What keeps you up at night?
It’s true that stress, world events, relationship problems and work can keep you awake at night. But lots of other things can contribute to sleeplessness – many of which you can control, according to BlueCross BlueShield of Illinois. For example, drinking alcohol a few hours before bedtime can lead to poor quality sleep (and force you to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom). Some medications – e.g.., those for blood pressure, depression or asthma – can keep you up if you take the too close to bedtime. Caffeine and late snacks (especially heavy or spicy foods, which can cause heartburn) will do it too. Avoid binge-watching TV, reading or social media when you should be sleeping, and try to go to bed and wake up at the same time each day – even weekends.
Women and heart failure
More women than men die of heart failure. The reason is that only 50% of the heart failure cases among women are caused by having a heart attack, which can be treated with modern methods, according to researchers at the University of Bergen in Norway. For the other half of women experiencing heart failure, the cause is generally related to having untreated high blood pressure levels over time, which leads to progressive stiffening of the heart. The researchers compared common risk factors for heart disease and how they affect men and women differently. First, women gain more weight than men, especially as they age, they said. (Obesity increases the risk of having high blood pressure by a factor of three, which, in turn, increases the risk of heart disease.) Second, during the past decade, more women have started smoking than men. And third, as women age, they lose the benefits of the hormone oestrogen, which prevents the formation of connective tissue in the heart. So, in persons under 60, high blood pressure is more common among men, but for persons over 60, it is the opposite.
After the flood
Each year, more deaths occur due to flooding than any other hazard related to thunderstorms, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The initial damage caused by a flood is not the only risk. After the flood:
- Listen to water advisory from local authorities to find out if your water is safe for drinking and bathing. (During a water advisory, use only bottled, boiled, or treated water for drinking, cooking, etc.);
- Throw away any food and bottled water that comes/may have come into contact with floodwater;
- Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning by keeping generators at least 20 feet from any doors, windows, or vents. If you use a pressure washer, be sure to keep the engine outdoors and 20 feet from windows, doors, or vents as well. Remove and throw out drywall and insulation that was contaminated with floodwater or sewage. Throw out items that cannot be washed and cleaned with a bleach solution – mattresses, pillows, carpeting, carpet padding, and stuffed toys. Clean walls, hard-surfaced floors, and other household surfaces with soap and water and disinfect with a solution of one cup of bleach to five gallons of water.
Strength training
Cardiovascular exercise – jogging, bicycling, etc. – is great. But exercises to maintain flexibility, balance, and strength are also important, according to the National Institutes of Health. Stretching gives you more freedom of movement and makes daily activities more comfortable. Balance practice helps prevent falls, which become a concern as you get older. Strength training, also called resistance training or weight training, is particularly important. It makes your muscles stronger, which can help you keep up the activities you enjoy – at any stage of your life. It’s not about getting big muscles, explains Dr. Wendy Kohrt, an aging expert at the University of Colorado. In fact, most people who do strength training don’t see much of a change in muscle size. But at all stages of life, she says, “maintaining muscle mass and muscle function is really important for quality of life.”
On the road
Contact lens wearers: If you’re traveling, remember that your eyes need a break. Take out your contact lenses before you sleep, shower or swim, advises the CDC. Failure to do so increases the risk of painful eye infections. Use only fresh contact lens solution – never water – to store your lenses after each use, and never mix fresh solution with old or used solution. And before you leave, don’t forget to pack backup supplies, including lens case, contacts, glasses and solution.
Hair loss in women
About 55% of women experience some hair loss by the age of 70, according to Mayo Clinic. The most common cause is female-pattern baldness, an inherited condition. It’s characterized by gradual thinning of your hair, which may be noticeable as a widening part or a ponytail that’s less hefty than it used to be. Treatment with over-the-counter minoxidil foam (5%) may prevent further hair loss and result in improved hair density. Apply the product at bedtime to wet hair and wash it out when you wake. Then style your hair as usual. You’ll need to commit to a six- to 12-month trial period because it takes three months to begin seeing any effect, and a few more months to determine whether it’s really working for you. If it is helping, you’ll need to continue using the medicine to keep your fuller hair. Insurance usually doesn’t cover the cost of the product.
Hands off!
Among COVID-19’s many lessons, one of the most important is this: Wash your hands to avoid infection. Just as important: Stop touching your face, especially the facial mucous membranes, that is, the eyes, nose and mouth, reports The New York Times health writer Tara Parker-Pope. They’re all entry portals for germs. “Scratching the nose, rubbing your eyes, leaning on your chin and your fingers go next to your mouth – there’s multiple ways we do it,” Dr. Nancy C. Elder, a professor of family medicine at Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, was quoted as saying. “Everybody touches their face, and it’s a difficult habit to break.”