Health
Improve your sleep with this specific exercise, new study says
Learn to ‘biohack’ sleep with Lara Trump
Human biologist and ‘biohacker’ Gary Brecka shows Fox News host Lara Trump the benefits of exercising in a hyperbaric chamber, cold plunges, red light therapy and silver fabric at nighttime on ‘My View with Lara Trump.’
Exercise has proven benefits in all areas of physical and mental health, and that includes sleep quality.
One specific type of exercise — strength training — has been linked to insomnia prevention in older adults, according to a new study.
Researchers analyzed data from 25 randomized trials that measured the effects of physical exercise on the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), which is a questionnaire that assesses respondents’ sleep quality over a one-month period.
The studies included 2,170 people who were 60 or older.
JUST ONE NIGHT OF POOR SLEEP COULD HAVE THESE SURPRISING HEALTH EFFECTS
Strength training — “exercises that increase muscle strength by making muscles work against a weight or force and using anaerobic metabolism, such as lifting weights, arm curls, wall push-ups and resistance” — were found to have the biggest positive effect on sleep, raising sleep scores by 5.75 points.
One specific type of exercise — strength training — has been linked to insomnia prevention in older adults, according to a new study. (iStock)
In comparison, aerobic (cardio) — such as running, jogging, cycling, dancing, hiking, swimming, gardening and brisk walking — improved sleep scores by 3.76 points.
Combination exercise (a mix of aerobic, strengthening, balance and flexibility exercises) only boosted scores by 2.54 points.
SLEEP EXPERT REVEALS TOP FOODS AND DRINKS KEEPING YOU UP AT NIGHT
“Exercise that strengthens muscles, rather than aerobic or combination exercises, is the most effective way to enhance sleep quality,” the researchers concluded.
Sleep quality has been shown to decline with age, the study noted.
Between 30% and 48% of seniors complain of sleepiness, while 12% to 20% suffer from insomnia.
“Exercise that strengthens muscles, rather than aerobic or combination exercises, is the most effective way to enhance sleep quality.”
Lorna Kleidman, a certified personal trainer and founder of LornaFit in New York, agrees that strength training can improve sleep.
“I’ve seen it firsthand with my midlife female clients, who previously had trouble sleeping because of hormonal changes,” Kleidman, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
The physical exertion helps the body naturally wind down, leading to deeper, more restorative sleep, one expert said. (iStock)
“Resistance training improves insomnia because it helps regulate the circadian rhythm, the sleep/wake cycle,” she went on. “Sleep quality is enhanced by reducing stress hormones and promoting the release of fatigue-inducing adenosine.”
The physical exertion also helps the body naturally wind down, leading to deeper, more restorative sleep, Kleidman added.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Certified personal trainer Regis Pagett, the founder and owner of R Personal Fitness in New York City, agreed that a 30-minute moderate-intensity strength training workout can show an improvement in sleep that same night.
“Strength training on a regular basis requires your body to need higher quality rest in order to recover,” the expert, who also was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.
Between 30% and 48% of seniors complain of sleepiness, while 12% to 20% suffer from insomnia. (iStock)
“It helps you to regulate your body temperature, have a better resting heart rate, and to fall into a deeper sleep, faster.”
Improved sleep quality, reduced daytime sleepiness and lower severity of sleep apnea are all benefits, according to Pagett.
Strength training recommendations
The American Heart Association recommends that adults strive for a minimum of two strength training sessions per week.
“In order to maximize the benefits, I personally recommend that people look to incorporate strength training three to four times a week,” Pagett advised.
PUSH-UPS BY AGE: HERE’S HOW MANY YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO
Kleidman recommends completing squats, deadlifts, lunges, pressing, pulling and rotation, with two to three sets of all movements.
“Add a few minutes of HIIT (high-intensity interval training) and you’ve got a thorough session for strength, bone health and fat-burning,” she said.
The American Heart Association recommends that adults strive for a minimum of two strength training sessions per week. (iStock)
Strength training becomes more important with age, both experts agreed.
“Resistance training is the first thing women should think of when they plan their workout sessions,” said Kleidman.
