Use the 20-20-20 Rule to Prevent Eye Dryness

Closeup of middle aged woman with grey hair rubbing eye to wipe tear - sadness concept (selective focus)If you’re an adult in the year 2022, you’re likely spending a portion of your day staring at a screen. It could be your smartphone, tablet, computer or TV.

These days, screens take some serious effort to avoid.

Endless staring at a screen can lead to dry, irritated, and tired eyes and headaches. But there could be a relatively easy solution to avoiding these pitfalls of screen time.

Looking away from your screen every 20 minutes for at least 20 seconds and focusing on something about 20 feet away could help your eyes stay lubed and prevent eye strain.

Although this recommendation has become rather common, a new study confirmed its effectiveness.

Research suggests that about half of the people who look at screens for hours on end – whether for work or other reasons – experience digital eye strain. The reason could be partly because people typically blink about 15 times per minute, but only about half of that when they are focused on a screen.

Dry eyes and eye strain may not lead to any long-term troubles, but they are highly irritating.

But the headaches and irritation can plague some people. Therefore, using the 20-20-20 technique to divert your gaze can be a simple and effective measure to prevent them from taking hold and ruining your day. Try it while watching TV, too.

Of course, you could also try stepping away from the screen more often. Walking around the block, office, house, or wherever you may be can have the added benefits of physical activity.

In any event, looking away from your screen may help solve your issues with dry eyes and headaches.

Decrease in Physical Activity Linked with Increase in Sleep during the Retirement Transition

Senior man asleep at home on his sofa with his pet dog curled up next to him.Although retirement is often associated with newfound freedoms and opportunities, a recent study has shown that many retirees actually experience a significant decrease in physical activity and an increase in sleep. While there may be various reasons for this shift, it’s important to be mindful of the potential health implications. In order to maintain a healthy lifestyle during retirement, it’s important to find ways to stay active and engaged.

As we all know, there are only so many hours a day. So, when researchers from the University of Turku, Finland, began a study looking at behaviors in retirees, they found that increasing the time spent on one activity during the day inevitable lead to a decrease in at least one other.

Their study used sensitive accelerometers and Compositional Data Analysis to study the simultaneous changes in daily behaviors. Activity behaviors were divided into different sections: sleeping, sedentary time, light physical activity and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

When looking at people who retired, their sleep and sedentary behavior increased in relation to their physical activity and sedentary time. This change was found to be stronger in women than in men.

“The decrease in the amount of physical activity is probably explained by the absence of activity related to work duties and commute to and from work when a person retires. These are replaced to some extent by sleep and, in the case manual workers, also sedentary time,” said primary author of the research article, Kristin Suorsa.

Previous research has shown that replacing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity with any other movement behavior may be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Based on this new study, researchers believe that retiring people should aim to increase their amount of physical activity, particularly moderate-to-vigorous activity. Long periods of sedentary time should also be avoided, and sitting should be divided into shorter periods, with walking breaks taken frequently.

Overall, it is vital to have a healthy balance of physical activity and good-quality sleep. In retirement, this ratio can get thrown off, so it is important to keep active and have a healthy sleep schedule.

Promoting Optimal Sleep

Sleep Sure Plus is an excellent way to help promote optimal sleep and restfulness through a variety of ingredients. One of the most important ingredients included in this unique formula is melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone that is essential for the regulation of the circadian rhythm (the internal clock of the body). Sleep Sure Plus also contains valerian, one of the best natural ingredients for promoting rest and relaxation. These two essential ingredients are joined by another 6, which all work together to provide a better quality of

Breathe Easier This Fall and Winter

Young woman with headache,sniffle and sinus pain. Sinus ache causing very paintful headache. Unhealthy woman in pain. Young woman with sinus pressure painIt’s time to close up the windows and say goodbye to the fresh air for a little while. Temperatures are dropping, and many are looking forward to staying warm and cozy.

But before you get too comfortable, it’s wise to give your home a good cleaning. Dust has likely blown in from outdoors and accumulated behind sofas, underneath turntables, and atop the various trinkets that adorn your abode.

House dust serves as the home for dust mites, tiny bugs that can cause allergic reactions. Many people with dust mites also experience signs of asthma, like wheezing or difficulty breathing.

