Get Your Sleep for the Health of It

Adults 18+ should get from 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep per night. Yet, can you remember the last time that happened? Few people get enough sleep. Those of us who “try” find ourselves tossing and turning all night long.

Lack of sleep not only slows our ability to react or think quickly, but also harms our abilities in the workplace. We are less productive, less focused, have more medical problems, increase absenteeism, and are more likely to be involved in a work-related safety incident.

Before we reach for an over-the-counter sleep aide or consult a physician, here are four tips which will help us fall asleep more quickly. Try them tonight for a more productive tomorrow: 

Avoid watching television, eating, or discussing “emotional” issues in the bedroom. The bedroom should be a peaceful haven from other distractions, and should only be used for sleep and making love.

Avoid reading anything before bedtime that elevates your emotions. Reading a thriller, mystery, crime novel, etc. may make it difficult to sleep later. The same is true for television viewing. A simple rule to remember: Keep It Light.

Minimize lighting in the bedroom. As we sleep, melatonin levels—which prepare you for sleep-- rise in the brain, but only if the room is completely dark.

Keep pets on the floor in your bedroom or, better yet, in another room. Many of us, including this writer, are pet lovers. Enjoy their company during the day, but not during the night.

Restful sleep the night helps us deliver maximum performance the next day! Not only does sleep improve your memory and performance in the workplace, but also reduces stress.Visit HERE for effective ways to improve your health, stamina, and well-being.

Losing at the Aging Game

Compared to some people, turning 50 didn't seem like a major milestone. Sure, I felt more tired, but dismissed this as “getting older”. And, my passion wasn't like it was in my 30s, even 40s. But, that's to be “understood” and “accepted”, right?

Five years quickly passed and I'm staring at the bathroom mirror. The guy looking back at me—with deeply set wrinkles and frown lines—was an older, weather-beaten, somewhat hollow shell of the once vibrant, energetic me. I looked like a man giving up on life, sitting in the waiting room of death.

It's as if I had gotten older overnight:

1. My once smooth skin was sagging, etched with wrinkles and age spots. Friends and strangers alike thought I looked ten years older than my birth certificate.
2. My energy level was on life support. At the end of the day, I'd often crawl into bed for a short nap—often waking up at two in the morning.
3. My desire, passion, and intimacy level were D.O.A. Sad thing was, my gorgeous girlfriend, who looked a decade younger than her age, deserved plenty of TLC.

Time waits for nobody. I had become an old man overnight! I needed to get back into the game of life.

Pouring over tons of material on how to slow down the aging process, I discovered many mistakes I made daily:

1. I ate the wrong kinds of food.
2. I didn't drink enough water.
3. I had way too much stress.
4. I rarely exercised.
5. I never exfoliated or moisturized my skin.
6. I didn't get enough sleep.
7. I never took a multiple vitamin. And...
8. I never invested in a special supplement to keep me active, focused, and younger looking.

A younger, more vibrant me is beginning to re-emerge from the shadows of a dull, boring, and sluggish life. In upcoming blogs, you too will discover how to take years off your life. You, too, can become the person you were meant to be—no matter your age.