The Sunday Scaries can occur when we feel overwhelmed about the week ahead. Whether it’s a big presentation or many small tasks, these feelings of stress and anxiety can negatively affect our sleep.

We sat down with Sunnybrook sleep neurologist Dr. Mark Boulos to better understand the impacts of pre-work week stress and anxiety on our sleep quality.

How do stress and anxiety impact sleep?

Stress and anxiety can significantly impact sleep duration and quality. When someone experiences heightened stress and anxiety, they may also experience rumination. Rumination is a pattern of repetitive thinking that can impact one’s ability to relax. When rumination occurs around bedtime, people can find it hard to relax before sleeping.

Stress and anxiety also impact sleep by causing delayed sleep onset and interrupted sleep. A delayed sleep onset means people may struggle to fall asleep, tossing and turning in bed. Once someone is able to fall asleep, they may find they repeatedly wake up in the night and struggle to fall back asleep.

Both delayed sleep onset and interrupted sleep can have a significant impact on our mood, and lack of sleep can cause exhaustion, confusion, impaired motor function and low mood. These impacts on our body, in turn, heighten anxiety, creating a cycle that is hard to get out of.

What is sleep hygiene, and how can it improve your sleep quality?

Sleep hygiene refers to practical habits that can help improve sleep quality. It is essential for those who experience stress and anxiety, as it allows you to create an environment conducive to going to sleep and ensures you feel as rested as possible.

Here are some practical ways to practice good sleep hygiene:

1. Avoid electronics before bed

Avoiding screens before bed is an important part of practicing good sleep hygiene. The light emitted from cellphones, televisions, and tablets impacts our circadian rhythm, the system that tells our body we are ready for sleep.

Turning off screens 30 to 60 minutes before bed allows our bodies to relax and prepare for sleep. If you must look at a screen before bed, consider purchasing blue-light blocking glasses.

2. Only use your bed for sleep and intimacy

Your bedroom should only be used for sleep or intimacy. This will ensure that our bodies associate our bedroom environment with relaxation. Try leaving all electronics outside your bedroom and avoid bringing any electronics into bed with you.

3. Maintain your sleep time and duration

Our bodies crave routine, especially when it comes to sleep. To get a good night’s sleep, make sure you go to bed and wake up around the same time every day. This helps your body anticipate when it is time to go to bed, helping you feel more relaxed. You should also aim to get eight hours of sleep per night to ensure your body has time to recharge.

Are there any lifestyle and dietary changes someone can make to improve sleep?

Lifestyle and dietary habits play a significant role in sleep quality. To avoid feeling stressed or anxious around bedtime, avoid caffeine in the evening. Caffeine can impact the quality of your sleep by interfering with your body’s circadian rhythm, making it hard to fall asleep and leaving you feeling unrested in the morning. As well, alcohol consumption near bedtime can increase the chances of sleep apnea, or intermittent pauses in breathing during sleep.

Try to avoid large meals and fluids close to bedtime. Avoiding food and drinks at least 2 hours before bedtime will help prevent you from waking up at night to use the washroom.

What should you do if you are still struggling with sleep?

If you have taken steps to improve your sleep hygiene and pre-bed habits but still struggle to fall or stay asleep, consider seeing a sleep specialist to rule out any sleep disorders. You can do this by visiting your family doctor for a referral.

The post Sunday Scaries: How to improve your sleep when feeling overwhelmed appeared first on Your Health Matters.

Ramadan follows the Islamic lunar calendar, taking place at a different time every year. This mean, depending on the amount of day light during Ramadan, fasting can last anywhere from 11 to 16 hours per day.

During Ramadan, those observing will have a pre-dawn meal known as suhoor and a post-dusk feast to break their fast known as iftar. While fasting, you cannot eat or drink anything, not even water. This makes proper nutrition and hydration extra important during suhoor and iftar.

“Maintaining proper nutrition is essential, especially when fasting,” says Sunnybrook clinical nutrition student Radhika Anand. “Making sure our bodies have the nutrients they need to function at their best can help us sustain our energy levels and avoid fatigue while fasting.”

Here are some helpful tips from Sunnybrook’s clinical nutrition team to make sure you have a safe and successful fast:

 Have a well-balanced suhoor (pre-dawn) meal

A well-balanced suhoor provides slow-releasing energy to keep you full throughout the day. Here’s what to include as you begin your fast:

1. Complex Carbohydrates — foods like oats, whole wheat bread, brown rice, and quinoa help stabilize blood sugar levels and provide long-lasting energy.
2. Protein — include eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese and legumes to promote fullness and support muscle maintenance.
3. Healthy Fats — add nuts, seeds and avocado for increased and sustained energy.
4. Vegetables — fill half your plate with vegetables for essential vitamins, minerals and digestive support.
5. Portion size — to ensure a balanced meal, use a quarter of your plate for lean proteins (eggs, Greek yogurt) and the other quarter for whole grains (oats, whole wheat bread).

Replenish your body during your iftar (post-dusk) meal

After fasting, your body may be dehydrated and low in blood sugar. A healthy iftar should focus on rehydration and gentle digestion. It takes about 20 minutes for your body to register fullness, so eat mindfully and stop eating when you feel satisfied. This approach reduces stress on your body and provides more sustained energy:

1. Start with fluids – break your fast with water or hydrating drinks like coconut water to replenish lost fluids and electrolytes.
2. Dates – dates are a great choice during iftar as they are high in natural sugars, fibre, potassium, and magnesium, which quickly help to raise blood sugar levels.
3. Light soups – a vegetable or lentil soup provides hydration and prepares your stomach for a heavier main meal.
4. Avoid heavy, fatty foods – overeating fried or rich foods can cause bloating and indigestion. Instead, try a balanced, nutrient-dense meal with whole foods, protein and healthy fats.

 Maintain good hydration

Maintaining good hydration can be difficult since drinking water is prohibited when fasting. Consider the following tips to stay hydrated throughout your fast:

1. Consume water-rich foods — cucumbers, watermelon, strawberries, oranges, and soups are great ways to increase your water content while providing sustenance.
2. Stay hydrated — aim for eight glasses of water a day, distributing these glasses gradually throughout non-fasting hours.
3. Limit diuretics and salt — avoid drinks with caffeine, which causes water loss through urination, and try to avoid salty foods like pickles and salted fish, which increase the body’s need to retain water.

Avoid highly processed foods

Certain foods should be limited during Ramadan to avoid energy crashes and digestive issues throughout the day. Here are some foods to avoid while fasting:

1. Sugary drinks and desserts – these foods can spike blood sugar and drop energy levels, leaving you feeling fatigued.
2. Fried and processed foods — fried and processed foods are often high in unhealthy fats, sodium, and additives, which can lead to digestive distress.
3. Refined Carbohydrates – foods like white bread, pastries and sugary cereals can cause blood sugar fluctuations.

By incorporating these helpful tips while fasting, you can make the most of this spiritual time while making sure your body is still getting the nutrients it needs to keep you going.

The post How to maintain good nutrition during Ramadan appeared first on Your Health Matters.

The Sunday Scaries can occur when we feel overwhelmed about the week ahead. Whether it’s a big presentation or many small tasks, these feelings of stress and anxiety can negatively affect our mood.

We sat down with Dr. Karen Wang, psychiatrist in Sunnybrook’s Hurvitz Brain Sciences program, to better understand the Sunday Scaries and learn some practical tips for easing feelings of anxiety ahead of a new work week.

Why do people experience the Sunday Scaries?

Though there is no clinical diagnosis for “Sunday Scaries”, about eight per cent of the Canadian population will experience an anxiety disorder where worrying becomes a normal part of their everyday life.

One such condition is Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Generalized Anxiety Disorder involves intense, persistent worrying often leading to catastrophic thinking, where someone anticipates the worst-case outcome. This inability to control one’s thought patterns can have a negative impact on day-to-day activities.

Another reason someone may experience the Sunday Scaries is due to past workplace incidents that have negatively affected their feelings of safety and enjoyment at work. These incidents may include workplace injury, previous harassment, burnout or even difficult interpersonal work relationships.

Weekend habits also play a key role in contributing to the Sunday Scaries. For many, the weekends are a time to let loose, often resulting in altered sleep schedules and increased alcohol or substance use. Disrupted sleep and ongoing substance use can then lead to increased feelings of stress and anxiety over time.

What are some at-home strategies for decreasing stress?

1. Set personal boundaries

The weekends are often a time for family and friends, but for some, these gatherings can also be emotionally draining, especially if there are unresolved conflicts or tensions. Spend time with family and friends but also be mindful of how these interactions may be affecting your overall mental wellbeing.

2. Make a list of your tasks

We often feel stressed and anxious when we have many tasks to do but no plan in place to complete them. Spend a few minutes on the weekend to preview your upcoming week and identify the priority tasks that have to be completed.  Making a list of tasks and when you plan to complete them can help you visualize your work schedule, preventing you from feeling overwhelmed.

3. Add some fun to your Monday

Many people dread Mondays because it means a return to work. By regularly adding an enjoyable activity such as a dance class, music lesson, exercise, or social gathering after work, you have something positive to look forward to. It also starts to build positive associations in our minds about Monday.

4. Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness practices can be a great way to reduce stress and anxiety. Meditation apps or online videos can be useful to access mindfulness practices on the go. Taking a moment to disconnect and focus on the present moment can reduce feelings of stress and anxiety, helping us think more clearly about the upcoming week.

5. Think of what you’re grateful for

Try practicing gratitude on a daily basis by writing down five things you are grateful for. By taking a moment to reflect on the things we are grateful for, we remind ourselves that there are so many things that can bring us joy outside of work.

6. Try disconnecting

For many people, work doesn’t simply end on Friday and pick back up on Monday. Many of us carry our work into the weekend, preventing us from completely disconnecting. Avoid looking at work emails on the weekend or endlessly scrolling social media so you can relax and be present.

What should you do if you are still struggling with stress?

If you are not seeing any improvement in your stress level after making lifestyle changes, consider speaking to your doctor. Your doctor will be able to assess your symptoms and recommend an appropriate treatment plan to help you better manage stress and anxiety.

The post Sunday Scaries: Here’s how to manage stress ahead of a new work week appeared first on Your Health Matters.

In recent years, Sunnybrook has focused on developing and implementing age-friendly care strategies across the hospital. Here are some of the ways we are providing safe, high-quality, individualized care for older adults.

Individualized care plans

Providing age-friendly care begins with understanding and aligning with each patients’ goals, values and preferences. At Sunnybrook, teams start by asking older patients what matters to them and how we can enhance their care experience.

Whether staff are in the early stages of developing a care plans, preparing a patient for discharge or discussing end-of-life care, these conversations allow our teams to provide dignified, compassionate, respectful care that personalizes to each patient’s unique wants and needs.

Senior-Friendly Champions

To provide increased support to older patients, any and all Sunnybrook staff have the opportunity to become a Senior-Friendly Champion. Senior-Friendly Champions are staff that have received additional education on how to support and care for older patients in a dignified manner. Senior-Friendly Champions work on-unit with patients and their families to ensure their needs are met while in hospital.

Healthy Stay Volunteers

The Healthy Stay Volunteer program is another way we support older patients while staying in hospital. Our Healthy Stay volunteers work with older patients to ensure they maintain a healthy mind and stay physically active.

Healthy Stay Volunteers assist with everyday tasks such as helping older patients make phone calls, assisting with food trays and ensuring patients get up and moving. Volunteers also offer companionship, visiting patients to complete a puzzle, read a book, or have a conversation.

Family and caregiver education

Supporting an older adult can be hard on family members and caregivers. To ease this burden, Sunnybrook offers comprehensive educational courses and training to family members and caregivers or older adults through the Senior Friendly Portal.

Through the portal, family members and caregivers can learn about the importance of maintain mobility, keeping patient hydrated and how to prevent physical and mental decline during hospital stays. Offering these resources means family members and caregivers can play a more active role in patient care.

Proper use of medication

Understanding a patient’s full medication history is another way we are working to support older adults. To do this, staff gather information from multiple sources including the patient, family members, caregivers, pharmacies and medical records.

Care teams focus on minimizing risks associated with the use of multiple medications by assessing both the short and long-term effects, the patients care goals, preferences and life expectancy. By doing this, we are able to accurately prescribe and de-prescribe medication to make sure we meet the patients evolving care needs.

Looking to the future

Prioritizing age-friendly care is not only essential in response to our aging population, but also a core principle that guarantees every older patient received the compassionate and dignified care the deserve throughout Sunnybrook.

By integrating age-friendly practice and policies, Sunnybrook is empowering its staff, physicians, students and volunteers with the knowledge and skills to provide exceptional care for older adults. As our populations ages, Sunnybrook is proactively preparing to meet the needs of older adults with confidence and commitment.

The post Preparing for the Future: How Sunnybrook is Prioritizing Age-Friendly Care appeared first on Your Health Matters.

We sat down with Sunnybrook family physician Dr. Sharon Domb to learn about her top tips for maintaining good health this time of year.

Maintain a balanced diet 

A balanced diet is a diet that includes all the essential nutrients your body needs to function properly, which often come from whole fruits and vegetables, legumes, lean protein whole grains, nuts and seeds.

During cold and flu season, proper nutrition can help the body respond to infections by providing essential vitamins and minerals to boost your immunity and antioxidants that helps protect the immune system from damage.

A balanced diet helps to maintain a healthy weight, which decreases the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure, which weaken the immune system over time. You can also incorporate more protein into your diet as protein helps your body produce antibodies that fight off infections like colds and the flu.

Get a good night’s sleep

A good night’s sleep is essential for proper immune function and plays a key role in helping us maintain good health. Proper sleep (6-8 hours per night) enhances the immune system and allows your body to fight off illness and infection throughout the night.

Getting a good night’s sleep starts with proper sleep hygiene. Following a consistent night routine, creating a relaxing sleeping environment, and avoiding screen time and caffeine at night can all help ensure you get the rest your mind and body needs.

Wash your hands

Washing your hands is an important part of staying healthy during cold and flu season. It helps to remove germs and viruses from our skin and under our nails. Regular hand washing is important, but it is especially important after being in a public place or before eating or touching your face.

Over the course of the day, we use our hands to touch many objects, such as door handles, railings, computer keyboards, and grocery carts. We then touch our mouths, eyes, and other parts of our face, enabling germs and viruses to enter our bodies.

To ensure good hand hygiene, be sure to wash your hands with sanitizer or lather with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If you have to cough or sneeze, try to do it into your elbow to avoid spreading your infection to others.

Get vaccinated

Staying up-to-date on your vaccinations is the most effective way to reduce viral infections like flu and COVID-19 circulating in our communities. Although no vaccine exists for the common cold, the flu and COVID-19 vaccines are your best line of defence to stay healthy this fall and winter.

Vaccines decrease the chances of developing a viral illness and the severity of the illness if you get it. For example, if you contract COVID-19, it will likely be a milder case if you are vaccinated. Vaccination is also a great way to protect others from contracting the flu or COVID-19.

To save yourself some time, you can get your flu and COVID-19 vaccines together, with no impact on the level of protection each provides.

Stay home if you have symptoms

The best way to avoid getting sick is to stay away from others who are sick and stay home when you are sick to avoid infecting others.

When you are recovered from your illness, you could still be contagious and wearing a mask is recommended for a few days to decrease the risk of spreading it to others.

Wear a mask

People can be contagious before they develop symptoms, so even if someone does not appear to be sick, they could still be contagious.

Wearing a mask is an additional layer of protection to prevent the spread of respiratory particles that we exhale when breathing, coughing, or sneezing.

When thinking about wearing a mask, consider who you live with and their risks for developing more serious forms of viral illnesses. If you live with people who are either very old or very young, have chronic diseases, or are immunosuppressed, you should be extra cautious and wear a mask when you are out in public.

Staying healthy during respiratory virus season requires more than just resting when you’re sick. It involves taking proactive steps daily to help keep you and your loved ones safe.

Your body works hard to keep you healthy, so make sure you’re giving it the fuel, rest, and nutrients it needs to get the job done.

The post Six ways to maintain your health this cold & flu season appeared first on Your Health Matters.

Physical rehabilitation plays a critical role in the health-care journeys of patients who have had life-altering experiences. Physiatrists at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and St. John’s Rehab Hospital work tirelessly to support patients along this journey, offering unique skills and expertise.

So, what exactly is a physiatrist? We sat down with Sunnybrook physiatrist Dr. Amanda Mayo to learn more about her role and how the work of physiatrists like her is helping support patients throughout the care continuum.

What is a physiatrist?

A physiatrist is a medical specialist in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation who evaluates and treats patients whose functional abilities have been impaired.

Physiatrists focus largely on optimizing patient function after they have suffered from illness, injury, or surgery. Their goal is to help patients regain independence and the ability to return to daily activities as they once did.

“The most rewarding part about my job is seeing patients regain use of their limbs,” says Dr. Amanda Mayo, Amputee Physiatrist and Program Chief at St. John’s Rehab Hospital. “Seeing patients walk again for the first time with a prosthetic leg, pick something up with a prosthetic hand or return to an activity that’s meaningful to them is truly special.”

Physiatrists often lead a team of health-care professionals in their daily work, including occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech-language pathologists, and social workers. This team of specialists works in concert to address a variety of patient needs through various methods of physical and cognitive rehabilitation.

Dr. Amanda Mayo walking with an amputee patient at St. John’s Rehab Hopsital. 

What kinds of conditions do physiatrists treat?

