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Why can’t I sleep? It could be your bedding or doona

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It’s winter, so a lot of us will be bringing or buying winter bedding.

But how much influence does bedding have on thermal comfort? Can a particular textile allow you to sleep?

Is it wool or other natural fibers, e.g. cotton? How about polyester? With a lot selection, it is easy to get confused.

Here’s what we do found after we reviewed the evidence – not only for the winter, but additionally for the approaching summer.

The importance of bedding

We depend on our bedding to take care of a cushty temperature that can help us sleep. AND suitable textiles may also help regulate our body temperature and wick away moisture from sweat, promoting higher sleep.

In the colder months, we mainly concentrate on the insulating properties of the textile material – retaining body heat and dissipating cold. As temperatures rise, we worry less about insulation and more about wicking moisture away from sweat.

Another factor that ought to be taken into consideration is the breathability of the textile material – the degree of air permeability. Breathable material helps you stay cool by allowing heat to flee from your body. It also helps you stay comfortable by stopping moisture build-up. Breathable textile material, releasing excess heat and moisture, makes it cooler and more comfortable to the touch.

Different textiles have different properties

Some textiles are higher than others relating to insulation, moisture management or breathability.

For example, cotton and wool have tiny air bubbles that act as insulation to make sure warm on cold days. Thicker fabrics with more air pockets are inclined to be warmer, softer and more breathable. But these aspects are also influenced by the kind of fiber, the weave of the material and the production process.

Cotton and wool are also breathable materials, which implies they assist regulate temperature.



Although cotton absorbs moisture (sweat) from the skin, it doesn’t wick it away effectively. Trapped moisture could make cotton sticky and uncomfortable, which may make you shiver on warm days.

But wool does highly absorbent and effectively wicks away moisture. On warmer days, after we sweat, wool fibers allow air to flow and moisture to flee, facilitating effective evaporation and cooling of sweat and stopping overheating. Therefore, wool (in various thicknesses) can be solution each in summer and winter.

Linen, although breathable and has moisture-wicking properties, provides less insulation than wool and cotton attributable to its hole fibers. This makes linen less effective at keeping you warm within the winter, but effective at keeping you cool in the summertime.

Polyester is an artificial fiber that may retain air for insulation, but shouldn’t be naturally breathable. It often absorbs moisture poorly. So it could possibly hold sweat next to the skin, causing discomfort. However, polyester can be specially treated to assist control moisture from sweat.

Which sheets allow you to sleep?

Our review didn’t find any studies directly comparing sheets manufactured from different fabrics (for instance, regular cotton and flannel) and their effects on sleep when it’s cold.

However, linen sheets perform especially well in warmer conditions. In one study conducted at 29°C and high humidity, linen sheets promoted less wakefulness and fewer stages of sunshine sleep than cotton sheets.

Which bedding is best for summer – linen or cotton?
Gabriele Maltinti/Shutterstock

What about doonas?

If you do not heat your bedroom at night in winter, goose down (created from delicate goose feathers) may be an option.

These promoted the longest, deep sleep, then duck down after which cotton while sleeping at a temperature of 11°C. This may be because down provides higher insulation (holds in additional air) than cotton. Down also has lower thermal conductivity than cotton, which implies it retains heat higher.

Are you selecting between a wool or polyester doona? In the financed wool industry test two of us (Chow and Halaki) were co-authors, there wasn’t much difference. A study conducted on young adults showed no significant difference in sleep at 17°C and 22°C.

So how you can select?

The selection of bedding is a highly individual matter. What is comfortable for one person is not going to be the identical for the subsequent. This is attributable to differences in body size and metabolic rate, local climate, bedroom temperature and constructing insulation. They may additionally affect sleep.

This variability and the big selection of study designs also make it difficult to check different studies on the results of various textiles on sleep. You might have to experiment with different textiles to find which one works for you.


This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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Health and Wellness

Whoopi Goldberg believes that financially prudent millennials choose not to have children because they are “lazy” – essence

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 09: Whoopi Goldberg attends the 2023 Bring Change To Mind Gala at City Winery on October 9, 2023 in New York City. (Photo: Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)

Our beloved EGOT winner left a few of us perplexed together with her recent tackle why millennials aren’t having babies at the identical rate as previous generations. According to her, that is not because of environmental issues, social justice or economics, but because of poor work ethic.

