Are You Getting Enough Sleep? Sleeping properly?

DBZ said:
A lot of people, including him speak of electricity as a one way thing. In that case, a single wire carrying DC voltage would be able to run a lightbulb, but it cannot. There needs to be a flow of electrons, a cycle of them. Static charge is something that does no real work.

Also, where is he getting that the earth is negatively charged? Something negatively charged would want to give up electrons easily in order to attain balance. Electrons repel electrons, so an excess tries to jump off.
I could be negatively charged by my cotton socks rubbing on a shiny floor (like the experiment in class where you rub a rod with fur- the rod sheds electrons, becomes +), then go outside - touch the ground or something metallic and get a zap. In that case I gave up my excess electrons.


Here is an interesting paper (I don't think it was posted here yet, though I might be wrong). It addresses the questions raised by DBZ (and many other points too)

The Earth’s Electrical Surface Potential
A summary of present understanding
(January 2007)
by Gaetan Chavalier, PhD,
Director of Research, California Institute for Human Science,
Graduate School & Research Center, Encinitas, CA

An explanation of the forces that drive the
electrical activity on the earth’s surface.
A basis for the concept of “earthing.”
 
Belibaste said:
DBZ said:
A lot of people, including him speak of electricity as a one way thing. In that case, a single wire carrying DC voltage would be able to run a lightbulb, but it cannot. There needs to be a flow of electrons, a cycle of them. Static charge is something that does no real work.

Also, where is he getting that the earth is negatively charged? Something negatively charged would want to give up electrons easily in order to attain balance. Electrons repel electrons, so an excess tries to jump off.
I could be negatively charged by my cotton socks rubbing on a shiny floor (like the experiment in class where you rub a rod with fur- the rod sheds electrons, becomes +), then go outside - touch the ground or something metallic and get a zap. In that case I gave up my excess electrons.
Voltage only has meaning relative to something/some place else. Current will flow between these two if ions can flow between them. Voltage is the "across" (driving) variable and current is the "through" (resultant) variable. In a fluid system, pressure is the across variable and fluid flow is the through variable. In a thermal system, temperature is the across variable, and heat flow is the through variable ... and so on for every system that does work (as DBZ says). The basic mathematical equations describing the relations between these through and across variables are the same.

Belibaste said:
Here is an interesting paper (I don't think it was posted here yet, though I might be wrong). It addresses the questions raised by DBZ (and many other points too)

The Earth’s Electrical Surface Potential
A summary of present understanding
(January 2007)
by Gaetan Chavalier, PhD,
Director of Research, California Institute for Human Science,
Graduate School & Research Center, Encinitas, CA

An explanation of the forces that drive the
electrical activity on the earth’s surface.
A basis for the concept of “earthing.”

Thanks for the find Belibaste. I'm reading it now - looks pretty good so far.
 
Here is a very good overview of the PEMF active devices out there (including the Bemer):

http://www.pemft.org/
 
LQB said:
Here is a very good overview of the PEMF active devices out there (including the Bemer):

http://www.pemft.org/

After investigating a little more, it looks to me like the author of this website is now marketing/selling the iMRS2000 PEMF device. I still think the web pages here are a very good intro PEMF and the considerations. There are a couple things to note though. The authors says (broadly),

First, we are not getting enough of the GOOD earth based magnetic energy. This has two parts to it; the first part is that our Earth's magnetic field has been declining over the last 500 years (probably longer) and it is HALF of what it was just 300 years ago. And on top of that, the average American spends 90% of his or her day inside ISOLATED and partially shielded from these healthy frequencies. Add to that all the concrete and steel, rubber soled shoes, rubber tires, isolated mattresses, etc.

From an AC magnetic field standpoint, there is very little environmental shielding. The AC Mag field will penetrate nearly everything (including deep caverns) except actively (polarized) magnetic materials. So to suggest that blockage of the field is an issue - I think is misleading. IMO he recovers with the second part,

The second part is TOO Much of the BAD. We are simply getting bombarded by dirty electricity or electrosmog everywhere we go. Computers, wi-fi, cell phones, handset phones, microwaves, hairdryers, cell phone towers, etc, etc.

