Retired from a senior position in Govt. Educational Qualifications include three post-graduate degrees, two in management and one in Defence & Strategic studies. Have had a long experience in operations management and administration. Presently studying on measures for improving quality of life of ageing population through diet, wellness, technology, personal development and travel etc.
Nearly one third of our life we spend in sleep. Sleep is as important to life as food and exercise. it plays a huge role in:
-regulating your mood, helping us to feel positive and calm
–improving concentration & memory and allowing body to repair damaged cells.
-in refreshing immune system.
– having a longer and happier life
–in regulating appetite and metabolism.
–In making you looks better & making you more focused
DOs for a Good Sleep
-Create a relaxing bedtime routine to prepare your mind and body for sleep.
–Try to maintain a regular sleep routine. Go to bed and wake up at nearly the same time everyday
-Make sure your mattress and pillows are comfortable and supportive.
–A room temperature of 20-24 deg is considered conducive to sleep
–Get rid of your of your screens and electronic devices at least one hour before sleep time
–Try to read a good book, meditate or pray during the last hour before sleep
–Make the bedroom environment comfortable, dark, cool & quiet to induce early sleep.
-Take short walks or do light exercises during the day to help promote better sleep at night.
-Being hydrated is key to a good night’s sleep. Keep adequately Hydrated.
-Eat around three hours before bedtime for best sleep results
-Try to get some exposure to natural light during the day to help regulate your circadian rhythm(natural biological process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle)
-Try & go to bed by 10 p.m.
–Turn off all screens 1 hour before bed
–Stop drinking caffeine at 4 p.m.
–If possible, take a hot bath one hour before sleep
–Use your bed only for sleep and relaxation
-Avoid stimulating activities such as using electronic devices or watching TV before bed.
-Try relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or yoga before bed.
Don’ts
-Avoid alcohol & high sugar drinks closer to sleep time.
–Don’t overdo late-night indulgences
-Don’t eat heavy meal & dessert close to bedtime
-Avoid nap during the day, especially in the late afternoon or evening.
-Don’t use your bed for activities other than sleep, such as working or watching TV.
-Don’t spend too much time in bed awake. If you can’t fall asleep, get up and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy.
-Don’t stress or worry about not being able to sleep. This can make it harder to fall asleep.
-If you have trouble sleeping or suspect a sleep disorder do not hesitate to consult a specialist.
Understanding Sleep Cycles
A sleep cycle is a repeating pattern of the various stages of sleep that a person goes through during the night. An adult typically goes through four or five sleep cycles per night, each lasting about 90 minutes. Each sleep cycle consists of four stages: stage 1 (light sleep), stage 2 (light sleep), stage 3 (deep sleep), and stage 4 (REM sleep). The stages progress in sequence and repeat throughout the night. During the first half of the night, the body is in deep sleep (stages 3 and 4) and during the second half of the night, the body is in REM sleep. The length of time spent in each stage of the sleep cycle changes throughout the night and can vary from person to person.
The number of sleep cycles an adult goes through per night does not change significantly with age. As we age, the amount of deep sleep we get decreases while the amount of time spent in light sleep increases. Additionally, Fifty plus adults may experience more fragmented sleep, with more frequent awakenings throughout the night. It’s also worth noting that sleep patterns and needs can vary greatly from person to person, and some older adults may require less sleep than others. It’s also important to mention that certain medical conditions that are more prevalent in older adults, such as sleep apnea, can affect the quality and quantity of sleep.
Ideally, you must get 7-8 hours of good quality sleep every night which work out to 4 to 5 sleep cycles, each occurring every 90 minutes. Since it takes the average person 20 minutes to fall asleep, going to bed 8 hours before you need to be awake is ideal for optimal performance.
5 Sleep Cycles x 90 Minutes = 7.5 Hours + 20 Minutes to Fall Asleep = 7 Hours 50 Minutes
Impact of Poor Sleep on 50 plus group
.Poor sleep can negatively impact physical and mental health of Fifty Plus in several ways, including:
.Decreased immune function
.Increased risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease
.Decreased concentration and productivity
.Increased stress and anxiety
.Increased risk of depression
.Impairment in memory and learning
.Increased accidents and mistakes
.Decreased libido and sexual function.
Benefits of good Sleep
.A good sleep can positively affect people over 50 in the following ways:
.Improved memory and cognitive function
.Better physical and emotional well-being
.Reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
.Increased energy levels and overall mood
.Improved skin appearance
.Better regulation of hormones
.Improved immune system function
.Reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety
.Better quality of life and independence.
How to get back to sleep during interruptions at night
-Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing, meditation, or progressive muscle relaxation. These techniques can help you relax and ease your mind, making it easier to fall asleep.
-Avoid stimulating activities such as watching TV or using electronic devices. The blue light emitted from screens can suppress the production of the sleep hormone melatonin, making it harder to fall back asleep.
