Rethinking Retirement in the 21st Century

By Susan J. Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.A. and Stephanie Heung

Reframing Retirement

With a wave of baby boomers reaching age 65, retirement is being redefined for the 21^st century. In the 21^st century, Americans live 30 years longer on average than they did a century ago. Average life expectancy in America is now 81 for women and 76 for men. This means that a significant proportion of the 10,000 Americans who turn 65 every day are entering the infancy of their second adulthood. Though the word "retire" means to withdraw or depart, many 65-year-olds today are healthy enough to work, travel and pursue their lifelong dreams -- with opportunities that were unimaginable a century ago. In this era, 65 is the beginning of a new, fulfilling stage of life where the concept of retirement requires disruption and redefinition.

With the number of Americans over the age of 65 expected to swell from 40 million today to over 70 million in 2030, there is an urgent need for all sectors of society to address the physical, emotional and financial challenges facing the Baby Boomer generation and beyond. Furthermore, it is crucial for individuals to harvest new opportunities for reinventing their "retirement" years.

Is Retirement the Best Option?

For some people, a lack of financial security and resources mean that they may not be able to "choose" retirement. For others, retirement at age 65 is mandatory. But for many, a traditional retirement might not be the best option. In the 21st century, there are innovative new models for working after 65. For example, some companies are retooling workers and placing them into new jobs with new responsibilities. These veteran workers are invested in the organization's mission and become a fountain of knowledge and experience for the entire organization.

Many seniors will discover other routes to remaining mission-driven. Some people are volunteering and serving as mentors. Retired professionals can also find specialized volunteer opportunities that capitalize on their particular skill set, whether it is in the health sector, education or business. Furthermore, the nation's fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs is people age 55 and above. While there may be an expectation that people will wind down as seniors, age 55 is now the era of a second wind!

The path forward will not be the same for everyone. No matter whether a person decides to retire or keep working, it is important to stay active, connected and purposeful.

Key Challenges of the Golden Years

Increasing life expectancy has made it possible for many people to chart fresh directions and enjoy novel experiences after 65. However, living longer produces a range of financial, health and relationship issues that must be addressed.

Finances are a serious concern for the modern retiree. Americans are under-saved by an estimated $14 trillion. Today, the average retiree has only $42,000 in savings, which for most people is insufficient to sustain a retirement of 10-20 years. The majority of private sector workers are not participating in a formal retirement plan. Public pensions are underfunded. Social Security provides important benefits, but resources will diminish by 2030, when Baby Boomers will be drawing on Social Security and Generation X will begin transitioning out of work. With fewer resources and a higher cost of living, many people are facing challenges in maintaining their financial stability and standard of living.

The financial crisis for retirees disproportionately affects women. Women retire with 66 percent of the retirement savings of men, live on average six years longer, and have greater medical expenses. As many as 80 percent of women are single during their later years of life. Divorced women are particularly financially vulnerable in retirement. Given the lower participation of women in the workforce in past decades, they are often dependent upon their husband's Social Security benefits if they do not have their own work history. Women lose their husband's Social Security benefits upon divorce if they were married for less than 10 years. This contributes to the significantly higher poverty rates for divorced women compared to their married counterparts. For women, the gender pay gap must be closed (women currently make 77 cents on the dollar that men earn), and this in turn would help close the Social Security gap by as much as a third. It is estimated that if women were fully engaged in the US economy, our country's GDP would rise by as much as 9 percent.

A decline in physical health may also derail a person's retirement. It is well-established that older Americans have increased prevalence of chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes. In fact, 80 percent of older adults suffer from at least one chronic condition, and 50 percent have at least two.

Furthermore, retirees' quality of life can be significantly compromised by vision and hearing loss. Hearing loss affects 24-40 percent of Americans aged 65 or older, increasing to 40-66 percent of patients aged 75 or older, and over 80 percent in patients aged 85 or older. This is particularly troubling because hearing loss is strongly correlated with depression, social isolation and poor self-esteem. Meanwhile, vision loss from conditions such as macular degeneration and glaucoma affects 12 percent of Americans aged 45-74, and 15 percent of Americans aged 75 or older. Without interventions for these vision and hearing disorders, more retirees than ever will suffer from these types of debilitating age-related conditions as life expectancy increases.

Mental health is fundamental to overall health and is an important concern for retirees. Depression affects 15 percent of people older than 65. This increases to 25 percent of those with chronic illness and 50 percent of nursing home residents. Additionally, 14 percent of Americans over age 71 may suffer from dementia due to neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

Finally, housing arrangements are also a key issue for seniors. Currently, 93 percent of Americans over 65 live independently in the community, 3 percent live in assisted living facilities, and 4 percent live in nursing homes. There is a growing emphasis on "aging in place," as defined as "the ability to live in one's own home and community safely, independently, and comfortably, regardless of age, income, or ability level."

