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HEALTHY LIVING

5 tips to fight sleep deprivation

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(Family Features) Despite a desire for perfect sleep, Americans are not even close to getting the recommended eight hours a night, and 1 in 4 Americans believes the sleep they are getting isn’t the quality rest they want and need.

“To put sleep deprivation into perspective, 37% of Americans report they have fallen asleep behind the wheel,” said Dr. Sujay Kansagra, a sleep health expert for Mattress Firm. “About 5% report falling asleep while driving on a monthly basis. Clearly, sleep deprivation is wide-spread and a risk factor for overall well-being.”
With chronic sleep deprivation, the brain’s ability to maintain attention and focus continues to decline over time. In addition to impairing mental function, lack of sleep has been associated with a host of risks to overall health. 

Prevent sleep deprivation and take charge of your mental and physical health with these tips from Kansagra:

Nap responsibly. When you’re feeling tired, it’s no surprise the best solution may be sleep. Some research suggests a quick power nap can actually give you a stronger boost than caffeine. However, too much rest during the day can throw off your nighttime sleep pattern. Aim for no more than 20 minutes so you don’t wake up groggy, and time your nap for the mid-point of your wake cycle (halfway between when you wake up and go to sleep).

Limit screen time. If you turn to your phone to help wind down while you’re in bed, you’re not alone, but you may be doing more harm than good. According to a survey conducted by Mattress Firm on sleep habits, the average person scrolls on his or her phone while lying in bed for more than 12 minutes before shutting down for the night. What’s more, the light from the screen serves as a stimulant, as does the digital content you’re viewing. That means you’re making it physically harder to fall asleep than if you put down your devices at least 30 minutes before bed.

Stick to a sleep schedule. The average person gets less than six hours of sleep per night, according to the survey – a far cry from the eight hours most experts recommend. One way to buck this trend is to make it a point to turn in and wake up at the same time every day so you synchronize your sleep time with your internal clock. While eight hours is the standard, you may need to adjust up or down to find the amount sleep that lets you wake feeling rested.

Develop a pre-bedtime routine. You can train your body to prepare for sleep by creating a pattern or a routine that eases you toward sleep.

“Even something as simple as putting on a sleep mask each night, reading in bed for 20 minutes or practicing the same shower routine at the same time every night signals to your brain it’s time to hit the hay,” Kansagra said. “Creating a bedtime routine that lasts 20-30 minutes and sticking to that routine can make all the difference in your energy, productivity and mood.”

Find the right sleep position. If you’re looking for the secret to a good night’s sleep, comfort may be the key. According to the survey, those who sleep on their backs at night are most likely to report they slept “perfectly well.” The most common sleeping position, on your side, correlates with the worst sleep reports. It may take some trial and error to find the right position that keeps your spine aligned, allows you to breathe freely and evenly distributes your weight.

Top 5 Bedtime Rituals

A consistent bedtime routine, including these common rituals disclosed by respondents in a Mattress Firm survey, can help ease your way toward better rest.

  1. Reading (42%)
  2. Watching TV (42%)
  3. Taking vitamins (36%)
  4. Taking a shower or bath (36%)
  5. Drinking warm milk (36%)

Find more tips for getting better sleep at dailydoze.com.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images

SOURCE:
Mattress Firm

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HEALTHY LIVING

Learn CPR as a life-saving skill

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(Family Features) While many Americans agree Conventional CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) or Hands-Only CPR (HOCPR) significantly improve a person’s chance of survival from cardiac arrest, less than half are confident they can perform either Conventional CPR or HOCPR in an emergency.

Black or Hispanic adults who experience cardiac arrest outside a hospital setting are substantially less likely to receive lifesaving care from a bystander. In spite of these survey results, the American Heart Association is working to change this by empowering members of these communities to learn lifesaving CPR, and a growing segment of respondents are willing to act in an emergency.
The American Heart Association’s 2023 survey also revealed that as a result of the organization’s efforts to change attitudes about performing CPR, which can lead to lifesaving results, more than half of African Americans said they would be willing to perform CPR in an emergency compared to 37% two years ago. Additionally, Hispanic and Latino respondents are more confident in their abilities to perform CPR.

Committed to turning a nation of bystanders into lifesavers, the American Heart Association’s multiyear initiative, Nation of Lifesavers, helps teens and adults learn how to perform CPR and use an automated external defibrillator (AED); share that knowledge with friends and family; and engage employers, policymakers, philanthropists and others to create support for a nation of lifesavers.

