Effects of Lack of Sleep

Sleep…Do you get the 7 hours recommended each night or are you like a lot of people who are burning the candle at both ends? Are you staying up late trying to fit in one more show or maybe caught up in a book or the worries of the next day? Have you ever stopped and thought “I’m I getting enough sleep?” We’ll I’m sure if you’ll take a few seconds to listen to your body you will know the answer to that question fast with things like yawning, irritability, and fatigue.  But incase you need a little hint about what else to look for here’s a great list of the effects of lack of sleep:

 

1. Sleep Loss Dumbs You Down

Sleep plays a critical role in thinking and learning. Lack of sleep hurts these cognitive processes in many ways. First, it impairs attention, alertness, concentration, reasoning, and problem solving. This makes it more difficult to learn efficiently. Second, during the night, various sleep cycles play a role in “consolidating” memories in the mind. If you don’t get enough sleep, you won’t be able to remember what you learned and experienced during the day.

2.   Sleep Deprivation Can Lead to Serious Health Problems

Sleep disorders and chronic sleep loss can put you at risk for:

·         Heart disease

·         Heart attack

·         Heart failure

·         Irregular heartbeat

·         High blood pressure

·         Stroke

·         Diabetes

According to some estimates, 90% of people with insomnia also have another health condition.

3. Lack of Sleep Causes Obesity

Along with eating too much and not exercising, sleep deprivation is another risk factor for becoming overweight and obesity. Sleep affects the levels of two hormones, leptin and ghrelin, which control feelings of hunger and fullness. According to a 2004 study, people who sleep less than six hours a day were almost 30 percent more likely to become obese than those who slept seven to nine hours.

4. Sleep Loss Impairs Judgment

Lack of sleep can affect our interpretation of events. This hurts our ability to make sound judgments because we may not assess situations accurately and act on them wisely.

https://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/features/10-results-sleep-loss#2

https://www.healthline.com/health/sleep-deprivation/effects-on-body#2

http://healthysleep.med.harvard.edu/need-sleep/whats-in-it-for-you/health

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Thank you,

Wenona Mertens

Taking Care of You

When something really important comes up in our lives, we find a way to fit it in to our schedule—whether that’s a new movie we’re excited to see, or a doctor’s appointment about something that’s really bugging us.
Regular exercise might not be as compelling as those things, but each of us has ultimate control over what goes on our calendar. It’s the rare human being who literally cannot make the time to exercise. Here’s a few tips to help you find where you can schedule in time to take care of you:

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1. Work Out Efficiently

Pick a workout form that you can do almost anywhere, whether you’re traveling or getting home from the office late. Ideally, this will be a form of exercise that doesn’t require much preparation (maybe save the wind surfing for the weekend) and that accomplishes significant physical gains in a short period of time (sorry, golfers). High-intensity interval training, Tabata training, bodyweight exercises, and running are all great choices.

2. Make a Schedule and Commit to It

One of the most cited reasons to skip a workout goes something like this: “I am just too busy at work today; I can’t make my yoga class.” I call BULL! If you unexpectedly had to pick up your child from school and had no back-up plan, how would you deal with the situation? Cancel an internal meeting? Take some work home with you? Do some hard prioritizing? The truth is that when we really need to, we get out of the office at the time that is necessary. Make a schedule (write it down if it helps!), stick to it, and remind yourself that working out is a priority worth keeping.

3. Choose Something Over Nothing

You don’t need an hour—or even 30 minutes—to get a complete, effective workout. And some exercises is virtually always better than none. Heck, even seven minutes can make a difference! We can always find a few free minutes in our day (yes, we can!). With an effective program, and done frequently enough, short and speedy workouts can do wonders to both the body and mind. Squeeze in fitness wherever you are and no matter how much time you have with bodyweight exercises or with the help of apps with pre-programmed short workouts—you can even do some exercises at your desk!

4. Set Your Alarm Early

Becoming an A.M. exerciser means you get to cross your workout off your to-do list ASAP. We're not telling you to skip out on sleep in favor of a sweat session, but there are simple steps you can take to reset your sleep schedule and wake up earlier.

5. Sneak In a Lunch Break Workout

Make use of your precious 60 minutes by hitting the gym or going for a walk. Not only will it keep your waistline in check, you're also proven to be more productive during the day by logging off for an hour than you would be by eating lunch at your desk.
https://www.fitnessmagazine.com/        https://greatist.com/fitness/      https://vitals.lifehacker.com/

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Thank you,

Wenona Mertens

Keep That Grumbling Tummy Quiet Without Ruining Your Diet.

