LiveStrong: 9 Realistic Health Goals
LiveStrong.com recently interviewed Vernon Williams, MD, sports neurologist and founding director of the Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute, and Neel Anand, MD, professor of orthopaedic surgery and director of spine trauma at the Cedars-Sinai Spine Center, about health goals that don’t involve changing your weight.
Williams focused on the importance of increasing quality sleep time on overall health.
According to a 2014 survey conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, 35% of Americans are getting “poor” or “only fair” sleep quality – which, according to their study – has a profound effect on overall health.
“Study after study has shown that even an hour or two less sleep each night for just a few consecutive nights can have effects on the brain that last longer than those few days of disrupted rest,” Williams told LiveStrong. “From delayed reaction times that can put you in danger while driving or working to fatigue and depression, 'burning the midnight oil' can have serious health and brain repercussions.”
Anand says the simple act of improving your posture could help maintain your everyday health. In fact, he suggests bad posture is one of the top causes of chronic aching backs.
“Good posture, with the spine aligned straight over the pelvis, helps maintain the body's natural curves, while a hunched posture can pull the muscles and add additional stress to certain areas,” said Anand. “The upper back muscles will become overly developed and as the lower back and core muscles try to compensate, horrible back pain may ensue.”
To combat this, Anand says to look at yourself in the mirror until you become more comfortable with the feel of a good posture.
Click here to read the complete story on Live Strong.
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