Rx for Healthy Aging

Studies suggest that healthy lifestyles even at advanced ages can increase well-being and life expectancy. Here is a roadmap for making the most out of the years ahead:

1. Serve.

Serving one's community is one of the best ways to stay connected and maintain a sense of purpose. Some studies suggest that volunteering is correlated with better physical and cognitive functioning, fewer depressive symptoms, and a longer lifespan.

Potential volunteer activities include serving meals at a soup kitchen or helping in a hospital. Senior volunteer corps also can provide opportunities for skilled professionals with experience in business, health, journalism and other fields. Investing in a child, whether by spending time with one's own grandchild or mentoring other young people, is an extremely rewarding experience.

2. Save.

Planning ahead is critical to healthy aging and ensures future financial well-being. Saving and investing are critical investments and should begin early in one's life, but it is never too late. There are many strategies to save funds and boost resources for the years ahead. Be an informed consumer and make smart decisions to have the financial resources to live well as a senior.

3. Boost your mental health.

Mental health is fundamental to overall health. Retirement is a time for finding inner peace, forgiveness, letting go of grudges, putting your house in order, and fulfillment.

However, some people will experience depression at this time of life, so it's important to learn the signs and symptoms. These include difficulty concentrating, feelings of hopelessness, and changes in appetite or sleeping patterns. Sometimes memory disturbances in older adults can be signs of depression, called "pseudodementia." Contact a doctor if you believe you may be suffering from depression; there is effective treatment.

4. Make new friends and maintain connections with old ones.

Strong social connections with family and friends are associated with improved physical and emotional functioning. People who report rich social networks are at a lower risk for mortality and morbidity compared to those with weaker social networks. Furthermore, the presence of strong social support is associated with improved outcomes for strokes, heart attacks, osteoarthritis, dementia and depression. Some research suggests that the lack of a robust social network has adverse health consequences of a comparable magnitude as having high cholesterol or smoking.

5. Participate in physical activity.

Physical activity is one of the very best things a person can do to enhance their physical and mental health at any age. A recent study found that people over age 75 who were physically and socially active lived an average of 5.4 years longer than their less active counterparts. Along with improving one's physical well-being, exercise is associated with improved cognitive functioning and a lower risk of dementia.

Thirty minutes a day can make a significant difference. Pick an enjoyable activity - gardening, swimming, walking or dancing. Strength training is also very important to protect against falls and mobility loss.

6. Learn a new skill and keep training your brain.

Stay mentally active. Train your brain with bridge or online puzzles. Take a course, try a new sport or learn a language. Language learning may actually protect from age-related cognitive decline.

A recent study found that lifelong intellectual activities, such as playing music or reading, delayed the onset of Alzheimer's by an average of nine years for people genetically predisposed to the disease. In fact, people who were not college-educated had the most to gain by engaging in intellectual activities from middle age onwards.

Reframe what may seem initially like too much time in retirement, into meaningful opportunities to expand your horizons. Go to the movies, visit friends, follow the news and catch up on your book reading list. Take a trip and have a new adventure. Minimize the effects of stress on your body by practicing yoga or mindfulness meditation.

7. Don't smoke.

Nine percent of people over 65 currently smoke cigarettes. Not smoking is the best thing that anyone can do to promote a healthier future. Quitting smoking significantly decreases one's risk of coronary heart disease, stroke and certain cancers.

8. Eat healthy.

Maintaining a healthy weight is very important. Obesity takes a significant toll on every organ system in the body and is linked to debilitating diseases such as stroke, heart disease, diabetes, some forms of cancer, gout and arthritis. A recent study reported an association between being overweight or obese and impaired cognitive functioning, adding to the risk of mental decline over time.

Consume a well-balanced diet that includes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, vitamins and protein. Cook with friends and family, share meals together, and drink alcohol only in moderation.

9. Try new technologies.

Don't be risk-averse with new technologies. Smartphones, tablets and videoconferencing can connect seniors to new frontiers of learning, as well as family and friends around the country and world.

Seniors that develop visual or hearing impairments sometimes do not wear their eyeglasses or hearing aids because they do not want to appear "old." However, this only exacerbates social isolation and depression. New technologies can help reduce the effects of visual and hearing impairments. Additionally, many mobile devices feature voice recognition and options to increase the font size to help people with these sensory challenges.

10. Help design your community.

There is a growing movement for "aging in place," in which communities create environments where seniors can continue living in their homes. Through access to transportation, food and health services, seniors can remain in their communities and contribute to intergenerational connections. Get involved in planning these important services so that seniors have the option to continue living at home.

11. Plan ahead.

Don't wait for retirement to create a road map for the future. Conduct both a physical and a financial check-up before retirement. Start planning early, but it is never too late to invest in oneself. Small steps can yield great rewards in improving a person's physical, mental and financial health in the years ahead.

Conclusion

In the 21st century, many seniors are not retiring from something. Instead, retirement is an opportunity for reinventing, reimagining and reconnecting to one's self, family, friends and community. Robert Browning once wrote, "Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be." By investing in your physical, mental and financial health today, you can help ensure that your best years are just ahead.