Dust mites are close relatives of ticks and spiders but cannot be seen without a microscope. They feed on skin cells shed by people and thrive in warm, humid environments. Bedding, upholstered furniture, and carpeting are typically where they thrive.

Of course, you can limit their ability to impact your life by keeping your home clean and getting into a good routine. After your seasonal clean, be sure to vacuum and dust, maybe once weekly.

Vacuuming high-traffic areas like your living room rug, for example, is recommended. Make sure to thoroughly clean furniture, vacuuming between cushions and behind. It is also a good idea to have them steam cleaned or shampooed on occasion.

Changing bed sheets weekly can also help you breathe easier. Swapping bed sheets weekly can limit the dust mites in your bed.

Dust mite allergies can induce sneezing, runny nose, itchy, watery eyes, congestion, cough, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and wheezing. These symptoms can also contribute to fatigue caused by poor sleep.

Set a comfortable environment in your home to help you breathe easier over the cooler months. Get into a cleaning routine to keep dust and dust mites out.

Loud Noises Associated with High Risk of Stroke among People Aged 45 and Over

Young couple is sitting on a sofa in their apartment looking up and holding their hands to plug their ears as a neighbor upstairs is having a party and playing loud music or renovating the apartmentA recent study has found a link between loud noise and an increased risk of stroke in adults aged 45 and over. The research published in the journal Noise & Health found that people who are regularly exposed to loud sounds are at a higher risk of having a stroke, even if they don’t have any other risk factors. If you’re over 45, it’s important to be aware of the risks associated with loud noises and take steps to protect yourself from them.

Previous studies have shown that noise can affect cardiovascular health, and some studies have established a link between noise pollution and the incidence of myocardial infarction. This new study is one of the few to find a relationship between noise and the incidence of stroke.

For the study, administrative health data on a cohort of nearly 1.1 million people living in Montreal, Canada, were cross-referenced with noise measurements recorded by approximately 200 sound level meters across the island during the same period. The testing period was held from 2000 to 2014.

“A number of studies, largely in Europe, have shown that noise has a deleterious effect on cardiovascular health,” said study author Inès Yankoty. “Some have established a link between noise pollution and the incidence of myocardial infarction.” However, she noted the current study is one of the few to draw a connection between noise and the incidence of stroke.

During the study, more than 25,000 people were hospitalized for stroke in Montreal who were over the age of 45. There were five times as many ischemic strokes as hemorrhagic strokes. A hemorrhagic stroke happens when a blood vessel in the skull ruptures, whereas an ischemic stroke is when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain.

Researchers believe that people living in the vicinity of the major roads in the city are at higher risk of stroke due to the highest ambient noise levels in these areas. It was concluded that for every 10-decibel (dBA) increase in outdoor noise, the risk of stroke rises by 6% for people aged 45 and over living in Montreal.

Studies have shown that noise above 40 dBA at night and 55 dBA during the day can cause symptoms such as stress, fatigue, mood and sleep disorders and cardiovascular problems. Daily exposure to noise between 85 and 105 dBA poses a long-term risk of hearing loss; at 105 dBA and above, there is an immediate risk of tinnitus or even deafness.

Supporting Brain Function and Hearing Health

To help combat the effect of noise, lifestyle changes may be essential, including making sure you’re getting the correct vitamins and nutrients. Noise and stress can take a toll on the brain, affecting concentration, memory, and overall cognitive function.

The Smart Pill can help counteract these effects through nine ingredients that help support, nourish, and maximize brain health and cognitive function. These include ginkgo biloba, huperzine A, bacopa extract, rosemary extract, and a B vitamin complex. This unique formula helps boost circulation, fight free radicals, and helps to promote clear thinking.

Hearing Rescue is a unique formula that contains 9 ingredients, including vitamins, minerals, and herbal extracts designed to provide nutritional support for hearing. Some evidence suggests that free radicals play a role in noise-related hearing impairment, so Hearing Rescue contains antioxidant properties which help to combat free radicals. Hearing Rescue also contains folate, which may help to provide support in populations with low levels of folic acid suffering from age-related hearing loss.

Have You Heard of Cognitive Reserve? It Might Help You Delay Dementia

Elderly with a headacheHave you heard of cognitive reserve? Regardless of whether you have or not, it could be a central figure in how your brain ages.

