Healthy Sleep Tips During The Covid-19 Pandemic

A good night’s sleep is a very important component in maintaining health. Insomnia is a common sleep disorder that can make it hard to fall asleep, causing you to wake up throughout the night and not be able to get back to sleep. With our current self-isolation policies, many are more prone to anxiety and stress, which affects their ability to sleep throughout the night.

According to the CDC, adults need approximately seven hours of sleep a night and many people aren't getting it. Not getting enough sleep can have a negative impact on your ability to focus on the important tasks you need to perform throughout the day, your energy level and your quality of life. Lack of sleep can also worsen health conditions. Individuals who are sleep deprived may experience drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, remembering details and irritability.

In order to be able to avoid the adverse effects of insomnia, it is a good idea to be able to identify the types of activities, medications taken and beverages and foods ingested that can interfere with sleep, so you can have an opportunity to modify your behavior and perhaps reduce your chances of experiencing insomnia.

Here are some tips which may help improve the quality of our sleep:

1. Establish a Regular Bedtime Routine and Adjust Bedroom Temperature

It is also a good idea to establish a regular time to go to bed, as well as getting up in the morning. In addition, if a bedroom is too hot or too cold, this may affect one’s ability to get to sleep. It is important to take into consideration that for some peri-menopausal and menopausal woman, a good night’s sleep is dependent on different temperatures throughout the night.

2. Reduce the Level of Stimulation before Bedtime

To improve the quality of your sleep, first start by decreasing the noise level in your bedroom or room you are spending the last one to two hours in prior to bedtime. Whether you are watching television or listening to music, start to lower the volume slightly at least one hour before bedtime. Also, begin to dim the lights around an hour before retiring. Trying both of these suggestions each will decrease the amount of stimulation your senses and body are exposed to. It is also a good idea to avoid keeping or using a computer in your bedroom.

3. Avoid Foods and Beverages That Negatively Effect Sleep

The type of foods and beverages you consume both have an enormous impact on your ability to get to sleep. In order to minimize negative impacts on sleep try the following food and beverage suggestions:

• Any food that is spicy, hot or has the potential to cause gastrointestinal upset should be avoided at dinner time.
• Avoid caffeine containing beverages [tea, coffee, diet pepsi, mountain dew or chocolate] at least eight hours prior to bedtime.
• Contrary to what you might think, alcohol can interfere with sleep. If you want an alcoholic drink, you may want try abstaining from alcohol two hours prior to bedtime.
• Ingesting protein prior to going to bed requires the body to work hard to metabolize this type of food interfering with the body’s ability to relax and induce sleep.
• Limit the amount of fluids you drink before retiring. If you have an overactive bladder, you may want to limit fluids 2-3 hours prior to bedtime.
• A light evening snack that contains Tryptophan may assist in relaxation and aid in falling asleep. Some examples of foods that contain Tryptophan are cheese, eggs, cottage cheese, milk, nuts, brown rice, bananas and turkey.

4. Avoid Medications That Interfere With Sleep

It is a wise idea to check the medications you are taking with your pharmacist to see if any of these prescription or non-prescription medications could be affecting your sleep. In addition, if you suffer from chronic pain, check with your physician to make sure that your pain medication is adequate throughout the night so bodily discomfort and pain is not contributing to your insomnia.

Some non-prescription medications that contain caffeine, which can interfere with sleep, include Darvon Compound, Fiorinal, Excedrin, and Midol. Some drug categories that negatively affect sleep quality are Corticosteroids, Diuretics, Antidepressants, Beta blockers, Nicotine and Alcohol.

5. Develop an Effective Exercise Program

Although a routine exercise program may reduce or help prevent insomnia, one should not engage in aerobic activity at least three hours before bedtime. Some individuals feel that gentle stretching exercises assist their body to relax if done 1-2 hours prior to bedtime. Progressive relaxation, imagery, meditation and certain relaxing breathing techniques have been reported as helpful for some people if practiced before bedtime.

6. Take a Bath to Relax a few Hours prior to Bedtime

Many people find a bath relaxing prior to bedtime. However, with some women, if the bath is within an hour of bedtime the warm bath water can trigger hot flashes, which can interfere with sleep. So plan your bath time accordingly.

