Effectiveness of a grid mattress on adults' sleep quality and health: A quasi-experimental intervention study.

Background and aims: Despite that 93% of people indicate that a mattress plays a pivotal role in achieving high-quality sleep, there is a scarcity of research investigating the influence of mattresses on sleep quality, pain, and mood in nonclinical poor sleepers. The purpose was to examine the effectiveness of a pressure-releasing medium-firm grid mattress on sleep and health outcomes (e.g., mood, pain, daytime fatigue) of adults with nonclinical insomnia symptoms using a quasi-experimental design. Methods: Participants were 39 adults (mean age = 45.29) with nonclinical insomnia (i.e., occasional sleeplessness). Following 1 week of baseline assessments on their current mattress, they slept on a pressure-relieving grid mattress for 8 weeks. Participants completed self-report assessments of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Berlin Questionnaire, Insomnia Severity Index, Restorative Sleep Questionnaire, Perceived Stress Scale, Profile of Mood States, Daytime Fatigue Scale, Pain and Sleep Questionnaire, and Brief Pain Inventory at Baseline and Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 8. Participants continually wore an Oura Ring to objectively assess sleep and daytime activity. The data were collected from January 2022 to April 2022 and were stored electronically. Repeated-measures analyses of variance were used to analyze mean time differences. Results: Self-reported sleep quality, perceived pain, perceived stress, mood, and daytime fatigue improved significantly from Baseline to Week 8, p's < 0.05. Objective Oura Ring validated the self-reported sleep and daytime activity outcomes with improvements in sleep duration, time awake during the night, light sleep, deep sleep, and total sleep time, p's < 0.05. No significant time effects were evidenced for rapid eye movement sleep. No adverse events were reported. Conclusion: The grid mattress is a simple, noninvasive, and nonpharmacological intervention that improved adults sleep quality and health. Controlled trials are encouraged to examine the effects of this mattress in a variety of populations and environments.

Efficacy of MitoHeal® supplementation on adult skin quality and patient satisfaction: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot study.

AIM: Polyphenols, the most abundant natural biochemicals found in fruits, vegetables seeds, red wine, cocoa, coffee and spices, may have cosmetic and health effects. METHODS: This was a 1-month randomized, placebo-controlled study, approved by the institutional review board. In total, 40 adults (mean age 44.65 years) were randomized to one of three groups: MitoHeal® 500 mg/day, MitoHeal® 1000 mg/day or placebo drink. Measurements were expert rating of professional photos of skin quality and patient self-reported skin satisfaction at Days 0 and 30. RESULTS: The photographs and self-report assessments revealed that, compared with placebo, MitoHeal supplementation resulted in improvements in skin quality and patient satisfaction from Day 0 to Day 30, with a dose-response relationship often evidenced (P < 0.05). No adverse events were reported. CONCLUSION: Pilot data revealed that MitoHeal supplementation might be effective for improving skin quality and patient satisfaction. Larger sample sizes and trial durations are needed to determine the effects of MitoHeal supplementation on beauty and overall health.

Effectiveness of the Contours Vibes™ soothing vibrations infant and toddler crib mattress on infant and maternal sleep quality and health outcomes: an intervention study.

Objectives: The purpose was to examine the effectiveness of the Contours Vibes™ Crib Mattress on infants' and maternal sleep quality and health. Material and Methods: Participants were 24 mothers and their infants. For Week 1 the infants slept on their current mattress (Baseline). For Week 2 they slept on the Vibrating Mattress without using the vibrating feature (VMC). For Week 3 they slept on the Vibrating Mattress using the vibrating feature (VMA). Sleep quality and health assessments were completed at Baseline and following VMA and VMC conditions. Results: Sleep quality and health outcomes improved significantly for VMA compared to Baseline and VMC. VMC had significant improvements in some sleep and health outcomes compared to Baseline. No adverse events were reported. Conclusion: The mattress is a simple, noninvasive, and non-pharmacological intervention that improved infant and maternal sleep quality and health. Further research is need examining the longitudinal effects of the mattress.

Effect of a Free-Living Ketogenic Diet on Feasibility, Satiety, Body Composition, and Metabolic Health in Women: The Grading Level of Optimal Carbohydrate for Women (GLOW) Study.

OBJECTIVE: The study's purpose was to examine a free-living, ketogenic diet (WFKD) on feasibility, satiety, body composition, and metabolic health in women. METHODS: Twenty-two women (age (yr.) 42.2 ± 8.1, Ht. (cm) 164.2 ± 5.9, BMI 27.3 ± 6.0) participated in a 21-day, free-living dietary intervention. Daily ketone measurements and satiety/craving surveys, weekly diet records, and PRE and POST assessments of anthropometrics, body composition, blood pressure, and fasted capillary-blood glucose (BG) and cholesterol panels were collected. RESULTS: Women maintained calories (PRE: 1938 kcal vs POST: 1836 kcal) and protein (PRE: 17% vs POST: 20%) but decreased carbohydrate (PRE: 36% vs POST: 13%) and increased fat (PRE: 45% vs POST: 65%) PRE to POST (p ≤ 0.05). Daily self-reports suggested no changes in satiety or food cravings between PRE, WK 1, WK 2, and WK 3. Ketones increased (PRE 0.3 ± 0.2 mmol vs POST 0.8 ± 0.6 mmol) PRE to POST with significant differences between PRE and all other time points (p ≤ 0.05). Bodyweight (PRE: 73.9 kg vs POST: 72.3 kg) and body fat (PRE: 28.9 ± 13.4 kg vs POST 27. 4 ± 13.5 kg) decreased but there were no differences in fat-free mass PRE to POST (p ≤ 0.05). Systolic blood pressure decreased (PRE: 119.2 ± 8.9 mmHg vs POST: 109.5 ± 10.9 mmHg), diastolic blood pressure increased (PRE: 74.1 ± 7.5 mmHg vs POST: 78.8 ± 7.4 mmHg), and BG improved (94.0 ± 8.3 mg/dL vs POST 89.9 ± 9.0 mg/dL) PRE to POST (p ≤ 0.05). No differences were observed in total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and triglycerides (TG) but TC/HDL decreased and low-density lipoprotein increased PRE to POST (p ≤ 0.05). CONCLUSION: Women were able to maintain calories, improve body composition, blood pressure, and BG, increase ketones, and improve some but not all cholesterol markers after 21 days on a free-living WFKD.

