Canadians across the country mark Remembrance Day
Today Canadians will remember and honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of the country's values and principles.
Getting regular, uninterrupted sleep might help those who are trying to lose weight, according to a new, small-scale study.
The preliminary research was presented this week at the American Heart Association's Epidemiology, Prevention, Lifestyle & Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2023 in Boston.
In the study, researchers looked at 125 adults who were enrolled in a year-long weight-loss program, and measured their sleep habits to see if there was any correlation between maintaining a healthy sleep schedule and .
鈥淔ocusing on obtaining good sleep 鈥 seven to nine hours at night with a regular wake time, along with waking refreshed and being alert throughout the day 鈥 may be an important behaviour that helps people stick with their physical activity and dietary modification goals,鈥 Christopher E. Kline, Ph.D., an associate professor in the department of health and human development at the University of Pittsburgh, said in a news release. 鈥淎 previous study of ours reported that better sleep health was associated with a significantly greater loss of body weight and fat among participants in a year-long, behavioural weight loss program.鈥
The vast majority of the participants were women, comprising 91 per cent of the sample, and the average age was 50 years old.
Sleep habits were measured at the beginning of the program, the halfway mark of six months, and finally at 12 months. Participants filled out patient questionnaires and a sleep diary, but sleep data was also recorded in seven day stretches, during in which participants wore a device around their wrist that recorded their sleep and their waking activity.
The quality of their sleep was scored as 鈥済ood鈥 or 鈥減oor鈥 on regularity, satisfaction, alertness, timing, duration and efficiency 鈥 meaning the percentage of time spent in bed where the participant was actually asleep.
In order to contrast sleep with the participant鈥檚 progress in the weight loss program, researchers looked at the percentage of group sessions that each participant attended, the percentage of days in which the participants reported meeting their dietary goals, and the changes in their duration of moderate to vigorous physical activity.
Researchers adjusted for sex, age, race and whether the participant was sharing a bed with a partner, which can impact sleep quality.
After controlling for these factors, researchers found that better sleep health was associated with a higher rate of attendance in group sessions, closer adherence to caloric intake goals and participants鈥 physical exercise duration increasing over time.
Essentially, those who got a better night鈥檚 sleep may have been more energized to exercise and to attend sessions to meet their goals, the research suggests.
There was a drop in participants鈥 engagement with the program across the board in the latter six months of the program, which researchers say is common with these programs, but the pattern still persisted.
鈥淭here are over 100 studies linking sleep to weight gain and obesity, but this was a great example showing how sleep isn't just tied to weight itself, it's tied to the things we're doing to help manage our own weight,鈥 Michael A. Grandner, director of the Sleep and Heath Research Program at the University of Arizona, said in the release.
鈥淪tudies like this really go to show that all of these things are connected, and sometimes sleep is the thing that we can start taking control over that can help open doors to other avenues of health.鈥
The study is limited by its size and lack of diversity among participants, as well as the fact that most participants had relatively good sleep health at the beginning of the program. To get results that can be applied more broadly, more research is needed.
鈥淚t remains unclear whether it would be best to optimize sleep prior to, rather than during, attempted weight loss,鈥 Kline said. 鈥淚n other words, should clinicians tell their patients to focus on getting better and more regular sleep before they begin to attempt weight loss, or should they try to improve their sleep while at the same time modifying their diet and activity levels?鈥
Today Canadians will remember and honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of the country's values and principles.
Canada has announced changes to their visitor visa policies, effectively ending the automatic issuance of 10-year multiple-entry visas, according to new rules outlined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
Toy giant Mattel says it 'deeply' regrets an error on the packaging of its 'Wicked' movie-themed dolls, which mistakenly links toy buyers to a pornographic website.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump says that Tom Homan, his former acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement director, will serve as "border czar" in his incoming administration.
If Earth's astronomical observatories were to pick up a signal from outer space, it would need an all-hands-on-deck effort to decipher the extraterrestrial message. A father-daughter team of citizen scientists recently deciphered the message. Its meaning, however, remains a mystery.
Two nephews of the beloved Harry R. Hamilton share stories about his life and legacy.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court鈥檚 2022 Dobbs decision eliminated the federal right to abortion, miscarriage management has become trickier and in some cases, deadlier.
The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.
Rod Ashby was desperate to find his wife Kim Ashby after their newly built home in Elk Park, North Carolina, was swept away by Hurricane Helene鈥檚 floodwaters in late September and she went missing.
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.
A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.