Based on my research so far, I think this is the main driver - the natural AC mag field bio-effects are getting overwhelmed by our environmental EMFs (EMF high frequency noise).

Overall, PEMF devices enjoy some pretty good reviews in the medical community for - what I think is - a kind of "reset" of stuck metabolic patterns that can result from bad diet, toxins, and EMF exposure.
 
Belibaste said:
Here is an interesting paper (I don't think it was posted here yet, though I might be wrong). It addresses the questions raised by DBZ (and many other points too)

The Earth’s Electrical Surface Potential
A summary of present understanding
(January 2007)
by Gaetan Chavalier, PhD,
Director of Research, California Institute for Human Science,
Graduate School & Research Center, Encinitas, CA

An explanation of the forces that drive the
electrical activity on the earth’s surface.
A basis for the concept of “earthing.”

I took a couple of hours to go through this, so I thought I'd post my impressions.

The bulk of this appears to be the result of an extensive literature search of the electrical/magnetic physics/dynamics of atmospheric/magnetospheric Earth. It reads like a hodge podge of notes taken from the many references and is very repetitive in many places. As a reference work on the terminology and history of atmospheric physics, it may be useful, depending on how he "cherry-picked" his sources.

In the introduction to this 100-page tome he says:

There is mounting evidence that the lack of contact with the earth’s surface is detrimental to
man’s health. Recent research shows that connecting the human body to the earth’s surface
during sleep normalizes circadian cortisol profiles and reduces or eliminates stress-related
symptoms, including sleep dysfunction, pain, digestive distress and anxiety1. Restoring the
earth-connection also has a profound influence on inflammatory conditions. Studies verify that
inflammation decreases and often disappears2. Brain waves, muscle tension, and blood volume
pulse also normalize3 when an individual is connected with the electrical surface potential of the
earth.

The first three (of a long list) of references he gives as:

1- Ghaly M, Teplitz D. (2004) The biologic effects of grounding the human body during sleep, as
measured by cortisol levels and subjective reporting of sleep, pain and stress. Journal of
Alternative and Complementary Medicine Vol. 10, No. 5, 767-776
2- Amalu, William (2005) Case Studies
3- Chevalier G, Mori K, Oschman, JL. The Effect of Earthing (grounding) on Human Physiology.
European Biology and Bioelectromagnetics (2006) 31/01 600-621; on the web:
http://www.ebab.eu.com/dsp_abs.asp?s_aid=41&s_vol=1&s_iss=5.

The rest of this document has nothing directly to do with this introductory statement about grounding the body! In fact the discussions about induced ground currents (due to atmospheric and solar phenomena) actually suggests that this is not a good idea. It looks to me like the author is trying to create an authoritative stance from which to make claims about earthing the body.

From the EMF exposure thread, here is what I had to say about another of his "white papers":

Just a note to beware this document that attempts to describe why earthing oneself in the home is a good thing:

_www.earthinginstitute.net/statements/understanding_earthing.pdf

Quote

Understanding Earthing (Grounding)
Gaétan Chevalier, Ph.D., and James L. Oschman, Ph.D.


This is a "white paper" not published in any Journal. It looks to be more of a political statement in favor of "earthing" oneself in the home. The authors clearly do not understand what they are discussing - and the paper contains some major BS. The fact that this even exists raises a big red flag planted squarely on "earthing oneself in the home".

I have no doubt that earthing the body under the right conditions/circumstances can be a very good thing. But I think those conditions/circumstances should be understood. Chevalier's work in this area (imo) - based on what I've seen - seems agenda-driven.
 
Lack of sleep 'switches off' genes

One week of bad sleep can "switch off" hundreds of genes and raise the risk of a host of illnesses including obesity and heart disease, scientists claim.

By Nick Collins, Science Correspondent

Getting fewer than six hours' sleep per night deactivates genes which play a key role in the body's constant process of self-repair and replenishment, according to a new study.

Our bodies depend on genes to produce a constant supply of proteins which are used to replace or repair damaged tissue, but after a week of sleep deprivation some of these stopped working.

The findings suggest that chronic lack of sleep could prevent the body from fully replenishing itself and raise the risk of a host of diseases, researchers said.

Scientists from Surrey University divided 26 volunteers into two groups, one of which slept for less than six hours per night for an entire week, and one which slept for ten hours per night.

