“Sleep is that golden chain that ties health and our bodies together,” Thomas Dekker. No, not just a casual shut-eye when we feel like it.

Yet, when we talk about health, the focus falls on exercise, nutrition, relationships, etc. Hardly does anybody mention a good slumber.

Sleep is so underrated that younger people think seniors don’t need it as much as they do.

Wrong. Experts say seniors should, on average, have a doze of seven to seven and a half hours each night.

Some seniors, however, report they have problems sleeping at night. Not because they don’t feel like sleeping but due to the following:

–  Too much daytime naps:

I sleep an average of six hours/night but I take short naps after lunch and late afternoon.

It doesn’t affect my sleeping pattern as it does to some seniors.

And mid-day naps is not laziness. Science has proven that it is necessary to keep you awake and alert the entire day.

But be sure not to overdo it to the point of making you toss and turn in bed until the wee hours of the morning. Observe how long must you nap to achieve both objectives – stay alert until bedtime, and off you go to dreamland when your back hits the bed.

–  Too much coffee during the day:

The caffeine in coffee blocks adenosine, your body’s natural sleep-inducing agent. Not only that, but it is also a diuretic – any substance the promotes the formation of more urine. This means your sleep will be disturbed by more frequent trips to the toilet.

If you are a coffee junkie, take your coffee in the morning. Afternoon coffee is best if taken before 2 pm.

–  Effects of medications:

Medications for high blood pressure, asthma, as well as cough, colds, and flu medications can stop you from getting enough sleep. Consult your doctor for alternatives or a change in dosage if this happens to you.

Why Enough sleep is important

Enough sleep is essential for your health and well-being. While you may experience occasional sleep problems (like I do), never allow it to become chronic. Studies show that chronic sleep deprivation tends to exacerbate existing medical conditions.

Assuming you are free of any of those, always try to get good sleep each night. It will go a long way towards increasing your strength, a better mood, increasing your body’s ability to fight infection.

Other benefits of good sleep are:

–  Enhances memory and attention span;
–  Reduced use of medications;
–  Reduced symptoms of stress, anxiety, and depression;
–  Better cardiovascular health;
–  Improves appetite;
–  Reduced risk of falling;
–  A happier and engaging lifestyle.

In summary, a good night’s sleep is important because it helps improve concentration, and memory, allows your body to repair any cell damage that may have occurred during the day and prevents diseases by strengthening your immune system.

So next time somebody tells you that at your age, you need not get as much sleep at night, just smile and say, “Let’s see who gets to live longer.”

Please share to make other seniors appreciate the value of having a full sleep each night.

~oOo~

The post Do You Know Why You Need to Have Enough Sleep first appeared on Age With Charm.

I am not a coffee junkie but I take two servings each day. First is early in the morning and the second, early afternoon.

Instant coffee is my choice early in the morning to recover lost sugar from my daily exercise. In the afternoon, I take brewed coffee in Internet cafes so I can avail of their wifi connection.

Coffee has come a long way since the Yemeni Sufis started drinking the beverage in the 15th century. Today, billions of people drink coffee every day generating a mind-boggling business – 151.3 million 60-kg bags in 2015/2016.

Since its discovery, people have been taking the drink to joggle them up early in the morning, to warm up, get an energy boost, for refreshment and to enjoy relaxing moments.

Then in 1652, a Pasqua Rosée, a London coffee-shop owner, popularized coffee as a health drink. He claimed that the beverage is good for digestion, prevent and cure gout and scurvy; that it is good for headaches, stomachaches, and may even prevent miscarriages.

That sent the medical world into a mad scramble to verify or debunk the claim. The results have all been in favor of coffee elevating the beverage to one of the superfoods – food types which are full of nutrients for your health and well-being.

Here are a few of them.

5 Health benefits of coffee:

1.   Slows down age-related cognitive function decline:

Cognitive functions (reaction time, processing of information) of people start declining at age 60 (though some experience it at age 40).

This decline is attributed to unhealthy lifestyles, vascular diseases (abnormalities in the blood vessels), genes, oxidative stress, and inflammation, to name a few.

But it can be slowed down.

Two studies involving seniors show that caffeine improves attention span, psychomotor performance, cognitive functions, as well as feelings of well-being.

And a British study involving 9,003 adults shows that they are more susceptible to the performance-enhancing effects of caffeine on their mental performance than younger subjects.

2.   Lowers the risk of Type 2 Diabetes:

In a 2009 study, a systematic review of 457,000 people, and 21,897 newly-diagnosed cases of type 2 diabetes from eight different countries showed a negative association between coffee consumption and risk of developing the disease.

And one report shows that regularly drinking coffee reduces the risk of getting type 2 diabetes by 23 to 50% – but only if no creamer or sweetener is used with the coffee.

3. Reduces the risk of degenerative disease:

This type of disease, common among seniors, is characterized by the progressive deterioration of nerve cells ultimately resulting in their death. Examples are Alzheimer’s, ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), Huntington’s and Parkinson’s and, in some cases heart disease.

Various studies show that a regular consumption of coffee reduces the risk of developing Alzheimer’s – one of this type of disease and the most common.

4.  Protects the liver:

Coffee has also shown to protect the liver against liver cirrhosis (loss of liver cells and irreversible scarring). This is backed up by long-term studies of both men and women from six different countries.

Again, this is true if no creamer or sugar or other sweeteners are used with the coffee.

5.   Boosts energy:

Caffeine, the active ingredient of coffee, is a stimulant and can give you a quick, but temporary, energy boost. It allows you to start a new day running.

Be careful, however, to limit your consumption. Too much caffeine in your system is over-stimulating which can affect your heart and sleep patterns.

Health risks of coffee:

Too much of anything, however, is harmful – even coffee.

Consuming more than 5 to 7 cups of coffee per day can lead to significant dehydration, a condition you must avoid at all cost. It will affect the nervous system making you feel jittery; may upset your stomach and give you sleep problems.

Too much caffeine in your system can cause high blood pressure, reduced bone density, and anxiety, among other things.

Coffee is one of the world’s most favorite beverages (together with tea). On the average, Americans consume more than 60 billion of cups per year, with people 64 and above consuming more than any age group.

The history of coffee has been very colorful – from making goats go “high” after nibbling its leaves, to a favorite drink around the world, to a superfood you must make a part of your diet for to improve your health and well-being.

~oOo~

The post 5 Reasons Why Coffee is Good for You. first appeared on Age With Charm.