Rear Admiral Susan Blumenthal, M.D., M.P.A. (ret.) is the Public Health Editor of The Huffington Post. She is a Senior Fellow in Health Policy at New America and a Clinical Professor at Tufts and Georgetown University Schools of Medicine. She is also Senior Policy and Medical Adviser at amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. Dr. Blumenthal served for more than 20 years in senior Federal government health leadership positions in the Administrations of four U.S. Presidents including as Assistant Surgeon General of the United States, the first Deputy Assistant Secretary of Women's Health, and as Senior Global Health Advisor in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. She also served as a White House advisor on health. Prior to these positions, Dr. Blumenthal was Chief of the Behavioral Medicine and Basic Prevention Research Branch, Head of the Suicide Research Unit, and Chair of the Health and Behavior Coordinating Committee at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She has chaired numerous national and global commissions and conferences and is the author of many scientific publications. Admiral Blumenthal has received numerous awards including honorary doctorates and has been decorated with the highest medals of the U.S. Public Health Service for her pioneering leadership and significant contributions to advancing health in the United States and worldwide. Named by the New York Times, the National Library of Medicine and the Medical Herald as one of the most influential women in medicine, Dr. Blumenthal was named the 2009 Health Leader of the Year by the Commissioned Officers Association and as a Rock Star of Science by the Geoffrey Beene Foundation. She is the recipient of the Dr. Rosalind Franklin Centennial Life in Discovery Award.

Stephanie Heung is a senior at Yale University, pursuing a degree in Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology. She served as a Health Policy Intern at the New America Foundation in Washington, D.C.

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My Dream for a More Equal World

This post is part of the Global Moms Relay. Every time you share this post, Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 (per action), up to $300,000, to the Global Moms Relay, to help improve the health and well-being of moms and kids worldwide in support of MAMA, Shot@Life, U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Girl Up. Scroll to the bottom to find out more.

Being a mother has majorly impacted my vision of the future. I dream about a new America and a new world, where all people are safe and treated fairly. I dream of living in a time where all Americans really do have the promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; an America -- and a world -- where discrimination is abolished and where we all join together to improve our communities.

It is time to change laws to protect citizens who have historically been discriminated against. I hope we can do that. I pray we can do that. Call me an optimist -- but I believe we can do that.

America and the world are at a tipping point. The economic empowerment of women is very important to me. When women are not paid fairly, they and their children are impacted negatively. I have a daughter, and I want her and all girls to be paid an equal wage for the same job as their white male counterparts. I want all women to be able to afford to live in safe housing and to have quality childcare; this becomes increasingly difficult when they are paid less because they are female. As it stands now, the gender pay gap in this country won't close until 2058.

How can it be that in America today a white woman makes 78 cents for every dollar her white male co-worker makes? And as bad as that sounds, African American women make only 64 cents on the dollar and Latinas are only making 55 cents. This is inexcusable.

Millions of women have fallen off the edge and are left to drown in poverty. Forty percent of all U.S. families are fed by single mothers. Then there are another 30 percent of families where women are contributing to combined family incomes. Clearly, if women are being paid less, they and their families are struggling.

We cannot expect a healthy America when single mothers have to take on second and third jobs to make up the wage gap. We have created a scenario that is unsustainable. The good news is we can change it. I come from a family of activists, and I see change and progress all around me.

My parents taught us by example to make the world you want to live in through action. I find the older I get, the more I want to be around people who care about the burdens of others and take even small actions to make the world a more loving place. Meeting active young people who are doing great things encourages me.

My siblings have all worked to bring about change and progress in different areas. I love and respect them all. It helps to remind me that while we may have some daunting times ahead, there are many beautiful people working hard to make things better.

My sister Rosanna has been advocating protecting women and children from sex trafficking. My brother Richmond has worked in Haiti helping with building tent camps, dormitories and classrooms for kids after the earthquake. My brother David has helped secure tons of food for food banks across the U.S., feeding thousands of Americans, and helped launch an anonymous food backpack program for students who weren't eating on weekends.

Equality and fairness isn't just about taking action to reduce poverty; it's also about identity.

My sister Alexis is a transgender woman, and she has helped not just our family, but many other people understand the social discrimination that trans women face in America today. There have already been seven trans women murdered this year in the U.S. We are still living in a time where they are not safe or protected in their own country. However, because of trans people living their truth despite the danger, public behavior is slowly changing. Chaz Bono, my sister Alexis and Bruce Jenner, and the many brave public figures who have had the courage to live their truth are helping to slowly change the conversation. I hope someday it opens people's hearts. It's time to "bring the nag back." I'm sort of joking, but not really. It is time we start nagging and don't stop nagging until we get laws changed and we get equality for women once and for all! Just as we seek fairness and access to rights, so many people around the world seek access to simple basic needs.

