by Jo Steinberg, owner and CEO of Midland Health and FluShots for You

Your quality of sleep has a direct impact on your physical and mental well-being, including your temperament and ability to focus. Some people simply lay their head on the pillow, turn out the lights, and off to dreamland they go! But for most people, getting to sleep and then enjoying a good night’s sleep can be a challenge. Sometimes, just the thought of having to go to sleep is a source of stress.
 
Many things affect your quality of sleep, from what you eat, how active you are, screen time before bed, your room temperature, even your pillow! The good news is that there are ways you can control all of these factors to work in your favor, enabling you to fall asleep faster and into a deeper, longer-lasting sleep. While some sleep issues require medical attention, particularly if you suffer from frequent insomnia, the majority of sleep issues can be rectified naturally by following a few simple steps, both during the day and at night before bedtime.
 
How much sleep should you be getting?
Insufficient sleep can lead to cardiovascular disease, obesity and can even speed up the aging process!
 
Experts recommend that in order to achieve optimal physical and mental functionality, the average adult should get between 7-8 hours of sleep each night. School aged children require 9-11 hours and toddlers 9-10 hours with an average naptime of 2 hours during the day. And while some adults enjoy the indulgence of a daytime nap, anything longer than half an hour can prevent a restful sleep at nighttime.

7 tips for a more restful night’s sleep

1. Create a bedtime ritual: Parents use bedtime rituals to get their young children to sleep and the same principle works for adults as well. Having a routine before bed helps to condition your mind and body for sleep. Some things to include may be your grooming routine (brushing your teeth, washing your face, taking a warm bath), reading a chapter from a book, deep-breathing meditation while sitting on your bed, or sharing the positives from your day with your partner before your head hits the pillow. Positive affirmations before bed have been proven to induce deeper sleep.
2. Stick to a schedule: Research shows that sticking to the same bedtime each night reinforces your body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. If you feel that you don’t go to bed early enough, do not drastically change your bedtime but instead go to bed ten minutes earlier each night for a week. By the weekend, you will have set your body clock back by an hour, therefore gradually settling into a new schedule whereby you are getting an extra hour of sleep each night.
3. Be mindful of what you eat and drink: You should never go to bed hungry or over-full. The discomfort of either sensation will keep you awake. As a general rule of thumb, give yourself at least three hours to fully digest your last meal before going to bed. If you must snack in the evenings after dinner, stick to light foods that are easy to digest. Your body will burn the majority of the energy from that last meal in your final waking hours, so that by the time you go to sleep, your metabolism has slowed down and your body is better prepared to sleep.
   
   Also, be mindful of your caffeine and alcohol consumption in the evenings. The stimulating effects of caffeine can take several hours to wear off and while alcohol may make you feel tired, it will actually prevent you from having a restful night’s sleep, not to mention increased trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night!
4. Exercise: Getting exercise every day is an important part of maintaining your overall health, and that includes good sleep. Exercise stimulates your heart, muscles and brain activity. For these reasons, it is not recommended within three hours of bedtime, however, those who achieve recommended levels of exercise each day are more likely to achieve a restful night’s sleep than those who do not get regular exercise.
5. Check your room temperature: As you sleep, your body temperature naturally drops. The National Sleep Foundation recommends setting your room temperature between 55-75 degrees, suggesting anything outside of that range will cause disrupted sleep. Layered sheets on your bed are a good way to maintain comfort throughout the night, with a flat sheet under a comforter or duvet.
6. Unplug before bed: One of the biggest obstacles to a good night’s sleep is a busy mind. By watching television or checking your phone right before you climb into bed, you are worsening this problem. It is far better for your mind to calm down with a book or a light conversation before you go to bed. The light emitted from any electronic devices can impede your sleep as well because it stimulates the brain. If you can’t resist picking up your phone to check your social media in the night, consider keeping your phone outside of the bedroom. Creating a dark environment in which to sleep, including opaque curtains or even a sleep mask, will help you to stay asleep throughout the night.
7. Find your optimal sleep position: You will change positions several times throughout the night and chances are, you will not wake up in the same position in which you fell asleep. But when trying to fall asleep, it is most beneficial to sleep on your back. Research suggests that sleeping on your back helps to prevent body pain better than any other position, as well as reducing acid reflux. If you feel more comfortable falling asleep on your side, make sure you have a pillow that keeps your spine aligned correctly. The packaging on most pillows will state for which sleep position they are best suited.

