SEPTEMBER NEWSLETTER

Hello, hope all had a pleasant month of August. Some areas have been soaking in hot weather. Dan and I have been very humble for we just moved back to the United States in the Virginia area. Most of you know that we have been living in Mexico near the Guadalajara area. We did not have neither electric heat nor air. Before that we lived in Florida where the humidity was high, so we are blessed to be in an area that so far isn't too bad.

This month I'm focusing on the topic of sleep. The best approach is to match your sleep times to your physiological rhythms and get the seven to nine hours of sleep that you need regularly. There are optimal windows of opportunity, starting with a bedtime between 8:00 p.m and 12:00 a.m. Most people sleep during the hours that make the most sense for their professional, family, and social lives. Their awakening times are largely determined by these responsibilities and commitments, whereas when they go to sleep often depends on their personal preferences and evening activities. Most adults need seven to nine hours of sleep per day—that’s a given. Figuring out how to get that amount is another story. If you need to wake up at 7:00 a.m, you can count backwards eight hours and set a bedtime of 11:00 p.m. This is a good starting point, but there are individual variations when it comes to the best hours for sleep. For example, some people are larks (morning types), while others are owls (night lovers), and still others are in between these patterns. What you are depends on your individual circadian rhythm, your 24-hour internal clock that regulates sleepiness, alertness, and various bodily functions. In other words, there’s no magical one-size-fits-all schedule that suits everyone. With that bedtime window and your prior determined wake-up time in mind, experiment with slight variations and see what works well for you. If you wake up an hour before your alarm goes off, try moving your bedtime a bit later; similarly, if you go to bed and find yourself lying awake, desperately trying to fall asleep for more than 20 minutes, you may be trying to go to sleep too early. On the other hand, if you find yourself struggling to stay awake until the bedtime you’ve set, try shifting it a bit earlier. Once you discover the optimal hours of sleep that work for you, keep them consistent during the weekdays and weekends, which will help keep your body’s internal clock on schedule. Doing so will make it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep night after night and get the good quality shuteye that will help you feel and function at your best.

Not only how long you sleep, but also the comfort of the snooze temperature in which you sleep in.

In general, the suggested bedroom temperature should be between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit for optimal sleep. When lying in bed trying to snooze, your body temperature decreases to initiate sleep—and the proposed temperatures above can actually help facilitate this. If your room is cool, rather than warm, it will be much easier to shut your eyes for the night.

Thermostat settings far lower or higher than what's recommended could lead to restlessness and can also affect the quality of sleep, the stage in which you dream. It can also help to think of your bedroom as a cave—it should be quiet, cool, and dark for the best chance at getting enough rest. If you’re still a troubled sleeper, in addition to the cooler room temperature, you should try placing a hot water bottle at your feet or wearing socks. This will help dilate your blood vessels faster and push your internal thermostat to a more ideal setting.

The final step to a goodnight sleep is the positioning. Wondering which sleep spot is best?

1. On Your Back.

Though it’s not the most popular position—only eight percent of people sleep on their backs—it’s still the best. By far the healthiest option for most people, sleeping on your back allows your head, neck, and spine to rest in a neutral position. This means that there’s no extra pressure on those areas, so you're less likely to experience pain. Sleeping facing the ceiling is also ideal for warding off acid reflux. Just be sure to use a pillow that elevates and supports your head enough—you want your stomach to be below your esophagus to prevent food or acid from coming up your digestive tract. However, snoozing on your back can cause the tongue to block the breathing tube, making it a dangerous position for those who suffer from sleep apnea (a condition that causes periods of breathlessness). This position can also make snoring more severe.

2. On Your Side.

This position (where your torso and legs are relatively straight) also helps decrease Acid Reflux, and since your spine is elongated, it wards off back and neck pain. Plus, you're less likely to snore in this snooze posture, because it keeps airways open. For that reason, it’s also the best choice for those with sleep apnea. Fifteen percent of adult choose to sleep on their side, but there’s one downside: It can lead to wrinkles, because half of your face pushes against a pillow.

3. In the Fetal Position.

With 41 percent of adults choosing this option, it’s the most popular sleep position. A loose, fetal position (where you're on your side and your torso is hunched and your knees are bent)—especially on your left side—is great if you're pregnant. That's because it improves circulation in your body and in the fetus, and it prevents your uterus from pressing against your liver, which is on your right side. This pose is also good for snorers. But resting in a fetal position that's curled up too tightly can restrict breathing in your diaphragm. And it can leave you feeling a bit sore in the morning, particularly if you have arthritis in your joints or back. Prevent these woes by straightening out your body as much as you can, instead of tucking your chin into your chest and pulling your knees up high. You can also reduce strain on your hips by placing a pillow between your knees.

