Sleep is vitally important to your health, and your sleep quality and routine is an important topic to discuss with your PT.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and The National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, sleep disturbances and insufficiencies are a public health problem. Sleep plays an important role in ensuring your body’s systems are functioning, including immune function, tissue healing, pain modulation, cardiovascular health, and cognitive function. Because of this, when you come to Monument Physical Therapy, you may be asked the following questions:

1. How much sleep do you typically get? 
2. Do you feel well rested when you wake up?
3. How would you rate your sleep quality?
4. Does being sleepy during the day interfere with your daily function?
5. Do you have difficulty falling asleep, difficulty returning to sleep if you wake up in the middle of the night, or difficulty with waking up too early? (Possible indicator of insomnia if last longer than three months)
6. Do you snore loudly or frequently? Has anyone observed you stop breathing while you sleep? (Possible indicator of obstructive sleep apnea)
7. Do you have a strong urge to continually move your legs while you are trying to sleep? (Possible indicator of restless leg syndrome)

Written by Nicole Fraser, PT, DPT

Effectiveness of physical activity interventions for improving depression, anxiety and distress: an overview of systematic reviews

“Conclusion and relevance: Physical activity is highly beneficial for improving symptoms of depression, anxiety and distress across a wide range of adult populations, including the general population, people with diagnosed mental health disorders and people with chronic disease. Physical activity should be a mainstay approach in the management of depression, anxiety and psychological distress.”

Source: British Journal of Sports Medicine

Association of Daily Step Patterns With Mortality in US Adults

“Conclusions and Relevance:  In this cohort study of US adults, the number of days per week taking 8000 steps or more was associated with a lower risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in a curvilinear fashion. These findings suggest that individuals may receive substantial health benefits by walking just a couple days a week.”

Source: Journal of the American Medical Association

Why You Should Weightlift in Retirement—and How to Do It Right

Conclusions: “A growing flood of research has found that weightlifting produces health benefits for seniors, lessening rates of osteoporosis, heart disease, and even cancer.

There’s just one problem: Most seniors who lift weights are doing it wrong, according to a growing group of trainers.”

Source: Barron’s

The Effect of Reactive Balance Training on Falls in Daily Life: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

First, what is Reactive Balance Training? An emerging approach to reducing fall risk in people with balance impairments by using training that evokes balance reactions.  

Conclusions: “Balance training that evokes balance reactions can reduce falls among people at increased risk of falls. Older adults and individuals with balance problems were less likely to fall in daily life after participating in RBT compared with traditional balance training.

If you are an older adult and/or have balance problems, your physical therapist may prescribe reactive balance training rather than traditional balance training in order to reduce your likelihood of falling in daily life.”

Source: Physical Therapy & Rehabilitation Journal