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4 5best sleep ever

contentsSet a Daily Routine 5Unwind with Yoga 11Sleep, Interrupted 12Improve Your Sleep Posture 14

Your eyes pop open at 2 or 3 am, and try as you might, you just can’t fall back asleep. If it’s any comfort, you aren’t alone. “Everyone has an oc-casional restless night,” says Timothy Morgenthaler, MD, president-elect of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “But if you regularly find it hard to get back to sleep within 15 or 20 minutes, or if you wake up more than two or three times per night, that can cause disruption in your daily life and is worth addressing.” Here’s how to improve the quantity and quality of your night’s rest.

Set a Daily Routine

Good news for insomniacs: You have a highly effective energy-drug factory in your brain. In order to manufacture the max

dose, you simply need to get sufficient shut-eye. “Sleep is the only time when your brain can produce ATP, a sub-stance that stores and delivers energy

in cells,” says Robert Rosenberg, DO, an Arizona sleep specialist and author of Sleep Soundly Every Night, Feel Fantas-tic Every Day. When ATP is at its peak, you’re more focused and less likely to feel fatigued or punked by brain fog. Follow our dawn-to-dusk regimen to capture the cellular magic.

S e t a D a i l y R o u t i n e

everbest

sleep30 tips for getting more shut-eye

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6 7best sleep ever

7:30 am

Go outside.For a morning dose of alertness, get some direct sun exposure for 30 minutes within an hour after wak-ing up—take a walk, sip coffee on the deck, or spend some time weeding the garden. Being in the light helps reset your body’s internal clock so it keeps you awake when you need to be and puts you to sleep at the right time. “Light is the major cue that synchro-nizes our circadian rhythm, and getting enough exposure to it can solve many sleep problems,” says Arthur Spielman, PhD, codirector of the Weill Cornell Center for Sleep Medicine at New York–Presbyterian Hospital.

12 pm

Cut off the Caffeine. For many people, caffeine can stay in the system for hours. If you are one of them, stop drinking coffee, tea, and cocoa for the remainder of the day.

12:15 pm

soak up some sun.Exposure to natural light during the day can improve your sleep. Research-ers at Northwestern University found that people whose workplaces had windows got 173% more light exposure during the day and slept an average of 47 more minutes per night than their windowless coworkers. Natural day-light may enhance melatonin produc-tion come nightfall—one key to a solid night’s slumber.

2:30 pm

nap on it.Sleep on the job—at least if you’re one of the lucky types with an office door (or one of those mythical company

nap rooms). Aim for 20 minutes max: Naps of that length keep you in light, non-REM sleep, so you won’t wake up groggy. When the alarm goes off, your brain immediately releases a torrent of chemicals that turn off its sleep center and jumpstart your body. Those rested, awakened brain cells are now more ca-pable and active. And, thanks partly to low levels of the sleepy neurochemical adenosine, you feel refreshed. But if you still feel wiped out, you need solid z’s. Catnaps can’t fix real sleep deprivation.

5:30 pm

exerCise.Working out is one of the best ways to ensure a good night’s sleep. “Exercise reduces the amount of time it takes to fall asleep and helps you sleep more

soundly for longer periods,” says Peter Walters, PhD, pro-fessor of applied health sci-ence at Wheaton College and the author of multiple studies about the link between sleep and exercise. That doesn’t mean you need to train for a triathlon; exercising just 30 minutes 4 or 5 days a week can help you get some shut-eye. Aerobic exercise—walking outside or using a treadmill or station-ary bike—for 30 to 40 minutes four times a week can help you sleep an extra 75 minutes per night, found a study published in Sleep Medicine. That’s more than other nondrug therapies have achieved, likely because exercise improves metabolism and decreases inflammation—both of which can enhance sleep quality and reduce

daytime fatigue. Plus, putting your body through a workout will also help ensure you’re physically tired by the time you crawl into bed; if you sat at a desk all day, pent-up energy could keep you tossing and turning. But watch the clock: Schedule your workout for whenever you’re most likely to stick with it, but if you find that late-night sweat sessions keep you awake, try to end your workout at least 4 hours before bedtime. “During ex-ercise, your body releases endorphins and your heart rate increases,” Walters says. “After you’re finished, your heart and metabolism continue to function at an accelerated rate.” So if you’re exercising close to bedtime, relax with meditation or by doing a few gentle yoga poses before you hit the sack.

6:30 am

Wake up at the same time every day.It can be so tempting to sleep until noon on weekends, but 1 day of sleeping in can sabotage you for the rest of the week. “Your internal biological clock craves consistency—the more you stick with one schedule, the easier it will be for you to fall asleep and wake up,” says sleep expert Michael Breus, PhD. Ide-ally, you will go to bed around the same time every night so that you wake up at the same time in the morning. In fact, if you’re getting enough sleep, experts say, you’ll wake on your own a few minutes before your alarm goes off.

6:35 am open the blinds.When it’s dark out, your body produces the hormone melatonin, which tells your brain it’s time for sleep. Then daylight signals the body to suppress melatonin production so you can remain alert and awake.

7 am

make your bed.Who knew smoothing your sheets and blankets and fluffing your pillows could raise your chances of a good night’s sleep by 19%? The simple reason: A made bed will create positive vibes when you are ready for bed some 16 hours from now.

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8 9best sleep ever

6:30 pm

Go easy on the biG dinner.A large meal can trigger acid reflux, a surefire way to toss and turn through the night. Eat at least 3 hours before bedtime, and leave the pigging out for lunchtime (or, even better, never). Keep your evening meal simple: a lean protein like chicken or fish with a side of veggies or salad. “Big, heavy meals take longer to digest, so if you lie down too quickly afterward, you’re more likely to have acid reflux, which can interfere with your sleep,” says Judy Caplan, MS, RD, the author of GoBeFull: Eight Keys to a Healthy Life and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietet-ics. Also, avoid spicy, acidic, and fried foods, which can cause indigestion and GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) in some people.

7 pm

heed last Call.Sure, that glass of wine might make you drowsy and help you conk out, but it can also prevent you from falling into a deep sleep. In fact, a study by Univer-sity of Michigan researchers found that women slept around 20 minutes less and woke more often throughout the night after consuming alcohol. And, no surprise, they felt less rested. “People fall asleep more easily with alcohol

because it acts as a sedative, but once it wears off, it causes more arousals and sleep disruption later in the night,” says Matt Bianchi, MD, PhD, director of the sleep division at Massachusetts General Hospital and assistant profes-sor of neurology at Harvard Medical School. Bottom line: Stick with one or two alcoholic beverages—at most—around dinnertime, and cork the bottle 3 hours before bedtime.

7:30 pm

limit fluids.If you’re prone to waking in the middle of the night to use the bathroom, avoid liquids within 2 to 3 hours of bedtime. “Drink if you’re thirsty, but otherwise don’t guzzle fluids at night,” says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale Uni-versity School of Medicine. “When you drink a beverage, it takes about 5 hours before your body filters it through the kidneys and into the bladder so you can urinate it out.” And steer clear of alco-hol and caffeine, which are diuretics (in addition to hindering sleep for other reasons). Get most of your eight daily glasses of water in before dinnertime.

8 pm

Jot doWn your Worries.Avoid that flood of predreamland jit-ters just as your head hits the pillow by

Work around the DarkIf you can’t get outside in the morning or it’s still dark when you wake up, ask your doctor if a commercially available light-therapy box that simulates natural sunlight might be right for you and, if so, which one she’d recom-mend. Look for one that emits blue light with a wavelength around 450 nanometers, which will work faster than traditional light-therapy boxes.

writing in a journal. Use it to write your to-do lists or work through any issues you’ve been mulling over. “So many of my patients tell me they can’t turn their brains off when they get in bed because it’s their only time to be quiet and reflective all day long,” says Mary Susan Esther, MD, past president of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. With your worries and to-dos on paper, she says, “if your mind starts wandering when you’re in bed, remind yourself that you’ve closed the book on the day and there’s nothing else you can do about the particular issue until tomorrow.”

8:45 pm

Crank up the aC.Make like a Floridian in August and cool your bedroom down. Your body temp hits a low around 5 am. If the room’s too hot, it may interfere with the natural dip and make you restless. Most people sleep best at around 68°F.

9 pm

poWer doWn early.All that late-night Internet surfing you’re doing before bed might be pre-venting you from falling asleep. A study from the Lighting Research Center found that 2 hours of exposure to light from self-luminous backlit devices, such as tablets, e-readers, smartphones, and computers, suppressed sleep-promoting melatonin by about 22%. Plus, texting or playing solitaire or Words with Friends can stimulate your brain so you’re too alert to fall asleep. “I give my patients an electronic curfew—an hour before bed, all devices must be turned off,” says Breus. (One possible exception: If you find watch-ing TV relaxing, some experts say that’s OK, since it’s not interactive.)