Globally, the world I want in 2030 is a world where everyone has clean water and access to hygiene. I work on ecological sanitation with GiveLove.org. Most people don't know that lack of sanitation and water-borne disease kill more kids worldwide than AIDS and malaria combined. More people on earth have a cell phone than a toilet. Working on sanitation is probably the least sexy thing on earth, but it is a necessity. The people I have worked with in this community are some of the most incredible people I have ever known. That's how it works -- you think you are helping people, and it turns out they are helping you.

You share, they give: Each time you 'like' or share this post via the social media icons on this post or comment below, Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 (per action) up to $300,000, to improve the health and wellbeing of moms and kids worldwide through MAMA, Shot@Life, U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Girl Up. $1 provides 1 month of targeted health information via mobile phone for a mom in India through MAMA (Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action).

You can also use the Donate A Photo* app and Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 when you upload a photo for Girl Up or UNICEF, up to $100,000. You can help make a difference in seconds with the click of your mouse or snap of your smart phone. Share this post with the hashtag #GlobalMoms, and visit GlobalMomsRelay.org to learn more.

The United Nations Foundation, Johnson & Johnson, BabyCenter and The Huffington Post created the Global Moms Relay with a goal of improving the lives of women and children around the globe.

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10 Ways to Guarantee You Get Up for That A.M. Workout

By Lucy Maher, SELF

Tempted to press snooze? Don't.

"Exercising early in the morning jump-starts your metabolism, keeping it elevated for hours and energizes you for the day," says Jennifer Sherman, a Certified Indoor Cycling Instructor and Head Coach at Peloton Cycle in New York City. And while you may be tempted to sleep in, there are ways to make sure you get moving before you have time to come up with an excuse not to. Here, 10 of the best from some of the country's top trainers.

1. Snooze
No, not the snooze button. "Get enough sleep the night before so you're well-rested," says Sherman. Better yet, "move your alarm clock out of arm's reach. This way you will actually have to get out of your warm bed to turn it off."

2. Pair Up
"Scheduling your sweat session with a friend is a great way to ensure you get your butt out of bed for that a.m. workout," says Adam Rosante, author of The 30 Second Body. "When you know someone is counting on you, you'll be far less likely to bail."

3. Get Competitive
Rosante suggests making a bet with one of your girlfriends. "Plan to work out five time per week for six weeks," he says. "For each planned day, you'll each put a pre-determined amount of money into a 'pot.' Something like five bucks is great. The first person to bail on a session loses and the winner gets the cash. Watching that pool grow as your body tones is pretty addictive. If you both last all six weeks, take the money and go out to celebrate with a great meal."

4. Style Yourself
Workout clothes are so cute -- and even cuter when you take the time to plan out your morning look the night before. "Be a few steps ahead in order to get out the door seamlessly," says Sherman. "Take a few minutes the night before to lay out your workout gear, charge up the iPod and have your water bottle filled and ready."

5. Be Patient...
"Half the battle is simply starting," says Liz Arredondo, an instructor at Be Shri Yoga. "In my early days, a teacher said to me, 'Just give it 10 minutes.' Just make it through that first 10 minutes and you'll have forgotten all the doubt and sluggishness of the start of your morning sweat sessions. You blood will be moving and you'll feel better."

6. And Be Gentle
"Morning bodies are very tight and need time to wake up," says Arredondo. "We sleep in all kinds of terrible, misaligned positions and most of us wake up a bit stiff. Let your body wake up with some slow, deep breathing paired with gentle stretches before you start moving more actively."

7. Make Yourself Accountable
"Post on social media that tomorrow you are going to go to Barry's Bootcamp, SoulCycle, yoga, whatever it may be and invite your friends to meet you there," says LA-based trainer Astrid Swan. "If you don't show, and they do, well, social media will be all over it!" In other words, #dontbail.

8. Prep Your Breakfast
Swan suggests preparing a make-ahead breakfast the night before. She prefers overnight oats for energy: Mix almond milk, acai, maca, and banana in a blender, then add chia seeds and oats; put in a mason jar and place in fridge overnight. "You will wake up to a healthy, filling breakfast so you can take on the sweat and the rest of the day," she says.

9. Take The "Work" Out
"Make it fun," says Arredondo. "Put on a good playlist. Spotify is great if you don't love making your own, and find a class or a video that you enjoy."

10. Stay Honest
"Are you dreading the schlep to the gym? Are you tired from staying up too late?" asks Rosante. "Do you feel like you just don't know what kind of workout to do? Spend a few minutes thinking about why you have such a hard time committing to your A.M. workouts and you can easily figure out a solution that's perfect for you. You may realize it's time to ditch the gym membership and just start crushing simple workouts right in your living room."

Easy. Done. Now go get #UpNOut!

