While sleep can seem like ‘wasted time’ to a lot of us, the reality is that it plays a critical role in health and wellbeing. Not so long ago I wrote about a study that found a correlation between reduced sleep over time and an increased risk of death, particularly from cardiovascular disease. Other studies [...]

As it’s the New Year, some of us health-conscious souls might be turning their attention to making positive changes in our lifestyles. For some, that might mean being more active, while other may see this as a time to redouble their efforts with regard to healthy eating. However, positive lifestyle habits can sometimes be easy [...]

I’m a fan of sleep. Such a fan that I protect my own as much as possible, and even delivered a lecture about the benefits of sleep and how to ensure we get enough of it just yesterday. Some of my enthusiasm for sleep comes from it’s ability to restore our energy, and therefore maintain [...]

Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is characterised by an uncomfortable sensation in the legs which gives rise to an overwhelming urge to move them. The symptoms of this condition typically come on when individuals are in lying down in bed. This condition overlaps with another known as ‘periodic limb movements during sleep’ (PLMS), in which [...]

Insomnia can be a debilitating problem. Not only can it leave people feelings seriously low on physical and mental energy, but shortened sleep has also been linked with a range of long-term health issues including heart disease, diabetes and weight gain. For a variety of reasons, what we eat and drink may affect [...]

New Year is usually a time when individuals think about making resolutions. The thing is about adopting new behaviours is that they take time. Whether your ambition is to prepare healthier meals, take more exercise, adopt yoga, spend more time meditating or with your kids, space has to be created to accommodate that. [...]

In a recent column I explored how keeping blood sugar levels stable in the small hours helps to promote restful sleep and reduces the risk of unwanted awakenings in the night. This week, I was reminded of another food-related influence on slumber by a study which found that many individuals with sleep issues suffer [...]

It is a widespread belief that eating cheese before bedtime puts us at risk of having their sleep disrupted by disturbing dreams or nightmares. Recently, a trade organisation known as the British Cheese Board commissioned some research designed to establish the validity of cheese’s reputation as a poor choice of late night snack. This research, [...]

A recent report from Surrey University informs us that British women get significantly less sleep than their male counterparts. This may not come as too much of a surprise bearing in mind that it is usually mums, rather than dads, who provide the bulk of child-care duties during the night. However, it turns out that [...]

My line of work inevitably brings me face-to-face with individuals who feel a fair proportion of their weight is surplus to requirements and are thoroughly fed up with living it large. I have known many would-be slimmers who, keen to force themselves into calorie deficit, are tempted to subsist on very slim pickings for breakfast [...]

In a World where time seems to be in ever-shorter supply, many of us can be tempted to skimp on our sleep. Yet, while sleep is often viewed as a dispensable commodity, the reality is that it anything but. It is when we are asleep that the brain and body recoup energies expended during the [...]