UNews - fatigue

Solidifying memory while you sleep

trevor.kenney — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:55:32 +0000

Neuroscience professor Dr. Masami Tatsuno's investigations into REM and non-REM sleep and their effects on memory are producing findings that are quite awakening. Memory is a crucial brain function for humans and other animals; therefore, understanding how memory is encoded and maintained in the brain is an important problem of neuroscience.

Tatsuno, an AHFMR funded researcher at the U of L Canadian Centre for Behavioral Neuroscience (CCBN) and an iCORE scholar, is conducting studies aimed at understanding how REM and non-REM sleep contribute to memory consolidation. He investigates neuronal activity in lab animals to determine what types of memory benefit from REM and non-REM sleep, what the specific benefits are, and whether or not REM and non-REM sleep play complimentary roles in the formation of memory.

"Neuronal activity patterns that appear in the brain when a subject is engaged in a behavioural task reappear during the subsequent sleep," Tatsuno explains. "We call this memory reactivation or memory replay."

Many researchers believe that memory is stored on the connections between neurons. Changes in these connections due to some new experience or behaviour are reinforced again during sleep; this indicates the formation of new memory.

Tatsuno inserts multiple electrodes into the brains of his study subjects, monitoring up to 240 electrodes at a time to gain insights on how the brain functions and is subsequently modified during awake and sleeping conditions. Subjects are engaged in simple tasks such as running on a track or repeating a simple sequence. Tatsuno then investigates how the subjects' brains change by comparing neuronal activity during pre-task sleep, during the task, and again during post-task sleep.

Tatsuno has also been developing a computational technique that allows for the analysis of vast amounts of neuronal activity data. With his theoretical training in applied physics, he tries to integrate computational and experimental approaches in his research. The mathematics provides an insight into memory reactivation and learning, as well as the computational principles of memory function.

"Sleep is not only for recovery from fatigue; it plays an active and important role in memory formation," Tatsuno explains.

Combat sleep apnea by attending Lunch and Learn

trevor.kenney — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:59:50 +0000

Do you find you are often tired, even after a full night's sleep?

Obstructive sleep apnea is a serious breathing problem that interrupts your sleep. This results in poor sleep quality that makes you tired during the day. Sleep apnea is one of the leading causes of excessive daytime sleepiness. Another symptom can be snoring and pauses in your breathing while sleeping.

This month's Wellness Lunch and Learn is focusing on sleep apnea. Shaun Wojtowicz, owner of Chinook Respiratory Care, will be on campus Tuesday, Nov. 17 in TH277 to discuss symptoms, signs and treatment for sleep apnea. Make sure you come and check out this informative topic over the lunch hour.

Obstructive sleep apnea means you have short pauses in your breathing when you sleep. These breathing pauses – called apneas or apnea events – last for 10 to 30 seconds, maybe longer. People with obstructive sleep apnea can stop breathing dozens or hundreds of times each night.

If it's not treated, sleep apnea can lead to major health problems, accidents, and even early death. Thankfully, there are excellent treatments for obstructive sleep apnea.

Signs and symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea:
• high blood pressure
• irritability, mood swings or depression
• gasping or choking during sleep
• tiredness or fatigue
• lack of concentration
• morning headaches
• memory problems/memory loss
• sexual dysfunction

Combat sleep apnea by attending Lunch and Learn

trevor.kenney — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:09:49 +0000

Do you find you are often tired, even after a full night's sleep?

This month's Wellness Lunch and Learn is focusing on sleep apnea. Shaun Wojtowicz, owner of Chinook Respiratory Care, will be on campus Nov. 17 in TH277 to discuss symptoms, signs and treatment for sleep apnea. Make sure you come and check out this informative topic over the lunch hour.

If it's not treated, sleep apnea can lead to major health problems, accidents, and even early death. Thankfully, there are excellent treatments for obstructive sleep apnea.

The Women's Health Challenge (sponsored by Alberta Health Services Breast and Cervical Health program, Chinook Regional Hospital and Meyers Norris Penny) wrapped up at the end of October. A total of 30 women entered the challenge and have a chance to win a $100 gift certificate to the Keg. Thanks to all who had pap tests and mammograms from May 27 to Oct. 26 and good luck in the prize draw!

The Wellness Committee would like to thank all Life Balance Fair exhibitors, prize donors and especially participants that came out on Oct 21. Thanks also to AUPE, who donated $200 towards lunch. The Wii Sports Resort Game was won by Judy Jaeger, caretaking, and the Digital Camera (donated by Chinook Respiratory Care) was won by Chris Lastuka, Anthropology.

