Night School – by Dr. Richard Wiseman

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Sleep is a largely neglected part of health for most people. Compared to factors like food and exercise, it’s something that experientially we’re mostly not present for! Little wonder then that we also often feel like it’s outside of our control.

While Dr. Wiseman does cover the usual advices with regard to getting good sleep, this book has a lot more than that.

Assuming that they go beyond the above, resources about sleep can usually be divided into one of two categories:

  • Hard science: lots about brainwaves, sleep phases, circadian rhythms, melatonin production, etc… But nothing very inspiring!
  • Fantastical whimsy: lots about dreams, spiritualism, and not a scientific source to be found… Nothing very concrete!

This book does better.

We get the science and the wonder. When it comes to lucid dreaming, sleep-learning, sleep hypnosis, or a miraculously reduced need for sleep, everything comes with copious scientific sources or not at all. Dr. Wiseman is well-known in his field for brining scientific skepticism to paranormal claims, by the way—so it’s nice to read how he can do this without losing his sense of wonder. Think of him as the Carl Sagan of sleep, perhaps.

Style-wise, the book is pop-science and easy-reading. Unsurprising, for a professional public educator and science-popularizer.

Structurally, the main part of the book is divided into lessons. Each of these come with background science and principles first, then a problem that we might want to solve, then exercises to do, to get the thing we want. It’s at once a textbook and an instruction manual.

Bottom line: this is a very inspiring book with a lot of science. Whether you’re looking to measurably boost your working memory or heal trauma through dreams, this book has everything.

Click here to check out Night School and learn what your brain can do!

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    Fascia, the overlooked key to mobility, gets a clear guidebook with Pilates expert Albini’s techniques for flexibility and health. Your new mobility bible awaits!

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  • What is type 1.5 diabetes? It’s a bit like type 1 and a bit like type 2 – but it’s often misdiagnosed

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    While you’re likely familiar with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, you’ve probably heard less about type 1.5 diabetes.

    Also known as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), type 1.5 diabetes has features of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

    More people became aware of this condition after Lance Bass, best known for his role in the iconic American pop band NSYNC, recently revealed he has it.

    So, what is type 1.5 diabetes? And how is it diagnosed and treated?

    Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock

    There are several types of diabetes

    Diabetes mellitus is a group of conditions that arise when the levels of glucose (sugar) in our blood are higher than normal. There are actually more than ten types of diabetes, but the most common are type 1 and type 2.

    Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition where the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the cells in the pancreas that make the hormone insulin. This leads to very little or no insulin production.

    Insulin is important for moving glucose from the blood into our cells to be used for energy, which is why people with type 1 diabetes need insulin medication daily. Type 1 diabetes usually appears in children or young adults.

    Type 2 diabetes is not an autoimmune condition. Rather, it happens when the body’s cells become resistant to insulin over time, and the pancreas is no longer able to make enough insulin to overcome this resistance. Unlike type 1 diabetes, people with type 2 diabetes still produce some insulin.

    Type 2 is more common in adults but is increasingly seen in children and young people. Management can include behavioural changes such as nutrition and physical activity, as well as oral medications and insulin therapy.

    A senior man applying a device to his finger to measure blood sugar levels.
    People with diabetes may need to regularly monitor their blood sugar levels. Dragana Gordic/Shutterstock

    How does type 1.5 diabetes differ from types 1 and 2?

    Like type 1 diabetes, type 1.5 occurs when the immune system attacks the pancreas cells that make insulin. But people with type 1.5 often don’t need insulin immediately because their condition develops more slowly. Most people with type 1.5 diabetes will need to use insulin within five years of diagnosis, while those with type 1 typically require it from diagnosis.

    Type 1.5 diabetes is usually diagnosed in people over 30, likely due to the slow progressing nature of the condition. This is older than the typical age for type 1 diabetes but younger than the usual diagnosis age for type 2.

    Type 1.5 diabetes shares genetic and autoimmune risk factors with type 1 diabetes such as specific gene variants. However, evidence has also shown it may be influenced by lifestyle factors such as obesity and physical inactivity which are more commonly associated with type 2 diabetes.

    What are the symptoms, and how is it treated?

    The symptoms of type 1.5 diabetes are highly variable between people. Some have no symptoms at all. But generally, people may experience the following symptoms:

    • increased thirst
    • frequent urination
    • fatigue
    • blurred vision
    • unintentional weight loss.

    Typically, type 1.5 diabetes is initially treated with oral medications to keep blood glucose levels in normal range. Depending on their glucose control and the medication they are using, people with type 1.5 diabetes may need to monitor their blood glucose levels regularly throughout the day.

