North Georgia Healthcare Center Programs Coordinator/Community Outreach Sharron Mitchell is planning public programs in honor of National Sleep Awareness Week, National Nutrition Month and National Child Abuse Prevention Month.North Georgia Healthcare Center is launching lots of educational programs on health related topics in March and April.
National Sleep Awareness Week will be celebrated March 11 from 2-3 p.m. at NGHCC. Hamilton Medical Sleep Center Clinical Coordinator Lora Brown will lead a program on sleep needs.
“Sometimes we think it’s just overweight people or high-stress people that can’t sleep, but many people can’t sleep,” said said NGHCC Programs Coordinator/Community Outreach Sharron Mitchell. “We live longer if we sleep at least seven hours a night.”
Mitchell said the class will go over sticking to a sleep schedule and practicing a relaxing bedtime ritual. The session will talk about power napping and how it helps people get through the day, as well as exercising daily, evaluating one’s room and keeping it cool at night. Attendees will learn the importance of sleeping on a comfortable mattress, how to create a space free of allergens and manage circadian rhythms.
In honor of National Nutrition Month, NGHCC is also kicking off a 12-month Diabetes Prevention program in March, in partnership with the North Georgia YMCA. The classes will teach students how to be a “fat detective” and eat healthy. The classes will discuss tipping the calorie balance and four keys to eating healthy out.
“Our goal primarily is to educate area residents about health issues so that they can take responsibility for maintaining good health and wellness,” Mitchell said. “We believe that if we can get people to be proactive in taking care of their health, then we can reduce diabetes and the number of visits to the doctor.”
The area has high rates of diabetes and cardiovascular disease, she said.
“Cardiovascular disease is the No. 1 killer of people in Georgia,” said Mitchell, explaining ” That would be any heart related disease. Heart disease kills more women than all cancers put together. You need to eat healthy and be physically fit, so that’s our goal for people to take charge by educating themselves.”
In April, NGHCC will observe National Child Abuse Prevention Month by asking children in third-grade classes at Ringgold Elementary School to color pinwheel sheets. All children participating will receive a coupon for a free child’s meal from McDonald’s.
“We hope the pinwheels in the reception area will draw attention to child abuse,” Mitchell said, adding that the pinwheel is the symbol for child abuse prevention. “We will tell our patients how to report child abuse.”
To learn more, call the center at 706-935-6442 or visit nghcc.com. NGHCC is at 6120 Old Alabama Road in Ringgold.