More from SELF:
20 Superfoods for Weight Loss
6 Moves To Resize Your Butt and Thighs
The One Food Nutritionists Eat Every Single Day
Your 28-Day Hot-Body Plan
5 Simple Steps to Cellulite-Free Skin
What Your Sex Dreams Really Mean

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9 Science-Backed Reasons Why You Should Go to Bed Early

Show of hands if you've ever stayed up way too late texting with friends, catching up on TV shows, or scrolling aimlessly through Pinterest or Reddit. Yep, plenty of us are guilty as charged -- and as a result, we end up feeling exhausted in the morning.

That most Americans are falling short on getting the recommended eight hours of sleep per night is nothing new. Clearly though, not everyone who fails to log enough shut eye actually has trouble sleeping. Plenty of us are just staying up too late or putting off bedtime in favor of other activities.

But over time, staying awake into the wee hours can come with a hefty cost. Here are nine surprising ways you can benefit from ditching, or at least minimizing, your night owl habit.

1. You might worry less.

Remember when Mom used to tell you that it would all seem better in the morning? She was right! Compared to people who turn in early, those who go to bed very late are more likely to be overwhelmed with repetitive negative thoughts, found one study published late last year.

The findings suggest that sleep disruption could actually be linked to the development of pessimistic thoughts. On the bright side? Psychologists suggest that focusing on good sleep habits can help. Sure, going to bed early won't get rid of whatever problems you're dealing with -- but now, we know that it really may help to put them in perspective, and a well-rested mind is better at dealing with emotions and problem solving.

2. You could get along better with everyone.

Been getting into a lot of arguments lately? There's one easy way to fix that.
Too little sleep tends to leave people feeling short-tempered, irritable, and stressed. Which means that little things that might not normally be a big deal can cause you to fly off the handle. The result? More spats and misunderstandings with those around you.

Being well-rested, on the other hand, will help to recalibrate your baseline. You'll naturally feel more optimistic, patient, and relaxed (even if nothing around you has actually changed), which means you'll have an easier time coping with all of life's little curveballs.

3. You can have a safer commute...

It's scary to think about, but sleep deprivation can make you less alert and significantly up your likelihood of getting into a car crash. And tons of us are at risk:
Roughly 60 percent of adult drivers say they've driven a vehicle while feeling drowsy in the last year. Even crazier? More than a third say that they've actually fallen asleep behind the wheel.

According to AAA Foundation reports, people who sleep six to seven hours are twice as likely to have a car accident compared to those who sleep for 8 hours or more. People who sleep for five hours or less increase their risk up to five-fold. Go for 24 hours without sleeping, and your skills behind the wheel are the same as someone who is legally drunk. Yikes.

4. ... and be more productive at work.

We've all been there. You're sitting at your desk after a super late night, staring blankly at the report that's supposed to be due at noon -- and nothing's happening. That's because lack of sleep messes with your cognition, making it harder for your brain to perform basic functions like concentrating and remembering.

And it's not just the straightforward stuff that suffers. Lack of REM sleep -- the sleep that occurs when you dream -- can thwart creative-thinking skills. In fact, one recent study found that subjects performed 30 percent better on a puzzle after waking up from REM sleep than after waking up from non-REM sleep. Research has shown that sleep is essential for helping people solve complex problems, too.

Get your eight hours of snooze time, and the brain boost that follows will leave you feeling fresh, focused, and ready to take care of business. Report due at noon? You're on it.

5. You might have an easier time maintaining a healthy weight.

Research suggests that the less sleep you get, the more likely you are to be overweight or obese. How so? When you're regularly sleep deprived, you have less energy to exercise or make healthy food choices.


Plus, studies show that the later you stay up, the more you eat: Our body's internal clocks seem to be hard-wired to prefer salty, fatty, or sugary foods after 8 p.m. Which might explain why night owls who stay up until 4 a.m. eat about 550 more calories than early birds who go to sleep at 10 p.m.

6. You could be one of those people who doesn't get sick this winter.

Next to washing your hands, getting enough sleep might be one of the most effective ways at avoiding a cold or the flu.

Adequate shuteye keeps your immune system strong, so you're less likely to catch a case of whatever is going when you're exposed to it (hello, sneezing co-worker!). And if you do manage to get sick, you'll recover faster. In other words, your cough or sniffles will last a few days rather than lingering for the next three months.

7. You might look better.

A recent Swedish study confirmed what most of your friends are too polite to tell you: When you don't get enough sleep, you don't look so great. When participants viewed images of people who were sleep-deprived or well rested, the sleep-deprived folks were rated as less attractive, less healthy, less approachable, and sadder.

During sleep, your body works to replace tired old cells with fresh new ones, helping your complexion to look more glowy than ghastly. Lack of sleep can also contribute to puffy, darker eyelids, red eyes, and a paler complexion that practically screams, I'm running on fumes.

8. You can lower your risk for scary diseases.

Want to lower your chances for developing chronic conditions like heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke? In addition to eating right and exercising, be vigilant about getting enough sleep.

While you snooze, your body is hard at work performing repairs on your heart, blood vessels, brain and other tissues that help keep chronic disease at bay. Skimp on sleep, and that nightly maintenance schedule starts to suffer. Eventually, your parts will start to wear out, setting the stage for major problems.