    When average blood glucose levels increase beyond normal range even with oral medications, treatment may progress to insulin. However, there are no universally accepted management or treatment strategies for type 1.5 diabetes.

    A young woman taking a tablet.
    Type 1.5 diabetes might be managed with oral medications, at least initially. Dragana Gordic/Shutterstock

    Type 1.5 diabetes is often misdiagnosed

    Lance Bass said he was initially diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, but later learned he actually has type 1.5 diabetes. This is not entirely uncommon. Estimates suggest type 1.5 diabetes is misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes 5–10% of the time.

    There are a few possible reasons for this.

    First, accurately diagnosing type 1.5 diabetes, and distinguishing it from other types of diabetes, requires special antibody tests (a type of blood test) to detect autoimmune markers. Not all health-care professionals necessarily order these tests routinely, either due to cost concerns or because they may not consider them.

    Second, type 1.5 diabetes is commonly found in adults, so doctors might wrongly assume a person has developed type 2 diabetes, which is more common in this age group (whereas type 1 diabetes usually affects children and young adults).

    Third, people with type 1.5 diabetes often initially make enough insulin in the body to manage their blood glucose levels without needing to start insulin medication. This can make their condition appear like type 2 diabetes, where people also produce some insulin.

    Finally, because type 1.5 diabetes has symptoms that are similar to type 2 diabetes, it may initially be treated as type 2.

    We’re still learning about type 1.5

    Compared with type 1 and type 2 diabetes, there has been much less research on how common type 1.5 diabetes is, especially in non-European populations. In 2023, it was estimated type 1.5 diabetes represented 8.9% of all diabetes cases, which is similar to type 1. However, we need more research to get accurate numbers.

    Overall, there has been a limited awareness of type 1.5 diabetes and unclear diagnostic criteria which have slowed down our understanding of this condition.

    A misdiagnosis can be stressful and confusing. For people with type 1.5 diabetes, being misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes might mean they don’t get the insulin they need in a timely manner. This can lead to worsening health and a greater likelihood of complications down the road.

    Getting the right diagnosis helps people receive the most appropriate treatment, save money, and reduce diabetes distress. If you’re experiencing symptoms you think may indicate diabetes, or feel unsure about a diagnosis you’ve already received, monitor your symptoms and chat with your doctor.

    Emily Burch, Accredited Practising Dietitian and Lecturer, Southern Cross University and Lauren Ball, Professor of Community Health and Wellbeing, The University of Queensland

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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  • Mosquitoes can spread the flesh-eating Buruli ulcer. Here’s how you can protect yourself

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    Each year, more and more Victorians become sick with a flesh-eating bacteria known as Buruli ulcer. Last year, 363 people presented with the infection, the highest number since 2004.

    But it has been unclear exactly how it spreads, until now. New research shows mosquitoes are infected from biting possums that carry the bacteria. Mozzies spread it to humans through their bite.

    What is Buruli ulcer?

    Buruli ulcer, also known as Bairnsdale ulcer, is a skin infection caused by the bacterium Mycobacterium ulcerans.

    It starts off like a small mosquito bite and over many months, slowly develops into an ulcer, with extensive destruction of the underlying tissue.

    While often painless initially, the infection can become very serious. If left untreated, the ulcer can continue to enlarge. This is where it gets its “flesh-eating” name.

    Thankfully, it’s treatable. A six to eight week course of specific antibiotics is an effective treatment, sometimes supported with surgery to remove the infected tissue.

    Where can you catch it?

    The World Health Organization considers Buruli ulcer a neglected tropical skin disease. Cases have been reported across 33 countries, primarily in west and central Africa.

    However, since the early 2000s, Buruli ulcer has also been increasingly recorded in coastal Victoria, including suburbs around Melbourne and Geelong.

    Scientists have long known Australian native possums were partly responsible for its spread, and suspected mosquitoes also played a role in the increase in cases. New research confirms this.

    Our efforts to ‘beat Buruli’

    Confirming the role of insects in outbreaks of an infectious disease is achieved by building up corroborating, independent evidence.

    In this new research, published in Nature Microbiology, the team (including co-authors Tim Stinear, Stacey Lynch and Peter Mee) conducted extensive surveys across a 350 km² area of Victoria.

    We collected mosquitoes and analysed the specimens to determine whether they were carrying the pathogen, and links to infected possums and people. It was like contact tracing for mosquitoes.

