1. Health benefits of turning clocks back…
This weekend, we will turn our clocks back as Daylight Savings Time ends. As I take a deep dive into the science of sleep, it turns out that Daylight Savings Time has been a great opportunity to study the effects of less, or more, sleep in large populations, over a long period of time. In a section on sleep loss and cardiovascular health in Matthew Walker’s book, Why We Sleep, he references the millions of hospital records tabulated the day after losing the one hour of sleep in the spring where they discovered “that this seemingly trivial sleep reduction comes with a frightening spike in heart attacks the following day.” Fortunately, it works both ways… when we get that extra hour (as we will this weekend), “rates of heart attacks plummet the day after.” The same spike and decline can be seen in car accidents the day after we turn clocks ahead and back. This highlights the significant impact even one extra hour of sleep, or one less hour of sleep, can have on how our bodies function. The good news is that sleep is within our control if we commit to making it a priority. And more good news… I’m sharing this information with you in the fall, when you get to gain that extra hour of sleep, starting your weekend on a positive note, knowing that you, your family, and your community will be healthier, and drive safer, this Sunday!
2. A very powerful wellness action…
Call someone that has impacted your life in a significant way. Thank them and tell them the impact that their actions or words have had on your life. It’s a great feeling! How do I know? I’ve done it numerous times. The most moving was when I called a professor, Gale Lewellen, who taught neurophysiology. Ten years after receiving my doctorate, I called Palmer College and had the operator connect me to his office. When he answered, I told him who I was, when I was in his class, and that I was in a successful practice and loving it. I told him that I believed it was because he got me excited about the power of the nervous system, and that he was a huge influence on my enthusiasm about what I do every day. After a long silence on the other end of the line, he spoke softly, his voice breaking up, as he said “thank you.” He said he could not believe he was receiving this call because that day was his last day teaching, as he was retiring. He said he had packed up all of his things, was walking out the door and stopped for a moment, wondering if he had made the impact he had hoped to in his 33 years teaching there. He said as he was about to turn off the lights, the phone rang. It was me calling to thank him. He then thanked me, saying that call was so important and moving to him. While you will think you are doing something for that person by doing this, which you are, YOU will be receiving equal (or greater) benefit. You will feel a huge boost in happiness, you will have a greater sense of contribution, and your body chemistry will improve (reduction in cortisol, improved immunity, etc.). Had I waited one more day, I would have missed Mr. Lewellen. Actually, just one more minute and I would have missed him. So… make that call NOW!
3. Vitamin D reminder…
I’ve talked about vitamin D in the past… so why keep talking about it? Because it’s THAT important. Vitamin D deficiency has been linked to many health conditions, such as depression, headaches, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and even acne. Most people are very low in vitamin D, therefore supplementation is critical. I take 5,000-6,000 IU of vitamin D3 year-round now. While vitamin D is fat-soluble, and you can take too much, that is difficult to do. And at these doses, I have no worries about running into that problem. I called a medical doctor friend of mine and told him I was going to have my Vitamin D level tested, and I asked if he got better pricing than I could get to have the blood test done. His answer… “No. But you’re low. Everyone I test is low. Just take the vitamin D.” So getting your blood tested is the best way to know your vitamin D levels, but I wouldn’t wait to start supplementing. Vitamin D levels tend to drop this time of year, increasing our susceptibility to colds and flus, making this a very important time to take it. The vitamin D we sell in our office has K2 in it as well. That combo has added benefits related to calcium absorption and helps maximizes vitamin D’s benefits. And don’t forget your children… they can safely take 1,000 IU per 25lbs. of body weight. Infants can take 1,000 IU per day. For all of the best information on vitamin D you can visit https://www.vitamindcouncil.org/. To see the long list of conditions linked to vitamin D deficiency click here.