The Importance of a Good Night’s Rest Quality Sleep Promotes Healthy Aging
Sleep is an essential part of our lives, but it becomes even more important as we get older, as it’s a necessity for healthy aging and staying energized. Ideally, everyone should sleep between 7.5–9 hours a night, but as we get older, this becomes
Eliminate unhealthy substances. Limit your intake of caffeine and sugar throughout the day — especially right before bed — for better rest. It’s also best not to drink anything about an hour before bed, so you don’t wake up in the middle of the night to use the restroom and disrupt your sleep. Regulate your sleep schedule. Keeping the same schedule for sleeping can reap immediate benefits. You will notice increased alertness during waking hours as well as enhanced memory and attention span. You may also start to feel tired around the same time every day, ensuring that you will actually go to sleep right on schedule. It can take time and patience to adjust to new habits to improve sleep, especially for the elderly. It won’t happen overnight, but the benefits that come with a better night’s sleep will have you feeling younger and healthier than ever before. If anything, you will feel more engaged and happier throughout your daily life.
much harder to achieve. Health complaints, minor disturbances, and a decrease in melatonin levels make it difficult for seniors to get a full night of sleep, which can cause irritability and fatigue.
In order to combat these disturbances, here are a few things you can do to ensure you get enough sleep during the night.
Build an active daily routine. Outdoor exercise and general movement every day is good for your body, but being outside and absorbing sunlight can balance and optimize your melatonin levels, which can help you fall asleep easier. On top of exercise, try weaving protein-rich snacks and meals into your routine. Foods like light meat and nuts can improve sleep quality, and dairy foods contain tryptophan, which is a sleep- promoting chemical.
Y o u r H e a r t S
Every year, our team at the Sheppard Law Firm is humbly reminded that one of our cornerstone attorneys was just 25% of an artery blockage away from not being with us. In September 2019, Craig Hersch underwent emergency triple bypass surgery, repairing arteries that were 75%, 80%, and 90% full. The one that was 75% full could have killed him instantly if it had fully clogged. How This Test Could Save Your Life
Contact your doctor today to learn more about a cardiac calcium scoring test and to assess your risk for heart attacks or cardiovascular diseases. It just may be the single most important action you take today.
We leave you with a few more tips on living a heart healthy lifestyle that you can start applying to your life right now.
Today, Craig is healthy and active again, but his story serves as a poignant reminder as we enter American Heart Month: get tested.
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Eat a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
There is one test that Craig could have taken prior to his bypass surgery that could have lessened the seismic brush with death. While traditional cardiac health tests can be useful to measure heart health, a cardiac calcium scoring test can assess a patient’s risk level for heart attacks. This an extremely valuable test that can help you and your doctor determine your threat level and potential treatment intervention that may be needed. The cardiac calcium scoring test does exactly what it sounds like — it provides a threat level score based upon the amount of buildup in your arteries. To scan for such a score, you may be asked to hold your breath for 20–30 seconds, which is the length of the entire scan. Overall, this test will take just 15 minutes. 2 floridaestateplanning.com
• Consume lean proteins, whole grains, and colorful fruits and vegetables.
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Exercise daily.
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Limit alcohol consumption, and don’t smoke.
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See your doctor for regular heart exams.
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