Living Better In The Later Years

15/02/2026

Everyone loves a good bedtime snack, but that snack may be keeping you from a restful sleep. If you must eat before bedtime, choose carefully.

Learn more on the blog: https://hubs.la/Q0411Y8s0

Everyone loves a good bedtime snack, but that snack may be keeping you from a restful sleep. If you must eat before bedtime, choose carefully. Eating before bedtime is not generally recommended. But going to bed exceedingly hungry can prove detrimental to a good night’s sleep. If you must, helpful...

14/02/2026

This Valentine’s Day, take a moment to fall in love with the life you’ve created. We often focus on what needs improvement, and we forget to celebrate everything we’ve already done to build a fruitful, meaningful life. ❤️

13/02/2026

Sources of light are detrimental to sleep. Shroud your sleeping environment in complete darkness by doing the following:

🌒 Turn off (or completely hide) all forms of light emitters.
🌒 Use light-blocking curtains.
🌒 Wear an eye mask.

13/02/2026

The circadian rhythm is the human body’s natural sleep-wake cycle. It occurs approximately every 24 hours and is influenced by the periods of light and dark in our environment. Circadian rhythms are critical to the regulation of important bodily functions. Disrupted circadian rhythms affect hormone release, eating habits and digestion, body temperature, and, of course, sleep patterns.

11/02/2026

When outfitting your bed, consider purchasing a weighted blanket. Their potential impact on sleep quality and well-being includes:
✔️ Promotes Relaxation: The gentle pressure of a weighted blanket can create a secure, calming effect, similar to a hug, helping to reduce stress and anxiety.
✔️ Supports Sensory Processing: Weighted blankets can be particularly beneficial for individuals with sensory processing disorders, such as autism or ADHD, by providing a consistent and comforting sensory input.
✔️ Alleviates Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS): The blanket's pressure can help reduce RLS symptoms, leading to more comfortable, uninterrupted sleep.

Note: Choosing a weighted blanket appropriate for your body weight is essential for comfort. Generally, it is recommended to select a blanket that is around 10% of your body weight.

10/02/2026

Jet lag is a physiological condition caused by disruptions to the body's circadian rhythms during rapid, long-distance travel across multiple time zones. As a rule of thumb, one night of sleep is impaired for every time zone traversed in the previous day. 💤✈️

09/02/2026

You will spend a third of your life in bed, so make it a wonderful place to be. Consistent with the importance of the task, choose quality when investing in mattresses, pillows, and bedding for yourself and your family. Consider the following characteristics when shopping for …

🛌 Mattresses: Select the right firmness for your sleep position: softer for side sleepers, firmer for back and stomach sleepers. Consider materials such as memory foam, innerspring, latex, or hybrid. Look for cooling features, motion isolation if you share a bed, long-term durability, and a trial period.

🛌 Pillows: Choose a fill that supports your head and neck, such as memory foam, down, synthetic, or latex. Match loft and firmness to your sleep position, prioritize breathability, and opt for hypoallergenic, washable options if needed.

🛌 Bedding: Select materials that suit your comfort needs, such as cotton, linen, bamboo, or silk. Pay attention to thread count, weave, breathability, moisture-wicking, and ease of care.

To extend product life and limit sagging, flip mattresses semiannually and fluff or rotate pillows daily.

08/02/2026

Sleep occurs in stages (four or five, depending on the reference source). Throughout a night's sleep, the body continuously cycles through these stages. For most, a cycle lasts about 90 minutes. A normal person experiences 4 to 6 sleep cycles each night.

The critical period for high-quality, restful sleep includes the deep sleep stage and the ever-popular Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep. During deep sleep, the body grows more physically resilient. This effort includes repairing damaged tissues, boosting the immune system, and building energy for the coming day. During REM, the brain refreshes itself. Molecular-level activity within the brain during this period helps process new information and enhances cognitive ability, including learning and memory.

07/02/2026

If you’re having trouble sleeping or looking to change your sleep patterns, consider your optimum sleeping body position.

There appears to be no fixed body position that optimizes sleep for all. Most people rotate sleeping positions – on average, they spend about 55% of their time on their side, 35% on their back, and less than 10% on their front side.

But which position is optimal? Find out on our blog: https://hubs.la/Q0411jxd0

If you’re having trouble sleeping or looking to change your sleep patterns, consider your optimum sleeping body position. There appears to be no fixed body position that optimizes sleep for all. Most people rotate sleeping positions – on average, they spend about 55% of their time on their side,...

06/02/2026

The body produces two key hormones that affect an individual’s sleep-wake cycle: Melatonin, produced in the pineal gland located in the brain, and Cortisol (often referred to as the “stress hormone”), produced in the adrenal glands near the kidneys.

The role of Melatonin includes:
💤 Regulating the Sleep-Wake Cycle. Melatonin levels rise later in the day (presumably when darker) to help you wind down. They peak during the night to promote higher-quality, restful sleep. Levels decrease in the morning (again, when presumed lighter), signaling the time to wake up and get going.
💤 Supports immune system function, protecting cells with antioxidant properties.
💤 Reduces symptoms of jet lag.

The role of Cortisol includes:
💤 Regulating the Sleep-Wake Cycle. Cortisol levels peak around 30 minutes after waking, helping a person prepare for the day. Levels naturally decrease throughout the day unless called upon to rise during periods of stress.
💤 Regulating metabolism by helping to control the body’s use of fats, proteins, and carbohydrates.
Blood sugar management involves raising blood glucose levels during periods of stress.
💤 Blood pressure control.
💤 Anti-inflammatory properties that help regulate the immune system.

05/02/2026

Sleep is essential for maintaining energy, cognitive function, mood stability, and overall physical health. When we sleep, our bodies undergo various processes to repair tissues, consolidate memories, and regulate hormones. Sleep is essential to optimizing personal effectiveness and efficiency.

04/02/2026

The objective is to aim for 8 hours of quality sleep. 💤

Most people need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night, of which 5 to 6 should be high-quality, restful sleep. Younger people need more.

Nights with less than 5 hours of total sleep hamper daily performance and raise the risk of long-term health problems.