9. You won't feel the need to hit the snooze button three times. (Well, maybe.)

If you just can't stand getting out of your warm, cozy bed, no amount of sleep will make you the kind of person who bounds out of bed in the morning. But once you do get on a regular sleep schedule and maintain a well-rested baseline, waking up becomes much less challenging.

It's a lot easier to deal with the morning when you're feeling refreshed, and you may even find you don't need an alarm at all when your body gets adequate rest. Seriously, go ahead and try it!

If falling asleep early doesn't come easy for you, try using strategies like taking a warm bath or practicing guided relaxation near bedtime. Part of good sleep hygiene is keeping a regular pre-bed routine, as this helps mentally and physically prepare you for snoozing. Turning electronics off and keeping rooms cool are also smart moves.

Are you an early or late sleeper? What benefits do you find most rewarding when falling asleep early?

Rosie Osmun is the Creative Content Manager at Amerisleep, a progressive memory foam mattress brand focused on eco-friendly sleep solutions. Rosie writes more posts on the Amerisleep blog about the science of sleep, eco-friendly living, leading a healthy lifestyle and more.

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Holding Grudges Is Bad for Our Health

It might be hard to imagine, but somewhere between 50 and 80 percent of people will experience a trauma at some point in their lives. To make matters worse, most traumas are perpetrated directly by other people -- sometimes even acquaintances, friends, and family members. Given these depressing statistics, it may be tempting to become angry or resentful, to view people as threats and little more. That's what some victims of trauma do, of course. They may hold grudges, harbor life-long resentment, and even seek retribution. Who could blame them?

Perhaps this is why some mental health professionals teach that forgiveness is an important step in moving beyond such trauma. It seems obvious that unforgiveness is bad for mental health -- it's highly unpleasant to harbor anger or hurt for prolonged periods of time. But aren't some truly horrible things simply unforgiveable?

We posed this question to a man named Aaron Acharya, a refugee from the village of Relukha in South Asia's Kingdom of Bhutan. In 1992, while he was away at college, security forces arrived in his village, and, in the name of maintaining the country's Tibetan Mahayana Buddhist character, evicted the population. To make things legal, the government needed villagers to sign a so-called voluntary migration form. Aaron returned for a holiday and learned of his father's incarceration for refusing to sign.

When Aaron demanded they let his father go, officials incarcerated him too. His father finally agreed to sign the papers when an officer shoved a gun at Aaron's temple. Instead of returning to his dorm room, Aaron settled into a refugee camp in Nepal with no living supplies and little food. Many died of malnutrition and disease.

"I spent a lot of time wondering what I would do if I saw these people who did this on the street, in another life or situation," says Aaron.

One night, Aaron was offered that chance.

A group of men came to see Aaron claiming they found one of them. The man they located had once worked alongside Aaron's father. During the purge, he became a low-level official who played a role in evicting his own people. Intending to teach him a lesson, Aaron and a few others arrived at the man's hut, but he wasn't home So, they waited. "I was so angry at him and his collaborators. I wasn't sure what I'd do when I saw them," says Aaron. "Could I forgive this man? Could I move on without confronting him in some way? I did not know."

We asked an expert about his views on just this sort of situation. "Most of us usually then want to get our own back, but an eye for an eye ends up with everyone blind, as Gandhi noted," explains Archbishop Desmond Tutu from his home in South Africa. One of the world's foremost experts on political forgiveness, Archbishop Tutu presided over the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which determined whether to grant amnesty to those who committed abuses during the apartheid era.



Though the Archbishop is resolute that no one should or even could be forced to forgive, he is quick to add, "We can only hope that the sufferer will realize that not forgiving affects them as a human being, and hope that they will see that nursing a grudge is bad for their health." We know from the research that Archbishop Tutu is right.

Writing in the journal Psychological Science, researchers asked students at Michigan's Hope College to call to mind a person in their lives who had mistreated or offended them. While fitted with instruments to monitor their physiological state, students imagined both what it would be like to forgive the transgressor and what it would be like to harbor a grudge. When imagining unforgiveness, the participants felt stronger negative emotions and experienced higher heart rate, blood pressure, and sympathetic nervous system activity than when imagining forgiveness.

These results dovetail with the findings of a 2010 study known as the National Comorbidity Replication Survey. Among the many questions in this study, 10,000 U.S. residents were asked, "Would you say this is true or false? I've held grudges against people for years." Writing in the journal Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology, researchers reported that people who tended to hold grudges experienced higher rates of heart disease and cardiac arrest, elevated blood pressure, stomach ulcers, arthritis, back problems, headaches, and chronic pain than those who didn't.

The question is, why?

