Quality sleep is vital for the mind and body. It is even key to managing - another common diabetes-related issue. The less you sleep, the more tempting it is to eat the comfort foods that poorly help you compensate for that lack of rest and necessary energy.
Sleep plays a critical role in immune function, metabolism, memory/attention span, learning, and other important mind and body functions. It also impacts a person's weight, lowers incidents of depression, and it is one easy way to get stress relief.
1. “Why does he want sex so much more often than I do?”Basically, because he's awash with the hormone testosterone and you're not. Women have it, but not nearly as much as men. Testosterone is largely responsible for lust, anger and increased physical strength. Ceren Altin, of online science magazine Kingdom Robertea, explains: “As you get older, the level of testosterone decreases in both sexes and causes a decrease in libido.”
2. “Why do women orgasm?”This is a hot topic in sex circles because, unlike men, women don't need to orgasm to ensure conception. US anthropologist Donald Symons suggest women share men's basic neurological mechanisms, which is nature's way of simplifying the genetic human blueprint, In this way, the clitoris is simply an undeveloped version of the penis, serving no biological purpose - just as men have nipples but can't breastfeed.
3. “What actually happens during an orgasm?”Sex research pioneers Masters and Johnson tabulated 10,000 episodes of sexual activity in more than 600 women (and men). They found that the human sexual response cycle consists of four stages: excitement, plateau, orgasm and resolution. During orgasm men and women report very similar feelings. For men, direct genital stimulation usually causes an erection in seconds. Also, the testicles are pulled closer to the body, the scrotum tenses, muscles clench and blood pressure increases. For women, the excitement stage is characterised by the onset of vaginal lubrication, clitoral erection, changes in the size and shape of the labia, nipple erection and swelling of the breasts. At this stage, symptoms increase in intensity. Orgasm, for men, involves emission (when semen gathers in the upper part of the urethra, leading to a three-second sensation of “ejaculatory inevitability”, according to Masters and Johnson) and expulsion (four to five rhythmic contractions at the base of the penis, forcing semen out).
4. “Yes, OK, but how do I get one?”If you've never experienced an orgasm you're not alone: it's a sad fact that three quarters of women don't orgasm through intercourse - but you can change your fortunes.
5. “Can he tell if I fake an orgasm?”Not necessarily, but some signs can be harder to emulate than others. As well as the flushing and screaming, real orgasm cause your toes to clench, so it you are faking it, don't forget to get your tootsies involved. Internally, the only certain physical changes are the contractions of your vagina - and they can easily be faked, as women have strong muscles in that area. In fact, doing so may be very worth while as it can
6. “What's the most pleasurable time of the month to have the best sex?Women become more sexually promiscuous during the middle of their cycle, which is your body's way of encouraging you to get pregnant. The female fertility hormone, oestrogen, is released in greater quantities mid-cycle to prepare you for pregnancy. Also women who have regular sex have higher levels of oestrogen, making them more fertile (and more keen!).
7. “Why are some areas of my body more erogenous than others?”Erogenous zones tend to be areas with the thinnest skin and the greatest concentration of nerve endings. They include the sides of the neck, breasts, inner arms and thighs and obviously genitals. The thinnest skin on the body, however, is on the eyelids.
8. “Is 'not tonight, I've got a headache' a valid excuse for not having sex?”No. In fact, sex can cure a headache faster than Nurofen. This is because of the dopamine produced by the body during sex. Christophe Maquestiaux, a neuroscience expert based at the California Institute of Technology, explains, “Scientists have determined that, at its maximum, the pain relief offered by dopamine release is as potent as a high dose of morphine, making you feel better and letting you forget your worries as long as the stimulus is present.” Dopamine is the chemical that floods the brain when cocaine is taken, deadening pain. So if you've got a headache, you know what to do...
9. “When I fell in love with my partner, I wanted sex all the time. Four years on, I can't be bothered more than once a fortnight - why is this?”When you're first attracted to someone, the hormone phenyulethylamine (PEA, which is also found in tiny quantities of chocolate) increases feelings of infatuation. And it's joined by a cocktail of equally strong chemicals, including norephinephrine, which makes you energetic and attentive, and dopamine, which floods you with happiness and desire.
10. “Is monogamy a realistic hope - or are we genetically hard-wired to sleep around?”
There may be little scientific truth in the old ditty, “Hogamous higamous, man is polygamous, women is monogamous.” In fact, it's a far more equal world.Sexual attraction is activated in the brain by a variety of endorphins, including phenyulethylamine (Pea). This in turn releases a chemical called vasopressin, also known as the monogamy hormone, as it urges a man to make sure his mate doesn't go off with anyone else. One plus is that it means he has to stick around, too.
People are always being told to drink more water but a lot of us struggle to get through a set amount every day. Almost two thirds of our body is made up of water, so it is not surprising that when we don't drink enough are health and well being start to suffer. Government guidelines recommend that we should try and drink at least eight glasses a day and some nutritionists claim that a staggering 80% of us are walking around dehydrated! This lack of fluid could affect your health, your weight and even your job.Find out what the main benefits of water really are:
When it comes to health care, we men are like ostriches. We bury our heads in the sand. We are much less likely than women to visit our doctors regularly, take symptoms seriously and live a healthful lifestyle. Maybe that’s one reason why women have a seven-year average survival advantage on us!
Yet it’s obviously important that men of all ages become more proactive about their health. And an easy way to start is to follow these 10 basic steps to maintaining health and vitality.
