Published on: 18 February 2019
Last Updated on: 28 April 2021
You might realize that as you age, it’s not easy going to sleep anymore. Even if you try hard to sleep, it takes time, and it might be worse if you had sleeping problems even when you were young. Age will only compound the problem, but don’t blame everything on age, since your lifestyle might also have something to do with experiencing sleeping problems. Sleep Experts contributed a Sleep Habits Survey among different age groups to better understand sleep habits and their impact on everyday life. Try these tips to make it easy to fall asleep.
Have a warm bath
Before you hit the bed, take a warm bath since bathing in warm water will make you feel sleepy. If you soak your body in a tub for a while, your body temperature will drop, and it helps you easily fall asleep. It’s recommended that you do this an hour or more before bed, to give time for your body temperature to fall.
Calm down before you sleep
Regardless of the problems you might have faced during the day, you need to stay calm. Let go of everything that causes stress and read a book or listen to soothing music; try anything that helps you unwind. A significant reason why you might be having a hard time sleeping is that several things are still bothering you.
Do not eat or work in your bed
When you see your bed, you need to send a signal to your brain that it is time to sleep – the problem is when you eat or work in your bed. Train yourself to use the bed only for sleeping and if you try hard to sleep, but after 20 minutes you are still awake, get out of bed for a while. Wait until you start feeling tired before you go back to bed.
Do not sleep in the afternoon
It is easy for you to feel tired when you age. When you are exhausted, your first instinct is to find a place to sleep. Sometimes, it is easy to sleep in the afternoon because the environment seems conducive for sleeping.It’s okay to nap if you want to, as naps of only 30 or so minutes won’t bother your night’s sleep. Try not to nap too close to your normal bedtime, as these naps can affect your ability to fall asleep at night.
Schedule your exercise well
You need to exercise and hit the gym if possible. You do not need rigorous exercise to stay healthy; you can benefit from a moderate exercise like jogging and brisk walking. Make sure that your workout schedule is set for earlier than three hours before bedtime. Exercising keeps your heart rate up and makes it difficult for you to calm down, and sleep.
Take supplements
You need to select the right kind of food that will help you sleep well. If you cannot get all the nutrients you need from the food you eat, you can try food supplements. There are many different types available, so look for something that will meet your needs. For example, if you are aged 40 or over and hitting the gym regularly, then building muscle over 40 supplements will help you with your fitness goals and also help you fall asleep easily. See your doctor and ask which food supplement would be suitable for your needs. You need to be consistent in your intake to see results.
With these tips, you can look forward to a better night’s sleep. It’s okay to start slowly and build up your new routine. Make gradual changes at first and build an exercise, nutrition and anti-stress program that contributes to restful sleep.
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You might have heard the term “functioning alcoholic” and wondered what it even means. Then you might be searching the meaning of the term and what it means to be a functional alcoholic. Then let's throw some light on the meaning of functioning alcoholic for your better understanding.
We often relate alcoholism with people who are addicted and unable to function properly in their lives. This stereotype of alcoholic individuals seems to be not accurate. This is because several individuals who are alcoholics seem to function properly and deal with their daily tasks properly.
If this is the case then why are these individuals living a regular life while being alcoholic? While other groups of alcoholic people are addicted to alcohol but cannot function properly because of their addiction.
Therefore in this article, we not only discuss what is a functioning alcoholic but also how they differ from those with more visible signs of alcohol dependency.
Perception About Individuals Battling Addiction
Your concept or perception of an alcoholic will change when you learn how a functioning alcoholic person works. They are capable of living or maintaining a normal life while battling alcohol addiction.
At one glance you might not even know this person might be alcoholic as they are capable of doing all their daily duties smoothly. Therefore, why was this term created which means someone who is functioning even when dealing with addiction?
This challenges the common stereotype of an alcoholic person who lives an undisciplined and disheveled life. The term “functioning alcoholic” could be used to describe a person’s condition but it is not officially recognized.
In the field of psychiatry, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) doesn't recognize this term officially. However, several professionals use this term to describe a specific alcoholic person's condition.
So understanding the phenomenon of the functioning alcoholic is important as it helps identify people who are going through this hardship. When you recognize a functional alcoholic you can help them get the right treatment which will get them better.
More often than not, functioning alcoholics hide their struggles with addiction while maintaining a normal facade. So, it becomes harder for you to recognize them and get them correctly diagnosed. Therefore you must read this article to know how to identify a functioning alcoholic. So that you can help them get the right treatment for recovery.
