Uncovering How Women Sleep

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Many women have trouble sleeping. Find out what keeps women awake and what can be done to improve your sleep.

his lack of rest can affect almost every aspect of your life. Poor sleep can make you late for work and feel stressed, and may leave you little energy or time for fun.

The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) found that women are more likely to have sleep problems than men. Women’s sleep problems can also change over time and may get worse at different stages in life.

So many problems
According to the NSF, 7 out of 10 of stay-at-home mothers, working mothers, and single working women are likely to have insomnia a few nights each week.

Despite this, women are not getting to bed earlier. During the hour before going to bed, instead of retiring early, many women:

• Watch TV
• Finish chores
• Do activities with children
• Spend time on the Internet

Sleep problems in women
Women may have one of several sleep problems depending on their stage of life. Some common problems are:

• Insomnia. More women than men have insomnia at least a few nights per week. These sleepless nights may come from menstruation, pregnancy, menopause, or poor sleep habits.
• Sleep apnea. This sleep disorder involves snoring, interrupted breathing, and excessive daytime sleepiness. Although it’s more common in men, 1 in 4 women over age 65 may have it.
• Restless legs syndrome (RLS) and periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD). RLS includes sensations in the legs during rest that may force people to move them around for relief. PLMD includes involuntary leg twitching or jerking during sleep.
• Narcolepsy. It often includes an overwhelming urge to sleep, with sudden loss of muscle tone or strength.
• Pain. More women than men suffer from nighttime pain. This pain or discomfort often interrupts their sleep. Such things as migraines, tension headaches, arthritis, and heartburn commonly keep women from getting a good night’s sleep.

Tips for a good night’s sleep
When time is scarce, about half of women will sacrifice sleep and exercise. But sticking to a healthy routine may help you beat sleep issues.

• Stick to a schedule. Go to bed and wake up the same time each day – even on weekends.
• Don’t exercise too late. Finish any workouts at least 3 hours before bedtime.
• Avoid caffeine and nicotine. Stimulation from caffeine can take 8 hours to wear off.
• Avoid alcohol before bed. Alcohol causes you to sleep lighter and, when its effects have worn off, you wake up.
• Avoid large meals and beverages late at night. Indigestion can interfere with sleep. Too many fluids can increase urination.
• Avoid medicines that delay or disrupt sleep. This includes decongestants.
• Don’t nap during the day. Naps can make it harder to fall asleep at night.
• Relax before bed. Light activity like reading, listening to music, or taking a warm bath can be part of a bedtime ritual.
• Have a good sleeping environment. Avoid things in the bedroom that can distract you from sleep, like noise, bright lights, a TV, or a computer.
• Don’t lie in bed awake. The anxiety of not being able to sleep can make it harder to fall asleep. If you are still lying awake after 20 minutes, get up and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy.
• See a doctor if problems persist. A family doctor or a sleep specialist can diagnose a sleep disorder and help you get a restful sleep.

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10 Ways to Keep Your Heart Healthy

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Following these lifestyle guidelines may improve your heart’s health.

While matters of the heart are on the mind this month, it’s a good time to check in on your own heart’s health.

Here are 10 easy things you can do to improve your heart’s health and help prevent future heart disease.

1. Know your highs and lows: You know a healthy diet is critical to your heart’s health, but do you know your highs and lows? Opt for foods that are low in saturated and trans fats, low in salt and sugar, high in fiber, and high in omega-3 fatty acids.
2. Butt out: Smoking increases your risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. Do your heart a favor and kick the habit. And if you don’t smoke, don’t start!
3. Cork the bottle: Drinking too much can raise your triglyceride levels and blood pressure, and can cause heart failure. For better heart health, if you choose to drink, women should stick to no more than one a day and men no more than two a day.
4. Smile big: According to the American Academy of Periodontology, people with gum disease are almost twice as likely to have heart disease. So brush your teeth! And don’t be surprised if your cardiologist peeks in your mouth. For complete oral health, the American Dental Association recommends that you brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste and floss your teeth once a day. Remember, just as it’s important to see your doctor regularly, it’s also important to see your dentist regularly for cleanings and check-ups.
5. Get moving: Exercising 30 minutes a day may help reduce your risk of heart disease. If that’s not enough incentive to work out, remember this: for every hour you walk, you increase your life expectancy by two hours. Healthy adults are encouraged to do two and a half hours of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise each week, and do muscle-strengthening activities that use all major muscle groups at least twice a week. Check with your doctor before significantly increasing your activity level.
6. Calm down: Stressing out can cause your heart rate and blood pressure to rise. Adopting healthy ways to manage your stress may help your heart not have to work so hard.
7. See your doctor – even if you feel well: Even if you don’t have symptoms, you may have signs of pre-hypertension or even high blood pressure. Your weight might not be normal for your height or your blood work might show high blood sugar or high cholesterol, so it’s important to get all of these numbers checked regularly. Maintaining a healthy weight lowers your risk for heart disease, puts less strain on your heart and circulatory system, and helps regulate blood pressure and blood cholesterol. Getting regular checkups now could mean fewer visits (and fewer health problems) in the future.
8. Hit the hay: Getting sleep is more important than you may think. In 2008, University of Chicago researchers showed that not getting enough sleep may lead to plaque build-up in the arteries. So go ahead, hit the snooze button.
9. Write it down: While there are many things that you can do to lessen your risk of heart disease, you can’t change your genetics. Children of people with coronary heart disease that was not caused by a birth defect or infection are more prone to develop heart disease themselves. As the saying goes, knowledge is power. Keep a current family medical history and update it as needed.
10. Be your own best advocate: If you are already living with a chronic disease such as diabetes, hypertension, or high cholesterol, it is imperative that you manage your condition under your doctor’s supervision. Be sure to ask questions and follow your doctor’s recommendations to lower your risk of heart disease.