If none of these methods work for you, you may want to try massage therapy, which has been clinically proven to reduce stress in the body and better prepare you for sleep. Acupuncture is another method through which the body’s energy can be naturally relaxed. Try yoga or meditation in the evening, to help calm your mind before getting into bed - add an aromatherapy element if you are so inclined! There are several types of teas that can help get a good night’s sleep, such as lavender, chamomile or lemongrass teas. If none of these methods are helpful, make an appointment with your physician to discuss other options.

Sleep is vital to your health. Make sure you are getting enough.

by Jo Steinberg, owner and CEO of Midland Health.

The holiday season is a time for celebration and great joy, but they can also trigger great stress for many people. With these simple reminders, we can navigate through the stress of the holidays and find more time for ourselves and for the true joys of the season.

Sleep, Eat, Exercise, Be Merry!
This time of year is prime time for getting sick. Socializing with lots of people and fighting through crowds in the stores are prime sources for cold and flu germs. And navigating through hectic schedules and climbing into bed with a busy mind prevent us from getting as much sleep as we normally would.

Then there are all those office chocolates, family meals and parties … it can seem impossible to keep healthy over the holidays! Be proactive, not reactive.

Get enough sleep.
In order to recover from the stress of the day, both physical and mental, our bodies must rest. Even if you don’t feel tired at bedtime, climb into bed anyway, perhaps with a good book or a guided meditation, and try to rest your body. You will eventually drift to sleep. Sleep is the best way to fight off the effects of stress. 

Incorporate vitamin C rich foods into your diet.
Incorporate carrots, spinach and tomatoes in soups or salads, to give your immune system a boost. Also, garlic, ginger and onion are more important than ever during the winter months for keeping healthy. Green tea is another great way to boost immunity and aids in digestion.

Eat before you go out.
Whether "out" is to the grocery store or to that holiday party, eat before you leave. And, don’t skip breakfast, even on days when you know you have a big family meal to get through. These will help to prevent over-eating. Also, drink more water – not only will it aid in digestion but it will give you a feeling of being more satiated. Another tip for keeping our diets on track is to keep celebrations to one or two days, not thirty one! You can read more about guiltless holiday eating here.

Make the time for exercise.
Telling ourselves “I don’t have time!” really is lying to ourselves. We have time for whatever we prioritize as important, and exercise should always be a priority. If you don’t think you can set aside time every day for scheduled exercise, try to move more whenever possible.

• Park as far away from the entrance to the mall as you can.
• Walk the dog for ten minutes longer than usual; take the stairs at work.
• Grab some free weights while you watch TV in the evening or do a floor-routine during commercials.

You can always find time for exercise!  Sometimes, finding an exercise buddy not only increases our enjoyment in working out but also keeps us accountable too – ask a friend or family member to join you for an evening walk or a morning run. Getting outside to move will keep you refreshed as well as more fit!

Be careful not to injure yourself during repeated activity.
Wrapping presents while sitting on the floor for long periods, or preparing food for hours at a time place strain your back and knees. Be mindful of your posture at all times, take the time to stretch at the beginning and end of each day, and bring a stool into the kitchen when you have to be on your feet for long periods of time – your body will thank you for it!

Remember to take care of yourself first and the rest will follow.  
Healthy Holidays!

