You At Your Best

June 2017 • Mental Health

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16 | YOU AT YOUR BEST | NWADG.COM/YOUATYOURBEST JUNE - MENTAL HEALTH | SATURDAY, MAY 27, 2017 massage & medspa massage & medspa LaVida Massage and Medspa of Fayetteville 745 E Joyce Blvd, Suite #201 • 479.521.3232 lavidamassagefayettevillear.com LaVida Massage and Medspa of Bentonville 103 SW Winsted, Suite #15 • 479.876.8004 lavidamassagebentonvillear.com THANK YOU DAD. One Hour Custom Massage Session $ 49 95 Reg. $74.95 *New clients only. Accepting Medicare, Medicaid and most Long Term Care Insurances Providing Short Term Rehabilitation and Long Term Care Services Please stop by today for a personal tour or call us at 479.444.6108 4405 W. Persimmon St. • Fayetteville "You can trust Dr. Richards to make your hearing concerns his concerns. His confidence in his staff is heartwarming and it's quite clear they each love their work. From the first phone call to schedule an appointment, the friendly reception you receive upon entering the clinic, and the exceptional service to ensure you get the best solution for your particular hearing needs are just some of the reasons this clinic stands above." Wolfpack Hearing Clinic is currently accepting new patients. Call today to schedule your appointment. (479) 957-9300 It is recommended that you have your hearing checked annually. 2630 E. Citizens Dr. #7, Fayetteville Located in Kantz Center Intersection of Crossover/Mission wolfpackhearing.com 3024A Market Ave Fayetteville, AR 72703 479-444-0259 877-737-0202 www.homefrontairandmedical.com Air & Medical Supplies, Inc. A broad selection of CPAP & Bi-PAP Supplies Homefront Homefront How to Improve Alertness on the Job Throughout the Day A long workday can be both mentally and physically draining. As a result, offi ce workers and professionals whose jobs are more physically demanding than offi ce work may fi nd themselves less alert at the end of the workday than at the beginning. A loss of alertness as the workday draws to a close might be unavoidable. But professionals whose sense of alertness begins to dwindle in the thick of the work- day might need to take steps to improve their alertness to protect themselves from injury and to ensure the quality of their work does not suffer. – Avoid Caffeine in the Late Afternoon Some professionals rely on caffeinated beverages such as coffee or energy drinks to combat afternoon drowsiness. While that afternoon caffeine fi x might provide an immediate, if temporary, jolt of ener- gy, it might also affect a person's energy levels the following day. A 2013 study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that caffeine consumed as early as six hours before bedtime can sig- nifi cantly disrupt sleep. Professionals who reach for a cup of coffee in the late after- noon might get a sudden boost of energy, but their energy levels the following day might be lower due to a poor night's sleep. – Avoid High-Fat Foods at Lunchtime Foods that are high in fat should al- ways be avoided thanks to their connec- tion to a host of health problems. Such foods also negatively affect energy levels when consumed in the middle of the day. The University of Rochester Medical Cen- ter notes that the body digests and absorbs high-fat foods very slowly. That means workers who eat high-fat foods for lunch won't get the afternoon energy boost that low-fat, healthy lunches will provide. – Snack Healthy Professionals who fi nd themselves needing a snack in the mid- to late-af- ternoon can sate their hunger and give themselves an energy boost by snacking healthy. Avoid snacks like potato chips that tend to be high in fat and low in nu- trition. Foods that are high in fi ber and/or protein can provide a longer energy boost and quell the afternoon hunger pangs at the same time. Fresh fruit and Greek yo- gurt fi t the bill. – Change your Workout Schedule Regular exercise improves short- and long-term health while also increasing daily energy levels. Professionals who in- clude exercise in their daily routines yet still suffer from a lack of alertness in the afternoon may need to alter their work- out schedules. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environ- mental Medicine found that participants who were assigned afternoon exercise programs during work hours reported in- creased productivity versus those who were not assigned afternoon workouts. If working out in the afternoon is not feasi- ble, avoid working out too late at night, as the National Institutes of Health note that exercising within two to three hours of bedtime can disrupt sleep, ultimately hav- ing a negative impact on energy levels the following day. Professionals who fi nd their alertness levels waning in the afternoons can com- bat such drowsiness in various ways. – Metro Creative Services

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