Prize winners and donors:
- Large First Aid Kit - donated by Blue Cross - Gwen Umeris

- Shopper's Gift Basket - Shopper's Drug Mart West - Pat Anderson

- Runner's Soul $50.00 Gift Card - Sharon Kanashiro

- Tickets to Opera Goes to the Movies - U of L Fine Arts - Brittanie Graham

- Tickets to Hay Fever - U of L Fine Arts - MaryAnne Hellinga

- Horns 10-game combo pass - U of L Sport and Rec Services - Aubrey Salloway and Chris Lastuka

- One-month facility membership - U of L Sport and Rec Services - Dirk Olsen

- Money Mentors one-hour session - Amanda Berg

- Mini first aid kits - Blue Cross - won by Kim Ordway, Barb Dudley, Judy Jaeger

- Aluminum water bottles - Blue Cross - Connie Chaplin, Betsy Greenlees

- Pedometers - Blue Cross - Doug Smith, Anita Salberg

- Fleece blanket in a bag - donated by Mercer - Louise Miller

- Water bottles - donated by Mercer - won by Katherine Wasiak, Sandra Wiest, Christine Groves, Charlene Sawatsky, Diane Layng

- Digital camera – donated by Chinook Respiratory Care – won by Chris Lastuka

Suzanne McIntosh, Wellness Co-ordinator

Horns forced to postpone series

trevor.kenney — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:46:44 +0000

The ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge and the ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Saskatchewan athletics departments have jointly announced that the upcoming Canada West women's hockey series scheduled for October 30th and 31st has been postponed because more than one quarter of the U of L team is currently experiencing flu-like symptoms.

"It was very important to postpone this series to ensure that our team members and our visitors were not further exposed to the flu-like symptoms that have been spreading through the community," said assistant coach Deb Marek. "We currently have 6 players and coach Chandy Kaip away ill, and their health and well-being is critical."

The Pronghorns will face the Huskies January 2 and 3, 2010 instead of October 30 and 31, 2009.

U of L Health Centre manager Lori Weber, RN, said the team illness is unfortunate, but not a surprise considering that there are currently more than 300 students, staff and faculty listed as ill on the U of L's flu registry – about three percent of the school's student and employee population.

"The teams are doing the right thing in postponing their games and asking their players to self-isolate if they exhibit flu-like symptoms," Weber said. "This reinforces the fact that this illness, whether it is the seasonal flu or H1N1, is to be taken seriously."

Weber said that symptoms may include fever over 100 degrees, sore throat, cough, fatigue, headache, body aches, runny or stuffy nose, vomiting and diarrhea.

"You can be contagious for one day before symptoms begin and possibly seven or more days after. A person is more contagious on days with fever," she said.
"I applaud the actions taken to protect the health of the sports teams involved. As a reminder, all those involved in any sport should be taking extra vigilance with cleaning sports equipment, not sharing water bottles, mouth guards or other equipment and notifying their coach/team when they are ill."

Weber added that staying at home and resting aids the ill person in their recovery and protects their teammates from exposure to influenza.

"Vaccination clinics are being held in Lethbridge, so please consider getting vaccinated."

To view complete information on flu-like illness and steps to take if ill please visit the U of L website at http://www.uleth.ca and click on the "Be Fluless, Not Clueless!" icon.

Vital signs - the phenomenon of physician burnout

trevor.kenney — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 16:15:51 +0000

Physicians are healers. Far and wide their profession is revered, their status impeccable. It seems contradictory, even wrong, that today's doctors may be the one group of professionals most in need of urgent care. Yet that's exactly the startling finding that ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ of Lethbridge professor Dr. Bob Boudreau uncovered through his research on the subject of burnout. As it happens, doctors are more at risk for professional burnout than any of the dozens of other occupations that Boudreau and his research team have examined.

Boudreau has been studying occupational stress for more than two decades. His 1985 dissertation was a theoretical paper on the critical development and directions within the field of stress and burnout. He furthered his investigation on the subject while on exchange at Hokkai-Gakuen ��Ѹ��Դ��߿�Ƭ in Sapporo in 1988.

Dr. Bob Boudreau examines professional burnout and how doctors seem to be more at risk.

