Turn off the lights at night – A study in The Lancet found that people who were exposed to the most light between 12:30 AM and 6 AM were more likely to develop diabetes than those who remained in darkness during that timeframe. It looks like it is healthier to keep the room dark at night.

Eating more fruits and vegetable may help you sleep better – Researchers from Finland looked at the relationship between how long people slept and fruit and vegetable consumption. People who ate fewer fruits and vegetables either slept less or slept too much. (Medical News Today, June 6, 2024) This gives us another reason to eat our fruits and vegetables. It is especially something to consider if you are having trouble sleeping.

Drinking coffee may lower health risks from being sedentary – Researchers in China found that people who drink coffee live longer than people who do not drink coffee. For people who were inactive and sat more than 8 hours a day, those who drank coffee lived longer. (A note on coffee – it has an antioxidant effect which can boost health. However for some people it can have some downsides like jitteriness and gut issues. You should work with your health care provider to find out if it may or may not be beneficial for your health). (Medical News Today, June 25,2024)

Having gratitude is healthy – A study of 49,000 older people in the nursing profession found that grateful people had lower rates of early death. Grateful people have also been found to have better cholesterol, better immune system function, less inflammation, less cardiovascular disease risk and less depression. This is something we can all do to improve our health. Think of three thing for which you are grateful each day and write them in a journal or offer a prayer of thanksgiving.