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As we get older, many of us experience more aches and pains. I have changed rackets and strings and wear a small brace on my arm to combat tennis elbow, but even so, sometimes ibuprofen is my friend. Taking common painkillers too often, however, comes with risks. One study found harmful reactions to over-the-counter medications lead to 178,000 hospitalizations each year. Find out why and learn which common medicines cause problems in
10 Over-the-Counter Medications That Can Become Risky After 50.
Which common over-the-counter medications do you take regularly? Do you worry about harmful effects they may have? Let me know at betsy@aarp.org and we may publish your stories here.
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Betsy
Agnvall, Healthy
Living Editor, AARP
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LATEST HEALTH NEWS, TIPS AND TRICKS |
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EXCLUSIVE CONTENT FROM AARP MEMBERS EDITION |
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5 Top Sleep Tips
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Sleep is crucial to our immune systems, hearts and brains, but for many of us, a good night's sleep is often elusive. An AARP survey found that nearly half of adults over age 40 say they don't get enough sleep. We have been featuring a number of articles about sleep in August and September. Here are some of the tips I find most useful.
1. Stay chill. Keep your bedroom between 60 and 68 degrees. Research has found that heat increases wakefulness and disturbs REM sleep.
2. Hello Darkness. Even a small amount of light when you sleep can harm your health, elevating heart rate and increasing insulin resistance, one study found. Turns out our eyelids don't completely filter out light. So make sure light from TVs, radios and other electronic devices is blocked and invest in room-darkening shades or curtains.
3. Goodbye phone. Don't bring your phone into bed. Ideally, leave it in another room. (I'm looking at you, kids and husband.) Not only can the LED light prevent your brain from releasing the sleep hormone melatonin, but scrolling and texting can keep you awake. If you must have your phone by the bed, put it in airplane mode or turn it off.
4. Worry early. If you tend to wake up and worry, as I do, try scheduling a time for fretting. Spend 15 minutes several hours before bed writing down concerns, making lists and thinking about the worries that go bump in the night.
5. Skip the snooze. Stay away from the snooze button. Sleep researchers say repeat snoozing is bad for your sleep — and your health. Instead, set your alarm for the time you really have to get up.
For more great sleep tips, check out our series of articles, Better Sleep for Better Health.
Do you ever have trouble sleeping? What helps you get great shuteye? Tell me about it at betsy@aarp.org, and we may publish your stories.
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