Fitness & Nutrition
Name ways that FIBER can support your health.
It lowers your risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and colon cancer; It lowers your blood cholesterol level and helps to regulate digestion.
What is affected by our Mental Health?
Mental health includes our psychological, emotional and social well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and act.
What is brain health?
Brain health is the state of brain functioning across cognitive, sensory, social-emotional, behavioral and motor domains.
What are some benefits of socializing?
Reduces Stress; Reduced Depression & Anxiety; Promotes Good Brain Health; Improves Memory; Promotes Good Physical Health; Prolongs Lifespan
How many hours before bed should you stop eating?
2-3 hours before you plan to fall asleep.
What percentage of older adults have at least one chronic disease?
A) 92%
B) 84%
C) 77%
D) 56%
A) 92%
The main chronic illnesses of older adults are heart disease, type 2 diabetes, dementia, arthritis, and cancer.
Medication is the only way to treat anxiety or depression.
False
Challenging your brain with mental exercises as you age, is just as important as ___________.
Physical Activity
Socialization helps to improve what ability at a 70% slower rate of decline than those who do not socialize?
Cognitive
True or False: Sleep loss can cause mood disturbances.
True
What have you noticed when you have less than optimum sleep?
H
A
L
T
How many minutes of exercise should adults 65 years and older get each day?
30 Minutes
What foods contribute to depression?
Though sugar and other simple carbs (processed foods, etc) temporarily boost our mood, they create a carb-craving cycle that causes blood sugar to rise and crash and potentially cause more depression.
What are the most common neurological diseases in older adults?
Migraines and stroke
Socialization helps to decrease the risk for this and 18% of adults 65 & older experience it
Depression
Which hormone, that is produced by the pineal gland in the brain and then released into the bloodstream, helps control the sleep/wake cycle?
Melatonin. Darkness prompts the pineal gland to start producing melatonin while light causes that production to stop. It helps regulate our circadian rhythm that synchronizes our sleep-wake cycle with night and day.
If your circadian rhythm is off, you may experience daytime sleepiness or lack of alertness during the day. Late bedtimes can throw off your circadian rhythm.
Exercise decreases the incidences of what?
Stress, depression, pain, anxiety, brain fog. It can help reduce obesity, prevent heart disease and Type 2 diabetes.
What are the most common mental health disorders for adults 65+?
Depression and Anxiety
What are fun ways to maintain your brain health?
T'ai Chi, Arts & Crafts, Dancing, Memory Games, Learn a Language, Meditation, Exercise, Play an Instrument, Crossword Puzzles.
What are some ways to increase socialization and build community?
Volunteering, online groups or classes, share meals with friends, exercise classes.
What kind of socializing do you enjoy?
What are some functions of our brain that can be impacted by sleep loss?
Decreased Attention, Memory Recall, Judgment, Reaction Time,
What are some important forms of movement for older adults?
For bones and balance: Chair squats, single-leg stands, wall pushups, stair climbing, yoga and t'ai chi. Walking with an appropriate weight vest helps to build bone.
For endurance: Aerobic activities such as swimming or fast walking.
Strength building includes stretch bands and lifting small dumbbells.
What are some warning signs of mental health imbalance in adults 65+?
Changes in energy level; A change in your eating or sleeping habits; Withdrawing from the people and activities you enjoy; Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, angry, upset, worried, or scared; Feeling numb or like nothing matters; Having unexplained aches and pains; Feeling sadness or hopelessness; Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual; Anger, irritability, or aggressiveness; Having thoughts and memories that you can't get out of your head.
Getting support from your medical providers, counselors, health coaches and local or online community programs, friends and family can reverse many of these.
Chronic sleep deprivation can age your brain by this number of years?
3-5 Years
Individuals with limited social lives are more likely to suffer from...
Hypertension; Malaise or fatigue; Coronary Artery Disease; Cardiac Failure; Depression; Anxiety; Alzheimer's (and other forms of dementia)
What stage of sleep do we dream in? (3-letter acronym)
REM (Rapid Eye Movement) occurs 90 minutes after falling asleep. It is the stage closest to wakefulness when our heart rate increases and breathing speeds up.
25% REM + 25% deep sleep are optimum to maintain our well-being and health. However, older adults can do well with less REM sleep than other age groups.
Smart watches can be worn at night to monitor sleep stages.