Sleep and Cervical Cancer Awareness

Federation Friday: Volume 1, Issue 27, January 4, 2019

The Importance of Sleep

There are manybenefits ofsleep, so shutdown your computer, turnoff the lights, and getto bed early tonight!

Better health. A good night’s sleep won’t grant you immunity from disease. However, study after study shows a link between insufficient sleep and some health issues, such as heart disease, heart attacks, diabetes, and obesity. 

Better weight control. Sleep can help you maintain your weight — and conversely, loss of sleep can result in an increased risk of weight gain. Why? Part of the problem is behavioral. If you’re tired, you are less likely to have the energy to go for a walk or jog or cook a healthy dinner. The other part of the problem is physiological. The hormone leptin plays an important role in making you feel full. When you don’t get enough sleep, your leptin levels drop, so you tend to eat more. 

Clearer thinking. Studies have found that people who are sleep-deprived are not as sharp as when they’re well-rested. 

Better memory. Our brains process and consolidate our memories from the day, each day. If you don’t get enough sleep, studies seem to show that those memories might not be stored correctly — and can be lost. Some research suggests that sleep can decrease the chances of developing false memories. 

Stronger immunity. Can getting enough sleep prevent the common cold? One preliminary study put the idea to the test. Researchers tracked over 150 people and monitored their sleep habits for two weeks. Then they exposed them to a cold virus. People who got seven hours or less of sleep each night were more likely to catch a cold. 

The benefits of sleep are numerous… so keep sleep on the top of your To Do list!! 

https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/9-reasons-to-sleep-more#1


January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month 

The most common form of cervical cancer starts with pre-cancerous changes and there are ways to stop this disease from developing. The first way is to find and treat pre-cancers before they become true cancers, and the second is to prevent the pre-cancers. 

A well-proven way to prevent cervical cancer is to have testing (screening) to find pre-cancers before they can turn into invasive cancer. The Pap test (or Pap smear) and the human papillomavirus (HPV) test are used for this. If a pre-cancer is found it can be treated, stopping cervical cancer before it really starts. Most invasive cervical cancers are found in women who have not had regular Pap tests. 

An HPV test can be done on the same sample of cells collected from the Pap test. 

The most important thing you can do to prevent cervical cancer is to be tested according to American Cancer Society guidelines. These can be found in Cervical Cancer Prevention and Early Detection. Information on treatment if the Pap test results are abnormal is also covered. 

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/cervical-cancer/causes-risks-prevention.html 

Happy New Year GFWC Clubwomen! 

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