QUIET YOUR MIND, IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH Why Meditation Is a Must for Older Adults
Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years and offers many benefits. The best part is that it's accessible to anyone; you don’t need special equipment or a membership to practice, just your mind and body! While meditation is great for everyone, meditation can be particularly powerful for older adults due to its emotional and cognitive perks. Here are some key benefits you can expect. Less Anxiety For some, anxiety can be a response to a specific life event, such as a health scare or losing a loved one. For others, anxiety can appear later in life for no apparent reason. Regardless of why it starts, anxiety is both uncomfortable and harmful to your health. Anxiety often involves worrying about the future, and meditation helps alleviate it by pushing you to focus only on how your body feels at that precise moment. Focusing only on the now is an excellent way to help combat those intrusive "what if" and "when" thoughts. Reduced Chronic Pain It's not uncommon for people to experience pain as they age. And while meditation can't treat the cause of the pain, it can help reduce
the amount of pain you feel. According to a study from The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, 89% of participants reported that meditation helped them cope with their chronic pain, drastically reducing their overall pain levels.
Better Memory It's normal for older adults to experience some lapse in memory as they age, but it doesn't make the experience any less stressful or frightening. Meditation helps to boost memory as it increases blood flow to areas of the brain in charge of attention and executive function. By giving these areas of the brain more "power" through increased blood supply, they can work more efficiently to help you retain and recall information. If you don't know how to start, close your eyes and focus on counting your inhalations 10 times before restarting.You can set a timer or continue as long as you feel comfortable.You can also find several guided meditation apps if you need a bit more help. It only takes a few minutes to complete a meditation exercise and begin reaping its incredible health benefits!
Let’s Get to the Root of Teeth Grinding A Word From Cheyenne & Ashlee
Life can be stressful at times as we do our very best to juggle careers, families, and social lives, and sometimes, our bodies can respond in a variety of different ways. When we are stressed out or drowning in anxiety, our shoulders tense up, we may get clammy or sweaty palms, our hearts may race, we can get tension headaches, or sometimes, we may even clench our jaws and grind our teeth. Grinding of the teeth (a chewing motion in which teeth rub against each other over and over), also known as bruxism, is common but can be detrimental to your smile. Studies have shown that about 30% of people grind their teeth in some way. However, sometimes individuals don’t even realize they are doing it!
It’s important to note that stress isn’t the only culprit of bruxism. Some people grind their teeth as a result of sleep disorders, missing teeth, or teeth that do not line up properly. Sleep apnea, acid reflux, hyperactivity,
and neurological conditions are also linked to bruxism. A study even confirmed that those who smoke or drink coffee and/or alcohol are twice as likely to grind their teeth. If you grind your teeth, not to worry! We can help you to safeguard your smile by getting to the root of your teeth grinding and finding a solution that works for you. Give us a call today — we are ready to help!
Some signs of teeth grinding include:
• Pain in your jaw or mouth • Frequent or “dull” headaches • Painful, plugged, or itchy ears • Neck pain and tension
• Chipped teeth • Cracked teeth
• Worn/ damaged teeth • Uneven or misaligned teeth
–Cheyenne & Ashlee Registered Dental Hygienists
2 | Elkins Dental
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