Naps

When you return to Michigan for your spring break with no plans of leaving Michigan for the break what do you do? The weather outside is a beautiful cloudy and 29. All of your high school friends are still at school or in warm climates for break. So your options become quite limited.

Unless your past weeks of school have been an absolute whirlwind and you accept that being back was the best decision. School has been that of exams, projects, and presentations. Athletics have gotten you out of bed earlier than 7:00 every day. The need for social interaction has kept you from getting nearly the sleep you need. So what do you do?

NAP!

There are three types of naps. Planned, emergency, and habitual. Planned based on taking a nap before you actually feel sleepy effects. Normally requires you to know the stress of your day or that you have not gotten enough sleep. Emergency is just how it sounds. You get so tired in the middle of the day or activity that you have to take a break and nap. Finally habitual is taken everyday around the same time in your schedule.

Benefits of napping have been widely reported. Naps can restore alertness, enhance performance, and reduce mistakes. Naps also has psychological benefits as they can be relaxing and an escape from life.

Next time you are bored. Need an escape. Or are trapped in a climate in which the temperature doesn't get above freezing. Just nap!

Winter Days Make us SAD?

Everyone has their favorite season. For some it may be the sunny days of summer. Others could enjoy the blooming of spring. Many love the leaves of fall. I have even heard that some love the snow of winter. Personally I will always be a summer person as I feel there is no replacement for the feeling of the sun on your skin and heat in the air.

As I have attempted to adjust to the midwest and its seasonal changes. I looked into the impact that the seasons actually have on people's health. I was surprised to learn that each season actually has an impact on the human body.
Summer is actually known to have effects on people's decision making and thought process. Extreme lasting heat can cause mental well-being to deteriorate. Warm weather also has the ability to decrease air quality making it more difficult breath. Heat waves throughout the summer are actually the deadliest extreme weather known to man causing more death than hurricanes, lightning, tornados, earthquakes, and floods.

Fall  tends to have positive effects on people's minds and health. Memory is known to improve in the autumn months. Sleep becomes more prevalent. The leaves changing is not all positive though. People have documented an increase in anxiety in the months of October and November. Illnesses are also expected to begin to sprout up during the fall months.

Spring  an increase in temperature has a positive effect on people's attitudes. The body gets more vitamin D as the sun is in the sky longer. Energy is at a high as "spring fever" hits with people doing more and being outside more.

Winter makes people SAD seasonal affective disorder is most visible in the winter months. SAD comes with increased appetite, loss of interest, sense of hopelessness, social withdrawal. Winter also dries out the air in turn drying out eyes and skin. The cold months can trigger migraines. December, January, and February are also known to increase people's appetites as people are drawn to "comfort foods".

No matter your season. Each have their own effects on your health. Next time you think about the weather you enjoy dive deeper. Why?