Shift workers beware: Sleep loss may cause brain damage, new research says: Taking a few extra naps and sleeping in on the weekends won’t make up for not sleeping enough overnight, according to a new study. After mice were put on a sleep schedule similar to that of shift workers, where they were allowed to take short naps but were repeatedly woken up, the little creatures experienced a 25% loss of neurons in an area of the brain associated with alertness and cognitive function. The study found that mild sleep deprivation stimulated cells to manufacture a protective protein, but that this process shut down after prolonged sleep loss. “The discovery that long-term sleep loss can result in a loss of brain cells is a first,” according to the researchers. 

Dark chocolate’s benefits released by ‘good’ gut bacteria: A new study has shed light on just how dark chocolate benefits the heart. Researchers found that good bacteria such as Bifidobacterium and lactic acid bacteria in the digestive system feast on dark chocolate and release beneficial and anti-inflammatory compounds into the body. “These anti-inflammatory compounds decrease cardiovascular tissue inflammation, which reduces the risk of stroke.” The researchers said that “combining cocoa products with a diet rich in prebiotics— foods that are beneficial for good gut bacteria— may be even more beneficial to a person’s health.”