WINTER 2010 VOLUME 5 ISSUE 1
IN THIS ISSUE A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP MOTIVATION & WEIGHT LOSS FINANCIAL WELL-BEING
UI Wellness A UNIT OF UI HUMAN RESOURCES
liveWELL
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UI Wellness
staff
UI Wellness is a unit of UI Human Resources. Joni Troester Director joni-troester@uiowa.edu 335-2692 • 121-50 USB Megan Moeller Coordinator megan-moeller@uiowa.edu 335-5424 • 111 CC JoAnna Arguello Health Coach joanna-arguello@uiowa.edu 353-2973 • 111 CC Erin Litton Health Coach erin-litton@uiowa.edu 353-2974 • 111 CC Carla Melby-Oetken Health Coach carla-melby@uiowa.edu 353-2973 • 111 CC JoAnn Miller Health Coach joann-miller@uiowa.edu 353-2975 • 111 CC Jean O’Donovan Secretary jean-odonovan@uiowa.edu 353-2973 • 111 CC Ruth Hurlburt Secretary ruth-hurlburt@uiowa.edu 353-2314 • 121 USB
Layout and Design by IMU Marketing & Design Printed by UI Printing Services on recycled paper 2 liveWELL
It’s time for a pradigm shift in 2010. Rather than focusing on the typical New Year’s Resolution that inevitably is so grandiose we often lose track of day-to-day progress, try to look at your day-to-day routine instead. Daily rituals will increase your personal capacity to get things done with more zest, vigor, and enjoyment. Do you need to make a concentrated effort to clean out your inbox? Tighten your budget? Pack healthier lunches? Go to bed earlier? This Winter edition of the liveWELL newsletter, takes a look at some common New Year themes – Health, Finances, Weight Loss – and provides insight into realistic ideas to implement into your routine. Please take a moment to focus inward with the help of our guest authors and UI experts and consider some doable strategies for your overall health and wellness improvement plan for 2010. Yours in Health, Megan Moeller, UI Wellness Coordinator
liveWELL @ UI At The University of Iowa, we aspire to fully incorporate health and wellness into the lives of our campus community members. This is possible through a commitment to continuous development of a healthy campus culture in the spirit of learning and discovery that is at the heart of a distinguished public university.
in this issue
4
A Good Night’s Sleep
7
Motivation & Weight Loss
12
liveWell 2010
14
Financial Well-Being
other f e at u r e s
9 Resources for Realistic Weight Loss 10 Live Healthy Iowa 2010 11 $500 Winners 16 Calendar of Events liveWELL
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A Good Night’s Sleep By Carol Wozniak-Rebhuhn, M.A., LMFT Coordinator, Faculty and Staff Services/ Employee Assistance Program 4 liveWELL
Do you like to lie in bed and watch TV or have a nightcap before going to bed? These habits could actually be contributing to your sleep difficulties. Sleep problems can cause more than just sleepiness—a lack of sleep can actually contribute to accidents, affect your relationships, health, mental alertness, and make you feel generally “disconnected” from the world. If your sleeplessness is caused by a tough deadline or a common cold, you might not have trouble getting your sleep back on track after the deadline or the cold go away; but if you have trouble sleeping on a regular basis, consider the following… Create the Best Possible Sleep Enviornment: • remove electronics like computers and televisions from your bedroom • keep the room cool, comfortable, quiet, and dark • use the bed only for sleep and intimacy Learn to Relax your Mind: • establish a relaxing bedtime routine; take a bath, read a book, listen to relaxing music before bed, or trying having a cup of Chamomile tea • simple breathing exercises can help. Breathe, using your abdomen not your chest, through your nose
for three seconds, then breathe out for three seconds. Gradually, elongate the count--counting to four, then five as you are able. Practice this for about five to ten minutes in the later evening • clear your mind—if you experience worries that are hard to shut off, spend some time earlier in the evening writing in a journal. If you continue to have difficulty shutting off your active mind, talk it over with a counselor from our UI Employee Assistance Program (EAP) • don’t watch the clock— it can cause anxiety about sleep • try using a progressive relaxation or sleep CD that is specifically for helping people fall asleep. CD’s are available at no cost through UI EAP (see page 6 for more information). An EAP counselor can help you determine the best CD for your situation
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Avoid Alcohol at Bedtime Alcohol is a diuretic, which means you’ll probably need to get up and go to the bathroom. Plus it can make you restless prompting you to reawaken. Drinking is also more likely to lead to snoring, which can restrict airflow into the lungs. This reduces oxygen in your blood which disturbs your sleep. Avoid Caffeine Caffeine is a stimulant which can stay in your system for many hours. So avoid sources of caffeine such as coffee, chocolate, cola or energy drinks, and non-herbal teas.
See your Doctor if your Sleep Problems Continue If you have trouble falling asleep night after night, wake up too early, experience mid-wakefulness, or if you always feel tired the next day, you may have a sleep disorder. It is advisable to seek advice from your doctor. Most sleep disorders can be treated successfully. Sleep resources are available through the Faculty and Staff Services/ Employee Assistance Program: • Sleep CDs • Weekly Sleep Logs • Healthy Mind and Sleep Tips
Exercise Regularly Regular exercise is a great way to improve your sleep. Just be careful not to do it close to bedtime as exercise produces stimulants that stop the brain from relaxing quickly. This being the case, exercising in the morning is an excellent way to wake up the body. Going on a run or walk releases stimulants into the body, which can perk you up.
• Resilience and Relaxation Techniques • Personal, couple and Family Counseling To discuss your sleep concerns or to access any of the above resources, please contact the Faculty and Staff services/ Employee Assistance Program at 335-2085 or email them at EAPhelp@uiowa.edu.
If you are injured or disabled, you can still benefit from exercise. Meet with a Health Coach from UI Wellness to talk over some options that are right for you.
Carol Wozniak-Rebhuhn is the coordinator of the Faculty and Staff Services (FSS) Employee Assistance Program. FSS is a part of Organizational Effectiveness, UI Human Resources.
HEALTH COACH C.S.I. A Good Night’s Sleep: 30-minute presentation February 4
21271 PFP, UIHC (Oto Conference Room, Elevator L)
February 17 112 University Services Building To register, log on to the Employee Self-Service website. In “My Training” enter the date for the sessions that you can attend.
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Ask The Expert: Finding New (and real) Motivation for Weight Loss in the New Year Q & A with the Health Coach JoAnn Miller MS, RD, LD
Q: A:
It’s that time of year for me to face my usual New Year’s resolution to lose weight, but I’ve failed so many times before. How do I find the motivation to try again? Losing weight, like many health behavior changes, is not easy! It often takes many attempts to be successful. So for starters, pat yourself on the back for trying – and trying again! Weight loss takes persistence, and sometimes it takes changing the way we think about it. These are my top 5 tips for 2010:
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Believe in yourself ! If you really believe you can lose weight you can – as you’ve said, you’ve done it before.
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Ask what you can do differently this time to keep off any weight you lose. Try to change your eating or exercise habits in ways that can be permanent. Even if you don’t reach your goal weight, any weight loss will be closer to your goal and improve your health.
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Set realistic weight loss goals. It takes time and effort to lose weight. Setting goals that are not possible for your body (or for the time and energy you have to put into weight loss) can be discouraging.
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Think positively EVERY DAY. If you think you are unmotivated you will be! Get up every morning and think about what choices you will make today to make progress.
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Focus on the big picture, forgive the little “slip ups.” Don’t expect to eat and exercise perfectly every day. If you make an unhealthy choice, keep it in perspective and try to balance the rest of the day with smaller portions and healthier choices. Try to keep those “slips” to a small amount, and don’t let them ruin your day, week, or weight loss attempt. Our liveWELL Health Coach staff can help you develop the confidence and skills to make progress on your weight loss this year. Contact us if you’re interested in individualized or group support.
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Resources for Realistic Weight Loss Daily, JoAnn and her Health Coach colleagues work with individuals on developing personal health improvement plans for weight loss that suit the learning styles and pace of each person. Some suggested websites and books to help you in your journey are listed.
Websites
Books
Sparkpeople www.sparkpeople.com
The Way to Eat: A Six Step Path to Lifelong Weight Control
This is a free website that offers personalized guidance for weight loss including meal plans, food tracking tools, recipes, exercise demos, motivational articles, and chat rooms. Users find the interactivity of the website, and tailored email reminders helpful.
FitDay www.fitday.com This is a free website that places an
Author David Katz provides general guidelines for healthy eating including nutrition information, practical tips, ideas for overcoming common obstacles, and motivational ideas.
MyPyramid www.mypyramid.gov
No-Fad Diet: A Personal Plan for Healthy Weight Loss
MyPyramid contains general information
The American Heart
for healthy eating and can be individualized
Association promotes a personalized
for weight loss or to maintain current
approach to weight-loss planning based on
weight. There is a food and activity tracker,
three key concepts: think smart, eat well,
as well as a meal planning function.
and move more. The plan provides menus
emphasis on food and activity tracking.
for three calorie levels, as well as recipes
Weight Watchers weightwatchers.com Weight Watchers has an online program for tracking food intake to align with weight loss goals. “At work” groups meet on campus at various locations. For more information, visit www.uiowa.edu/hr/ wellness.
and several appendices.
Live Healthy University of Iowa:
Social Support Helps You and UI The Live Healthy Iowa state-wide “100 Day Challenge” runs from January 14 – April 23, 2010. LHI is a team-based weight loss and physical activity program that helps to motivate participants to make positive changes that lead to a healthier lifestyle while tracking progress and having fun along the way. Research confirms using social support as a strategy for meeting and exceeding goals. As a part of the teambased approach, teammates provide: • Fresh ideas to prevent boredom • Accountability to individual goals • Creative solutions to barriers • Encouragement in challenging times Don’t forget the aspect of friendly competition when it comes to the team-based approach. You can compete against a team of UI Wellness Health Coaches (Team liveWELL), University Vice Presidents (Iowa VPs for Health), or maybe a group a little bit closer to you like down the hall or up one floor… As a team, you can track
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your group progress versus others via the Live Healthy Iowa dashboard. Although the 100 Day Challenge started on January 14, you can still join in the fun to register a group of 2-10 co-workers, friends, family, neighbors, etc…. If you are registering a team of co-workers, be sure to register as a University of Iowa team. Instructions can be found at www.uiowa.edu/ hr/wellness/livehealthy.
Go Hawks! In 2009, the University of Iowa led the state-wide University Challenge in weight loss and minutes of activity, edging out Iowa State and the University of Northern Iowa. In 2010, the Hawkeyes also want to lead in participation. The goal for 2010 is to have 1,000 University employees participate in LHI.
500 Monthly Winners
$
In 2010 there are TWO $500 winners each month – all who have taken their Personal Health Assessment (PHA) in 2010 are eligible every month. Take your PHA at your SelfService website (http://hris.uiowa.edu). The PHA is available to staff and faculty in 50% or greater regular positions at the University.
Dennis rublaitus, ITS “I used a portion of my winnings to buy a Wii Fit for my family for Christmas – we love it!”
tom bair, DNA Facility “It is interesting to track your attitudes and approaches by using the Personal Health Assessment as a tool. For example, what was I thinking and doing a year ago in relation to my health and fitness and how has that changed.” Stephanie rozek, Nursing “I knew I needed to eat better already but to have it on paper makes it real. More motivation follows as a result.” Connie herrick, College of Dentistry “One health improvement strategy that has been meaningful for me is that keeping a daily or weekly food journal makes a person accountable for what they eat.” jennifer raghaven, Journalism & Mass Communication “The liveWELL Personal Health Assessment inspired me to start eating better and do yoga regularly. I feel so much better having made these changes.” autumn craig, Radiation Therapy, UIHC “Taking the yearly Personal Health Assessment is a great way to re-evaluate your personal living. It forces you to take a few minutes to see improvement, or regression in your daily health habits.” liveWELL
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liveWELL: Participate Again in 2010 In 2009, nearly 10,000 faculty and staff at The University of Iowa participated in the liveWELL Personal Health Assessment. Making A Better Choice in 2010 is as easy as A – B – C!
A B C Complete your confidential Personal Health Assessment at your Self-Service Website and receive $65 ($50 if this is your first year participating) on your next month’s paycheck.
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Review your feedback report and participate in any of the free, Online Lifestyle Management Programs. Topics include Weight Management, Exercise, Managing Stress, Managing Depression, and more.
Seek out the support of a personal Health Coach to help you reach your goals for improved wellness. Health Coaches are available via telephone or in-person at multiple campus locations, from 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
New in 2010 In conjunction with your Health Coach, you may decide that participation in another University-sponsored service is appropriate given your health improvement plan. The University is committed to the health of its employees and assisting those with risky health behaviors to better manage their health. Because of this commitment, the University will pay the FULL PROGRAM FEE of a number or programs to support you in your longterm health: • Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (UI Behavioral Health) • Personal Training (Recreational Services) • REACH (Rehabilitation Therapies) for Type II Diabetes prevention • CHAMPS (UI Heart and Vascular Center) for those unaccustomed to exercise and ready to get started. • Take Charge of Your Health (Family Care Center) for those with a chronic condition diagnosis. In order for The University to pay for these programs, you must first be engaged in working one-on-one with a Health Coach and determine that a referral is a good match for your needs and interests. Learn more about the Health Coach service at 353-2973 or www.uiowa.edu/livewell. One referral program per participant is allowed.
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Financial Well-being Impacts Overall Health By Carol Wozniak-Rebhuhn, M.A., LMFT Coordinator, Faculty and Staff Services/  Employee Assistance Program
Money is often on the minds of most of us. In fact, money is a top source of stress for eight out of 10 Americans, according to the American Psychological Association’s Stress in America survey. More people are reporting stress related symptoms including fatigue, feelings of irritability, sleep difficulties, lack of interest or motivation, feeling depressed or sad, drinking more alcohol, headaches and muscular tension. Sound familiar?
What can you do? • Try to focus on what you have influence over. Set aside time to thoughtfully consider your options. If there is an action item, then do it. If there isn’t, then set aside your worries, and don’t allow yourself to dwell on them. When you notice that you are thinking about concerns without clear action items, just gently shift your thoughts to something more productive or enjoyable.
• Keep perspective. Do what you
can to make sense and take care of your finances, but also focus on what else matters to you and concentrate your efforts toward activities that give your life meaning.
• Make time for activities that don’t involve spending money. Many worthwhile activities are worth consideration like volunteering, reading, exercising, or hiking. Visit your local library – another one of those great free resources – for a book on yoga or meditation. Consider learning a new skill. Take a course through your employer or look into low-cost resources in your community that can lead to a better job. The key is to use this time to think outside the box and try new ways of managing your life.
• Slow down. Take five or 10 minutes a day to close your eyes and focus on your breathing. When we experience intense periods of activity and stress, take time to balance with relaxation and renewal activies.
• Don’t neglect your health.
Notice if you’re backsliding on your diet or exercise and adjust accordingly.
Recognizing how you personally deal with stress related to money is the first step. In tough economic times turning to unhealthy activities like smoking, drinking, gambling or emotional eating is a real temptation. The strain of finances can also lead to more conflicts and arguments between coworkers and partners. Be alert to these behaviors and shift them if you can. If you run into difficulties or just want a little support, consider talking things over with a counselor at the UI Employee Assistance Program (EAP). Credit counseling services and financial planning assistance are available to help you take control over your money situation. The EAP can help with a referral for a free financial counseling session. Call 335-2085 to learn more or schedule a visit. The EAP is available for employees and their families.
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Calendar of Events Visit www.uiowa.edu/livewell/calendar for dates, time, locations, and registration information or call 353-2973.
February 2010
March 2010
2.2 Yoga at Your Desk
3.1
Oral B Room, DSB
2.4 A Good Night’s Sleep
21271 PFP, UIHC (Oto Conference Room, Elevator L to 2nd floor)
2.15 Eating for Workday Energy
Oral B Room, DSB
2.17 A Good Night’s Sleep
112 University Services Building
*All Seminars are from 12:15-12:45 p.m. To register, log on to the Employee Self-Service website. In “My Training,” enter the date for the sessions that you can attend.
Food as Medicine: The Obesity, Starvation, Addiction Triad 2520 D University Capitol Centre
3.8 Food as Medicine:
The Obesity, Starvation, Addiction Triad
115 Center for Disabilities and Development (CDD)
*Food as Medicine Seminars are 1-hour sessions from 12:00-1:00 p.m. Please register on Self Service by selecting “My Training” then enter the date of the program you wish to attend. Walk-ins and guests are welcome.
Ongoing: Weight Watchers at Work www.uiowa.edu/hr/wellness
we welcome you Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact UI Wellness at 319-353-2314.
UI Wellness Human Resources liveWELL program 111 CC, Iowa City, IA 52242 phone 319-353-2973 uiwellness@uiowa.edu
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2009 Healthy Iowa Award Winner College or University category