Volunteering in schools improves seniors' health, especially those with poorer health.

Seniors who volunteered in elementary schools teaching children to read for 15 hours a week for 9 months, were found to have better physical condition than before volunteering. Those in fair health prior to volunteering improved the greatest, with improved strength and energy, walking speed and stair-climbing.

PositiveTip: Volunteering to help others improves both mental and physical vitality of seniors.

Tired and exhausted most of the time? Try some moderate exercise!

Many humans today report they feel exhausted and tired most of the time. People who have well-defined medical conditions such as heart disease or cancer consistently report improved feelings of energy and less fatigue when they exercise regularly.

A recent six week randomized controlled trial of healthy young adults who reported persistent fatigue found improvements in feelings of energy. The subjects were randomly assigned to a moderate-intensity, low-intensity, or no treatment group. Participants visited the exercise lab three times per week for their exercise depending on which group they were in. Aerobic fitness was measured before and after the intervention.

Feeling tired & out of gas? Sleepiness interferes with daily activities in 1/3 of Americans.

Adults need 7-9 hours of sleep each night for optimal performance and health. Without adequate rest on a regular basis the risk increases for:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Obesity
• Diabetes
• Depression
• Inferior work performance
• Risk of injury
• Irritability

Those who responded to the 2009 National Sleep Foundation poll indicated if they sleep less than 6 hours compared to 8 hours or longer they were less likely to:

• Exercise (28% vs. 8%)
• Eat a healthy diet (23% vs. 7%)
• Work efficiently and well (21% vs. 9%)
• Experience positive leisure time activities (30% vs. 7%)

PositiveTip: Sleep 7-9 hours on most days to experience your best!