Turns out sleep IS good for you

In case there was any doubt in your mind about whether sleeping more is better than sleeping less, a study at University of Warwick and University College London with over 10,000 participants has pretty much cleared that up. Basically what they found is that people who went from sleeping about 7 hours a night to about 5 hours a night doubled their chances of dying from a heart problem.

So I know sometimes when you're busy sleep is the first thing to get knocked off the To Do list, but keep it on there. Being well rested will lead to more productivity, a better attitude toward the things that are stressing you out, and, apparently, less dying.

Stretch

Try stretching for 10 minutes before bed every night. It should make it a little easier to fall asleep. Do it for a week and see how it feels.

Actually, if you really want to make it a habit, do it for 3 weeks straight. According to my dentist, it takes 21 days (and you have to do whatever the action is every day) to form a habit. And he seems like a pretty knowledgeable guy. While we are on the subject of my dentist, flossing is important, too. You can floss right before you stretch!

Stretching relieves muscle tension, improves blood flow, and reduces stress. And, if you stretch every day, you'll get more flexible. Who knows, maybe some day you'll be able to do a split! and that would be cool, too.

The picture above is my favorite stretch. In yoga its called pigeon postion and it feels awesome. Here's how to do it.

Of course, always be careful when you're stretching. Don't push yourself too hard or do anything that feels painful.

Things to be happy about on Monday

I feel like, for the most part, people don't like Monday. Eff that. Why not start the week off being happy? So here are the top 5 things to be happy about on Monday.

1. Monday is a day for starting over. You can have a completely new attitude this week and it will be awesome.
2. This particular Monday is one day deeper into September which means it is one day closer to fall which is a lovely season and a time for wearing sweaters. This makes me happy.
3. You have renewed energy to do all the tasks you so couldn't bring yourself to do on Friday.
4. And for things that are hard to do, you have a whole week ahead of you to work on them. no rushing on Monday.
5. And of course, you get to hear about your coworkers weekends in the morning. This can be interesting, and, if nothing else, is a wonderful procrastination tool.

So happy Monday!

What is so healthy about being a smoker

Take a five minute break and go outside. This is why smokers are healthy. I mean, smoking isn’t healthy. Don't get me wrong. But taking a cigarette break is. Take 5-7 minutes and go outside. Even better, go outside and focus on your breathing and not thinking about work for those 5-7 minutes! Just be away from your desk and your computer. Looking at blogs does not count as a break. Sorry.

There's all sorts of research that shows that people are more productive when they take breaks. I know, you're too busy. but really, you're not. I promise it will improve your mood and your productivity and probably a lot of other things.

Note: In case it wasn't clear, this post is not meant to be an endorsement of smoking cigarettes. That's bad for you. And my official stance is don't do it (but man do smokers look cool).

The hot bath

Take a hot bath. This wellness tip is old school. It comes straight from my mamma, a healthy, and relaxed, and lovely woman. She is all about the bath. And when I freak out about something stressful or overwhelming in my life, she reminds me to take a bath. So if you have one. Clean it. And then use it. It feels good.

(as far as I know there have not been any studies backing up the stress-relieving properties of the hot bath. But to be fair, I haven't looked . If I find one, I will post it.)

3. Remember to breathe

Often we forget to breathe. It may sound ridiculous but we do. So just try to become more conscious of your breathing. Especially when you are stressed out or upset, but really any time. Just pay attention to it and slow it down. Breathe in for 4 seconds and out for 5.
Focus on that instead of whatever stressful thought was just running through your head.
Focus on your breathing while you're driving to work.
While you're talking on the phone.
While you're sitting in a meeting.
Focus on it whenever it occurs to you. Breathing is important after all.

Thats it for this one for now.