America is one of the most sleep-deprived countries in the world. According to a recent survey from the Phillips Center for Health and Well-Being, 37% of Americans feel that they do not get enough sleep. Lack of sleep can interfere with people’s lives and undermine people’s physical and mental health in numerous ways.

When people are sleep deprived they are more likely to have car accidents, get sick, suffer from high blood pressure, depression, anxiety and other ailments. Sleep deprivation also is linked to poor job performance, since people’s memory and mental sharpness is impaired when they don’t get enough shut-eye.

Read the full post on Americans are sleep deprived. Here are tips for getting more sleep..

By Real Age

What’s your goal today? And does it fit into your life plan? If these questions leave you scratching your head, then your brain might be suffering in more ways than one.

In a recent study, older adults who had a strong sense of purpose in their lives were significantly less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or cognitive impairment over the long haul.

Read the full post on Life’s Little Questions Offer Big Brain Benefits.

By Dr. Spencer Baron

Have you ever uttered the words,

“He hurt my feelings,”

“She makes me feel bad,”

“It’s all your fault that I’m so down”?

Your state of mind is within your control even when you feel you are out of control.

Still connected to the cosmos, this five year old is able to clearly understand that you have a choice in life. The wisdom is a pure gift!

What’s your choice?

www.superstarshealthsecrets.com

By Dr. Joe

It has been said that depression is the epidemic of the 21^st century. Certainly the rates of diagnosis have increased over the last 10-15 years. Some claim that this is due to better recognition of the issue and that actual rates are unchanged. Others feel that we are collectively more depressed than in years gone by.

Figures from the USA show that the number of Americans prescribed an antidepressant doubled between 1996 and 2005 and that those being treated took more tablets. Yet there is nothing to show that the population is better off. In fact the suicide rate has risen.

Read the full post on Depressed Or A Bit Down – There Is A Difference.

By RealAge

Hate the thought of losing your mental edge — or worse, growing senile — as you age? Well, here’s a simple way to slash your risk of dementia by 73 percent:

Go for a power walk. People who regularly walk may be that much less likely to develop dementia compared with their couch-potato peers. Yeah, it’s that simple!

More Blood, Please
Vascular dementia is the second most common form of dementia after Alzheimer’s. It’s the nosedive that memory and other cognitive functions can take when ailing blood vessels restrict — and sometimes block — the flow of blood to the brain. But because exercise — even mild exercise like walking — increases cerebral blood flow, it may shrink the risk. (Try keeping your brain sharp with RealAge’s daily crossword puzzle.)

Read the full post on A Walk on the Cerebral Side.

Did you know?
The 1st week of this month is Mental Illness Awareness Week. It aims to get rid of the stigma linked to mental illness and to help people learn about treatment options.

Steps to take
If you or someone you know has a mental health problem, seek help. Talk to your doctor, your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) rep., a mental health counselor, crisis center, etc.

It may not be a “secret” discovered from behind the locker room doors of our professional athletes, nor is it anything the medical staff has ever spoken of, but it sure is one of the keys that can unlock an emotional door.

“How do you know when you are loved?”

Strange as it may seem, not many people take the time to understand what makes a person feel loved. Even YOU may not realize what moves you towards that sensation of short and long term adoration.

Mushy subject?

Read the full post on A Most Magical Question.

Preliminary research from the University of California – Berkley suggests that a midday nap readies the brain to remember and take in new information. Researchers took a group and at noon presented them with a task to link faces with names. At 6:00 p.m., after half of the group had a 90 minute nap, everyone was presented with a similar task. The group that did not have a nap had performance declines of 10%. The group that was allowed to nap did not show such a decline in performance.

Read the full post on Attention College Students – Naps May Improve Your Memory.

So, last week was interesting, to say the least … I smashed the whole front end of my eight month old vehicle. Luckily, I was fine, no subsequent injuries, not even a bit of soreness… $5300 later, I continue to remain emotionless about the whole thing.

Why?
Seconds after the 30 mph collision, during 5:00 pm traffic on a rain slick highway, my thoughts instantly defaulted to my GOOD fortune …

Read the full post on If Everyone Had Nothing, Who Would Stand Out in the Crowd?.

Did you know?
Mental Health Counseling Week is the 1st week of May. It promotes the importance of good mental health and the need to get help for mental health problems.

Steps to take
Find out about mental health problems from the National Mental Health Association at 800.969.6642 or nmha.org. Find a counselor from the American Health Counselors Association at amhca.org.