Eyes Protection - Made for the Shade

Cataracts are caused by ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure, and new studies have found that light at the blue end of the spectrum can damage the retina and possibly lead to age-related macular degeneration.

Protecting your eyes from the sun is as simple as slipping on a pair of shades. UV-protected sunglasses will block out up to 90 per cent of visible light and 100 per cent of UV rays. Ensuring kids wear sunglasses is doubly important because their pupils dilate more than adults, allowing in more harmful rays.

Some pointers when buying shades:

• Non-UV protective sunglasses could be worse than none at all because they fool the pupil into not constricting, letting in more UV rays.

• Wraparound shades prevent light from getting into your eyes from the side.

• Expensive glasses do not necessarily offer more protection – always look for a 100 per cent UV certificate.

Getting a Quiet Night's Sleep

Studies have shown that the louder you snore, the more likely you have a medical problem. One condition associated with snoring is obstructive sleep apnoea, which has potential complications like hypertension, heart attack, stroke and early dementia.

Obesity is the leading cause of snoring. Other culprits include advancing age, anatomical problems such as having a small jaw, drinking sedatives. Sleeping on the back is also a frequent aggravating factor.

How can you quiet your snoring? Lose weight if you are obese, avoid alcohol before bed, quit smoking, don’t take sleeping pills and treat allergies at bedtime.

Give Thanks, Get Healthy

Science shows that a little gratitude can go a long way. Being thankful can be good for your health.

Research has shown that people who write lists of things they’re grateful for spend more time exercising and sleep better than those who do not. Gratitude is like putting on a new pair of glasses. People see things in different ways.

Like exercise, gratitude has to become a habit to work. And like exercise, it gets easier. Try it: keep a journal, pray or meditate. Write what you’re grateful for on index cards and toss them in a blessings jar to read over when you’re blue. Or put the jar on the dinner table to spread our gratitude and good health.

Nosebleed Alert

People typically get nosebleeds from things like dry weather, blowing or picking. But sometimes a nosebleed can be more serious:

• If the blood is still flowing after applying ten minutes of continuous pressure to the nose. Usually, pinching your nose should stop the bleeding within five to 10 minutes.

• If you have frequent nosebleeds. These could result from a bleeding disorder or an abnormal lesion in the nose.

• If you’re bleeding down the back of your throat, as well as your nostril, or if you’re bleeding from both nostrils. That could mean a deeper bleed.

• If the bleeding is rapid and copious, and/ or you feel weak.

• If you get a nosebleed as a result of a head or facial injury.

When Work Is a Headache

Migraines affects many millions of workers, with millions more getting severe headaches. Do not let pain restrain your career by follow these tips:

• Talk with your boss and colleagues - So they understand the need for time off or break from work. If your menstrual cycle triggers migraines, plan around it when you schedule meetings, and complete tasks or keep work organized so colleagues can stand in.

• Consider your work environment – Check your lighting. Daylight is better than fluorescent bulbs. Angle your monitor away from glare and watch noise levels. Keep lavender on your desk (its use dates back 200 years).

• Plan ahead – Put an ice pack in the work fridge. If a headache hits, you can place it on your forehead or the back of your neck Keep your medication close by in your desk.

Take Care of Your Eyes - Ease the Strain

As you age, you lose the power to focus your eyes, a problem commonly known as eyestrain. It is a gradual process that happens to everyone. And most people who spend long hours in front of computer are not immune.

The researchers found a significant link between eyesight troubles and heavy computer use among five per cent of 10,000 middle-aged workers. To minimize the computer eye strain, below are some of recommendations:

• Position your screen about 30 – 40 cm from your eyes.

• Have enough soft light coming from a source behind or beside your shoulder.

• Close your eyes for a few minutes to refocus them and help them relax.

• After about 45 – 60 minutes in front of the computer, you should take a rest for a few minutes and refocus your eyes on distant objects.

• Take time to stand up and stretch or, if possible, alternate computer activities with other tasks.

Stay Alert with an Afternoon Siesta

Few of us get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep a night, and many who have time to nap do not, for fear of spoiling night-time sleep. But sleep researchers say napping does not make nodding off at night more difficult, and it may even sharpen your mind.

Researchers gave 32 adults thinking and memory tasks over a four-day period. On the third day, they were asked to try to nap between 2pm and 4pm. For another four days, they skipped the nap but took the tests. On the day of the nap and the following day, they did better on the tasks, and the daytime snooze had no effect on night-time sleep quality or quantity.

You have a biological sleep need for X hours. If you can sleep in the middle of the day, you need it. Not all of us can take a daily nap. Luckily squeezing in a siesta on the weekend can help.