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One Positive Sleep Habit Can Be Doubly Good

Published

7 months ago

June 25, 2024

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Millions struggle with not being able to sleep. There are a few things you do to help with your sleep habits – and this one could have a double positive impact.

Snuggling in bed and falling into a deep sleep is so satisfying. Nothing like waking up and feeling great…but for millions it is sometimes a nightmare. Almost 40% of adults not getting enough sleep and some 55 to 75 million Canadians and Americans have ongoing, sleep disorders. But this one positive sleep habit can be doubly good for you.

Routines are key to sleep for most people. Science says the body operates better on a schedule. So deviling habits around sleep can lead to a more successful result. Lack of sleep can not only cause including poor concentration, reduced reaction times and altered mood, but also heart issues.

A study reported in the European Heart Journal—Digital Health, anaylized over 88,000 adults for a period of six years, trying to get an understanding of the relationship between sleep and heart health. Researchers were able to access information about the subject’s lifestyle, demographics, physical activity, and health.

After accounting for a variety of factors like lifestyle, stress, gender, and more, the study found that there was a 12% increase in heart disease amongst people who went to bed between the hours of 11 and 11:59 PM. This percentage increased to 25% when people went to bed past midnight. Women seemed to be affected more by these times when compared to men, experiencing higher risks.

Study co-author David Plans explained in a statement how circadian rhythms worked and why our bedtime could play an important part in our heart health. “While we cannot conclude causation from our study, the results suggest that early or late bedtimes may be more likely to disrupt the body clock, with adverse consequences for cardiovascular health,” he said.

Sleeping Too Little May Increase This Group's Risk Of Dementia — Photo by Bruno Aguirre via Unsplash

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for most people in America, thus a prominent concern for most of us. It’s influenced by internal factors like cholesterol levels and blood pressure, but also by outside forces, like smoking, and, apparently, your sleep habits.

While the results are not conclusive and don’t suggest sleeping in earlier you’ll be cutting your risk of heart disease, they do imply that there’s a connection between good sleep and heart health.

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Cannabis

Panama And Cannabis

Published

15 hours ago

January 21, 2025

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In the news today regarding the famous canal – but what about Panama and marijuana?

Panama is the only place in the world where the sun rises in the Pacific Ocean and sets in the Atlantic Ocean. It is slightly smaller than South Carolina but has more bird species than the continental United States. It’s also home to many natural attractions, including whitewater rafting, snorkeling, and birding. Long a friend, it was the first Latin American country to use the US dollar as its currency. Now it is the news with the new administration. Considering the talk here, what about Panama and cannabis?

The economy of Panama is based mainly on the tourism and services sector, which accounts for nearly 80% of its GDP and accounts for most of its foreign income. Services include banking, commerce, insurance, container ports, and flagship registry, medical and health. Enjoy a significant number of travelers who enjoy adventure, outdoor activities and chilling, the country’s stance on marijuana is evolving.

Panama has made significant strides in the realm of cannabis, particularly regarding its medical use. In 2021, Panama became the first Central American nation to legalize medical cannabis when President Laurentino Cortizo signed Law 242, allowing for the medicinal and therapeutic use of cannabis and its derivatives. This law was a response to growing demands from patients suffering from various medical conditions, including epilepsy and chronic pain, who had previously resorted to smuggling cannabis products due to a lack of legal options

In September 2022, the Panamanian government established regulations to support the implementation of Law 242. These regulations created a National Directorate for the Monitoring of Activities Related to Medical Cannabis, which operates under the Ministry of Public Security. This body is responsible for overseeing the cultivation, production, and distribution of medical cannabis products, ensuring patient data protection and product traceability from cultivation to sale. The Ministry of Health (MOH) is tasked with issuing licenses for manufacturing and commercializing cannabis products, with an initial cap on manufacturing licenses set at seven for the first five years. Regulations aim to ensure that all medical cannabis produced in Panama adheres to strict quality standards.

The government envisions creating a robust local industry that not only meets domestic needs but also positions Panama as a potential hub for international medical cannabis trade. While they are making advancements in medical cannabis regulation, recreational use remains illegal in Panama. The law against recreational cannabis is often unenforced, leading to a culture where its use is tolerated among the youth. Both the public and tourist find it an easy atmosphere.

Panama has one of the fastest growing economies in Latin America and has as stable government. Like the United States, it is a republic and engages the public. They have evaluated cannabis as a benefits and have moved to integrating into their healthcare.