What Is A Functioning Alcoholic?
A functioning alcoholic is someone who appears to live a normal life while dealing with alcohol addiction. These individuals you will observe can do all the regular tasks and maintain a lifestyle without alcohol overriding their lives.
Even being addicted to alcohol they can hold down a job and fulfill family obligations. Not only that they can excel in some areas of their lives without alcohol overriding their entire life. Therefore, it becomes hard for you to identify these individuals who look perfectly normal from the outside while dealing with addiction.
These individuals know how to keep their professional and social lives separate from their addiction. You see, functional alcoholics are aware of their alcoholic addiction which helps them hide it easily. They become skilled at hiding their shortcomings from the world.
However, this addiction of a functioning alcoholic does not affect anyone other than themselves. It does affect their own lives if kept unchecked in the long run. As they continue to hide their struggle with alcohol it becomes much more troublesome as time goes on.
Functioning Alcoholics Live In The Grey Area Of Addiction
A functioning alcoholic lives in the grey area of addiction where addiction coexists with competence. While they are functioning like a regular individual they also hide their addiction from their friends, family, or colleagues. So, they operate much more separately than an alcoholic consumed with addiction and a normal non-alcoholic.
So how will you recognize a functioning alcoholic when they are living just like any ordinary person? You see functioning alcoholics often rationalize their drinking habits as rewards for their accomplishments. So, if they can get their work done they reward themselves. Again if they do their duty towards their family they would reward themselves with a drink.
Again their coping mechanism of dealing with the stress of daily responsibilities is through alcohol. So when they accomplish their responsibilities day-to-day they reward themselves with alcohol.
But this facade of normalcy is fragile as they become more dependent on alcohol over time. As they start to deal with life problems with alcohol, this results in psychological issues.
Maintaining a long-term facade of alcohol addiction is not the only problem a functional alcoholic faces but health problems too.
High Functioning Alcoholism vs. Traditional Alcohol Use Disorder
Traditionally you could identify an alcoholic person from their visible signs of dysfunctions. These dysfunctional problems were frequent performance issues, relationship problems, and deteriorating health.
In contrast, high-functioning alcoholics may lead seemingly successful lives, masking their dependency behind a façade of competence. They may hold prestigious positions, maintain social connections, and even drink expensive wine without raising suspicion.
Despite their ability to keep up appearances, high-functioning alcoholics often deal with a significant internal struggle. They might spend considerable effort hiding the extent of their drinking from others and themselves.
This can involve elaborate routines to cover up the smell of alcohol and secret drinking sessions. Again a functional alcoholic persistently worries about being discovered because of their addiction.
You will see that the stress of maintaining a double life can be extremely problematic in the long run. In the long-term, this coping mechanism with alcohol can only affect negatively both physically and mentally.
Along with the stress of hiding addiction with alcohol and dealing with life’s problems a functioning alcoholic is bound to break down at some point. This will lead to their worst fear of revealing their true nature.
It's this dual existence that differentiates high-functioning alcoholism from other overt alcohol use disorders. Other alcohol disorders are more visible due to their impact on an individual's life.
Recognizing The Signs Of Alcohol Abuse
There are significant risks to being a functional alcoholic despite its outward appearance. Because their pattern of drinking can be more than seven drinks per week. This leads to health risks in the long term. Again continuous dependence on alcohol to deal with life can have adverse effects on the person’s psychology.
From binge drinking episodes to the inability to stop drinking despite its negative consequences can be some of the recognized risks of alcohol addiction. They may also experience withdrawal symptoms when trying to quit or cut back on alcohol consumption.
Recognizing signs of a high-functioning alcoholic can be challenging as they are good at hiding their addiction. Therefore, it's essential to identify these individuals and get them diagnosed correctly and get these individuals treated.
It's important to note that these behaviors can be subtle and easily overlooked, especially when the individual is still managing to fulfill their personal and professional obligations. Over time you will see that the consequences of high-functioning alcoholism become visible.
Be it strained relationships, personality changes, mental health issues, and physical health problems related to alcohol abuse. You will start to see its effects on a functional alcoholic.
Risk Factors And Consequences
Certain factors can increase the likelihood of high-functioning alcoholism, including genetic predisposition, environmental influences, and untreated mental health issues.
While they may avoid some of the immediate consequences associated with traditional alcoholism, such as job loss or legal troubles, high-functioning alcoholics are still at risk for severe health problems, including certain cancers and mental health issues.
