What lack of sleep does to the immune system

MANILA -- Aside from having an effect on a person's mental, emotional and physical well-being, not having enough sleep can also wreak havoc on one's immunity.

In an interview on DZMM's "Magandang Gabi Dok," Dr. Joseph Lee, a surgeon, explained that sleep helps regenerate the structures needed by the body to defend itself.

"Kapag tulog tayo, 'yung immune system natin doon nag-change, parang changing of arms. Ibig sabihin, nagbabago sila. So ngayon, switching sila, ano 'yung namatay, ano 'yung dinedefendan natin na hindi nakayanan, papalitan natin," he said.

However, due to lack of sleep, it becomes more difficult for the body to regenerate what it needs.

"Kung puyat ka pa, maaring hindi mo matugunan 'yung antibodies natin... mababa ang proseso. Everything will be slowed down. May chemical processes din sa katawan na hindi matutugunan ang pagdepensa sa atin," Lee added.

A weaker immune system may lead to illnesses and other conditions.

"Ang ating katawan ay merong mga biological structure... this is our cells, mga defense mechanism natin na nagtutulong sa pagsugpo ng ating mga kalaban, mga antibodies natin," Lee explained, adding that some of these structures only function when needed.

Aside from having enough sleep to help boost the immune system, Lee also recommends taking food supplements, like acai berry, to boost the immune system.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

'Small screens' prevent kids from sleeping: study

MIAMI -- Children who have access to tablets or smartphones in their bedrooms get less sleep than children who do not have the devices with them at night, a US study said Monday.

The findings in the January 5 edition of the journal Pediatrics show that having a so-called "small screen" within reach was slightly worse than a television set when it came to sleep deprivation in a group of 2,000 middle school kids.

Overall, those with access to smartphones and tablets got nearly 21 fewer minutes of sleep per night than children whose rooms were free of such technology, and they were more likely to say they felt sleep-deprived.

Those with a TV in the bedroom got 18 minutes fewer of slumber than kids without televisions in their rooms.

"Presence of a small screen, but not a TV, in the sleep environment, and screen time were associated with perceived insufficient rest or sleep," said the study led by Jennifer Falbe of the University of California, Berkeley School of Public Health.

"These findings caution against unrestricted screen access in children's bedrooms."

Participants in the study included 2,048 fourth- and seventh-graders enrolled in the Massachusetts Childhood Obesity Research Demonstration Study from 2012 to 2013.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Nintendo to develop device to track sleep, fatigue

TOKYO -- Japanese video game maker Nintendo Co. Ltd. will develop a device to measure a user's fatigue and map their sleep, CEO Satoru Iwata said on Thursday, the first offering from the company's newly created healthcare division.

The device will be developed with U.S. firm ResMed Inc., which currently makes products to treat sleep disorders, and will be available in the financial year ending March 2016.

"By using our know-how in gaming... to analyse sleep and fatigue, we can create something fun," Iwata said.

Nintendo, better known for its Mario video game franchise and Wii and Wii U consoles, has said it expects its healthcare division to turn a profit in 2015/2016. The company already offers fitness games on its Wii console, played with a motion sensor controller.

According to an image Iwata shared at a media conference, the device will be about the size of a hand and can be placed on a user's bedside table. It will use microwave transmission sensors to track sleep, with the data collected used to help users cultivate healthy sleeping habits.

Iwata refused to discuss the company's sales expectations for the new device beyond saying that it may be offered via a subscription service rather than a one-off purchase.

"We only start something new if we think we will be able to create a big market, but as I'm not able to discuss pricing plans and other details today I don't think there's much point in giving a figure for our projected scale," he said.

The device was launched a day after Nintendo reported an unexpected quarterly profit, after hit games gave a boost to sales of its Wii U console.

Shares in Nintendo rose as high as 7.7 percent when they opened on the Tokyo stock exchange. They then pared gains to close the morning session up 0.7 percent, slightly outpacing the benchmark Nikkei index, which rose 0.5 percent.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com

Why too much sleepiness is a dangerous symptom

MANILA -- Do you feel sleepy all throughout the day? You might think it's just because of lack of sleep, but it can also be red flag for something more serious.

In an interview on dzMM's "Magandang Gabi Dok," Dr. Mike Sarte, a sleep medicine specialist, explained the symptoms and causes of sleep apnea, and how it can cause death.

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by pauses in breathing. Although it does not cause immediate death, it can trigger serious health problems.

Symptoms

Sarte said that the symptoms of sleep apnea include snoring, witnessed apnea, and daytime sleepiness. He added that all these symptoms are experienced by a person before he or she can be diagnosed with sleep apnea.

He explained that snoring is normal, but habitual snoring is not.

"Ito yung kapag madalas na humihilik, yung tuwing matutulog, naghihilik. Tapos sobrang lakas humilik, na kahit isarado mo na ang pinto, pakinig mo pa rin."

"Yung witnessed apnea, iyun yung nakikita ng ibang tao, pwedeng iyung bed partner mo, na bigla na lang tumitigil ang paghinga mo. Iyung humihilik ka, tapos biglang titigil, tapos hihilik ulit," Sarte added.

Daytime sleepiness is when a person feels sleepy or falls asleep any time within the day.

"May mga tao na biglang nakakatulog. Ang tawag dun, microsleep. Delikado yun kasi sa US, isa ito sa causes ng motor vehicle accidents, yung falling asleep while driving."

Sarte added that people who are diagnosed with sleep apnea shouldn't be allowed to drive.

What happens when we sleep?
Sarte explained that people normally go through different cycles of sleep, known as the non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep and REM sleep.

Non-REM sleep is the transition from being awake to being asleep. REM is when people go on a deep sleep, when they start dreaming.

People with sleep apnea do not reach both cycles.

"Kung may sleep apnea, hindi ka umaabot sa REM or non-REM stage. Tumunog lang ang cellphone mo, magigising ka kaagad. Hindi talaga nakakatulog," Sarte said.

He added that what's important for people is the quality of sleep, as the duration differs from person to person.

"Una, yung quality. Pangalawa, yung duration, pero depende yun sa tao. At least 5 to 8 hours, pero may mga taong okay na sila sa 5 hours of sleep."

Causes
Sarte said that sleep apnea can be caused either by genetics, or by excess weight.

People who experience soft tissue collapse in their nose and throats may suffer from sleep apnea, as their airways may be obstructed.

Having large tonsils can also obstruct airways.

"Karamihan sa mga humihilik, nakabukas ang bibig kasi naba-block ang ilong. We are preferential nasal breathers."

Sarte added that some children have excess tissues in their throat and nose, which make sound when they breathe.

Men who are overweight are also more prone to sleep apnea, as the excess weight in the body puts more pressure on the area around the nose and throat.

"Kapag humihinto sa paghinga, bumababa ang oxygen level at nagkakaproblema ang puso. It also causes arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)."

What makes sleep apnea deadly?

Although sleep apnea as it is does not cause sudden death, it can be deadly as it causes complications like hypertension, Type II diabetes, congestive heart failure and stroke.

Sarte said that losing weight can help a lot in preventing sleep apnea.

He also advised against eating heavy dinner, drinking too much alcohol, and smoking a lot before sleeping.

Those who suffer from sleep apnea because of genetic causes can undergo surgery to remove excess tissues that block the airways.

He added that sleeping on one's side can help clear the airways and can prevent snoring.

One can also use a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine, which is attached to a mask worn over the mouth and nose that pushes air through the nose and airways.

This machine facilitates continuous sleep, and prevents pauses in breathing.

Sarte said that this machine is locally available, and can be bought for about P40,000 to P45,000.

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com