One possible answer is that harboring unforgiveness may erode our hope for the future. As reported in the journal Personality and Mental Health, researchers analyzed more than fourteen hundred telephone interviews from across the United States, which included questions about people's tendencies to forgive. According to the results, people's answers to the forgiveness questions were among the best predictors of their probability of having depression. In particular, less willingness to forgive predicted greater hopelessness, which in turn predicted greater depression.

That study isn't the only one linking forgiveness with hope. In fact, one of the world's foremost researchers on hope, University of Kansas psychologist C. R. Snyder, helped to develop a prominent theory of forgiveness. Along with psychologist Laura Yamhure Thompson and a team of researchers, he created a psychological test to measure forgiveness, called the Heartland Forgiveness Scale. In a 2005 study appearing in the Journal of Personality, they report strong correlations between this test, hope, and depression.

To Snyder, who passed away just a few months after the publication of that article, the link between forgiveness and hope seemed simple. "Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could be any different," he was fond of saying. Forgiveness means breaking the psychological ties that bind one to the past, giving up the quest to change what has already happened and focusing instead on creating a better, more hopeful future.

As Aaron waited for the man who enforced the eviction of his village, he wondered what purpose forgiveness would serve. Aaron had every reason to want to spill this man's blood as a proxy for all those responsible for the expulsion.

The man came home that night to find a home full of men poised to do him harm. "We told him, 'We are angry. You are a horrible person.'" Aaron says. "And it was very strange because he admitted what he did. 'I made a horrible mistake. You can do what you want to me. Just make sure my wife and kids will be ok.'"

At that moment, Aaron saw what exacting revenge would cost and did something he hadn't thought possible -- he forgave.

"Nothing I could do to this man on this night would change what happened in Relukha," Aaron says. "Here I am in his little hut in the camp, and I see his wife, who is dependent on him. I look at his children. They are hungry, naked, looking up to this father as a provider. I decided I would look after their father. If something were to happen to this man, what will happen to his children and wife?"

Consistent with Snyder's definition of forgiveness, Aaron realized that acting on a grudge wouldn't and couldn't change the past. The only way forward, it seemed to him, was giving up the hope that the past could have been different. Aaron hasn't forgotten the past. He saw far too much awfulness to ever forget. But he determined to the make the future a better one for his people and himself.

In 2013 he established a charitable advocacy program for the needs of the
Bhutanese people in the United States and helped to resettle many of his fellow villagers. Today, the Association of Bhutanese in America Inc. is a resource for Bhutanese exiles. It also serves a unique role as America's largest carrier of Bhutanese cultural identity, with programs to maintain ties to a country that betrayed its refugees, a country they once called home and might someday forgive.



This post was adapted from Supersurvivors: The Surprising Link Between Suffering & Success (Harpercollins), by David B. Feldman, PhD and Lee Daniel Kravetz, now out paperback wherever books are sold.

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Start Here for Mental Health Awareness Month

I was shocked when I ventured out to a mastermind in Brooklyn a few weeks ago. I had an extremely interesting, rewarding, and adventurous experience. One in which I wouldn't dare share with my husband about talking to a stranger and inviting him in my car, this is another article to shared soon. The other experience I felt compelled to share in a video on Facebook.

In the video I talked about something that brought a huge smile to my face and made me giggle because I couldn't believe that this particular experience brought such enlightenment to my morning. You forget about the little things in life and those little moments of appreciation that aren't so little.

The timing of this is perfect as well because this week and the month of May is actually Mental Health Awareness Month with the first week focusing on National Children's Mental Health.

Do You Have Mental Health Awareness?

This first week of May focuses on Children's Mental Health Awareness. I'm pretty sure you and I would agree that raising awareness is crucial. Together we can raise awareness about the importance of children's mental health and that positive mental health is essential to a child's healthy development from birth.

There are resources like Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to help us spread the word, practice ourselves, and teach the children of our future.

Actions and Practices for Children's Mental Health

1. Appreciation/Gratitude: Having an appreciation for everything, even the little things, as I share in my video, is proven to broaden our mental health. I've mentioned before in my articles on the many studies that prove that when we practice gratitude often, more happiness shows up. More happiness can create a a stronger and more positive mental state.

If we can practice this with our children, as early as we start reading to them, I believe it will set them up for a mental strength and positive awareness. Just like your children may say their prayers at night, follow up with all that they are grateful for. Even if it's the light in their room, get them in a routine to show them everything in life is a gift. Children are our future and we are responsible to teach and guide them.

2. Compassion: Show them daily compassion, love, caring, authenticity, laugher and more! Let them experience every emotion (good and bad). Teach them ways to heal, think, and problem solve. We can't ignore our children -- let's engage and speak to them how we speak to adults. It doesn't matter how old or young they are. They deserve respect, experiences, and a journey to embrace.

3. Support: Find a circle of support that believes in a positive lifestyle for their families. Nothing in life is easy, so be sure to have a support team there for when you need help in any way.

