The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adults get between 7-9 hours of sleep each night. If you don’t get seven hours, take a minute to add up the sleep deficit you will acquire over the course of a year.
For example, if you sleep 6 hours a night you are under the ideal by 1-3 hours each night. Over the course of a year that adds up to 365-1095 hours, meaning you are literally 2-5 weeks behind on sleep each year.
Lack of sleep lowers your immune system, mental clarity, musculoskeletal growth, energy, stress tolerance, and insulin levels. It increases your risk of obesity, diabetes, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and psychiatric disorders.
So, let’s talk about good quality sleep and how to get it.
Sleep Hygiene
Organizing your day and environment in a way that sets you up for a great night’s sleep is referred to as sleep hygiene. But remember, no amount of sleep hygiene will help if you don’t allow enough time for sleep!
- Get bright natural light in the morning (use a light machine when natural light isn't available)
- Make your room completely dark when you go to bed (room darkening shades, an eye mask, covering the alarm, etc.)
- Limit blue light in the evening (computers, smartphones, television, etc.)
- Move your body throughout the day (take the stairs, go for a walk, work out, stand while talking on the phone, etc.)
- Listen to your stomach (you may benefit from a light dinner, bedtime snack, or meal with more carbs and fat)
- Limit coffee and soda (especially later in the day)
- Practice stress management techniques (deep breathing, meditation, yoga, getting together with friends, etc.)
- Use your room only for sleep and sex
- Control the temperature of the room (often a cool temperature is best)
- Monitor the noise level (do you prefer soft noise or silence)
- Keep a “lizard brain treat” by your bed if you wake up often (Dr. Kristen Allott recommends keeping a snack of sugar and protein on your nightstand. Sugar gets to your brain almost immediately, reducing the adrenaline. Protein extends the amount of time before you need to refuel.)
Sleep Duration
Pay attention to when you tend to go to sleep and the time that you wake up without an alarm. Each morning at the same time after waking up, take the reaction time test here.
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During times of stress, our bodies are designed to go into a state of fight, flight, or freeze. While these stress responses are beneficial during a time of crisis, we were not meant to be in them long-term.
Staying in a stress response for a long period of time is detrimental to our health in many ways. Inflammation, poor digestion, high blood pressure, and increased glucose levels may result. Your immune system's response will be negatively impacted.
By reducing the amount of stress and increasing your capacity to handle unavoidable stress, you can help regulate your nervous system so you can stay balanced.
Let’s look at some stress management techniques that you can use today.
Grounding
Grounding is simply bringing your awareness back to the present moment by drawing your attention to your body and surroundings. It is helpful for handling stress since most of our concerns are about things in the past or future.
Simply closing your eyes and paying attention to your breath brings you back to the moment. Thoughtfully looking at things in your surroundings or noticing sensory input can be an effective tool as well. The key is the intention and awareness behind the action.
For directed grounding exercises check out the following…
Social Connection
Positive social cues are good for your physical health. Warm connections lead to the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system reducing stress. This is often referred to as co-regulation of the nervous system where healing takes place.
So, connect with others by…
- getting together with a friend.
- calling your loved ones.
- using video calls to be face-to-face with those who live at a distance.
- texting someone you’ve been thinking about.
- smiling at those you walk by through the day.
- getting to know your co-workers.
- joining a club or organization (book club, sports team, religious organization, etc.)
Enjoyable Activities
Choosing life-giving activities that you can engage in every day will offset some of the stress in your life.
You might want to…
- snuggle up with a book.
- go for a walk.
- take deep breaths of fresh air.
- listen to bird noises or other natural sounds.
- lay on the floor stretching.
- play with a pet.
- savor a small piece of dark chocolate.
- sit in silence.
- listen to music.
- spend time with those you enjoy.
- get a drink of water or make a cup of tea.
For more information check out Self-Care for Everyone.
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One of the best places for you to enjoy nature this fall is at a local forest preserve. We are lucky to have so many in the area. In fact, you could visit a new one each weekend for an entire year without seeing them all.
You may not have time to spend an entire day at one, but perhaps you could spend a couple of hours experiencing what one has to offer. Even a short stop on the way home from work can be refreshing.
Forest preserves are lovely places to connect with yourself, others, and nature. They are great for hiking, biking, horseback riding, reading, journaling, boating, walking your dog, or attending an event.
Let’s look at the unique opportunities they provide.
Exploring On Your Own
There are many things you can do at the local Forest Preserves with a friend or on your own. You don’t have to plan ahead, and most of the activities can be enjoyed fairly inexpensively.