Cognitive reserve is your brain’s ability to improvise, maneuver, and find different routes to accomplishing a task. Kind of like a performance car that can hit another gear to accelerate and weave around an obstacle, your brain can change how it operates to help you cope with challenges.

You develop cognitive reserve over a lifetime of learning and curiosity to help your brain cope with failures or declines.

This concept developed in the late 1990s when researchers described individuals with no apparent symptoms of dementia who were ultimately found to have brain changes resembling those of people with advanced Alzheimer’s.

It was believed that these individuals didn’t show symptoms of the disease during their lives because they had a large enough cognitive reserve to offset the damage, thereby allowing them to function as normal.

Since that time, a growing body of research has uncovered that people with greater cognitive reserve are better able to hold off symptoms of degenerative brain changes.

It is also possible that a more robust cognitive reserve can aid in function when you’re exposed to unexpected life events like stress, surgery, or environmental toxins.

So, how can you build cognitive reserve? The first step is to know that you can have some control over your brain health.

It is never too late to learn or find other ways of stimulating your brain. Finding ways to stay mentally, physically, and socially active can all contribute to cognitive reserve.

Mixing up a physical exercise routine may also help. Combining cardiovascular (aerobic) exercise and muscle and strength-building exercises may help boost mental fitness.

Taking on a hobby – either a new one or revisiting something you did in your past – can help connect brain networks. Keep progressing so your brain gets stronger, bit by bit.

What Are the Correct Positions for Sleeping?

Feet of two people sleeping on bed. People sleeping on bed in different positions.No matter who you are, where you sleep, or how often you move around at night, there is a right way and wrong way to sleep. The National Sleep Foundation has outlined the best sleeping positions for various types of people to get the most beneficial sleep possible. Whether you’re trying to prevent back pain or lessen the chances of snoring, these tips can help.

Most people sleep on their side, which is actually a good thing. Those who sleep on their backs are more likely to get poorer sleep or have breathing difficulties. When you sleep on your back, your head is more likely to fall forward, and your airway can be obstructed. This can lead to snoring or sleep apnea.

Sleeping on your side helps to keep your airway clear and prevents you from snoring. It also helps to reduce acid reflux. If you’re pregnant, sleeping on your left side is the best position to sleep in because it improves circulation and decreases the risk of stillbirth.

Sleeping on your stomach is actually the worst position for sleep because it can cause neck and back pain, and it is difficult to breathe in this position. If you are having trouble sleeping, try changing positions and see if that helps. You may find that you sleep better in certain positions than others.

One recent study found that most people tend to move around a lot during the night. When analyzing 664 participants, researchers found that people spent about 54% of their time in bed sleeping on their side, about 37% on their back, and about 7% on their front.

Males under the age of 35 tended to be the most restless and had more position shifts during the night. But researchers say this isn’t a bad thing. Allowing the body to move during the night is a good idea. During sleep, the body will account for any pain or discomfort and adjust its position accordingly. This is how the body generally avoids developing bedsores in everyday life.

So, if your sheets are too tightly tucked in, or if your partner or dog is taking up too much of the bed, making it difficult to move during the night, it may affect your sleep.

No real evidence has been found to be the ideal sleep position, but we know that comfort is the key to getting a good night’s sleep. This includes using the right pillow to help support the neck and spine properly. Lack of support for the head and neck during the night has been found to severely impact spine alignment, leading to problems like muscle stiffness and shoulder pain.

Specialty pillows such as a U-shaped or rolled pillow may offer a longer night’s sleep and can help to reduce morning and bedtime pain in those suffering from chronic pain.

Promoting Quality Sleep

Getting a quality night’s sleep can also be influenced by the environment, exercise, and getting the proper vitamins and nutrients. Sleep Sure Plus is designed to help promote optimal sleep and restfulness through a variety of ingredients.

One of the most important ingredients included in this unique formula is melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone essential for regulating the circadian rhythm (the internal clock of the body). Sleep Sure Plus also contains valerian, one of the best natural ingredients for promoting rest and relaxation. These two essential ingredients are joined by another 6, which all work together to provide a better quality of sleep.

Do You Need Another Reason to Keep Drinking Coffee?

Tell me about your achievements over some teaJust when you thought you’d filled your mug with reasons to keep drinking coffee, Australian researchers want it to overflow.

