SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION:
HEALTH & WELLNESS
2559 Washington Road
Suite 510
Summerfield Commons
Upper St. Clair, PA 15241
412-595-8110
500 South Aiken Avenue
Suite 104
Pittsburgh, PA 15232
412-681-9767
www.drcapra.com
MEDICARE
QUESTIONS?
Picking the best
insurance plan
for your needs?
Learning about
your Medicare
Prescription
Drug plans?
Find the best
time to enroll?
Erin Hagan Hart
412-657-3028
Calling the number above
will direct you to a licensed sales agent.
22
724.942.0940 TO ADVERTISE
❘
effects are ultimately hurting their ability
to fully function during the day.
The National Sleep Foundation
recommends that children between
the ages of 6 and 10 get 10-11 hours of
sleep per night, while 11 to 17-year-olds
should get 8.5 to 9.5 hours. A poll done
by the foundation last year revealed that
children were falling short and losing out
on the benefits of a good night’s sleep.
Research shows that less sleep leads to
learning and behavior problems, directly
affecting cognitive ability, concentration,
and problem-solving skills. Many families
have seen the negative effects and often
assume they are symptoms of ADHD,
when these distracting behaviors could
likely be reduced or even eliminated by an
earlier bedtime.
Make Sleep Matter
• Set bedtimes and wake times. You
can start to make sleep a higher priority
for your kids by setting a good example
and getting enough sleep yourself.
Start by setting bedtimes and wake-up
times that you can adhere to on both
weekdays and weekends. Creating a
pattern will help your body understand
its sleep cycle, allowing for more
restful nights.
• Create wind-down activities before
bed. The half-hour before bed should
be free of high-energy activities. Start a
bedtime routine that includes calming
activities like bathtime or reading.
• Make a bed sanctuary. As adults,
nothing is better than a comfortable
icmags.com
place to sleep at night. Make your
children’s beds the same for them. Add
extra pillows for comfort and a favorite
stuffed animal to keep them company
at night. Keep lights down to a dim
lamp or nightlight to make the room
dark enough for sleeping.
• Keep electronics out or off.
Electronics produce a blue light that
sends a signal to your brain to stop the
release of melatonin, making it harder
to fall asleep. On top of wanting to text
with friends or check social media,
children and teens will give any excuse
to stay awake. Electronic devices are
best left in the dark at bedtime.
BAD HAIR DAYS?
If you seem to be having a stint of
bad hair days, maybe your body is
trying to tell you something. Poor hair
condition could be a sign of physical or
psychological issues.
Keeping an Eye on Your Hair
• Increase water intake. Dehydration
becomes evident in many forms, but
one lesser known form is brittle hair.
Increasing water consumption has
many benefits, including improving the
look and feel of your hair.
• Hair loss may be a sign of bigger
issues. It is normal to lose 80-100 hairs
per day. Feel like you are losing more
than that? Stress and anxiety could be
the cause. If you can’t identify specific
stressors, talk to your doctor. Excessive