9:15 pm

have a snaCk.The fast train to Snoozeville is fueled by small snacks, like a handful of whole

Time to Call the Sleep Doc?If you feel tired and foggy no matter what measures you take, you might want to get checked for sleep apnea, a condition that causes breathing to pause for seconds or minutes several times a night. It’s an especially common cause of fatigue in women going through perimeno-pause. (Many assume their night awakenings are a result of hot flashes when in fact it’s sleep apnea.) In one study, 56% of women ages 45 to 54 and 75% of

women 55 to 70 had sleep apnea, compared with 24% of women ages 20 to 44. Studies show that people who let the condition go untreated have less gray matter in their brains, especially in areas that control executive function, working memory, and attention span. For 7 days before your appointment, write down the following each day to help your doc pinpoint the problem:

• What time you go to bed

• How long it takes to fall asleep

• How many times you wake up at night

• How many hours you sleep

• Whether you wake up naturally (and if so, what time) or require an alarm

• How you feel when you wake up

• What time of day you last consumed caf-feine and/or alcohol

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10 11best sleep ever

wheat crackers with peanut butter, or cereal with almond milk. The nuts contain tryptophan, a building block of the sleep chemical serotonin, while the carbs make the tryptophan more available to your brain.

9:30 pm

unWind With yoGa. Gentle, full-body stretches will soothe you, clear your mind, and relax your body. See the opposite page for three poses that will help you prepare for sleep.

9:45 pm

unWind With musiC.Nighttime lullabies don’t work only on babies. Older people with sleep problems reported a 35% improvement after listening to 45 minutes of music before bedtime in a study in the Journal of Advanced Nursing. While the music doesn’t have to be Brahms, we’re not talking hard rock—60 to 80 beats per minute is key, so seek out slow, steady music, such as classical tunes or soft jazz.

10 pm

take a bubble bath.Taking a bath before bed relaxes your muscles and releases muscular ten-sion and has a chemical effect as well. While you’re in the tub, your core body temperature will rise, and then it will quickly drop when you get out. That decrease in temperature signals the brain to release melatonin. (The bubbles keep the water hotter longer.)

10:15 pm

sniff some lavender.The benefits of lavender aren’t just folklore. Some studies have shown that its fragrance acts as a mild sedative,

helping you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. The scent of lavender can lower heart rate and blood pressure, which relaxes you. Folks who sniff it before bed sleep deeper and feel more vigorous in the morning, according to a study done at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT. There are plenty of products to choose from, from massage oils and lotions to bath salts and reed diffusers.

10:25 pmGo dark.Make your bedroom as dark as you can. People exposed to light at night had shallower sleep and were more likely to experience mini-arousals during the night in a study in the journal Sleep Medicine. “Melatonin levels are sup-pressed by even low levels of light, and that in turn is associated with disturbed sleep,” says Phyllis Zee, MD, director of the Sleep Disorders Center at North-western. Use room-darkening drapes or shades so no light peeks in and cuts off melatonin production.

10:30 pm

bloCk out sound. White-noise machines block out background noise, such as a partner’s loud snoring or street traffic. These background sounds might not wake you up fully, but they rouse you out of the deep, restorative sleep your body needs to stay energized. If you don’t have a machine or even a white-noise app on your phone, switch on a fan.

Unwind with Yoga

These simple poses will help you prepare for slumber.

3 Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose

Sit on the floor with one side of your body grazing a wall. Swing your legs up against the wall and slowly lower your back and head to the floor, keeping your legs straight. Allow your hands to fall out to your sides, palms facing up. Breathe deeply, relaxing into the pose. Hold for 1 to 5 minutes.

2 Happy Baby PoseLie on your back and pull

your knees to your chest. Place your hands on the outsides of your feet, opening your knees wider than your torso. Press your feet outward into your hands while pulling down on your feet, creating resistance. Breathe deeply, hold-ing the pose for up to 1 minute.

1 Child’s PoseKneel on the floor or a mat with

your big toes touching. Lower your torso between your knees, bringing your forehead to rest on the floor and extending your arms as shown. Breathe deeply, holding the pose for at least 1 minute.

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Sleep, Interrupted

Anormal night’s sleep includes many seconds-long mini-arousals—from 3 to 15 per hour—as a result of changes

in brain wave activity. Most of the time we aren’t even aware of them, and they don’t affect sleep quality. But as we age, these mini-arousals happen more frequently and can become full-fledged awakenings for all sorts of reasons: stress, alcohol, noise, light—you name it. Try these tips to get through the night.

Hypnotize YourselfDeep breathing and mental imagery techniques can help you sleep through the night or return to sleep after you wake up. “Focusing on a positive experience—like imagining a beautiful beach—allows stress to fade into the

background,” says Gary Elkins, PhD, director of the Mind-Body Research Program at Baylor University and the author of the book Hypnotic Relax-ation Therapy.

MeditateEliminating anxiety about getting back to sleep can go a long way. “People who meditate are more relaxed, so when they wake up during the night, they may not get as upset,” says Ramadevi Gourineni, MD, associate professor of neurology at Northwestern University. As a result, they soon drift off again. Gourineni found that when insomniacs practiced Kriya yoga meditation for 15 to 20 minutes twice a day for 2 months, the time they spent awake in the middle of the night dropped from

Had a Bad Night?You’re up, but you haven’t burned through enough adenosine, so your head feels foggy. Reaching for a cup of coffee or black tea in the morning might help—caffeine negates the neurochemical’s effects.

75 minutes to 25. Other types of medita-tion and yoga might help as well—and even if you don’t have 30 minutes a day, a consistent practice of any length is likely to help.

Try an Herbal AlternativemelatoninSome people say that taking these hor-mone supplements helps them sleep, but experts say they’re not for every-one. “Melatonin is a sleep regulator that affects your body’s biological clock by signaling that it’s time for sleep, but it doesn’t make you feel sleepy,” says sleep expert Michael Breus, PhD. “It’s really for people who need to reset their clocks, such as shift workers or those dealing with jet lag.” Talk with your doctor about whether melatonin is right for you. If it is, take 1 mg or less about 90 minutes before bedtime.valerian rootMultiple studies suggest that this herbal remedy might improve sleep quality without side effects. Valerian root seems to act as a sedative, reducing anxiety and calming the body before sleep. If

you’re going to give this alternative a try, take 400 to 900 mg of valerian extract 30 minutes to 2 hours before bedtime for as many as 28 days, suggests the National Institutes of Health.

Get out of BedStressing about not sleeping will only make it a self-fulfilling prophecy. “The harder you try to sleep and the more you think about it, the less likely it will happen,” says Mary Susan Esther, MD, past president of the American Acad-emy of Sleep Medicine. The remedy: Get out of bed if you can’t sleep. You want to associate the bed with sleeping, not worrying about not sleeping. “People also believe that if they’re having insomnia, they should spend more time in bed, but the exact opposite is true,” says Gregg Jacobs, PhD, an insomnia specialist at the Sleep Disorders Center at the Univer-sity of Massachusetts Medical School. “Reducing the amount of time in bed at night paradoxically doesn’t reduce sleep time; it reduces awake time and increases sleep drive, which, in turn, makes the bed a stronger cue for sleep.”Your Body, without Sleep

If you regularly miss the 7-hour mark, morn-ing crankiness is the least of your worries. Here are six good rea-sons to put away the tablet/iPhone/what-ever is keeping you up and hit the sheets.Weight Gain Sleep-ing fewer than 6 hours ups obesity risk 30%. One study found that women who slept fewer than 5 hours ate 329 more calories the next day.

poor immunity People who sleep fewer than 7 hours are nearly 3 times more likely to catch a cold.diabetes Skimping on deep sleep can reduce the body’s sensitivity to insulin, upping your risk of type 2 diabetes.brain fog Missing out on as few as 11/2 hours of sleep can reduce daytime alertness by up to 32%. (But you knew that one already.)

poor heart health Getting 6 or fewer hours of shut-eye a night over the long term increas-es your risk of developing—or dying of—heart disease by 48%.blood pressure problems Snooz-ing just 6 hours a night makes you 20% more likely to develop high blood pressure.

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Improve Your Sleep Posture

Poor sleep may rest on the way you lie in bed. Snoozing in the wrong position can cause muscle cramping, impair

circulation, and leave you hurting come morning. And for the millions of women with preexisting aches (such as a sore back), a bad sleep pose can spark a vicious cycle: It can exacerbate pain, which can lead to insomnia, which can lead to more health woes, which can lead to even more sleepless nights. Now for the good news: It’s relative-ly easy to fix.

Back Pain?lie on your side, With your leGs supported.Some 40% of women suffer from spinal issues, according to the Clinical Journal of Pain, and many of those originate—or get worse—between the sheets, because a wonky sleep pose can throw off spinal alignment for hours, says Robert S. Rosenberg, DO, medical director of the Sleep Disorders Centers of Prescott Valley and Flagstaff, AZ.Fix it: The key is to keep your spine in a neutral, naturally curved position. Lie on your side and put a slight bend in your knees, stacking your hips in a straight line. (Letting your top hip flop forward will rotate your lumbar spine, fueling more pain.) Place a firm pillow or two between your knees so your legs are propped about hip-width apart. Your arms can relax out in front

of you. If this feels funny at first, don’t give up. Sleeping with extra padding takes practice.

