Sleep and Learning

                             Good Sleep – the Most Important School Supply

Sweet Dreams

Newswise cites Jodi Mindell’s article regarding sleep and learning.  WikiHow describes 12 steps to Sleep Better, 8 of which use natural, non-drug approaches.  Many other sleep articles are listed.  Enjoy The Lion Sleeps Tonight video, better yet sing along and move.  Expressing joy and movement throughout the day will help create nighttime comfort.  

Coffee Break Physicals

Workplace Medical Check-ups

are Sound Investments

Loyola University Health System offers employers an effective way to lower ‘presentism’ occurring when employees come to work with undertreated or possibly unrecognized medical diagnosis. One way businesses can respond is offering employees short 15 minutes ‘coffee break’ physicals, including screening tests and symptom surveys.

‘Lunch and learn’ wellness sessions about relevant health topics help empower employees to take more control over their health. Reported in Newswise, such workplace health promotion approaches help protect productivity and contain health-care costs.

Eating Well After Exercise

What You Eat After Exercise Matters

Newswise reports research from the University of Michigan, showing that “Many of the improvements in metabolic health associated with exercise stem largely from the most recent session of exercise, rather than from an increase in ‘fitness’ per se,” according to the study’s senior author Dr. Jeffrey Horowitz. “Specifically, the study found that exercise enhanced insulin sensitivity, particularly when meals eaten after the exercise session contained relatively low carbohydrate content. Enhanced insulin sensitivity means that it is easier for the body to take up sugar from the blood stream into tissues like muscles, where it can be stored or used as fuel. Impaired insulin sensitivity (i.e., “insulin resistance”) is a hallmark of Type II diabetes, as well as being a major risk factor for other chronic diseases, such as heart disease.”

Obesity and Early CV Disease

Childhood Obesity Alone May Increase Risk of Later Cardiovascular Disease

Newswise reports research conducted at Nemours Children’s Clinic, showing that obesity alone can predispose individuals to developing cardiovascular disease early in adulthood. Abnormalities in C-reactive protein, high fibrinogen, and other markers for predicting the development of cardiovascular diseases occurred in obese children as young as age 7, long before the onset of puberty.

Nelly Mauras, MD, senior author concludes, “It would be prudent for health care providers to advise more aggressive interventions to limit calories and increase activity in “healthy” overweight children, even before the onset of puberty.

Once again Daily Physical Education with an emphasis on fitness is advocated by researchers, within the medical community.

Note: The health cartoon is taken from Health Care-toons Calendar by Jeff Haebig and cartoonist Ed Fischer.

Healthy Fat Mass in Girls

May have a positive long-term impact on bone health

Newswise.com reports latest research from The Endocrine Society that,
“Fat mass in girls during puberty may have a long-term impact on bone health as they grow into adulthood... Excessive reduction in fat mass could have adverse effects on the developing skeleton particularly in girls, leading to an increased risk of osteoporosis in later life.”

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Obesity and Quick Fast Food

Proximity of ‘fast-food’ restaurants to schools is a major factor

Newswise reports a study by Baylor University relating adolescent obesity to how close fast-food restaurants are located to schools. The study was selected by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation as “the most influential child obesity research for the past year.”

I wonder why compelling research relating childhood obesity to sedentary lifestyles and lack of sufficient daily exercise and movement wasn’t on top – then again this childhood ‘fat factor’ is most obvious… and who needs to prove the obvious?

Want to remedy childhood obesity? Insist on daily physical education with a fitness emphasis! Daily Health education is needed too, helping people understand high calories of certain fast-foods, and the best nutrition to maintain ideal body weight.

Breathing, Relaxation, Yoga

Workplace Yoga and Meditation Can Lower Feelings of Stress

Newswise reports a study by Janet Buckworth and William Malakey from Ohio State regarding a noon-time, “lose dose” program combining breathing, relaxation and yoga to music with discussions and contemplations of stress at work. Quality of sleep improved as well as mindfulness – the ability to change one’s perception of stress, considering options to manage it.

Here’s another effective way to apply body and brain power for higher productivity and zest for living!

Obesity -- Top Health Concern

Obesity Remains No. 1 Health Problem for Kids

Newswise.com reports research released by the University of Michigan C. S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health. Obesity ranks number one among the Whites, Blacks and Hispanics surveyed.

