5 Last Minute Summer Activities for Fitness Focused Families

The summer may be winding down, but that fact doesn't mean that the activity levels have to dwindle. There are many last minute activities that can be part of your family's life when you match up local events to your personal likes and dislikes. When you have a fitness-focused family, concentrate on these top five activities that will leave your summer full of memories for the rest of your life.

One Last Mountain Trip

The surrounding mountains may beckon you to explore their contours so heed the call in the fading light of the summer. Many mountains are only a few short hours away. Pack up the car with every essential, such as picnic supplies and recreational items, so that everyone has a good time. You might hike along marked trails or relax by a babbling brook. Water sports are often part of a mountain retreat, which allows you to rent equipment as necessary. Staying active is incredibly easy with so many pastimes available in mountainous areas.

Biking at Favorite Parks

If you don't have the time to head up to the mountains, look for a park that's nearby. Ride over or bring your bikes because so much more can be seen from the seat of your bicycle. The entire family can ride along to see the scenery. Feed ducks, explore hidden areas behind trees and set up a private picnic for everyone. You won't notice that exercise is part of the day. Biking is a great workout for your cardiovascular system and legs. If you tend to stand up as you bike, you'll also give those arms a workout. 

Impromptu Sports Games

Relatively large families can create their own sports competitions at the park or in the backyard. Choose a sport that everyone enjoys, including volleyball, baseball or soccer. Go over the game rules, especially if there are any changes to note. Create teams, and start up this last-minute activity. You might make a habit of these competitions each week until the fall. The group setting encourages healthy relationships while everyone receives a solid workout. 

Take the sports games to the park or beach too. A change in landscape forms a challenge for everyone playing the game. Contours across the ground make you work harder for that goal or play every time.

Fishing Out on the Water

Fishing is both a skill and sport that can be thrilling out on the water. Rent a boat so that you can head out to the middle of a lake or deeper into the ocean. Both kids and adults benefit from fishing because it takes some energy to cast and pull the line through the water. The real effort occurs when a fish is on the line. Everyone can pull that heavy fish out of the water. Depending on the region, you'll see and catch various fish species. 

As an alternative, remain on shore for some fly fishing. Casting a long line into the water is both fun and fitness-oriented. The kids can help with the lures and bait too. Being outdoors is one of the best ways to stay fit as you focus on the task at hand.

Refining Those Sports Skills

The children or grandchildren may participate in sports at their schools in the fall. Take the last few days of summer to practice those sports skills. Throw a ball, run a mile and refine those skills so that tryouts are a breeze. Fitness-focused families can achieve almost any health goals when a group effort is put forth each minute.

After taking part in those last-minute activities, grade them as a group. Pick out the events that were the best or not so exciting. Make a list of the activities that you'd like to try again in the coming year. These experiences can be prioritized next year as you add to the list of family-focused fitness excitement.

How Binge-watching TV Affects Your Sleep

You already know that watching television too much leads to a sedentary lifestyle that will cause you to gain weight and lose muscle tone. However, binge-watching television can also affect your sleep patterns along with the quality of your sleep. Here is how watching too much television before bedtime alters your sleeping patterns.

Watching Television Changes the Levels Of Your Hormones

Many of your body’s hormones are regulated by light, and a television screen emits a lot of light. While you might close the draperies or turn off the lamps in your bedroom, when you are watching television, your body still responds to the light from its screen by reducing the amount of melatonin released from your glands. Melatonin is the primary hormone that helps you to feel sleepier along with ensuring that you sleep throughout the night. If there is a lot of light in a room, then your body won’t release melatonin, making it difficult to sleep. 

Your Brain Thinks That It Is Still Daytime

If you have ever worked a job late at night, then you probably had to sleep during the day. Adjusting to daytime sleeping is difficult, but experts recommend making your bedroom as dark as possible along with following the same type of bedtime routine. However, if you stay up late into the evening watching television, then your brain thinks that it is still the daytime because of the bright lights from the television screen. Avoid watching too much television, and also, keep your television in the living room instead. 

