my life. I have seen so many people feel the same way.”   

Risks of Cryotherapy

While it may sound like we should all be taking a daily jaunt into the sub-zero freezing chambers, as with most health trends, what sounds too good to be true may very well be. The FDA’s warning about WBC includes a statement from one of the Administration’s scientific reviewers, Anna Ghambaryan, MD, PhD, who said, “Potential hazards include asphyxiation, especially when liquid nitrogen is used for cooling.” The FDA also warns that because of the extreme temperatures that define it, cryotherapy poses a risk of frostbite, burns, and eye injury.
Lovell maintains that WBC is very well tolerated and has minimal risks, but shares that the therapy can cause fluctuations in blood pressure by up to 10 points systolically during the procedure, which reverses when it’s finished, posing a risk for people with high blood pressure, who are not candidates for the therapy.
Anyone with following conditions, some of which the JSM article identifies as contraindications, should not receive cryotherapy:

• Pregnancy
• Hypertension
• Coronary disease
• Acute or recent myocardial infarction
• Unstable angina pectoris
• Arrhythmia
• Symptomatic cardiovascular disease
• Cardiac pacemaker
• Peripheral arterial occlusive disease
• Venous thrombosis
• Acute or recent cerebrovascular accident
• Uncontrolled seizures
• Fever
• Tumor disease
• Bleeding disorders
• Open wounds
• Circulatory disorders
• Raynaud’s phenomenon
• Cold allergies
• Obstruction of the bronchus caused by cold

Also, a serious word of warning: DIY cryotherapy is never an option you should consider. Unfortunately, one woman who tried to use cryotherapy after-hours on her own lost her life. The same New York Times piece that chronicles her story also touches on injuries sustained by people who wore wet gloves or sweaty socks into cryo chambers.
If you do choose to visit a cryotherapy treatment center, be sure to look into the center’s history and ask about safety protocols and procedures, including verifying if an attendant will be present during the treatment and available to help if a problem arises. In the U.S., there are no cryotherapy treatment centers approved any by governing body, so the FDA recommends talking to your doctor before getting the treatment if you do decide it’s something you want to try.
And if you’re looking for a much cheaper form of cryotherapy, feel free to come visit me in Michigan around January—a quick walk around the block in winter is still giving me all the cold air I need.

When was the last time you had a good night’s sleep? If you can’t remember, don’t push yourself. You’re probably already feeling the effects of sleep deprivation, and your body may be doing just about all it can to stay awake and read this.
We all have days like this…weeks like this…sometimes even months like this! If you’re a mom, you can count on losing as much as six months of sleep during the first 24 months of your child’s life. Yes, you read that right.
Sixty percent of parents get just 3.25 hours or less sleep every night when their kids are 24 months or younger, and 10 percent of parents get a total of 2.5 hours of continuous sleep per night during their child’s first two years of life.
But you don’t have to have kids to be struggling to prop your eyelids open. If you work as a home health aide, lawyer, police officer, physician, paramedic, economist, or social worker, you’re among the most sleep-deprived employees in America and aside from that, women are almost twice as likely as men to report insomnia and other symptoms of sleep deprivation.
If you’re chugging down a cup of coffee and trying to keep your eyes open, you’re not alone. But you do need help!
Here’s how to power through that lack of sleep and catch some ZZZs.

How much sleep do you really need?

