When it comes to aging, we face all sorts of challenges. Aches and pains, declining physical abilities, and changing brain chemistry. The worst, however, might be insomnia.

Lack of sleep can make everything seem more frustrating, even hopeless. But girlfriend, that’s just exhaustion talking. We may be getting older, but that’s no reason to throw in the towel.

Here are some common causes (and solutions) for the bedtime blues.

Thyroid Issues

While many people will point to menopause as the cause of your insomnia. A common, though lesser known cause, is the thyroid. The thyroid regulates our energy levels, so if you’re tired during the day or have trouble sleeping at night, you may have an underactive thyroid. As we age, our chances of developing an autoimmune disease such as Hashimoto’s disease (where the body begins attacking the thyroid) increase as well.

Get your thyroid tested by a doctor who looks at the whole picture, not just your TSH levels.

Blood Sugar Issues

Pasta. Potatoes. Bread. Soda. Delectable desserts. What do they all have in common? Lots and lots of carbs. We eat far more than our bodies were designed to handle, and a lifetime of this type of diet can cause full-blown diabetes in some. In others, simple insulin resistance is enough to wreak havoc on adrenal stress hormones, giving us trouble when we turn out the light or waking us up in the middle of the night.

Try cutting your carbohydrates. In most cases, 150 grams a day is ideal and eat them earlier in the day. If you do wake up in the middle of the night, eat a small amount of low-carb protein, like a handful of raw almonds.

Imbalanced Brain Chemicals

Did you know that your brain sends out neurotransmitters to tell your body to go to sleep? The sleep hormone, melatonin, peaks around 9 PM for most people and continues to be released for another three hours. Serotonin, the feel-good transmitter, also helps your body fall asleep. Sometimes, however, poor nutrition, toxic exposure, chronic stress, or even genetics can cause low levels of these dreamy hormones.

Take advantage of maximum melatonin levels by going to bed early and getting your hormone levels tested. Be wary of sleep-inducing drugs because they rarely address the underlying issue and can further upset your brain chemistry.

Poor Gut Health

When you look at your body, it may seem like your belly and your brain aren’t very closely related. Distant fourth cousins (twice removed), perhaps. But the two are much more closely connected than you think. A poor diet, stress, and other challenges can tip the balance in your digestive system, allowing unchecked growth of bacteria and fungi. This creates high levels of cortisol that make it hard for your brain to shut down at bedtime.

Saliva and stool testing can identify gut infections. From there, it’s often just a matter of taking the right botanical compounds and changing your diet to get your gut back on track.

Unidentified Food Sensitivities

Think you might have a gluten allergy? How about dairy, nuts, or eggs? Food allergies aren’t always obvious, but they can send your body into a fight response that impairs your ability to relax and slip into dream land.

Get tested for food allergies or try out the anti-inflammatory diet for a few months to see if you sleep any better.

Out of Whack Hormones

At our age, our hormones have seen a lot of changes. Lower levels of estrogen since menopause (or from stress) can cause anxiety, moodiness, and poor sleep.

If a hormone imbalance is causing your insomnia, your doctor may recommend bioidentical hormone replacement. It’s best to try solving your sleep issues with the solutions above first, however, because hormone replacement therapy can be tricky and cause more issues of not used cautiously.

Feel better about your chances of hitting the hay tonight? I do. Just knowing that you can take action toward a healthier, more energetic you might be enough to keep some stress or anxiety at bay while you work to banish your insomnia for good. Keep it going by getting tested and treating your body kindly!

Do you have trouble with insomnia? What techniques do you use to get to sleep? Do any of these suspects sound like they might be the cause of your sleeplessness? Please share your comments below and let’s start a conversation.

Katie Maloney’s Black Studded Pumps at her Las Vegas Wedding

Vanderpump Rules Season 8 Episode 15 Fashion

I immediately recognized Katie Maloney’s black studded pumps at her wedding part deux in Las Vegas because I have been eyeing them myself. While they come in different heel heights, fabrics and stud styles I thinkkkk I narrowed Katie’s down to the pair that is perfectly suited for a bride. And even if she and Tom Schwartz left their marriage certificate in Vegas as long as these shoes were packed for the trip home I think everything will be just fine.

The Realest Housewife,

Big Blonde Hair

Click Here to Shop her Alexander Wang Rina Sandals in Satin with Crystal Studs

Click Here to Shop them in Leather with Silver Studs

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Photo: @StassiSchroeder

Originally posted at: Katie Maloney’s Black Studded Pumps

As we reach our 60th birthday, it’s natural to look back and ask where all the time has gone.

