Getting a good night’s sleep should be one of the easiest things for us humans to do. Yet it seems that well over half of the global population struggles to actually get consistent quality sleep. And it is important to note that quality sleep is different from just sleeping for a long time. Quality sleep concerns how effectively your body moves through the different stages of sleep during the night.

Not getting quality sleep will have a significant negative impact on your day to day life. You’ll be fatigued, moody, and irritable. You’ll have a weaker immune system and be more susceptible to gaining weight. Creativity and cognitive function are also impaired by a lack of quality sleep.

So why do so many people find it difficult to get quality sleep these days? Well we have put together a list of the six most common reasons as to why. If you’re someone who has been struggling to sleep. Or you’re finding yourself still exhausted even after sleeping, then it is likely that one of the issues on this list is standing in your way.

1. Diet

What you eat has a huge impact on how well you sleep. If your diet is high in processed and sugary foods, you are going to find that your quality of sleep is reduced. Alcohol and caffeine are also huge roadblocks to quality sleep. Caffeine will disrupt your sleeping schedule. While alcohol can put you to sleep, it will massively reduce the quality of your sleep due to dehydration and irregular waking patterns.

2. Stress And Anxiety

These are two of the leading causes behind insomnia and other sleeping related issues. Our world has become incredibly noisy and stressful over the last few decades. It is estimated that 1 in 4 adults suffer from some form of mental health issue. And amongst those, stress and anxiety are two of the most common.

The strain that these issues put on you will make it much harder to fall asleep. Not only because your mind is racing, but also because your body is likely to be far more tense and struggling to relax. Thus impeding the natural regenerative process that occurs during sleep.

3. Poor Mattress Quality

People underestimate the importance of a good mattress. But if you’re trying to sleep on a low quality mattress, it doesn’t matter what other steps you take, you will have a bad night’s sleep. Your mattress is meant to help maintain your spinal alignment during the night while also helping to regulate your body’s temperature. All of this is alongside it needing to be comfy so that your body can naturally relax. I found that a firm mattress helped a lot in achieving all these parameters effectively. Your mattress should also be long enough that your body comfortably rests atop it. So if you’re a taller person you will need to perhaps invest in a custom mattress.

4. Irregular Sleeping Habits

You may have heard of your circadian rhythm before. It is the body’s internal process that governs when we sleep and wake up. And, by all accounts, we should try to keep it as regular as possible. Which is why if you have an irregular sleep schedule the quality of your sleep is going to be reduced.

This one is relatively easy to fix though. You need to try going to sleep and waking up at the exact same time every day. There is, of course, a small margin for error here of about an hour either side. But keeping a regular sleep schedule will dramatically increase the quality of your sleep.

5. Screen Time

This has very quickly become the main reason as to why so many people are not getting a good night’s sleep. Our society has become addicted to screens. TVs, smartphones, laptops, computers, digital photoframes. Everywhere you look you are bombarded by blue light. And blue light is extremely detrimental to quality sleep as it blocks the production of melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone responsible for helping us sleep. It is released in response to darkness. This is why they recommend you avoid all screens for at least an hour before you plan to sleep.

6. Temperature

When you sleep your body undergoes a natural cooling process. High room temperatures while trying to sleep will impact this and lower the quality of your sleep. The ideal room temperature for sleeping is 65 degrees Fahrenheit. During the summer months you should invest in a fan and keep your windows open. It is important to not wrap up too warm while you sleep during the winter months.

Understanding Dementia

Dementia is a touchy subject for a lot of people. It has become sadly all too common for someone to know a relative or loved one who has slowly been lost to it. But most people don’t fully understand what dementia actually is. Assuming it is a singular condition. In reality dementia is the name given to a grouping of neurological conditions that impact different areas of the brain.

People also wrongly assume that dementia is a natural part of growing old. This isn’t true either. It is just more common in older people. But anyone can suffer from dementia. Which is why researchers around the globe are working tirelessly to better understand the different conditions that make up dementia. And, more importantly, how to deal with them.

There is no cure for dementia as it stands. But medical science has come a long way. We have a number of different medications and treatments that can help alleviate the symptoms. Recently there have been a number of interesting studies looking into the use of video games in relation to dealing with dementia symptoms. And the results are fascinating.