At the end of the week each group was kept awake for 40 hours and donated blood samples, which were studied to examine the effects of their sleep regimes.

The week of sleep deprivation was found to have altered the function of 711 genes, including some involved in metabolism, inflammation, immunity and stress.

Inadequate sleep also interfered with genes which are designed to become more or less active at certain points in the day, by throwing off the body's 24-hour internal clock.

Although a week's normal sleep was enough to restore the affected genes to their normal pattern, researchers said that prolonged periods of sleeplessness could lead to serious health problems including obesity and heart disease.

Studies have also shown a lack of sleep can lead to cognitive impairment, for example limiting our ability to drive a car safely.

Prof Colin Smith, one of the authors of the new paper, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences journal, said: "This is only a week of sleep restriction and it is only five and a half or six hours a night. Many people have that amount of sleep for weeks, months and maybe even years so we have no idea how much worse it might be.

"If these processes continue to be disrupted, you could see how you are going to get impairment of organs, tissues, heart disease, obesity, diabetes. If you are not able to replenish cells and tissues that are damaged then you are going to suffer permanent ill health."

_http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/9892792/Lack-of-sleep-switches-off-genes.html
 
Here is another very interesting article.
This one talks about the role of sleep in removing brain toxicity, and suggests a connection between toxicity and degenerative neurological conditions such as Alzheimer:

A good night's sleep scrubs your brain clean, researchers find
Barbara Mantel NBC News contributor


It’s no secret that too little shut-eye can drain your brain, but scientists haven’t fully understood why.

Now, a new study suggests that a good night’s sleep leaves you feeling sharp and refreshed because a newly discovered system that scrubs away neural waste is mostly active when you’re at rest.

It’s a revelation that could not only transform scientists’ fundamental understanding of sleep, but also point to new ways to treat disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, which are linked to the accumulation of toxins in the brain.

“We have a cleaning system that almost stops when we are awake and starts when we sleep. It’s almost like opening and closing a faucet -- it’s that dramatic,” says Dr. Maiken Nedergaard, co-director of the Center for Translational Neuromedicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

Nedergaard is the lead author of the study published Thursday in the journal Science. She and her colleagues first reported last year their discovery of the brain’s unique waste removal system, dubbed the glymphatic system. It works like a neural trash truck, clearing away toxic by-products that build up when you’re awake.

The scientists had used two-photon microscopy — a new imaging technology that allows scientists to see deep inside living tissue — to peer into the brains of mice, which are remarkably similar to human brains.

They found that the glymphatic system pumps cerebral spinal fluid, CSF, through the spaces around the brain cells, flushing waste into the circulatory system, where it eventually makes its way to the liver.

Their latest research, also in mice, used the same technology to focus on the timing of the glymphatic system. The researchers discovered that during sleep brain cells contract, increasing the space between the cells by as much as 60 percent and allowing the spinal fluid to wash more freely through the brain tissue.

“This study shows that the brain has different functional states when asleep and when awake,” Nedergaard says. “In fact, the restorative nature of sleep appears to be the result of the active clearance of the by-products of neural activity that accumulate during wakefulness.”

The scientists found that the glymphatic system was almost 10 times more active during sleep than when awake.


“The brain has only limited energy at its disposal and it appears that it must choose between two different functional states — awake and aware or asleep and cleaning up,” Nedergaard said. “You can think of it like having a house party. You can either entertain guests or clean up the house, but you can’t really do both at the same time.”

One of the waste products of the brain is the protein amyloid-beta, which accumulates and forms plaques in the brains of Alzheimer’s patients. Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis had previously shown that levels of amyloid-beta in mice brains dropped during sleep because of a decrease in production of the protein.

“That was an observation that inspired our work,” says Nedergaard, “and we decided to look at clearance.”

Both lower production of amyloid-beta and faster clearance are likely key to lower levels of amyloid-beta during sleep, says Nedergaard. Her view is echoed by Dr. Yo-El Ju, a professor of neurology and a member of Washington University’s research team.

“Possibly there are both mechanisms working that produce the large variations between wake and sleep that we see,” says Ju.

Patients with diseases that cause progressive brain decline — Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Lewy Body dementia — often sleep poorly. The diseases are also associated with the abnormal buildup of protein in the brain.