Heartburn?lie on your left side.“Because of where our organs are situ-ated, sleeping on the left puts less pres-sure on the lower esophageal sphinc-ter,” says sleep specialist Priyanka Yadav, DO, of the Sleep for Life Center in Hillsborough, NJ. (That sphincter is the hatch that food passes through on its way to the gut. When it’s stressed, burning stomach acid can creep back up, irritating your throat.)Fix it: Lie on your left side with your arms resting comfortably in front of you. Bend your knees and curl your legs slightly toward your upper body into a semifetal position. If you have really bad heartburn, roll onto your back and use a few pillows to prop up your chest and head. Or raise the head of your bed by up to 6 inches by slipping bricks under your bed frame.

Sinus Pain?lie on your side, propped up.Anytime you’re congested—be it from allergies, a sinus infection, or a plain old cold—avoid snoozing on your back. Doing so means your mouth can fall open during the night, drying out what’s stuffed you up. (Hardened mucus can keep you congested, says Rosenberg.) Fix it: Lie on your side with an extra

pillow under your head and let gravity help with drainage. Don’t forget that when your head is up high, your arms will need extra support, so hug a pillow. Arrange your legs in a comfy, slightly bent pose.

Shoulder Pain?lie on your side, in a “huG” pose.Shoulder pain has many culprits (e.g., a heavy handbag, or slouching), but chief among them is a thorny side-sleeping position. Yep, sleeping on your side can both cause and alleviate shoulder pain. It’s all in the particulars, says Rosenberg. Many women make the mistake of

tucking their bottom arm under their head, which strains the brachial plexus, a network of nerves that controls the shoulder, arm, and hand. “It’s like sleep-ing with a 10-pound weight on your arm, and it pinches the nerves,” he says.Fix it: First, keep off your sore side. Lie on your pain-free side, with your legs slightly bent. Extend your bottom arm straight out in front of you, then bring it in, using both arms to hug a pillow to your chest. As with back pain, avoid flopping your top leg forward. (To help alignment, place a pillow between your thighs.) If both shoulders are aching, switch to a back pose and keep your arms relaxed at your sides.

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16 best sleep ever

An Aching Jaw?lie on your baCk, faCeup.Nighttime teeth-grinding, or bruxism, is a genetic condition that affects about 8% of adults. It has been linked to stress, anxiety, and sleep disorders; it also does a pain-ful number on your teeth and jaw—and can even change the shape of your face! Fix it: If you suspect you grind your teeth at night, lie on your back and face the ceiling. This allows the lower jaw to fall into a natural position and the facial muscles to relax, says Carolyn Taggart-Burns, DDS, of the Academy of General Dentistry. “I tell my patients to sleep on their back with their lips closed but teeth open,” she says. To lower your chances of turning your head, try to keep your arms straight at your sides (people often subconscious-ly turn toward a bent arm).

Sore Hips?lie on your baCk.Around 15% of women have bursitis, a painful condition that stems from inflammation of the hip joint. It can make sleep seem impossible, but there is a solution: Get off your side. “Sleep-ing on your injured side is the last thing you want to do,” says Yadav. Side-lying poses put undue pressure on your hips,

pushing them into the mattress. Fix it: Lying on your back gives your hips a break from the near-constant stress of walking and sitting all day. If it feels good, prop a pillow under your knees for added support.

A Stiff Neck?lie on your baCk.Those pancake-flat pillows you’ve had since college aren’t doing your neck any favors. (Ditto for those extra-puffy numbers you found on sale.) A pillow that puts your noggin on an upward or downward slope can compress the cervi-cal spine, strain neck muscles, and cause soreness—especially if you’re lying on your stomach or side, says Laelle Martin, DC, a chiropractor in Tacoma, WA.Fix it: Most people with neck pain ben-efit from sleeping on their back with their neck in a neutral (read: straight) position, which involves finding a pil-low that supports that alignment. Keep your arms relaxed and by your sides; don’t let them sneak up behind your head. If you know your neck pain stems from something like a herniated disk, ask your doctor about skipping a pillow altogether and sleeping with your head flat on the mattress, which can help straighten the neck.

What, No Pain?Lucky you! Keep your ache-free streak going by adopting a semi-fetal position: Sleep on one side, with your legs bent and raised about halfway to your chest. Place a pillow between your knees to relieve any pressure on your back. Keep your arms in front of you, slightly bent at the elbows. If this feels uncomfortable, it’s OK to keep going with what works for you—just try to avoid the most problematic pose: Though 22% of women favor stomach sleeping, it can twist the shoulders and wrench the cervical spine. Plus, smooshing your face into a pillow all night can also crease the skin, increasing wrinkles.

youngerlooknow

7 days to a more beautiful youBACK TO CONTENTS

18 19Look Younger now

Show of hands if this sounds fa-miliar: Your bathroom shelves are so overcrowded that you’ve given up and gone back to a

wash-and-moisturize routine. We get it, but 40-plus skin, with its slowed collagen and elastin production, needs special attention. Yet shifting hormones make it sensitive, so using too many products at once can irritate the skin, says Francesca Fusco, MD, a dermatologist in New York City. What you need is a plan. This simple, 7-day regimen won’t stress either your skin or schedule. Could getting great skin be any easier than this?

monday

Scrub Your BodyFlakes are fine for breakfast—not so much when they’re speckling your thighs, elbows, or knees. Cream will

only get you so far, so if you want to glow, you have to scrub. “Moisturizers don’t penetrate as efficiently into rough, dead skin,” says Fusco. Exfoliation time!find the riGht sCrub.If you have stubborn, thickened areas, choose a salt or sugar scrub with es-sential oils to soften skin. (Steer clear of microbeads because of their impact on marine life.) For more delicate or sensitive skin, chemical exfoliators use acids and enzymes to dissolve the bond between dead skin cells without much harsh scrubbing. While you scrub, pay special atten-tion to elbows, knees, and upper arms. Then, using small, circular motions, rub along your décolletage, bikini area, and, yes, underarms—the scrub helps release ingrown hairs before you shave.soak it up.Exfoliating is most effective (and least aggressive) on wet skin, so get scrubbing at the end of your shower.

7 Days to Better Skin

contents7 Days to Better Skin 18Cellulite Solutions 24Best Hair at Any Age 27How to Feel More Beautiful 30

Yes, you can look as beautiful as you want. Just use these simple fixes to become even more lovely, from head to toe.

Go Gently.If you have red, scaly, or chapped skin, skip the exfoliator, says Jeffrey Dover, MD, an associate clinical professor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine. Restore the protective lipid barrier with a thick, fragrance-free cream.Get hydrated.After exfoliating and patting your skin dry, replenish lost moisture with a lotion containing both humectants, which draw water into the skin (like glycerin or hyaluronic acid), and moisture-sealing occlusives (such as cetyl alcohol).

tuesday

Treat Your EyesForget the soul; the eyes are actually windows into decades of smiles, sleep loss, and all the days you forgot to wear sun-glasses. A targeted, once-weekly regimen with products de-signed for this delicate skin can minimize crow’s-feet, crinkling, and dark circles.pump up CollaGen.Retinol, a derivative of vitamin A, is well known for upping collagen pro-duction and cell turnover. But because it’s so intense, choose a cream made specifically for the eye area, says Fusco. send baGs paCkinG.The delicate skin and muscles around your eyes weaken with time, and fat under your lower lids can migrate downward, contributing to round-the-

clock puffiness no matter what you eat or how long you sleep (lovely, huh?). These slipped fat pockets are usually hereditary. If your under-eye pouches tend to come and go, it’s probably the result of fluid accumulating in the area due to sinus issues, among other causes. The fix? Take an antihistamine, sleep on an extra pillow (so fluid can drain rather than settle during the night), and cover each eye area with a cold compress for 3 minutes when you wake up. This triple threat will combat pooling fluid and stuffy sinuses. You can also try a swipe of a lotion infused with caffeine, which can help

shrink bags by con-stricting blood vessels. Let your eye cream absorb for at least 30 minutes before bed. A major cause of morning puffiness is applying eye products just before sleep, when they can travel under the lids and cause irritation.

Wednesday

Exfoliate Your Face

If you’re starting to lose your healthy glow, a serious midweek slough is the easiest and least expensive thing you can do to make your skin look better, feel better, and absorb topicals more efficiently, says Fusco. Exfoliating at bedtime increases radiance and ups collagen production to combat fine lines. “You’ll create a nice canvas for foundation,” adds Katie Ambrose, a Buffalo, NY–based professional make-up artist. Get a smooth start now.

