Sleep is what most of us look forward to at the end of a long day, and something many of us feel we don’t get enough of. While there’s still a lot to learn about sleep and why we need it, we're now beginning to understand that sleep greatly impacts the health and destiny of our brains.

Aside from impacting your energy level, sleep seems to play a unique role in the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Whether or not you get enough quality sleep on a daily basis can dramatically increase or decrease your risk for Alzheimer’s. This is a major reason why it’s so important to do everything you can to get the best sleep possible, as frequently as possible.

In addition to impacting your Alzheimer’s risk, sleep has the power to influence how hungry you feel and how much you eat, how fast your metabolism runs, whether you become overweight or stay slender, whether you can fight off infection, how creative you might be, how insightful you might be, and even how compassionate you can become.

With the hectic pace of modern day life, sleep might feel like a luxury you can't afford. However, from a medical perspective, it's absolutely essential to get good sleep if you want to keep your body and brain healthy.

Experts explain poor quality sleep is linked to Alzheimer's disease, so it's important to understand specific ways you can achieve better quality sleep. Here are 10 simple steps you can take to improve your sleep starting today:

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For those going through recovery, overall health and well-being are crucial. Balance is the key to successful recovery. There are many factors that can affect sobriety. The acronym HALT, for Hungry, Angry, Lonely, and Tired, is a well-known tool for understanding what outside forces and internal feelings increase vulnerability during recovery. Part of balance involves not only avoiding using but also ensuring that your body and mind are well.

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As we age, both our bodies and minds are more prone to pain and malfunction. This is a major challenge for many seniors, who are used to being active and staying healthy. If you or a loved one is struggling with chronic physical or mental pain, there are many things you can do at home or in senior living that will make a big difference. Here are some of the most effective exercises to help seniors reduce pain and improve mental functioning, particularly for those in assisted senior living.

Meditation

Meditation is an incredible exercise for both physical and mental health. Just spending a few minutes a day meditating not only helps to clear your head, but also reduces physical stress as well. Meditation helps reduce muscle tension and can even help you keep your blood pressure down. There are many different types of meditation to choose from, and it can be done independently or using a guided program. If you are spiritual, there are many types of meditation that incorporate aspects of religion, but there are also many secular ways to meditate.

Swimming

For seniors that want to maintain a cardio workout routine, swimming is a very efficient option. It’s very gentle on the bones because there isn’t any impact, but it still keeps your muscles toned and burns calories to keep weight down. Being in the water can also be very soothing both mentally and physically. The feeling of floating in the water is very relaxing if you suffer from chronic pain.

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4 Ways to keep in Top Shape As We Age

We can count on getting older every day...until we stop aging and join the next dimension. While we are still here on terra firma the choices we make in four categories can make a huge difference in our vitality.

Our physical body is a machine. An advanced, incredible machine, but still at machine. It matters what we do to it and what we put into it on a regular basis. If we take care of our machine, it will take care of us as we age. Health and wellness must be a priority. Nutrition, exercise, inflammation and brain activation can all determine our quality of life.

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 BEATING OBESITY WITH EXERCISE, DIET AND MIND/BODY CONNECTION

Obesity is on the rise in the United States, with the number of Americans suffering from obesity increasing faster than ever— On top of that, other studies show that almost half of Americans do not get the amount of exercise they need to maintain good health. Many doctors and healthcare providers agree: there is most certainly a connection between a obesity and exercise.

That’s why one of the best ways that you can fight obesity is to create wellness—focused activities that help you find an enjoyable workout routine, improve sleep, eat more balanced diet and address any mental health issues that could be contributing to your weight gain.

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