    Dead mosquito specimen in museum collection
    Aedes notoscriptus was the mosquito identified as carrying the bacteria that caused Buruli ulcer.
    Cameron Webb (NSW Health Pathology)

    Molecular testing of the mosquito specimens showed that of the two most abundant mosquito species, only Aedes notoscriptus (a widespread species commonly known as the Australian backyard mosquito) was positive for Mycobacterium ulcerans.

    We then used genomic tests to show the bacteria found on these mosquitoes matched the bacteria in possum poo and humans with Buruli ulcer.

    We further analysed mosquito specimens that contained blood to show Aedes notoscriptus was feeding on both possums and humans.

    To then link everything together, geospatial analysis revealed the areas where human Buruli ulcer cases occur overlap with areas where both mosquitoes and possums that harbour Mycobacterium ulcerans are active.

    Stop its spread by stopping mozzies breeding

    The mosquito in this study primarily responsible for the bacteria’s spread is Aedes notoscriptus, a mosquito that lays its eggs around water in containers in backyard habitats.

    Controlling “backyard” mosquitoes is a critical part of reducing the risk of many global mosquito-borne disease, especially dengue and now Buruli ulcer.

    You can reduce places where water collects after rainfall, such as potted plant saucers, blocked gutters and drains, unscreened rainwater tanks, and a wide range of plastic buckets and other containers. These should all be either emptied at least weekly or, better yet, thrown away or placed under cover.

    A watering can sitting in garden and filled with water
    Mosquitoes can lay eggs in a wide range of water-filled items in the backyard.
    Cameron Webb (NSW Health Pathology)

    There is a role for insecticides too. While residual insecticides applied to surfaces around the house and garden will reduce mosquito populations, they can also impact other, beneficial, insects. Judicious use of such sprays is recommended. But there are ecological safe insecticides that can be applied to water-filled containers (such as ornamental ponds, fountains, stormwater pits and so on).

    Recent research also indicates new mosquito-control approaches that use mosquitoes themselves to spread insecticides may soon be available.

    How to protect yourself from bites

    The first line of defence will remain personal protection measures against mosquito bites.

    Covering up with loose fitted long sleeved shirts, long pants, and covered shoes will provide physical protection from mosquitoes.

    Applying topical insect repellent to all exposed areas of skin has been proven to provide safe and effective protection from mosquito bites. Repellents should include diethytolumide (DEET), picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.

    While the rise in Buruli ulcer is a significant health concern, so too are many other mosquito-borne diseases. The steps to avoid mosquito bites and exposure to Mycobacteriam ulcerans will also protect against viruses such as Ross River, Barmah Forest, Japanese encephalitis, and Murray Valley encephalitis.The Conversation

    Cameron Webb, Clinical Associate Professor and Principal Hospital Scientist, University of Sydney; Peter Mee, Adjunct Associate Lecturer, School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University; Stacey Lynch, Team Leader- Mammalian infection disease research, CSIRO, and Tim Stinear, Professor of Microbiology, The University of Melbourne

    This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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  • Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights? – by Alex Hutchinson

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    This is a book of questions and answers, myths and busts, and in short, all things exercise.

    It’s laid out as many micro-chapters with questions as headers. The explanations are clear and easy to understand, with several citations (of studies and other academic papers) per question.

    While it’s quite comprehensive (weighing in at a hefty 300+ pages), it’s not the kind of book where one could just look up any given piece of information that one wants.

    Its strength, rather, lies in pre-emptively arming the reader with knowledge, and correcting many commonly-believed myths. It can be read cover-to-cover, or just dipped into per what interests you (the table of contents lists all questions, so it’s easy to flip through).

    Bottom line: if you’ve found the world of exercise a little confusing and would like it demystifying, this book will result in a lot of “Oooooh” moments.

    Click here to check out Which Comes First, Cardio or Weights?, and know your stuff!

    PS: the short answer to the titular question is “mix it up and keep it varied”

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Related Posts

  • Metabolic Health Roadmap – by Brenda Wollenberg
  • The Sweetener That Interferes With Hunger/Satiety Signals

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    Non-sugar sweeteners came under fire from the World Health Organization a couple of years ago:

    The Problem With Sweeteners ← this is mostly about how they prompt cravings of increasingly sweeter foods/drinks, but there are other considerations discussed too

    And sucralose (which is technically a sugar, but isn’t processed by the body as sugar, so it “doesn’t count” as such; the body treats it as a dietary fiber instead) got some bad press of its own:

    The Sucralose News: Scaremongering Or Serious? ← the answer is both, by the way, but there’s nuance here, so do read the article!