7. Practice Relaxation Techniques
Educate yourself about various relaxation techniques, including, but not limited to progressive relaxation, meditation or imagery 1-2 hours prior to bedtime. Remember to use your bedroom for sleep, relaxation and sex. There are numerous web sites and u-tube videos with instructions on practicing mind- body techniques for relaxation.

8. Do Not Concentrate on Mental or Emotional Problems

Along with relaxation techniques, remember that your thoughts and images prior to bedtime will also affect your sleep. If possible, try to establish a habit of not focusing or ruminating about problematic or painful emotional issues at least one hour prior to bed time.

9. Bed and Pillow Comfort

Check your mattress, box spring and pillows to make sure they are not worn out or have “lost their support”. Ask yourself if you have developed any neck, back, or hip pain over the past few months. If so, you may need to purchase a new mattress, box spring and pillows.

10. Keep a Sleep Diary

A sleep diary can be very helpful, revealing valuable cues as to some possible causes of your insomnia. A helpful recommendation would be to bring your sleep diary when meeting with your physician or nurse consultant. After reviewing the specific details from this diary, you could receive valuable advice on improving your sleep. With a sleep diary, you would document a record of some of your day time and evening habits that might reveal some habits that are thwarting your ability to fall asleep or stay asleep throughout the night. You can check with your health professional to see if they would prefer one week or one month of documentation.

This is a list of some helpful information to include in your sleep diary:

• Include the time of the day for each piece of information documented.
• A complete list of all the medications including vitamins, non-prescription and prescription medications you are currently taking each day.
• List all the foods [including snacks] and beverages [including alcohol] you consume in a 24 hour period.
• List any caffeine or nicotine ingestion.
• Include your bedtime regime [time you went to bed, how long it took to fall asleep, how many times you woke up during the night and behavior that occurred as a result of waking up, total hours of sleep, quality of sleep and any other pertinent data.
• Include your general mood and stress levels, including day and night time hours, as well as when you awaken in the middle of the night.

If you have not had improved sleep after trying these suggestions, you may want to request a referral to a Sleep Clinic or Sleep Specialist.

Featured on the Greater National Advocates website: GNANOW.org

Protecting Our Babies From Hazardous Toxins

It is disturbing to learn how much ambivalence there is about the amount of chemicals and toxins that are absorbed through the skin and into our bodies from commonly used household and personal care products and cosmetics as well as exposure to contaminants in the produce and water we consume. Infants are at an increased risk, since they have internal organs that are still growing, decreased body weight and immature immune systems.

It is alarming to see how many infants are being diagnosed with central nervous system disorders, cancers and heart problems. The Environmental Working Group’s “Body Burden 2-the Pollution in Newborns Report,” states that researchers found an average of 200 industrial chemical and pollutants in the umbilical cords of 10 babies in U.S. hospitals even back in 2004.

All of us need to take a closer look at the various ways we can decrease the exposure of infants to the pollutants and carcinogens in both our home and in the outside environment. Here are some practical ways to reduce the possible risks babies may be exposed to on a daily basis:

• Nutrition/Produce: Buying completely organic can be very expensive for most households. The Environmental Working Group has identified 12 fruits and vegetables that have the highest levels of pesticides. This information can be found at http://www.kitchenstewardship.com/2010/04/29/2010-dirty-dozen-produce-list-released-by-the-ewg/

You may want to consider purchasing either pesticide free from the farmers markets or buy organic for these twelve items.

• Infant Products: Also try to purchase Bisphenol A [BPA] free products. BPA is commonly used in baby bottles and other drinking containers. BPA is frequently used for the linings of cans. Medical news from Med Page Today sites that researchers have confirmed that BPA increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. In addition, watch out for the lead that could be in your child’s toys. Go to this wonderful easy guide to learn more on how to avoid the hazardous ingredients and chemicals for children. http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com/special/parentsguide/

• Household Products: Harmful toxins can be brought into our homes through our household cleaning products. The following web site will teach you about the hazardous substances to avoid when purchasing these products: http://www.leas.ca/Cleaners-and-Toxins.htm. When you get to this web site click on the cleaners and toxins guide.

• Drinking Water: Do everything you can to prevent toxins in drinking water from affecting your newborn. Consider installing a water filter to prevent the ingestion of heavy metals. Google “water filter comparisons” to review the performance ratings of several top brands of water filters.

