How to Prevent a Cold

Hiram — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:58:26 +0000

For the past couple of weeks, flu and colds have been a major part of the nightly news with all kinds of questions raised about how best to prepare. Would a vaccine be developed in time? Would there be enough vaccine to go around? How many shots would you need? When and where do I get them?

Im sure youre already on top of the latest developments so Im not going to repeat what youve likely already heard several times. However, I did recently came across some research and was surprised to find out something new that I didnt already know.

I think youll be surprised as well.

First of all, the research Im referring to specifically dealt with the common cold, not the flu, although in my book, sick is sick. True, the flu makes you wish you were dead but a cold is no slouch either. Both will take you out of the game and keep you home feeling miserable.

Although the research was performed using a cold virus (a common form of rhinovirus), the results have implications for other types of viral illnesses, including the flu.

Writing in the January 2009 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, the authors of the study (Doctors Cohen, Doyle, Alper, Janicki-Deverts, and Turner) took 153 healthy men and women aged 21 to 55 and had them log the amount of sleep they were getting over a 14 day period. The group also reported their sleep efficiency, defined as the percentage of time they spent in bed actually asleep.

After this 14-day baseline period, each person was quarantined to prevent any cross-contamination and then exposed to a rhinovirus, the virus that creates the common cold. The individuals were then observed to see which ones would develop a cold.

The results were pretty surprising. When the people that developed colds were matched to their sleep records, there was a direct correlation between the amount of sleep, as well as the quality of sleep, and the chances of getting a cold. Those individuals that got less than 7 hours of sleep on average were 3 times more likely to develop a cold after being exposed to the virus (actual results were 2.94 times more likely with a 95% confidence interval).

The researchers also found that the quality of sleep was just as important, if not more so, than the total amount of sleep you got. Individuals with less than 92% sleep efficiency in other words, people who spent 8% or more of the night tossing and turning or not being able to sleep because of snoring or other issues were 5.5 times more likely to develop a cold after exposure compared to an individual that got 98% or more efficiency (95% confidence interval).

Although a 95% confidence level is pretty wide and a lot of the study relied on subjective and self-reported measurements, the conclusions are still pretty clear: not getting enough sleep or not sleeping restfully lowers your resistance to illness. During sleep is when your immune system goes to work building and repairing your bodys defenses. Not getting enough restful sleep cuts that work short.

So as we all prepare for the upcoming cold and flu season by getting shots and picking up all kinds of pain medications, cough drops, soups, teas, vitamins, and herbal supplements, make sure you dont neglect doing the one thing your body needs the most getting a good nights sleep.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

P.S. Be sure to get my latest Fitness Blueprint called “Little Things That Improve Your Health.” This ebook is packed with loads of helpful information on how to build a better body and you can get it FREE – no email, no cookies, no catch. Download and enjoy!

Technorati Tags: sleep, sleeping, snoring, rest, cold, virus, flu, research, restful, immune system, h1n1

The Pros and Cons of PureSleep

Hiram — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 22:25:23 +0000

I’ve been getting a lot of questions from friends and neighbors since I mentioned that I’ve been using the PureSleep anti-snoring device (www.PureSleep.com) so I decided to post what I see as the pros and cons of the device. Hopefully, any questions you might have will be answered here as well.

So let’s get started:

The Pros

1. The Device Reduces or Eliminates Snoring. This is, of course, the biggest positive point since snoring can create, or worsen, a lot of other problems. PureSleep pulls the lower jaw forward significantly reducing, or completely eliminating, snoring. There is a gap between the upper and lower mouthpiece which allows you to breath through your mouth.

2. The Device Helped Reduce My Blood Pressure and Sleep Apnea. As I reported in a related post, using the PureSleep device to get a full night of really restful sleep apparently helped to reduce my blood pressure as well as reduce the mild case of sleep apnea I was beginning to develop. NOTE: the PureSleep device is not a cure nor a treatment for sleep apnea or high blood pressure. If you suffer from either of these, you need to see your healthcare provider.

3. Your Spouse Gets a Good Night’s Sleep. Nothing improves a relationship more than a well-rested spouse. Need I say more?

4. You Enjoy Deeper Sleep. I seem to sleep deeper, more restfully, and for longer periods with the PureSleep device than I do without it.

5. I Wake Up Less Often During the Night. Without the PureSleep device, I usually wake up 2-3 times a night, turn over, and then drift back off to sleep. With the device, I tend to sleep the entire night through in most cases.

