LiveWell Vermont

Feeling tired? Did you know there's still time to sign up for our Live Refreshed Challenge? Take some time to focus on your sleep health and sign up today! This is the final LiveWell challenge of the year! **Please note:  If you are working toward the reach your peak tier then you must complete two challenges and one workshop OR two workshops and one challenge before November 1st to earn the 900 points!

You may know that sleep plays a vital role on your physical and mental health, but you may be wondering if you're truly sleeping well. On average, an adult needs between 7-9 hours of sleep to feel well rested, however this can vary depending on the individual. Some people may feel great with 6-7 hours of sleep each night where others need 8 or 9. Figure out what works best for you by tracking how much sleep you're getting and how you're feeling the following day. Some other important factors for healthy sleep include: 1.) You fall asleep within 15-20 minutes of lying down. 2.) You regularly sleep a total of 7-9 hours in a 24 hour period. 3.) While in bed your sleep is continuous and you aren't lying awake for extended stretches. 4,) You wake up feeling refreshed. 5.) You feel alert and able to be productive during your waking hours. 6.) You don't exhibit any out of the ordinary behaviors such as snoring, restlessness, or pauses in breathing. ...

While coffee in moderate amounts has been shown to have health benefits, too much caffeine can lead to insomnia, increased anxiety, headaches, high blood pressure, and a more rapid heartbeat. If you've been considering reducing your caffeine intake because of these symptoms or because you'd like to reduce your dependency on it, you may be wondering how to do so without the awful caffeine withdrawal symptoms. Many people who give up caffeine cold turkey find they experience headaches, fatigue, and irritability, among other symptoms. One of the best ways to reduce or remove caffeine from your daily routine is to do so slowly. You can gradually reduce the amount of caffeine you're drinking daily and/or reduce the amount of caffeine in your beverage (for example: switch to half-caf coffee). Remember to check your foods and medications for caffeine. There are a lot of products that have hidden caffeine in them! Chocolate, some flavors of ice cream and soda and even s...

Starting your day off early can give you the opportunity to get in a workout, check off some to- do items, do some yoga, or relax with a cup of coffee or herbal tea before starting your day. The morning offers an opportunity to take some time for yourself before the buzz of the day begins. Did you know that a 20-minute moderate intensity workout in the morning can provide a brain boost for the following 12 hours? Morning exercise is a great use of your time.   Additionally, you can incorporate a few of these morning habits to get your day going on the right foot. 1.) Drink 16-ounces of water upon waking to re-hydrate from your 7-9 hours of sleep. 2.) Make your bed. Did you know making you bed in the morning is correlated with better productivity throughout the day? 3.) Eat a healthy breakfast. Your body needs fuel so it can tackle the day. 4.) Drink a cup of coffee/herbal tea while taking a few moments for yourself. 5.) Prioritize your day. Establish your top pri...