While researchers don’t yet know if these plaques are a cause or a result of neurodegenerative disease, the new insights about the way sleep clears waste from the brain could lead to new treatment approaches, according to both Ju and Nedergaard.

“In addition to trying to decrease the amount of amyloid-beta production, perhaps we can also try to increase the amount of clearance,” says Ju.

Nedergaard and colleagues are testing possible drugs in mice that could do that.

“Understanding how and when the brain activates the glymphatic system and clears waste is a critical first step in efforts to potentially modulate the system and make it work more efficiently,” Nedergaard says.

Research in humans has shown that levels of amyloid-beta decline during sleep, as it does in mice, but it’s not yet known if the mechanisms are the same as in mice.

“Those experiments in humans to measure both production and clearance during wake and sleep are ongoing. We don’t have the results yet,” says Ju.

JoNel Aleccia of NBC News contributed to this report.

From: _http://www.nbcnews.com/health/good-nights-sleep-scrubs-your-brain-clean-researchers-find-8C11413186
 
I just realized that a very similar article about this same study was published on SOTT yesterday:

http://www.sott.net/article/267681-Study-reveals-brain-takes-out-the-trash-while-we-sleep
 
Recently published on SOTT:

SEVEN hours of sleep is the best - and more than eight is 'hazardous' to health


* 'Lowest mortality and morbidity is with seven hours', says sleep expert

* Those who sleep more than eight have memory and decision problems

* People who slept in Stone Age-like conditions only got 7.2 hours on average

In an age where we're busier than ever and bombarded with information 24/7, many of us complain we don't get enough sleep.

But getting too much shut-eye could actually be bad for your health, an expert has warned.

'The lowest mortality and morbidity is with seven hours,' says Shawn Youngstedt, a professor at Arizona State University Phoenix who studies sleep duration.

'But eight hours or more has consistently been shown to be hazardous,' he told the Wall Street Journal.

Just last month a study of almost 9,000 people found those aged 50 to 64 who slept for less than six hours a night - or more than eight - had worse memories and decision-making abilities.

But brain power was only reduced for older adults of 65 to 89 if they slept too long, say the University of Warwick researchers.

Recent research published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine adds to the argument we may not need as much sleep as we think, writes WSJ journalist Sumathi Reddy.

When five adults lived for two months in 'Stone Age-like conditions' - no clocks, electricity or running water - they got on average 1.5 hours extra sleep than usual and fell asleep two hours earlier.

But they still only averaged 7.2 hours a night, he writes.

Despite many of us believing we are chronically sleep deprived, most of us are getting 'more than we strictly need'

And most of us are probably getting more sleep than we strictly need - we've just convinced ourselves we're sleep deprived, says sleep neuroscientist Professor Jim Horne, of Loughborough University.

He believes that far from us all being exhausted, 'things have never been better'.

Unlike the typical worker from 150 years ago, who toiled for 14 hours a day, six days a week and went home to a crowded, flea-infested bed, most of us sleep perfectly adequately.

There have been several large studies over the past 40 years into how much sleep people actually get. The findings show that the average healthy adult sleeps for seven to seven-and-a-half hours a night.

Professor Horne, author of the book 'Sleepfaring - A Journey Through The Science Of Sleep', adds the much-repeated 'fact' that our ancestors used to sleep around nine hours is a myth.

He says it 1913 study by researchers in California, which found that children aged eight to 17 slept for this amount of time.

'There is a lot of fear-mongering about the so-called dangers of lack of sleep - but, in fact, the biggest danger of not having adequate sleep is having an accident, such as falling asleep at the wheel of a car.'

And which sex needs more sleep? Women - because their brains need more time to recover from the wealth of multi-tasking they do each day.

The Duke University scientists, in North Carolina, found women who are sleep deprived often suffer from depression and become angry.

_http://www.sott.net/article/282465-Seven-hours-of-sleep-is-the-optimum-and-more-than-eight-is-hazardous-to-health

The suggested 7,2 hours of sleep per night seem quite little, but perhaps there is something to it, if sleep cycles are taken into consideration:

The TRUTH is that human beings have roughly a 90 minute sleep cycle. If you wake up at or towards the end of your sleep cycle you feel great, if you wake up in the middle, you feel like sh*t!