• Washing your hands: Unless you are informed to maintain this practice by your health practitioner due to life threatening or high health risks at home, be cautious about using antibacterial hand soaps particularly those containing triclosan. Read this important guide about the possible risks of triclosan… http://www.ewg.org/files/EWG_triclosanguide.pdf

• Organic Products: Just because ingredients are organic, they may not be free of health concerns and may still contain many harmful chemical ingredients. Several toxic chemicals can still be present in ingredients that claim to be Organic, Natural or Green. Remember to read all labels. Making a concerted effort to choose at least a few items that are non toxic and non hazardous to your infant’s health could be one of the best decisions you ever make for your baby’s health care!

• Outside Toxins: Minimize the use of insecticides and weed killers, since these toxic ingredients can get into our infants systems through inhalation and skin contact. In addition, remove your shoes before coming into the house. Lawns and inconspicuous toxins on the ground can be tracked into your home and remain there for long periods of time.

Since there are no restrictions or requirements for the safety testing of most products that we purchase, it is incumbent on us to be diligent on the products we purchase and bring into our homes that can affect our growing infants. By educating ourselves and trying to embrace eco friendly lifestyle options, we can learn to reduce our exposure to the high number of questionably safe products and choose healthier alternatives.

• http://www.medpagetoday.com/PublicHealthPolicy/PublicHealth/17921
• http://www.ewg.org/files/EWG_triclosanguide.pdf
• http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/consumer-protection/recalls-and-safety-alerts-5-08/plastic-ingredients-in-bottles-and-cans/recalls-plastic.htm
• http://www.ewg.org/reports/bodyburden2/execsumm.php
• http://antiagingchoices.com/infant_children/dirty_dozen_baby.htm
• http://www.preventcancer.com/publications/pdf/Time%20to%20Protect%20Babies%20feb2805.htm

#wellness

Healthy, Fit & Fabulous: Heaven Can Wait! Eight Sustainable Strategies to Live By

Start to protect and prepare your body for the aging process by developing sustainable long term habits early in life, which will carry you through your twilight years free of chronic disease. Creating a healthy and contented life requires us to spend some time to figure out what we need to do for ourselves to keep our lives healthy and give us a sense of self worth. Adopting a positive outlook will have a beneficial outcome in beginning this process. The eight sustainable wellness recommendations listed below are suggestions for getting started:

Mind-Body [Emotional component]: Healthy relationships with others can not only be a source of great comfort and strength, but can also improve your health. The feeling of connectedness can reduce your stress, increase your level of happiness and be a great support at a time of loss. Volunteering or donating, can give you an opportunity to open your horizons, your heart and your humanity. It helps to give you a perspective on someone else’s life, as well as your own & it a great way to meet new people.

Mind-Body [Physical component]: Learn some new exercise for relaxation to incorporate into your daily routine. Developing body awareness through Pilates, yoga, stretching, walking, visualization [imagery], progressive body relaxation & meditation can be very useful in learning how to relax and lower stress levels. If you need more vigorous physical activity try biking, jogging or running. For the more adventurous and well trained, consider entering a race or marathon.

Nutrition: Remember to read the ingredients with the foods that you purchase. Avoid those foods that contain excess sugar, small amounts of fiber and low nutritional values. Some foods that are popular for their anti inflammatory benefits would be omega-3 fatty acids, dietary fiber, salmon, pumpkin, walnuts, flax seeds whole grains, and olive oil. Nourishing your nervous system with healthy food and fat choices will hopefully provide your body with more strength and resilience to fight diseases and chronic pain, as well as decrease the amount of inflammation in your body.

Beverages: Limit your caffeine use. Factors such as medication usage, anxiety issues, and hormonal issues all affect the way your body metabolizes caffeine. Caffeine has many adverse affects including, irritability, headaches, interrupt sleep patterns, gastrointestinal upsets and anxiety.

Sleep: Remember to establish a regular routine for bedtime. Reduce the level of stimulation by at least an hour before you retire by dimming the lights, turning the sound lower on your stereo or television. It is helpful to avoid caffeine containing beverages Like tea, coffee, diet Pepsi, or chocolate] at least eight hours prior to bedtime. Since alcohol can interfere with sleep, try abstaining from alcohol two hours prior to bedtime.

Simple Pleasures: It is important to enjoy lives simple pleasures. Getting involved with a hobby, taking a new class or inviting someone over for a meal are just a few of the many ways to connect with other people. 

