• Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life. 

• The way you feel while you are awake depends in part on what happens while you are sleeping. 

• During sleep, your body is working to support healthy brain function and maintain your physical health. 

• In children and teens, sleep also helps support growth and development. 

• Getting inadequate sleep over time can raise your risk for chronic (long-term) health problems. 

• It can also affect how well you think, react, work, learn, and get along with others. 

Source: NIH

Learn more about the importance of sleep for you physical health HERE!

• Lack of sleep ages your skin. When you don’t get enough sleep, your body releases more of the stress hormone cortisol. In excess amounts, cortisol can break down skin collagen, the protein that keeps skin smooth and elastic.

• Sleep loss also causes the body to release too little human growth hormone. When we’re young, human growth hormone promotes growth. As we age, it helps increase muscle mass, thicken skin, and strengthen bones. 

• Not getting enough sleep can lower your grades in school over time because sleep loss can lead to more difficulty focusing, memory loss, trouble concentrating, and more. 

• Chronic (long-term) sleep deprivation leads to a plethora of chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, etc.

Source: WebMD

Healthy habits can help you sleep better and longer.

• Give yourself time to sleep. A busy schedule can make it hard to get a good night’s sleep. 

• Keep a sleep schedule. Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends. Consistent sleep is just as important as the amount of sleep

• Create a sleep sanctuary. Keep your bedroom dark, quiet, and at a comfortable temperature. 

• Have a bedtime routine. Avoid bright lights, large meals, caffeine, and alcohol before bed. Try things to help you relax, like a hot bath.

• Exercise. Get about 30 minutes a day, at least 5 hours before bed.

• Nap if you must. Aim for no more than 30 minutes so you don’t wake up groggy or mess up your sleep schedule.

• Don’t force it. If you find yourself lying awake, get up and do something quiet, like reading, until you feel sleepy. Journaling may put nagging thoughts to bed.

• Talk to your doctor. A medical condition might be causing your sleep problems.

Source: WebMD

Source: WebMD

• 60 minutes or more of moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity each day.

  • Aerobic activity: Most of the daily 60 minutes should include activities like walking, running, or anything that makes their hearts beat faster. At least 3 days a week should include vigorous-intensity activities.

  • Muscle-strengthening: Includes activities like climbing or doing push-ups, at least 3 days per week.

  • Bone-strengthening: Includes activities such as jumping or running, at least 3 days per week.

Source: CDC

• less tension, stress, mental fatigue

• better quality sleep

• a natural energy boost

• a sense of achievement

• more focus and motivation

• feeling less angry or frustrated

• a healthy appetite

• having fun

• improve muscular and cardiorespiratory fitness

• improve bone and functional health 

• reduce the risk of high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, various types of cancer, and depression 

• helps maintain a healthy body weight

Source: WHO & Mental Health Foundation

Exercise improves mental health by reducing anxiety, depression, and negative mood and by improving self-esteem and cognitive function. Exercise has also been found to alleviate symptoms such as low self-esteem and social withdrawal.

It has also been shown that exercise can improve attention, focus, memory, cognition, language fluency, and decision-making.

Source: NIH

Physical activity or exercise can take many different forms, take a look at this list for ways to get your exercise in!

• Walking 

• Jogging/Running

• Biking

• Active recreation, such as kayaking, hiking, swimming

• House and yard work, such as sweeping, scrubbing or pushing a lawn mower 

• Playing active games or sports

• Jumping rope

• Martial arts

• Vigorous dancing 

• Resistance exercises using body weight, resistance bands, weight machines, hand-held weights 

• Some forms of yoga

Some people are naturally more active than others, but too much training can lead to injury, reduced immunity, sleeplessness, and depression. Additionally a hyper-focus on the body can lead to disordered eating and a compulsion to burn excessive calories.

Signs you might be getting too much exercise include: 

• Anxiety surrounding workouts 

• Fear about or unwillingness to miss a workout 

• Significant body changes (bulking up or weight loss) in a short time 

• Isolation from old friends and/or reluctance to participate in former hobbies in favor of working out

• Loss of menstrual period 

• Restricted eating 

• Frequent injuries 

Any of these might happen occasionally, but it is a cause for convcern if any of these behaviors becaome a predominant pattern.

Source: Healthline

An opioid overdose is the physical and mental symptoms that occur after taking too many opioids.

An overdose can be life-threatening and requires immediate emergency care. 

Signs of an overdose: 

• Small, constricted “pinpoint pupils”

• Falling asleep or loss of consciousness

• Slow, shallow breathing

• Choking or gurgling sounds

• Limp body

• Pale, blue, or cold skin

Sources: Mayo Clinic and CDC

• Criminal drug networks are mass-producing fake pills and falsely marketing them as legitimate prescription pills to deceive the American public

• Fake pills often contain fentanyl or methamphetamine and can be deadly. They are commonly sold on social media and made to look like prescription drugs 

• It is possible to overdose the first time you take these drugs. See Collin's story.

Source: DEA 

Naloxone is a medication designed to rapidly reverse opioid overdose. It can very quickly restore normal respiration to a person whose breathing has slowed or stopped as a result of an opioid overdose.

Naloxone is a safe medicine. It only reverses overdoses in people with opioids in their systems. If Naloxone is administered to a person not experiencing an opioid overdose, the medication has little to no effect on the person.

Learn more HERE

Source: NIH

• You can get NARCAN Nasal Spray over the counter at pharmacies like Rite Aid and CVS for $30 to $50

• Huntington Hospital will give you NARCAN Nasal Spray for free if you ask for it 

80% of overdoses happen in the home. You never know who might be at risk, it's a good idea to stock your home with NARCAN Nasal Spray.

Learn more HERE