“It’s imperative to maintain the muscle we lose because of declining estrogen, along with maintaining bone mass and keeping our metabolism stoked.”
Men also need to maintain muscle that can be lost with declining testosterone, Kleidman added.
“I also recommend eating plenty of protein-focused meals throughout the day, with the biggest intakes coming at breakfast and directly after exercise,” one expert said. (iStock)
Pagett pointed to previous studies that show around 30% of adults over 70 have trouble walking, getting out of a chair or climbing steps.
“These trends in physical limitation are directly linked to higher rates of falls, chronic disease, nursing home admission and mortality,” he said.
“Resistance training improves insomnia because it helps regulate the circadian rhythm.”
The timing of exercise matters as well, Pagett noted.
“For one to two hours after exercise, your body releases endorphins that give you a kick of adrenaline that can elevate your energy levels, so I recommend trying to exercise at least three hours before you intend to sleep,” he advised.
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. (iStock )
“I also recommend eating plenty of protein-focused meals throughout the day, with the biggest intakes coming at breakfast and directly after exercise,” Pagett said.
“This helps to minimize soreness and will help aid in your recovery.”
For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health
The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get between seven and nine hours of sleep each night.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
An accidental lab discovery has opened the door to entirely new ways of preventing the flu.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells, SWNS reported.
By targeting the specific molecules the viruses rely on, scientists found that they could block them from entering new cells and halt their replication altogether.
5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE GETTING YOUR FLU SHOT, ACCORDING TO DOCTORS
Researchers say these “fundamental insights” into seasonal influenza highlight a clear path toward developing better preventive medications.
“The hope is that fundamental, curiosity-based research like this helps to pave the way for novel strategies to treat and prevent influenza infections,” principal investigator Dr. Emily Bruce, from the University of Vermont’s Larner College of Medicine, said in the SWNS report.
While investigating how influenza replicates, researchers discovered that different flu strains use completely different strategies to infiltrate human cells. (iStock)
While several flu strains cause illness, H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A viruses are the most common. However, current flu tests cannot differentiate between them, and clinical treatments are identical for both.
Although vaccines and antivirals are available, Bruce noted a “dire” need for better medications to stop the virus from spreading cell to xxcell.
“You don’t get sick when a virus is in one cell,” he noted. “You get sick because a virus replicates itself and goes into many more cells.”
HOW LONG YOU’RE CONTAGIOUS WITH THE FLU — AND WHEN IT’S SAFE TO GO OUT
The study, which was published in The Journal of Virology, originally aimed to map how viral RNA segments are transported within cells to create new viral particles.
The team used H1N1 and H3N2 viruses isolated from the nasal passages of positive patients in 2022.
Clinical treatments remain identical for both primary strains of the flu virus. (iStock)
During the investigation, the team unexpectedly stumbled upon a cellular pathway that blocked the virus from entering lung cells, SWNS reported.
RESEARCHERS LOCKED FLU PATIENTS IN A HOTEL WITH HEALTHY ADULTS — NO ONE GOT SICK
The data revealed that when a specific human protein called Rab11B was depleted, H3N2 viruses failed to enter human lung cells. H1N1 viruses were completely unaffected.
Using reverse genetics, the team mapped this defect and uncovered a brand-new, H3N2-specific role for Rab11B during viral entry.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
“Viruses are like pirates from different countries hijacking someone’s ship,” Bruce said. “Different viruses, like different types of pirates, use different methods to get onboard.”
This discovery challenged the scientific assumption that all flu viruses enter cells the same way. (iStock)
“We had previously thought that all flu viruses used the same way to get into a cell, but we discovered that this is not true,” she went on. “H1N1 and H3N2 need different proteins to get in, and if you get rid of the right protein, a specific virus can’t get in.”
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
While these findings identify a critical cellular pathway for viral entry, the study was conducted using isolated cells, the researchers acknowledged.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Further research is needed to determine whether blocking the protein is safe and effective within a live, complex human respiratory system.
Bruce and the team hope to conduct further research to determine whether this Rab11B-dependency is a fundamental property of H3N2, or if it’s a trait unique to currently circulating flu strains.
