General Health
Excessive drinking raises the risk of cancer of the mouth, larynx, oesophagus, liver
colon and breast. It also may be linked to cancer of the pancreas and lung. The most
re-cent european code against cancer recommends keeping alcohol consumption to
two drinks for men and one drink for women.
Excessive drinking raises the risk of cancer of the mouth, larynx, oesophagus, liver
colon and breast. It also may be linked to cancer of the pancreas and lung. The most
re-cent european code against cancer recommends keeping alcohol consumption to
two drinks for men and one drink for women.
Mental health is fundamental to overall health. You cannot be healthy without good
mental health. Mental illnesses are real. They are not spiritual or character
weaknesses. They are brain disorders. One in five americans has a diagnosable
mental illness--44 million adults and 13.7 million children. Mental illnesses are just as
disabling as other chronic medical illnesses, at least as disabling as cancer or serious
heart disease. 80-90% of mental illnesses are treatable. But fewer than half of adults,
and fewer than 1 in 5 children get help.
mental health. Mental illnesses are real. They are not spiritual or character
weaknesses. They are brain disorders. One in five americans has a diagnosable
mental illness--44 million adults and 13.7 million children. Mental illnesses are just as
disabling as other chronic medical illnesses, at least as disabling as cancer or serious
heart disease. 80-90% of mental illnesses are treatable. But fewer than half of adults,
and fewer than 1 in 5 children get help.
Sleep Hygiene
Bedroom Conditions for Good Sleep
Habits for Falling and Staying Asleep
- Avoid stimulants including caffeine and alcohol: Limit caffeine consumption.
Along with coffee, tea, and sodas, caffeine is found in chocolate and in
medications used to treat headaches, colds and sinus congestion Caffeine has
a half-life of about six hours so make your post-dinner beverage decaf.
- Avoid nicotine, which impairs the ability to fall asleep and stay asleep.
- Don't drink before bedtime. Having just one or two alcoholic drinks within a few
hours of going to bed can disrupt sleep and lead to more frequent awakening in
the latter half of the night. Alcohol may help you fall asleep initially, but this sleep
tends to be more fragmented and less rejuvenating overall. Even one glass of
wine can disrupt sleep. Many tested but wise wine aficionados have reluctantly
and sadly concluded that their glass of wine at dinner disrupts their sleep and
consequently given up their expensive dinner wine because of their awareness
that even a fine expensive wine can ruin a good night’s rest.
- Get active. Lack of physical activity during the day is associated with in-creased
sleep problems. Strenuous exercise is best. But don't exercise too close to
bedtime(within 4 hours) because that can make it more difficult to fall asleep.
- Eating too much close to bedtime can make it more difficult to fall asleep and
stay asleep. Schedule dinner early before 6 PM.
- Avoid daytime naps, which can make it harder to fall asleep at night. If you do
need a nap during the day, keep it under 30 minutes. Naps de-crease the
homeostatic drive that accumulates with each passing moment from the time of
awakening. Recent research demonstrates very impaired thinking up to 12 hours
after a daytime nap. Get all your sleep at night.
- If self-treatment strategies(cognitive-behavioral) to improve sleep don't
- help, talk to your doctor. Sleep difficulties can be related to a number of
medical conditions. Chronic insomnia that persists from childhood may need a
sleeping aid.
- Keep the bedroom temperature between 50-65 degrees in the winter;
- 60-70 degrees in the summer. The body and mind rest better when cool.
- Absolute darkness will enhance the rejuvenating properties of sleep.
- Melatonin production begins at around 8 PM and peaks at around 1 AM.
The peak concentration of melatonin turns on growth hormone secretion
at 2-3 AM. Growth hormone causes rejuvenation and repair of tissues and
sweeps away damaging free radicals produced by the day’s metabolism
and activities. But if TV's and lights are on; even night lights; and router,
printer, LED lights and alarm clocks, etc., are glowing in the dark, melatonin
production is attenuated and the threshold to activate growth hormone is never
reached.
Bedroom Conditions for Good Sleep
- Minimize light: Darkness acts as a signal to the body to prepare for sleep. If
closing your blinds isn't enough, consider room darkening shades.
- Keep noise levels constant: Abrupt changes in noise levels can disrupt sleep. If
you are a light sleeper or live in a high traffic area, consider using a white noise
generator to muffle noise.
- Control the temperature: The ideal room temperature for sleeping is 65 degrees
and 65 percent humidity. Program your thermostat to automatically adjust to this
temperature 30 minutes after you normally retire for the evening.
- Maintain a "TV free zone" in the bedroom: Television is very stimulating and not
conducive to entering a deep, restorative sleep.
Habits for Falling and Staying Asleep
- Keep a regular schedule: Try to avoid switching your bed and wake times on the
weekend; it will just make the Monday back-to-work adjustment tougher.
- Resist taking naps: For healthy adults, naps can make falling asleep at night
more difficult. However, if you do need to take a nap, keep the duration either less
than 30 minutes or longer than 90 minutes. Waking from a nap outside of these
zones could leave you feeling groggy.
- Keep a bedtime routine: A brief prebed routine signals your body to unwind.
Choose simple, stress-free activities such as brushing your teeth, washing your
face and a few simple muscle stretches.
- Avoid food and exercise right before bed: Give your body at least three hours to
recover from meals and rigorous exercise before going to sleep.
- 360 degree turns
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