Between work, activities, and family, life can feel pretty overwhelming. You may feel like there aren’t enough hours in the day, so there simply isn’t time to get a good night’s sleep. But sleep is one of the most fundamental functions we do each day. Without good sleep you will not only feel terrible, but you will begin to damage your body.
Without proper sleep you will likely notice a difference in your energy, mood, and ability to function. And if you consistently wake up from a full night's sleep feeling less than refreshed, you may be dealing with undiagnosed sleep issues.
There is an easy way to check for such a sleep issue that you can do in the privacy of your own home. This simple test costs next to nothing and only takes a few extra seconds at night.
Let’s look at what the experts say about this test and how to use the results to train your body to sleep well again!
What We Are Looking For
According to Dr. Mark Burhenne sleep apnea is the “lack of the ability to breathe properly at night to the point where your sleep is interrupted.”
While most people are aware of severe sleep apnea, Burhenne explains that mild forms are often left undiagnosed especially in otherwise healthy individuals.
Sometimes a dentist will see early warning signs of sleep apnea through features in the mouth. These early signs include gum recession, tooth sensitivity, TMJ, dry mouth, morning headaches, chipped teeth, and nighttime clenching or grinding.
All of these signs can be attributed to the inability to consistently breathe through your nose rather than your mouth.
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What are the top five things that you believe will keep you healthy? Take a minute to list these things in your mind before you read any further. No, seriously, just take a moment to think through your list.
There are many things people know they must do if they want to be healthy: eat well, get adequate movement, refrain from smoking, and limit alcohol. But now we can add “enjoying social connections” to our list of healthy habits!
Let’s explore what research has to say about the importance of your connections!
Social Connections Impact on Physical Health
Research is showing that social connections have a major impact on both our mental and physical health. It is not hard to believe that those who feel more connected with others tend to struggle less with anxiety and depression. They also have higher self esteem, greater levels of empathy, trust others more, and tend to be more cooperative.
While the impact of social connections on emotional wellbeing may be expected, the extensive impact on physical health may come as a surprise to many. According to Dr. Emma Seppala, the American Association for the Advancement of Science published a study that found that “a lack of social connection is a greater detriment to health than obesity, smoking and high blood pressure.”
It may be shocking, but strong social connections actually improve your immune system and lead to a 50% increased chance of longevity. More research is needed to discover why social connections have such a dramatic impact on health, but the research is clear that social connections are extremely important if you want to live a long and healthy life.
Insights From the Research
Let's look at the research a little more closely to see what this may mean for you.
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Halloween is the one day of the year most known for excessive candy intake!
I'm not here to tell you to skip the candy all together, but I would like to challenge you to be intentional about what you eat. There are a few 'tricks' that allow you to enjoy some 'treats' without derailing your health goals.
Check them out so you can stay on track during this fun and scary night!
Tricks for the Treats
- Read the Ingredients! Whenever I am temped to eat processed food, I look at the ingredient list. Reading the ingredients (high fructose corn syrup, food coloring, and hydrogenated oils) reminds me that is is NOT REAL FOOD after all, and that I really don't want to eat it. A colleague once told me that when they read these ingredients they end up viewing most processed food more like an object rather than a food
- Pass out something besides candy at your house. I remember one of my favorite houses to trick or treat at growing up had a jar of foreign coins. The top of the jar was small, but you were allowed to take anything you could grab between your fingers. Small hands could grab more than big hands. It was fun to see the foreign currency and figure out what country it was from.
- Get candy that doesn't tempt you. I struggle to avoid Reese's peanut butter cups. I know that if I pass these out at my house, I will inevitably eat more of them than I should. Buy some candy that isn't particular tempting to you, so it will be easier to resist.
- Set a limit for yourself and stick to it. Early in the day, think about how many pieces of candy you are going to let yourself to eat. You get to decide how many fit with your goals. Set the amount of candy you want to eat aside, and only eat out of your stash. This will prevent you from unconsciously grabbing candy from the bowl without realizing it.
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Hey! Are you a woman with PCOS who would like to get to the root of your issues and address them naturally? If so, I'm excited to share with you BALANCED!