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Should You Exercise When You’re Sick?

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Should you exercise when you have a cold, or will that use up energy you need to fight off the bug?

You’ve got a miserable cold, but are anxious to get up and around again. Is it okay to hop on the treadmill, or will that use up energy that you need to fight off the bug?

Use good judgment, doctors say. It’s usually all right to exercise as long as you feel okay, your symptoms are minor, and you don’t overdo it. But going to the gym and pushing yourself too hard is not a good idea. Vigorous exercise can stress the immune system. Also keep in mind that you might spread your illness to others. Wash your hands with soap and water frequently or use hand sanitizer.

Symptoms above the neck: Some experts say that exercise in moderation is fine if your symptoms are mild and above the neck – such as a stuffy nose, sneezing, or scratchy throat. Just be sensible and reduce the length and intensity of your workout. Think “low-impact.” For example, if you usually jog 30 minutes, consider a 15-minute walk instead. But remember, feeling sick may be a sign that your body needs a rest.

Symptoms below the neck: Exercise is not usually advised if you have symptoms below the neck, such as muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, or a cough. And don’t exercise if you have fever or feel extremely tired. In all these cases, working out could put stress on the immune system that could hamper recovery or make you feel worse.

Easy does it
When your illness seems to be letting up, slowly work back into your fitness routine. Give yourself several days of rest after a bad cold and at least a week or so after the flu before you go full-tilt. Depending on how sick you were and what your doctor advises, you may need to wait up to 2 weeks before hitting the gym again.

When resuming workouts, limit the intensity and duration of your sessions for a few days or weeks after your illness. Perhaps plan on exercising half your usual time. Or go half-speed on aerobics and lift less weight until you regain your endurance and strength. When you find that you are no longer exhausted, you’ll know it’s time to ease back into your regular routine.

Don’t worry about losing the fitness gains you made before you were sick. Taking a little time off doesn’t mean you have to go back to square one. On the other hand, working out too soon or too hard before you are fully recovered can put you back in the sick bay.

It’s not just a cold
What about other types of illnesses? Exercise used to be discouraged if a person had certain chronic conditions. But it’s now known that exercise can actually be helpful in treating some conditions, as long as the disease is stable and symptoms are under control. For instance:

• Exercise is often an important part of recovery after a heart attack, when cleared by a doctor first. Cardiac rehabilitation (rehab) is a medically supervised program that includes exercise training, education on heart-healthy living, and counseling to reduce stress. This program helps people with heart problems return to an active life.
• Certain forms of exercise can help to ease pain, and increase flexibility and strength if you have chronic back pain.
• Exercise has been shown to reduce fatigue in some people with cancer – both during and after treatment.
• If you have diabetes, exercise can help your body “use up” sugar that can damage your body. Your doctor can give you guidelines to follow based on your blood glucose readings.
• Muscle-building exercises, such as lifting light weights, may improve strength in people with certain chronic diseases.
• Weight-bearing exercise can often help prevent further bone loss in those with osteoporosis.

If you have a chronic disease or condition, you’re overweight, or you’ve been inactive for awhile, check with your doctor before you increase your physical activity.

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10 Healthy-Living Tips for Women

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Here’s how every woman can increase her chance to enjoy long-lasting health and well-being.

Many factors put women at risk for diseases that seriously threaten their health. You may be able to avoid heart disease, cancer, strokes, and some respiratory diseases if you stick with a healthy lifestyle.

