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Improve Your Sleep Schedule? Go Camping

I read a great article in Popular Science (Feb 2017) about how going camping can improve your sleep.

Yes, camping! 

We know that modern environments with all their electronic gadgets (and bright screens) hurt sleep patterns. When we look at bright lights, our bodies stay in “daytime” mode, so we stay up later and wake up groggier.  

If we get away from those bright lights (e.g. when camping), our melatonin levels rise when the sun goes down which signals it’s time for sleep. When the sun rises, the melatonin levels fall which signals our body that it’s time to wake up. Additional exposure to natural light throughout the day reinforces the “daytime” mode. The study showed that even a short weekend camping can “largely reset a person’s internal clock”.

Read more: Camping to Improve Sleep

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Health Benefits of a Massage

A massage is great for helping you relax, but it also has more therapeutic benefits.

  • Relieve Depression Anxiety
  • Sleep More Soundly
  • Improve Circulation
  • Fight Fatigue
  • Manage Pain
  • Boost Focus
  • Reduce Stress
  • Heal Injuries
  • Improve flexibility
  • Decrease Headaches
  • Relieve Back & Neck Pain

How can massage do all that?

“The skin is moved during a moderate pressure massage, which results in a calming and slowing of the nervous system,” says Tiffany Field, PhD at the University of Miami School of Medicine. “And that slowing of the nervous system leads to other physiological effects too, like a decrease in heart rate, lowered blood pressure, and changes in EEG patterns (electrical activity in your brain)”, says Field. And you can get these great effects after only 20 minutes!

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Tips for Getting a COVID Vaccine Appointment in San Diego County

Starting March 15, San Diego County has opened Phase 1C which includes people age 16-64 with some underlying medical conditions.  More information can be found here. https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/community_epidemiology/dc/2019-nCoV/vaccines/phases.html

Since I’m no longer able to provide COVID vaccine in my office due to changes at the State level, I’ve put together some resources to help you find an appointment.  But be warned, while vaccine supply is still so scarce, finding an appointment is VERY DIFFICULT.  It requires patience and persistence.  But hopefully will improve over the next few months.

  1. My Turn – https://myturn.ca.gov/

This is the State of California’s website and will point you to all the County locations as well as some local pharmacies.  One nice feature – if you’re not eligible yet, you can register for text updates about when you’re eligible.  Some sites are giving all 3 vaccines, others are only giving one type – Petco Park is giving Modera only.  Del Mar Fairgrounds is giving Pfizer only.

  1. Vons – https://www.vons.com/pharmacy/covid-19.html?cmpid=ps_von_soc_cov_goo_20210125_71700000078884903_58700006655642324_43700060099359683&gclid=Cj0KCQjwi7yCBhDJARIsAMWFScOxRwaxqjMcvGiy12Nan017E3Y6cuBq7NWy4bCnwgEcgJH2UbLhPJwaAmGuEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds
  1. CVS – https://www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine
  1. Walgreens – https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-vaccine.jsp
  1. Scripps – https://www.scripps.org/coronavirus-covid-19/vaccine-info

If you’ve seen a doctor at Scripps in the last 3 years, you may be eligible to get your vaccine through Scripps.  All appointments through Scripps are being scheduled by “invitation” only.  Those invitations are sent automatically through MyScripps.  If you do not have an account at MyScripps, you can sign up for one at www.MyScripps.org

  1. UCSD – https://health.ucsd.edu/coronavirus/Pages/vaccine.aspx

If you have a UCSD doctor that you see regularly, you may be eligible to get your vaccine through UCSD.   Like Scripps, appointments are by invitation only and scheduled through MyUCSDChart.

  1. Sharp – https://www.sharp.com/coronavirus/vaccines.cfm

Appointments are by invitation only

Vaccine chasers – some people are showing up at vaccine sites near the end of the day hoping to get a “left over” dose.  You can find which San Diego County vaccine sites are open which hours here: https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/community_epidemiology/dc/2019-nCoV/vaccines/COVID-19-VaxEvents/Vaccinations-Schedule.html