Does it seem strange that schools are cutting recess and physical education at this time?

Daily physical education with a fitness focus, leading children into pleasant activities not only will help resolve the obesity crisis, but strengthen learning as repeatedly shown on this Body-BrainBoogie Blog.

Actively Engaged Leisure

Looking at Leisure to Promote Mental Illness Recovery

Newswise reports new research that will explore how actively engaged leisure involving enjoyable and meaningful recreational activities impacts people of multiple cultures living with mental illness. The community-centric approach builds a partnership between academics and members of a community who share equally in this research project.

Sounds of Learning

Studying the Impact of Music on Children with Autism

Newswise.com reports research conducted at UCLA using music to help children with autism spectrum disorders experience emotions, an essential part of relating to people (challenging for many people with ASD). The 12-week program uses the Orff method, developed by 20th century German Composer Carl Orff. Music and movement activity are “elemental” according to Orff. Singing, clapping, dancing, musical games are used to connect learning to emotions, in an interactive setting. Interesting how educational practices a hundred years ago knew what body brain research confirms today! It’s time educators today get with it, rather than cutting music and physical education programs, making these programs central to learning.

Embodied Cognition

Research Shows Body Movements Can Influence Problem Solving

Physical movements can aid in learning and memory. Research reported by Newswise.com cites Alejandro Lleras’s study at the University of Illinois showing that a person’s ability to solve a problem can be influenced by how he or she moves. Embodied Cognition describes the link between body and mind. Our main goal of this blog is reporting research demonstrating how the body and brain work together to optimize vibrant living and learning. BINGO!

Embodied Cognition defined by the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy and Six Views of Embodied Cognition by Margaret Wilson, University of California, Santa Cruz.

Preventing Childhood Obesity

Sustained Physical Activity Better for Preventing Obesity in Kids
http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/549769/?sc=dwhn

Newswise reports research from Queen’s University in Ontario, Canada showing that children who accumulated more activity in bouts (e.g., 5 minute segments) is less likely to be obese than children who accumulated more of their energy in a sporadic manner (e.g., 4 minutes and less). The research will be reported in the May issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
The real benefits of daily physical activity build the longer the activity is sustained. US guidelines recommend that school-age children participate in 60 minutes of daily activity. Families wanting their children to be active, need to be active themselves.

TV Viewing and Cognitive Development

TV Viewing Before the Age of 2 Has No Cognitive Benefit

Newwise.com reported the first longitudinal study of its kind measuring the effect of TV viewing on young children’s language and visual motor skills. According to Michael Rich, MD, MPH a pediatrician who directs the Center on Media and Child Health and contributing author on this study, TV viewing before the age of 2 does not improve a child's language and visual motor skills. The study suggests that maternal, child and household characteristics are more influential to a child's brain development.

Dr Rich adds, “TV exposure in infants has been associated with increased risk of obesity, attention problems, and decreased sleep quality. Parents need to understand that infants and toddlers do not learn or benefit in any way from viewing TV at an early age."

Socialize to Prevent Dementia

Be socially active and not easily stressed to prevent dementia

Newswise cites a new study reported in the January 20, 2009 issue of Neurology showing that people who are socially active and not easily stressed may be less likely to develop dementia.

More Screen Time Means Lower Fitness

Small-screen recreation and fitness in youth is researched

http://www.newswise.com:80/articles/view/547102/?sc=dwhn NewWise reports research studying how TV, videogames, e-mail, text messaging and net surfing affects aerobic endurance in adolescents. Seems like two hours or more screen time is the cut point above which younger kids are significantly less likely to be fit. Older boys were less affected, no matter how long they spent on screen recreation. Research was conducted by Louise Hardy, Ph.D., University of Sydney, and was reported in the Am J Prev Med 36(2), 2009.

Developmental Disabilities and Exercise

Exercise Can Benefit Kids with Developmental Disabilities

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/547560/?sc=dwhn is a Newswise article showing the work of Connie Johnson, Physical Therapist with the Fairfax County Public Schools in Virginia. Strongest evidence of benefits of exercise came from group exercise, therapeutic horseback riding, and treadmill workouts.

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Jeff Haebig