4. Get All A's: Whether you have children or not, I'm sure there are children in your life or that you pass by in your day. Remember that we set examples; they watch everybody's moves. Practice kindness every day and think about Identity's mission and message of getting all A's. Take every moment and think about acceptance, appreciation, and achieving. Each moment is a teachable moment. How will you make a difference for your mental health and our children's mental health?

This is an important month -- mental health plays a vital role in our identities. Our mental well-being is probably the most difficult muscle to exercise. One thing I do know is that it's never, never too late to practice, teach and learn.

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Patricia Arquette: My Dream for a More Equal World

This post is part of the Global Moms Relay. Every time you share this post, Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 (per action), up to $300,000, to the Global Moms Relay, to help improve the health and well-being of moms and kids worldwide in support of MAMA, Shot@Life, U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Girl Up. Scroll to the bottom to find out more.

Being a mother has majorly impacted my vision of the future. I dream about a new America and a new world, where all people are safe and treated fairly. I dream of living in a time where all Americans really do have the promise of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; an America -- and a world -- where discrimination is abolished and where we all join together to improve our communities.

It is time to change laws to protect citizens who have historically been discriminated against. I hope we can do that. I pray we can do that. Call me an optimist -- but I believe we can do that.

America and the world are at a tipping point. The economic empowerment of women is very important to me. When women are not paid fairly, they and their children are impacted negatively. I have a daughter, and I want her and all girls to be paid an equal wage for the same job as their white male counterparts. I want all women to be able to afford to live in safe housing and to have quality childcare; this becomes increasingly difficult when they are paid less because they are female. As it stands now, the gender pay gap in this country won't close until 2058.

How can it be that in America today a white woman makes 78 cents for every dollar her white male co-worker makes? And as bad as that sounds, African American women make only 64 cents on the dollar and Latinas are only making 55 cents. This is inexcusable.

Millions of women have fallen off the edge and are left to drown in poverty. Forty percent of all U.S. families are fed by single mothers. Then there are another 30 percent of families where women are contributing to combined family incomes. Clearly, if women are being paid less, they and their families are struggling.

We cannot expect a healthy America when single mothers have to take on second and third jobs to make up the wage gap. We have created a scenario that is unsustainable. The good news is we can change it. I come from a family of activists, and I see change and progress all around me.

My parents taught us by example to make the world you want to live in through action. I find the older I get, the more I want to be around people who care about the burdens of others and take even small actions to make the world a more loving place. Meeting active young people who are doing great things encourages me.

My siblings have all worked to bring about change and progress in different areas. I love and respect them all. It helps to remind me that while we may have some daunting times ahead, there are many beautiful people working hard to make things better.

My sister Rosanna has been advocating protecting women and children from sex trafficking. My brother Richmond has worked in Haiti helping with building tent camps, dormitories and classrooms for kids after the earthquake. My brother David has helped secure tons of food for food banks across the U.S., feeding thousands of Americans, and helped launch an anonymous food backpack program for students who weren't eating on weekends.

Equality and fairness isn't just about taking action to reduce poverty; it's also about identity.

My sister Alexis is a transgender woman, and she has helped not just our family, but many other people understand the social discrimination that trans women face in America today. There have already been seven trans women murdered this year in the U.S. We are still living in a time where they are not safe or protected in their own country. However, because of trans people living their truth despite the danger, public behavior is slowly changing. Chaz Bono, my sister Alexis and Bruce Jenner, and the many brave public figures who have had the courage to live their truth are helping to slowly change the conversation. I hope someday it opens people's hearts. It's time to "bring the nag back." I'm sort of joking, but not really. It is time we start nagging and don't stop nagging until we get laws changed and we get equality for women once and for all! Just as we seek fairness and access to rights, so many people around the world seek access to simple basic needs.

Globally, the world I want in 2030 is a world where everyone has clean water and access to hygiene. I work on ecological sanitation with GiveLove.org. Most people don't know that lack of sanitation and water-borne disease kill more kids worldwide than AIDS and malaria combined. More people on earth have a cell phone than a toilet. Working on sanitation is probably the least sexy thing on earth, but it is a necessity. The people I have worked with in this community are some of the most incredible people I have ever known. That's how it works -- you think you are helping people, and it turns out they are helping you.

You share, they give: Each time you 'like' or share this post via the social media icons on this post or comment below, Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 (per action) up to $300,000, to improve the health and wellbeing of moms and kids worldwide through MAMA, Shot@Life, U.S. Fund for UNICEF and Girl Up. $1 provides 1 month of targeted health information via mobile phone for a mom in India through MAMA (Mobile Alliance for Maternal Action).

You can also use the Donate A Photo* app and Johnson & Johnson will donate $1 when you upload a photo for Girl Up or UNICEF, up to $100,000. You can help make a difference in seconds with the click of your mouse or snap of your smart phone. Share this post with the hashtag #GlobalMoms, and visit GlobalMomsRelay.org to learn more.

The United Nations Foundation, Johnson & Johnson, BabyCenter and The Huffington Post created the Global Moms Relay with a goal of improving the lives of women and children around the globe.

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