Tap Into Your Natural Coping Mechanism for Stress

The world is stressed out right now. Between fears of the coronavirus and the action in the markets... there's a lot to worry about.

And one common problem that is making things worse? Lack of sleep.

I've heard from several colleagues who have told me that during these times of extreme stress, they can't seem to get a good night's sleep.

Longtime readers know I've spent years pounding the table on how essential sleep is to your health... But when you're busy or stressed, like a lot of folks are now, it's often one of the first things to suffer. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in three adults don't get enough sleep.

Sleep isn't just about what happens when you close your eyes at night...

In 2019, I introduced readers of Health & Wealth Bulletin to Dr. Param Dedhia. Param is a Johns Hopkins University-trained physician who specializes in sleep medicine. He has toured the world as a personal physician, given TED talks, and helped many people sleep better.

One of his key takeaways is one I want to encourage you to practice for better sleep this year: "For better sleep, you need to focus on the other 16 hours of your day."

Eating whole foods, skipping out on sugar and processed foods, moving more, and managing your stress will all help you sleep better... especially when you're stuck at home and it becomes easier to slip into bad habits.

You need to make sure you're taking enough time for shut-eye as well.

Most folks need about seven to eight hours of sleep a night. That's because we need time for the main cycles of sleep – both deep and dream sleep – as these phases help us heal physically and mentally. They'll also help you cope better with the world's many stressors right now.

So make sure you're taking care of yourself. Here are a few things you can do...

  • Keep electronics out of your bedroom.
  • Limit the amount of light when you're ready for bed.
  • Keep the room cool.
  • Make your bedroom a place for only sleep and sex.

Now for this week's Q&A...

Q: I just wanted you to know that I love your newsletter. I look forward to hearing from you every day. – C.L.

A: Thanks for the kind words, C.L. We're happy to hear that you enjoy Health & Wealth Bulletin. We love getting feedback from readers (especially messages like yours!).

We read every e-mail we receive... So please keep sending your comments, criticism, topics, and questions our way. We want to know what you want to read. Send your thoughts our way... [email protected].

Did you catch my special broadcast?

Given the extraordinary times we've found ourselves in, we wanted to reach out and keep you updated on the market.

My senior analyst Matt Weinschenk and I hopped on a call from our home offices and walked through what we see for stocks and the coronavirus ahead.

No fancy studio. No edits. No sales pitch. We're just letting you in on our discussion as we try to figure out what's going on today.

In it, we talk about the virus... how it's upending the world economy... and why the markets have been so wild.

Perhaps most important, we give a few takeaways... depending on what type of investor you are.

You can watch the 45-minute conversation here. It's completely free. Share it with anyone if you think they'll find it helpful.

Q: You mention in the back pain article that acetaminophen is an anti-inflammatory. I thought that it wasn't. I know the side effects, but I take one ibuprofen (a double dose pill) when I have extreme back pain. – R.P.

A: Hi R.P. You caught us! That's a typo that snuck through our editing process. You are correct – acetaminophen is not an anti-inflammatory. It's a fever reducer and pain reliever, but it doesn't work for swelling or inflammation.

Drugs like ibuprofen (called NSAIDs) are anti-inflammatories. Unlike acetaminophen, they do carry a risk for internal bleeding. That's why we sometimes suggest acetaminophen if you're at risk for complications (for instance if you're on blood thinners).

Thanks for keeping us on our toes, R.P.!

Q: You had an issue [where you] discussed the value of using bar soap. Can you tell me how to revisit it? – R.B.

A: We admit, you've stumped us, R.B. We searched through our archives and couldn't really find much about bar soap. So we'll share some of our research here for you...

Some people wonder which is better, bar soap or liquid soap. Bar soaps can contain more bacteria than a liquid soap, so it gets a bad reputation. But bar soap gives you better friction to scrub germs off your hands. It also allows you to better clean your nail beds.

The key to keeping the amount of bacteria on your bar of soap down is to keep it dry, like you would a sponge. All the slimy stuff on the bar is what contains the bacteria. So keep it in a dry soap dish.

Q: As an Alliance member I remember reading something from older issues but how can we access them to review doc's suggestions? – R.S.

A: You can use the search feature on the Stansberry Research members site or the Health & Wealth Bulletin site.

Here are a few back pain related issues we've shared in Health & Wealth Bulletin:

Is Your Back Aching?
Four Easy Ways to Relieve Your Aching Back
One of My Favorite Ways to Ease an Aching Back
The Best Way to Beat Winter's Aches and Pains

If you're looking for something more specific, please let us know and we'll be happy to help.

Please keep sending your questions, comments, and suggestions to us... [email protected].

What We're Reading...

Here's to our health, wealth, and a great retirement,

Dr. David Eifrig and the Health & Wealth Bulletin Research Team
March 27, 2020