Using the Multi-Theory Model (MTM) of Health Behavior Change to Explain Intentional Outdoor Nature Contact Behavior among College Students.

Nature contact is an emerging health behavior and is defined as the interaction between human beings and animals, plants, natural scenic views, or outdoor activities. Studies have shown that exposure to the outdoors (as a means of contact with nature) reduces perceived stress and promotes health and wellbeing among varying populations in many settings. To date, however, there are few studies exploring the impact of nature contact among college students, especially in the United States. In addition, the determinants of nature contact behavior have not adequately been explored using behavioral theories. The purpose of this study was to use the multi-theory model (MTM) of health behavior change, a contemporary fourth-generation behavioral theory in explaining intentional outdoor nature contact behavior among college students. Using a cross-sectional design, 401 students completed the validated survey based on MTM. Of these, 281 met the inclusion criteria. The mean score for perceived stress based on the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) in the sample was 21.60 (7.08) units, with a possible minimum and maximum scores ranging from 0 to 40 units. Constructs of behavioral confidence (standardized coefficient = 0.591, p < 0.001) and changes in the physical environment (standardized coefficient = 0.271, p < 0.001) from MTM accounted for 57.5% of the variance in the initiation for intentional outdoor nature contact behavior. All the three constructs of MTM-namely, emotional transformation (standardized coefficient = 0.173, p = 0.021), practice for change (standardized coefficient = 0.317, p < 0.001), and changes in the social environment (standardized coefficient = 0.204, p = 0.002)-were statistically significant and contributed substantively toward the variance (31.0%) in sustenance. MTM provides a useful and pragmatic framework for designing interventions to promote intentional nature contact behavior among college students.

Effectiveness of NexQuest Natural Frequency Technology® on sleep and mood of adults with insomnia symptoms: a randomized, double blind and placebo controlled crossover trial.

OBJECTIVES: The study purpose was to conduct a four-week randomized double-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial on adults with insomnia symptoms to examine the effectiveness of Natural Frequency Technology(®) (NFT), found in Philip Stein Sleep Bracelets, on sleep quality, anxiety/stress levels, and mood. METHODS: Adults (N = 44, M age = 41.9 years) were randomized to the Placebo Bracelet (PB) or NFT Sleep Bracelet (SB) for two weeks and then the alternative bracelet for two weeks. Self-reported mood, anxiety/stress, and sleep quality were completed at Day 0 (PRE) and following each condition; POST PB and POST SB). RESULTS: When the participants wore the SB, compared to the PB, they had improved sleep quality (i.e., Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), anxiety/perceived stress, and mood, p's < .05. DISCUSSION: The SB may be simple, noninvasive, and non-pharmacological intervention to improve sleep quality and daytime mood.

Effectiveness of Natural Frequency Technology® on cognition, sleep, and mood of adults with high perceived stress: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study.

INTRODUCTION: NexQuest Natural Frequency Technology® (NFT® ), intended to enhance biological function using naturally occurring frequencies, may be a nonpharmacological intervention to improve stress and health. The study purpose was to determine the effectiveness of NFT® for improving stress, sleep quality, mood, and cognition in adults. METHODS: Using a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover design, participants with high perceived stress (N = 42, M age = 43.8) were assessed at baseline (BL) and assigned to either the Placebo Watch (PW) or Wellness Watch (WW) condition for 2 weeks, and then 2 weeks in the alternate condition. Participants completed the following self-report surveys of Perceived Stress Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, Food Craving Questionnaire, and Profile of Mood States, as well as the CNS Vital Signs neurocognitive test at BL and following each condition. RESULTS: The WW condition had significant improvements in sleep duration and Complex Attention compared to the PW group. Compared to BL, both conditions had significant improvements for perceived stress, food cravings, mood, sleep quality, and several cognitive tests, p's < .05. CONCLUSION: Despite the placebo effect, NFT® may be a natural alterative for improving stress and health. Research is needed examining the efficacy of NFT® in a variety of populations and environments.

Efficacy of Wholetones® 2Sleep and classical music on sleep and health behaviors of adults with insomnia symptoms: A single blind, randomized, controlled, crossover pilot trial.

OBJECTIVES: To conduct a randomized single-blind placebo-controlled crossover trial on adults with insomnia symptoms to examine the efficacy of Wholetones® 2Sleep Music (WM) and Classical Music (CM) on sleep quality, anxiety/stress, fatigue, productivity, and mood. METHODS: Following baseline assessments, 38 adults (M age = 46.6 years) were randomized to either WM or CM conditions for 10 days and then the alternative music for 10 days after a 4 day "wash-out". The outcomes were sleep quality (i.e., Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index) and psychological measures. RESULTS: Listening to both the WM and CM resulted in significant improvements from baseline for sleep quality, stress/anxiety, fatigue, productivity, and mood (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: WM and CM provides a simple, noninvasive, and non-pharmacological intervention to promote sleep quality resulting in improved daytime mood, fatigue, productivity, and anxiety/stress.