    And now, there’s more news about how sucralose specifically interferes with the brain’s hunger/satiety signals:

    The study

    A medium-sized (n=75) study of adults looked at the brain’s responses to, varyingly,

    • Water
    • Sucralose in water
    • Sucrose in water (matched to be the same sweetness as the sucralose)

    …using MRI, focusing on hunger-related regions like the hypothalamus.

    Additionally, blood samples were taken to measure glucose, insulin, and satiety hormone (GLP-1) levels.

    As for what they found:

    • Sucralose kept hunger signals active in the brain for up to 35 minutes, unlike sucrose, which reduced hunger activity quickly.
    • There was increased hypothalamic blood flow after sucralose intake, which meant heightened hunger signaling.
    • Participants felt hungrier after consuming sucralose compared to sugar
    • Sugar intake increased blood glucose (obviously), suppressing hunger, whereas sucralose had no such effect (again, reasonable, though it was worth checking, because if sucralose had an effect on insulin response, that would indirectly affect blood sugar levels one way or the other, depending on the effect on insulin levels—but that didn’t happen, so for now we may assume sucralose doesn’t affect insulin or insulin signalling).
    • Women exhibited twice the hypothalamic response to sucralose compared to men, reinforcing sex-based differences in appetite control. Specifically, it was most likely hormonal differences that drove this, since the study’s participants were young adults (ages 18–35); it’s possible that if older adults had been included, untreated menopause could have changed these stats. But that latter’s just a hypothesis for now.
    • Sucralose enhanced brain connectivity between the hypothalamus and motivation/reward-processing areas, potentially increasing cravings.

    You can read the paper itself here:

    Non-caloric sweetener effects on brain appetite regulation in individuals across varying body weights

    The practical takeaway? Sucralose interferes with the brain’s “full” signals, keeping you hungrier for longer, which will (all else being equal) incline you to eat more than you would otherwise.

    So, it might be worth skipping sucralose, unless you specifically want to increase how much you eat.

    Want to learn more?

    You might want to check out:

    Carbonated Water: For Weight Loss, Satiety, Or Just Gas?

    Take care!

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  • Is Marine Collagen Worth Taking?

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    Questions and Answers at 10almonds

    Have a question or a request? You can always hit “reply” to any of our emails, or use the feedback widget at the bottom!

    This newsletter has been growing a lot lately, and so have the questions/requests, and we love that! In cases where we’ve already covered something, we might link to what we wrote before, but will always be happy to revisit any of our topics again in the future too—there’s always more to say!

    As ever: if the question/request can be answered briefly, we’ll do it here in our Q&A Thursday edition. If not, we’ll make a main feature of it shortly afterwards!

    So, no question/request too big or small

    I wanted to ask if you think marine collagen is decent to take. I’ve heard a lot of bad press about it

    We don’t know what you’ve heard, but generally speaking it’s been found to be very beneficial to bones, joints, and skin! We wrote about it quite recently on a “Research Review Monday”:

    See: We Are Such Stuff As Fish Are Made Of

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  • Sleep Through Insomnia – by Dr. Brandon Peters

    10almonds is reader-supported. We may, at no cost to you, receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article.

    First, what this is not: a guide to get better sleep tonight.

    Rather, what it is: a guide to get better sleep in the near future (six weeks).

    The way it delivers this is primarily Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I), in 6 weekly lessons, each divided into 3 activities:

    1. Reflection
    2. Education
    3. Setting goals

    Now, all parts are important, but we’d say the biggest value here is in the education segment, in part because it helps the reader understand why the reflection is important, and how to usefully set the goals.

    “Reflection” may sound quite wishy-washy, but in fact it is very science-based, with questions as prompts, which effectively amount to the “gathering data” part of science.

    “Setting goals”, for its part, is intended to be a progressive, step-by-step approach to get you to where you want to be with your sleep.

    The style is instructional pop-science, with everything made easy to understand. There are an abundance of scientific references for those who wish to delve further, and sometimes he does go into more neurological detail than a book written by a psychologist might (Dr. Peters being a medical doctor, board-certified in neurology and sleep medicine, and with extensive training in CBT-I).

    Bottom line: if you’d like to sleep better and you have the will to commit to a 6-week program (which will not ask anything arduous of you, but you will need to show up for it and do the things), then this book can give you a much better long-term fix than telling you to change your sheets and put your phone away.

    Click here to check out Sleep Through Insomnia, and sleep easy!

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