Want more? Read Part I: Budgeting Time and Money

Coming soon: "How to Survive the Stress of the Holidays Part III: Holiday Anxieties"

by Jo Steinberg, owner and CEO of Midland Health.

The holiday season is a time for celebration, a time for gathering of family, for gift-giving, for indulging … but while those things can bring great joy, they can also trigger great stress for many people. At this time of year, we worry about so many things, from over-spending and over-eating, to how to budget our time and our money, so how can we possibly keep our health in mind while fitting in everything else?

De-stressing at this time of year is a challenge, but it can be done. With these simple reminders, we can navigate through the stress of the holidays and find more time for ourselves and for the true joys of the season.

Budgeting Time
The most common cause of stress over the holidays, for most people, is finding time to do it all. We have trees and homes to decorate, gifts to buy and wrap, people to see, meals to prepare and to eat … where are we supposed to find time to take care of ourselves amidst our busy schedules?

• Keep your To-Do List manageable and realistic. Prioritize your list, create a timed schedule and remember to schedule in time for yourself as well! If you are included in your plans, you are less likely to be forgotten!
• Ask for help. Divide your to-do’s among your family so that you are all contributing towards getting things done, whether that be decorating, cooking, shopping, etc.

Budgeting Money
There is no easier time of year to go into debt than over the holidays. It’s just so easy to have that “I’ll pay for it later” mentality, when in fact, we pay so much more for it later!

• Use debit over credit, whenever possible, to make purchases. That way, when the New Year arrives, you know exactly where you stand financially.
• Stick to your budget. Decide ahead of time what you can really afford, write it down and make every effort to follow your holiday budget.
• An easy way to save money when it comes to gift-giving is the DIY approach. Handmade gifts, even handmade wrapping paper and handmade cards all save money. They also mean more to the people we love, because you have given your time above all else – our most precious commodity.

Coming soon: "How to Survive the Stress of the Holidays Part II: Holiday Health-Sleeping, Eating and Exercising."

by Jo Steinberg, owner and CEO of Midland Health

Not everyone looks forward to seeing family over the holidays.

For many of us, seeing relatives we haven’t seen for a long time, sometimes by choice, causes great anxiety and takes away from the enjoyment of the season. The holidays can also be incredibly difficult for people who are grieving the loss of a loved one. With a little time and preparation, managing the stress can keep anxiety at bay.

4 Things You Can Do to Manage Anxiety During the Holidays

Prepare yourself mentally. Think about difficult conversations ahead of time and be prepared by having thought-out answers to the difficult questions you anticipate. If you prefer, have a blanket statement prepared -- such as “this is not the time” or “I’m not ready to talk about that” -- that you can use whenever needed.

Pause. Take a deep breath, or an internal pause, before responding to anything that makes you uncomfortable. This will help to prevent you from being reactive. Before you arrive at family gatherings, think of subjects for making small talk when conversations take an uncomfortable turn or the silence becomes awkward.

Give yourself the gift of memory. The holidays are particularly difficult for those who are longing to be with a loved one who has died. We can still really miss a loved one, despite still being surrounded by so many others.  Allow yourself to miss them. You may want to remember them together as a family, sharing stories of happy times together, or give them a presence in your celebrations by lighting a candle.

Be careful not to dismiss grief from children as they are sometimes forgotten while adults get caught up in stories from before the children were born.

Practice self-care. Why not buy yourself a gift this holiday season and get a massage or a pedicure, or sign up for yoga classes? Any break you can give yourself will help you feel recharged and pampering is great therapy! Go out for coffee with a friend and purge some of your stress by talking about it. You will likely find they need to do the same and you can enjoy a good laugh together afterwards!

Healthy Holidays!

​Want more? Read the entire 3-part series of How to Survive the Stress of the Holidays.
Read Part I: Budgeting Time and Money.
Read Part II: Holiday Health: Sleeping, Eating, and Exercising.

Got tips that work for you? Share them here!