These health problems can include liver disease, heart disease, and neurological impairments that may not become evident until later in life. The psychological consequences are equally concerning, potentially leading to depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders that can deteriorate the quality of life.
Moreover, high-functioning alcoholics may face social consequences over time, such as eroded trust in relationships, marital strife, and a gradual withdrawal from social activities as they prioritize alcohol over personal connections.
Despite maintaining a veneer of normalcy, the cumulative effect of these risk factors and consequences can lead to a tipping point where the individual's ability to function at a high level is compromised.
It is crucial to recognize these long-term risks and understand that the lack of immediate, visible consequences does not diminish the urgency for intervention and treatment.
Seeking Support And Treatment For The High Functioning Alcoholic
Addressing high-functioning alcoholism requires a comprehensive approach involving medical professionals, support groups, and rehab centers in Los Angeles, specializing in addiction medicine.
Loved ones play a crucial role in encouraging their family members or close relatives to seek help, but it's essential to approach the situation with empathy and understanding. Initiating this conversation can be delicate, as it often involves breaking through a wall of denial built up by the individual over time.
Friends and family need to be informed about the nature of high-functioning alcoholism, to offer non-judgmental support, and to avoid enabling behaviors that can perpetuate the addiction.
The process of seeking support often begins with an honest self-assessment or an intervention by concerned loved ones. This step is vital in helping the individual recognize the extent of their problem and the impact it has on their life and the lives of those around them.
Professional interventionists can be instrumental in this phase, providing the guidance needed to navigate what can be a highly charged situation. Once the individual acknowledges the need for help, the next step involves finding the right treatment program.
Treatment can range from outpatient therapy sessions that accommodate the individual's work schedule. Or a more intensive inpatient program where you will be required to take a temporary step back from daily responsibilities.
The choice of treatment should be tailored to the individual's specific circumstances, taking into account their level of addiction, personal responsibilities, and the presence of any co-occurring mental health conditions.
Throughout the recovery journey, ongoing support is essential for maintaining sobriety. Aftercare programs and sober living communities offer continued guidance and support, helping the individual to reintegrate into their daily life with new coping skills and a renewed focus on health and wellness.
Support And Treatment Facilities
Support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous provide a vital lifeline for individuals struggling with alcohol use disorders, offering a sense of community and understanding.
These groups facilitate peer-to-peer support and shared experiences, creating a space where individuals can speak openly about their struggles without fear of judgment.
Treatment facilities offer residential treatment or outpatient tailored programs designed to address the unique needs of high-functioning alcoholics, providing medical supervision during the withdrawal process and equipping them with coping strategies for maintaining sobriety.
These facilities often employ a multidisciplinary approach, combining medical treatment, psychological counseling, and behavioral therapy to address the complex nature of addiction. The programs may include individual therapy sessions, group therapy, educational workshops on addiction, and relapse prevention planning.
In addition to traditional treatment methods, some facilities offer holistic therapies such as meditation, yoga, and art therapy, recognizing the importance of treating the whole person.
The Importance Of Mental Health Resources
Recognizing that alcoholism is not solely a physical dependency but also a mental health problem is crucial. Access to more mental health resources, including therapy and counseling, can help individuals address underlying issues contributing to their alcohol use and develop healthier coping mechanisms.
These resources are vital in treating the emotional and psychological aspects of alcoholism, which often include stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health disorders that may co-occur with substance abuse.
By providing a supportive environment for open discussion about mental health, individuals can gain insights into the emotional triggers that lead to drinking and learn new strategies for managing these triggers.
Therapy can also assist in repairing relationships damaged by alcohol abuse, rebuilding trust, and improving communication skills. In addition, counseling can offer guidance on how to establish a balanced life. You can set achievable goals, and create a supportive network that fosters their long-term recovery.
Treatment programs need to integrate mental health services as a core component of addiction recovery, called dual diagnosis treatment. This integration ensures that individuals receive a holistic approach to their treatment, addressing all facets of their well-being.
As society continues to destigmatize mental health issues, the hope is that more people will feel empowered to seek the help they need without fear of judgment or stigma.
Ultimately, enhancing the availability and accessibility of mental health resources is a critical step in supporting the recovery journey of functioning alcoholics. Their lasting sobriety helps improve their mental health issues.
High Functioning Alcoholics: Is There Such A Thing?
High-functioning alcoholics can often seem to have it all together, balancing significant responsibilities while battling their addiction in silence.
