Vim & Vigor - Winter 2010 - North Mississippi - (Page 43)

MONSTER IN THE CLOSET: Excess weight SHINE SOME LIGHT ON IT: While lugging around extra pounds during the day is exhausting enough, trying to ﬁnd a restful position at night is equally arduous. “Being overweight affects your breathing and makes it hard to get comfortable,” says Plasker, who recommends exercise to lose that extra heft and also to sleep better. “Exercise not only helps you burn calories, but it increases your metabolism and makes you tired. Working out in the morning is best, but just doing it is important.” So if your schedule is such that you have to exercise at night, that’s ﬁne, but Plasker recommends ﬁnishing two hours before bedtime. MONSTER IN THE CLOSET: Succumbing to stress SHINE SOME LIGHT ON IT: Who isn’t stressed these days? Between unemployment or a hectic job, ﬁnancial troubles, difﬁcult relationships, needy kids, aging parents and never-ending household chores, you’re under a lot of pressure. Even if you can ﬁnd the time to sleep, that doesn’t mean you can clear your head and actually catch some ZZZs. “If people don’t manage stress, it can affect their sleep,” Plasker says. “It keeps them up at night or wakes them up in the middle of the night.” To help overcome stress, he suggests trying such bedtime rituals as listening to relaxing music, focusing on deep breathing (in for two counts and out for four) to slow your heart rate and reduce muscle tension, and keeping a journal by your bed to write down thoughts that keep you up. “There’s something about taking those thoughts out of your head and putting them on paper that helps rest your mind. You know the thoughts will be there in the morning,” he says. Sleep Apnea: The Next Generation Few things are scarier than waking up in the middle of the night to hear your loved one gasping for air. But what if that loved one is your child? “Obstructive sleep apnea—a sleep-related breathing disorder that causes your body to stop breathing during sleep and affects one-fifth of Americans— has hit the pediatric population,” says Stephen L. Newman, M.D., a spokesman for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM). “As our pediatric population grows in girth, and more kids are morbidly obese, we find this an astonishing and upsetting trend. Because these kids’ necks are too large, their airways become blocked when they sleep.” Your child may have sleep apnea, according to the AASM, if he or she snores or stops breathing while sleeping, or if you observe any of the following indications: a rib cage that moves inward as the child inhales, body movements and arousals from sleep, sweating during sleep, sleeping with the neck overextended, excessive daytime sleepiness, hyperactivity or aggressive behavior, a slow rate of growth, morning headaches or bedwetting. MONSTER IN THE CLOSET: Sleeping in unsavory conditions SHINE SOME LIGHT ON IT: You’re hot. You’re cold. Your mattress is too ﬁrm. Or is it too soft? Your pillow needs ﬂufﬁng. If trying to fall asleep makes you feel like Goldilocks, then ﬁne-tuning your sleep hygiene with the following tips from the Better Sleep Council could make your sleep environment just right. First, transform your bedroom into a haven of comfort that is dark, quiet and cool. Next, evaluate your mattress and pillow to ensure proper comfort and support. If your mattress is ﬁve to seven years old, it may be time for a new one; pillows should be replaced every year. Also, avoid alcohol and nicotine close to bedtime, as they can lead to a bad night’s sleep. Finally, create a bedtime routine that is relaxing, such as reading a peaceful book or soaking in a hot bath. QUIZ Sure, you’ve been doing it since you were born, but how much do you really know about sleep? Take the American Academy of Sleep Medicine’s quiz to find out. Visit sleepeducation.com and choose “Sleep Quiz” under “Resources.” Find Out Your Sleep IQ Vim & Vigor · WI NTER 2010 43 http://www.sleepeducation.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2010 - North Mississippi

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2010 - North Mississippi
Table of Contents
Opening Thoughts
Lives Renewed
Hands-On Approach
Smart Moves
Miss Information
Stroke Sense
Gut Feelings
On the Cover - The Story on Stress
The Faces of Skin Cancer
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark
A Natural Dilemma
17 Reasons to Work in Healthcare
Aerobics Roundup
Make a Splash
It’s a Great Place to Work
Catch the Spirit

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2010 - North Mississippi