Compiled by Dr Muiris Houston and Sylvia Thompson.
Bed behaviour
Only one in five people regularly gets a good night's sleep, according to new research. The average person has about 17 hours of sleep debt. Establishing rituals such as taking a warm bath or a hot milky drink before bed can help. A cool room also promotes deeper, more refreshing sleep.
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Hospital expands
St James's Hospital in Dublin gets its acute medical admissions unit and cancer and molecular diagnostics laboratory on Wednesday. The admissions unit aims to facilitate early diagnosis, treatment and discharge of acute medical patients admitted through the accident-and- emergency department at St James's. The new laboratory will underpin the development and application of tests to detect genetic changes in cancer patients. The tests can be critical for improved diagnosis and better treatment
outcomes.
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Coping with loss
Denial, anger, despair and acceptance are the four stages of the grieving process. Trained bereavement counsellors will speak on the theme of coping with loss at the Bereavement Counselling Service's open day on Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bank of Ireland Arts Centre in Foster Place, Dublin. Tickets, which cost 5, are available from 01-8391766, e-mail bereavement@eircom.net. See also www.bereavementireland.org.
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Alzheimer's guide
We rank Alzheimer's disease as more serious than heart disease, schizophrenia, depression, arthritis and diabetes, according to new research. It is estimated that as many as 35,000 people in the Republic have dementia, with the highest proportion of these having Alzheimer's. The Alzheimer Society of Ireland has just published a free information booklet, Your Guide To Understanding Alzheimer's Disease And Other Dementias. The society's helpline, at 1800-341341, is open between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. from Monday to Friday.