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Go Granular.Salt, sugar, rice, and oat exfoliants designed for the face are made with very finely milled ingredients. They’re gentle and tolerated by all but the most sensitive types, says Doris Day, MD, a clinical associate professor of dermatology at New York University Medical Center. Be sure to use a light hand. “Start with the periphery of the face and move your fingertips slowly in small circles,” Day says. “By the time you get to the more delicate cheeks and chin, your hands will be tired and naturally ease up.”

thursday

Do a MaskDespite their sleepover associations, masks have a very grown-up appeal: They treat the skin with effective, easily absorbed ingredients—often in doses stronger than you’ll find in the average cream. Choose a mask that suits your skin’s temperament, and then switch it up anytime your skin has a mood change.hydrate.“Moisturizing masks are essential for dry skin and perimenopausal changes,” Fusco says. Most use rich seed oils and other lipids so that skin not only func-tions better but also looks smoother and plumper.defeat oil.Clay masks draw oil and dirt from the skin.lift and firm.Look for a formula containing fruit and seaweed extracts along with moisturizers.reduCe inflammation.A review in the journal Gut Pathogens found that applying the good kind

of bacteria found in yogurt may help decrease inflammation. Search the beauty aisle (instead of the dairy case) for products that contain a type of Lactobacillus.

friday

Clean Up Your CosmeticsLike suiting up in sweaty workout clothes postshower, slapping on ancient makeup is no way to treat freshly groomed skin. Even the best foundation “won’t glide on the way it’s supposed to if it’s old,” says Ambrose. And because bacteria breed inside those crusty tubes, slicking makeup on your face can clog pores, cause irritation, and basically undo your week’s work. Time for a clean sweep.

taCkle your tools.If your makeup brushes are stiff, matted, and caked, they can cause tiny breaks and tears around your pores. Each week, wash them with baby shampoo. toss the old stuff.While you’re sipping your morning beverage, line up any makeup tubes and bottles that you haven’t replaced within the past 3 months. “Good-quality formulas actu-ally last much longer than that, if you’re not contami-nating them with unwashed hands,” Dover says. “But get rid of anything that’s separated or smells off.” Am-brose ditches mascara as soon as she can no longer hear a wet whoosh when she pulls the brush out of the tube.

saturday

Take a Load OffIf that incoming text just sent a little shock wave through your insides (Who wants me now?), blame hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which set off an inflammation response that can show up as acne, rosa-cea, or eczema, according to Heidi Waldorf, MD, an as-sociate clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital. So give yourself a break—your skin needs it.be here noW.A study in the journal Health Psychology shows a link between mindfulness and lower cortisol levels. Take time for meditation, yoga, Pilates, tai chi, or even a long walk.Give your skin a boost.Toss dried lavender, chamomile, and rosemary into a tub of warm water, relax, and breathe.Get some shut-eye.Sleep is the very best therapy for your mind and body.

sunday

Eat WellNo one plans a week of junk food. But when time gets short, you indulge, and “the body breaks down carbs and sugar into glucose molecules,” says Jessica Wu, MD, a Los Angeles dermatologist and the author of Feed Your Face. “This makes it harder for the skin to pro-duce healthy collagen and elastic tissue, which give it strength. Foods with a high glycemic index, like simple carbs, have also been linked to acne.” Use Sunday to

Green SmoothieThis recipe includes calcium-rich kale, hydrating cucumber, and omega-3–packed flaxseed, along with a squeeze of lemon, which is an anti-oxidant powerhouse. Blend with 12 oz water and 1 cup ice until liquefied.

2 small apples with skin, chopped

1/2 cup chopped kale 1/2 cup chopped

spinach 1/2 cup chopped

cucumber 1 Tbsp flaxseed

powder or almond butter

1 Tbsp sliced ginger

A few sprigs of parsley

Juice of 1 lemon



Your Daily RoutineAll those extra-credit skin treatments won’t do much good unless you have your prerequisites in place. Here’s a cheat sheet for the daily basics.

Cleanser: For most of us, a splash of water is enough in the morning. “The skin doesn’t get grimy overnight,” says Jeffrey Dover, MD, an associate clinical profes-sor of dermatology at Yale University School of Medicine. In the eve-ning, use a gentle wash.morning protection: Slick on a moisturizer containing sunscreen and hydrating cerami-des or hyaluronic acid, along with antioxidants like green tea.bedtime moisturizer: Applying a formula laced with antioxidants, peptides, or retinol will battle the signs of aging. Retinol is an antioxidant that can be absorbed through the skin. University of Michigan researchers note that it helps improve production of collagen, the skin’s primary building block, making the skin less vulnerable to injury and enhancing its elasticity.

Foods for Pretty SkinWe asked the pros to reveal what goes into their shopping carts—and what stays out.

add in • Almonds• Whole wheat

bread• Lean meats• Cranberries• Organic,

low-fat, plain yogurt

• Fish• Kiwifruit

leave out • Added sugar • Deep-fried foods • Excess dairy

blend a green smoothie (see recipe, page 21) as well as plan for the week ahead.shop and prep.Think portable, healthy snacks, and make single-serving packs of fruits, veggies, nuts, and other healthy finger foods. Stash them everywhere.Cook noW, eat later.Aim for a recipe that combines antioxidant-rich vegetables with

be sure to reapply.Even if you put a generous amount on first thing in the morning, it can wear off in a couple of hours. You need to reapply not only to your face but also to any exposed skin, including your ears, neck, arms, and feet, if you are wearing sandals. And using SPF-containing lip balm is a smart move: Like your nose and forehead, the bulk of your lower lip is exposed to the sun, making it a high-risk spot for UV damage.Wear a biG hat.All the sunscreen in the world can’t match the shade a hat adds. Just make sure your brim measures 4 inches all the way around.be prepared.Your car is not a sun-safe haven. Wind-shields block UVB, but UVA rays, which penetrate deeper into skin and create more cancer-causing damage, can get through the glass, says Joshua Zeich-ner, director of Cosmetic and Clinical Research in Dermatology at Mount

Sinai Hospital in New York City. Store SPF in the car or install UV-blocking window film. And don’t forget your arm resting on an open car window: SPF-free arms get the brunt of the sun’s radiation when you’re at the wheel.apply sunsCreen 15 minutes before sWimminG.If you thought you could dive in imme-diately after slathering on sunscreen, think again. If you jump in the water right after applying, most of the SPF is rinsed off. The same thing happens when you sweat, so if you plan on going for a run, be sure to apply sunscreen well beforehand.

The Damage Doesn’t End at SundownThe wrinkle-inducing effects of UV rays continue for a full 3 hours after exposure.

protein, like quinoa–black bean chili or escarole chicken soup. Then get ready to glow.

How to Avoid Sunscreen Mistakes How much protection are you really getting? If you’re like most people, probably not much. Consider this a chance to discover your weak spots—before the sun does.



Cellulite Solutions

Cellulite doesn’t discriminate. Up to 90% of adult women are saddled

with dimpled, puckered-looking skin, and nothing (aside from winning the genetic lottery) can prevent it. But the old tricks—ques-tionable creams, throwaway gadgets, and, yes, skirted swimsuits—have given way to smart new cellulite-attacking methods rooted in science, not snake oil.

Pamper Your Skin into SmoothnessMassagethe science: “Cellulite is like a swollen fat sandwich,” says Rachel Nazarian, as-sistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City. The top slice of bread is the skin (dermis), the filling is the adipose tissue just beneath, and fibrous bands called septae are like toothpicks, anchor-ing your skin’s surface to the bottom slice—the muscle—creating a puffy, quilted effect. Vigorous massage increases blood flow, which prevents hypoxia-triggered thickening of those septae, Nazarian says. To see results,

you’ll need a deep-tissue rubdown at least once a week, says Kristen Ma, an Ayurvedic practitioner and aestheti-cian based in Toronto.the outcome: Massage can decrease the visibility of cellulite, but you’ll have to keep a standing weekly appointment in the books—once you stop, the lumps will reappear.

Radio Frequency Wavesthe science: FDA-cleared devices like VelaShape, VelaSmooth, Smooth-Shapes, and Thermage use radio fre-quency waves to tighten skin by stimu-lating collagen growth and heating up the fatty adipose layer beneath the skin, which increases blood circulation. (When cells don’t get enough oxygen-ated blood, the fibrous bands tethering skin to muscle thicken and pull even more.) Finally, the devices follow up with massage, suction, or vibration, which helps move excess fluid and fat (both of which contribute to cellulite

3 Moves That Target CellulitePerform 3 sets of 15 repetitions per move for stronger, smoother legs.

squat/ Calf raiseSquat, then stand tall, lifting heels to shift weight to balls of feet. Lower to start.

hip bridGeLie on back, knees bent. Raise hips so knees, hips, and chest are aligned. Hold 3 seconds. Lower to start.

dumbbell deadliftHolding dumb-bells, hinge at hips, keeping legs straight. Return to start.

Head to prevention.com/cellulite-fix for the full workout.

bulging) into the lymphatic system so they can eventually be peed out, Nazarian says.the outcome: With RF, you will see some immediate improvement and can show off the results the very next day (no bruising!). However, the transformation won’t peak until you’ve had a month of twice-weekly sessions, each costing hundreds of dollars. What’s more, you’ll need a maintenance treatment every few months—forever. Go 6 months with-out and you’ll lose most of your gains, Nazarian warns.

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http://www.prevention.com/cellulite-fix


DIY for Smoother Thighs

Strength Trainingthe science: While you can’t lose cellulite by dropping pounds (sigh), lower-body strength training may help. Building muscle provides a firm founda-tion for overlying fat and skin, though side effects such as muscle’s higher fat-burning capacity and exercise’s circulation-increasing effects may help, too, says Wayne Westcott, instructor of exercise science at Quincy College.the outcome: According to research published in Fitness Management, 80% of women who worked their major leg muscles 3 days a week with about 30 minutes of resistance exercise reported some improvement in the appearance of cellulite after 6 months. “They looked smoother, firmer, and more toned,” says Westcott. Though you might not see major results for months, you can build 2½ pounds of new muscle in just 10 weeks of training.