A Novel Environment

Back in 2020 a study was conducted entitled ‘Enriching hippocampal memory function in older adults through video games.’ Quite the mouthful to be sure. But their premise focused on the idea of what they called a novel environment. A novel environment is one that is filled with different novel sensory inputs. A good example of this would be to picture the difference between an empty bedroom and one that has been decorated with paintings, posters, bookshelves, and various trinkets. One is obviously going to be more appealing than the other.

The study suggested that people who can’t enter into novel environments, due to age or other limiting factors such as a lack of mobility, will experience greater cognitive decline. They also suggest that there needs to be a regular introduction of new novel environments too.

The study used one of the 3D mario games to test this theory. One group would play Mario while another would play a classic 2D version of solitaire. The results showed that the participants playing Mario experienced greater recognition memory. The study did note that 2D games are still viable for helping improve cognition as long as they are offering a more varied sensory environment.

This study has led a lot of doctors to start suggesting that older patients, or ideally anyone who lacks access to a range of novel environments, spend more time playing a lot of free online games or console games. Particularly those that provide players with a unique sensory experience that vastly differs from what is on offer in their daily lives.

Improving Mental Facilities

While that particular study was primarily focused on improving recognition memory in relation to the environment it isn’t the only aspect of dementia that is being studied in relation to video games. Recognition memory, while important, is not the only mental facility that needs to be maintained and strengthened to help prevent symptoms of dementia.

One of the lesser discussed symptoms of dementia is decreased motor function. This is often due to the fact that dementia is more common in the elderly. And people of an advanced age tend to have worse motor functions anyway due to the natural decline. But decreased motor function is often a brain issue, not a muscle issue.

Video games have been proven to be extremely effective at improving the motor cortex in the brain. The hand-eye coordination required to play video games effectively is an amazing way to increase fine moto skills. The process of having to memorize button inputs and their impact on the game is also a great memory exercise.

VR gaming has also become very popular in regards to helping people with dementia. There are a number of fitness focused games that can help people keep their body fit while also helping create a novel environment. VR technology is advancing year by year. And has very quickly moved out of just being a video game focused gimmick. It is even being used to help people who suffer from PTSD.

The Conclusion

Whenever studies like the one mentioned are conducted people like to quickly jump to conclusions. Assuming that this latest research path could be the ultimate end to dementia. But it is important to take the results garnered from these studies with a grain of salt.

Yes, video games can be useful in combatting dementia. Provided they are used in the right ways. But, like any preventative measure, they are not a cure. They are a coping tool. Albeit a very useful one. Gaming is often looked at under a negative light these days. But it holds a lot of potential for good in our world.

If you are someone that requires medical insurance, then you will know just how annoying it can be to find an insurance company with your best interest in mind. We are a lead generation, which means that we are always on the lookout for the best insurance companies to meet our needs and if you have been lucky enough to find an insurance lead, you may be excited to set up an account and get yourself protected.

Before you can commit to an insurance company, you must first take the time to read their terms and conditions. Within these terms and conditions you are likely to find clauses and here are some of the clauses you should look out for.

Pre and post hospital expenses

Something that you may not know is that your health insurance may either cover you on just pre or post hospitalisation expenses. This means that you may be covered on any doctors appointments but when it comes to actually going to hospital, you may not have the same coverage.

You should also not assume that everything medical related is covered by your medical insurance, as they will unfortunately take any step that they can in order to avoid paying out more money that you can. So if you take part in something like acupuncture or naturopathy, it is likely that your insurance will not cover the cost, even if you consider it to be a medical expense.

When it comes to pre and post hospital expenses , different insurance companies have periods between doctor and hospital treatments. So if you think that a set of treatment counts under the same claim, you may be wrong as the time between it may categorise it as two different points of treatment.  This may mean that you have additional premiums on top of your insurance, so you should look into this.

The waiting period

This clause is very often neglected when people first purchase their insurance and for this reason, people often forget that it exists.  Every time you purchase insurance, it comes with a waiting period. This means that you can not use your insurance straight away and if you experience any injury before your waiting period then you may have to pay for the bill out of your own money.