A new study has found that moderate coffee drinkers live longer and have healthier hearts than those who don’t.

Let’s add this to the list of other coffee benefits, as well as the pile of research that shows that it can contribute to overall health and longevity in various ways.

The research was published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology.

Researchers found that ground, instant, and decaffeinated versions were all associated with a lower incidence of cardiovascular disease and death from cardiovascular disease or any other cause compared to those who did not drink it.

Ground drip coffee, however, did seem to outperform the others.

Researchers analyzed data from the UK Biobank database, focusing on people aged 40 to 69. The average age was 58. The team looked at levels of daily coffee intake, lifespan, heart disease, heart failure, and stroke.

Data from 450,000 British people was divvied up into six groups:

  • No coffee
  • Less than a cup per day
  • One cup per day
  • 2-3 cups per day
  • 4-5 cups per day
  • 5+ cups per day

Participants were tracked for an average of 12.5 years. During that time, almost 28,000 – about 6 percent – died.

After all was said and done, researchers found that people with a medium level of coffee intake – two to three cups per day – showed the greatest gains in life span compared to those who never drank coffee.

Those who drank ground coffee had a 27 percent lower chance of dying during the follow-up period, compared to 14 percent that drank decaf and 11 percent who drank instant.

People who drank two to three cups of ground coffee were 20 percent less likely to develop heart disease, while the numbers were nine and six percent less for those that drank instant or decaf, respectively.

A Specific Type of Glaucoma Associated with High Risk for Alzheimer’s Disease

Mature woman holds glasses with diopter lenses,rubs her eyes and looks through them, the problem of myopia, vision correctionA new study from Taiwan shows that people with a specific type of glaucoma called normal-tension glaucoma may have a high risk of developing Alzheimer’s Disease. Previous studies have produced mixed results between glaucoma and Alzheimer’s, so researchers focused on this specific type of eye disease.

A glaucoma is a group of eye diseases that damage the optic nerve, the tissue that connects the eye to the brain. Glaucoma generally occurs when the pressure inside the eye becomes too high. This increased pressure can damage the optic nerve, eventually causing vision loss. However, with normal-tension glaucoma, also known as low-tension glaucoma, damage occurs to the optic nerve even though the eye pressure is in a normal range.

For the study, researchers compared the incidence of Alzheimer’s in 15,317 people with normal-tension glaucoma and 61,268 age- and gender-matched people without glaucoma.

After adjusting for hypertension, diabetes, coronary artery disease, hyperlipidemia, and stroke, researchers found that people with normal-tension glaucoma were 52 percent more likely to develop Alzheimer’s compared to those without glaucoma. Older females with a history of stroke had the highest incidence. Researchers also noted that the use of glaucoma eye drops did not protect against Alzheimer’s disease or increase the risk.

Researchers believe that not everyone with normal-tension glaucoma will develop Alzheimer’s disease, but this study goes to show how there should be Alzheimer’s screening for at-risk patients. The two conditions are similar in that they both occur when nerve cells deteriorate and die, a neurodegeneration process.

In Alzheimer’s, it affects the nerve cells in the brain that are responsible for cognition and memory. In glaucoma, neurodegeneration affects the retinal ganglion cells in the optic nerve, which can cause blindness over time.

Maintaining Brain and Eye Health

Many factors, including glaucoma, can contribute to cognitive decline, taking a toll on the ability of the brain to function at peak potential. This can affect memory, concentration, mental health, and overall brain function. The Smart Pill can help to enhance cognitive function and memory through 9 ingredients that help to support, nourish, and maximize brain health. These include ginkgo biloba, huperzine A, bacopa extract, rosemary extract, and a B vitamin complex. This unique formula helps to boost circulation, fight free radicals, and provide nutritional support to assist with cognitive function.

As this research proves, it is vital to ensure vision is kept as healthy as possible as you age, as it can affect more than just the eyes. One of the primary causes of age-related vision loss is low levels of lutein and zeaxanthin. These natural pigments have been shown to protect the eye from oxidative damage caused by ultraviolet light and environmental factors.

20/20 Vision contains 20 mg of lutein and 2 mg of zeaxanthin to help give your eyes the nutritional support they require. In addition to those two ingredients, this unique formula also contains various vitamins, minerals, and herbal ingredients to help support and maximize vision and eye health.

