A new study further confirms that insomnia is linked with a wide range of health problems, including osteoporosis, anxiety and heart attack.


Scientists from Norway and Finland examined data from the Nord-Trøndelag Health Studies conducted between 1995 and 1997 and 2006 and 2008 that included 24,715 working people. They found that insomnia was a significant risk factor[1] for a number of health issues over the 11-year period.


Particularly, they found that insomnia was linked with a higher risk for anxiety, depression, fibromyalgia, whiplash, rheumatoid arthritis, arthrosis (an age-related cartilage degeneration condition), headache, asthma, heart attack and osteoporosis.


"The link to heart attacks[2] is particularly interesting," study researcher Børge Sivertsen, of the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, told Science Nordic. "One possible explanation is that sleep problems raise the stress response of the body, which has a negative impact on the function of the heart."


Researchers also found an association between insomnia and obesity, hypertension and stroke, but these links disappeared after adjusting for other factors.


"We conclude that insomnia predicts cumulative incidence of several physical and mental conditions," the researchers wrote in the study. "These results may have important clinical implications, and whether or not treatment of insomnia would have a preventive value for both physical and mental conditions should be studied further."


The findings were first reported by Science Nordic[3] , and are published in the Journal of Sleep Research[4] .


Insomnia has also been linked in past research to an increased risk of premature death, with a 2010 study in the journal Sleep[5] showing that chronic insomnia raised death risk[6] by four times among men over a 14-year period.



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  • Forward Bend


    The most basic of yoga asanas, the forward bend or Uttanasana involves bending over and attempting to have your knees touch your forehead. It can be good for releasing tension in the legs, back and shoulders.




  • Wide-Legged Forward Bend


    Wide-legged forward bend or Prasarita Padottansana is similar to the forward bend but involves the legs being spread a few feet apart. It's known to calm the brain and stretch the back legs and spine.




  • Child Pose


    Child pose or Balasana involves tucking your feet under your buttocks and bending forward with your hands stretched out in front (or resting lightly on either side). Child pose is good for relieving anxiety and fatigue -- by promotion relaxation -- and for stretching the hips, thighs and ankles.




  • Seated Forward Bend


    Seated forward bend or Paschimottanasana is similar to the forward bend but is done while sitting instead of standing. It stretches the shoulders, spine and hamstrings and can be especially effective at relieving anxiety and insomnia.




  • Plow


    Plow or Halasana is a more advanced yoga pose that involves lying down, bending one's body from the hip and placing the legs above and beyond the head. It stretches the shoulder and spine and can work for anxiety and stress-relief.




  • Supine Spinal Twist


    Supine spinal twist or Supta Matsyaendrasana is a gentle reclining twist that involves lying down and twisting the upper body. The pose relaxes the back and spine and can help with insomnia.




  • Shoulder Stand


    Shoulder stand or Sarvangasana is an advanced yoga position that involves bending the body from the shoulders and lifting and holding the legs in the air. Sarvangasana improves digestion, stretches the shoulder and neck and helps reduce fatigue and alleviate insomnia by promoting relaxation.




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