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
Eating processed meat like ham, sausage and bacon may be linked to a higher risk of certain types of cancer, according to new research.
While health organizations have already confirmed that processed meat can contribute to colon cancer, this study looked closer at cancers in the upper digestive tract, where the link has historically been less clear.
To understand these connections, researchers from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC), one of the world’s largest long-term nutrition and cancer cohorts, tracked the health and diets of 450,112 people across Europe for an average of 14 years.
FREQUENT HEARTBURN MAY BE A WARNING SIGN OF A MORE DANGEROUS CONDITION, DOCTOR SAYS
The study group included 131,426 men and 318,686 women, according to the study’s press release.
During the follow-up period, 876 people developed stomach cancer and 215 people developed esophageal adenocarcinoma, which is cancer of the tube connecting the mouth to the stomach.
For female participants, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk of developing the disease. (iStock)
Researchers tracked where the stomach cancers grew, separating them into the upper part of the stomach near the throat and the lower part of the stomach.
The researchers also sorted the tumors into two categories based on how the cancer cells appeared under a microscope: intestinal, which forms more organized structures, and diffuse, in which the cells are more scattered throughout the tissue.
BACTERIA IN YOUR MOUTH MAY TRAVEL TO THE GUT AND TRIGGER STOMACH CANCER, RESEARCH FINDS
After adjusting for other lifestyle factors, the researchers found that for every extra 30 grams of processed meat a person ate per day, their overall risk of stomach cancer went up by 9%. Eating that same extra 30 grams a day was also linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma.
A standard single slice of regular deli-sliced ham or lunch meat averages around 28 grams, according to USDA data and nutritional tracking databases.
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken and turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach. (iStock)
An extra 20 grams of white meat, such as chicken or turkey, was linked to a 12% higher risk of cancer in the main body of the stomach, the researchers noted.
The study also revealed differences between men and women. For male participants, only processed meat showed a clear, statistically significant link to a higher risk of stomach cancer. For female participants, however, eating both processed meat and white meat was linked to an increased risk.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
These findings align with global health benchmarks, particularly those established by the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer.
The agency has long classified processed meat as a known human carcinogen, primarily due to its strong, well-documented links to colorectal cancer.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
However, health organizations have also consistently pointed to a potential, yet less definitive, relationship between these meats and cancers of the stomach.
Eating 30 grams of processed meat a day, or the equivalent to one slice of ham, was linked to a 13% higher risk of esophageal adenocarcinoma. (iStock)
Further scientific investigation is needed to confirm the findings and to account for other underlying risk factors, such as certain stomach infections, which could interact with dietary habits.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
A key limitation of the study is its reliance on self-reported diets, which can sometimes lead to inaccuracies in how participants recall their meat consumption over time, the researchers noted.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
The findings were published in the International Journal of Cancer.
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers requesting comment.
Use left and right arrow keys to navigate between menu items.
Use escape to exit the menu.
Sign Up
Create a free account to access exclusive content, play games, solve puzzles, test your pop-culture knowledge and receive special offers.
Already have an account? Login
-
Los Angeles, Ca46 minutes agoMan claiming to be armed robs Culver City bank, gets away with $10,000
-
Detroit, MI1 hour agoFired Detroit TV anchor Taryn Asher files sex discrimination lawsuit against old station, claims new GM protected men
-
San Francisco, CA1 hour agoSan Francisco family devastated as they face nearly 90% rent increase
-
Dallas, TX1 hour agoWings’ top pick Azzi Fudd hosts clinic as Cash App donates to Dallas nonprofit
-
Miami, FL1 hour agoPatients left scrambling for care after Miami-Dade woman accused of operating an unlicensed surgery recovery center
-
Boston, MA2 hours agoClover plans to reopen some locations after sudden closure, thanks to an anonymous investor
-
Denver, CO2 hours agoNew report finds Denver metro home buyers and sellers experiencing ‘unattainability fatigue’
-
Seattle, WA2 hours agoSeattle mayor grilled over public safety, affordability, CCTV
