Nature & Environment
Nature Helps Older Men Sleep Better
Kathleen Lees
First Posted: Aug 24, 2015 03:55 PM EDT
Perhaps it's the woodpecker outside your window or the morning sun hitting the reflection of a prism dangling by the curtains, but there's just nothing quite like leaving the city-scape for some much needed time in a cabin in the wilderness. Or whatever it may be to get you closer to the greenery of nature and away from the chronic smog and sound of a busy street.
A team of researchers at the University of Illinois found that sleeping in a peaceful environment is particularly important for older men 65 and up, whether this means being close to a park or a sandy beach or an ocean view. And that sort of makes complete sense. Wouldn't you, too, rather be serenaded by the sound of the ocean than a group of motorcyclists revving their engines at a stop light?
"It's hard to overestimate the importance of high-quality sleep," Diana Grigsby-Toussaint, a U of I professor of kinesiology and community health and a faculty member in the U of I's Division of Nutritional Sciences, said in a news release. "Studies show that inadequate sleep is associated with declines in mental and physical health, reduced cognitive function, and increased obesity. This new study shows that exposure to a natural environment may help people get the sleep they need."
In the study, researchers at the University of Illinois and scientists at the New York University School of Medicine used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which surveyed 255,171 representative U.S. adults to determine whether there was an association between self-reported days of insufficient sleep and access to green space. Researchers also used a USDA index that scores the country's geographical areas for their natural amenities via hours of sunlight, which is important in regulating a person's circadian rhythm and temperature.
Researchers found that the most common answer was that respondents had slept poorly for less than one week. However, for men in particular, the relationship between sleep and exposure to green space was much stronger than for women. Men also appeared to benefit more from nearby natural settings out of concern for their safety, though researchers added that more studies will be needed to confirm this information.
The researchers further noted how living near green spaces are typically associated with higher levels of physical activity, with exercise promoting healthier sleep patterns, overall.
More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Preventive Medicine.
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First Posted: Aug 24, 2015 03:55 PM EDT
Perhaps it's the woodpecker outside your window or the morning sun hitting the reflection of a prism dangling by the curtains, but there's just nothing quite like leaving the city-scape for some much needed time in a cabin in the wilderness. Or whatever it may be to get you closer to the greenery of nature and away from the chronic smog and sound of a busy street.
A team of researchers at the University of Illinois found that sleeping in a peaceful environment is particularly important for older men 65 and up, whether this means being close to a park or a sandy beach or an ocean view. And that sort of makes complete sense. Wouldn't you, too, rather be serenaded by the sound of the ocean than a group of motorcyclists revving their engines at a stop light?
"It's hard to overestimate the importance of high-quality sleep," Diana Grigsby-Toussaint, a U of I professor of kinesiology and community health and a faculty member in the U of I's Division of Nutritional Sciences, said in a news release. "Studies show that inadequate sleep is associated with declines in mental and physical health, reduced cognitive function, and increased obesity. This new study shows that exposure to a natural environment may help people get the sleep they need."
In the study, researchers at the University of Illinois and scientists at the New York University School of Medicine used data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, which surveyed 255,171 representative U.S. adults to determine whether there was an association between self-reported days of insufficient sleep and access to green space. Researchers also used a USDA index that scores the country's geographical areas for their natural amenities via hours of sunlight, which is important in regulating a person's circadian rhythm and temperature.
Researchers found that the most common answer was that respondents had slept poorly for less than one week. However, for men in particular, the relationship between sleep and exposure to green space was much stronger than for women. Men also appeared to benefit more from nearby natural settings out of concern for their safety, though researchers added that more studies will be needed to confirm this information.
The researchers further noted how living near green spaces are typically associated with higher levels of physical activity, with exercise promoting healthier sleep patterns, overall.
More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Preventive Medicine.
Related Articles
Growing Tadpole Disease Threatens Earth's Dwindling Frog Population
For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone