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A long workday can be both mentally and physically draining. As a result, office workers and professionals whose jobs are more physically demanding than office work may find themselves less alert at the end of the workday than at the beginning.

A loss of alertness as the workday draws to a close might be unavoidable. But professionals whose sense of alertness begins to dwindle in the thick of the workday might need to take steps to improve their alertness to protect themselves from injury and to ensure the quality of their work does not suffer.

Avoid caffeine in the late afternoon. Some professionals rely on caffeinated beverages such as coffee or energy drinks to combat afternoon drowsiness. While that afternoon caffeine fix might provide an immediate, if temporary, jolt of energy, it might also affect a person's energy levels the following day. A 2013 study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that caffeine consumed as early as six hours before bedtime can significantly disrupt sleep. Professionals who reach for a cup of coffee in the late afternoon might get a sudden boost of energy, but their energy levels the following day might be lower due to a poor night's sleep.

Avoid high-fat foods at lunchtime. Foods that are high in fat should always be avoided thanks to their connection to a host of health problems. Such foods also negatively affect energy levels when consumed in the middle of the day. The University of Rochester Medical Center notes that the body digests and absorbs high-fat foods very slowly. That means workers who eat high-fat foods for lunch won't get the afternoon energy boost that low-fat, healthy lunches will provide.

Snack healthy. Professionals who find themselves needing a snack in the mid- to late-afternoon can sate their hunger and give themselves an energy boost by snacking healthy. Avoid snacks like potato chips that tend to be high in fat and low in nutrition. Foods that are high in fiber and/or protein can provide a longer energy boost and quell the afternoon hunger pangs at the same time. Fresh fruit and Greek yogurt fit the bill.

Change your workout schedule. Regular exercise improves short- and long-term health while also increasing daily energy levels. Professionals who include exercise in their daily routines yet still suffer from a lack of alertness in the afternoon may need to alter their workout schedules. A 2011 study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that participants who were assigned afternoon exercise programs during work hours reported increased productivity versus those who were not assigned afternoon workouts. If working out in the afternoon is not feasible, avoid working out too late at night, as the National Institutes of Health note that exercising within two to three hours of bedtime can disrupt sleep, ultimately having a negative impact on energy levels the following day.

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How to improve alertness during the workday - Bucks County Courier Times

By Casey White/cwhite@shelbystar.com

SHELBY The Dover Foundation YMCA has made it easier for people with chronic conditions like arthritis to exercise with a new program.

The local YMCAs EnhanceFitness classes started last year, and are geared towards older adults and those with conditions like arthritis. The low impact workouts use wrist and ankle weights rather than dumbbells and focus cardio, strength training and flexibility.

We just wanted to expand our programs for chronic disease in the community, Debbie Phifer, active older adults coordinator at the Dover Foundation YMCA, said.

The classes fall under the umbrella of chronic disease program and lessons the Dover Foundation YMCAs has to offer, like those for diabetes and cancer. The EnhanceFitness classes are offered at various YMCA locations across the country. The classes will be offered at the Ruby C. Hunt YMCA in Boiling Springs later this year.

The 60 minute EnhanceFitness classes take place three times a week over a 16-week period. Participants can do the exercises seated or standing, with many starting seated and working their way to standing exercises during the course of the class.

Everyone gets to set their own goals at the beginning of the program, and go through a pre-assessment along with progress checks and a final measure at the end of the program.

Phifer said a woman from the first session used a cane to walk when she started the class, and transitioned from seated exercises to standing over the course of the 16 weeks. By the end of the class, the woman lost 30 pounds, gained confidence and was able to walk without a cane.

Were seeing them reach their goals, so thats amazing, Phifer said.

According to the YMCAs EnhanceFitness guide, research shows that healthcare costs were lowered by close to $1,000 each year for those who have participated in the class.

The Dover Foundation YMCA is offering a free demo of the class at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12. The demo will give people a chance to see if they are interested in the class before committing to the 16 week course.

Those interested in signing up for the EnhanceFitness demo or the class can contact Phifer at 704-669-3637.

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Expanding programs - Shelby Star

Post Register

Departing fitness instructor left mark on Salmon Post Register Although the couple say they have positive feelings about this new chapter, Barkley adds it will be heart-wrenching to say goodbye to her dozen or so students who attend so-called chair exercise classes twice weekly in the senior center at City Hall ...

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Departing fitness instructor left mark on Salmon - Post Register

We have sprung our clocks ahead an hour. Many spring birds have returned. Some trees, shrubs and plants are beginning to bud.

Spring is in the air and the calendar will indicate it soon as well. With spring in mind, its time to shake off the winter blahs, grab your yoga mat or lace up the running shoes and get to moving.

Some older people may have slowed down in the winter months; however, experts say its important to stay active all year long, especially for elders. Some proven benefits as a result of exercise are lower blood pressure; improved sleep and mood; less fatigue, joint pain and constipation; and better weight control.

But, its never too late so, start to get more active this spring. Here are some tips for elders to get in shape:

Walking: Climate control and even surfaces make mall (or large store) walking a great way to stay in shape. Many malls even have walking clubs.

Aerobics/yoga: Sign up for aerobics or yoga classes at a senior, community or wellness center, or local YMCA.

Exercise buddy/group: Get an exercise buddy or join an active group. The support is helpful for staying on track, especially if you dont feel like exercising & it helps to have someone checking on you.

Swimming: heck into the local YMCA, community colleges, fitness centers or gyms many will have times, and perhaps classes, specifically for elders.

Use stairs: If its safe to do so, take the stairs. Stair climbing uses the same muscles necessary for keeping your balance while rising from a chair, so it is important to keep these muscles strong.

Make little changes: Parking farther away from church, or a store entrance and walking the extra distance (when its safe to do so). Every movement helps, even the little ones.

Dancing: Ballroom dancing improves flexibility and balance, square dancing and aerobic dancing improves cardiovascular fitness. Check out classes in your area; or dances you can attend.

Exercise programs: Find exercise programs on TV, DVD, on a computer program or phone ap to make it simpler to exercise at home. Experts suggest elders first check with their doctor before starting any exercise routine. Remember to warm up before, and cool down & stretch after any exercise activity to lower risk for injury.

Other tips for successful exercising include:

wearing comfortable shoes with rubber grips to prevent falls,

wearing sunscreen if your exercises take you outdoors,

drinking water to stay hydrated,

making increased physical activity part of a daily routine, and

setting an exercise goal for cardiovascular fitness and resistance (strengthening) exercise.

Being active is important to healthy aging. Remember not all exercise has to be organized, nor does it have to be viewed as a chore. Choose to move safely as often as you can and choose to start your day with a positive attitude whenever possible.

Rachelle Congdon is the senior living counselor at The Heritage at Meridian Gardens.

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Congdon: Elders should spring forward with exercise - Columbus Telegram

If youve ever visited downtown Ithaca youve probably heard a lot of commotion at 119 West Court Street.

The excitement is coming from Lifelong, a place where individuals 50 and older can come to enjoy themselves, make new friends, get exercise, learn, have social interaction and so much more.

Whats also special about Lifelong is that its been around since 1952, celebrating 65 years of operation this year.

In 1951 the Council of Social Agencies was discussing the social and economic issues that affected older people. It was decided that a community organization was needed to address those needs.

In 1952 the Tompkins County Senior Citizens Council, Inc. was established under the direction of Jeanette McCay. By 2004 Lifelong was adopted as the councils Doing Business As Name (DBA).

Lifelong is a member agency of the United Way. Its mission is to enhance the lives of older adults in Tompkins County. Lifelong achieves its mission through health and wellness, learning, exercise, recreation, travel, life planning and volunteer programs.

There is Lifelong activity and Lifelong learning.

A lot has changed in 65 years, said executive director Lucia Sacco, who has been at Lifelong for about a year. Weve been able to cut costs and end up in the black this last fiscal year.

Were also tying to appeal to the younger seniors as well.

Residents coming to Lifelong will find access to parking, a lounge, a kitchen, an exercise programs, trips to various places and events and more. One of the trips being planned this year is Americas Music Cities featuring New Orleaans, Memphis and Nashville.

The trip will be Sept. 24-Oct. 1. A travel presentation will take place on Wednesday, Feb. 15 at 10 a.m.

RSVP by calling Tammy Dunn at (607) 273-1511 ext 231.

Other activities include Tai Chi, clay class, strength training, Parkinsons exercise group, open computer lab, watercolor studio, chair yoga, Zumba gold, modern dance, knitting circle, Majhong, The Plays the Thing, book club, womens spirit circle social group, mens group and square dancing.

Im proud of what we have, Sacco stated. Its especially gratifying to see how it affects residents.

We are grateful for all of the support from Tompkins County, United Way, the Town of Ithaca, the Tompkins County Office for the Aging for all of the support.

Lifelong also offers a variety of classes throughout the year. Courses cover topics in arts and films, finance, gardening and outdoors, humanities, languages, offsite courses, political issues, science and technology, wellness and health and sundry topics. A catalog listing is available at http://www.tclifelong.org.

We are lucky we can offer those to residents, Sacco said.

Along with the many activities Lifelong offers, it also helps residents with free tax preparation and free Medicare counseling.

We have volunteer counselors who are IRS trained, Sacco said. Last year they helped 794 people receive over $600,000 in refunds to Tompkins County residents.

Membership for Lifelong is open to anyone 50 years and up. Annual membership dues are $25 for individuals and $40 for households of two. A form can be filled out at the office.

There is also a publication called the Senior Circle, which is distributed quarterly to over 10,000 people.

Sacco said Lifelong will be celebrating its 65th anniversary all year long. The first event will be a Murder Mystery Dinner on Sunday, March 19 at 5 p.m.

It is sponsored by Tompkins Trust Company and will be at the IC Emerson Suites. The cost is $50 per person.

Tickets are only available in advance and sold at Lifelong, 119 W. Court Street.

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Lifelong Enhances Lives of Residents - ithaca.com

The residents of the Foothill Village senior living community in Angels Camp have a variety of physical fitness activities they can participate in, all under the humorous and watchful eye of longtime fitness instructor JoAnne Jo Ingram.

Throughout the week, residents can choose cross-training with seven exercise stations, yoga or the Sit and Fit exercise class.

I enjoy it very much, said Betty Kane, 86, of her participation in the Sit and Fit program.

During the winter months, the classes are held inside. As the weather warms, residents exercise outdoors under the facilitys grand portico.

Ingram has been with Foothill Village for 16 years. She carefully incorporates stretching, breathing, light weights and cardiovascular exercises into her Sit and Fit program, all combined with music that brings back fun memories for the residents.

I remember this song from high school, said Mary Buchanan, 93, of the Glenn Miller song String of Pearls.

The residents, not shy, broke into song when Daisy and Wild About Mary were played.

Throughout the program, Ingram tells fun stories and has the residents sing and count.

If you arent panting after this exercise, then you didnt do it right, she says, explaining how incorporating the use of the lungs and deep breathing is advantageous to good health.

Carol Klemstein, 68, a temporary resident recovering from hip replacement surgery, enjoys taking part in the various programs.

I enjoy everything here; everyone is so cheerful, she said as she carefully followed Ingrams exercise instructions.

Though the exercise programs are focused on more ambulatory residents, there are also fitness programs available for those who cannot move as well, and for those suffering from memory loss.

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Foothill Village seniors enjoy fitness fun - Calaveras Enterprise

It will be a day of doing simple yet effective exercises and learning the benefits of drinking water when individuals at Futures Rehabilitation Center in Bradford participate in the Celebrating Abilities! event March 22.

The event, slated for 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., is sponsored by Futures, Evergreen Elm, the YWCA Bradford and Northwest Health Connections. Activities are open to all individuals and staff at Futures and Evergreen Elm and will include training in dental hygiene, self breast exams and diabetes information. Give-aways and drawings will also take place.

Debbie Price, executive director of Evergreen Elm, a residential agency for people with mental disabilities, said the theme of this years celebration is Get Up and Get Moving. The focus will not only be on exercise but also on drinking healthy beverages. This will be carried out in the celebration when fresh, cold water is served with the pizza and cake lunch.

Our motivation is to get up and moving, but were also hosting a nurse (Tim Juliano) from Warren who will do a big segment during two morning sessions on not drinking soda pop, Price said. So were giving them water this time; that will be an interesting lunch.

Jason Nuzzo, exercise physiologist at Bradford Regional Medical Centers Upbeat, said he will lead low-impact exercise during an afternoon session. The demonstrations will include arm movements that can be done sitting in a chair or marching-in-place regimens that can be conducted anywhere.

They want me to do some chair exercises with some of the individuals, Nuzzo said. Ive been looking at some routines they can do. You can actually get a pretty good workout depending on how much marching in place and how much arm movement you do.

Nuzzo said individuals can do all of his exercises or marching in place to upbeat music.

They can also do it to the pace of a slower song, he added.

Nuzzo said he knows a number of people who work at Futures or live at Evergreen Elm as many of them attend Upbeat for exercise programs.

Were looking forward to having a lot of fun, Nuzzo remarked.

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Pat Ryan, director of operations at Futures, said the event, which celebrates the abilities of everyone at the sheltered workshop, is very much anticipated by the individuals and staff.

Our awareness day is a celebration of abilities and a reminder that people with disabilities are an integral part of our community, Ryan said. People with disabilities are neighbors, volunteers, parishioners, workers, customers just like everyone else. This years event is centered around healthy living and safety awareness.

On an unrelated topic, Price gave an update on plans that are underway for the Elm Street group home rebuilding project. The historic home was destroyed by fire last April due to an

to an electric malfunction with wiring. Price said groundbreaking for the construction of a new home is expected to take place in the near future.

Were finishing up with the zoning requirements and as soon as thats done well be groundbreaking in May, Price said. We have architectural renderings on Facebook. We expect it will be a good six-month process to complete and we hope to be in by fall.

Everybody has been so kind and generous, but the project is so expensive because of the handicapped accessibility I want to do, Price added. It will be about $1.2 million for just the building.

Continued here:
Futures preparing to 'Get UP and Get Moving' - Bradford Era

For decades, Dan Pardue has taught singers in Iredell County how to control their breathing to make music. Now 50 years into his career as a vocal instructor, Pardue is a student again - learning to live and breathe with a degenerative lung disease.

In 2015, the Statesville resident became the first patient to enter Iredell Health Systems pulmonary rehab program. Through education and exercise, he and dozens of others with lung disorders have been able to maintain their quality of life.

Pardue entered rehab after he was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a disease marked by scarring of the lungs. Symptoms include difficulty breathing, which gets worse over time. Pardue believes rehab has helped to stabilize his condition and given him tools to manage the disease.

Because Im a vocal teacher, I have worked with breathing all my life, but I learned new things in this class that I never knew, said Pardue.

The Pulmonary Rehab Center on the campus of Iredell Memorial Hospital helps patients with COPD, asthma, obstructive lung disease and other respiratory issues. It typically includes an 18-week session, beginning with an evaluation and setting goals for each patient.

Our main goal is for them to do more at home with less shortness of breath and to be more independent, said exercise specialist Sabrina Melchor. A lot of them depend on a spouse or someone else in the home to do things like household chores. Just getting them to be more self-sufficient is a big deal.

Lower respiratory disease is the third leading cause of death in North Carolina, behind heart disease and cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Programs like Iredell Health Systems pulmonary rehab can help patients improve their odds.

For respiratory therapist Michelle Jones, helping Pardue has been especially rewarding. He gave voice lessons to her sons when they were young.

I have known Dan for many years and it was tough to see him like that, said Jones. He had difficulty taking a few steps. He wasnt on enough oxygen. We helped adjust his oxygen levels in keeping with his

doctors orders. Now he exercises for almost 45 minutes to an hour. He doesnt miss a day if he can help it. Hes consistent and thats what it takes, consistency.

Pardue graduated from the rehab program, but he hasnt stopped working to manage his health. Like others who have completed the program, Pardue comes to the center as often as four days a week for Medically Supervised Exercise Therapy. He is usually there on the treadmill with his oxygen tank and his wife by his side.

The exercise part was so good, when I started the program I asked, can my wife do this? So now, we come here together.

Medically Supervised Exercise Therapy is available to anyone in the community with a prescription from their doctor. Participants can work out under the guidance of the rehab center staff, who can answer questions and monitor health conditions.

Getting the most out of life

Pardue continues to give voice lessons and directs the choir at Statesvilles First ARP church. With help from his doctors and the staff at Iredells pulmonary rehab center, he is determined to get the most out of life.

This is an illness that nobody would want, said Pardue. It is limiting but Im still directing choir. We just had our 80th birthday. Ive slowed down the way anybody would at that age would I suppose, but I enjoy life a great deal.

To find out more about pulmonary rehabilitation programs or Medically Supervised Exercise Therapy, call the Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation Center at 704-878-4558.

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Iredell Memorial's Pulmonary Rehab Center helps Dan Pardue improve quality of life - Statesville Record & Landmark

Forbes

Inpatient Rehab Offers No Benefit Over Home Exercise Program After Knee Replacement Surgery Forbes A new study finds that inpatient rehabilitation seems to offer no overall benefit when compared with a monitored home-based regimen for patients recovering from standard knee replacement surgery, more formally known as total knee arthroplasty.. and more »

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Inpatient Rehab Offers No Benefit Over Home Exercise Program After Knee Replacement Surgery - Forbes

Imagine youre a CEO trying to get your employees to exercise.

Most health incentive programs have an array of tools pamphlets, websites, pedometers, coaching, team activities, step challenges, money but what actually motivates people?

Is it social support? Competition? Teamwork? Corporate leaders often try a little bit of everything.

A new study published in the journalPreventative Medicine Reports found these efforts should hone in on one area: Competition.

It was a far stronger motivation for exercise than friendly support, and in fact, giving people such support actually made them less likely to go to the gym less than simply leaving them alone.

Most people think that when it comes to social media more is better, says Damon Centola, an associate professor in Penns Annenberg School and the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, and senior author on the paper.

This study shows that isnt true: When social media is used the wrong way, adding social support to an online health program can backfire and make people less likely to choose healthy behaviors.

However, when done right, we found that social media can increase peoples fitness dramatically.

For this research, Centola and Jingwen Zhang, Ph.D., lead paper author and recent Annenberg graduate, recruited nearly 800 Penn graduate and professional students to sign up for an 11-week exercise program called PennShape.

After program completion, the students who attended the most exercise classes for activities like running, spinning, yoga, and weight lifting, among others, won prizes.

What the participants didnt know was that the researchers had split them into four groups to test how different kinds of social networks affected their exercise levels.

The four groups were: individual competition, team support, team competition, and a control group.

Overwhelmingly, competition motivated participants to exercise the most, with attendance rates 90% higher in the competitive groups than in the control group.

Both team and individual competition equally drove the students to work out, with participants in the former taking a mean of 38.5 classes a week and those in the latter taking 35.7.

The biggest surprise came in the number of workouts a week by members of the team support group: Just 16.8, on average half the exercise rate of the competitive groups.

Framing the social interaction as a competition can create positive social norms for exercising. Zhang says, now an assistant professor at the University of California, Davis.

Competition triggers a social ratcheting-up process, he adds. In a competitive setting, each persons activity raises the bar for everyone else.

Social support is the opposite: a ratcheting-down can happen. If people stop exercising, it gives permission for others to stop, too, and the whole thing can unravel fairly quickly.

The positive effects of social competition go beyond exercise, to encouraging healthy behaviors such as medication compliance, diabetes control, smoking cessation, flu vaccinations, weight loss, and preventative screening, as well as pro-social behaviors like voting, recycling, and lowering power consumption.

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News source:University of Pennsylvania. The content is edited for length and style purposes. Figure legend: This Knowridge.com image is for illustrative purposes only.

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Want to exercise more? Get yourself some competition - Knowridge Science Report

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