Of course, we know “logically,” exactly what we have done with our lives. For the last 6 decades, we built our careers, raised our families and supported our spouses. In our “spare time,” (don’t laugh!) we tried to keep up with our passions and read the occasional book.

For most of our lives, we didn’t need to worry about “reinventing ourselves.” We were too busy living our lives to think about how they could be different. Then, in our 60s, things start to change. As our time starts to free up a bit, the nagging question of what we want to do with our lives resurfaces.

Fortunately, we are not alone on this journey! As members of the Sixty and Me community, we have each other to turn to. We can learn from our collective failures and share in each other’s successes.

Through my conversations with the other women in our community, I have realized that there are several questions that can help you to reinvent yourself after 60. Here are a few of the most important.

What People, Places and Things Are Cluttering Up Your Life?

By the time we reach our 60s, most of us have acquired a lot of “stuff.” On a physical level, this includes all of the furniture, pictures, dishes, electronics, clothes, jewelry and makeup that clutters up our homes. On a slightly higher level, this might include friends who no longer make us happy.

The problem is that our mental world is a reflection of our physical world. When our environments are cluttered, we don’t have room for the possessions or people that could make us truly happy.

I can’t tell you how many women have told me that downsizing in retirement changed their lives. In most cases, what started as a decluttering process, focused on their physical possessions, turned into a complete reinvention of their lives. As their physical environments opened up, they were able to see their friends and acquaintances in a new light. Some of their true friends were people that they spent very little time with. Other people added very little to their lives and asked for a lot of their time.

The shift that these women went through wasn’t dramatic. They didn’t throw anyone out of their lives. They simply started to shift their time and attention towards the people that made them happy.

What Activities Do You Love to Take Part in?

As mothers and wives, we have a tendency to put our passions on the back-burner. After all, there are plenty of everyday tasks to take care of. Who has time for writing, bowling, running or hiking? I’m not saying that we abandon these activities altogether – but, we certainly don’t have as much time to enjoy them as we would like.

Are there any activities that you used to love as a child, or young adult, that you want to pick up again? What have you always wanted to try?

Take a few minutes today and write down one activity from your past that you want to bring back into your life. Then write down one more activity that you have always been curious about. You don’t have to jump in “feet first” and start buying equipment. But, you should at least take one tangible step to explore these potential passions in the next 7 days. Don’t leave this process up to chance. Find an activity (even if it’s just to watch) and mark your calendar. If not now, then when?

Is Your Lack of Physical Fitness Stopping You from Following Your Dreams?

This may seem like a strange question to include in this list. It’s not “touchy-feely.” In fact, it’s downright practical… if not boring. That said, if there is one thing that ties together all of the women in our community who have reinvented themselves it’s that they took steps to improve their health.

Getting in good shape is the only way I know to improve every aspect of your life after 60. Exercise helps to keep your brain in good shape as you get a little older. It also gives you more energy to explore your passions. Exercise also helps to improve our physical appearance and gives us the confidence we need to join groups of like-minded people.

Exercise doesn’t have to be a chore. If you enjoy exercising with others, there are so many activities that you can consider – from tennis to hiking. If you prefer to work out alone, simply setting aside a few minutes every morning to stretch can make all the difference in the world.

Where Do You Want to Be 10 or 20 Years from Now?

Most women in their 60s underestimate just how long they have to live. If you are turning 60 today, you probably have 20-30 more years on this planet. This is a LONG time. The investments that you make in your health, wealth and happiness now will have a significant impact in the future – and it all starts with having a picture in your head of where you want to be.

Take a few minutes to close your eyes and imagine where you want to be 10 years from now. Where are you living? What kind of people are in your life? What does your daily routine look like? What passions are you exploring?

Keep this picture in your mind as you plan out the next decade. There is almost nothing that you can’t achieve in this amount of time. The trick is to focus on small habits that can be repeated every day. Focusing on your dream life will help you to stay motivated along the way.

Are you in the process of reinventing yourself after 60? Which of the questions in this article can you relate to the most? Are there any other questions that you think we should ask as we reinvent ourselves? Which ones?

Ingredients that promise brighter, hydrated skin is never in short supply. But if your skin’s Kryptonite is hyperpigmentation, kojic acid products actually live up to the hype. According to Dr. Kenneth Howe, a dermatologist at Wexler Dermatology, kojic acid is a great skin brightening agent because it blocks the over-production of melanin, which is the main pigment of the skin.

“It does so by inhibiting tyrosinase, which is the enzyme that produces melanin,” he says. “Hyperpigmented conditions, whether it’s melasma or dark spots developing after an acne cyst, are marked by the over-production of melanin. But with kojic acid causing less melanin to be produced, the dark spots inevitably become lighter as any existing melanin continues to be broken down by natural processes.”