Risk of Diabetes Is Doubles When People Are Lonely: Study

Portrait of lonely senior woman sitting on sofa indoors at Christmas, solitude concept.Loneliness has been linked to several conditions, but new research suggests that diabetes could be added to the list. A new study published in Diabetologia
has found that feelings of loneliness are associated with a significantly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

For the study, researchers used data from the HUNT study, a database containing the health information (from self-reported questionnaires, medical examinations, and blood samples) of more than 230,000 people that was obtained through four population surveys. The association between loneliness and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes was examined, and whether insomnia and depression play a role.

Researchers found that higher levels of loneliness were strongly associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes when assessed 20 years later. It was recorded that people who responded “very much” when asked whether they felt lonely were twice as likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who did not feel lonely.

The study also showed that the relationship between loneliness and type 2 diabetes was not altered by the presence of depression, sleep-onset insomnia, or terminal insomnia. However, it was noted that there was evidence of a link to sleep maintenance insomnia.

Researchers believe this link involves psychological stress. Loneliness can create a chronic, long-lasting state of distress which may activate the body’s physiological stress response. The mechanisms behind this are still not fully understood. Still, it is believed to play a central role in developing type 2 diabetes through temporary insulin resistance brought on by elevated levels of the stress hormone cortisol.

This process has also been previously found to involve changes in the regulation of eating behavior by the brain. This can lead to an increased appetite for carbohydrates and subsequently elevated blood sugar levels.

Lifestyle Factors for Prevention

As previous studies have shown, lifestyle factors can play an important role in disease prevention. Diet, physical activity, limiting smoking and alcohol, and social interaction as vital in helping people reduce their risk. As this study shows, loneliness can increase the risk of diabetes, so getting involved in social activities or joining clubs or groups can help with not only feelings of loneliness but overall health.

Reducing the risk of diabetes also involves maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.
Healthy Blood Sugar Support uses several ingredients that have been shown in clinical studies to help maintain blood sugar levels. The health benefits of this unique formula include supporting blood-sugar metabolism and promoting healthy cholesterol and glucose levels already within the normal range. Healthy Blood Sugar Support can also help to reduce excessive hunger or increased appetite, fatigue, and blood glucose spikes after meals.

Better Sleep Could Give Your Immune System a Boost

Woman woke up in morning and stretches smiling. It is necessary to relax muscles. Whole body relaxation exercises. Good sleep and relaxation at hotel. Style girl comfortable room interiorIf you want to give your body a better chance at fighting colds, cases of flu, and other infections, you might want to start making sure you’re getting enough sleep.

A new study shows that good sleep could boost your immune system.

The study found that sleep can influence the environment where white blood cells called monocytes form, develop, and get ready to fight against infection. Researchers learned that good sleep both regulates the main actors of inflammation and reduces the burden caused by inflammation.

It should be noted that the results came from a very small sample size.

Researchers looked at 14 adults for their clinical trial. Each was assigned to get either 7.5 or 6 hours of sleep each night for six weeks. They then had a “wash out” period to get back to normal sleep patterns before being assigned to the opposite schedule for another six weeks.

In the fifth and sixth weeks of the study, morning and afternoon blood samples were taken to assess monocyte presence.

The people who did not get enough sleep – the six-hour group – had higher levels of monocytes circulating in the afternoon, higher numbers of immune stem cells in the blood, and more evidence of immune activation. Simply, that means it appeared that the immune system was active and fighting inflammation.

When there is less evidence of immune actors in blood samples, like what was found in those getting more sleep, it means that there is not as much inflammation going on.

The changes they noticed are not permanent. However, if you’re continually getting bad sleep, then inflammation is likely to occur continually, leaving you susceptible to infection and other severe conditions like heart disease.

Shooting for 7-8, and in some cases 9 hours of sleep per night may help negate this occurrence and help you boost immunity.

Are Your Bowel Movements “Normal’?

Woman sitting on toilet and tightly squeezing roll of white toilet paper closeup. Digestive problems constipation conceptThere are some things that are very hard to define as “normal.” After all, most things in life are located in the grey area, not black or white.

Bowel movements are certainly one of them.

Poops can be shrouded in mystery:

  • How often should you go?
  • What should it look like?
  • Do you have an underlying condition like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)?