- Blackwell Forest Preserve - take a walk, journal by the lake, race up Mt. Trashmore, or create your own adventure (boating, fishing, archery, camping. etc.).
- Herrick Lake - walk the path, sit on the dock, rent a boat, skip rocks, or have a picnic.
- Kline Creek Farm - look at the animals, visit the store, or swing on the double glider behind the house.
- Mallard Lake - explore the trails, go fishing, enjoy a picnic, or take your boat out.
- Waterfall Glen - hike the trails, go biking, walk your dog, or visit the waterfall.
- Pratt’s Wayne Woods - hike or bike 12 miles of trails, fish in five different lakes, picnic with friends, fly your model airplane or drone, or bring a non-profit youth group camping.
- Saint James Farm - enjoy art and architecture, take a stroll, enjoy a picnic, or ride your horse.
- Springbrook Prairie - fly your model airplane or drone, picnic with friends, bring your dog to the off-leash area, or enjoy the trails.
- West Branch - bring your boat, go on a hike, or fish in the Deep Quarry Lake.
- Willowbrook Wildlife Center - visit the animals at this wildlife rehabilitation center, explore the trails, or play in the discovery area for children.
*Be sure to check the forest preserves website to check for any permit requirements, etc.
Guided Experiences Available
If you want a unique perspective on the preserves with a group, consider signing up for one of the following programs.
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Setting your kid’s school day off with a solid breakfast will help them stay focused and prevent them from becoming hungry mid-morning. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, in fact, simple can actually be better.
The goal is to keep their blood sugar from spiking, by giving them enough protein and fat to balance any carbohydrates. Aim for a high protein, moderate fat, and lower carbohydrate meal.
Let’s look at ideas for quick nutritious breakfasts that you and your kids will love.
Follow a Recipe
Many people like to follow a recipe when they cook. They may be more confident with something tried and true. Here are some great recipes to choose from.
Create Your Own
You may be a confident cook that likes to create new recipes on your own. The lists below provide endless options to play around with. Just choose one or more items from each list to make a casserole, scramble, or skillet.
Protein
- Bacon
- Beef
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ham
- Lamb
- Protein Powder (Collagen Peptide)
- Seeds - pumpkin, chia, hemp hearts, etc.
- Salmon, Tuna, Mackerel
- Sausage, Chicken Sausage
- Tofu
- Turkey, Turkey bacon
Fat
- Avocado oil
- Butter (if you tolerate dairy)
- Coconut oil
- Ghee (if you tolerate dairy)
- Olive oil (low-heat recipes only)
Non-Starchy Veggies
- Artichoke
- Asparagus
- Beans - green, Italian, yellow, wax
- Beets
- Bok choy
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Cabbage
- Fennel
- Greens (collard greens, dandelion, kale, mustard, turnip)
- Leeks
- Squash (summer, zucchini)
- Tomatoes
*Be creative, breakfast doesn’t have to look like breakfast; leftovers work just fine!
Be sure to take as good care of yourself as you do your kids. You deserve a healthy breakfast too!
Dr. Jamie
P.S.
Could you share some of your favorite healthy breakfast ideas and recipes with me? My family is looking for some new things to try.
One of the most stressful things of a new school year can be getting meals together, especially packing lunches. If you find yourself wanting to give your kids something substantial but are struggling, this article is for you.
While the idea of providing your child a Pinterest-worthy lunch is fun, most of us just need to come up with something to get out the door. The good news is that you don’t have to make it pretty to make it nutritious.
Let’s look at ways to minimize the stress of packing a nutritious lunch.
Avoiding the After School Hangry
Quality fats and proteins will help your child maintain their energy and focus all day. Typical lunch foods are often highly processed (i.e. bread, crackers, chips, cookies, pop, juice boxes, candy, etc.).
Convenience foods may be easy to grab, but the high sugar and carbohydrate levels cause a blood sugar spike. This will result in a sudden blood sugar crash that will leave them feeling rotten.
On the other hand, a lunch with more fat and protein keeps blood sugar even. Your student will be satisfied and engaged all afternoon. You can also pack nutrient-dense snacks if your child doesn’t eat well at lunch or is struggling to get enough calories.
Take a look at some suggestions below.
Entrees
Sides
My Kid's Personal Favorites
- PaleoValley Beef Sticks (Maddie loves teriyaki, Piper digs the summer sausage and Harper is all about the original)
- Cherry Tomatoes from our garden preferably
- Cutie Oranges
- Hard Boiled Eggs
- Dried Mango or apricot
- Trail Mix (bonus if there are a few chocolate chips mixed in)
- Lara Bars
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