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Tag: Genetic

  • Building resilience in your sleep, pt 2: good sleep habits

    Building resilience in your sleep, pt 2: good sleep habits

    In the previous post, we discussed why you probably need more sleep. But how much is enough?

    You will hear different opinions on this, with talk of cumulative sleep over a 10-day period, “biphasic sleep” patterns, and the fact a small number of people (and we’re talking smaller than the number of lottery winners) with a unique genetic quirk can genuinely do well on around five hours per night.

    That, my friend, is almost certainly not you.

    Sleep is essential

    Let’s be crystal clear on this: six hours of sleep per night might be okay for a few nights, but it’s simply not enough in the long term.

    The research is clear – the vast majority of adults thrive on seven to nine hours of good sleep. But how do we achieve this? Here are the top tips sleep specialists agree on:

    Keep it regular

    There’s a reason why parents are strict with their kids about bed time – and why kids always seem to have so much energy. Having a set bed time trains your brain to start unwinding in preparation for sleep.

    Keep it dark

    Nocturnal screen time stimulates the brain with a deluge of light and information – both mortal enemies of sleep.

    Artificial light messes with circadian rhythms by reducing levels of sleep regulating melatonin. Even if you fall asleep easily enough after your “unwind” session on Instagram, your brain will struggle to reach and maintain the deep restorative phases of sleep it needs (iPhone’s night shift mode is not the solution; it makes a small, but insufficient, difference, according to research).

    Keep it cool

    A low core body temperature promotes better and deeper sleep, so turn down the heating or crank that fan.

    Too hot to sleep? A hot bath shortly before bed time is a counter-intuitive hack – the hot water encourages a rapid “heat dump” away from the core via dilated skin vessels.

    Keep the afternoons decaf

    Tired -> caffeine -> wired. For many people this formula works so well their brains will still be hyper alert eight hours or more after their last dose of caffeine. That late afternoon cup of coffee might get you over the hump, but chances are it’s also reducing the quality of your sleep; which means you’ll be fatigued the next day and reach for that extra coffee…

    Still not convinced?

    Try this experiment for a week:

    • Dim the lights in your house from 8pm.
    • Switch off all screens by 9pm at the latest.
    • Do something relaxing for an hour.
    • Go to sleep at 10pm and wake up at 6am.
    • At the end of each day of the challenge, take a moment to score how good your day was out of five.

    As good scientists we need a control, so go back to your old routine, but keep scoring the days. Compare the scores then decide whether that extra hour of Netflix before bed is really worth it. Chances are you will cancel the experiment for “ethical” reasons two days into the second week.

    “But how will I ever get anything done if I have to be in bed that early?!” – I hear you cry. Well, you’ll do it the next day, but you’ll do it better, faster and with a smile on your face.

  • Don’t tar all dogs with the same brush

    Don’t tar all dogs with the same brush

    Pit bulls, mastiffs and German shepherds are some of the breeds regarded by many as being aggressive and dangerous.

    In the same way some dogs are best known for shedding on beloved white furniture or having deep, dreamy puppy dog eyes, these breeds have an established reputation as dogs to be feared and not raised as pets.

    Mirror image

    A lot of the time, the prophecy is self-fulfilling. Dogs are incredibly intelligent and receptive animals, and unbeknown to a lot of owners, are highly tuned to our actions, expressions and moods – and will often act accordingly.

    As pack animals they are programmed to respond to the emotions and vibes given off by others – meaning that if you’re feeling angry or agitated, just your tone of voice or the expression on your face could cause your dog to begin to feel the exact same way. It’s a mirror affect.

    Last resort

    Most dogs are not inherently violent; aggression is often a last resort in the face of fear, stress or anxiety.

    The head vet at the local practice where I’ve volunteered for several years told me the first thing to do when presented with a frustrated owner, and an angry or aggressive dog, is to ask about its home life, not its genetic background.

    According to the RSPCA, no evidence suggests one breed is more aggressive than another. However, it’s a much-debated topic and four dog breeds are prohibited in the UK:

    • dogo Argentino
    • fila Brasileiro
    • pit bull terrier
    • Japanese tosa

    Selected traits

    In university, at least, I’ve been taught no dog is born aggressive.

    Mankind has been domesticating the canine for somewhere between 20,000 to 40,000 years, which has involved selectively breeding for certain traits, ranging from hair colour to docility. As a result, some breeds are easier to train than others or will react differently to scenarios that are stressful or confusing.

    Of course, some breeds are better suited to households with children or to assisting the disabled, but no dog should be entirely defined or judged by its breed.

    Socialisation

    The argument of nature vs nurture is perhaps very prevalent for this debate.

    The first 4 to 14 weeks of a dog’s life will define everything it considers normal – this is known as the “socialisation window”. For example, if, within this time, a puppy has never seen a certain breed of dog, or a large truck, they will find these stimuli stressful and may even behave aggressively around them.

    The calmest and most well-behaved dogs are often down to a responsible breeder who took the time to familiarise themselves with many different people, sounds, smells and places, before passing them on to the owner. We’ve been told that, as clinicians, it will be our responsibility to encourage clients to do the same with their puppies before this invaluable time window runs out.

    So many factors contribute to the character of a dog besides its breeding. It’s the job of vets to inform all dog owners of these in the hopes these negative stereotypes are, one day, put to rest.