“This suggests that ‘making up’ for inadequate nighttime sleep by allowing one’s child to nap during the day will not help children in their kindergarten transition. It is best to have that 10+ hours of sleep concentrated during the nighttime sleep period, and to try to make this as consistent as possible across nights,” Teti said.

The methods of the study are strong and support what can be seen in clinical settings as well as broader pediatric research, said psychologist Ariel A. Williamson, a pediatric sleep expert in the department of child and adolescent psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and assistant professor of psychiatry and pediatrics at University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine. Williamson was not involved in the study.

If you have a little one approaching kindergarten in the fall, now may be the time to start good sleep habits. Over the course of the year, it was the sleep habits of the time leading up to kindergarten that made the biggest difference, according to the study.

“The intervention should begin before kindergarten begins in September,” Teti said. “Parents should do what they can to help their children get most if not all of their sleep on a regular basis during the children’s nighttime sleep period.”

Starting good sleep habits

The results of the study do not mean that preschool-aged or younger children should start weaning off naps, which are important during childhood, Teti said.

“For many young children, napping in the afternoon is developmentally typical; however, as the kindergarten transition approaches, families may wish to work on cutting daytime naps to consolidate sleep overnight,” Williamson said.

If your child is transitioning into kindergarten, Teti suggests implementing a 9 p.m. or earlier bedtime and working toward having most of the child’s sleep take place at night.

That may be hard for some families to uphold, especially when the adults have nonstandard work hours, he acknowledged. In those cases, Teti suggested leaning on other caregivers or family members for support.

In addition to sticking to that earlier bedtime, it can be helpful to avoid — not eliminate — use of screens, Teti said. Screens like TVs, video games and tablets should be completely eliminated at least 30 minutes before bedtime, however, he added.

It’s also important to be involved in bedtime, making a routine that is consistent and prepares the child for bed, Teti said. That can mean taking a bath, reading books, talking quietly and creating a calming environment, he suggested.

That regular schedule has been shown to increase how long children sleep over the course of the night, Williamson said.

“Establishing a consistent bedtime routine … could help to encourage a regular sleep schedule and promote optimal overnight sleep duration, especially in early childhood,” she said.

Source: CNN

“Even just an hour of sleep loss was more than enough to influence the choice to help another,” said Ben Simon, a postdoctoral fellow of psychology at the Center for Human Sleep Science. “When people lose one hour of sleep, there’s a clear hit on our innate human kindness and our motivation to help other people in need.”

By looking at a database of 3 million charitable donations between 2001 and 2016, Ben Simon, Walker and their colleagues saw a 10% drop in donations following Daylight Saving Time. This drop was not seen in states that don’t follow the one-hour transition forward.

In the second study, the researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging to look at the brain activity of 24 people after eight hours of sleep and after a night of no sleep. The prosocial neural network — the areas of the brain associated with theory of mind — was less active after sleep deprivation, this study found.

Theory of mind is the ability to consider other people’s needs, states and emotions, which typically develops in early childhood with socialization.

“Sleep has been consistently shown to affect our mood and our cognitive functioning, and thus, it also likely affects how we relate to others,” said Dr. Ivana Rosenzweig, a sleep physician and consultant neuropsychiatrist at Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospital in the UK, who was not involved in the study.

In the third study, which measured the sleep of more than 100 people across three to four nights, researchers unexpectedly found that quality of sleep was more important than the quantity of sleep when it came to measuring selfishness. The team assessed levels of selfishness based on responses to questionnaires that had been completed by study participants. Sleep quantity and quality both typically influence emotional and social behavior, so the team was expecting to find an effect from both, Ben Simon told CNN.

“These findings could suggest that once sleep duration rises above some basic nominal amount, then it appears to be the quality of that sleep that is most critical for aiding and supporting our desire to help other people,” she explained.

Rosenzweig, who heads the Sleep and Brain Plasticity Centre at King’s College London, told CNN that this “points to the importance of sleep of good quality and quantity to the overall balanced social and cognitive functioning, including altruism.”

She added that, while the methodological limitations mean that the mechanisms — if any — that underpin these findings cannot be judged, the study is original and creative, “which raises some stimulating questions and asks for replication of findings in a more focused and targeted way.”

More than half of all people in developed countries say they get insufficient sleep during the work week, which Walker calls a “global sleep-loss epidemic.” Extensive research has already shown links to mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression, as well as physical ailments such as diabetes and obesity.

Now, as evidence increasingly becomes available on its negative impact on social behavior, it could have consequences for society today, Walker added.

Ben Simon and Walker hope their research will allow people to reclaim a full night of sleep without embarrassment or the stigma of laziness.

“(Sleep loss) radically alters how we are as social, emotional beings, which you could argue is the very essence of human interaction and what it means to live a fulfilling, meaningful human existence,” Walker said.

Source: CNN

When we are hungry, we tend to make decisions that might not line up with our wellness or financial goals. So when you take the time to prepare multiple meals for the week, you are giving yourself a safety net to fall back on when you’re in a hurry and hunger strikes.

Meal prepping can sound intimidating, no thanks in part to the countless social media feeds boasting balanced and aesthetically pleasing meals by the dozen, but it can be really simple. Some Instagram accounts that might help motivate you to break out the cutting board and meal prep containers for food storage are @meowmeix (food facts and meal inspiration), @keto_adapted (keto, or high-fat, low-carb meals) and @dailyveganmealprep (plant-based recipes).

