The truth about lack of sleep and your skin

The truth about lack of sleep and your skin

A great start to beautiful skin is to cleanse, moisturize and layer on sunscreen.  However, there is one other important factor which also has a significant role in achieving a glowing complexion – sufficient sleep.

If you want your complexion to reflect to others a radiant, healthy, and well-rested appearance, your sleep habits need to be in check.  Sleep is a human necessity and when we lack it, not only does in result in excess tiredness, lack of concentration, and weight gain, but your skin will suffer too. When you sleep, that is when your skin undergoes its repair and regeneration process.  Too many late nights or nights of insomnia, and your skin will show it since regeneration time is limited.  Eventually, your skin will not look it best aging you beyond your years.

What exactly happens to your skin when lacking sleep?

·      Your skin becomes more dry

It is during sleep that your body’s hydration rebalances.  When you are lacking sleep, this affects the moisture levels in your skin resulting in an imbalance leading to less moisture and drier skin.

·      Your skin will look more dull

Every day we have dead skin cells that need to be sloughed off. It is while sleeping that your surface skin cells undergo repair.  But when your zzz’s have been cut short, your skin will take on a more fatigued and tired-look.  Having dull, lifeless skin will add years to your looks.

·      You will have more pronounced dark circles

It’s bad enough to feel tired after a lack of sleep but having dark circles under your eyes doubles the frustration.  There can be several reasons for dark under-eye circles but falling short on sleep can make them to appear or become more prominent.  This happens because lack of sleep tends to cause the blood vessels under the thin skin of the eyes to dilate, creating a dark tint.  Sometimes, tiredness can also make the area under the eyes to appear puffy as well. Fluids can leak out into the skin causing puffiness and swelling or “bags under the eyes.”

·      Your skin will show visible signs of aging

It’s important for your body to get a chance to refresh and renew and this is what happens after a good night’s sleep.  But when sleep is a stranger, skin takes the brunt by becoming more dull and dry with visible signs of skin aging like crow’s feet and fine lines. 

Tips on getting a good night’s sleep

Adequate sleep is necessary for good health including our skin health and appearance.  The average adult requires between 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.  If you are lacking on that amount and need help to achieve, here are some tips on having a better night’s sleep:

·      Stick to a sleep schedule.  As much as you can, go to bed and wake up at the same time each day, even on the weekends.

·      Always make your bed every day.  Yes, this makes a difference.  There appears to be a correlation between a clean sleeping environment and how well we sleep throughout the night.  Clean your bed sheets often and tidy up the bed before going out for the day.

·      Resist afternoon naps.  As tempting as they are, taking a snooze mid-afternoon, can disrupt your ability to fall asleep at night. If you must rest during the day, make it no longer than 20 minutes.

·      Avoid heavy meals and caffeine before bedtime.  Eating a big meal right before falling asleep can cause discomfort with indigestion making it harder to fall asleep.  Eat at least 2 to 3 hours before crawling into bed for the night. 

·      Keep all electronics out of your bedroom.  This even includes the TV.  Having a habit of watching TV or browsing through social media can make it hard to fall asleep due to the particular type of light emanating from the screens. 

·      Each day, get in some exercise.  Vigorous activity is best but even light exercise can be helpful. 

·      Keep your bedroom set at a cool, comfortable temperature.  When drowsy, your body temperature goes down and then rises again once morning comes.  To avoid restlessness throughout the night, it is recommended to set your thermostat to 65 degrees in your bedroom. 

·      Sleep in light clothing.  Wear comfortable, lightweight clothing to bed. Bundling up too warm will only make it harder to fall asleep. 

Osteoporosis – 3 signs you may already have it

Osteoporosis – 3 signs you may already have it

It’s one thing to know the risk factors for osteoporosis – family history, smoking, small-framed women, postmenopausal women - but would you recognize warning signs you may already have this brittle bone disease?

Osteoporosis develops silently.  A person will not feel the gradual loss of bone as time goes by.   For the most part this disease is asymptomatic until there are clear warning signs staring you in the face.  These signs usually do not appear until the disease is more advanced and well under way. The best time to catch and treat osteoporosis is before you develop any signs or symptoms.  Knowing and understanding the risk factors for this disease is important. This can help you make lifestyle changes before the condition has set in. 

Here are 3 signs that you may already have osteoporosis:

1.     Fractures that occur from minimal force – It is one thing to have a fracture or broken bone occur due to being involved in a car crash or falling from a ladder.  But if you simply bumped into something or fell a short distance and it resulted in a broken bone, this could be signaling osteoporosis.

2.     Unexplained bone or joint pain – At first, osteoporosis causes no symptoms because bone density loss occurs very gradually.  Some people never develop symptoms.  However, when osteoporosis causes bones to fracture or break, people may have pain depending on the type of fracture.  Many things can cause bone or joint pain but osteoporosis is certainly one to consider.  When the bones lack sufficient strength to hold the weight of your body, then an injury can happen.  Anytime you have bone or joint pain that is not attributable to anything else, then it raises the consideration of a bone health problem.

