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Our Favorite New Year’s Resolutions

As we prepare to leave 2020 behind, many of us who don’t typically make New Year’s resolutions are actively setting goals for ourselves in 2021. Something about living through a global pandemic puts a sense of purpose and focus on what each of us wants our life to look like as we move beyond the curtain of COVID-19.  

Here are some of our favorite resolutions for 2021.

1.     Stop smoking or vaping. Seriously – just do it.

2.     Get healthy. Don’t just “lose weight.” Really get healthy and well – physically, mentally, emotionally.

3.     Eat better. So long, constant takeout or delivery. You had a year to learn to cook – time to put those skills to use and fuel your body with the nutrition it deserves.

4.     Get plenty of rest. Getting plenty of sleep is the key to staying well. (Refer back to #2 on our favorite resolutions list.)

5.     Be kind to yourself. We have all been through a lot this year – if you’re struggling, you’re not alone. Give yourself a break and keep your chin up.

6.     Say no. And stick to it. Are you a recovering yes-aholic? Admit it – it feels kind of good to be out of the fold. We all learned that we didn’t have to be quite as involved in 2020. Take that with you into ’21.

7.     Revisit your bucket list. Make this the year you scale that mountain, earn that degree, master that second language or finish off that big home improvement project. Time waits for no person.  

8.     Love what matters. And who. Forget the rest.

[okruee]

What reshade do you use 👀

It’s my own preset, it’s linked in my /faq!!

[floydvalleyhealthcare]

Don’t Skimp on Sleep or Self-Care

Up to 70 percent of Americans report being sleep-deprived nightly. That means there is a significant number of people who are not reaping the natural benefits of sleep. Sleep not only recharges us, it also helps us to heal if we are ill or injured. Are you getting enough sleep each night?

Below is a chart from the CDC about suggested hours of sleep based on age. See where you fall for what is recommended versus the numbers you’re actually logging.

Newborns (0–3 months): 14–17 hours

Infants (4–12 months): 12–16 hours

Toddler (1–2 years): 11–14 hours

Preschool (3–5 years): 10–13 hours

School age (6–12 years): 9–12 hours

Teen (13–18 years): 8–10 hours

Adult (18–60 years): 7-plus hours

Adult (61–64 years): 7–9 hours

Adult (65+ years): 7–8 hours

As you can see from the chart, sleep isn’t an area you should take lightly. It is crucial to cognitive function, concentration and productivity. Just as your phone eventually dies when it runs out of battery, you, too, lose charge without sleep.

The National Sleep Foundation advises that getting adequate sleep is essential to your overall health. Doing so helps to maintain a healthy blood pressure – lowering risk of conditions like apnea and heart disease. Sleep is a key component to maintaining a healthy weight. Skimp on sleep and your chance of weight gain increases.

There is also a link between mental health and sleep. Getting adequate rest nightly decreases risk for depression. Lower rates of both depression and suicidal thoughts are found in people who receive enough sleep.

Sleep is vital to our well-being and essential for our health. Next time you think about trading those few extra hours for an energy drink – don’t. Get your Zzzzs instead.

[floydvalleyhealthcare]

End of Year – Have You Used Your Preventative Medicine Benefits?

When we think about meeting our deductible, oftentimes we fail to ask ourselves if we have covered all our healthcare bases – including preventative care. What does that include? Let’s discuss a bit further.

Utilizing preventative care (think physical exams, lab work screenings, counseling and immunizations) saves you money. Preventative care is important because it helps you stay healthy. We don’t often think about seeing a doctor when we aren’t sick, but doing just that allows you to stay on top of your health and potentially head off any could- or would-be health issues sooner. Call your doctor today to schedule blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol testing, or early cancer screenings.

Many preventative services are encouraged and could be free to you simply for having insurance. Think of it as an added incentive in your insurance policy – it’s there for you to use it – so use it! Take care of yourself and use your preventative medicine benefits to make the best of the rest of 2020. If you are too late to get on the schedule this year, add it to your list of resolutions and the top of your to-do list for 2021. 

[floydvalleyhealthcare]

Socializing outside is safer, but not 100% risk-free.

Fall and winter mean people tend to socialize and move activities indoors. As colder weather moves in and we move inside, we’re giving less opportunity and space for viral particles to spread around. That can increase the risk of coronavirus spread.

If you do have gatherings, keep them outside if you can -- perhaps with a fire pit, a warm coat or a heat lamp. There are a lot of activities you and your family can do outdoors while accommodating social distancing and crowd recommendations. Try an old-fashioned hayride, trip to the apple orchard, sledding excursion or even a snowball fight.

Just because you're outside doesn't mean you can put your mask in your pocket and skip safety precautions. Outdoors is better but not perfect. If you’re mingling with people outside your household and can’t maintain the recommended social distance, remember to mask up.

One reason coronavirus is such a problem is because people who are infected typically are most contagious before they start showing symptoms. This means people can easily spread the virus without knowing it. If you're infected and sitting a foot away from other people, without a mask, you can spread it -- especially if you're in that very infectious period and showing no symptoms.

Moving activities outdoors can minimize this risk. And we’re Iowans … we are NOT afraid of the cold!