They are typically individuals who, despite heavy drinking, seem to lead productive lives. They often excel in their careers, maintain social relationships, and uphold daily routines.
This can make it difficult for others and sometimes even for the individuals themselves to recognize the problem. as their success often masks the underlying issues.
We can help individuals struggling with high-functioning alcoholism by raising awareness and providing support. This will help them regain control of their lives and improve their overall life.
Conclusion
It's crucial to understand that high-functioning alcoholism is a real and serious condition. When you acknowledge its existence you take the first step towards addressing the unique challenges it presents.
With the right resources and support systems, you can improve functioning alcoholic individuals to live a life free from alcohol. You can find them the help they need to recover from alcohol dependency.
Therefore you need to know about functional alcoholism and identify functional alcoholic individuals.
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Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that can be harmful to human health due to its carcinogenic nature. However, if asbestos is such a dangerous element, why did people use it from the 1950s to the 1970s inside their homes? Well, it was due to its heat-proof qualities.
Typically, asbestos was used as insulation material inside houses. However, asbestos can cause various diseases, one of which is mesothelioma. It is a form of cancer that results from prolonged exposure to asbestos. It usually occurs when you breathe in asbestos fibers, leading to a malignant cancerous growth on the lining of your lungs.
Some symptoms might include but are not limited to high-grade fever, respiratory issues, muscle weakness, shortness of breath, dry coughing, and much more.
Finding out that you have mesothelioma can be devastating. That doesn't mean they should give up hope and count the days they have left to live. Sure, no amount of money will help you improve your mental well-being. However, compensation will enable you to pay for treatment or ensure that your family is well-cared for. That being said, let us look at a few steps you can take if you end up developing mesothelioma.
Research Your Treatment Options
While it may be impossible to reverse the lung damage caused by this type of cancer, you still have a few treatment options after contracting mesothelioma. For instance, if you contract pleural mesothelioma, some treatment options include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery.
These treatment options will help slow down the spread of cancer and alleviate some symptoms. Furthermore, doctors might ask you to undergo oxygen therapy to help you breathe easier if your lungs are damaged due to mesothelioma. Plus, they might also suggest you quit smoking to prevent further damage.
The effectiveness of treatment will depend on the stage of cancer. For instance, if your mesothelioma is at its second or third stage, your physician might recommend chemo or radiotherapy as a last resort.
Consult With Your Primary Care Physician
Once you've researched all your treatment options, talking to your primary care physician about which one is right for you is the next step to take. Your doctor will assess your cancer and provide you with a better idea of what treatment option will be the best fit for you.
However, the good news is that sometimes, the symptoms might be due to another medical issue altogether. After all, mesothelioma results from years of asbestos exposure, and symptoms probably won't show up until fifteen to twenty years after exposure.
So, it would be wise to consult your doctor to rule out all other medical conditions that have similar symptoms as mesothelioma. However, if you're already diagnosed with this type of cancer, your primary care physician will keep you under observation and refer you to a pulmonologist.
Hire A Mesothelioma Attorney
If your doctor has diagnosed your cancer, the next step is to hire a competent mesothelioma attorney. A mesothelioma lawyer will help you file your lawsuit on time. That said, there are two types of mesothelioma lawsuits that you can file; a personal injury and a wrongful death claim. In the case of a personal injury lawsuit, your mesothelioma lawyer will help you file a claim for compensation against your employer.
However, you will be eligible for this type of claim if you can provide information about your diagnoses like employment records, medical reports, evidence of exposure at your workplace, and much more. So, go ahead and hire a competent mesothelioma lawyer if you think that your diagnosis was a direct result of asbestos exposure at your workplace.
Search For A Support Network
There is no shadow of a doubt that a mesothelioma diagnosis will affect your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. So, searching for a support network for family and friends is vital for recovery. After all, it would help immensely to never feel disheartened and alone after receiving your diagnosis.
If you don't have any friends or family members to confide in, look for an oncology cancer social worker. They will guide you and help you search for resources to manage your mesothelioma effectively.
In addition, signing up for a cancer support group is another viable option. In fact, you can go online and search for such support groups with the click of a mouse.
Being diagnosed with mesothelioma will undoubtedly leave you in a state of emotional turmoil. While the steps mentioned in this article will allow you to improve your quality of life, don’t forget to prioritize spending time with your friends, family, and loved ones!
So, go ahead and surround yourself with people who will support you and love you during such a testing time of your life. not to mention, leaning on loved ones for help and support will enable you to stay motivated and keep a positive look on life.
