(Family Features) Here’s the secret for achieving a glowing complexion: there is no secret. In fact, a key factor in achieving great skin at any age comes down to one common denominator that’s no secret at all. It’s simply taking good care of your skin.

After all, your skin is your body’s single largest organ. It’s your protective shield, but it can also reveal the truth of your age, especially if you’re lax when it comes to regular skin care.

Make hydration a priority. Keeping the skin hydrated maintains its barrier integrity. When the skin becomes dry, it reduces the effectiveness of the skin barrier, making it less resilient against irritants and allergens.

Often, when the skin is dry it feels more rough or flaky. With proper hydration, the skin feels smoother and looks more supple. Achieving hydration through a better skin care routine, drinking plenty of water daily and eating certain fruits and vegetables can improve your skin’s appearance, maintaining a radiant, healthy complexion.

Use the right soap. Despite what your mother may have told you, squeaky clean isn’t always best. A better bet when it comes to soap is a product that respects your skin’s moisture balance and cleanses without creating tightness or irritation.

Mild options such as Pears skin cleansing products are specifically formulated and dermatologically tested to be gentle on the skin. They’re made with plant-based glycerin, which is a powerful humectant that attracts water from the environment and deeper layers of the skin to the outer layer, keeping it hydrated. Glycerin-based cleansers can help prevent stripping of the skin’s natural oils, which averts a tight, dry feeling. 

“More than ever, consumers are looking for mild and gentle products that are effective, smell good and work well,” said Dr. Adriana Lombardi, founder of the Skin Cancer & Cosmetic Surgery Center of New Jersey. “Pears soap checks all the boxes. It creates a really nice, thick lather and smells crisp and clean while leaving the skin hydrated.”

Avoid hot showers. Even the best products may not overcome the potential harm that comes from taking showers that are too hot. The heat removes your skin’s natural oils, which leaves you prone to itching and dryness and may worsen skin conditions.

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Instead of cranking up the heat, opt for lukewarm temperatures and keep the shower time brief. Use moisturizing cleansers, and after your shower, immediately apply moisturizer to replenish and rehydrate your skin.

Protect your skin from the sun. After completing your skin cleansing routine, there’s an additional step to help maintain healthy, hydrated skin before heading outdoors: Take time to apply a layer of sunscreen to skin that will be exposed, including your face, ears and hands. Reapply every two hours if you’re spending a great deal of time outside. Sun damage can prematurely age the skin. You may not feel the heat as much during colder times of year, but the rays are still capable of damaging your skin, maybe even more so because you don’t feel the burn

Find more advice for keeping your skin supple and soft at Amazon.com/pears. 

3 Steps to Practice a Healthy Skin Routine

1. Use a humidifier in your room. Adding moisture to your environment may help prevent over-drying and promote better air quality for your overall health, including your skin.
    
2. Use glycerin-based soap. A glycerin-based soap like Pears gently cleanses your skin without stripping essential moisture.
    
3. Moisturize immediately after showering. Showering, especially at higher water temperatures, can strip your body’s natural oils. Applying lotion immediately after you shower helps retain the moisture your body nee

Photos courtesy of Shutterstock (woman applying moisturizer, man applying moisturizer)

SOURCE:
Pears

(Family Features) Transform your home into a festive haven with these creative and stylish St. Patrick’s Day decor ideas.

Incorporate Classic Green and Gold
Green and gold are the iconic colors of St. Patrick’s Day, and they can instantly bring a festive feel to your home. Start by incorporating these hues into your existing decor. Add green throw pillows or a gold-framed mirror to your living room. You can also drape green and gold garlands across your mantel or staircase and use green and gold table runners, placemats and napkins in your dining area.

Add a Personal Touch with DIY Shamrock Crafts
Creating shamrock crafts can be a fun way to add a personal touch to your St. Patrick’s Day decor. Try making shamrock garlands using green construction paper, string and a bit of creativity. Or paint small wooden shamrocks and use them as ornaments or table decorations.

Build a Festive Centerpiece
A beautifully set table can impress your guests and make your celebration feel extra special. Go beyond the green and gold tablecloth, placemats and napkins with a centerpiece that features elements like shamrocks, gold coins and fresh flowers. You can also use green and gold candles to add a warm and inviting glow to your table.

Use Leprechaun Figurines in Creative Ways
Place leprechaun figurines in unexpected spots around your home to delight your family and guests. For example, you can position them on bookshelves, windowsills or in planters. Create little scenes by adding mini pots of gold, tiny ladders or faux greenery to make your decor feel magical and engaging.

Set the Scene with Scented Candles and Lights
Choose candles with scents of spring, such as fresh grass, mint or citrus, to create a refreshing and inviting ambiance. In addition to scented candles, consider using string lights or lanterns to add a soft, warm glow to your decor. You can wrap string lights around banisters or mantels, or use them to create a twinkling backdrop.

Find more ideas to get your home ready for St. Patrick’s Day at eLivingtoday.com.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

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SOURCE:
eLivingtoday.com

Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, University of Pittsburgh

Investigations into the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster revealed that key decision-makers worked on little sleep, raising concerns that fatigue impaired their judgment. Similarly, in 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil spill resulted in a massive environmental catastrophe. The official investigation revealed the third mate, in charge of steering the ship, was running on too little sleep, among other problems.

While these specific disasters were not caused by daylight saving time, they are conclusively linked to fatigue, based on postaccident investigations and reports. They underscore the well-documented dangers of sleep deprivation and fatigue-related errors. Yet a vast body of research shows that every year, the shift to daylight saving time needlessly exacerbates these risks, disrupting millions of Americans’ sleep and increasing the likelihood of accidents, health issues and fatal errors.

Imagine a world where one simple decision – keeping our clocks aligned with the natural cycle of the Sun – could save lives, prevent accidents and improve mental well-being. It’s not just about an hour of lost sleep; it’s about how small disruptions ripple through our health, our workplaces and even our children’s futures.

I’m a neurologist who specializes in sleep health. I’ve seen firsthand the negative impacts of poor sleep; it has enormous personal and economic consequences.

Yet despite overwhelming research supporting better sleep policies – such as delaying school start times to align with adolescent biology and the adoption of permanent standard time – these issues remain largely overlooked in public policy discussions.

Sleep deprivation comes with real costs

Chronic sleep deprivation does more than leave people tired. It costs an estimated US$411 billion annually in lost productivity and health care costs. Poor sleep leads to workplace mistakes, car accidents and long-term health issues that strain businesses, families and the economy as a whole.

Fortunately, there’s a fix. Smarter sleep policies – such as permanent standard time and later school start times – can boost efficiency, improve health and save lives.

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Up before dawn

Teenagers are the most sleep-deprived age group in the U.S. Multiple studies and surveys show that anywhere from 71% to 84% of high school students report getting insufficient sleep.

This is largely due to early school start times, which force teens to wake up before their biological clocks are ready. If you have a teenager, you probably see it every day: The teen struggling to wake up before sunrise, rushing out the door without breakfast, then waiting in the dark for the school bus.

More than 80% of public middle and high schools in the U.S. start before 8:30 a.m., with 42% starting before 8 a.m. and 10% before 7:30 a.m. As a result, some districts have bus pickups as early as 5 a.m.

Teenagers are going through a natural shift in their circadian rhythms by about two hours. This shift, driven by hormones and biology, makes it hard for them to fall asleep before around 11 p.m. The bodies of teens aren’t wired for these schedules, yet schools and society have designed a system that forces them to function at their worst.

Declining scores, drowsy driving and depression

Sleep-deprived teens have lower grades and test scores, more car crashes caused by drowsy driving, more alcohol and drug use and higher rates of depression, anxiety suicide and aggressive behavior, including carrying weapons.

Along with the health benefits, studies have found that moving school start times to 8:30 am or later could add $8.6 billion to the economy within two years, partly by increased graduation rates.

While concerns about increased transportation costs exist, such as the need for additional buses or drivers due to staggered school start times, some districts have found that optimizing bus routes can offset expenses, making the change cost-neutral or even cost-saving. For instance, a study in Boston found that reorganizing bus schedules using advanced algorithms reduced the number of buses needed and improved efficiency, which allowed high school students to start later and better align with their natural sleep cycles. This change not only supported adolescent sleep health but also saved the district $5 million annually. https://www.youtube.com/embed/OR6il9otpqM?wmode=transparent&start=0 Studies show that daylight saving time does not reduce energy use.

More heart attacks, car wrecks and suicide

Every March, most Americans shift their clocks forward for daylight saving time. Studies show this change disrupts sleep and leads to measurable adverse outcomes, including a significant increase in heart attacks. These effects linger for days after the shift, as sleep-deprived workers struggle to adjust.

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The mental health impact is also severe. Suicide rates increase in the weeks following the switch, particularly for those already vulnerable to depression.

Unlike daylight saving time, standard time follows the body’s natural circadian rhythm, which is primarily regulated by exposure to sunlight. Our internal clocks are most stable when morning light exposure occurs early in the day, signaling the body to wake up and regulate key biological functions such as hormone production, alertness and metabolism. In contrast, daylight saving time artificially extends evening light, delaying the body’s release of melatonin and making it harder to fall asleep at a biologically appropriate time.

Studies have found that adopting permanent standard time could prevent up to 5,000 suicides annually by reducing seasonal depression, decrease errors, injuries and absenteeism in the workplace and make roads safer, potentially preventing 1,300 traffic deaths each year.

Times are changing

The U.S. tried permanent daylight saving time in 1974. It was so unpopular that Congress repealed it within nine months.

Russia tried it too, in 2011, but switched back three years later. The United Kingdom dropped permanent daylight saving time in 1971 after three years, and Portugal in 1996 after four. All of these countries found that the switch caused widespread public dissatisfaction, health concerns, more morning car accidents and disrupted work schedules. No country is currently on year-round daylight saving time.

These examples provide real-world evidence that permanent DST is undesirable due to public dissatisfaction, safety concerns and negative health effects – all three countries attempted it and ultimately reversed course. Since 2022, there has been renewed debate, largely driven by former U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio’s Sunshine Protection Act, which aims to make DST permanent.

However, the name is misleading because it doesn’t “protect” sunshine but rather eliminates critical morning light, which is essential for regulating circadian rhythms. Major health organizations, along with the National Safety Council, strongly oppose permanent DST due to its well-documented risks.

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There are signs that suggest the U.S. is finally waking up to these problems. Out of 13,000 school districts, 1,000 have independently adopted later school start times. California and Florida have enacted laws requiring high schools to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. California’s mandate went into effect in 2022, and Florida’s is set to begin in 2026.

Permanent standard time and later school start times are not radical ideas. They’re practical, evidence-based solutions based on human biology. Implementing these changes nationally would require congressional action. However, current federal law already allows states to adopt permanent standard time, as Arizona and Hawaii have done, setting a precedent for the rest of the country.

Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, Associate Professor of Neurology, University of Pittsburgh

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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