“Each of us has the power in our own hands to respond to a sudden cardiac arrest,” said Anezi Uzendu, M.D., American Heart Association expert volunteer. “We simply need to know what to do and have the confidence to act.”

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The long-term goal: to ensure that in the face of a cardiac emergency, anyone, anywhere is prepared and empowered to perform CPR and become a vital link in the chain of survival, aiming to double the survival rate of cardiac arrest victims by 2030. It takes just 90 seconds to learn how to save a life using HOCPR, which can be equally as effective as traditional CPR in the first few minutes of cardiac arrest.

Nationally supported by the Elevance Health Foundation, the American Heart Association’s HOCPR campaign is focused on chest compression-only CPR. If a teen or adult suddenly collapses due to a cardiac event, you can take two steps to save a life: immediately call emergency services and use these tips to begin performing HOCPR.

  1. Position yourself directly over the victim.
  2. Put the heel of one hand in the center of the chest and put your other hand on top of the first.
  3. Push hard and fast in the center of the chest at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute, which is about the same tempo as the song “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees, and at a depth of approximately 2 inches.
  4. Continue compressions and use an AED, if available, until emergency help arrives.

To learn more about how you could be the difference between life and death for someone experiencing a cardiac event, visit Heart.org/nation.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock


SOURCE:
American Heart Association

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HEALTHY LIVING

Combating loneliness in older adults

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(Family Features) The bonds found in friendships and other relationships are an important factor in health and wellness – even science says so.

According to the American Psychological Association, forming and maintaining social connections at any age is one of the most reliable predictors of a healthy, happy and long life. Studies show having strong and supportive friendships can fend off depression and anxiety, lower blood pressure and heart rates in stressful situations and change the way people perceive daunting tasks.

However, statistics show approximately half of U.S. adults lack companionship and feel socially disconnected, according to the U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Healing Effects of Social Connection and Community. In fact, 12% don’t have anyone they consider a close friend, per the Survey Center on American Life. This “epidemic of loneliness,” as coined by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, can take a severe toll on mental and physical health.

As people age, the risks of isolation increase. With America’s older population growing rapidly – the 65 and older population reached more than 55 million in 2020 – discussing how older adults can combat loneliness is relevant to public health and individual well-being.

Consider volunteering, which is one of the best and most rewarding ways to combat loneliness.

Volunteering Combats Loneliness
People often volunteer to find a sense of purpose, learn new skills, improve their communities or establish new routines after retiring or becoming empty nesters. For many, making friends through volunteer work is a welcome bonus. The act of volunteering provides proven benefits for older adults.

Forming connections can make all the difference in a person’s volunteer experience and sense of well-being. People who meet through volunteer work inherently share a common interest and something to bond over. These friendships can carry over outside of volunteer work and lead to bonding over other hobbies and interests.

Connection-Focused Volunteer Opportunities
In addition to making friends with fellow volunteers, many older adults also form relationships with the people they’re serving, especially if those recipients are their peers.

For example, AmeriCorps Seniors is the national service and volunteerism program in the federal agency of AmeriCorps that connects adults aged 55 and up to local service opportunities that match their interests. Its Senior Companion Program pairs volunteers with other older adults or those with disabilities who need companionship or assistance. Volunteers may help with tasks such as paying bills, shopping or getting companions to appointments. In some cases, volunteers may also provide support and respite for family members caring for loved ones with chronic illnesses.

“We often think of volunteering as ‘giving back,’ but we’ve seen firsthand that it often becomes so much more than that,” said Atalaya Sergi, director of AmeriCorps Seniors. “By spending a few hours each week with another older adult in need of support, our volunteers are not only giving back to others, but they’re adding meaning to their own lives and establishing new connections. They’re helping to fight the loneliness epidemic one visit at a time.”

Growing older can come with challenges, but some of those can be minimized with a positive mindset and commitment to remaining connected and engaged – whether with friends, relatives or fellow community members. Fostering relationships is a key ingredient to a healthier and more fulfilling life.

For more information and to find volunteer opportunities near you, visit AmeriCorps.gov/YourMoment.