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There are tons of supplements out there today, I would like to share some popular ones with you, the obesity I feel you need to know. For those who don't know what supplements are, they are a product that is meant to add a little bit to our diet, some can be taken in form of pills, capsules, tablet,s or oil. There are certain supplements you need to know right now to get a better dosage cycle.
They are extracted from different sources of foods or nowadays purely synthetic, they usually contain necessary classes of food such as vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids. Well, I’m sure you all learned that your 3rd grade and higher institution.
First off, I understand some of us don't completely get the nutrients we need from our food, so we rely on these supplements to help fill the gap, left for me, I would say we should all depend on food to get all the nutrients we need, but hey! We need these still, I’m also guilty of this too, when you live in this busy world, you'll understand what I mean.
Essential Supplements You Need To Know Right Now
There are certain essential supplements that you must know at your end while you want to make use of the supplements for your better health.
1. PROBIOTIC
Do you know your gut has over 400 types of probiotics, don't know what these are? Think of them as the good tiny bugs that help you digest food properly or good bacteria that help you fight bad bacteria there are also present in your - that sounds crazy, I know.
That's not all, they also help you fight infections that surround your digestive tract and control inflammatory bowel disease. What can this do as a supplement?
When it turned to a dietary supplement, they help you prevent diarrhea, cramps (no thanks to medications and antibiotics.
Before you head for work, make sure you take one as you will be sure to get a healthy digestive system.
There are other ways to get the supplements, some of which are yogurt, kefir, etc.
When shopping for probiotics, there are certain things you need to always look out for, some of which include the strain of bacteria and the dosage. bacteria aren't one size fits all come on different bacteria manage different conditions, make sure you look out for that.
2. VITAMIN D3
One of the vitamins that are trending in the research industry today. As a kid, we were told to stay outside in the morning to enjoy the sun if your childhood was like mine comma this was why your parents told you told you to do so. The sun is one of the major sources of vitamin D, I’m not saying you should stay in the sun, only a little bit of exposure can give you vitamin D. Don't get it twisted, there are two types of vitamin D, one is gotten from fortified foods (known as vitamin D2) while the other is gotten from the sun or exposure to Ultraviolet light (vitamin D3).
Vitamin D is known to regulate phosphorus and calcium in the body, according to the latest revelation, it is also responsible for I immediately the regulation of insulin in our body and our body. Both can also be converted to hydroxyvitamin D3, an active form in the blood.
If you are at higher latitude and you're experiencing winter, there's no way you'll be able to get the d3 you need, so I advise you get it from eggs and sardines.
3.OMEGA 3
I have a thing for this supplement, I take it every time, one of the reasons why I do so is because I'm trying to boost my immune system, and OMEGA 3 can help me do just that, research also finds it beneficial for heart-related issues, inflammatory response and brain health too. There are claims that it can help boost our mood and fight depression, improve your sexual life and make you sleep better all of which is due to the fact that it serves as a building block for a healthy brain.
Natural sources would be your Salmon, the dark leafy greens, walnuts and of course, fatty fish. I'm sure, one if not all of these are found in our everyday food, if no seems to be your answer, you can get it as supplements from a pharmaceutical company, they should also contain DHA and EPA, these are the two fatty acids that are responsible for keeping us fit and healthy every day.
4. CLA SAFFLOWER OIL
The CLA Safflower oil pills are a form of dietary supplement, the formula is made up of mostly Safflower oil when used, it helps to increase the mass of one’s muscle and enhance your metabolic rate. Experts have deemed it to be the healthiest oil so far.
There are two types of oil that are extracted from the Safflower, the first has a higher concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids and the other is rich in monounsaturated fatty acids.
The oil is extracted from a plant known as Safflower. You could either take the oil by mouth to help fight diabetes, prevent heart-related diseases including the hardening of the heart. And for those in the fashion industry, they make use of this supplement to for hair growth.
And for women who have menstrual issues, safflower oil can help treat that too. The main reason why I didn’t add it to the other supplement is that it is not fully recognized. Take for instance, in the United States, the Safflower Oil is not approved by their Food and Drug Administration, you will only find them in some FDA registered labs (that’s why I’m bold enough to add it to the list).
To take it, you will need to consult your MD, since it can lead to some side effects that you might not know of. The best way to avoid these side effects is to take it by mouth or inject the oil emulsion (Liposyn)
There are other supplements that are worth mentioning too:
Multivitamin
Protein powder
Green Powder
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