Think about a time where you woke up without an alarm and felt amazing, full of energy like you could absolutely dominate your day. This is no doubt because you woke up at the end of your natural sleep cycle.

Take the opposite scenario where you woke up feeling like a punching bag after Mike Tyson had his way with you, where you had to pry your eyelids open as if they had been superglued together. This is usually because you woke up in the middle of your sleep cycle.

So what does this mean? It means that you should get a bare minimum of 6 hours of sleep every night, aim for a solid 7.5 hours and if you really wanna optimize your training try getting 9 hours!


_http://jasonferruggia.com/top-5-healthy-habits-every-athlete-needs/

However, the duration of the sleep cycle seems to vary individually (bolded parts mine):


It's really easy to figure out how long your natural sleep cycle is too. All you have to do is look at the clock right before you fall asleep, then again when your body wakes up naturally. It’s best to calculate your sleep cycle on the weekend, or when you have a few consecutive days where you don’t have to wake up to an alarm.

Once you’ve determined how long your body has slept naturally, you then divide the amount of time you’ve slept by the 90-110 min time range it usually takes a person to complete the full restorative cycle. From this you’ll get the average number of sleep cycles you’ve completed.

For example- if your body falls asleep naturally at 11:30 pm and then wakes up naturally at 8:30 am, you've slept for a full 9 hours. If you divide that 9 hours by 90 minutes (the average time it takes to complete the sleep cycle) you can see that you’ve slept for 6 complete cycles.

Using this information you can train your body to wake up exactly when your alarm is supposed to go off. If you know it takes your body 90 minutes to be fully rested then you can determine when it’s the best time for you to go to bed and still wake up at the time you’re supposed to.

Now you have to understand that everybody is different. Individual bodies have different needs so the 90 minute interval is only a ball-park figure. After trying this naturally falling asleep/waking up method I was able to figure out that my natural sleep cycle is around 96 minutes. Knowing that I wake up at my best after sleeping for 96 minutes, I know the best time for me to go to bed when I have to wake up at a certain time.

I know that going to bed at 11:30 pm and waking up at 9 am is more beneficial for me than going to bed at 10:30 pm and waking up at 9. If I were to fall asleep at 11:30, I would be able to complete 6 full sleep cycles (give or take a few minutes), but if I were to fall asleep at 10:30 my cycles would become interrupted. I would complete 6.5 sleep cycles and wake up at a time when my body doesn’t want to wake up. In this instance, less sleep is better.

Ever wake up mid-deep sleep and feel groggy the entire day? It’s because you’re sleep pattern has been interrupted and you’re body wasn’t ready to start the day. By determining you’re natural cycle, you can achieve better sleep and wake up feeling refreshed.


_http://www.examiner.com/article/calculating-your-body-s-natural-sleep-cycle

So 7 hours of sleep as such might be ok if it matches with your sleep cycles, better than waking up to the alarm clock after 8 hours in the middle of the sleep cycle. Then again sleeping longer, towards the 9 hour mark, completing the next sleep cycle, would probably be the best option of these three examples.

Looks like it would be worthwhile to determine the duration of one's sleep cycles.
 
Do human beings need light while awake, the way they need darkness while asleep? I ask because I actually wake up at night, to go sleep at noon.
 
D'Ankhiar said:
Do human beings need light while awake, the way they need darkness while asleep? I ask because I actually wake up at night, to go sleep at noon.

I actually think they do ... it has to do with the regulation of melatonin, the hormone which controls your circadian rhythm. And this is much more than just about sleep (immune function just to name one).

It is actually recommended that you expose yourself to bright light when you get up in the morning to downregulate melatonin production.

There is an interesting book about this topic (quite in-depth): Lights Out by T.S. Wiley, available here.
 
nicklebleu said:
D'Ankhiar said:
Do human beings need light while awake, the way they need darkness while asleep? I ask because I actually wake up at night, to go sleep at noon.

I actually think they do ... it has to do with the regulation of melatonin, the hormone which controls your circadian rhythm. And this is much more than just about sleep (immune function just to name one).

It is actually recommended that you expose yourself to bright light when you get up in the morning to downregulate melatonin production.

