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LIVING WELL<br />
“Sleep is important to our health<br />
and our wellness and to being<br />
the best that we can be and to being<br />
engaged in our lives”<br />
Stacy Peterson, NBC-HWC, Wellness Coach, works within Mayo Clinic’s Healthy Living Center<br />
in Rochester, Minnesota, USA. Peterson consults with patients within the Mayo Clinic<br />
Executive Health Program, which serves as a preventive health programme for busy executives<br />
in the demanding stages of their careers. The Mayo Clinic Executive Health Program is<br />
available at four locations: Rochester; Jacksonville, Florida; Phoenix, Arizona; and London.<br />
JULIAN RENTZSCH<br />
just had some concerns or worries or other things that kept you<br />
up,” Peterson says. “What do you notice the next day? Tired,<br />
cranky, sluggish, lack of focus, physical issues like headaches<br />
or stomach aches? It manifests a little differently in each of us,<br />
but all of these things are heavy and burdensome. It shows what<br />
we already know – that sleep is important to our health and<br />
our wellness and to being the best that we can be and to being<br />
engaged in our lives.”<br />
Sleep is a time for our bodies and brains to be restored. During<br />
sleep, hormones are regulated, learning is stored and toxins are<br />
eliminated (among other things) making it a crucial consideration<br />
for our daily functioning and performance.<br />
To improve your sleep, particularly when travelling, there are<br />
a few very simple steps that Peterson recommends:<br />
1. Stick to a schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same<br />
time every day, including weekends and across time zones.<br />
If you’re unable to fall asleep within <strong>20</strong> minutes of going to<br />
bed, leave the room and do something relaxing, like reading<br />
or listening to music. Go back to bed when you’re tired.<br />
2. Pay attention to what you eat and drink. Avoid large meals<br />
within a couple of hours of bedtime. Use caution with nicotine,<br />
caffeine and alcohol, as all can disrupt quality sleep.<br />
3. Create a restful environment, even when away from home.<br />
Keep any hotel room cool, dark and quiet. Avoid using screens<br />
before bedtime. Fans, earplugs and other devices can help<br />
create the environment you need.<br />
4. Limit daytime naps. Long sleep in the daytime can interfere<br />
with nighttime sleep. Naps should be short and taken earlier<br />
in the day if needed.<br />
5. Be physically active. Regular activity can promote better<br />
sleep. You don’t have to run marathons each day; simply using<br />
a hotel gym and stretching and taking a walk while on a flight<br />
make impacts on sleep quality. Be sure to avoid strenuous<br />
exercise close to bedtime.<br />
6. Manage worries. Try to resolve worries and concerns before<br />
bedtime. Set it aside for tomorrow. Stress management and<br />
meditation can also be helpful.<br />
“A physician here on our team at Mayo Clinic has a saying,<br />
‘Sleep will find you’. Remind yourself that when you’re tired, sleep<br />
will find you,” Peterson shares. “It can be frustrating, but your<br />
body knows how to do its thing.”<br />
Almost everyone has the occasional sleepless night or a few<br />
nights in succession. If you feel your sleep issues go beyond an<br />
intermittent occurrence, talk with your physician about some of<br />
the issues you face and whether clinical intervention or testing<br />
might be appropriate.<br />
MAYO CLINIC AND NETJETS<br />
NetJets is excited to partner with the Mayo Clinic Executive Health Program to bring expert<br />
medical, health, and wellness content that matters to you. With a focus on preventive health<br />
and wellness with timely, coordinated access to multidisciplinary care, including advanced<br />
diagnostics, state-of-the-art prevention strategies and therapeutics, the Mayo Clinic Executive<br />
Health Program provides individualised, comprehensive care to meet the unique needs of<br />
business leaders in the demanding stages of their careers. The QR code will lead you to more<br />
thorough information about this world-class programme, and your Mayo Clinic Executive<br />
Health liaison for NetJets Owners will be happy to answer your questions.<br />
40 NetJets