Tips to live by

1. Don’t smoke! Smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in the U.S. If you smoke, your risks of getting heart disease and cancer rise dramatically. If you use birth control, the risks related to smoking are even higher. Watch out for secondhand smoke, too. Constant exposure to tobacco smoke at work or at home raises your risks.
2. Curb the cholesterol. High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, starting at age 55, a woman’s cholesterol is likely to be higher than a man’s. Women with lupus or rheumatoid arthritis are especially at risk for heart disease and should watch their cholesterol and other cardiovascular disease risks. Try to maintain a diet low in saturated fat. Consume less than 300 mg of cholesterol daily. If you already have a high cholesterol level or if you are at high risk for cardiovascular disease, your doctor may put you on an even stricter cholesterol-reduction diet.
3. Watch your weight. Women have a higher risk of developing high blood pressure if they are 20 pounds or more overweight. If you have too much fat, especially around the waist area, you are at a higher risk for a number of additional health problems. These include diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. To keep down weight, cut back on carbohydrates, sweets, and fatty foods.
4. Avoid saturated fats. Diets high in fat have been linked to increased risk of various cancers. Studies show that too much fat raises your risks for breast and colon cancer. Major sources of fat are butter or margarine spreads, salad dressings, fatty meats, and whole-milk dairy products. Avoid trans fats, and cook with olive oil.
5. Eat your veggies. A diet rich in vegetables and fruits can lower your blood cholesterol levels. Some studies also suggest a link between eating certain types of vegetables and reduced cancer risks. Eat a variety of fresh produce. Good choices are leafy greens, yellow squash, carrots, broccoli, tomatoes, garlic, and onions. Have at least five servings of fruits and vegetables each day.
6. Unwind. It’s important for your body to relax. Meditation, deep breathing, and even reading can all provide ways for you to take it easy. Better yet, take a pleasant walk and you’ll shed pounds along with stress.
7. Exercise. Any form of exercise can help you lead a healthier and more productive life. If you’re not up to sweating it out at the gym, try parking on the far end of the lot and walking the extra distance to work or to the store. Take the stairs instead of the elevator or play tag with your kids. Talk to your doctor before you increase your activity level.
8. Get regular Pap tests. Pap smears can detect precancerous changes in the cervix at an early stage. Early treatment can help prevent cervical cancer.
9. Get your blood pressure checked. High blood pressure usually has no physical symptoms, so you could have it and not know it. The higher your blood pressure, the greater your risk for heart disease and stroke. Talk to your doctor about the steps you should take to keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.
10. Talk with your doctor about breast cancer screening. Ask your doctor when you should begin getting regular mammograms. Early detection is your best defense against breast cancer.

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How to Say “Yes” to Saying “No”

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Is it hard for you to turn people down when they ask for a favor? Here’s how to get your life back without burning bridges.

Hannah loved to do things for other people. It made her happy to help a neighbor or make a friend’s birthday special with a touching gift. She always volunteered to prepare food for parties and helped with projects above and beyond what was expected of her at work.

But Hannah spread herself so thin doing things for other people that she started to neglect her own life. She didn’t have as much time to spend with her family on the weekends because she was always busy helping someone else. Finally, her husband told her she needed to stop saying “yes” all the time.

The problem, though, was that Hannah didn’t know how to say “no.”

Asserting yourself
Are you a “pleaser?” It’s hard to turn people down when they need help, especially when your gut reaction is to lend a hand. Or perhaps you are afraid of not being liked or being confronted if you refuse a request.

After a while, though, you might start to feel as though others are taking advantage of you. You may begin to resent people who ask for favors, but don’t return them. Doing too much for others can eat into the time you have to care for yourself. This can lead to stress and anxiety.

If you often feel angry or bitter when people ask you for help, it’s time to start setting limits and speaking up. You may also have to risk having that confrontation you wanted to avoid.

The first step in setting healthy boundaries is to think about how you currently spend your time. You’ve probably already said “yes” to important family or work projects. Do you wish you could try new hobbies or work on your own home projects instead of helping others with theirs?

That’s why you should build some “me time” into your calendar. Decide how much time you can spend on others and still keep these commitments to yourself. You’re important, too, and deserve to do things for yourself without feeling guilty.

How to break the news – gently
When saying “no” to someone, it’s important to be polite but firm. Here are some ways to let someone down without being curt or rude.

• Be sympathetic. “I’m sorry. I just can’t help you right now.”
  Apologizing while saying no can lessen the blow. Then, offer simple answers like “I just don’t have the time,” instead of elaborate excuses. The reasons behind your decision are your business only.
• Offer an alternative. “Maybe you could rent a small van to move the desk. I know it doesn’t cost very much.”
  Suggesting another solution shows that you care about the person and want to help, even if you can’t do it yourself. Or encourage others to step up to the plate to help out instead.
• Defer your answer. “I’m not sure I’m free that day. Can I get back to you?”
  This is a good choice if you think you might actually want to do something, but first want to make sure you’re not overextending yourself. Be vague enough that the person doesn’t assume you’ll just come back with a “yes.”
• Offer to do something else. “I can’t bake cookies for the sale, but I can make a sign to put up.”
  If you want to be involved, but not at the level asked of you, suggest a smaller way you can help.

Some people may try to make you feel guilty for saying “no.” Stand your ground, though, if someone tries to convince you to do something you don’t want to do. Also be wary of people who make small requests that can turn into major projects. By getting their “foot in the door” with the simple favor, they know you’re more likely to help with the bigger task. Try using the strategies above to back out if you find yourself stuck in a situation like this.

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