You could go to the bathroom once per day and feel great. You could go one every two days, or three times per day, and feel great. You can also do all of those things and feel terrible.

Bowel movements are highly personalized, and when it comes to poop, it can be all about patterns. So, if your pattern is regular, regardless of how it looks or how long you go before you need to go again, and you feel good, you’re probably okay.

But let’s say you’re going five times per day, but every time it’s a hard little nugget, and you never feel like you’re emptying your bowels – especially if it’s out of the ordinary for you.

In that case, even though you’re going to the bathroom, you’re likely not emptying your bowels and are constipated. If that’s happened to you out of nowhere, then take a look at what you may have eaten the past few days, how much fluid you’ve consumed, or other factors that can influence bowel movements.

You can learn your bowel movement routine by tracking frequency and consistency. Some things to look at are:

  • Do you have several “good ones” in a row?
  • Are you straining more often than not? And if so, are you regularly dealing with constipation or just after days of irregular eating?
  • Is food running right through you when it usually does not?

Getting a handle on what’s normal for you can ultimately lead to a better understanding and management of gut health.

Some things that may help your bowels are identifying any issues like IBS, food sensitivities, and triggers. A diet high in fiber is also good for gut health and bpwel consistency.

Mind-Body Practices Helps Manage Blood Sugar Levels in People with Type 2 Diabetes

African senior woman doing pranayama breath exercises during yoga session at home - Focus on faceWhat if people with type 2 diabetes could manage their blood sugar levels just by practicing a few simple mind-body techniques? It might sound too good to be true, but according to a recent study, this is exactly what can happen.

In the study, adults with type 2 diabetes who practiced mind-body techniques such as gentle yoga and qigong saw significant improvements in their blood sugar levels. So, if you’re living with type 2 diabetes, why not give one or all these practices a try? You might be surprised at how well they work.

Although approximately 66% of Americans with type 2 diabetes use mind-body practices, there has been limited research on whether these practices can reduce blood glucose levels. However, this new study published in the Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine is one of the first to find that some mind-body practices can be nearly as effective as commonly prescribed drugs at reducing blood glucose levels in people with type 2 diabetes.

For the study, researchers analyzed data from controlled trials conducted worldwide between 1993 and 2022. There were 28 trials in which people with type 2 diabetes began a mind-body practice in addition to taking medication. These results were compared with people who only received medication to reduce their blood glucose levels. The range of mind-body practices included meditation, yoga, qigong, and mindfulness-based stress reduction.

Researchers found that, as a whole, the mind-body practices averaged a .84% reduction in hemoglobin A1c, a measure of the average blood glucose level. Yoga was noted as having the largest benefit, matching the most prescribed diabetes drug, metformin, by reducing A1c by 1%

Preventative Measures

This study suggests that mind-body practices could be used as a preventative measure against type 2 diabetes as well as a complementary nonpharmacological treatment. By combining healthy lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise with mind-body practices, those with type 2 diabetes may be able to manage their blood sugar levels better.

Healthy Blood Sugar Support is also an excellent way to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. This unique formula uses a number of ingredients that have been proven in clinical studies. The health benefits of this Healthy Blood Sugar Support include supporting blood-sugar metabolism and promoting healthy cholesterol and glucose levels already within the normal range. Healthy Blood Sugar Support can also help to reduce excessive hunger or increased appetite, fatigue, and blood glucose spikes after meals.

This Daily Routine May Help Keep You Happy and Sharp

Hand of a woman writing appointments in a diary organizer or schedule calendar with a lot of colorful sticky notes for her time management on a wooden desk with coffee, flowers and glasses, selected focus, narrow depth of fieldThe early bird may get the worm – and better memory and happiness.

Researchers found that older U.S. adults who get up before 7 AM and spend more time active every day show better cognition and have fewer depressive symptoms than those who get up later or are less active.

Staying active throughout the day seemed important, although the study does not prove that sleep schedules and activity prevent mental decline or depression.

It does not suggest that older adults must constantly be “on the go” to ward off memory loss or depressive symptoms. “Activity” includes not just physical exercise but mental and social stimulation as well.

Running errands, going for a walk, playing a game with grandkids, and spending time with friends can all contribute to an active, “robust” lifestyle.

