Life Time

We all have to make choices and sometimes, as an adult, it may be a good idea to make those choices in the late morning rather than the late afternoon.

In addition, naps close to bedtime (within six hours or so) will act to reduce sleep pressure (chapter 2), and this will probably delay sleep at bedtime.

The bottom line is that for most of us the occasional nap is fine, but be careful you don’t become dependent upon long daytime naps.

So stick to decaffeinated drinks or herbal tea in the late afternoon and evening.

Sleep apps can be useful in providing a record of roughly when you went to sleep, when you got up, total sleep time and how many times you got up during the night, and for this most are reasonably accurate.

Most of us should get as much morning natural light as possible.

Avoid topics like personal finance or sad topics in the news. You could ask your partner about the best thing that happened to them during the day, or tell them something funny you have read or been told, or mention something that your partner did that you enjoyed or appreciated.

Gastric acid secretion varies depending on when we eat, but there is an underlying daily rhythm with increased production towards the afternoon and early evening.

Aerobic exercise such as walking, running, cycling, rowing or using an elliptical machine is very effective at burning calories, and a minimum of 30 minutes, five days a week, is recommended. In parallel, strength training such as lifting weights, working with resistance bands, climbing stairs, push-ups, sit-ups and squats two times a week builds m