We all can get caught up in the fast-pace of our workday. We arrive at work refreshed but that feeling quickly dissipates once the stress that comes with work sets in, resulting in the manifestation of physical stress, such as headaches, tension and an overall feeling of being run down. It is important to prevent that feeling of burn-out before it takes over your day. 

Nothing beats taking a physical break from your desk and going out for a brief walk in the fresh air, but we don’t always have the time to get away. By taking just a few moments to mentally relax and re-charge ourselves at our workstations, we can give ourselves a strong advantage, whether that is before heading into a meeting or in order to take on the rest of the work day.

Any of the following six tips will help you recharge during your hectic workday and help prevent you from succumbing to physical signs of stress:

1 - Stretch
Sitting in a chair all day wreaks havoc on your spine. Depending on your physical limitations and flexibility, and perhaps your level of privacy at your workstation, there are a few options for stretching at your desk:

• Rotate your wrists, clockwise and then counter-clockwise, several times, to release the tension in your wrists.
• Drop your head so that your chin touches your chest, and then roll your head from side to side, releasing tension in your neck.
• Reach up with both arms and really feel the stress you have taken in through your shoulders leave through the ends of your fingertips. Hold this position for several seconds before putting your arms back down, and repeat as many times as you feel necessary to feel a change in your physical tension and posture.
• If you have no limitations, stand up and bend over to touch your toes, releasing the tension from your lower back. Again, take into account your own flexibility before selecting which moves to use. 

2 - Listen to Music
For the sake of your co-workers, preferably with headphones! Science has proven that listening to music can trigger chemicals in your brain that help you to relax. Some people like to work while listening to music, and that is an individual choice that has to be agreed upon by your manager, but taking a break to listen to your favorite song or piece of music in the middle of the day will improve your mood and help to make you more productive for the remainder of the day.

3 - Read the Newspaper
This is not so much about getting caught up on current events as it is about distracting yourself from workplace stress and taking your eyes off a computer screen. Most office spaces keep a newspaper nearby. Take a break from your work and read the newspaper or a magazine, or find a crossword puzzle to complete. Anything that will completely distract your mind from your work at hand, giving it a chance to refocus and subsequently reset itself. You will find that you are better able to concentrate for the remainder of the day. 

4 - Tidy up Your Workspace
Take a ten-minute break and tidy up your desk. File papers where they need to go, organize the piles you must have on your desk into urgent and not-so-urgent, clean out and organize your e-mails and clear your voicemail. Creating an organized workspace provides you with a sense of accomplishment and a sense of control that positively influences your productivity. You will thank yourself the next day, when things are easier to find than they were yesterday! 

5 - Release the Stress
Sometimes, setting our minds free of whatever is bothering us is as easy as writing it down or saying it out loud. You can do through journaling, by writing it down and releasing it from your mind, or by talking to someone. Depending on your personal preference, you may want to keep your thoughts private, in which case you are better to write them in a journal, to release them from your mind now and for self-reflection at a later date.

If you are okay with sharing your thoughts and if you have someone you can trust to listen, call a friend or family member and get things off your chest. Even if you don’t want to share your problems, sometimes hearing a  friendly, trusted voice can really help to lift your spirits and help you get on with the rest of your day. 

6 - Breathe Deeply
This is the most simple of all six techniques. Deep breathing is one of the best ways to lower physical and mental stress because you are forcing yourself to slow down and concentrate. Deep breathing also forces the lungs to expand which provides your organs with a gentle massage.

​While focusing on slowing and deepening your breathing, distract your mind and think about something you are thankful for today, or imagine your ideal vacation spot and transport yourself there, mentally, for a few moments. Doing this while breathing deeply will provide you with clarity and will help you to think more rationally for the remainder of your workday. 

Self-care is so important. Throughout the workday, we spend all our time taking care of business. Be sure to take at least a few moments to take care of yourself as well.