Grain bowls are a great place to start. Grab 8 ounces of chicken breast (which will make about five to seven meals depending on how much you eat), an easy-to-chop vegetable like zucchini or asparagus, and some quinoa or rice. Or choose your own favorites; any protein, vegetable or grain will do — the key is balance. Your best friends here will be a chicken shredder and vegetable slicer, easily available online, that will save you a lot of chopping time.

You can keep these prepped grain bowls interesting — and varied — by using different sauces, dressings and condiments throughout the week, Rosen said.

And whether with meal prep or just a single dinner, simple cooking at home can also save you the thousands of calories’ worth of oil and butter that restaurants tend to sneak into their dishes, Rosen said.

Build a freezer stash

Stocking your freezer with nutritious foods will be sure to save you from the oh-so-tempting late-night take-out splurge. For example, you can buy frozen broccoli, shrimp and precooked rice separately to combine in a pan with some oil and seasoning for a healthy, 10-minute dinner.

While you won’t see significant savings when buying frozen foods like chicken and vegetables as opposed to fresh, you will save money by having nutritious staples on hand, with the added benefit of a food with a longer shelf life.

Consider plant-based proteins

If you’re trying to cook a well-balanced meal without splurging on meat or fish, try a vegetarian protein like tofu, tempeh, beans or legumes, said nutritionist and CNN health contributor Lisa Drayer. These foods are healthful and much more affordable than animal proteins.

Tofu, which is high in protein and contains all the essential amino acids your body needs, is also very simple to cook. Cut into cubes, sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic and paprika (or seasonings of your choice) and toss into the air fryer or oven until golden brown. If you want them even crispier, add some corn starch to the mix. Combine with a vegetable and grain or stir into a simmering curry for a hearty and satisfying meal.

Get creative in the kitchen

Some of the most affordable foods can also contain the most nutrients. For example, 1 pound of sweet potatoes costs around a dollar, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, and is filled with fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. A quick online search will give you dozens of ways to get creative with these nutritious gold mines. Bake them whole, slice into strips and season with salt, pepper and paprika for sweet potato fries, or simply cut into medallions or cubes and bake in the oven or air fryer.

Other healthy, low-cost food options include beans, rice, eggs, oats and lentils — which can become the base for any number of healthy, tasty dishes. And if you don’t feel like cooking, carrots and hummus, protein bars (make sure to check the ingredients first, as many have high amounts of sugar and additives), and fruit and yogurt all come ready to eat.

Another way to save money in the kitchen is by repurposing food waste and scraps, Rosen said. For example, use bones from meat or poultry to make a broth, pour leftover pasta sauce or soup into large ice cube trays to have on hand for smaller recipes, and freeze fruit and veggies that are about to go bad to use in a smoothie later. (The general rule is one week post-purchase for using fresh fruit and vegetables, but just look to make sure there is no mold growth before freezing.)

Smoothies

One of the easiest and most inexpensive ways to get a nutrient-packed and delicious snack or meal into your diet is with smoothies. Using the right ingredients, you can create a well-rounded meal in minutes. Plus, most of the components can also be stored in your pantry or freezer.

A simple go-to smoothie can include frozen banana slices (for texture and natural sweetener), frozen or fresh spinach, frozen cauliflower rice (for added nutrients and texture), and then your choice of fresh or frozen berries, protein powder, and nut butter (for healthy fats). On Instagram, @healthyblends shares great smoothie recipes and inspiration.

Think of smoothies as a vehicle for your daily vegetable intake, as leafy greens like kale and spinach are easy to mask among sweeter ingredients like blueberries, strawberries and bananas. The mistake most people make with smoothies, Rosen said, is focusing on fruit and skimping on protein and healthy fats, which can cause a blood sugar spike and crash. If you find that you are slurping your smoothies too quickly, sprinkle some chopped nuts or low-added-sugar granola on top to encourage you to slow down and chew.

Try these swaps at the grocery store

Often you don’t have to completely give up what you love in order to eat healthier and save cash — it’s just about making the right choices. Keeping these swaps that Rosen recommended in mind while you grocery shop will give your body a nutritional boost and save you some money at checkout:

Healthy swaps

Budget-friendly swaps

All of these leisure activities appear to lower the risk of early death, as well as death from cardiovascular disease and cancer, according to a new study published Wednesday in the journal JAMA Network Open.

Any combination of aerobic-based activity done for the recommended amount of time per week was associated with a 13% lower risk of death from any cause when compared with doing none of the activities, the researchers found.

Playing racket sports had the highest return for cardiovascular issues: There was a 27% reduction in risk for death from heart disease and a 16% reduction in early death. The largest reduction in cancer risk (19%) was associated with running, while running reduced risk of an early death by 15%, the study said.

Walking for exercise was the most beneficial for lowering the risk of early death after racket sports and running, the study found.

All the activities studied were associated with some lower risks of death, the study found.

“Participation in any of the activities was associated with lower mortality in comparison with those who did not participate in each activity, including moderate-intensity activities,” wrote study author Eleanor Watts, a postdoctoral fellow in epidemiology at the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health.

The study could only show an association, not a full cause and effect.

Source: edition.cnn.com