When Feeling Burned Out

Burnout can and does strike anyone who’s under continuous pressure to perform or achieve.  Also, anyone who’s just plain tired of what they’re doing can burn out.

Burnout isn’t something that hits out of the blue. Rather, it is a long, slow process arising from repeated frustration and unmet expectations.

Here are some symptoms of burnout:

• Loss of energy
• Weariness
• Self-doubt
• Reduced efficiency
• Apathy

Different people respond to burnout in different ways: by feeling guilty or irritable, denying anything’s wrong, blaming others, or working even harder.  These responses are futile, though, and only fan the flames. 

Here’s what you can do to prevent burnout or nip it in the bud:

• Pay attention to any signals your body is sending. Insomnia, overeating, and other minor complaints may be signs of burnout.
• Ask yourself what you really expect to accomplish in your career or personal life. Are your expectations realistic? If not, re-evaluate your goals and make sure they’re reachable.
• Mentally distance yourself from work.
• Treat yourself to something special from time to time. A pleasant break, a change of scenery, or a slight indulgence can reduce negative feelings that often lead to burnout.
• Reduce work hours – if possible. Take breaks. Learn to delegate some tasks.
• Learn meditation or practice other relaxation techniques to help you through stressful periods.
• Pursue some kind of physical activity. 

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com

Help for People Who Snore and Twitch

Older adults – especially men – tend to develop two kinds of sleep disturbances. 

One is sleep apnea: Breathing stops for short periods of time and is followed by loud snoring. The other is nocturnal myoclonus, or restless legs: frequent jerking motions that sometimes awaken both the jerker and the person who shares the bed.

Sleeping with the head of the bed elevated can make breathing easier and discourage snoring. Since being overweight and drinking alcohol seem to aggravate both sleep apnea and myoclonus, losing excess pounds and avoiding alcohol can help. Sleeping pills, too, can aggravate sleep apnea, so people who have this problem should use other natural ways to get a good night’s sleep.

You may suffer one or both of these sleep disturbances and not even know it unless your partner complains – and you should take the complaints seriously.

Sleep apnea may seem like nothing more than a nuisance, but it can be life-threatening if left untreated. If you or your partner has this problem, see a doctor.

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com 

Guard Against Denture Trouble

Dentures require active care, not just a nightly soak. Improper denture care leads to bad breath, unsightly stains, diseased gums, and damage to the dentures. Daily dental hygiene should include these measures:

• Brush your tongue and gums with a soft brush to keep your breath fresh and your gums healthy.
• Brush your dentures at least once a day with denture-cleaning products.
• Rinse your mouth with a mild salt-water solution (1 teaspoon of ordinary table salt in ½ cup warm water) after meals and before going to bed.
• Don’t leave your dentures where they can be lost or accidentally damaged.

How you eat can also protect your dentures, so take these precautions:

• Cut your food into bite-size pieces.
• Chew your food slowly and avoid biting down hard.
• Dentures make your mouth less sensitive to both heat and cold. So check the temperature of food and beverages before eating or drinking to avoid burning yourself.

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com 

Guide Against Macular Degeneration

Macular degeneration is the most common cause of blindness for those over 55 years of age. The central part of the retina (the macula) deteriorates, leading to loss of central, or “straight ahead” vision. One or both eyes may be affected.

If you’re 40 or older, you should have annual eye exam to check for macular degeneration.

Ask your ophthalmologist about home testing for signs of further degeneration. A simple home screening device is available from most ophthalmologists.

Talk with your doctor about laser treatments, which may be effective for 10 to 20 percent of those with macular degeneration that’s detected early.

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com

Hearing Loss

Do people seem to mumble a lot lately? Do you lose the thread of conversation at the dinner table or at family gatherings? Does your family repeatedly ask you to turn down the volume on the TV or radio?

These are signs of gradual, age-related hearing loss called presbycusis. High-pitched sounds are especially difficult to discern. Another way to detect this problem is to hold a watch to your ear. If you can’t hear it ticking, see an otolaryngologist (a physician who treats disorders of the ear, nose and throat) or an otologist (a physician who specializes in ear disorders).

You should also get help if one or both ears ring continuously, or if loud noises cause pain in your ears.

Hearing loss from presbycusis cannot be restored, but hearing aids, along with the following self-help methods, are helpful:

• Ask people to speak clearly, distinctly, and in a normal tone.
• Look at people when they are talking to you. Watch their expressions to help you understand what they are saying. Ask them to face you.
• Try to limit background noise when having a conversation.
• To rely on sight instead of sound, install a buzzer, flasher, or amplifier on your telephone, door chime, and alarm clock.

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com 

Preventing Osteoporosis

Everyone’s bones lose density after age 40. In women, menopause accelerates the loss, especially if they’re thin or small-boned, have red or blond hair, or have never had any children. Smoking, a sedentary life, taking corticosteroids, and eating too few-containing foods also increase the risk. And the earlier you reach menopause, the higher the risk. 

Women who have a family history of osteoporosis, hyperthyroidism, hyperparathyroidism, and certain forms of bone cancer are also at risk.

To prevent or slow osteoporosis, take these steps:

• Be sure your diet includes a minimum of 1,000 milligrams a day of calcium (if you are premenopausal) or 1,500 milligrams a day (if you’re menopausal). High-calcium foods include: low-fat dairy products, beans, bean sprouts, soybean curd, broccoli, kale, and sunflower seeds.
• Cut back on sodium and salt.
• Begin a program of regular, weight-bearing exercise like walking, jogging, biking, or low-impact or non-impact aerobics.

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com 

3 Ways to Unwind Using Imagination

Imagination can make a cloudy day sunny and overpower stress. Here are the 3 ways to create mental pictures that offset daily stressors:

Music.  Choose a recording you find soothing. Find a quiet, calming environment to listen to it.  Feel yourself becoming part of this calming environment of sound, a physical extension of every note.  If your thoughts stray, simply release them and refocus on the music.  When the music ends, compare the way you feel to how you felt before listening to it. You should feel more relaxed.

Colors.  Imagine two colors, one (like bright red) representing tension, and other (like pale blue) representing relaxation.  Close your eyes and imagine that your muscels are the “tense” color.  Then imagine each muscle changing to the “relaxation” color.  End the exercise by imagining that your entire body is now vivid hue of the relaxation color (like vivid blue), symbolizing complete relaxation.

Paint a picture. If you have trouble visualizing abstract concepts like tension and relaxation, substitute concrete images that connote these feelings.  Use symbols that can interact, like jagged rocks to symbolize tension and rolling waves to symbolize relaxation.  Then imagine the waves slowly smoothing out the surface of the rocks. An alternative: imagine warm sunlight (relaxation) gradually melting icicles (tension) until they disappear.

Used with permission from A Year of Health Hints by Don R Powell, PHD and the American Institute for Preventive Medicine, copyright 2010. www.healthylife.com