Health Pulse Tired all the time? If you’re like most people, middle age comes with an extra dose of fatigue. Before consulting a specialist, consider these everyday − and fixable − culprits: ▶Not enough sleep: Go to bed early enough to get a full night’s sleep − that’s seven to eight hours for most of us. (See “Bedtime Blues” for what not to do before bedtime.) ▶Too little or the wrong fuel: Eating too little will cause your energy to dip. Ditto for skipping meals. Sugary foods will give you a quick burst of energy, followed by fatigue when the sugar levels drop, so think twice before grabbing that frosted cinnamon roll. ▶Dehydration: Lack of fluids canmake you feel tired. If your urine is dark, you’re not getting enough fluids and you need to drink more. ▶Not enough movement: In a study of lifestyle in women, the less sedentary ones had a significantly lower level of fatigue. Feel like a snooze? Try a 15-minute walk instead. ▶Anemia: Anemia (decrease in red blood cells) may arise not just from iron deficiency, but from a lack of vitamin B12 or folate. In addition to fatigue, anemia may cause shortness of breath, heart palpitations and muscle weakness. Get a blood test if you suspect anemia. ▶Medication: Drugs such as antihistamines or antidepressants can cause drowsiness. In such cases, your doctor may be able to switch the drug or change the dose. Sources: onhealth.com, NHS, Web MD Bedtime blues Having trouble with shut-eye? Start with the obvious: no caffeine and no alcohol before bedtime. Alcohol can help you fall asleep, but makes it harder to stay asleep. It also disrupts your rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, leaving you with poorer concentration the next day. While you’re at it, limit non-alcoholic bedtime drinking to a few sips: a tall glass will probably send you to the bathroom a few hours later. As for food, a cracker or two can help settle your stomach, but a big meal or snack speeds up your brain − hardly a formula for drifting off. As much as you may want to catch up on the news, don’t bring your iPad or smart phone to bed with you, as the “blue light” on screens wreaks havoc with sleep. Don’t get too cozy under your comforter, either. Too much warmth not only makes it harder for you to fall asleep, it can hurt your sleep quality. Aim for a room temperature of about 18°C – the optimal sleep weather. Finally, put your worries about the next day’s chores − the trash, the dog, the oil in the car − to sleep when you get into bed. Making a to-do list before you lie down may give your racing mind “permission” to wind down. Sources: Web MD, Business Insider, sleepadvisor.org Why you bruise easily − and what to do about it Do you bruise more easily today than 10 or 20 years ago? Unfortunate, but normal. As you age, your blood vessels become more fragile and your skin loses some of the fat which cushions you when you bump into something. The upshot? More frequent and colourful bruises. Medications that increase the propensity for bruising include aspirin, blood thinners and prednisone. Fish oil and ginkgo can also have this effect. Talk to your doctor if you bruise more easily after starting a newmedication or supplement. If, along with increased bruising, you notice that your cuts and scrapes take longer to heal, consider vitamin C deficiency. Heavy drinking, another bruising culprit, can cause the liver to stop making enough proteins for healthy blood clotting. Protect yourself from bruising by removing the clutter from your home and wearing protective gear when you exercise or play sports. And, when you get a bruise, raise and ice the area of injury to prevent it from getting bigger − and call your doctor if it doesn’t improve after two weeks. Sources: Web MD CSANews | FALL 2021 | 43
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