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By Clare Mendez, Resident According to an article in Consumer Reports: Nine out of 10 adults say they have experienced sleep challenges and some take a prescription drug, over-the-counter medication, or a supplement to try to improve their sleep. e fix is actually treating the sleep space itself. Adjusting a few key elements, including the temperature of your own bedroom and the thickness of your pillows, can help create an oasis you'll actually enjoy retiring to each night Finding the right mattress is key so when shopping for a new mattress, don't be ashamed in laying on it in various positions (mostly the position you prefer for sleep) for no less than five minutes. It may seem like a long time when you are being watched by a sales person, but they aren't the one making a purchase that should last for at least 10 years. Make sure it has the firmness and comfort you are looking for. Your body temperature shis over the course of the day and night. Core temperature decreases slightly and skin temperature increases around bedtime to prepare you for sleep. During the second half of the night it flips to help you wake up. e right bedding can help that process. Cozy but breathable sheets and blankets warm the skin while allowing heat from the core to dissipate into the air. Pillows are a must for a comfortable night's sleep and a less achy morning. e right pillow extends from your shoulder blades, past the top of your head. It stabilizes your neck in a neutral position and aligns it with the rest of your body. Pick the best match for your favorite sleeping position. • Side sleepers need pillows with adequate lo. It should fill the space between your ear and shoulder, supporting your neck. If your top leg pitches forward an puts a strain on that top hip, try a pillow between your legs extending from mid- thigh to mid-lower leg. • Back sleepers have an advantage: e position distributes weight more evenly than side sleeping. Choose a pillow loy enough to cradle your head without spraining your neck. • Stomach sleepers should try to switch to the back or side. Darkness is the body's cue to go to bed, allowing the pineal gland in the brain to secrete more melatonin, the hormone associated with sleep. Get as much light as you can during the day, and reinforce that contrast between day and night by putting away your phone and tablet and dimming our lamps well before bed and use black-out curtains or a sleep mask. Indoor air quality is an important consideration, especially for people with asthma or dust allergies. Dust or vacuum your room at least once a week. Low indoor humidity can dry your skin, nose and throat. Allergens also become airborne more easily- irritating airways and making it harder to breathe. A low cost humidifier will help with that. Experts say you should avoid caffeine six hours before bedtime, refrain from work email aer eight, and even set a reminder every night to go to bed by 11 pm. Try to avoid sleeping for less than eight hours per night and no more than 10. Plus, getting ample exercise during the day and you will see a big difference in your sleep cycle. 14 SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | NOVEMBER 2023 By eresa Rossetti, Resident Have you ever just felt a bit off, just not up to eating whatever is normal for you? I certainly have. Routine things such as colds, tummy upsets, flu or just one of those days can do that to us. What do you turn to when your normal diet just won't cut it for that day? Most likely the answer is whatever is your comfort food. Comfort foods are what you ate as a kid, when you got to skip school due to whatever childhood ailment was being passed around the classroom and/or the neighborhood. Recently one of my very much grown-up sons mentioned he wasn't feeling great because he ate a burrito that was, shall we say, past its prime. Rather than chastise him for that, since I was sure his wife already had, I asked him if he was up to eating anything and if so what. To absolutely no surprise, his answer was eggs and toast. I think you can now guess what I gave my children when they were feeling poorly. Scrambled eggs, toast and tea were my mother's answer to any day home from school. Many years ago, at a camp in the Catskills, a bad case of what was then referred to as stomach flu was running rampant. e camp nurse pulled out a bottle of Coke syrup and gave some to all the suffering. While the jury is still out about this treatment, it sure helped me! (e caffeine in Coke can make a bad stomach worse, but the sugar and water in it is useful for rehydration.) Ginger ale works for me as well. Now that we are approaching the holiday season, when we may be off our usual schedule for a number of reasons, you might want to make sure you have a supply of your comfort foods on hand! Getting a Good Night's Sleep Comfort Foods

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