Physiatrists work with a wide variety of patients with unique needs and challenges, providing care in the following areas:

• Amputations: This includes patients who have lost a limb due to illness, injury, or congenital limb differences.
• Neurorehabilitation: This includes patients who have experienced an injury or illness which affects their brain, such as a spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s Disease or Multiple Sclerosis.
• Pain medicine: This includes patients who experience chronic pain, such as arthritis, chronic pain syndrome, carpal tunnel, and more.
• Musculoskeletal care: This includes patients experiencing bone-related issues such as Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis and others.
• Sports injuries: This includes patients with a variety of sports injuries, including Achilles Tendonitis, stress fractures, and concussions.
• Post-operative care: This includes patients who have recently undergone surgery for treatments related to joint replacements, organ transplantation and more.

How do physiatrists support patients along their health-care journey?

Physiatrists care for patients along the entirety of the care continuum, supporting them throughout their journey. “Whether pre-surgery, in acute care, within a rehab hospital setting, or in outpatient clinics, we, as physiatrists, help address various issues to support recovery at every stage,” says Dr. Mayo.

Their proactive approach often involves seeing patients before functional problems escalate. This includes patients who require rehabilitation, those in need of assistive devices to prevent further weakness, pain, and falls, or who need to offload wounds to prevent limb loss and enhance their overall quality of life.

In the early stages of care, physiatrists are instrumental in helping prepare patients for pre-planned surgeries. This support often involves ensuring patients are physically strong and ready to use assistive devices post-surgery.

Physiatrists are also essential in acute care settings, working with patients who may have rehabilitation needs. In these cases, physiatrists work with other physicians from across Sunnybrook to advise on treatment and discuss prognosis and recovery outcomes with patients and their families.

In the midst of the care continuum, physiatrists assist patients in rehabilitation settings after initial acute or surgical care.  Rehabilitation may include helping patients learn how to walk, use mobility aids, regain their speech or motor function, and re-acquire day-to-day skills.

Finally, physiatrists continue to support patients toward the end of their care journey through outpatient clinics. They work with patients who have transitioned from rehabilitation facilities, providing ongoing assessments and care as part of outpatient rehab programming and to patients in the community.

Dr. Amanda Mayo tending to the wound of an amputee patient during clinic at St. John’s Rehab Hopsital.

Physiatrists like Dr. Mayo are critical in guiding patients through every stage of their health-care journey. Their expertise ensures that individuals facing significant health challenges receive comprehensive, personalized care that extends from pre-surgery preparations to long-term rehabilitation and outpatient support.

By addressing each individual’s unique needs, they work towards improving patients’ overall quality of life and assisting them in regaining their independence. This tailored approach is essential for effective rehabilitation, underscoring their commitment to improving patient outcomes across the care continuum.

The post How physiatrists are supporting patients throughout the care continuum appeared first on Your Health Matters.

Canada is seeing what experts call a ‘summer surge.’ Although COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses are often associated with colder months, COVID-19 cases have risen in recent weeks due to decreasing immunity among the general public.

Wastewater surveillance from the Public Health Agency of Canada suggests rising cases across the country. The current viral activity level for COVID-19 in Canada is deemed ‘moderate,’ with cases highest in Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver and large parts of Nova Scotia.

“This summer, we have seen some severe cases of COVID-19 among older adults and those with compromised immune systems”, says Dr. Jerome Leis, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control at Sunnybrook. “This is similar to past summers, but one difference is that these severe cases are occurring in higher frequency among individuals who may have been vaccinated at the beginning of the pandemic but have not kept up with seasonal COVID vaccines.”

What is behind the surge in cases?

The increase in COVID-19 cases is mainly due to decreasing immunity in the general population. While most cases remain non-severe, an increase in hospitalizations may be related to gradual loss of immunity against newer strains of COVID-19 and the need for updated seasonal vaccine to increase protection.

How do summer activities impact COVID-19 cases?

Like some other respiratory illnesses, COVID-19 circulates year-round. Cases of COVID-19 are heightened by common summer activities like increased social gatherings, travel, and spending more time inside during extreme heat events. All of these situations have the potential to spread COVID-19 to those with decreased immunity.

What can you do to protect yourself and others against COVID-19?

Getting the updated COVID-19 vaccine his fall is the best way to increase protection throughout the year.  While it’s too late to get the vaccine to combat the summer surge, this year’s updated COVID-19 vaccine should be available by early fall. Masks can also be worn to prevent transmission to high-risk individuals.

What should you do if you suspect you may have COVID-19?

If you have cold symptoms or think you may have COVID-19, you should avoid gatherings where you can spread germs to those who may have more severe outcomes from COVID, until you are fully recovered.

By following public health guidelines and staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccinations, we can all do our part to stay protected.

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