There is an interesting book about this topic (quite in-depth): Lights Out by T.S. Wiley, available here.

Thanks nickle. Much appreciated.
 
Just a little bump on this thread...

Jack Kruse promotes the use of the Magnetico Sleep Pad (dunno if he has any financial interest in the product) but it goes along with the information in Prodigal Son's previous post which LQB and DBZ took some issue with. Anyway, I'm wondering if this is just bunk or if there is something to it?


http://magneticosleep.com/why-were-better/comparison-diagram/
Why We Are Better

All other magnetic sleep pads expose the body to alternating positive and negative fields, when used as directed. This stimulates both the brain and the body to fix the problem. People can get good results initially, but over time the body’s reserve of energy will become depleted and the benefits will diminish. It is often recommended to take a two to four week break from these types of pads to restore the body’s energy levels before the person becomes fatigued or ill.

Many people mistakenly believe that if they place the negative (-) side of a magnet against their body, their body will only be affected by the polarity closest to them. The nature of the magnet is that it must have both polarities, so there is always a return field (the opposite polarity) around that magnet’s surface. Even if a company promises a pure negative (-) field, if their instructions are to place the sleep pad on top of your bed, you will not receive a pure negative (-) field. The magnets may be facing negative (-) side up but you will still be exposed to positive (+) ‘spikes’ between each of the magnets (see diagram next page).

Some newer models on the market imitate the Magnetico Sleep Pad by using similar magnets and placing them all negative (-) side up. But, because these pads are placed on the top of the bed, you are still exposed to the positive (+) field spikes.

If you were to place these pads under your mattress (as we do with the Magnetico pad), the magnetic field penetrating your body would be drastically reduced because they contain less magnets and/or smaller magnets.

Because the Magnetico Sleep Pad is placed between the box spring and mattress (or any other spacer over 4″), you are not exposed to the unwanted positive (+) spikes. The result is a pure negative (-) magnetic field that significantly supplements the Earth’s reduced field.

Comparison Diagram

All other sleep pads (Fig 1); expose the body to alternating Positive and Negative fields, when used as directed. This stimulates both the brain and the body to fix the problem. People can get good results initially, but over time the body’s reserve of energy will get drained and the benefits will diminish. It is often recommended to take a two to four week `break’ from these types of pads to restore the body’s energy levels because the person is fatigued and sick.

Even if a company promises a pure negative (-) field, if their instructions are to place the sleep pad on top of your bed, you will not receive a pure negative (-) field. The magnets may be facing negative (-) side up but you will still be exposed to positive (+) `spikes’ coming off the magnets (see Fig 1).

Some newer models on the market imitate the Magnetico Sleep Pad (Fig 2) by using similar magnets and placing them all negative (-) side up. But, because these pads are placed on the top of the bed, you are still exposed to the positive (+) field spikes.


The Magnetico Difference

If you were to place these pads under your mattress (as we do with the Magnetico pad see Fig2), the magnetic field penetrating your body would be drastically reduced. Our product is superior because the Magnetico Sleep Pad is placed between the box spring and mattress (or any other spacer over 4″), you are not exposed to the unhealthy positive (+) spikes.

Dare to Compare

The body is not exposed to unnatural alternating Negative (-) and Positive (+) fields.
Magnetic field is twice as strong as other brands
6-month satisfaction guarantee
Personalized, one on one Service available over the phone
No multi-level organization
15 years experience with a solid reputation
Quick delivery by UPS
On-going Research and Development in the field.

Positive testomonials: http://www.preventdisease.com/magnetico/testimonials.shtml

Negative testomonial: http://www.pathtopeakhealth.com/tag/magnetico-sleep-pad-review/ (herx reaction due to the detox action of the pad, perhaps? Or, according to Kruse the pad replaces bad PUFAs with DHA -- considering you have enough DHA coming in through your diet -- and the detox reaction is good.)
 
Hello! I didn't read everything that you wrote and I usualy do before I reply , but I don' have enough time right now... I just wanted to say that I have such a terrible job that I have a nightshifts and I don't have enough time to sleep afternoon, so I don't know how to recover. I'm exhausted, the worse thing is there is no other job avaible at the moment where I live. Help.
 
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