A body of research suggests the interconnectedness of sleep, activity, cognition, and depression. However, it is likely the relationship goes both ways. Older people who are depressed or have memory and thinking troubles are more likely to have erratic sleep habits and tend to go out into the world less.

At the same time, setting a regular sleep schedule and keeping the mind and body active are healthy habits. They are pillars of health.

Researchers looked at 1,800 adults with an average age of 73 who wore wrist monitors continuously for a week to track movement. They also completed questionnaires to assess depression and memory, and thinking abilities.

They found that there were four common activity patterns. The largest group – 38 percent – had what researchers called an “early/robust” pattern: they got up before 7 AM and were active for over 15 hours each day.

In the second largest group – 33 percent – people got up a bit later or settled earlier at night, and were active for 13 hours per day.

Those in the second group were faring worse than those in the early/robust group. They showed a 12 risk of mild cognitive impairment, while the early/robust group only had a 7 percent risk.

The final two groups – about 30 percent of participants – had less regular routines. The people in these groups had the highest levels of cognitive impairment, at 18- and 21 percent. They were also more likely to have clinically significant depressive scores.

Setting a sleep schedule and increasing activity can help you be happier and healthy, so try working on these things. Starting with a little activity each day can help you move in the right direction.

Consistency of Sleep Is Good for Your Heart Health: Study

Happy cheerful girl sitting on bed after good sleep. Young woman enjoying morning on bed at home - ImageWe all know that getting a good night’s sleep is important, but many of us don’t realize just how important it is for the heart. According to new research, the consistency of our sleep habits may be more important for our heart health than the amount of sleep we get. So, if you’re not getting the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep each night, try to ensure your sleep schedule is as regular as possible. Your heart will thank you!

According to research, more than 80% of cardiovascular events, including abnormal heart rhythms, coronary artery disease, and heart attacks, are preventable with easy, healthy lifestyle changes. One of the most important lifestyle factors for heart health is sleep. The American Heart Association has recently unveiled its top 8 lifestyle changes that can help to keep the heart healthy. These include nicotine exposure, physical activity, diet, weight, blood glucose, cholesterol, blood pressure, and sleep.

Poor sleep can affect the heart indirectly because when we’re tired, it tends to influence our food and exercise choices. Not sleeping well often leads to increased food cravings and gravitation to less heart-healthy foods high in saturated fat and sugar. People who do not get enough sleep have also been found to be at a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, which can increase the risk of developing heart disease.

The main problem with a lack of sleep is that it can promote inflammation. Inflammatory cells are needed to protect the body from illness, but too many of them can result in chronic inflammation and eventually lead to heart disease. Research shows that even relatively mild sleep problems can cause inflammation in the endothelial cells that line the veins, contributing to cardiovascular disease development.

While most research warns of the risks of too little sleep, too much sleep can also cause health problems, although these reasons are still undetermined. However, some researchers believe that excess sleep itself is not harmful, but people who sleep more than nine hours per night are more at risk for depression or other illnesses that impact the heart.

According to some of the newest studies, heart health is best with consistent sleep. In one study that followed older adults, those with the most irregular sleep schedules were nearly twice as likely to develop heart disease as those with more regular sleep patterns.

It is not yet clear why a regular sleep schedule positively affects the heart, but sleep inconsistency may disturb the body’s circadian rhythms. Cardiovascular functions such as heart rate and blood pressure may vary with the time of day and could become disrupted by inconsistent sleep.

Sleep and Heart Health

Sleep Sure Plus is designed to help promote optimal sleep and restfulness through various ingredients. One of the most important ingredients included in this unique formula is melatonin. Melatonin is a hormone essential for regulating the circadian rhythm (the body’s internal clock). Sleep Sure Plus also contains valerian, one of the best natural ingredients for promoting rest and relaxation. These two essential ingredients are joined by another 6, which all work together to provide a better quality of sleep.

Heart Rescue was designed to help support and promote cardiovascular health using a variety of ingredients, including omega-3 fatty acids, CoQ10. The omega-3 fatty acids play an important role in cardiovascular function, while CoQ10 is involved in energy production at the cellular level. These two heart superstars are supported by 5 other ingredients that can help to promote and support cardiovascular function as you age. This formula’s health benefits can help strengthen the heart muscle, support circulation, and help reduce the risk of heart disease,

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