Meet Friends Who Connected Through Service

Ray Maestas felt unfulfilled post-retirement and began volunteering with the AmeriCorps Seniors Senior Companion Program. He was connected with Bob Finnerty, a man with blindness looking for assistance a few days each week. They quickly struck up a routine of errands, reading and conversation that’s since become a friendship they both cherish.

“The Senior Companion Program has provided an avenue to enrich the lives of not only the participants but the people who are volunteering,” Maestas said. “Bob and I have gotten to the point where he’s a very important part of my life.”

Finnerty echoed those sentiments and shared his own appreciation for Maestas’ friendship.

“I’ve always relished my independence and I feel Ray is not just a person who reads for me – he’s a friend,” Finnerty said.

In the last few years, Maestas moved and now serves with a different chapter of the Senior Companion Program. He and Finnerty keep in touch. Maestas said they talk about every third day.


SOURCE:
AmeriCorps Seniors

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HEALTHY LIVING

Treatment options to help overcome knee pain for sports enthusiasts

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(Family Features) Millions of people experience chronic pain, with knee pain among the most common. Athletes and active adults know the impact activities like running and skiing can have on their knees, but when chronic knee pain makes it difficult to do those activities, or even day-to-day tasks like walking up the stairs, people may often face challenges.

According to the journal “Cartilage,” unlike other tissues, cartilage does not repair itself and, without proper treatment, can worsen over time and become more difficult to treat. However, options like FDA-approved knee cartilage repair surgery MACI (autologous cultured chondrocytes on porcine collagen membrane) uses a patient’s cells to help repair cartilage defects and may help alleviate knee pain.

“Sports-related pain should be evaluated quickly, especially when it’s difficult to put weight on the knee, swelling occurs or there is restricted range of motion,” said Dr. Alexander Meininger, orthopedic surgeon and MACI consultant.

Justin Keys, a former patient of Meininger and avid skier, knows that the long-term outcomes of knee cartilage surgery can be worth the short-term sacrifices. After several injuries, including an ACL injury, Keys struggled with most activities except walking on flat, paved surfaces. After consulting with Meininger, Keys chose knee cartilage repair to help get back to his active lifestyle.

Keys considered whether to manage the injury as-is or choose MACI and undergo rehabilitation to potentially get back to his favorite activities in the future. He knew he could no longer use short-term relief methods and had to address his pain with a treatment to help provide lasting relief.

For athletes like Keys who want to fix knee pain, it’s important to consider these steps:

Discuss Options with Your Doctor
Patients should talk to their doctors and undergo an MRI to help assess the internal structures of the knee.Meininger recommends patients and their doctors discuss options forlong-term knee restoration health, preserving function for future decades and recognizing the short-term sacrifice.

Set Yourself Up for Success
Experts like Meininger suggest patients take steps ahead of surgery to help their recovery.

“The important thing is to be as fit as possible and use the preseason months to undergo surgery and rehab,” Meininger said.

Patients can take steps to prep their home for recovery, which may include:

  • Bringing necessities down from hard-to-reach shelves
  • Moving furniture to ensure clear pathways
  • Installing shower safety handles to minimize potential falls

The Road to Rehab and Recovery
Rehabilitation takes time and everyone’s experience is unique. It can be as much of a mental challenge as it is physical. Committing to a physical therapy regime, staying hydrated and eating well are important aspects to support recovery. Patients should talk to their doctors with questions and before starting any exercises.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Do not use if you are allergic to antibiotics such as gentamicin or materials from cow or pig; have severe osteoarthritis of the knee, other severe inflammatory conditions, infections or inflammation in the bone joint and other surrounding tissue or blood clotting conditions; had knee surgery in the past 6 months, not including surgery for obtaining a cartilage biopsy or a surgical procedure to prepare your knee for a MACI implant; or cannot follow a rehabilitation program post-surgery.

MACI is used for the repair of symptomatic cartilage damage of the adult knee. Conditions that existed before your surgery, including meniscus tears, joint or ligament instability or alignment problems should be evaluated and treated before or at the same time as the MACI implant. MACI is not recommended if you are pregnant. MACI has not been studied in patients younger than 18 or over 55 years of age. Common side effects include joint pain, tendonitis, back pain, joint swelling and joint effusion. More serious side effects include joint pain, cartilage or meniscus injury, treatment failure and osteoarthritis. See Full Prescribing Information for more information.

Find more information by visiting MACI.com.

*Testimonials by MACI patient and paid Vericel consultant

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock


SOURCE:
MACI

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