On a recent episode of The View, the favored daytime show moderated by Goldberg, she shared her views in her signature, straightforward style.

“I’m sorry, you already know, listen, every generation comes and desires to do higher than their parents. But I’m sorry, in the event you only want to work 4 hours, it’s going to be harder for you to discover a home,” Goldberg said.

When her co-host identified that millennials are in a worse financial situation than their parents, Goldberg doubled down, suggesting that the group is lazy.

“I feel sorry for anyone who feels this, but I’m sorry, we busted our asses, we had to bust our asses because we had no way to come back. We had different things.” She adds: “You know what, people pick up on it, they do what they do, and they grow up,” the EGOT winner continued. “This is what you have to do. That’s called being a very good citizen.”

The data suggests this is simpler said than done.

AND December 2022 study of over 300 Gen Z adults (ages 18-25) surveyed online by The Harris Poll and DailyPay told the story of many young people delaying maturity due to rising costs of living that keep many Gen Zers within the homes where they grew up. Specifically, as many as 54% of individuals aged 18-25.

As previously reported by ESSENCE, the report found that only 28% of Gen Zers said they were able to pay all their bills on time, according to the survey results.

Do you agree with Whoopi?

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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Health and Wellness

Rates of sexually transmitted diseases are rising among middle-aged and older people. We need to talk about this

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Common rates worldwide sexually transmitted infections (STI) is increasing among people over 50 years of age. In some cases, rates are rising faster than among younger people.

Last data from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that among people aged 55 and over, the incidence of gonorrhea and chlamydia, the 2 commonest sexually transmitted diseases, greater than doubled between 2012 and 2022.

Australian STI surveillance data reflects similar trends. Between 2013 and 2022, there was a gradual increase within the number of diagnoses of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis among people aged 40 and older. For example, in 2013, 5,883 cases of chlamydia were reported in Australians over the age of 40, compared to 10,263 in 2022.

AND 2020 survey of Australian women also found that between 2000 and 2018, there was a greater increase in sexually transmitted diseases among women aged 55-74 than among young women.

Although the general rate of common sexually transmitted diseases is highest among young adultsthe numerous increase within the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases among middle-aged and older people suggests that we must always pay more attention to sexual health throughout our lives.

Why are rates of sexually transmitted diseases rising among older people?

STI rates are is increasing worldwide in all age groupsand the rise within the number of middle-aged and older people is consistent with this trend.

However, the rise in STIs among older people is probably going due to a mix changing practices around sex and relationships and hidden sexual health needs in this group.

The “boomer” generation got here of age within the Nineteen Sixties and Seventies. They are the generation of free love and their attitude towards sexat the same time as they age, it is totally different from the generations that preceded them.

Taking into consideration average age of divorce in Australia is over 43 years old, and the Internet has opened up latest possibilities dating after separationit isn’t surprising that middle-aged and older people explore latest sexual practices or find multiple sexual partners.

People can form latest relationships later in life.
Media Shade/Shutterstock

It can also be possible that middle-aged and older people haven’t had exposure to sexual health education at college or don’t address current secure sex messageswhich are mainly geared toward young people. Therefore, condoms could appear unnecessary for individuals who are not trying to avoid pregnancy. Older people can too lack of confidence in negotiating secure sex or access to screening for sexually transmitted diseases.

Hidden sexual health needs

In modern life, the sexual lives of older people are largely invisible. It is usually related to aging and an older body loss of power and attractivenesswhich is reflected within the stereotype of older people as asexual and in derogatory jokes about older people having sex.

WITH some exceptionswe see few positive representations of older sexual bodies in film and television.

The sexuality of older people can also be largely invisible in public policy. In Australian Politics Review Researchers found that middle-aged and older people were rarely mentioned when it got here to sexual and reproductive health.

Sexual health policies tend to goal groups with the best rates of sexually transmitted diseases, which excludes most older people. Because middle-aged and older people are beyond reproductive age, they are also not included in reproductive health policies. This means a general lack of any policy regarding sex or sexual health among middle-aged and older people.

Moreover, sexual health policy focuses on risk fairly than sexual well-being. Sexual well-beingincluding freedom and the power to enjoy sexis strongly linked to the general health and quality of life of adults of all ages. Including sexual well-being as a policy priority would enable a deal with secure and respectful sex and relationships throughout adult life.