"Our early research surveys on Japanese workers led to further research opportunities on occupational health and burnout levels of workers in Canada, the United States, Belarus, New Zealand and Australia. The study of global burnout has continued to attract attention and grow in interest and importance over the years," Boudreau says.

In the last several years, Boudreau has focused his studies on stress levels and burnout in specific occupations. In 2002, he connected with Taber physician Dr. Rob Wedel to kick-start research on doctors. As fate would have it, Robin Robertson from the Alberta Medical Association overheard their conversation, and quickly thereafter it was decided that the study was something that would be conducted provincewide.

Boudreau developed a survey aimed at examining the prevalence and severity of burnout in Alberta physicians using a series of demographic questions and four measurements of burnout. More than 1,100 doctors
participated in the provincial study, and less than a year later, Boudreau was asked by the Canadian Medical Association to conduct a similar survey nationally.

What Boudreau was surprised to discover was that out of all the occupations he'd examined, doctors were by far at the highest risk for professional burnout. In fact, almost half of the physicians who participated in the study were in what Boudreau categorizes as advanced stages of the condition.

"It doesn't seem to matter whether they are specialists or GPs. Doctors as a group are worse off than other professionals when it comes to burnout. There are a lot of cracks in the health-care system and physicians are suffering in a whole host of different ways."

Boudreau believes the incidence of physician burnout in Canada can be attributed to many factors, not the least of which is the pressure that comes with being responsible for the well-being of hundreds of patients. Tie that in with an over-taxed health-care system rife with shortages, plus the day-to-day pressures of running a busy practice and you have the perfect prescription for professional exhaustion.

"We need to continue to develop a better diagnostic set of measures so we can gain a greater understanding into this complex problem," says Boudreau. "Once we figure out what it is, we will be in the best position to try to manage burnout and many of its related workplace cousins such as increased job conflict, poor performance, helplessness, higher absenteeism, lateness and poor health."

New avenues for Boudreau's research include the development of a bibliography of burnout, which will be a compilation of approximately 13,000 previously researched references on the subject put together in a user-friendly format that other researchers and students around the globe can use. With a background in industrial psychology, Boudreau aims to further his work on professional burnout in an effort to better the working environments of not only physicians, but professionals across the board.

"The strategy is to find the cracks in each occupation we study and develop the tools and strategies people need to cope with their own professional situations," he says.

Future endeavours for Boudreau include a meta-analysis on published physician burnout surveys, and a study of the effects of burnout in relation to the assessment and management of fatigue in chronic illness, conducted with an interdisciplinary team of researchers from across Alberta.

Your healthy weight - the healthy way

trevor.kenney — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:56:02 +0000

If you're one of the many people who made their New Year's Resolution to lose weight, then here are five ways to help fast track your goal.
LIQUID CALORIES
Proper hydration helps control your appetite and fight fatigue. Focus on water and other hydrating fluids like milk and 100 per cent real fruit or vegetable juice (maximum recommended juice intake is 125-250 ml/day). Limit your caffeine containing drinks to no more than four cups per day. Avoid choosing pop and specialty drinks laden with sugar or fat as much as possible.

POWER SNACKS
Make snacks nutrient dense but not energy dense. Include fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds (60 ml maximum serving size per day), yogurt or milk (dairy or soy). Watch your appetite and cravings decrease (because of blood sugar control) along with your waist!

START THE DAY RIGHT
Eat breakfast; it boosts your metabolism. A balanced breakfast includes at least three of the four food groups. Include a protein source and fibre, both of which will help control blood sugar, cravings and aid in weight loss.

PLAN FOR ACTIVITY IN YOUR DAY
Schedule activity in your calendar as a meeting to help you stay committed. You can also break activity into 10-minute sessions. Park at the far end of the parking lot, take a 10-minute brisk walk at coffee break or stretch in front of your favorite TV show for 10 minutes at night – an easy way to fit 30 minutes of activity into your day!

I LIKE TO MOVE IT, MOVE IT!
Regular physical activity is a critical part of reaching your healthy weight goal. Canada's Physical Activity Guide (PAG) recommends 30 to 60 minutes of daily physical activity. Get your copy of PAG at www.healthcanada.ca/paguide

UNews - fatigue

Solidifying memory while you sleep

Related Topics

Combat sleep apnea by attending Lunch and Learn

Related Topics

Combat sleep apnea by attending Lunch and Learn

Related Topics

Horns forced to postpone series

Related Topics

Vital signs - the phenomenon of physician burnout

Related Topics

Your healthy weight - the healthy way

Related Topics