-If you are unable to fall back asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed and do something relaxing, such as reading a book or listening to soothing music. Once you start feeling tired, return to bed.
-Re-ensure that your bedroom is dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature.
In todayтАЩs world, we cannot survive without information. We all seek information on matters related to our profession or business, as a consumer, for health, for knowledge, for personal growth, for socials, to keep abreast of what is happening in the world and so on.
Today, the volume, the speed of creation and sharing of information far exceeds the processing capability of any human being. Inability to process information as fast as it arrives creates a condition of information overload. If not handled properly it can affect your physical health, peace of mind and productivity.
Are You a Victim of Information Overload? To know, answer these Questions
Are you distracted every now and then by notifications of emails or text messages that come on your devices?
Are you being bombarded by hundreds of pages of information everyday through emails, text messages, social media and so on?
Are you receiving information of which most of it is irrelevant and of no use to you?
Are you habituated to checking your mobile phone at every now and then to see what is new?
Does the digital exposure make your feel fatigued and exhaustedat the end of the day?
Has the screen time on your mobile increased over a period of time?
Do you find it difficult to get adequate time to pursue your outdoor activities like playing games?
Is your socialising more online than face to face?
Is your sleep cycle disturbed. Are you finding it difficult to get a good sleep for 8 hrs?
Do you always feel short of time to complete you important tasks?
Has your working hours increased without corresponding increase in productivity ?
Are you tempted to go to unintended but attractive web pages while surfing the internet?
Are you a member of multiple Social networking and messaging groups and you are unable to cope up with the number of posts you receive?
Have you ever taken your devices to the toilet when going for the big job?
If the answer to any of these 3 and more questions is тАЬYesтАЭ, then you are definitely a victim of Information overload. First step is to identify and admit that you are a victim of Information overload. The next is to manage all the information that you receive and prevent it from harming you.
Extent of information overload
We have created more information in the last 10 years than in all of human history before that.
90% of all the data in the world has been generated over the last two years
Nearly 500 hours of new video is uploaded to YouTube every minute.
Only 0.5 percent of all data is ever analyzed or used.
By 2020, 1.7 megabytes of new information will be created every second, for every human being on the earth.
By 2020, some futurists predict information will double every 70 days.
Adverse Effects of Too Much Information
Easy availability of Information you need and use is a boon but being bombarded by information, 95% of which is not relevant to you is a curse. Huge volume of information is a double-edged sword. There is no simple method for quickly comparing and evaluating information sources. Efforts to do so increases the stress levels. It adversely affects our health and limits our ability to perform our tasks.Even after Filtering and segregating information you are faced with a problem of how do you identify true and genuine information from the rest. There are conflicting views, contradictory opinions and inaccurate or unverified pieces of information which leaves you more confused than before.Heavy reliance on computers and smartphones for online shopping and social connectivity has practically made every user a Digital Addict.Expectations regarding response times have changed dramatically. Laptops and smartphones have enabled us to continue working from home when not in office. Now weтАЩre expected to respond almost instantaneously. The demands placed on us have grown exponentially.
15 Steps to Manage Information Overload
1. Unsubscribe from the sites which are not relevant or useful to you. Always ask тАЬDoes the information from this site contribute to my professional or personal growthтАЭ in any way.
2. Restrict your membership to the number of social media and messaging sites like WhatsApp, Facebook etc
3. Do not open your email first thing in the morning. Fix time slots for handling your emails and text messages everyday. Segregate and Prioritise them into which requires action, which is only for information and which can be easily ignored. Always create filters on your e-mail inbox and in your searches to reduce the amount of information you get.
4. While seeking information, give more importance to quality than quantity.
5. Spend time in identifying genuine and trustworthy sources through research and keep this number limited. Always subscribe to these source for your information needs.
6. Collect more information only after you have analysed, assimilated and digested the information already available with you.
7. Do not add to information load of others by forwarding messages and emails which you feel are not absolutely relevant
8. Lay limit to you total screen time for social media. Do not exceed this time
9. While sifting information always put your mental filters on and ignore the irrelevant information straight away. Focus on what adds value.
10. For News, get feed from a news feed or news aggregator site which gives you filtered news of your interest.
11. When on internet, fix your goal and time limit. Seek information which impacts your work, life or goal within the limits fixed.
12. Follow the need to know principle. Concentrate on тАЬmust know stuffтАЩ and ignore тАЬmay knowтАЭ information
13. Your information in useless unless it is converted into action. Keep a check on your information collection and concentrate on your action plan. Therefore your information gathering must stop somewhere and lead to action.
14. Switch off and detach from you devices for a while and take a break
15. Exercise self control while dealing with information. Be the master to technology and not its slave.
If you follow these 15 steps meticulously, you will, in all likelihood, be able to able to float and even swim in the тАШFlood of InformationтАЩ