Oh the joy of having a desk job. Long hours sitting and sitting, having to squeeze in a bathroom run between rings of the phone, and that rumbling in your belly around 2 p.m. every day. Well, I can’t help you much with the first two problems but I do have a few ideas for you to keep that grumbling tummy quite without ruining your diet. Here’s the websites if you’d like a few more ideas:

https://www.womenshealthmag.com/          https://www.self.com/                http://www.snacknation.com/

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1. Seeds: Seeds are a source of protein, and they’re easy to store, quiet, and not messy.

2.     Plain Oatmeal Packets: Oatmeal isn’t just for breakfast—stash it in your drawer for a hearty snack, too. Packets of instant, plain oatmeal microwaved with water in a mug and sprinkled with cinnamon is a great cold-weather snack when you want something warm and filling. Just make sure you choose an unflavored option, as many others are loaded with extra sugars.

3. Dark Chocolate: Yup, the sweet stuff can be a healthy snack—as long as it’s 72 percent dark. Studies have shown it has numerous health benefits, including boosting your mood and lowering blood pressure. To avoid the temptation of overindulging, put one square in a Ziploc bag before you take it to work.
4. Popcorn: Whether it’s the pre-popped variety or a fancy recipe you plan on whipping up yourself, “popcorn is such a great snack,” says Kirkpatrick. A 3 ½ cup serving checks in at less than 100 calories, which gives you a lot to nibble on when you’re on deadline and need something to mindlessly munch on.
5. Dried Fruit: Crispy Green makes pre-portioned servings of seven varieties of freeze-dried fruit and is an excellent snack when you’re on the move, says Pappas. “The only ingredient is the fruit itself,” she says. “It’s almost like a fruit chip, and they’re really light and portable. 

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Thank you,

Wenona Mertens

Resolutions to Be Healthier

Hi all! I know, like me, a lot of you made resolutions (or at least tossed the ideas around) to be healthier in 2018. If I had to bet I’d say most of us are already struggling to stay on track. It’s hard, right!? I mean, how can we eat right when we live such fast lives? How do we enjoy life with our friends and family in the real world, like eating out or going to a family get-together and stay on track? Well, good ol’ Google is full of tips -some good and some that are terrifying! So I’ve weeded them down for you all. And, as always, here’s the links incase you’d like to read the full articles.

https://www.choosemyplate.gov    http://www.eatright.org    https://www.rd.com/

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1. Ask for it your way. Dining out is no time to be a meek consumer, notes Michael F. Jacobson, Ph.D., executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) and coauthor of the book Restaurant Confidential. “You need to be an assertive consumer by asking for changes on the menu,” he says. For instance, if an item is fried, ask for it grilled. If it comes with french fries, ask for a side of veggies instead. Ask for a smaller portion of the meat and a larger portion of the salad; for salad instead of coleslaw; baked potato instead of fried.
2. Beware of the low-carb options. Restaurant chains have jumped on the low-carb bandwagon, offering numerous low-carb options on their menu. But low-carb doesn’t mean low-cal. For instance, at Ruby Tuesday the Low-Carb New Orleans Seafood packs 710 calories and 42 grams of fat—ouch! A much better bet—the Low Carb Veggie Platter—leaves you with just 297 calories and 16 grams of fat.
3. Ask to box half your entrée before it ever gets to the table. Or split an entrée with your dining partner. A CSPI survey found that restaurants often serve two to three times more than food labels list as a serving.
4. Consider your drink. Choose water, fat-free or low-fat milk, unsweetened tea, and other drinks without added sugars to complement your meal.
5. Pack your snack.  Pack fruit, sliced vegetables, low-fat string cheese, or unsalted nuts to eat during road trips or long commutes. No need to stop for other food when these snacks are ready-to-eat.
6. Quit the "clean your plate" club. Decide to save some for another meal. Take leftovers home in a container and chill in the refrigerator right away.
7. Eat slowly. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get the message from your stomach that you are no longer hungry. Fast eaters often are overeaters, while slow eaters tend to eat less and are still satisfied.

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“The Groundwork for all happiness is good health.” -Leigh Hunt

Thank you,

Wenona Mertens

How to Become a More Active and Healthier Person

If you’ve been thinking about how to become a more active and healthier person then you may have thrown around the idea of starting a new workout regimen. If so, GO YOU!! It doesn’t matter if you’re looking to lower you blood pressure, drop some pounds, or just find your center; any reason that motivates you to improve is a wonderful starting point toward a healthier you. But where do you start? How do you stay motivated? Do you really have to go run miles and miles to be healthier?  Well, I’ve dug up some answers for you all. Links to the full articles are at the bottom 😊 :

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1.  Consult your doctor first.  Before you begin any exercise program it is really important to make sure you’re physically up for it.  This is particularly important if you’re not normally physically active.  A doctor can advise you on how to approach a new exercise routine and tell you what signs to look for if you’re overdoing it.