Electronic Devices Make a Bedroom Hotter 

When you have a television in a bedroom, it can emit a lot of heat, making the area hotter. Trying to sleep in a hot environment can make you feel restless, causing you to wake up frequently. In addition to turning off the television in your home, you should turn off the lamps in a bedroom to create a cooler environment. If you have a television in your bedroom in the summer, then when you have it turned on for several hours, it can lead to a bedroom that is sweltering. 

Television Programs Can Stimulate the Brain’s Imagination 

If you watch certain types of programs before going to sleep, then the images remain in your mind, making it difficult to become calmer. You may have noticed this problem with your children because they will often have nightmares after watching a scary movie on television. While you are sleeping, your subconscious mind is also affected by what you see in television programs. 

Your Circadian Rhythms Can Change From Watching Too Much Television 

Your body has a natural circadian rhythm that typically operates on a 24-hour schedule of daytime activities and sleeping at night. When you must work a nighttime shift on a regular basis, your body adjusts to this new schedule gradually. If you alter your sleeping schedule, then it can disrupt your body’s natural circadian rhythms. Having bright light and noise in your bedroom before it is time for you to sleep can alter your body’s normal circadian rhythms. 

 

Why Veggie and Steak Bowls Should Find Their Way Into Your Diet

As you enter the retirement years, a main goal held by many people is achieving a healthy lifestyle. Everyone loves those sweet and savory treats at times, but healthy food tends to make you feel better. Pinpointing healthy foods can be difficult at times, however. Mature adults will often turn to veggie and steak bowls as a way to stay healthy. Learn why these meals should find their way into your diet today.

Cutting Out the Carbohydrates

There are essentially no carbohydrates in a veggie and steak bowl. Rice, potatoes and other starchy foods are carbohydrates. Your body uses these nutrients to burn as fuel. However, you want the body to burn the fat already stored in the tissues. By reducing the carbs in your body, the muscles and other tissues burn your fat reserves instead. You'll lose weight while supporting your body with a strong balance of energy versus food.

Filling up on Fiber

Vegetables are naturally full of fiber. When you fill your bowl with veggies instead of carbohydrates, your digestive system benefits with the fiber necessary to clear out your intestines. You'll notice better digestion with solid regularity. As you age, your digestive system will often have problems with regularity. Vegetables are a better source of fiber compared to supplements. If you must decide between the two choices, natural foods will always win by comparison.

Benefiting From Protein Fullness

Your steak is a healthy choice regardless of the cut of meat. The body gains protein when you eat steak. Protein is a critical substance that supports the muscles, which translates into a strong skeletal system. Because protein takes time for the body to digest, you'll have a full sensation in your stomach for a lot longer than other foods. As a result, hunger won't overwhelm you until the protein finally moves through the system.

Diversifying Your Meals

No one can eat just one type of meal and be satisfied each day. Diversify your veggie and steak bowls during each meal. Pick different veggies to complement a particular meat, such as pork or beef. Saute or cook the veggies in various oils so that there's a complex, taste sensation with each meal. By diversifying the food, you won't be bored or tempted by other foods. You might even choose chicken as your steak meat to further diversify the ingredients.

Eating Out or In

It's possible to have a veggie and steak bowl whether you're eating out or staying in. Look for healthy eateries with these bowls as the stars of the show. Ask for the rice or carbohydrate to be removed from the bowl so that you can eat it as you desire. You have more control over the ingredients with a home-cooked meal, but it's nice to have a change as you celebrate a meal with friends.

Don't forget to fill your other meals with healthy foods too. Look for whole grains, such as quinoa, to cover your carbohydrate needs for the day. By selecting healthy foods in moderation, you'll feel and look younger than ever. Veggie and steak bowls are simply one part of a larger diet that can help you reach your 70s, 80s and beyond.

5 Ways Your Brain Benefits From Physical Exercise

Throughout the years, much research has suggested that exercise can encourage excellent physical and mental health. Even though movement is also referred to as medicine for the mind, most of us do not completely understand the ways in which the brain can benefit from exercise. The key is to have a daily exercise routine that is not too rigorous because engaging in strenuous activity can actually damage your memory circuits. Here are the five main advantages of exercising to improve your brain health at aged 50 and over. 

Improves Mood
Exercise has long been shown to improve mood by reducing the symptoms of anxiety and depression. When you exercise regularly, the body increases the production of endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine. These brain chemicals are crucial to maintaining a happy mood. The absent of these brain chemicals may result in depression and anxiety, which can ultimately lead to memory problems, concentration issues, and low energy levels. One study performed by researchers at Duke University concluded that those who engaged in frequent physical activity improved their moods just as much as people who are regularly taking the prescription drug Zoloft. 

Reduces Stress

When your body produces more endorphins, you are likely to be less stress. Therefore, people who exercise often may experience less stress than sedentary individuals. Studies have indicated that regular physical activity can significantly lower cortisol levels. This stress hormone has also been linked to forgetfulness and slow/irrational thinking, so low levels of cortisol may actually improve memory as well as decrease stress. The next time that you feel overwhelmed by the day-to-day activities, simply engage in activities with movement to put your mind at ease. A few examples of great activities include yoga, dancing, walking, running, and more. 

Enhances Cognitive Function
Many researchers have found that regular exercise is essential for optimal cognitive capabilities. In order to function to your fullest potential, the brain requires certain chemicals and a constant supply of oxygen. Physical activity promotes healthy blood vessels that are able to deliver these chemicals and oxygen to the brain properly. The result is the ability to think faster, remember information, and concentrate longer. In general, exercisers of any age can enjoy these benefits of great cognitive function. 

Stimulates Brain Growth

Since the production of new brain cells tend to decrease as we age, it's important that we exercise to increase brain volume. Known as the hippocampus, this part of the brain can grow in size with frequent exercise. The hippocampus is the area of the brain where memory and learning is processed. Additionally, Brain-derived neurotrophic factor or BDNF is often produced when physical activity has improved. BDNF is responsible for the stimulation of brain cells. In fact, an increase in cardiovascular fitness will generate more brain cells that may be able to slow signs of aging by providing the brain with oxygen. 

Provides Energy

Frequent physical activity like short walks and jogs can increase the production of mitochondria. These cellular structures provide our muscles and our brains with energy. As a result, those who exercise tend to be more productive then their sedentary peers. This is especially true in the workplace where regular exercisers often have the best time management skills and great work performance. Even simple activities like washing dishes, vacuuming, and stepping up the stairs can produce more energy on a cellular level. 

Not only is exercise a great way to get in shape, build strong bones, and improve nightly sleep, your brain can also greatly benefit from the activity. Optimal brain health will drastically decrease the chances of memory problems as we age.

The Truth About Panic Attacks and Their Effects on the Body

Human beings automatically react to a stressful situation by becoming mentally and physically prepared to defend themselves or flee the situation. Known as “fight or flight” reactions, it is a normal reaction to any situation and is what has kept humans safe since the beginning of time. However, anxiety often causes people to remain in this heightened sense of preparedness and that can have a physical toll on your body.

Anxiety and Cortisol Levels

Cortisol is the stress hormone released by your body to help you become more “aware” of a situation. High levels of cortisol in your body for extended periods of time can lead to:
• Heart disease and heart problems
• High blood pressure
• Weight gain without being able to lose weight
• Insomnia

High cortisol levels are also being studied at this time for connection with other serious diseases.