Without this priority, now we have limited knowledge about what promotes sexual well-being as people age and limited funding for initiatives to engage with midlife and older adults on these issues.

One man working in his home office and happily chatting with another man.
Middle-aged and older people could have limited knowledge about sexually transmitted diseases.
Southworks/Shutterstock

How can we support the sexual health and well-being of older people?

Most sexually transmitted diseases might be easily cured. Serious complications nevertheless, it might probably occur when sexually transmitted diseases go undiagnosed and untreated for long periods of time. If left untreated, sexually transmitted diseases will also be passed on to others.

Late diagnosis is just not unusual because some STIs may cause no symptoms and many individuals don’t routinely screen for STIs. Older heterosexual adults are generally less likely to accomplish that than other groups seek regular screening for sexually transmitted diseases.

For middle-aged and older people, STIs can also be diagnosed late because some are diagnosed too late doctors don’t start testing for fear of offending or assume that the danger of sexually transmitted diseases among older people is negligible.

Many doctors do are reluctant to talk about sexual health with older patients unless the patient specifically raises the difficulty. However, older people may feel embarrassed or uncomfortable raising issues related to sex.

A superb first step could be resources for healthcare professionals and patients to facilitate conversations about sexual health and STI screening with older patients.

We must also make sure that we address the rising rates of sexually transmitted diseases among middle-aged and older people. sexual health promotion targets these age groups and improves access to clinical services.

More broadly, it is crucial to consider ways to ensure sexual well-being is a priority in midlife and older maturity policy and practice.

A comprehensive approach to older adults’ sexual health that explicitly highlights the importance of sex and intimacy in people’s lives will enhance our ability to respond more effectively to sexual health and STI prevention across the lifespan.

This article was originally published on : theconversation.com
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Health and Wellness

Here’s how to cope with the holiday blues in a healthy way

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A young thoughtful African American woman drinks coffee by the window. Copy space.

Christmas will be extremely difficult for anyone who has lost a loved one in their life. Those who grieve the death of a loved one likely dread the holidays since it is often a joyful time reserved for spending time with members of the family and friends. The holidays may trigger painful feelings of longing and grief for the bereaved, and witnessing the happiness of others can trigger anger, resentment, sadness and pain, in addition to feelings of isolation and loneliness, especially in case you often enjoy indulging in holiday traditions. However, there are methods to cope with the holiday blues and feel supported, uplifted and supported during the holiday season. Here are some easy ways to cope with the complex sense of loss during the holiday season.

For those grieving during the holiday season:

Consider finding a grief support group: Joining a support group with other individuals who have experienced grief will be a great way to connect with others who understand what you’re going through.

Acknowledge your feelings: Sitting with your grief will be a complicated process, but it surely is essential to confront it with the hope of taking steps towards healing.

Talk to a therapist: If you’ll be able to’t cope with it, talking to a specialist will be very helpful.

Spend time with supportive family and friends. Surround yourself with individuals who make you are feeling loved, supported and never judged.

Get involved in your community: Volunteering or doing other activities to help others in need will help take your mind off the sadness and make you are feeling good.

Keep the spirit of your family members alive during the holidays: Decorate with their favorite colours or decorations. You may play their favorite Christmas songs, prepare their favorite dishes, take a look at their old photos and listen to their recordings.

Here’s how to deal with a grieving person:

Acknowledge their loss. There’s nothing unsuitable with telling them something about what happened. Avoid phrases like “at least,” “it was for the best,” or “they’re calm now.”

Be an lively listener. Let them discuss their family members and their sadness. Avoid giving advice and telling them how they need to feel.

Sit with them in their sadness: Sometimes it’s best to do or say nothing while a person is grieving. Let them feel your feelings.

Don’t tell them how to feel: Try not to impose their feelings by telling them how they need to feel. Instead, offer them a secure and soft space to land.

Offer real help: Instead of claiming, “Let me know what you need help with,” roll up your sleeves and offer practical support, like running errands, preparing a meal, cleansing up, giving them an Uber Eats gift card, or inviting them out for a drink. These small but doable acts of service will make their lives easier because most of their thoughts are consumed with grief and balancing life beyond the loss.

Be patient and understanding: Grief is a lifelong process that does not magically disappear overnight, because the person in your life who’s grieving needs gentleness, understanding and beauty. It is best to be compassionate and never judge their behavior or how they’re going through the grieving process.

This article was originally published on : www.essence.com
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