2. Do something fun.  Exercising doesn’t have to be running around a track until you can’t breathe anymore.  Dancing is exercise, walking in nature is exercise, jumping on a trampoline is exercise, as is tennis, yoga, etc.  Find a sport that you enjoy, and reaching your goals will become easy and fun.

3. Set small goals.  While it may be really exciting to set a large goal like running a marathon or going to the gym every day, it can be difficult to motivate yourself to actually achieve the goal.  The goal may begin to feel overwhelming.  The solution?  Set smaller goals.  For example, if your goal is to go to the gym every day, just go to the gym one day a week for three weeks.  Once you’ve accomplish that goal, step it up.  Decide to go to the gym twice a week for three weeks.  Once you’ve accomplished that goal, step it up again. Soon you’ll be going to the gym every day.

4. Break things up if you have to. You don't have to do all your exercise at one time, so you can weave in activity throughout your day. Shorter but more-frequent sessions have aerobic benefits, too. Exercising in 10-minute sessions three times a day may fit into your schedule better than a single 30-minute session.

5. Start slowly and build up gradually. Give yourself plenty of time to warm up and cool down with easy walking or gentle stretching. Then speed up to a pace you can continue for five to 10 minutes without getting overly tired. As your stamina improves, gradually increase the amount of time you exercise. Work your way up to 30 to 60 minutes of exercise most days of the week.

6. Your body will change when you challenge it, not when you punish it. The harder you train, the faster you’ll see results – up to a point.  And that point isn’t very extreme if you’re just getting started. If it’s been months, or years since you were last on a serious exercise program, you need a very mild amount of exercise to start creating change.

7. Exercise is just a stimulus. Nutrition and sleep are what actually change your body. Exercise is a signal to your heart, muscles and metabolism that you need to change. In order to rebuild, repair and burn fat you have to provide the right nutrients and get enough sleep. Without quality nutrition and sufficient sleep, you won’t be able to recover from the training sessions.

https://www.core3training.com                https://www.mayoclinic.org                       https://www.fitwatch.com/

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“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.” —John Pierpont “J.P.” Morgan

 Thank you,

Wenona Mertens

Staying Healthy While Working an Office Job

Hi all! This week’s Everyday Living is all about staying healthy while working an office job. Let’s face it, we know sitting in a chair all day is doing terrible things to our health. Studies have linked long periods of sitting with increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and even cancer. According to an advisory from the American Heart Association even those who exercise after work are still experiencing the negative effects of sitting for long hours.

So how do we combat some of these bad health effects but still do our job? I’m glad you asked!! I’ve pulled together a few tips for us. Also here’s links to the full articles if anyone wants to read more:

https://www.mindbodygreen.com/     https://www.huffingtonpost.com/      https://www.healthstatus.com/

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1. Eat breakfast.

This is a cornerstone of a healthy lifestyle. A wholesome breakfast can provide you with the energy you need to get through the first half of the day, and it will help prevent you from consuming junk food.

2. Bring your own lunch.

Restaurant meals often include large portions and high-calorie choices. You can eat healthier and spend much less money if you prepare your own lunch.

3. Drink lots of water.

It's good for you, and it will keep your mind off soda or coffee. It may help you fight off other cravings, too. Sleepiness is often caused by dehydration, so keep yourself well hydrated. If you want some flavor, put lime, lemon or cucumber slices into your water bottle.

4. Move as much as you can!

Walk around the office and stretch every now and then. Take breaks every hour or so and move your body. Use every possible opportunity to burn calories. Move while waiting for programs on the computer to load. If you need to discuss something with your colleague, go to his or her desk instead of making a phone call or sending an email. Consider teaming up with a friend at work to take regular breaks for exercise and to motivate each other.

5. Stand as much as you can.

This is healthier than sitting. It's better for your back, and burns more calories. If you have a Standing Desk available to you take advantage of it.

6. Have walking meeting.

Walk and talks have obvious benefits. Desk-bound office workers can all use a bit more exercise. Sitting too much is killing us. Yet the walking meeting’s upsides go far beyond the physical. Walking helps break down formalities, relaxes inhibitions and fosters camaraderie between colleagues — and less eye contact can fuel more personal conversation. 

7. Boost Your Immune System

Working in an office with many people will expose you to plenty of germs you wouldn’t get staying at home or spending your days outside. It’s important to keep your immune system in top form. Eat nutrient-rich vegetables, get enough sleep each night and drink plenty of water. Wash your hands regularly.

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I believe that the greatest gift you can give your family and the world is a healthy you. -Joyce Meyer

Thank you,

Wenona Mertens