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Sleep Quality Improves Mental Functioning Later in Life

Recent research findings suggest that quality and duration of sleep earlier in life affect your health years down the road. Investigators at Baylor University investigated the past 50 years of sleep research, analyzing approximately 200 studies measuring sleep and mental functioning. The researchers investigated the link between sleep and brain…

Common Pain Reliever Could Increase Longevity

A new study reveals that the common pain reliever, ibuprofen, the main ingredient in Advil or Motrin, significantly prolonged the lives of multiple species. Could the same be true for humans? Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug used to reduce pain, fever, and inflammation. A study from Texas A&M University…

Binaural Beats Reduce Anxiety in Some Listeners

Binaural beats are touted as a method to reduce anxiety and improve mood in listeners. These beats are produced by the interference of two different frequencies heard through headphones.  For example, if a 400 hertz is played in one ear, and 390 hertz in the other, a beat with…

Thanksgiving Blues

You may feel exhausted after your Thanksgiving dinner but do you know why? People have been saying that it is due to the amino acid tryptophan which is found in turkey and causes tiredness. Contrary to popular belief this is not the case. Although tryptophan does cause tiredness it…

Novel Clues How Fibromyalgia Works

Have you ever gotten out of the pool or bath and noticed wrinkling on your hands and feet? The wrinkling is thought to be part of an evolutionary development to allow for the gripping of objects under water. Sensors in your extremities detect the water and signal the hands…

Could Autonomous Sensory Meridian Responses be Effective for Relaxation?

Have you ever felt tingling in your neck and spine after hearing someone whisper? Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, or ASMR, is the sensation many people experience after hearing sounds such as whispering, rustling, or brushing.  For those who experience this response, the sensation can be deeply relaxing. Recently, ASMR…

Tylenol for Back Pain? Does it Really Work?

A new Australian study found something remarkable about a popularly-prescribed pain medication, acetaminophen (Tylenol®). Recently published in The Lancet, the study compared the efficacy of acetaminophen and placebo (sugar pill) for reduction of lower back pain. 550 low-back pain participants were placed in a randomized, double –dummy, placebo-controlled trial…

Can Gene Modifications Alter Pain Sensitivity?

One of the best methods to study the effect of genes on our lives is to use identical twins. Although these twins have identical sets of genes, they can be different in many ways: emotions, temperament, interests, and even pain sensitivity. Regulatory markers on our genes can make them…

Are There Better Treatments for Fibromyalgia?

There are currently two frequently used treatments available for fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic pain: pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions. Drug therapies, for FM include medications such as GABA analogues and antidepressants. Nondrug therapies, include aerobic exercise (walking, running, swimming), psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and acupuncture. Recently, researchers in Europe performed…

Newly Discovered Muscle Hormone Can Explain the Benefits of Exercise

The next time your doctor tells you to exercise regularly, you may want to take him more seriously. Researchers at Harvard Medical School have found an exercise-induced hormone, coined irisin, which can turn “white” fat into “brown” fat. Of the two types of fat, “brown” fat is associated with…