HealthPont

For many people, a large part of the day is spent sitting: at work, in the car, on the sofa or in front of a screen. The issue is not that we sit occasionally. It is that sedentary behaviour can take up many hours of the day, often with very little movement in between. Sedentary behaviour is not exactly the same as a lack of exercise. Someone can exercise regularly and still spend much of the day sitting. The World Health Organization therefore considers sedentary behaviour separately and recommends limiting the amount of time we spend sedentary. What does “sitting for long periods” actually mean? Sedentary behaviour refers to time spent awake sitting, reclining or lying down while using very little energy. This can happen at work, at school, during commuting, at home or while watching television and using a computer. It is therefore not limited to people who do not exercise. The distinction matters: exercise and sedentary behaviour are not simply opposite ends of the same scale. Someo...

There are nights when our body feels tired, but our mind does not seem ready to switch off. Thoughts about work, responsibilities for the next day or a problem that keeps coming back can make it harder to move from alertness to sleep. Stress and sleep are closely connected, although the relationship is not a simple one. Increased worry can be associated with sleep difficulties, while insufficient sleep may, in turn, affect the way we cope with stress and emotions. Research therefore points to a two-way relationship rather than a single cause that applies to everyone. Why can stress keep us awake? When we feel that there is something we need to deal with, the body can remain in a heightened state of alertness. This can make it harder to relax enough to fall asleep. In everyday life, this may appear as racing thoughts before bed, repeated worries about the following day or the feeling that our mind is still working even though we are already in bed. Research shows that sleep problems are...

Ο Σεπτέμβριος συχνά μοιάζει με μια δεύτερη αρχή. Μετά από ένα καλοκαίρι με διαφορετικό ωράριο, περισσότερες εξόδους και λιγότερη προβλεψιμότητα, η επιστροφή στην καθημερινότητα μπορεί να είναι μια καλή αφορμή για να ξαναδούμε τις βασικές μας συνήθειες. Δεν χρειάζεται, όμως, ένα αυστηρό «reset» ούτε μια λίστα με δεκάδες κανόνες. Μια πιο ρεαλιστική προσέγγιση είναι να επαναφέρουμε σταδιακά μερικά σταθερά σημεία μέσα στην ημέρα: τον ύπνο, τα γεύματα, την κίνηση και τον χρόνο αποφόρτισης. Η καθημερινή ρουτίνα μπορεί επίσης να βοηθήσει στη διαχείριση του στρες και στην αίσθηση ελέγχου της ημέρας. 1. Σταθεροποίησε ξανά το ωράριο ύπνου Αν το καλοκαίρι η ώρα ύπνου και αφύπνισης μετακινήθηκε, προσπάθησε να επιστρέψεις σταδιακά σε ένα πιο σταθερό πρόγραμμα. Για τους περισσότερους ενήλικες, ο στόχος είναι τουλάχιστον 7 ώρες ύπνου κάθε βράδυ. Δεν χρειάζεται να αλλάξεις τα πάντα μέσα σε μία νύχτα. Η συνέπεια είναι πιο χρήσιμη από μια απότομη, αυστηρή αλλαγή που δύσκολα διατηρείται. 2. Βάλε περισσότ...

September often feels like a second beginning. After a summer of later nights, different schedules and less predictable days, returning to everyday life can be a useful opportunity to rebuild a few basic habits. That does not require a strict “reset” or a long list of rules. A more realistic approach is to gradually bring back a few consistent anchors: sleep, meals, movement and time to unwind. A daily routine can also support stress management and a greater sense of control over the day. 1. Re-establish a consistent sleep schedule If your bedtime and wake-up time shifted during the summer, try to move gradually towards a more consistent schedule. Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep each night. There is no need to change everything overnight. Consistency is more useful than an abrupt routine that becomes difficult to maintain. 2. Add more movement to your day Physical activity does not have to mean going to the gym. Walking, cycling, household chores and other forms of movem...

Returning from a holiday or a more relaxed summer schedule does not only mean having more responsibilities again. It can also mean changing our sleep and wake times, daily activity levels and the way we organise our day. For some people, this transition may be accompanied by tiredness, sleepiness or difficulty concentrating during the first few days. Fatigue, however, does not have a single explanation. Insufficient or irregular sleep, changes in daily routines and increased stress may all affect how we feel during the day. The picture is different when fatigue persists, is severe or comes with other symptoms, because other causes may then need to be considered. What changes when our schedule changes? The body follows biological rhythms that help regulate sleep and wakefulness. If we have been sleeping and waking later for several days and then suddenly return to an earlier schedule, the adjustment may not happen immediately. Sleep regularity is considered an important part of healthy ...