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Canada

Does Your Dog Really Care When You Are Sad

Published

18 hours ago

January 21, 2025

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They are more popular than dating apps and are consider a best friend – but are they really there when you need them emotionally?

They are man’s best friend with 38% of Canadians and roughly 50% of Americans having a dog. In the US more men have dogs and in Canada more woman have the furry companion. While they are fun, loving and play, does your dog really care when you are sad? Dogs have long been known as loyal companions, but recent research suggests that their emotional intelligence may run deeper than mere companionship; they can actually empathize with their owners’ feelings, particularly during times of distress.

A study published in the journal Learning & Behavior explored how dogs respond to their owners’ emotional states. Researchers found that dogs not only recognize when their owners are upset but also take action to provide comfort. In the experiment, 34 dog-owner pairs were observed in a controlled setting where owners either cried or hummed a cheerful tune. The results showed that while the dogs opened a door to reach their owners at similar rates, those who heard crying did so significantly faster—averaging just 23 seconds compared to 96 seconds for the humming group. This indicates that dogs are more inclined to respond quickly when they perceive their owner is in distress.

Interestingly, the study also noted physiological responses in dogs when their owners cried. Dogs that opened the door displayed lower stress levels than those who did not, suggesting that while they were affected by the owner’s crying, they were not overwhelmed by it. Conversely, dogs who showed high levels of stress likely cared deeply but were too anxious to act. This highlights a range of emotional responses among dogs, similar to human reactions.

The bond between dogs and their owners plays a crucial role in these empathetic behaviors. Dogs with stronger attachments to their owners exhibited quicker responses to distress signals. This bond is essential as it fosters a mutual understanding of emotions, allowing dogs to act on their instincts to comfort their human companions. As research continues to unfold, it becomes increasingly clear that our canine companions are not just pets; they are emotionally attuned partners capable of providing significant comfort during our most challenging moments.

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Culture

Fun Life Lessons Learned From Spaghetti Westerns

Published

21 hours ago

January 21, 2025

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There are beloved and fun – and some of the classic and Spaghetti western’s have some fun

From today’s hit like Yellowstone to the old school TV classics like Gunsmoke, Bonzana and High Chapperell. Riding the wave of popularity, in the 60s and 70s a subgenera appeared in Italy produced with low budgets. Sergio Leone is considered the pioneer of the spaghetti Western genre. Leone was an Italian filmmaker who directed several and help make them popular. They are know for their anti-her and supervision of traditional Western tropes. All of If you look past the plots, you can see there is value in what they share. Here are some fun life lessons learned from Spaghetti Westerns.

Love

If you pay attention, Westerns can teach you more about love and sex than a Prince song, and that’s saying something. Setting the stage – say you’re drinking at your favorite saloon and a local tough just called a barmaid a wench while grabbing her arm. You would get up, punch the guy square in the jaw and fighting would commence. After you win (of course you would win because you’re a good guy and good guys always win), the barmaid would take you upstairs, clean your wounds and then she would sleep with you. Ah, the good old days, where all it took to get laid was risking personal safety. Say what you want, it’s still better than Tinder.

5 Important Life Lessons Learned From Spaghetti Westerns — Photo courtesy of Everett Collection

Alcoholism is a career option

In the Old West, being a drunk was a totally viable career option. In fact, it was damn near necessary. Every respectable town needed a town drunk. Why? How would you know who the respectable people were if there were no unrespectable people to compare? It wasn’t a bad living. You’d stumble out of bed, clock in for work stinking of whiskey, wearing the same clothes you went to bed in.

Fashion

In the Old West, wearing black meant you were a crappy person with no scruples or morals to speak of. In today’s society, wearing black usually means you’re a New Yorker, which to the rest of the world, coincidentally, means you’re a crappy person with no scruples or morals to speak of. In the Old West, all the bad guys wore black. So unless you were on the wrong side of the law, black was out of the question. Which is really too bad because black is really slimming. It’s a shame clothing can be so stigmatized.

How to be a man

Being a “man” may be a subjective thing in our modern times — but in the old West, there was a litmus test of manhood. Men had to be tough, brave rugged and tall. If you weren’t tall — that’s OK, you just had to have a complex about it and punch every third man you saw in the jaw. Why? Because you’re a man that’s why! But you also deeply loved your horse, you dog, and, while you didn’t show it, the few friends you have. You also stood up for what you believe in – sometimes when the odds are against you.

The 1966 classic The Good, the Bad and The Ugly is said to be best spaghetti Westerns ever made. Take a little time and enjoy the blending of Westerns, culture, art and more.

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