The US “Journal of Lipid Research” published a new study that showed that 4 days of not sleeping well can lead to rapid accumulation of body fat and weight gain.
In the study, Dr. Offie Buxton, professor of biological behavioral health at Pennsylvania State University, and his research team conducted a study on 15 healthy men in their 20s. One week before the start, the participants stayed at home for 10 hours of sleep every night. During the experiment, participants ate high-fat, high-calorie foods and slept less than 5 hours a night for 4 consecutive days. As a result, most of the participants said that under the condition of lack of sleep, they are more likely to feel underfed than when they have enough sleep. The blood test results found that lack of sleep will quickly clear the fat in the blood after a meal and be stored by the body, which will lead to rapid weight gain.
Dr. Buxton said that the impact of lack of sleep on health can be seen only from weight changes. Early studies have found that when sleep is insufficient, the level of leptin in the body decreases by 18%, while the level of ghrelin increases by 28%. Therefore, when you don’t sleep well, you are more hungry and prefer high carbohydrates. When sleep is insufficient, people eat more (especially high-calorie foods) and store them as extra energy, which causes a sudden increase in insulin and rapid storage of fat, which in turn leads to rapid weight gain. Therefore, in order to lose weight and fat, in addition to a reasonable diet and active exercise, you must also “get enough sleep.” The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults should sleep 7-9 hours a night. Studies have also found that receiving light for 120 minutes after getting up can promote the secretion of leptin in the body and reduce the level of ghrelin. Therefore, people who lack sleep can reduce the risk of obesity caused by lack of sleep.
To purify the air, green plants are not as good as ventilation
Researchers from the School of Architecture and Engineering of Drexel University found that although plants help beautify homes or office spaces, they can hardly improve indoor air quality. Natural ventilation is far more efficient in cleaning air than potted plants.
Researchers used a method called “clean air delivery rate” to measure and found that the speed at which plants dissipate volatile organic compounds indoors is several orders of magnitude slower than the standard air exchange rate. This proves that the overall improvement of indoor air quality by plants is irrelevant. According to calculations, more than 10 pots of plants are needed per square meter to be comparable to the purification capacity of the building’s ventilation system. Therefore, it is better to open the windows to grow so many plants.
Chewing gum every day can help your brain
Chewing gum can not only freshen breath and exercise chewing ability, but also increase blood flow in the brain and take away metabolic waste from the brain. Recently, Taiwan’s “Kang Jian” magazine wrote an article that chewing gum every day can help strengthen the brain and prevent senility.
Japan’s Alzheimer’s disease expert Hasegawa Yoshiya said that the brain will accumulate β-amyloid protein produced by periodontal bacteria as the root cause, which is one of the reasons for the onset and deterioration of senility. To drive this protein out of the brain, flushing it away with brain blood is the most effective solution. To promote blood circulation in the brain, the simplest action is to chew, but the amount of chewing for three meals is far from enough, so chewing gum is a good way.
Many athletes chew gum during practice or competition to improve blood flow in the brain, stimulate brain activity, and improve reflex nerves, memory, judgment and concentration. In addition, many elderly people have loose teeth and like to eat soft food. Not only do they reduce the frequency of chewing, but they also accelerate the aging of the brain. In addition, the limited types of nutrients they take in can lead to malnutrition and weaker bodies. It is recommended to chew gum for 5 minutes each time 3 times a day between meals. Be careful not to use only one tooth when chewing, and do not choose sugar or acidic gum, otherwise it will cause problems such as tooth decay.
