Recess Newsletter June 2009
Vitamin D, Sleep for Healthy Weight & Being Fit For Life.
|
|
| Be In The Know
|
|
|
|
Sun As Friend or Foe?
|
|
Yet another excuse to move somewhere sunny.
As Portlanders, Recess folks are often teased about the weather.
Three quarters of our lives read like the pages of some dark and stormy
Dashiell Hammett novel.
We accept that our own
masochistic tendencies have landed us here. True, others can boast
about their sunny days and bronzed shoulders, but part of our sense of smug satisfaction comes from knowing that we might live a longer life as
a result. So our environmentally friendly line-dried clothing smells like mildew all winter long, who cares? All of the
sunny do-gooders out there will probably end up with skin cancer, right? Maybe not.
 You thought this woman was worried about
her burn? Ha! Some research suggests she is simply gloating over her advantage in the
longevity race.
Get this: some research says the health benefits of sun far outweigh the risks. Great. So we are freezing and damp for no good reason.
Moral of the story - slather on some SPF and get out there to stock up on Vitamin D.
Read more tips like this @ Recess' blog!
|
|
Health Immersion 2009 (Portland, OR)
|
|
Sign up by June 9 and win a makeover package!
Free classes galore, and a yoga mat to boot
 If
you've been thinking about signing up, the time to act is now! Thanks
to our wonderful sponsors, we've got a killer package of free classes
and goodies to give to one fun lovin', wellness-embracin', future
Recess Health Immersion participant.
If you sign up in the next two
weeks, that's by Tuesday, June 9th, you'll be automatically entered in a drawing to win:
- One month of free membership at Alameda Fitness Center
- Two weeks of free classes at Studio Nia
- One free class at NW Pilates
- One free class at Yoga Pearl
- A yoga mat
- A lucy activewear water bottle
- A Bob's Red Mill cookie (all things in moderation, right?)
Sign up! Now is your chance to check out some of Portland's coolest wellness studios and get a preview of what is to come!
We Sell Out Every Year. Reserve Your Spot Now! >>
|
Counting sheep as important as counting reps?
|
|
It seems our bodies want exertion AND relaxation.
In her breakthrough book, The Second Shift, Arlie Hochschild examines the lives of working moms. Hochschild says that out of 50 women surveyed, 39 "talk about sleep the way a starving person talks about food." Turns out the women in Hochschild's study are not alone.
28% of Americans get eight hours of
sleep on a regular basis. That number is down from 38% in 2001, according to
the National Sleep Foundation report.
2 out of 10 people sleep less than six hours a night. We all know
that you begin to function less sharply when deprived of sleep, but did you know that it also weakens
the body? Missing a night of sleep, could even affect your ability to respond to a vaccination for up to 30 days! Not getting
enough sleep hampers your body's efforts to do what it needs to do in
order to keep you healthy.
A rested mind = healthy weight?
As far as food
choices are concerned, you're more apt to make less healthy ones if you're not sleeping properly. Studies show that the sleep deprived gravitate towards salts, fats, sugars and carbs. A study published in an
October issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that people with
a particular sleep disorder called "obstructive sleep apnea" ate a diet higher
in cholesterol, protein, and saturated fats. Women seemed particularly affected.
Research suggests that lack of sleep,
whether caused by a sleeping disorder or otherwise, affects the diet. A 2006 study by the Institute of Medicine reported lack of sleep correlated to obesity. The less sleep people get the more obese they tend to be.
How much sleep your body gets can impact hormones that regulate your hunger pangs. Among its many adaptations, the body reduces its production of Leptin due to lack of sleep. Leptin is a hormone that regulates the intake and
expenditure of energy and also plays a role in suppressing appetite. Lack of sleep causes the body to lower its production of Leptin. On the other hand Ghrelin, a
hormone that stimulates appetite, rises. As a result the body ends up asking for more food than it actually
needs.
Sleep deprived bodies go on strike!
Not sleeping could also put you at risk
for diabetes. A 2005 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found
that people getting five or fewer hours of sleep each night were 2.5 times more
likely to be diabetic, while those with six hours or fewer were 1.7 times more
likely.
Sleep is particularly
important for the young'ins. Middle schoolers who don't get
enough sleep often report more symptoms of depression and lower self-esteem.
Research from an April issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent
Medicine also found that children with insomnia, short duration of sleeping, or
disordered breathing with obesity, for example, are more likely to have
behavioral issues like ADHD and depression.
The next time your son or daughter complains about their bedtime you might dress up in a sheep suit and hop over their bed a few times rather than risk their becoming depressed or developing behavioral problems.
Or, you could just work on helping them set a healthy sleep schedule. Really, it's up to you.
Set your sleep clock
Our lives are packed with
errands and phone calls. Sleep seems like an afterthought compared to the myriad tasks of great importance all demanding our undivided attention. Taking inventory of your habits and making small adjustments such as: - Increasing your level of daytime exercise
- Limiting your use of stimulants and substances like alcohol and caffeine
- Creating a stimulus free environment for sleep
- Setting a regular bedtime for not just your kids but yourself, too and sticking with it
could be the key to getting more zzzzzzzs.  While we gleefully schedule date nights with spouses something as
cumbersome as scheduling your sleep could trigger full blown
schedule phobia in some people. Still just think about how much more fun date night would be if both participants arrived well rested and in a great mood. Though you might not see changes immediately, making snoozing your
priority
is worth it in the long run.
Get Serious About Transforming Your Health >> |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Early Birds win
|
Sign up for the Recess Health Immersion by June 9, 2009 and be entered into a drawing to win fab prizes! Sign up online by clicking here, or, call us toll-free at1-866-578-7118. Local to Portland, OR? Call 503-282-5560. Mention coupon code: 0509NWS |
|
Offer Expires: June 9, 2009
|
|
|