Simply put, kojic acid is a less-aggressive solution to hydroquinone and is available in several forms (serum, moisturizer, even face masks). Dermatologist and founder of Eighth Day, Tony Nakhla also says kojic acid works best in combination with other ingredients that have a similar effect, but a different mechanism of action to attack uneven pigment from different angles.

So as you begin to update your beauty regimen, especially in you suffer within hyperpigmentation-prone areas like under the eyes and cheeks, keep kojic acid inside your cabinet.

Glytone Dark Spot Corrector

This combination of 2% hydroquinone, kojic and glycolic acids helps to lighten and brighten the skin and is well tolerated among most skin types. We love that it includes a dab-on sponge design for easy use and less mess.

Buy: Glytone Dark Spot Corrector $38

111SKIN 3 Phase Anti Blemish Booster

This booster attacks blemish-prone skin during the three stages of spot growth for clear skin. Simply apply directly onto the blemish and add 1–2 drops to your regular moisturizer.

Buy: 111SKIN 3 Phase Anti Blemish Booster $99

SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense

You know those super stubborn brown patches and post-acne marks that just won’t go away? Zap them with this buildable corrector that promises to evens skin tone in as early as two weeks.

Buy: SkinCeuticals Discoloration Defense $122.08

Menscience Androceuticals Pigmentation Repair Formula

Buy: Menscience Androceuticals Pigmentation Repair Formula $53

Women aren’t the only beneficiaries of kojic acid. Men are tapping into the craze, too. This pigmentation repair formula is specifically designed for men to remove the appearance of uneven tone. It uses 1% retinol, a slew of botanicals and the smell is to die for!

iS Clinical Pro-Heal Serum Advance Plus

We don’t subscribe to products being “miracle-workers,” but this antioxidant-rich serum comes pretty close. It combines time-released vitamin C with a blend of botanicals to treat acne, rosacea, contact dermatitis and yes, even insect bites.

Buy: iS Clinical Pro-Heal Serum Advance Plus $155

Glo Skin Beauty Brightening Polish

It’s easy to capture your glow with this polish designed to brighten, polish and refresh.

Buy: Glo Skin Beauty Brightening Polish $44

Dermelect Beautone Enlightening Spot Treatment

Arbutin, kojic acid and licorice extract are effective individually, but when combined, they naturally help soothe skin and achieve a well-balanced skin tone that’s sure to be the envy of every skin care lover.

Buy: Dermelect Beautone Enlightening Spot Treatment $49

DCL Dermatologic Cosmetic Laboratories AHA Lightening Gel

When it comes to skin lightening, hydroquinone is a derm favorite. And when combined with kojic acid, the results are nothing less than stellar. This gel formula not only lightens dark areas, but prevents new discoloration from developing too.

Buy: DCL Dermatologic Cosmetic Laboratories AHA Lightening Gel $100

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Clinical Grade IPL Dark Spot Correcting Serum

If you’re in need of super-potent ingredients (read: clinical grade), then this over-the-counter dark spot correcting serum has your name all over it. This potent antioxidant protects skin against free radicals, repairs skin cells and firms skin in a flash.

Buy: Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Clinical Grade IPL Dark Spot Correcting Serum $87.91

ARCONA Brightening Drops

If you just had a baby or feel hormonal (you know who you are), this powerful brightening serum is great at repairing dark spots caused by hormonal fluctuations. It’s also especially effective for clients with sun damage or acne scars.

Buy: ARCONA Brightening Drops $49.90

PCA Skin Pigment Bar

This facial cleanser contains advanced corrective ingredients like niacinamide (a form of the B vitamin that hydrates and promotes a clear, even complexion) and azelaic acid to provide an even skin tone on the face and body. And it’s gentle enough for daily use.

Buy: PCA Skin Pigment Bar $46

Tracie Martyn Enzyme Exfoliant

We love a good scrub and this re-texturizing face peel doesn’t disappoint. It uses natural exfoliators like pineapple enzymes and alpha-beta fruit bark acids to refine and revive dull and damaged skin, while the kojic acid aids in brightening and removing impurities.

La Roche-Posay Mela-D Pigment Control Serum

Just one drop of this trifecta of acids—glycolic, kojic, and micro-exfoliating lipo-hydroxy—goes a long way. Use it to improve skin radiance after cleansing.

One Love Organics Konjac Cleansing Sponge

We’re suckers for hearts and when it’s made of 100-percent pure konjac plant fiber, we’re all in. This cleansing sponge detoxifies pores and smoothes skin while buffing away dirt and makeup. Just be sure to occasionally disinfect the sponge by soaking it in hot (not boiling) water for 3-5 minutes to keep unwanted germs at bay.

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