In "Balanced," I walk you through my proven framework that takes the guesswork out of getting to the root of your symptoms and addressing them naturally.
I want to make sure you know that BALANCED is ready for you now, so be sure to reserve a spot! I would hate for you to miss out on this great opportunity to take control of your health and get your PCOS symptoms under control once and for all.
How do I know if BALANCED is for me?
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You have PCOS and have tried the traditional advice on addressing your symptoms without the results you desire.
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You have an open mind to learn new ways of looking at treatment.
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You are not looking for a quick fix or magic pill.
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You want to achieve your goals so you can enjoy life without the struggles of those stubborn symptoms.
Recently I hosted a Free Class that covered...
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The 3 BIG Mistakes that women with PCOS make when trying to address PCOS symptoms.
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Three simple steps of the "Balanced" method.
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How women with PCOS address their symptoms without expensive pharmaceuticals.
I've decided to leave the replay up for you to check out!
If you missed it, here’s my advice...
Take 60 minutes today to catch the replay and completely change your life! Learn how to live better with The Balanced Method - THE SAME method used by women with PCOS who want to finally address their symptoms for good!
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Everyone knows that exercise is important! But what if I told you there are certain strategic exercises that will get you better results than working yourself like crazy at the gym? And what if I told you that overall movement, even when not “working out,” is important too?
I know, it’s shocking! Our culture is so focused on working hard to the point we feel like we have to beat ourselves up in the gym. However, with a little guidance we can work smarter rather than harder.
Let’s look at the “why” behind movement and explore the best exercises for lasting results!
The Danger of a Sedentary Life
According to Dr. James Levine, the director of the Mayo Clinic-Arizona State University Obesity Solutions Initiative, “Sitting is more dangerous than smoking, kills more people than HIV and is more treacherous than parachuting. We are sitting ourselves to death.”
What is even more surprising is that the negative effects of sitting are apparent even in those who exercise daily. This is not to say that we shouldn’t exercise. But we need to change our view of movement, focusing on natural movement and exercises that will get us the best results!
Ways To Incorporate Natural Movement in Your Life
When you think about the history of mankind, setting time aside to exercise is a fairly new concept. Movement was simply a part of life for most of our ancestors, as their survival depended on it. They didn’t need to go to a gym, because they moved to secure food, shelter, and safety!
Let’s change our mindset around movement to include natural movement into our lives! How can you do this? Choose one of these ideas to start moving today and then add more as you are able.
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Working with your body instead of against it is important for your emotional and physical health!
When you understand the way your body works, you are more able to give it what it needs. Supporting your body and the systems in your body will allow them to function more efficiently.
Let’s take a look at the way our nervous system is wired to handle stress, so that we know how to support it and stay regulated in these trying times!
A Regulated Nervous System
The nervous system is a remarkable communication network that relays messages between the brain and the rest of your body. Your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems are designed to work together to keep you safe.
Simply speaking, the body goes into a sympathetic state when there is danger. Stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline are released, and your body goes into fight or flight mode. This is a protective measure designed to give you the best chance of survival in dangerous situations.
A well regulated nervous system will settle once the danger is over. The parasympathetic nervous system will be activated. Heart rate, blood pressure, and blood sugar begin to normalize. This is often referred to as the “rest-and-digest” state of being and is where healing takes place.
Chronic Stress
In today’s world the dangers we face are not always clear. Our nervous system often registers chronic stress as a danger. This can include things such as stress at work, relationship trouble, financial concerns, loneliness, and our world's current crisis.
Chronic stress can leave us with a dysregulated nervous system, leaving us stuck in a fight or flight response. While these stress responses are beneficial temporarily during a time of crisis, we were not meant to stay in them long.
Managing Stress
Reducing the amount of stress and increasing your capacity to handle unavoidable stress, can help regulate your nervous system so you can stay balanced. Here are some helpful ways to handle stress.
- Self-Care - Establishing good self-care routines is extremely important. Each person will be different based on personality, circumstance, and values. The important thing is to choose things that are life-giving and enjoyable for you each day.
- Grounding techniques - To ground yourself, simply bring awareness back to the present moment by using your senses. It is extremely helpful in dealing with stress since most of our worry is about things in the past or things yet to come.
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