With more hours of sunlight and warmer weather you may spend more time outdoors.While that may mean greater fitness from the physical activity, you will be at risk of several outdoor injuries. Be proactive and prevent warm weather ailments with these tips.
Remember it’s Spring forward to Daylight Savings Time
Most of the United States will change to Daylight Savings Time on Sunday March 8, 2020.
So you will either be going to bed an hour later than usual, or awakening an hour earlier.
sleep
Either way, your body will tell the difference until your sleep cycle adjusts; I know mine always does. WebMD offers these tips to make the change easier.
If getting a good night’s sleep is a persistent problem for you, check out the information I shared in this post.
With more hours of sunlight and warmer weather you may spend more time outdoors.While that may mean greater fitness from the physical activity, you will be at risk of several outdoor injuries. Be proactive and prevent warm weather ailments with these tips.
insect bites and stings
Protect yourself against mosquitoes and other insects.
Protect your skin with sunscreen while you’re outside.
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blisters and other wounds
Protecting your feet.
Whether walking, jogging, gardening, or sports, our feet can take a beating from outdoor activity.
You probably don’t worry much about blisters- until you get one. Then the pain can inhibit walking, or even wearing a shoe.
At worst, blisters can become chronic wounds, get infected, and threaten limbs in susceptible persons like those with diabetes or poor blood flow.
Ways to prevent blisters include-
Proper fitting shoes, not too tight or too loose
Breaking shoes in before activity likely to cause a blister, like running, dancing, long walks, sports
Wearing absorbent cushioned socks, perhaps 2 pair together
Seasonal allergies, like other allergies, develop when the body’s immune system becomes sensitized and overreacts to something in the environment that typically causes no problem in most people.
exploring the HEART of health this spring
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Most of us have trouble sleeping occasionally, but if you persistently have difficulty with sleep, you may have a medical condition associated with sleep disturbances such as sleep apnea, restless legs syndrome, depression, or PTSD.
If you live somewhere that observes Daylight Savings Time, you get an “extra” hour of sleep the first Sunday in November when you revert to standard time; unfortunately you lose that hour in the spring when DST starts.
But just like the jet lag from travel, these time changes can interrupt our sleep schedule for a few days. And if you already have trouble sleeping, it’s even more of a problem.
Here’s a review of what sleep professionals recommend to help. But for persistent or severe problems, see your own doctor to get started.
Sometimes getting a good night’s sleep can be a challenge.
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What is Chronic Insomnia ?
Most of us have trouble sleeping occasionally, but if you persistently have difficulty with sleep, you may have a medical condition associated with sleep disturbances. These include
Some people have true chronic insomnia, meaning persistent sleep difficulty alone. There are various criteria to diagnose chronic insomnia but in general include
difficulty falling or staying asleep
at least 3 nights per week for at least 1-3 months
with impairment of daytime function, such as fatigue/sleepiness, poor concentration, irritability, school or work dysfunction
How is chronic insomnia managed ?
First step in treatment of chronic insomnia as well as occasional difficulty sleeping is identifying and treating any underlying medical issues that might contribute to poor sleep. In addition to the ones mentioned above these include
pain, of all kinds
heartburn (gastroesophageal reflux)
congestive heart failure
lung diseases like asthma causes nighttime breathing difficulty
Experts recommend sleep hygiene, basically lifestyle changes, as the initial treatment. Some people have developed bad habits in regards to sleep that need to be unlearned and new behaviors put in place.
For optimal sleep you should
Engage in regular exercise- moderate intensity , tai chi , yoga and low-impact aerobic exercise
Avoid evening large meals
Limit caffeine, tobacco and alcohol
Use the bedroom only to sleep and for sex
Maintain a regular bedtime-awake schedule
Avoid daytime naps
Avoid distracting stimuli at bedtime-watching television, using electronic devices, talking on the phone
Stay in bed only while sleep
How to dim the lights
The light from electronic devices- clocks, thermostats, televisions, monitors-can disturb your sleep even after you turn off your phone and tablets. This light can be blocked by stick on light blocking covers than can block out the majority of it.
Light from my clock made it hard for me to fall asleep before I discovered these products. With them I fall asleep easier, and can fall back asleep if I wake up.
Maintaining a regular schedule helps to set or reset your sleep/wake cycle. So go to bed at the same time every night and wake up at the same time every morning.
However, if you can’t sleep, rather than lie in bed awake, you should get up, do a non-stimulating activity, then return to bed when sleepy.
Using a computer, laptop, or tablet before going to bed can impair sleep.
If you have persistent sleep loss, consider more intensive therapy by a professional.
CBT-I combines cognitive therapy with sleep restriction, relaxation training and stimulus control.
Treatment typically requires 5-8 sessions conducted by a health professional trained in its use. Patients need to participate by keeping a sleep diary and writing down daily thoughts in a journal, while continuing with the sleep hygiene practices mentioned above.
Writing thoughts in a journal is often encouraged in cognitive behavioral therapy. (photo from the Lightstock.com collection)
One study found 70% of those participating improved their sleep, compared with 43% who received education only. If you can’t find a trained therapist or don’t have time for office based therapy, this may be a good option.
SleepPhone by Acoustic Sheep
A physician, Dr. Wei-Shin Lai had trouble falling asleep after being awakened at night by calls from the ER. Her husband suggested listening to relaxing music to help her fall asleep.
She designed a comfortable headphone for her own use, and eventually started a company to make and sell them . You can try her SleepPhone made by her company AcousticSheep.
Manage stress, learn to relax
If you have occasional trouble sleeping due to stress, relaxation techniques can help you. Techniques include meditation, yoga, imagery, abdominal breathing and muscle relaxation techniques . These can reduce tension and anxious thoughts that inhibit sleep onset and maintenance.
You may find these ideas from a previous post helpful .
I appreciate all of you who follow this blog; there are numerous other blogs to choose from so I am honored you chose to spend some time here. A special welcome to all my new followers from this past month.
Thanks for following this blog. If you’re visiting, I would love for you to start following Watercress Words : use the form to get an email notification of new posts. Don’t worry, you won’t get anything else from me. I also want you to find and follow me on Facebook, Pinterest , Instagram, and LinkedIn .
My goal is to bring health and wholeness to everyone who seeks it and hope you will join me. Please visit my resources page.
