How Much Sleep Do You Need and How To Improve It

Sleeping is important and it is something we do every day. In fact, we spend a good portion of our lives sleeping. So how much sleep should we be getting? The short answer – it depends. There are general guidelines based on age, but, there are always exceptions to the norm. Sleep needs change as we age, and as many as 1 in 3 adults don’t get at least 7 hours of sleep each night, which is considered the low end of the recommended 7 to 9 hours per night for adults. In fact, poor sleep has been associated with a variety of health problems and concerns including being at higher risk for diabetes, obesity, heart disease, dementia, and some mental health conditions.

Here are the general sleep recommendations, per day, based on age:

• 4-12 months old: 12 to 16 hours, including naps
• Age 1-3 years: 11 to 14 hours, including naps
• Age 3-5: 10 to 13 hours, including naps
• Age 6-12: 9 to 12 hours
• Teenagers: 8 to 10 hours
• Adults: 7 to 9 hours

Despite one’s best efforts, getting the proper amount of sleep each night can be a struggle. Here are some tips on how to improve your sleep:

1. Consistency: Having a consistent bedtime at night, and wake time in the morning, is critical for developing good sleep habits. In addition, make sure your room is dark, cool, and comfortable to further help your sleep quality.
2. Say No to Electronics: Limiting exposure to light, including the light from electronics, can help you sleep better. It’s important to do this as early as possible, as light can impact your sleep-wake cycle.
3. Be Mindful: Trying mindfulness techniques such as meditation, yoga, and breathing exercises have been shown to improve sleep.
4. Eat Well and Exercise: Eating a healthy, balanced diet is important for overall health, including sleep. In addition, having a regular exercise routine can help reduce stress and can support better sleep.

Source:

https://www.cnn.com/2021/07/27/health/how-much-do-i-need-to-sleep-wellness/index.html

Doing Household Chores Can Help Your Brain Stay Younger & Healthier for Longer

Perhaps household chores are not your favorite thing to do. Would the fact that performing household chores could have positive associations with both brain volume and cognition make a difference in how you view doing chores? A recent study has found that indeed doing household chores can have a positive impact on older adults and their brain volumes and cognition.

Although the study is small, it provides exciting promise that physical activity, like household chores, in addition to exercise can lead to positive impacts on the aging brain. Check out the article for details on the study here. Who knows, perhaps this information might leave you feeling extra motivated to tackle some household chores inside or outside your home this weekend.

Source:

“https://www.realsimple.com/health/preventative-health/habits-of-people-who-age-well,” Real Simple.

Project Tips for Getting Rid of Germs in Your Home

It seems like germs are getting a lot more attention these days, particularly in light of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Most of us are spending more time than ever at home, and you may have given some thought to how you can best clean your home to keep germs – and COVID-19 – away! Below are 7 ideas to help you rid your home of germs:

1. Install Touchless Faucets: These are an excellent way to have less cross-contamination before and after washing your hands. You can install them in all of the sinks in your home – bathrooms, kitchen, laundry room, etc!
2. Use Touchless Soap Dispensers: This pairs perfectly with the touchless faucets and enables you to wash your hands without leaving germs behind on the soap dispenser!
3. Install a Smart Toilet or Bidet: This upgrade can have multiple benefits – the touchless features of many smart toilets will help with the spread of germs, and bidets are an alternative to toilet paper – hygienic and you’ll be all set in the event of another toilet paper shortage!
4. Install Smart Lighting: Another great way to limit the spread of germs is to install smart lighting in your home – the ability to turn lights on and off with your smartphone, instead of using switches! In addition to reducing the transmission of germs, it is ultra convenient!
5. Switch to Smart Door Locks: Instead of using traditional door locks, switching to smart devices reduces the amount of surface contact from person to person, and therefore has less surface area to spread germs. There are a variety of options including digital keypads, voice activation and more.
6. Gather Outside -With an Outdoor Space Heater: Being social outside can help reduce the transmission of viruses and can be a great way to still enjoy company compared to gathering indoors. In the colder months, an outdoor space heater can be a great option to keep everyone warm!
7. Check Out Sanitizing Closets: These have exploded in popularity during the pandemic! Sanitizing closets use ultraviolet light to sanitize garments. This technology has been popular among retail stores for use after people return or try on clothing and is now popular for in-home use as well.

