Friday Feature: Making Sleep Less Elusive

As a woman of a certain age, I've accepted the fact that sleep is not as easy as it once was, that my night owl body clock will never be set to what others consider a respectable bedtime, and that naps at least a few times a week are a way of life. But, tossing and turning on a nightly basis? Do I have to accept that?

Nope. At least not according to The Greater Good Science Center. One of my favorite resources for positive psychology information, this UC Berkeley site has lots of articles that are easy to read and full of great ideas and this one is no exception. Best of all, I don't need to participate in a psychology experiment or even go to a sleep lab to try out the ideas because they're all about ways to calm a busy mind without using drugs or complicated techniques.

Maybe there's hope for my night owl brain after all.

Friday Feature: Get Happy

There's no denying it's been a tough news week and perhaps an even tougher week for IRAs and 401Ks. It's frighteningly easy to become overwhelmed by it all and adopt a negative outlook, especially since we, as humans, are predisposed to see the negative.

Luckily, there's a ready antidote: positivity. Happiness researchers have postulated that we are in control of almost half of our own happiness. While critics point to this as an oversimplification, then bottom line is that we aren't victims. We can improve our own wellbeing.

Want to know more? Check out this article on the habits of happy people.

Because everyone can use a little happy in their day.

Friday Feature: Why Gratitude is Good For You

Happy Day after Thanksgiving! Are we all finished with giving thanks for this year?

Not if we're smart. As it turns out, this holiday that seems to get smashed into a tiny sliver between trick-or-treat candy and Christmas carols has the right idea. And, if we're smart, we'll continue its practices, despite what the retail industry has in mind.

Gratitude, especially when practiced regularly, has a whole host of health benefits, from helping us sleep better to helping us feel better. And it's not just a temporary feel-good feeling; the lasting nature of the effects of the practice of gratitude have been supported in study after study.

Want a quick cheat sheet on what all of these benefits are? Read this piece from UC Berkeley's Greater Good Magazine or, if you're still too full of Thanksgiving turkey to read without falling asleep, listen to Robert Emmons' quick talk on the four benefits of gratitude.

You might just be grateful you took the time to do so.