Here are a few tips:

• Explore the wonderful state parks available to everyone. Bring a camera to capture some wonderful pictures of birds, flowers, trees and lakes.
• Visit a botanical garden and see if you can identify the various flowers.
• Preparing a special meal with friends or for yourself gets those creative juices flowing.
• Bookstores frequently offer some interesting free events and speakers.
• Go online to research free events in your town or the closest city you live near.

Spirituality: Many people report that their sense of emotional hardiness is derived from their particular relationship with a spiritual being. Whether that is defined from attending a place of worship or done privately there can be a wonderful sense of support derived from this relationship.

Forgiveness: Forgiveness does not mean forgetting or denying another person’s responsibility for hurting you. By embracing forgiveness, you may be able to let go of the angry and resentful feelings you feel emotionally & physically. Possible benefits may result in understanding and compassion. That being said, people/friends who express a lack of compassion or turn your expressed problems into “their issues “may need a reassessment of the time you spend with them.

Toxin Free Ideas: Toxins and Pollutants are brought into our homes daily through water, food, soil, dust and household cleaning products. Carefully read the list of ingredients on all labels of your household products to make sure you are not using products that contains harmful toxins.

Here are a few tips:

• Install a water filter to prevent the ingestion of heavy metals.
• Never microwave with plastic.
• Try to minimize the use of weed killers and insecticides.
• Always vacuum with a filter or even better a HEPA filter.

Choose your personal products and cosmetics that are made by companies that do not have toxic ingredients. The Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep web site is an extremely useful tool for researching this information. Their web site is http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php

#wellness

Are the Ingredients in Your Cosmetics Hazardous to Your Health?

Many middle aged American women grew up during the 1950s and 1960s, an era where people did not give much thought to the ingredients contained in cosmetics or personal care products. In fact, it was the unusual person who read labels to try to find out what chemicals were contained in any consumer product, yet even so, it was difficult to understand which chemicals were contained in cosmetics. Most people, however, simply believed the claims that advertisers made on television or in magazines. Most people also believed that the government would keep harmful products off the market.

However, many people in the 1950s and 1960s also believed that cigarettes were safe and that DDT was good for their gardens. But just as attitudes about smoking and pesticides were later discovered to be false, it is just as dangerous to continue to believe that there are no harmful chemicals in cosmetics or other personal hygiene products. Fortunately, it is relatively easy for people today to educate themselves about the contents of the products they use every day.

It is very disturbing to learn how many potentially harmful chemicals show up in the products women use on a daily basis. It is also alarming to learn how much uncertainty there is about the amount of chemicals that are absorbed through the skin and into our bodies from commonly used cosmetics and personal care products.

If you take a look at just one bottle of the various cosmetics you use you may find that there is an entire paragraph of ingredients listed on the label. There are no restrictions or requirements for safety testing in the personal care products we may use on a daily basis. Shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, liquid soap, hair spray and makeup are just a few of the many products we use on a continuous basis. Skin Deep’s cosmetic data base web site states that the FDA [Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act] contains no provision that requires demonstration to the FDA of the safety of ingredients of cosmetic products because the agency can’t require premarket safety testing of personal care products, it cannot prevent the introduction of potentially dangerous products on the market. Skin Deep’s web site goes on to state that industrial chemicals are the basic ingredients of personal care products which contain carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins, endocrine disruptors, plasticizers, degreasers and surfactants.

By educating ourselves we can learn to avoid those products that are considered hazardous to our bodies, reduce our exposure to the high number of questionably safe products and choose healthier alternatives. To learn more about this subject, go to the web sites listed below. These sites provide information about product safety and making safe, clean choices about our cosmetic and personal care products.

The web site for Skin Deep has 8 major categories including hair, skin, eye, makeup, nail, fragrance, oral and even baby care. Under each main category are several subcategories for more detailed information. The scoring system is divided into three categories, low hazard, moderate hazard and high hazard. You can look up anything from toothpaste, nail polish, hairspray, eye makeup remover, sunscreen eye shadow, mascara, diaper cream and baby oil.

If you want to learn about the mislabeling of organic products and how to tell if a product is truly organic you will find these two web sites enlightening:

http://organicconsumers.org/bodycare/index.cfm
http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/links.cfm

This web site will provide information about the toxins in your cosmetic products.

http://www.alkalizeforhealth.net/Ltoxiccosmetics.htm

#wellness