Health Pulse The truth about melatonin Can’t get to sleep? Don’t expect miracles from melatonin. According to sleep medicine specialist Dr. John Andrefsky, melatonin makes you fall asleep six minutes faster − not a huge difference, when you consider that some people take an hour or longer to reach Z-land. A synthetic version of a hormone which your body produces naturally, melatonin is widely available in pill or chewable candy form. While not recommended for chronic insomnia, it may help manage occasional sleeplessness or jet lag. If you normally nod off at around 11 p.m., take melatonin about five hours earlier. To ease jet lag, take it two hours before your bedtime at your destination, starting a few days before your trip. Andmore isn’t better: one to three mg should be enough. Using too much of it can desensitize your brain receptors. High doses of melatoninmay also cause drowsiness − especially if you’re older − because it takes longer to clear your body as you age. Finally, don’t expect melatonin to do all the work. Help it along by turning off bright lights (that includes your screens) before preparing for bed. You can also prime your body to produce nighttime melatonin by getting exposure to daylight in the morning or afternoon. Sources: NIH, University Hospitals, Johns Hopkins medicine Why your muscles are cramping Another gift of age: a higher risk of muscle cramps. While generally harmless, such cramps can hurt − a lot − and temporarily immobilize you. Most muscle cramps develop in the leg muscles and disappear on their own. If you get them often, it could signal: • Inadequate blood supply. Narrowing of the arteries that deliver blood to your legs can cause cramps while you’re exercising. These usually subside after you stop. • Nerve compression. Compressed nerves in your spine can produce cramp-like pain in your legs when you walk. Walking in a slightly flexed position (as you would when pushing a shopping cart) may dial down your symptoms. • Mineral depletion. Leg cramps may reflect a lack of potassium, calcium or magnesium in your diet or from diuretics (often prescribed for high blood pressure). • Underlying conditions. Medical conditions that boost your risk of cramps include diabetes and nerve, liver or thyroid disorders. To prevent muscle cramps, drink plenty of fluids, which help your muscles work properly. Eat foods that top up the needed minerals, such as bananas, spinach, sweet potatoes and avocadoes. Stretch your muscles before and after exercising, or before bedtime if you get leg cramps at night. See a doctor if your muscle cramps occur frequently, cause severe discomfort or are accompanied by swelling, redness or skin changes. Sources: Mayo Clinic, Long Island Spine Specialists Your ailing knees: manage or replace? Knee replacement surgery (a.k.a. knee arthroplasty) has the potential to resolve the pain and stiffness from knee arthritis once and for all. But it also carries risks, such as infection, blood clots and nerve damage. These risks go up if you have heart disease, poorly controlled diabetes or a weak immune system. Before recommending surgery, your doctor will probably suggest exercise, pain medication and/or injections. Focus on exercises that strengthen your quadriceps and hamstring muscles, which will help to reduce pain and increase mobility. Still no relief? Time to consider surgery − but make a good effort to lose excess weight beforehand, as extra pounds increase the risk of artificial joint failure. If you go ahead with surgery, you can expect your new knee to free up your range of motion, but it won’t make you move the way you did 20 or 30 years ago. Tennis court, sure. A mad dash for that corner shot, maybe not. Sources: Mayo Clinic, WebMD, Johns Hopkins medicine 42 | www.snowbirds.org
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzMzNzMx