A Week’s Worth of Health

Sunday:  Go for a run, but don’t stretch beforehand. Static stretching before exercise actually reduces endurance: do it afterwards.

Monday: Bring a bag of walnuts to work for snack time.  They reduce blood pressure and smooth the body’s stress response.

Tuesday: Instead of e-mailing, walk to see your colleagues in person.

Wednesday: Bring a reusable water bottle and fill it regularly.

Thursday: Turn out the lights at ten—adults getting less than six hours of shut-eye a night are more likely to die at a younger age.

Friday: Set your computer screen to a Caribbean beach.  Looking at pictures of tranquil scenes stimulates your brain to create new neural connections.

Saturday: Kick off your morning with a crossword puzzle.  Using your brain in different ways may help stave off Alzheimer’s.