Source:

“https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/simple-renovations-to-coronavirus-proof-your-home-and-keep-germs-away/?identityID=5b61da44b0162aca25000040&MID=2020_1016_WeeklyNL&RID=5526101382&cid=eml_promo_Marketing_NonPRSL_WeeklyNL_cons.12032882_2020_1016_WeeklyNL-blog1covidreducingfeatures-blogs_own,” Realtor.com.

COVID-19 Risks Based on Activity as Ranked by Texas Doctors

It can be hard to know what is safe to do during the COVID-19 pandemic and what is not. Are some activities more risky to do than others? Newsweek recently published an article ranked activities by risk factor 1-9 (1=low, 9=high) of catching COVID-19. Check out the activities the article listed below:

• 1:
  • Opening the mail.
• 2:
  • Getting restaurant take-out.
  • Pumping gasoline.
  • Playing tennis.
  • Going camping.
• 3:
  • Grocery shopping.
  • Going for a run, walk or bike ride with others.
  • Playing golf.
• 4:
  • Staying at a hotel for two nights.
  • Sitting in a doctor’s waiting room.
  • Going to a library or museum.
  • Eating in a restaurant (outside).
  • Walking in a busy downtown.
  • Spending an hour at a playground.
• 5:
  • Having dinner at someone else’s house.
  • Attending a backyard barbecue.
  • Going to a beach.
  • Shopping at a mall.
• 6:
  • Sending kids to school, camp or daycare.
  • Working a week in an office building.
  • Swimming in a public pool.
  • Visiting an elderly relative or friend in their home.
• 7:
  • Going to a hair salon or barbershop.
  • Eating in a restaurant (inside).
  • Attending a wedding or funeral.
  • Traveling by plane.
  • Playing basketball.
  • Playing football.
  • Hugging or shaking hands when greeting a friend.
• 8:
  • Eating at a buffet.
  • Working out at a gym.
  • Going to an amusement park.
  • Going to a movie theatre.
• 9:
  • Attending a large music concert.
  • Going to a sports stadium.
  • Attending a religious service with 500+ worshipers.
  • Going to a bar.

 

Source:

“https://www.newsweek.com/texas-doctors-rank-1-9-risks-catching-covid-19-these-activities-1515790,” Newsweek.

Pandemic House Cleaning Tips

Most of us have probably heard throughout this pandemic that extra cleaning is a good idea. But what exactly does that mean? A video provided by Realtor.com has several cleaning ideas and tips for during this pandemic!

1. Disinfect Frequently Touched Surfaces
   1. Hand rails/railings
   2. Doorknobs
   3. Tables and Counters
2. Disinfect Large Household Items
   1. Bathrooms
   2. Kitchen and Appliances
3. Disinfect Smaller Heavy Use Items
   1. Cell phones
   2. Tablets
   3. TV and Other Remotes
   4. Light Switches
   5. Drawer Pulls/Handles
4. Disinfect Outside Items Coming Into Your Home
   1. Items Purchased at the Store
   2. Shoes/Clothing
5. Personal Hygiene
   1. Wash Your Hands Regularly, and Immediately After Returning Home (in warm water for at least 20 seconds).

 

Source:

“https://www.realtor.com/videos/video-top-tips-for-house-cleaning-during-a-pandemic/ef37139d-c89f-4e47-9929-6887915ccf77?identityID=5b61da44b0162aca25000040&MID=2020_0612_WeeklyNL&RID=5526101382&cid=eml_promo_Marketing_NonPRSL_WeeklyNL_cons.11589462_2020_0612_WeeklyNL-blog7pandemichousecleaning-video,” Realtor.com.