You know how much sleep you’re managing to get a night, but do you know how much you really need to leave exhaustion behind? Just as our bodies change as we age, so does the amount of sleep we need to recharge them.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults age 18 to 64 get seven to nine hours of sleep every single night. Our nighttime needs drop around age 65, although not by much. Seniors are still told to get between seven and eight hours of sleep each night.
Of course, that’s all easier said than done, and there aren’t many Americans who are heeding the advice of the National Sleep Foundation.
Although people in rural and suburban areas tend to get better sleep than people who live in big cities, most of us fall asleep sometime after 10:30 p.m., according to data from Jawbone’s fitness trackers. And even with those late bedtimes, more than half of Americans are awake by 6:30 the following morning.
If you manage to be one of the people who conks out at 10:30 p.m. and makes it all the way until 6:30 a.m., the math indicates you’re probably doing okay.
But if you’re snorting at the idea that your life could shut down long enough for you to be one of the few, well, welcome to the club. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, just one out of three Americans actually gets what the doctor orders in terms of shuteye. The rest of us are running around fueled by coffee and trying desperately to get more done in less time so we can get to bed earlier each night.
While we’re in good company, the bad news is that depriving ourselves of a full night’s sleep is doing a number on our bodies. It stands to reason that if sleep is part of a healthy routine, lack of sleep can affect our health, and the science backs up common sense on this one.
“If you get a good, full night of sleep daily, then you’re healthy and alert,” says Benjamin Smarr, PhD, Reverie sleep advisory board member and professor of neurobiology and behavior at University of California, Berkeley. “The more disrupted your sleep is over time, the more unhealthy you are likely to become. Between these extremes, there is a sliding scale of health and cognitive deficits that build up over time.”
“But the long and short of it is, every part of you needs sleep—eating, digesting, playing, thinking, socializing, healing, remembering,” Smarr says. “Sleep is necessary for all this and anything else you do as a functioning human being. When you don’t get good sleep, these normal and necessary habits suffer.”
That can mean simple things such as concentration and the ability to do well at whatever you do—work, workouts, parenting, enjoying a good read. On the extreme end, though, lack of sleep has been tied to an inability to process glucose, which increases your diabetes risk, as well as a heightened risk of coronary artery disease.

Are you sleep deprived?

The term sleep deprivation is bandied around a lot both by medical practitioners and those of us who get a kick out of sharing funny GIFs about coffee on social media. But what does it actually mean to be sleep deprived? Is there a number of hours of sleep you can get that cuts you out of the sleep-disordered crowd?
Not exactly.
From a technical perspective, deprivation is simply withholding something from someone’s possession—even if, in the case of sleep, it’s our own. From a medical perspective, sleep deprivation is not a diagnosis, nor is there an exact number of hours of sleep that doctors look for when reviewing a potential case.
However, sleep deprivation is a term that doctors use, and it’s one they take seriously because of the potential for other health conditions to be associated with it.
“There is not a ‘clinical’ definition per se, however we divide sleep deprivation into two categories,” explains Kimberly Fenn, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at Michigan State University. “Sleep deprivation refers to one or more nights in which an individual obtains no sleep. This is somewhat rare in the population.”
“In contrast, acute sleep restriction refers to partial sleep loss that occurs across several nights,” Fenn notes. “This occurs any time an individual obtains less than seven hours of sleep per night and is quite common in society.”
While being tired is an obvious sign that you might be sleep deprived, it turns out that not feeling tired is one too.
“If you don’t sleep all night, your body hasn’t healed or refreshed, so your brain functions similarly to how it would when you’re legally drunk,” Smarr explains. “But in the morning, your circadian sleep drive runs out, causing your circadian clock to switch to promoting wakefulness—meaning you feel like you get a second wind. This wide awake yet unrested state is when many people have accidents because they overcompensate for what their body and mind can actually handle. In fact, far more harm is done annually from sleep deprived driving than actual drunk driving!”

What’s really going on?