4. On Your Stomach.

While this is good for easing snoring, it’s bad for practically everything else. Seven percent of adults pick this pose, but it can lead to back and neck pain, since it’s hard to keep your spine in a neutral position. Plus, stomach sleepers put pressure on their muscles and joints, possibly leading to numbness, tingling, aches, and irritated nerves. It’s best to try to choose another position, but if you must sleep on your stomach, try lying face down to keep upper airways open—instead of with your head turned to one side—with your forehead propped up on a pillow to allow room to breathe.

I'm wishing everyone a good night sleep with these tips.

This year Autumn begins Monday, September 23.

Now lets check out some other national celebrations in September. What about World Coconut Day – September 2, 2019.

Whether you’re using coconut oil-infused health and beauty products, or opting for its raw form, you can count on this amazing natural fat for a range of health benefits. Though it’s high in saturated fat, including coconut oil in your diet can offer a multitude of health benefits.

Labor Day 2019 – September 2

What is Labor Day and what does it mean? Do you get weekends off work? Lunch breaks? Paid vacation? An eight-hour work day? Social security? If you said “yes” to any of these questions, you can thank labor unions and the U.S. labor movement for it. Many of the most basic

benefits we enjoy at our jobs today were the result of years of hard-fought battles and the legislation they inspired. On the first Monday in September, we take the day off to celebrate Labor Day and reflect on the American worker’s contributions to our country.

National Peanut Day –

September 13

National Peanut Day is celebrated on Sept 13 every year by many to pay homage to the mighty and tasty peanut. The peanut likely originated in South America over 3,500 years ago, and they grow underground like potatoes.

National Coloring Day – September 14

Bust out those crayons, because it’s time for National Coloring Day! As a follow-up to the National Coloring Book Day in August, this holiday expands the coloring experience into all sorts of artsy mediums. Honestly, when was the last time you found yourself coloring? Maybe you were babysitting or at home with the kids. Maybe you picked up one of those adult coloring books that are all the rage. Maybe you can’t even remember the last time you colored anything, because maybe you think that coloring is just for children. Wrong! With the latest craze of adult coloring books and related studies about how coloring improves overall wellness, it’s hard to say that coloring is just for kids anymore.

Coloring is good for people of all ages, and the best part is that we can all color together, no matter our various skill levels. Whether it’s been decades or merely days, National Coloring Day is all about inspiring us to set aside some time for ourselves and simply color something. You can use paper and crayons, colored pencils, or markers. Give oil pastels a try, or maybe even paint. For National Coloring Day on September 14, we invite you to roll up your sleeves, grab something with pigment, and get coloring!

National Guacamole Day – September 16

Guacamole is typically considered a side dish or even just a sauce, but on National Guacamole Day we elevate this tasty green blend into the spotlight. Guacamole (or guac for short) is made of avocados, which are well-known for their health benefits due to their high vitamin content and lots of those healthy fats that help to lower cholesterol. Avocados, native to Mexico and Central America, grow on trees and are technically considered a fruit. But in modern times, the humble avocado has traveled world-wide, and people as far away as Sri Lanka enjoy their own unique version of the guacamole mash-up.

Closer to home, people often like to spice up their guacamole with onion, garlic, cumin, tomato, cilantro, or even just some store-bought salsa. There are hundreds of ways to mix up a bowl of guacamole, and people’s personal tastes for this green stuff are just as varied. Traditionally, guacamole is served with tortilla chips

Balance Awareness Week – September 16-22

The Vestibular Disorders Association began Balance Awareness Week to highlight just how much of an impact inner ear and brain disorders can have on an individual’s daily life. Patients who suffer from balance issues associated with vestibular disorders often experience chronic physical, mental, and emotional pain. Examples include intense dizziness, ringing of the ear, vertigo, and even depression. During the week of September 16-22 make it a point to familiarize yourself with the many issues that Balance Awareness Week tackles.

National Dance Day – September 21

Launched in 2010 by “So You Think You Can Dance” co-creator Nigel Lythgoe, National Dance Day is now a national celebration that takes place on the third Saturday in September. It commemorates dance as an art form, a creative outlet, and a way to dance yourself to good health. The day, sponsored by American Dance Movement, encourages people to incorporate dance as part of a healthy, active lifestyle. Get ready because today there’s hundreds of events across the country on September 21 —

from flash mobs to free dance classes and live performances—no matter where you’re dancing or what kind of moves you like, you’re bound to find a way to get your groove on. Kick off those shoes and throw on some grooves, because it’s time to dance your heart out on National Dance Day!

National Love People Day – September 30

The final national celebration that I'm going to end with is LOVE PEOPLE DAY. With everything going on in the world today, love is a very important emotion we all need to use more often. People write songs about it or read poems inspired by it but do we really know what love is? That’s something to consider on National Love People Day, held annually on September 30. Many religions and non-religious spiritual practices center on the idea of giving love wholeheartedly without expecting anything in return. This day is dedicated to inspiring and supporting others with the power of unconditional love.

Until next month, have a pleasant September.