A Topical Creamthe science: Talk to your derm about options. Prescription-strength topical retinoids and topicals with caffeine may strengthen skin so it puckers less.the outcome: Using a caffeinated cream twice a week lessens dimples, but only until you quit. Retinoids are more lasting: With regular use, they can thicken the skin by a fraction of a millimeter.

Dry Brushingthe science: Dry brushing—working a stiff body brush in a circular mo-tion from the hands and feet toward

the heart—stimulates the flow of both blood and lymphatic fluid just beneath the skin’s surface. “Poor lymphatic circulation can lead to in-flamed nodules of cellulite,” Nazarian says. The technique also promotes collagen growth, which can make skin firmer and, ultimately, lumps less noticeable.the outcome: The 10-minute practice will give skin a smoother ap-pearance and reduce dullness if you brush regularly, but it won’t deliver the “what cellulite?” results of an in-office treatment. See “The Sure Bet” for the best procedure.

The Sure BetCellulazethe science: This in-office procedure attacks cellulite from every angle. After inserting the tip of a laser just beneath your skin, your doctor will use the laser’s energy to sever the stubborn fibrous bands responsible for puckering, melt the fat, and stimu-late collagen growth to tighten skin.the outcome: If you’re looking for a once-and-done solution, this is it. A typical patient will see a 25% increase in skin thickness, a 29% increase in elasticity, and notice-ably less cellulite. But it’s no quick fix: The $1,500 to $8,000 treatment can take up to 5 hours to complete, a month before you’re swimsuit ready (bruising can linger for a few weeks), and it takes 6 months to a year before the growing collagen achieves its peak skin-tightening effect, says Elie Levine, director of plastic surgery at Plastic Surgery & Dermatology in New York City.

Best Hair at Any Age

Go ahead, hop in our hair time machine. These tips are guar-anteed by top stylists to chop years off your look—instantly.

Antiaging CutsLong LayersSerious hair loss is determined by genetic lottery, but hair thins for nearly all of us after 40. Long layers make up for lost density by adding volume at the crown and sides of your head, says Eva Scrivo, owner of Eva Scrivo Salons, where the four youth-boosting cuts in this story were done.Best For you iF: Your below-the-shoulder hair is dragging you down and making you look older, but you don’t want to lose length. Face-framing lay-ers add polish, Scrivo explains.Ask For: Long layers throughout the hair, with shorter layers around the face that graze the lower cheekbone and end at the jaw, midneck, and clavicle. A few pieces snipped at eye level will draw attention there, Scrivo says.styling tip: Keep this look modern,

not ’90s chic (remember the Rachel?) by using a flat paddle brush to smooth the style after blow-drying with a round brush.

Layered BobAnother issue with thinning hair is the hairline’s backward creep. Best For you iF: Your hair hangs flat against your head, exaggerating thinning patches and recession. Ask For: A layered bob, which can

Lighten UpIf your thinning hair is black or dark brown, switch to a medium-brown shade so roots don’t contrast too starkly with scalp skin. On blondes, gray or white roots can still be mistaken for an extra-wide part—try add-ing lighter highlights to blend. No matter what your hair color, request hand-painted highlights and lowlights, called balayage. These accents can fake dimension and shine, the hallmarks of thick, healthy hair.

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Antiaging StylesAdding some youthful energy to your do goes a long way toward gorgeous. These two smart ideas take just a few minutes each.

A Low ChignonWhy it Works: This style shows off the collarbone and neck for subtle sex appeal.get the look: Gather hair at the nape of your neck and loosely twist into a low bun; secure with bobby pins.

disguise the hairline’s backward creep by using a straight blade to bring out hair’s natural texture without creating frizz. To add body at the roots without sacrificing over-all length, Scrivo likes to go an inch shorter at the back; that way, hair is less weighed down at the crown, while the sides and front remain long.styling tip: Boost roots with volumizing mousse, blow-dry, and then use a ½-inch curling iron to bend ends under.

Modern ShagAfter 40, hair gets finer overall (though grays, bless ’em, tend to be coarser and thicker), says hair researcher Paradi Mirmirani, a dermatologist at the Permanente Medical Group. The shag’s layers keep your hair from being weighed down by extra length and add volume at the root—and make hair look thicker, too, says stylist Mario Russo, owner of Salon Mario Russo in Boston.Best For you iF: You’re too rushed to blow it dry. Sop up water from hair

with a T-shirt, then finger comb it with a smoothing lotion so it won’t frizz, says Russo.Ask For: A midlength cut with gradual, choppy layers around the face and slightly longer layers in the back. Anti-aging bonus: Bangs disguise prominent forehead wrinkles. Blunt, straight-across bangs work best on narrower face shapes, while side-swept fringe

You Can’t Blame Dad for Thinning HairHair loss is decided by a random assortment of genes from both immediate and extended relatives, says Nicole Rogers, a hair-transplant surgeon and board-certified dermatologist based in New Orleans. So, while you’re more likely to deal with thinning if it generally runs in your family, you can’t blame Dad—or Mom.

suits women with rounder faces.styling tip: Get crazy-full-looking hair—and play up its texture—by us-ing a diffuser to keep your naturally pretty waves from getting blown stick straight.

Long BobYour hair’s outer layer becomes more fragile after 40, and a drop in keratin protein makes hair weaker and less elastic, so it will break rather than snap back when pulled or stressed. The long bob creates more bounce because hair is blunt and full at the bottom, making it look healthier and even giving it that little swing you might remember from your 20s, Scrivo says.Best For you iF: You want to go short but not really short. This longer-in-front cut is a happy medium. It’s also ideal if your idea of styling your hair is running your hands through it before you head out the door—this style will still look good even if your air-dried hair waves and bends at will, Scrivo explains.Ask For: A long bob that sits just above or below the clavicle (no longer), with some layering at the nape of the neck and minimal layering in front.styling tip: Turn up the bouncy look by letting hair air-dry, then bending a few pieces away from the face with a large curling iron or flatiron to add polish.

A High PonytailWhy it Works: It gives skin a gentle upward lift and emphasizes the eyes rather than jowls.get the look: Tease hair at the crown and secure 1 to 2 inches above eye level, leaving out a few face-framing pieces.

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30 31Look Younger now30 31

How to Feel More Beautiful

recommends playing them up by applying blush along the tops of the cheekbones instead of just on the apples of your cheeks. If your cheek-bones haven’t quite started to pop, add a sweep of bronzer just under-neath to make them stand out.

2 Prep Your LidsYour eyelids can shrink as the

skin above them starts to droop, and “smaller eyelids get warmer,”

says Linter. That means you’re at greater risk

of having your eye shadow slide off. Eye primer will prevent a makeup melt-down, keep it from settling into fine lines and wrinkles, and mask imper-

fections like veins and age spots, which

become more obvious as eyelid skin thins.

W hen the products of your past are no longer working, it’s not that you’ve lost your touch;

you just need a new set of rules to fit your face today. And thanks to ever-evolving products and technology developed spe-cifically for older skin, there’s never been a better time for a little tune-up.

At Around 40

1 Flaunt Your Cheekbones

You’re starting to lose layers of superficial fat just beneath the surface of your skin, but that can be a good thing. “After 40, your cheekbones start to reveal themselves,” says New York City–based makeup art-ist Sandy Linter. She

3 Be Strategic with Powder

A few finishing sweeps help makeup stay put, and the newest formulas are translucent instead of ultramattifying. “Powder becomes a mistake only if you make your whole face shine-free,” says Linter. So apply it to the nose, fore-head, and chin, avoiding cheeks and the under-eye area, where it can cake and settle into fine lines.

In Your Mid-40s

1 Embrace Bright Skin Tones

When you were a kid, your cheeks had a permanent rosy glow. “But with age, the cheeks lose that flush because blood circulation to the skin becomes less active,” says Jean-nette Graf, assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai Hos-pital. That means you can get away with using bolder shades that you may

have shied away from before. Warm, bright tones like peaches and pinks flatter aging skin more than dusty, muted colors, which offer little con-trast against your natural tone.

2 Go GlossyUltraviolet light and natural aging

cause the collagen in lips to break down, which is why they tend to shrink and get dry with age. But a little bit of gloss can give them the appearance of hydration and plumpness. Apply a matte lipstick first to prevent feathering, and follow up with a couple of dabs of gloss in the centermost part of your pout.

3 Pick Mascaras That Curl

Thickening, volumizing for-mulas sound good in theory,

but on older lashes, which tend to be thinner and lighter, they’re just added weight. So start by using an eyelash curler and then apply a curling, lengthening mascara. Wiggle the wand at the base and

push up as you apply for even more lift.

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At Age 50

1 Start with a Good Foundation

After the age of 40, skin becomes thinner, making your complexion a bit duller and paler. “Foundation can add back color and depth,” says Linter. As we start to approach menopause, estrogen levels drop, which makes skin drier, so hydrating liquid formulas are best, says Natasha Mesinkovska, a dermatologist at Cleveland Clinic.• Choose a water-based liquid founda-tion that has illuminating particles.• Buff the foundation into your skin using a make up–blending sponge.• Run a clean cotton swab along creases to wipe excess product out of your fine lines.

2 Make Your

Brows Wow“We associate full, defined brows with youth because everyone’s brows are fuller when they’re younger,” says Linter.

But they get sparser and can fade over time. Powder fills in thin areas and pumps up fading color, but if you have bald spots in your brows, use a pencil first, then ap-ply powder on top for more coverage. Here’s how to draw the line.• Choose a pencil in a hue close to your hair’s natural shade.• Draw light, feathery strokes through-out clean brows. Any underlying makeup or lotion will make lines look harsher and darker, since the products hold on to pigment.• Comb brows with a clean brush to blend and soften the color.

3 Warm Up to Your

ComplexionConsider yellows

and golds the uni-versal foundation undertones of youth. These are warming colors

and give skin a more youthful

appearance. Broken capillaries also start

to pop up more often in aging skin, and yel-

low or golden undertones can help balance out that redness.

5 Reasons Older Is BetterHere are five ways that aging enhances your good looks.

1 Temples and cheekbones

are more defined. By the time you turn 50, the fat pads in your face have thinned out, giving you more elegant features, says Ellen Marmur, a dermatologist in New York City.

2 Breakouts back off.

Shrinking oil glands also means fewer breakouts, starting in your mid-40s, says Zeichner.

How to Handle Facial Hair

3 Glowing replaces sweating.

Sweat glands weaken with age, notice-ably slowing your ability to perspire, according to Joshua Zeichner, a derma-tologist at Mount Sinai Hospital.

4 Legs deforest. Menopause leads to thinner body

hair, says Los Angeles dermatologist Jessica Wu. It may have to do with a decrease in male hormones or years of plucking and waxing, which weaken follicles.

5 Pores shrink. Tight, beautiful skin depends

on one thing—pore size. And as some women age, their oil glands shrink, so pores look smaller, says Wu.

Estrogen levels begin to decline in your mid- to late 30s, so the levels of andro-gens (“male” hormones all women have a little of) are higher than normal in your bloodstream. The unsavory result: dark, stubborn hairs on your upper lip and chin.

H o w t o F e e l M o r e B e a u t i f u l

the fix? Pluck (you guessed it), wax, or thread the stray hairs. Or, for lasting results, try laser hair removal. Just resist the urge to pick up a razor: Shaving can cause ingrown hairs.

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34 35

Why Walk?S

imply going for a stroll can be the smartest thing you can do for yourself. Here’s why.

It’s CheapThe most important thing you need is a good pair of sneakers (and socks). And they don’t have to be expensive. In one study, cheaper models scored just as well as, or sometimes even better than, pricier ones for support, cushioning, and comfort.

It’s Kind to the BodyUnlike running, you always have one foot on the ground when you’re walk-ing. So the impact on your joints is low, which reduces your risk of injury. When you walk, you land with a force that’s one to one-and-a-half times your

body weight, compared with about three times your body weight when you run. In a review of 28 high-quality scientific studies of exercise in women ages 50 to 65, researchers found that the average rate of injury was just 3% when walking, compared with 23% for higher-impact activities like jogging—nearly eight times more.

It’s FlexibleYou can walk around your neighbor-hood or near where you work. You can even do it when you’re traveling. Ac-cording to a Stanford University study, beginning exercisers who were able to work out at home were 45% more likely to still be exercising a year later, compared with those who had to travel to a facility for their workouts.

contentsWhy Walk? 3525 Ways to Rock Your Walk 385 Motivating Walks 42Avoid Walking Woes 45

Walking is easy. In fact, it comes so naturally that we tend to forget it’s also an amazing form of exercise. Sneaking in just a few minutes a day can transform your health, body, and mind. Why are you still sitting?

W h y W a l k ?

fat-burning

walks30 ways to jumpstart your routine

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36 37FAT-BURNING WALKS

It Aids Weight LossAccording to a study in the journal Obesity, women over 40 who increased their daily activity level by 3,520 steps (roughly 1¾ miles) lost 5 pounds and reduced belly fat by 12% in 1 year—without changing their eating habits. In fact, walking can help you keep weight off for good, according to the National Weight Control Registry, a study of more than 5,000 people who’ve managed to lose weight— 66 pounds, on average—and keep it off for an average of 5½ years. When researchers asked these successful weight losers about their usual exercise habits, walking topped the list, with 54% of the women reporting that they walk a mile or more a day.

It Builds MuscleMuscle uses up about three times as many calories as fat does to maintain your body. It also powers metabolism—the calorie-burning engine that gener-ates the energy to fuel everything your body does throughout the day, from pumping blood to digesting food. The other cool thing about maintain-ing muscle (or even gaining some): Muscle is much more compact and firm than fat, so it looks a lot better. And even if you aren’t losing as many pounds as you’d like, you’re more likely to notice that your tight-fitting clothes aren’t quite so snug anymore.

It Curbs Food CravingsWhen researchers from the University of Exeter had 25 people who regularly eat chocolate handle a bar after either walking or sitting for 15 minutes, the walkers reported fewer cravings for the chocolate than the nonwalking choco-holics. Exercise may increase dopamine

(a hormone that produces feelings of satisfaction and pleasure), which, in turn, may lower your desire for crave-worthy foods, researchers speculate.

It Keeps You HealthyThe Nurses’ Health Study, which has been tracking the health behaviors of more than 200,000 women for more than 3 decades, has shown that moderate walking for an average of 30 minutes a day can lower a woman’s risks of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes by 30 to 40% and her risk of breast cancer by 20 to 30%. Walking may also rev up your im-munity. Appalachian State University researchers found that adults who walked regularly cut their number of sick days in half. Plus, the health-protecting benefits remain elevated for a few hours after a workout.

It Boosts EnergyWhether you’re looking to recapture that youthful, keep-going-and-going feeling or you need an instant pick-me-up, exercise is your best natural remedy. And that good feeling may last up to 12 hours after a mere 20-minute moderate-intensity workout, accord-ing to a University of Vermont study. Plus, adults who walk for 30 minutes five times a week report that they have more energy to get through their daily tasks, feel healthier, and are more confident than those who walk infrequently, according to scientists at the Saint Louis University College of Public Health & Social Justice.

It Boosts Your MoodEvery time you walk, your body releases hormones that make you feel good and reduce stress. That’s a two-for-one

emotional adjustment—and it’s free. Plus, in a study from the University of Texas at Austin, researchers found that just 30 minutes of walking can reduce symptoms of depression by 36%. Walk-ers reported an 85% increase in energy and a 40% improvement in well-being, compared with participants who rested quietly. Their improved moods lasted about an hour. This could be due, in part, to the “fake it till you make it” approach, which shows that walking in an upbeat style—shoulders back, gaze forward, and arms swinging by your sides—is a simple, quick way to lift your spirits.

It Erases Belly FatCanadian researchers found that women who walked briskly for about an hour a day reduced their belly fat by 20% over 14 weeks—without changing their eating habits.

It Strengthens Your BonesWalking 4 hours a week can reduce the risk of hip fractures by up to 43%. That’s because on-your-feet exercise like fast walking stimulates bone cells, while workouts that build muscle make us less tippy (fewer falls) and buttress upper-body bones, which don’t get the growth benefit that exercises like jumping rope provide. If you know you have fragile bones, talk with your doc about what you can handle.

It Helps You SleepIt really isn’t that hard to see the link between exercise and sleep: You expend energy, you get tired, and you doze off. But there’s a lot more that walking does to help you sleep, such as improving your mood, lowering stress, and reducing pain.

In one study published in the Journal of Sleep Medicine, women age 60 or older who walked a mere hour a week (about 9 minutes a day) woke up half as often during the night and slept 48 minutes longer, on average, than women who were sedentary. In one study, when researchers asked more than 700 men and women about their exercise and sleep habits, they found that walkers were less likely to wake in the middle of the night, have night-mares, or experience an afternoon slump, among other sleep-related problems. Compared with those who didn’t walk at all, people who walked at least six blocks a day at a moderate pace were one-third less likely to have trouble sleeping until their wake-up time. Those who walked the same dis-tance at a brisk pace slashed their risk of any sleep disorder by 50%.

It Increases LongevityWalking just 20 minutes a day could add years to your life. After following more than 334,000 adults for 12 years, researchers found that, compared with inactive people, those who consistently logged at least 20 minutes of moderate exercise daily were more than 20% less likely to die prematurely than their more chairbound counterparts. “Even a brief amount of activity can have con-siderable effects on your blood pres-sure, aerobic fitness, and cholesterol, all of which are related to a reduced risk of [premature death],” says study author Ulf Ekelund. “Of course, the more activity you do, the better.”

It Fuels Your BrainJust 40 minutes of walking three times a week protects the brain region associ-ated with planning and memory.

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25 Ways to Rock Your Walk

Once you start walking regu-larly, it won’t be long before you start seeing—and feel-ing—its total-body benefits.

But whether you’re walking to blast belly fat, stay energized, or fight diabe-tes, these 25 easy, effective little tricks, which include everything from finding inspiration to swiveling your hips, will help you reap the greatest rewards from your walking plan—and start looking and feeling your best.

1 Choose MusicIt keeps your speed up as well as en-

tertains you. And it’s safer: A study from the University of Illinois shows that pedestrians who walked through virtual streets while talking on a cell phone (even hands-free) were more distracted, took 25% longer to cross streets, and were as much as 15% more likely to be in an accident than those who listened to music. It’s still smart to carry a cell phone in case of emergency, but if you want to talk, walk with a buddy.

2 Dress for the Weather

When the temperature rises, it’s best to wear light-colored, loose-fitting, breathable fabrics. Avoid cotton, which tends to get soggy and may dampen your motivation to keep moving. Though you’ll want to wear the bare minimum when it’s hot outside, you should still protect yourself from the

sun’s damaging rays. Apply sunscreen, and wear a hat and sunglasses. In cooler weather, dress in lay-ers that are easier to remove and tie around your waist once you’ve warmed up. But don’t forget your sunscreen, even when the temperature dips.

3 Walk for Well-Being, Not Just Weight Loss

A University of Michigan study found that women who exercised with a goal of overall well-being were 35% more likely to stick with their workout than those interested in weight loss. Walk-ing is a great weight loss exercise, but its benefits extend to being a powerful medicine for your body. Need motiva-tion? See tip 12 for ways to continue inspiring yourself throughout your training plan.

4 Buy Your Shoes at Night

Your feet expand as the day goes on, so it’s smart to save your shopping until later, when your feet are at their largest size. Try to go when you have time to browse—the process can take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour. Take along your old walking shoes, if you have some, and show them to the salesper-son—someone with experience will be able to look at how the shoes have worn, which will help determine what kind of shoes you need. Also take the socks you intend to walk in. Try on both shoes and

walk around the shop or on the tread-mill or a few minutes to test them.

5 Save Your Shoes for Walking

Your walking shoes are designed for walking, not for tennis, aerobics, or wear-ing with jeans while out running errands. Although it might be tempting to use them for other purposes, don’t. You’ll damage the structural integrity of your shoes, which means they will not only wear out faster but also cause discomfort or injuries in the long run.

6 Stretch Afterward

Stretching feels good, but for exercisers who strength-train, toe touches and the like facilitate major gains in muscle tone, too. Stud-ies show that adults who stretched immediately after strength-training developed about 20% more strength than those who only lifted weights.

7 Stand TallProper posture

increases your speed and gives your legs more room to swing. Before you head out, try this exercise: Relax into a slouch, sinking your upper body into your hips. Balance on one leg and swing the other forward and back. Switch legs. Now stand up, lift from your hips, and swing each leg forward and back—your leg swings more freely.

8 Stride RightThe key to getting maximum

acceleration from the push-off of each foot is to wait until your foot is behind you. Think of it this way: You should have a longer stride behind you than in front of you. Then imagine lifting your heel as you push off so that someone who is walking behind you could see the sole of your shoe.

9 Lift Your ArmsYou wouldn’t run with your

arms down at your sides, so why walk with them in that position? Keep your elbows in and your hands close to your body. On the back motion, bring your hand just past your hip. As your hand comes forward, let it swing to about chest height, but don’t allow it to pass the midline of your body. As your arms swing more rapidly, your feet

will automatically want to keep up.

10 Keep Your Eyes Up

One of the quickest ways to stand more erect is to simply look up and keep your eyes on the horizon.

11 Fuel with Cold Water

Fuel your workouts with refrigerated water and you could exercise for up to 25%

longer, according to one British study. Exercisers

who drank cool water before and dur-

ing hot-weather workouts reported that

the sessions felt easier, too.

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12 Post InspirationTo keep yourself on track, place

quotes in strategic spots where you might need some motivation: on the fridge, TV, dashboard, or computer. Some suggestions: “I’ve come too far to take orders from a cookie” or “The difference between try and triumph is just a little oomph!”

13 Push Off with Your Toes

The heel-to-toe roll is key to powering a strong, quick stride.• As you step, focus on landing on your heel with your toes up in the air. If you hear slapping as you walk, you’re landing flat-footed.• Next, roll from your heel to your toes as smoothly as possible.• Finally, push off with your toes as if you’re trying to kick sand behind you.

14 Pull with Your Arms

Instead of letting momentum direct your arm swing, take control. Focus on the muscles in the middle of your upper back, pulling each arm back toward your hip.

15 Swivel Your HipsThe hip action you want is for-

ward and back, not side to side. To loosen up your hips so they move more freely, walk like a model, allowing your feet to cross over the midline of your body as you step. Do this for a few minutes during the warmup portion of your walk.

16 Squeeze Your Glutes

Each time your heel strikes the ground, your glutes should contract. Pay atten-tion to this. Put your hand on your butt and feel it the next time you walk. Use

these powerful muscles to pull your body over your front leg and propel yourself forward.

17 Embrace MassageHow’s this for good news?

According to a study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, women who received a 10-minute leg massage following sprints were 49% less stiff afterward. Use a foam roller to ease out those kinks.

18 Change Your RouteKeep your walks interesting by

picking a new route periodically. Give yourself a destination, like a coffee shop that you haven’t tried before (sip a cup before heading back at caffeinated speed!). Finding new places to visit is a great way to rack up mileage and keep your mind off the clock.

19 Take Quicker, Shorter Steps

A common mistake people make when they try to walk faster is taking longer steps. The secret to speed is taking more, quicker steps. Think short as you step forward, keeping your stride underneath and behind you. Push yourself to take quicker, shorter steps by tracking your number of steps and then aiming to increase it over the course of your training plan.

20 Go LongCan 15 minutes make a dif-

ference? Absolutely. In a University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire study, 26 sed-entary, postmenopausal women were prescribed either 30 or 45 minutes of moderate-intensity walking 5 days a week for 12 weeks. Guess who lost more weight? Not surprisingly, the women

with the longer workout sessions did. But here’s the kicker: They walked 50% longer, yet they lost five times more weight and three times as many inches from their waistlines. Not a bad return on their fitness investment!

21 Bring a CameraKeep walking until you’ve taken

snapshots of 10 beautiful landscapes. Post your favorites on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. Endorphins plus nature plus “likes” on social media? It’s the ultimate mood booster.

22 Challenge a HillFind a hill that takes between

30 seconds and 2 minutes to climb. Set your timer and walk up it as fast as you can. Repeat 6 to 10 times, striving to shave off a few seconds with each climb to the top. The rise in intensity will burn more calories, and the competi-tion will keep you motivated to push harder until the very end.

23 Get a DogWomen who own dogs are

14% more likely to walk more than 150 minutes per week.

24 Move HourlyResearch from the University

of Massachusetts shows that sedentary subjects felt 17% hungrier than those who moved around throughout the day. Set your watch or computer alarm to alert you to get up and move a little bit every hour.

25 Start a Walking Group

Research confirms what we’ve known all along: You’ll walk more often if you bring a few friends. • recruit. “Don’t be afraid to post a call for members on Facebook,” says walking coach Michele Stanten, author of Walk Off Weight. “You can also ask around at work, church, or yoga class.”• Aim For A minimum oF tWo Buddies. “This way you’ll be more likely to have at least one walking buddy if someone can’t show,” says Stanten.• Fix A time. And make sure that time works for you. If you’re the leader, you can’t be the one skipping out.• keep it close. That 20-minute drive to the park gets old fast. Walk right in your own neighborhood, or tie walks to other weekly events. For instance, if you already meet your friends for coffee, start there and sip pre- or post-stroll.• mAke it Fun. “Read the same book or watch the same TV show and discuss it while you’re walking,” suggests Stanten. “If you don’t know each other, do icebreakers to build relationships—more reason to keep on stepping.”• WAtch the pAce. When female friends walked together, both went at a slower clip than when hoofing it solo, found a study published in PLOS One. To make every minute count, be the one who sets the speed. Aim for a quick step, as if you were late for an appointment.

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5 Motivating Walks1 Treadmill Slimmer30 minutestry this easy treadmill rou-tine from lee scott, creator of the dvd Simple Steps for a Great Walking Workout, to blast more than 150 calories in half an hour. and since you’ll be exercising inside, it’s the perfect excuse buster.

These great walking rou-tines can help you achieve

any goal you can think of, from losing weight to boosting your energy to toning your thighs. They’ll challenge your body to work different areas and burn more calories, so you al-ways look your best.

How to Get StartedComplete at least 20 minutes of high-intensity walking (any of the workouts in this section fill the bill) on 3 noncon-secutive days a week. On alternate days, do a moderate- intensity walk or cross-training activ-ity for about 30 min-utes per session.

2 Drop-It-Fast Walk25 to 30 minutesthe quicker you walk, the farther you can go and the more pounds you’ll melt off. this fun routine burns as many as 175 calories* in one session.

the WorkoutAfter warming up for 5 minutes, walk as fast as you can for 10 minutes. Note how far you went. Then turn around and walk back at a brisk pace, slowing your speed to cool down as you get closer to your starting point. Each time you do this workout, aim to walk faster and go farther than your initial turnaround point.*Calorie burn is based on a 150-pound person and will vary depending on weight, walking speed, and workout duration.