3.     Loss of height or stooping – Osteoporosis can result in loss of height because the discs between the vertebrae in the spine dehydrate and compress.  As the spine ages, it can also become curved with the vertebrae collapsing (compression fracture) due to loss of bone density (osteoporosis).  Loss of muscle tone in the torso can also contribute to a stooped posture.  Sometimes a person can have a compression fracture of the spine that may go undetected or be attributed to a back strain type of injury. 

Any person who is experiencing any of the above 3 signs of osteoporosis needs to see their doctor to request a bone density test.  Osteoporosis can only be diagnosed by knowing your bone density. The treatment for this condition is best accomplished once you know the extent of the disease.

Steps to stop/reduce osteoporosis

It may seem daunting to try to prevent osteoporosis from happening, especially if you have several risk factors for possibly developing it.  But it’s important to realize there are some risk factors within your control to slow down the possibility of this disease weakening your bones.  It’s never too late to do something about your bone health.

·      Get enough calcium by eating a well-balanced diet.  The best sources of calcium include all dairy foods such as milk, yogurt, and cheese and some plant-based foods of broccoli, Brussel sprouts, beans, lentils, or orange and grape juice fortified with calcium. 

·      Exposure to sunlight allows the body to make the bone-building hormone of vitamin D.   

·      Sufficient vitamin D is required in order for the body to absorb calcium.  The best food sources of this fat-soluble vitamin include fatty fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel, egg yolks, beef liver, cheese, and milk.   

·      Exercise consistently during childhood and continuing into adulthood.  Weight-bearing exercises such as brisk walking, jogging/running, jumping rope, weight lifting, playing tennis, racquetball, or dancing, are perfect examples of building strong bones.

·      Do not smoke or drink excessively (more than one drink a day for a woman or two drinks a day for a man) – these unhealthy activities will only weaken bones.

25 excellent ways to improve your health today

25 excellent ways to improve your health today

Each day is an opportunity to do at least one thing to improve upon your health.  It doesn’t have to be anything major – unless you want it to be.  But just little things you can work into your everyday life that sooner or later, will become a habit, sort of like automatically brushing your teeth at night before you go to bed without even thinking about it. 

Below are just a few ideas that incorporate different aspects of achieving overall health – physical, mental, and dietary habits.  Try a new one out each day and eventually they can become your new healthy habits and a permanent part your daily life.

1.     Pay attention to your posture.  Pull your shoulder blades back holding the position for a few seconds.  Do this several times a day to become more aware of how you are standing or sitting.

2.     Add healthy fats to your diet.  Have a handful of almonds, walnuts, pistachios, peanuts or cashews. Add sliced avocado to a salad.  Drizzle olive oil over veggies such as Brussel sprouts, broccoli or asparagus and roast them in the oven.

3.     Take breaks from sitting at the computer.  Every 30 to 45 minutes, get up, walk around, stretch, or go outside for fresh air. 

4.     Make your love life a priority.  Being intimate has both physical and emotional benefits.

5.     If possible, use generic medications which are cheaper than brand-name drugs and are just as effective.

6.     Do Kegel exercises every day.  Kegels help strengthen weak pelvic floor muscles along with reducing urinary incontinence.

7.     Don’t ignore signs of sudden cardiac arrest – chest pain, breathlessness, or palpitations.  Seek medical help immediately if any of these occur.

8.     Add spice to your meals – doing so may help fight inflammation, heart disease, and high blood pressure.  Try out turmeric, cumin, coriander, paprika, cinnamon or ginger.

9.     Practice yoga or Pilates to help improve range of motion, joint mobility, and for relaxation.

10.  If you want to buy organic, focus on fruits and veggies.  Produce such as peaches or tomatoes with thin skin may have more pesticide residue than produce with thicker skin.

11.  Maintain a healthy back by keeping it feeling young.  Do exercises to strengthen, lengthen, and stretch the muscles that support your spine.

12.  Get a yearly flu shot along with checking on updating other important vaccinations such as the Tdap vaccine (Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis).

13.  Invest in a good pair of walking shoes for proper support for your feet and knees.

14.  Use those walking shoes several times a week – preferably daily – to get in a brisk walk.

15.  Have a fruit and or vegetable at each meal every day.

16.  Practice mindful eating by having few distractions at a meal.  Allow no computer, iPad, or cell phones when eating.  Pace yourself paying attention to the first sign of fullness you feel and stop eating soon after that to prevent overeating.

17.  Make water your main beverage of choice.

18.  Always wear a seatbelt when driving or as a passenger.

19.  Wear sunscreen with a SPF of at least 30 every day year round to prevent skin cancer.

20.  Maintain muscle mass by lifting free weights 2-3 times a week.

21.  Get out in nature.  Most of us underestimate how important this is.  Being in nature reduces  stress, makes you more creative, improves your memory, and makes you a better person. 

22.  Spend time with family and friends.  Relationships are one of our biggest sources of happiness and health.  The longest live people on earth place a strong emphasis on social engagement with others.

23.  Laugh every day.  Humor helps us cope better with stress, pain and may reduce risk of heart attack or strokes.

24.  Challenge yourself by learning something new each day.  Whether it’s learning a new language, taking music lessons, or reading a book, anytime we absorb new knowledge, we sharpen our mind and increase our intelligence.

25.  Meditate – it increases our happiness and attention span while reducing anger, anxiety, depression and fatigue.