The Importance of Sleep and Exercise During Flu and Cold Season
October Wellness Opportunities in Your Community Plan time this October to get out and enjoy your community while strengthening your physical, community and social components of wellness. Take time for yourself, invite your family or meet up with friends to try one or more of these activities: •
Check out a fall festival in Indiana
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Plan a day to navigate the corn maze at Exploration Acres
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Walk the Outdoor Art Trail at Purdue
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Plan a day to bike the trails or hike and visit the Trail of Scarecrows at Prophetstown State Park
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Explore a new hiking spot in Indiana
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Go apple picking at Wea Creek Orchard
Many people fall short of the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night. With busy schedules, it may be tempting to stay up late, but sleep is an important factor in overall health and allows bodies to rest, repair cells and fight off illness. Insufficient sleep can cause many negative side effects, including drowsiness, loss of productivity and impaired judgment. In addition, people who get insufficient sleep have lowered immune systems and get less protection from flu vaccines. John Park, MD, a pulmonologist who specializes in sleep medicine at the Mayo Clinic states, “We know that our immune response is suppressed when we are sleep deprived and that we develop less antibodies to certain vaccines if we are sleep-deprived,” Park says. “It takes longer for our body to respond to immunizations, so if we are exposed to a flu virus, we may be more likely to get sick than if we are well rested when vaccinated.” A recent study published by the Sleep Research Society and the American Academy of Sleep Medicine shows that people who get less than six hours of sleep per night are four times more likely to develop a cold compared to those who slept more than seven hours. In addition to sleep, exercise also influences a person’s ability to fight off infections. In a 2011 study, subjects who exercised five or more times per week were 43 percent less likely to get sick. With cold and flu season just around the corner, it’s time to make sleep and exercise a priority.
Protect You and Your Family from the Flu
Popular Oatmeal Additions Oatmeal offers many health benefits on its own, but you can make it even healthier and more delicious by adding a few extra ingredients to your bowl. Here are some popular oatmeal additions.
These healthy muffins are rich in fiber and make the perfect graband-go breakfast for fall.
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Visit the Flu.gov for more information on the flu. It’s time to get your vaccine. Use the HealthMap Vaccine Finder to find flu
Oatmeal Muffins • • • • • • • • •
1 cup low-fat bakery mix ½ cup crushed oat cereal 1½ cups oats ½ cup sugar 2 tsp. cinnamon 1 egg 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 2 Tbsp. applesauce ½ cup fat-free milk
Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, combine the bakery mix, cereal, oats, sugar and cinnamon. Stir in the egg, oil, applesauce and milk (batter will be lumpy). Spoon batter into muffin cups. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the muffins are browned. Yield: 12 servings. Each serving provides 140 calories, 4 g of fat, 0.5 g of saturated fat, 150 mg of sodium, 3 g of protein and 2 g of fiber. Source: USDA