MIND & BODY AFTER 50

Sometimes people ask me:  “How much sleep should I be getting?”

That’s a hard question. Science usually depends on the statistics of what’s true for many people — but you’re a unique individual. No law can be applied to you. You sleep as you sleep! 

But here’s a study that will help you consider if your body needs more sleep.

The Study

This research paper was published last year in the respected Journal of the American Medical Association - Neurology. It’s from a large multinational study…

Did you know? Your body is very sensitive to nighttime light. Here’s two surprising studies that could change the way you sleep.

In 2017, American researchers published a  study involving more than 43,000 women (average age 55 years). Their health and lifestyle had been followed for about 5 years. Researchers discovered that women who sleep with artificial light at night have an increased risk for significant weight gain and obesity. 

“In particular, sleeping with a light or television on in…

Science is learning that our sleep is especially sensitive to blue light (wavelength: 446 - 484 nm). If there’s too much blue light before bedtime, the quality of our sleep suffers -- deepest sleep is degraded. Scientists express concern that over-exposure to blue light could even affect the health of a woman’s unborn child.

Unfortunately, most electronic screens (smart phones, computers, tablets, many televisions) and some fluorescent lights release high levels of blue light. That’s why sle…

Here’s a surprise:  Getting more sleep can help people lose weight!

In this well-designed study, people who usually sleep less than 6.5 hours lost weight by sleeping longer.

This research was published February 2022 in the prestigious Journal of the American Medical Association - Internal Medicine.

Researchers recruited 80 overweight adults who had a habit of sleeping fewer than 6.5 hours per night.

Half the group (40 people) were randomly assigned to attend sleep counselling sessions. In…

Yoga has been popular in health & fitness for decades. Maybe there’s a yoga studio in your neighbourhood, or yoga classes at the gym or community centre.  

But you might not realize that yoga is more than just relaxation and fitness. Yoga is a potential therapy. Yoga is good medicine!

That was highlighted in a significant research review published in 2017:  “Yoga for improving health-related quality of life, mental health and cancer-related symptoms in women diagnosed with breast cancer”.

T…

Thank you for all the feedback about last week’s post “Yoga is good medicine!”. It seems many of us are interested in yoga! Here’s some of your comments and my replies too.

Yes, I’d say yoga is a self-care practice supporting mental health. It’s been part of my life for many years, and I’ve seen many patients benefit from yoga in our MBSR programs. That’s why I highlighted the research in last week’s email. 

One member emailed to say she’s cautious about COVID so she’s not at the yoga studio…

In recent emails, you read that research shows people who score low on ‘purpose in life’ tests are at higher risk for cognitive decline & dementia. Clearly, we all want to feel a strong ‘purpose in life’!

Several of you sent reply emails, asking: What is 'purpose in life'?  Where can I find it?

Here below are two recent research papers that offer clues for finding more 'purpose in life'. These studies involved several hundred research participants, so they could be relevant for you too.

(No…

Thank you for all your feedback! I was glad to share such surprising research -- especially since I know many of you are especially interested in cognitive health.

This research seems to show that living with a sense of purpose is good for the health of your brain.

It's part of a research review published in Ageing Research Reviews -- a summary of studies that investigated positive psychological factors that influence brain health.  

The authors concluded: “Having purpose in life was signific…

Your cognitive health is important, isn't it? We all want to support our memory and clear thinking. Fortunately, science now gives us many clues on how best to preserve cognitive clarity. 

Certainly, your overall physical health, especially your brain health, is important in this.  Whatever is good for your brain is good for your cognitive health. 

For example, adequate sleep and certain habits of diet and activity are known to reduce the risk of cognitive decline. In last week’s email, I even…

Maybe you don’t like to ‘exercise’?

Usually I don’t advise women to exercise. Why would I?

If a woman likes to go to the gym or visit with a personal trainer, or she enjoys jogging or swimming or using exercise equipment, etc. — she doesn’t need my advice. This is something she likes to do. She feels happy and yes, she gets health benefits too. 

On the other hand, I’ve found that recommending exercise is often counterproductive. Many women just don’t like ‘exercise’ activities. If they do …