We’re only halfway through February, but are you already feeling burned out and feel like you need time off already? Not just for a vacation, since deciding to take time off work can be a challenge, but to do it for mental health reasons makes it all that harder.

Taking a sabbatical has been shown to reduce stress and can improve long-term performance while avoiding burnout. Take the time that you need, but make sure you have a plan. If you can show higher-ups what tasks you have coming up so they can be delegated, it’ll be easier to have them grant your request and alleviate some guilt you may have. If paid time off isn’t an option, you may need to have some savings set aside and work a budget.

And when you do return, make sure you don’t fall into traps that may be unhealthy, like eating lunch alone at your desk, and take regular breaks from your computer monitor.

Make sure you set those boundaries – and prioritize your mental health – and your work/life balance will benefit!

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As we age, we may find ourselves becoming more forgetful. The good news, is that there are steps you can take now to help keep your brain healthy and your memory strong:

Follow a healthy diet – fruits, veggies, whole grains, fish, healthy fats all have nutrients like antioxidants and omega-3 fatty acids that boost memory function. And drink plenty of water too – mild dehydration can reduce memory.

There is evidence that smoking can increase the risk of developing dementia – reduced blood flow, weak blood vessels, and inflammation that comes from the toxins in cigarettes can lead to stroke or dementia.

Regular exercise has been found to lower the risk of memory loss – it boosts the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain and produces growth hormones there as well.

Keeping blood pressure down isn’t just important for your heart, but high blood pressure has been found to supply less blood flow to parts of the brain associated with memory.

Your brain needs exercise too! Play games, word puzzles, anything challenging that requires you to work beyond the easy will help sharpen your skills!

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There are two things – how old you are and how old you feel. And for most of us, we don’t feel our age.

A new study shows that we think or feel we’re about 20% younger than we are.

Meaning a 30-year-old feels 24; a 40-year-old feels like they’re in their early 30s; and a 50-year-old feels like late 30s.

But why? Well, psychologists have developed that we form so many memories in our youth that it seems impossible that it was so far in the past.

So, the next time you think about your own age – remember the old adage that you’re only as old as you feel!

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It’s tough to break bad habits. And those revolving around food can be especially hard to break. But there are some we do daily that you should avoid, because it can be really harming your health:

Don’t skip breakfast – it’s one of our worst habits – and you end up overeating the rest of the day because our bodies are starving and desperate for nutrients.

On the other hand, eating late at night is bad for our bodies, it can lead to disrupted sleep, indigestion, and a lack of hunger in the morning.

When eating proper meals throughout the day at appropriate times, it’s important not to overeat with huge portions! Excess calories may deposit as fat, leading to an increase in body weight, which leads to high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels, two risk factors of major health conditions like diabetes and heart disease.

And the choice of food is important too – too much added sugar can lead to issues like higher blood pressure, inflammation, weight gain, diabetes, and fatty liver diseases, which can be linked to heart attack and stroke.

Whatever your eating habits may be, it’s important to pay attention to the ones harming your health in the long run.

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When times are tough, it’s a challenge to remain positive. But if you can do it – you might live longer.

A new study found that optimism can add years to your life. This study lasted over two decades! They asked a lot of questions over the years of 160,000 people – and the ones who remained optimistic lived the longest – many reached 90 and even older.

At the end of the study, those who lived optimistically lived over 5% longer than those who were pessimistic. Put another way – if you live to 90, that’s nearly five extra years.

So…think happy thoughts!

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