During the holidays, the whole family’s routine can change. Children and teens are home from school, there are fewer hours of daylight, and families travel to visit loved ones. The changing weather can also make it more difficult to spend time outdoors and exercise. With all these changes, one thing should stay constant: healthy sleep habits. Whether you spend the holidays at your home or away, there are things you can do this season to…
November is Diabetes Awareness Month, and sleep specialists are raising awareness of two risk factors for diabetes: sleep loss and sleep disorders. The National Institutes of Health reports that about 20.8 million people in the U.S. have diabetes. It is one of the leading causes of death and disability in the country. Diabetes also can lead to blindness, heart disease, stroke, and kidney failure. Sleep plays an important role in regulating a number of body…
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in women. Insomnia is a significant problem in breast cancer patients, affecting between 20% to 70% of newly diagnosed or recently treated cancer patients. Pain, fatigue, anxiety, and depression are also common conditions in breast cancer and often co-occur with insomnia in symptom clusters, exacerbating one another, and decreasing quality of life (QOL). There have been no clinical trials of drugs for sleep in cancer. Cognitive behavioral…
Self-care has become a buzzword in recent years. It’s used in everything from marketing campaigns and product placements to health promotions and trending social media themes. And, it can mean everything from trying new hobbies or practicing good skin care to taking vacations or indulging in after-work cocktails. To be clear, self-care is far more than a trending marketing tool. It’s actually an essential lifestyle choice that involves prioritizing things that keep you healthy in…
It’s the perfect time to reset and take care of ourselves and others because we need self-care now more than ever. Research has shown self-care helps manage stress and promotes happiness. Whether you challenge yourself to a new yoga pose or try a different spa treatment, making a small change can impact your health in significant and positive ways! There are numerous ways to make those small changes, too! Increase your water intake. Add more…
Between our jobs, our social lives, exercising and family obligations, it’s all too easy to sacrifice sleep to accommodate our overbooked schedules. The problem with that strategy is that sleep provides the energy you need to power back up for another busy day. You can’t perform at your best unless you give your body time to rejuvenate during sleep, says Rachel Salas, M.D. , an associate professor of neurology at Johns Hopkins Medicine. The Restorative…
