And other health news from YOU (23 Oct issue).
Are your work colleagues driving you up the wall? Then they’re probably to blame for your insomnia. American researchers have found personal conflict at work is a greater cause of sleep deprivation than more serious problems such as the threat of losing a job. Conflict with one person is more stressful because you’re forced to resolve it while more serious problems often don’t require immediate action.
SWEET DREAMS
Flowers in your bedroom keep nightmares at bay. According to a study in Germany the sweeter the fragrance the sweeter your dreams. Women had more positive dreams when they smelt roses and other pleasant scents while the odour of rotten eggs gave them unpleasant dreams.
TAKING MONEY PROBLEMS TO HEART
When times are tough it’s not only your bank balance that suffers, your heart also takes strain, increasing the risk of cardiac disease. Smokers are 13 per cent less likely to quit when they have financial problems while those who enjoy a drink or two are inclined to imbibe more, sending their blood pressure soaring.
Stress also causes you to eat less heart-friendly food and more sweets and carbs, says Dr Redford William of Duke University in America. Chatting to friends about your problems can reduce stress hormone levels and improve your health. Exercise, meditation and yoga are also good stress-relievers.