4 Happiness Walk10 minutesrevitalize your mind and body using these steps from Carolyn scott kortge, author of Healing Walks for Hard Times. “When i tried it after a tense meeting, i felt calm almost immediately instead of reliving the event,” says Prevention reader lisa dimarzio of Ware, ma.

step 1

Focus on your feet. Feel the firm ground beneath you as each foot rolls from heel to toe. Try to hold awareness of your steps for 2 to 3 minutes.

step 2

Pay attention to your breathing. Lift your torso to stand upright and increase lung space. As you inhale, imagine you are drawing in renewed energy. Exhale tiredness and pain.

step 3

Mentally talk to yourself. Thinking Fresh air in, stale air out as you breathe can help you maintain focus.

Head for the TreesA small dose of nature can energize you and boost your mood in just 5 minutes. If you work in a natural setting and go longer (a lunchtime stroll in a park or an all-day hike in the mountains), you can improve your memory and attention 20% more than by walking in an urban environment. That’s because it’s less distracting and more relaxing.

time aCtivity intensity*

0:00–4:59

Warmup 3–4

5:00–10:59

phase 1 (Repeat intervals below for 6 min.)

60 sec speed interval 5–6

60 sec recovery interval 4–5

11:00–15:59

phase 2 (Repeat for 5 min.)



16:00–20:59




21:00–25:59




26:00–30:00

Cooldown 3–4

*Intensity based on 1–10 scale, with 1 = sitting and 10 = sprinting

3 The Weekender60+ minutesHour-plus workouts can amp up your postexercise calorie burn nearly fivefold, compared with a 30-minute walk. That’s on top of the nearly 350 calories* you’ll melt during the walk itself. This can also get you in shape to take on a bigger goal, like a half-marathon (13.1 miles) or a multiday fund-raising walk. It’s also a social way to slim down: Plan your route so you meet up with friends, and walk with them for all or part of your usual route. *Calorie burn is based on a 150-pound person and will vary depending on weight, walking speed, and workout duration.

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5 Brainpower Boosterunder 20 minutesChanging the direction you walk—forward, backward, or sideways—keeps your mind alert, turns up your calorie burn, and activates often-underused muscles, such as your inner and outer thighs. this is a 1-mile walk if you use a 1/4-mile track (most schools have a one). you can do more laps to extend it or work up to doing half or even full laps of each type of walking.

Get the Right Shoes

lap 1 Start at the beginning of the curved part of the track. Walk as you normally would to warm up for a full lap.

lap 2 • Turn sideways. Leading with your right foot, sidestep or shuffle around the curved part of the track.

• Walk backward on the straight section. • Sidestep through the next curve, leading with your left foot. • Walk forward on the straight section.

lap 3 Repeat lap 2, walking sideways, backward, sideways, and forward.

lap 4 Walk forward, slowing your pace to cool down.

Avoid Walking Woes

Walking is the safest, easiest form

of exercise, so why should you be con-cerned about any sort of pain or injury? Because if ignored, a twinge that seems in-nocuous can easily be-come a chronic prob-lem. Each year nearly 250,000 people who hoof it are hobbled by walking-induced pain or an old injury that walking has aggravated. To make sure a debilitating injury doesn’t prevent you from reach-ing your weight loss and fitness goals, the country’s leading experts weighed in with advice on how to avoid and treat common walking woes.

1 Tenderness on Your Heel or the

Bottom of Your FootCould be: plantar fasCiitisThe plantar fascia is the band of tissue that runs from your heel bone to the ball of your foot. But when this shock absorber and arch support is strained, small tears develop and the tissue stiff-ens as a protective response. “Walkers can overwork the area when pounding the pavement,” says Teresa Schue-mann, a member of the U.S. Olympic sports medicine team. People with high arches or whose feet roll inward when walking are particularly susceptible to this condition.

You can tell if you have plantar fasci-itis if you feel pain in your heel or arch in the morning, a result of the fascia stiffening at night. Untreated, the prob-lem can create a bony growth around the heel known as a heel spur.WhAt you cAn do ABout it: Loosen up the tissue by sitting with the ankle of the injured foot across your thigh. Pull the toes toward your shin with your hand until you feel a stretch in the arch. Run the opposite hand along the sole of the foot; you should feel a taut band of tissue. Do 10 stretches, holding each for 10 seconds. Then massage your foot by rolling it on a golf ball or full water bottle.

QuiCK TipSee a specialist for pain that lasts longer than a few weeks. Good choices include orthope-dic surgeons, physiatrists, podia-trists, and physical therapists.

rethink sizeSince athletic shoes can be sized quite differently from dress shoes, you may need to go up or down a size, depending on how they fit. You should have at least one finger’s width of space between your longest toe (usually your big toe) and the end of the shoe. Since you need to be standing to measure this properly, have some-one else do it for you. (A good salesperson will do it automati-cally.) Then wiggle your toes to make sure you have enough room from top to bottom. The shoe shouldn’t rub on the sides of your toes, either.lace ’em rightIf you have narrow heels, it can be a challenge to find shoes that fit properly. If you buy a shoe that’s

narrow in the heel, you risk pain in the forefoot due to lack of space in the toe box. There is a solution: Buy shoes that fit around your forefoot, then lace them up as you usually would, but when you get to the second eyelet from the top, thread each end through the top eyelet on the same side to form a small loop. Thread the lace from the other side through this loop and tie your shoes as normal. This should provide a snugger fit and keep your heel firmly in place.try out several pairsWhen you have a shoe that’s made a good first impression, try on another one or two for comparison. You may be surprised to find that another style or brand feels even better; and if not, that’ll confirm your first choice.

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Custom-made or off-the-shelf orthotic inserts can help absorb the impact of walk-ing. Until you can walk pain-free, stick to flat, stable, giving paths, such as a level dirt road, and avoid pavement, sand, and uneven ground that might cause too much flexing at the arch, says Phillip Ward, a podiatrist in Florence, SC. If the condition worsens, you can ask a podiatrist to prescribe a splint to stabilize your foot in a slightly flexed position, which will help counteract tightening while you sleep.

2 Stiffness or Soreness

in Your ShinsCould be: shin splintsYour shins have to bear as much as six times your weight while you exercise, so foot-pounding activities can inflame the muscles and surrounding tissue. The strain results from strong calves pulling on weaker muscles near the shin. “Walkers who walk too much or too fast or who go up a lot of hills are more susceptible to this injury because the foot has to flex more with each step, which then overworks the shin muscles,” says Frank Kelly, an orthope-dic surgeon in Macon, GA. Walking on concrete can also lead to this condition.WhAt you cAn do ABout it: Cut back on walking for 3 to 8 weeks, until it

doesn’t hurt to walk. Ice packs and anti-inflammatory medication, such as ibuprofen, can reduce swelling and relieve pain. Stay fit with low-impact exercises like swimming or cycling. Use this exercise to strengthen the muscles in the front of your lower leg: Stand and lift your toes toward your shins 20 times. Work up to 3 sets. When you get stronger, add resistance by laying a 2- or 3-pound ankle weight across your toes. When you start walk-ing again, choose a dirt path and walk for 20 minutes at a moderate pace. Increase your distance or speed each week. Scale back if you feel pain.

Easy Prewalking Stretchessometimes it seems like a different part of your body hurts each time you walk. Cut down on the ibuprofen with these simple at-home exercises that naturally ward off common walking and running aches.

3 Throbbing in the Front

of Your KneecapCould be: runner’s kneeEvery time your shoe strikes the ground, your knee absorbs that impact. Eventually the kneecap may rub against your thighbone, causing car-tilage damage and tendinitis. Walkers with a misaligned kneecap, prior injury, weak or imbalanced thigh muscles, soft knee cartilage, or flatfeet or those who walk too much are at greater risk of

runner’s knee. Pain often occurs when walking downhill, while doing knee bends, or while sitting.WhAt you cAn do ABout it: Do another type of exercise for 8 to 12 weeks or until the pain subsides. Do quad strengtheners to help align the kneecap and support the knee: Sit with your back against a wall, right leg bent with the foot flat on the floor and left leg straight. Contract your quads and lift your left leg, keeping the foot flexed. Re-peat 12 times; work up to 3 sets per leg.

to avoid knee pain

side-lyinG hip abduCtionLie on side, hips and feet stacked, head on arm. Raise top leg a few inches. Pulse up and down for 30 seconds. Switch sides.

to avoid heel pain

toWel stretChSit on floor with spine straight, legs extended forward. Wrap towel under balls of feet and hold an end in each hand. Flex feet and slowly pull towel closer to torso. Hold for 30 seconds.

to avoid hamstring strains

Good-morninG exerCiseStand with feet hip-width apart, arms crossed at chest. Hinge at hips, lowering torso parallel to floor. Engage backside to slowly stand upright. Do 15 reps.

to avoid shin splints

toWel CrunChSitting on chair, extend right leg, with foot resting flat on hand towel. Scrunch towel between toes for 15 seconds, then spread towel out again. Repeat two more times, then switch sides.

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Be Beautiful - Rodale, Inc. been prescribed by your doctor. If you suspect that you have a medical problem, please seek competent medical care. Before you undertake a new health program

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