Typical sleep deprivation can have a number of causes.
“Typically, people become sleep deprived because of external factors (e.g., a project at work, a trauma such as a loss of a loved one, etc.),” Fenn says.  
In the U.S. Navy, for example, sailors have long been held to “five and dimes,” a system by which they were limited to no more than five hours of sleep at a clip. It’s a system that’s being replaced with new sleep mandates issued by the military this year to address sleep deprivation among our troops.
It’s not just extreme military practices that are being questioned. There is growing criticism of employers that hold employees to schedules that limit sleep. Doctors have long worked shifts that can go on for days (literally) during their residency and internships, grabbing catnaps in on-call rooms as a means to refuel their bodies. Truckers are known to sleep for similarly few hours, sometimes faking log books and pushing themselves with the help of caffeinated beverages (and other stimulants) to stay awake and keep driving so they can meet sometimes unreasonable deadlines.
Intensive studies of the practice have likened the effects of sleep deprivation caused by these sorts of shifts to the effects of alcohol on the body, and groups such as the Institute of Medicine have called for shift reductions to improve not only the health of employees but also protect the people with whom they interact.
Of course, sleep deprivation isn’t always caused by grueling hours on the job. Sometimes you’re at home, you’ve got nine hours set aside for a good night’s sleep, you’re lying in bed, and…nothing’s happening. Your body (and mind) refuse to shut down.
“If an individual typically spends eight hours in bed but can only sleep for a fraction of this, then that likely indicates that s/he is suffering from some form of insomnia,” Fenn says. “Similarly, if an individual habitually sleeps for seven to eight hours but does not feel rested and suffers from excessive daytime sleepiness , then this might indicate an underlying problem with their sleep, e.g., the individual may suffer from sleep apnea, etc.”
Another issue that causes sleep deprivation? Parents of young kids and caregivers of the elderly or sick can find themselves unable to grab quality sleep, not because they don’t want to sleep but because the people for whom they are caring require around-the-clock help.
Caregivers may get sleep, but if it’s in short bursts of time—in between the baby’s cries or calls for help from an ailing loved one—it is often non-restorative. Scientists posit that short stints of sleep don’t allow the body to get enough rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the sleep stage linked to forming memories and learning.
“There are four stages of sleep—stage 1, stage 2, stage 3, and REM,” Fenn explains. “Stages differ dramatically in a number of ways, primarily based on neural activity.”
REM sleep typically doesn’t take over until you’re at least an hour into sleeping, and your body can cycle in and out of it. But if your sleep is interrupted, REM sleep is harder to achieve, which—in turn—affects your memory and your ability to concentrate.

Break the cycle.

If your sleep deprivation can be linked specifically to a crying baby who is keeping you up or a work schedule that doesn’t allow time for sleep, you might feel like there’s no end in sight.
But there’s one piece of good news that’s worth clinging to in these dark times: It will get better.
“If an individual is sleep deprived due to environmental factors such as this, they are typically short term, and normal sleep patterns will resume when the environmental stress subsides,” Fenn says.
In other words, when the baby starts sleeping longer through the night or your schedule changes, you will be able to get back to your old routine. But if you can’t make an adjustment on your own or can’t pinpoint the root cause of your sleeplessness, it’s important to seek medical care.
A healthcare provider will likely ask that you start what’s known as a sleep diary to help get a sense of just how much you are (or aren’t) sleeping and other factors that may be affecting your sleep, such as amount of light and noise. They may hand you a sleep diary in the office, or you can download one for free from the internet. A sleep diary is filled out at home by the patient, meaning your doctor will depend on you to be up front about everything from alcohol usage and caffeine intake so they can get a clear picture of what’s going on.
To help augment a patient’s self-reporting, your doctor’s office may send you home with a wearable device too, says Yunpeng Wu, MD, medical director of sleep services at O’Bleness Hospital in Athens, Ohio.
“We have medical devices that can fit on your wrist, much like a Fitbit or a watch, but different,” Wu says. “Wear [it] for a week or two, we can download the data and we can see how the patient sleeps and make recommendations. From that data, we can develop a plan with the patient.”
A doctor may also schedule a sleep study, Wu says, wherein you go to the hospital or a sleep center at night, and healthcare providers actually observe your entire routine, monitoring what’s going on with your heart rate, breathing, and more. Medical technicians will look for signs of conditions that could be causing your sleep deprivation.
Sleep apnea, for example, is a sleep disorder that causes you to stop breathing for short periods while you’re sleeping. It can cause a person to wake up feeling like they didn’t get much sleep, sending them to the doctor with complaints of daytime fatigue and more.
Your doctor’s recommendations (and any prescriptions) will be based on what they determine is causing your sleep deprivation.
“That doesn’t always mean going right to medication,” Wu says. “There are cognitive behavior therapy options, relaxation skills.”
“A lot of times, patients can do this by themselves, without needing professional help,” he adds. “There are routines you can get yourself into.”
A good routine that gets the doctor’s stamp of approval?

• Avoid exercise three to five hours before bedtime.
• Do not eat too closely to your bedtime.
• Try getting to sleep by 11 p.m. and waking up by 6 or 7 a.m. every day (yes—even on the weekends!)
• Eat a balanced diet, avoiding caffeine consumption after noon.
• Make sure you pull yourself away from anything that stimulates you (such as a TV show or book) in time to wind down.