On top of having a waiting period for when you first purchase your insurance, there is also a waiting period between claims. This waiting period can be upwards of 60 days, so if you injure yourself several times within a small period of time you may not be covered and you will have to cover any of the expenses yourself, so be sure to check what the wait period is on whichever insurance agreement you make.

Insurance limits

When you purchase insurance, you may initially believe that you are completely covered on all injuries with your claim, but this really isn’t the case. Every insurance company has their limits and it would be impossible for them to be able to cover all injuries, as it would be too expensive.

If you are someone that has some serious health issues and you know that you will be dependent on your health insurance quite frequently. There are yearly limits on what your insurance company is willing to pay out and if you are frequently needing medical assistance, you will reach this limit quite quickly and may have to pay premiums to compensate for the extra care that you have needed .

Remember to always read the fine print when it comes to insurance, as you never know what has been hidden.

Different stories about steroids have been heard and shared and while some of them are true, most are misconceptions. Most people refer to steroids as an illegal substance packed with so many side effects and the question is: ‘Are they right’?

Well, the truth is that steroids may harm the human body but they are instrumental in certain health situations.

What are steroids?

Steroids are man-made substances that mimic male sex hormones to enable the growth and repair of muscle tissues and develop male sexual characteristics. Steroids are available in different forms, based on the manufacturer. Steroids can be manufactured in liquid, gel, powder, cream or tablet form.

5 Myths about Steroids

We have put together 5 of the most common opinions about the use of steroids. Some of these myths are true, while some are over-exaggerated and baseless. Here are some of the most common myths about steroids:

Steroids have severe side effects

Do steroids have side effects? Yes, steroids have side effects but they occur mostly when used excessively. Side effects are bound to happen when drugs are abused. As long as steroids are used based on prescriptions from professional health practitioners, they are safe.

Steroids are illegal because they are dangerous

While this is true to some extent, it is not entirely the case. Steroids became illegal when Ben Johnson’s Olympic victory was claimed to be based on the fact that he used steroids. During the investigation of the case, regulatory bodies like the FDA, AMA and the National Institute on Drug Abuse opposed categorising anabolic steroids as a class three substance. Despite their argument, steroids were still classified as common control substances and declared illegal. Steroids may be illegal in some areas, but you can still get them from some shops, including online shops. You can get steroids online in this shop in Canada and have them delivered to your location if you can’t get them in your area.

Steroids are addictive

This is a common perspective that is mostly based on the behaviour of those who abuse the substance. The behaviour of those who abuse steroids and that of drug addicts are similar. And just like drug addicts, the withdrawal symptoms for steroid abusers are dreadful. People mostly get addicted to steroids when they completely rely on the substance to achieve certain outcomes.

Steroids are abused by only a certain category of people

The use of steroids is mostly related to athletes and bodybuilders but it goes beyond them. Steroids can be abused by regular gym goers, those with jobs that require muscle work, men in the force and so on. Steroids are known to boost body mass, aid muscle repair and growth and enhance strength. Most users easily get addicted to steroids due to their effectiveness. The myth about steroids being abused only by certain kinds of people is wrong. Anyone can become a steroid abuser.

Steroids guarantee a competitive advantage

While steroids are known to aid in the growth, repair, and development of muscle tissues, and also enhance strength, they can not guarantee a competitive advantage. Competitions are won based on skills and fitness. You may be active due to the use of steroids, but a skilful and fit opponent can beat you to the finish line. Some people may not agree with this opinion.

There are several other myths like steroids are so illegal, compared to other class three substances, steroids are all the same, steroids are unsafe for human consumption, etc. According to some arguments, there is no proven research on the dangers of using steroids; however, many people find this argument un-acceptable.

Who can use steroids?

Steroids are illegal in most areas but exceptions are made for those in need of them for medical purposes. Steroids are prescribed for some health conditions like impotence, delayed puberty, and body-wasting in those suffering from AIDS. A patient found with steroids should be able to provide proof of prescription from a practicing health practitioner.

Conclusion

Steroids are illegal in most developed countries and are mostly referred to as a common control substance. Using steroids on your terms as against that of a doctor is highly risky and harmful. Generally, self-medication is bad, always ensure that you take drugs based on a doctor’s prescription. A steady intake of steroids can