CELEBRATING FATHERS, FELLAS AND FEELING GOOD | We speak to Nick Sargent, of GQ Magazine

1 man in 5 dies before the age of 65

2 men in 5 die before the age of 75

Just over 3 out of 4 suicides (76%) are by men and suicide is the biggest cause of death for men under 35

Men in unskilled work are 3 times more likely to take their own lives than men in senior management

The richest men live on average 10 years longer than the least well-off men.

Men are nearly 3 times more likely than women to become alcohol dependent (8.7% of men are alcohol dependent compared to 3.3% of women

The 5 most common cancers in men were prostate (25% of all male cancer cases), lung (14%), bowel (14%), bladder (5%) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (4%) (Reference: Cancer Research UK & Men’s Health Forum)

#menshealthweek #menshealthbynumbers

That’s a horrifying stat on suicide. Professor Green (aka Stephen Manderson) has been leading an awareness campaign and his podcasts on the Book of Man are certainly worth a listen. Stress and anxiety are certainly the complaint we hear most at The Tonic and the reason most people turn to CBD.  Sleep is the second most common issue, but they often come as a pair, anxiety leading good sleep astray.

We’ll be speaking to male members of our Tribe this month and sharing their wellbeing tips, stories of what struggles and successes they have with their health, from star jumps to sleeping pills, pecs to pints. First up in the Tonic Hot Seat is high-flyer and GQ Pubishing Director Nick Sargent. He is always up early to commute daily from Brighton to London so a good nights sleep is essential. The demands of his job are high and require mind focus and positivity. Here’s his tips, trips and trappings.

INTERVIEW WITH NICK SARGENT, GQ MAGAZINE & WIRED MEDIA

In 1 sentence introduce yourself to us

I’m the Publishing Director of British GQ and WIRED Media Group, work in London, live in beautiful Brighton

Who makes up your family?

My wife Mia, Arthur (5 and 3/4 – his words) and Florence ( 3 months old)

What’s your perfect Father’s Day?

Not having to leave very early for London ! That means a long lazy morning with my family, and then down to the beach for a swim or on to the South Downs for a walk followed by a pub lunch.

Who/What turned you on to the Tonic?

A friend of mine Prof. Green told me about it, so I got in contact with the team and it’s developed from there

What’s your Tonic of choice and why?

Depends really, I go for the 8% or the 25% – in the am and before I head to bed

How has CBD affected your life/health/wellbeing?

It’s really helped with my sleep, general stress and is great when flying.. I take it with me everywhere

Another tribe member was quoted ‘CBD makes half terms so much easier. I don’t want to throttle my children’. Does this ring true with you?

Ha! I must admit it makes a very busy time a little easier

Who was your father figure?

My Father, happily he still is

What are your other go-to health and wellbeing products?

I take pro-biotics daily

What are your top tips for other men looking to try CBD?

Give it a go, it’s herbal and it works – ask the tribe for their advice on which one is best for you… it’s the future !

Thanks Nick!

CBD is certainly not a cure all, but has proved to calm the nervous system which in turn helps with feelings of stress and anxiety, which can then lead to a jolly good sleep.

AVOID FALLING ASLEEP AT YOUR DESK – SOME SLEEPING TIPS

Here’s a few tips One in four claim that their performance at work suffers as a result of tiredness while eight per cent don’t go in at all after a bad night’s sleep, choosing to have a sick day instead.

Misconceptions about sleep

According to Alison Gardiner, founder of Born Digital (which created online cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia, Sleepstation) hardly anyone sleeps through the night. “We tend to wake three or four times during the night, often as we transition from one sleep cycle to the next. Good sleepers often aren’t aware of these short awakenings.”

Dr Guy Meadows, founder of The Sleep School, highlights the misconception that insomnia can be cured with sleeping pills, which don’t treat the underlying causes of insomnia, as the biggest. “This type of medication is often a short-term solution that can have debilitating side effects, such as grogginess, memory loss and confusion.” A review in 2012 found that the NHS spent more than £50 million a year on sleeping medication.

Nutrition

Daniel O’Shaughnessy, director of nutrition at Bodhimaya advises: “Try to eat three healthy meals a day, aiming for your evening meal to be light and healthy and at least two hours before bed.

People who miss meals and consume a lot of simple sugars and caffeine in the day may suffer poor sleep due to adrenal issues. When the blood sugar drops, the adrenal glands secrete adrenaline to mobilise glucose which can make someone wake up in the night.”

Eat more magnesium

Magnesium, found in oatmeal, milk, nuts, seeds, lima beans and buckwheat, is responsible for more than 600 reactions within the body and has been shown to improve relaxation and sleep quality. “Bananas contain the amino acid tryptophan which turns into serotonin and melatonin in the brain therefore promoting restful sleep,” according to O’Shaughnessy.

Avoid caffeine after 2pm

In excessive amounts, caffeine’s side effects include a fast heart rate, insomnia, anxiety and restlessness, among others. Dean Fouache, human performance coach explains, “the half life of coffee means it can continue to stimulate your body many hours after it was consumed.”

And finally, take CBD!

Our suggestion is the 4% in the evening to induce a calm, chilled state and the 8% in the morning to get that mind focused and energy levels up.

If you have any questions about any of the topics here or stories and suggestions of yuor own you’d like to share, get in touch.

#thetonictribe

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