IMMUNE SYSTEM IS BOOSTED

B10 • Living Wild!

3 COOL THINGS that happen when you SLEEP

By Carrie Johnson , MEd, CHES

Getting enough sleep each night is just plain awesome for your emotional and physical health. So what really goes on while we sleep? A lot. Here are 3 of the many cool things that happen while we sleep: 1. MEMORIES ARE STORED. The brain forms new memories, consolidates older ones, and makes connections between older and more recent memories. This helps us to store the new information we received and enables us to better recall it later. 2. IMMUNE SYSTEM IS BOOSTED. The production of certain proteins (which

helps fi ght disease) increase while we sleep. Many studies have shown that sleep deprivation leads to a decrease in white blood cell count (cells that are integral to our immune system defense and response). Getting enough sleep plays an important role in our ability to fi ght off , fi ght, and recover from infections and illnesses. 3. APPETITE IS REGULATED Hormones have an eff ect on our feelings of fullness and hunger. As a result, not getting enough sleep can lead to weight gain, in part due to late night snacks and meals. Experts recommend getting between 7-9 hours of sleep per night. In a perfect world, you would sleep until you wake up on your own (without the assistance of an alarm clock). But since we don’t live in a perfect world, try these tips to help you sleep better!

GETGOOD SLEEP. BENEFITS: • Improves stress management • Sharpens concentration & memory • Boosts immune system • Enhances emotional & physical health • Increases energy TIPS:

• Engage in regular physical activity • Avoid late-day caff eine & nicotine • Keep regular waking & bedtime hours • Sleep in a dark, quiet room • Keep naps short (45 minutes or less) A SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE DAILY WILDCAT

By Campus Health Service Staff Member

Here are some tips to RxSafely: • ASK the Campus Health Pharmacy if you have questions regarding your medication (OTC or prescription): patient education is always free! • TAKE your medications as prescribed. Do not share prescription medications with others – this can have unintended consequences (such as overdose), and is illegal. • DISPOSE of expired, unwanted or unused medications safely in the Campus Health Pharmacy disposal box – no questions asked! Why RxSafely? When improperly stored or disposed, medications: • fl ushed in the toilet or dumped

down the drain can leach into the water supply, aff ecting municipal drinking water, seafood or crops. • thrown in the trash can harm

children, pets and/or wildlife by accidental poisoning. • in unsecured locations (for example, unlocked medicine cabinets or desk drawers) are prone to misuse or unintentional overdose. We are happy to answer your questions regarding medications, safe disposal practices, and what types/ forms of medications are accepted in the Prescription Drop Box. For more information, please visit, or call (520) 621-6516.

Meds in the bin, Wildcats for the win!

The Campus Health Pharmacy, located on the ground  oor of the Highland Commons Building, is available for your prescription (over 400 available) and over-the-counter (OTC) needs.

What Is HIIT?

HIIT stands for High Intensity Interval Training. This style of training combines timed periods of intense eff ort with timed periods of recovery. HIIT has been shown to improve aerobic and anaerobic fi tness levels, blood pressure, cardiovascular health, and reduce abdominal fat and body weight while maintaining muscle mass. Due to their high level of intensity, HIIT workouts are shorter than traditional, steady-state cardio sessions. Although HIIT workouts are shorter in length, they have been shown to burn more calories than longer, lower intensity cardio workouts, mostly due to the calories that are continuously burned after the HIIT workout is complete.

How to design a HIIT workout: • HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL: In this interval, you should be working between 80-95% of your max heart rate. This can be easily measured using a MyZone heart rate monitoring chest strap ($80 at UA Campus Rec). The MyZone chest strap provides much more accurate readings than a wrist heart rate monitor and should be used for the most reliable measurement of working heart rate. This high-intensity interval could range from 10 seconds to 2 minutes in length. • RECOVERY INTERVAL: In this interval, heart rate should fall between 40-50% of your max heart rate. This allows the body to recover and prepare for the next bout of high intensity work. • PUTTING IT TOGETHER: High-intensity intervals are paired with recovery intervals in ratios. The work-to-rest ratio can be 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, etc. For example, a 1:2 ratio could consist of a person completing 30 seconds of squat jumps followed by 60 seconds of rest. This would be repeated as many times as desired (typically 3-5 times total).

HIIT workouts are quick and effi cient making them a great addition to any fi tness routine. Begin by slowly adding intervals into your workouts and have fun adjusting the ratio, working exercise, and total rounds completed. You’ll never get bored with HIIT as the combinations are endless! Need help getting started? Check out a HIIT Group Fitness class at UA Campus Recreation!