A dangerous healthy habit
We baby boomers are one of the first generations of avid exercisers. But recent research has shown that our enthusiasm for exercise is also leading to an unusually high number of exercise-related injuries.
In fact, one recent government study showed that sports-related injuries caused 488 million days of restricted work among adults in 2002. Another study showed that since 1991, there has been a 33-percent rise in emergency room visits by baby boomers for sports-related injuries.
Now, I know I'm always lecturing you about the importance of exercise, and that'll never change. But even exercise can't completely stop our bodies from aging and the gradual breakdowns that come along with it.
Research has shown that a combination of aerobic exercise (preferably 60 minutes of it, three to five days a week) along with strength and flexibility training (both about 30 to 45 minutes, two to three times a week) is the most effective way to make working out work for you. Of course, that's a lot of exercise for a lot of folks. If you can't handle quite that much, focus on getting as much as you can without pushing yourself too hard.
As for strength training, that means pumping iron. People who lift weights improve their metabolism beyond what aerobic training can do. You burn more calories and are less likely to gain weight. And everyday tasks are much easier when you've built even just a little extra strength and muscle with weights. But here's the catch and a very important piece of advice: You need someone to show you how to do the exercises properly.
Poor form in strength training can almost guarantee an injury, which means a lot of pain and no progress. So don't just walk into a gym and start pushing weights around. Find a personal trainer and have him or her show you the ropes. It may be a little extra money, but it's worth it. And fortunately, a lot of gyms offer free consultations or sessions with a personal trainer when you sign up for a membership.
Sleeping when you normally wouldn't
As much as I love to travel, there is one thing that annoys me: the time zone change and its effects on sleeping habits. After all, going to bed at 10 p.m. in Miami can be difficult if you're from Seattle and it only feels like 7 p.m. to you. Fortunately, there's a way to make sleeping away from home much easier.
In a study from Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, researchers found that taking melatonin supplements can help you get catch a few winks during the times when you're normally bright-eyed.
Melatonin is a naturally occurring hormone that your body produces after dark, mostly while you're sleeping. In fact, it's the reason that our bodies naturally associate nighttime with sleep.
I recommend starting with 1 mg a day. Work yourself up to 3 mg, based on your response. I've seen some people do well with as little as 1/2 mg, but most find that 2 to 3 mg do the trick. Once you take it, you'll notice it takes about an hour to kick in.
So far, the products that have gotten the best reviews and responses are Nature's Bounty, Vitamin World, Sundown, Puritan's Pride, and Pharmanex.
