SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION:
HEALTH & WELLNESS
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.
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 a bed sanctuary. As adults,
nothing is better than a comfortable
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
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.
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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 hair loss could be a
sign of other health problems.
• Eat well for luscious locks. Think
your diet has nothing to do with the
way your hair looks? Think again. Hair
quality can change over time with
continual consumption of processed
foods. Keep a healthy diet full of
nutrient-rich foods including healthy
fats, dark leafy greens, and fish and
you’ll be on your way to radiant hair.