6. You Wake Up Feeling Alert and Well Rested. After a night of sleeping deeply and not waking up as many times as usual, I wake up feeling alert, well rested, and ready to start the day. Without the PureSleep device, I tend to wake up tired and groggy – like I didn’t get enough sleep, which I probably didn’t.

7. Kids Don’t Make Fun of Your Snoring. One of my early childhood memories is getting a tape recorder for Christmas and using it to tape my uncle “sawing logs” during one of his naps. My cousins and I played that tape over and over again laughing at every snore. Ah, kids!

8. Easy to Use and Clean. The PureSleep device is easy to fit to your mouth, easy to use, and easy to keep clean. I scrub mine with my toothbrush using warm water in the morning after brushing my teeth. You can also disinfect it with Scope or Listerine (but avoid anything that contains harsh chemicals).

9. Relatively Inexpensive. I first thought PureSleep was pretty pricey at close to $70. However, similar devices prescribed and sold by dentists can run more than twice that making the PureSleep device a pretty good deal. Note that the device has an expected lifespan of about a year.

The Cons

1. Drool, Drool, Drool. Wearing the device causes your mouth to salivate. It’s size and shape also tends to keep my lips parted once my face relaxes and I doze off (see item 4 below). The end result is that you drool, drool, drool. This will probably be more of a problem for people with small faces and mouths that it will for others. However, be prepared to change your pillow cases often.

2. Uncomfortable to Wear at First. Depending on the size of your mouth, the device may be uncomfortable to wear at times. At first, the device tended to induce my gag reflex and I had to leave it out for a while before trying again. After a couple of days, having it in my mouth stopped bothering me.

3. Impossible to Cough or Yawn. The device pretty much fills your entire mouth so you can’t cough or get in a good yawn when wearing the device.

4. Tends to Keep My Mouth Open. The device essentially fills my entire mouth. I feel like I have to “stretch” my lips in order to get them to close. As I start to doze off, my face relaxes and my lips naturally pull back leaving my mouth open. This leads to drool (see item 1 above) as well as a dry throat, dry lips, and a strong “cotton mouth” feeling in the morning.

5. Sometimes Hurts My Gums. PureSleep is constructed of soft plastic held inside of a hard plastic shell. There are times that I wake up in the morning with sore gums from the device having pushed against my teeth during the night.

6. Feels Like It’s Moving My Teeth. There are also times that I wake up in the morning feeling like the device has been pushing (or pulling) my teeth. However, I think this is related to my occasional sore gums and is probably the result of a firm spot on my pillow pushing the PureSleep device against my gums and/or teeth.

7. Sore Jaw In the Morning. Until you get used to wearing the device, your lower jaw, especially the jaw hinge, may feel sore in the morning. The PureSleep instruction booklet recommends gently massaging the jaw hinge which helps the jaw muscles to relax.

8. PureSleep Is Not For Everyone. According to the PureSleep website, people with asthma or other respiratory diseases; people with central sleep apnea; people who have loose teeth, abscesses, or severe gum disease; people with TMD (a problem with the jaw hinge); or people with dentures or who are undergoing orthodontic treatment should not use PureSleep.

Note that all pros and cons are based on my personal experience or on information on the PureSleep website and/or instruction booklet. I am neither a doctor nor a dentist so please consult with your healthcare provider if you have medical or dental questions.

Despite the “cons,” this device has worked as advertised for me and I’ve been happy with it. I hope this information as well as the related posts will help you decide whether or not PureSleep is right for you.

Certified Fitness Nutrition Coach andPersonal Fitness Trainer (NESTA)

Technorati Tags: puresleep, sleep, apnea, snore, snoring, restful, rest

You might also be interested in the following alternatives from Amazon.com:

Stop Snoring Mouth Piece – Anti Snore Device Sleep Apnea Cessation Aid

Clinically proven to help 95% of snoring sufferers
Each individually molded to guarantee a comfortable lasting fit
Recommended by dentist and doctors
Features a convenient opening to allow constant air circulation
Also includes a storage case & easy step-by-step instructions

Snore-Ex’s anti snoring mouthpiece is an oral appliance also referred to as a Mandibular Advancement Device. The simple custom-fit mouthpiece positions and holds the jaw, opening airways for maximum airflow, thus reducing or eliminating snoring vibrations. More specifically, it provides a forward-positioning for the tongue, which is connected to the lower jaw. This increases airflow and minimizes the most common snoring cause – soft palette vibrations in the rear of the mouth. This is for adults

Rating: (out of 225 reviews)

List Price: $ 65.99

Price:

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