Anxiety And Gastrointestinal Disorders

In a recent study conducted at Harvard Medical, researchers discovered that people who suffer with high anxiety levels are also at a much higher risk for suffering from IBS (irritable bowel syndrome) and similar disorders. Researchers also found that those who suffered with high anxiety levels were 30 percent more likely to suffer from these conditions at a more severe level. More hospitalizations and medical care was required for those suffering with gastrointestinal disorders who also suffered from anxiety.

Anxiety and Respiratory Disorders

Doctors have recently discovered that people who have anxiety often have trouble with their respiratory system more often than those who do not. Studies are currently being conducted to determine if this is because the anxiety causes the lung area to constrict more often than normal which in turn causes damage. 

Doctors already understand that people who suffer from asthma and COPD and have anxiety issues are more likely to suffer more severe attacks or be hospitalized from their condition. 


Anxiety and Heart Disease

Two separate studies, one conducted by a group of Canadian Universities and one by Harvard Medical show that people who have heart disease will experience worse symptoms and are more likely to have a heart attack when anxiety is present.

Both of these studies showed that women were more likely to suffer from more severe heart problems when heart disease and anxiety were combined. The study also showed that people who suffer high anxiety from phobias as opposed to other forms of anxiety like PTSD suffered the greatest side effects when anxiety and heart disease were combined.

Treating Anxiety

Everyone experiences bouts of anxiety. Doctors normally do not consider anxiety a problem unless it has continually lasted for over six months and the anxiety is causing interruptions in your life. 

Treatments for anxiety can include many different therapies. Medication may not be necessary and many people can overcome their anxieties through therapy sessions and behavioral changes. Many people can even overcome anxiety by learning relaxation techniques such as meditation.

It is very important, however, that you seek help for anxiety. Anxiety not only can cause mental health distress for you, it can also cause physical health problems. Once these additional issues arise, the anxiety can be intensified and the problems will only become worse.

If you only experience anxiety in certain situations, try learning some relaxation techniques to help relieve the symptoms. This may come as meditation, relaxing with a hobby, or even simply taking a nice afternoon nap. If you cannot find a way to decrease your anxiety speak to someone and ask for help.

The Powers Of Vitamin D

How Can You Increase Your Body’s Vitamin D Levels? 

Today, researchers are learning more about the powers of vitamin D. This nutrient is found in several foods, and when you are exposed to sunlight, your body also manufactures vitamin D. Some of the foods that contain vitamin D include:

• Egg yolks
• Cheese
• Beef liver
• Fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna

In addition to eating these foods, you should go outside frequently to expose your skin to sunlight. It is nearly impossible for you to get enough vitamin D naturally, so many physicians recommend taking dietary supplements. If you live in an area of the world where there isn’t enough daily sunlight, then taking vitamin D tablets or capsules is imperative. 

Seven Ways That Vitamin D Can Improve Your Well-being

1: Keeping Your Teeth, Bones and Muscles Stronger

Vitamin D is essential for the health of your teeth and bones because it regulates the absorption of phosphorous and calcium. When a child doesn’t ingest enough vitamin D, she will develop rickets, leading to softer bones. The symptoms of vitamin D deficiency include having pain in the bones of the spine, pelvis, legs and arms. In addition, you will have poor muscle strength and delayed tooth formation. 

2: Controlling Blood Sugar When You Have Diabetes Mellitus 

By increasing your body’s vitamin D levels, you can have more insulin resistance to avoid developing diabetes mellitus. If you are already diabetic, then talk to your physician about taking vitamin D dietary supplements. 

3: Preventing Certain Types of Cancer

If you have more vitamin D in your bloodstream, then you are less likely to develop colorectal cancer. Colorectal cancer primarily affects adults over the age of 50. Most colorectal cancer begins with polyps in the bowel that become cancerous. 

4: Protecting You From Heart Disease

New research indicates that if you have a vitamin D deficiency, then you are more likely to have heart disease or other cardiovascular conditions. Some of the conditions that you might develop from lack of vitamin D include high blood pressure or peripheral artery disease. 

5: Boosting Your Immune System

It is important to have more vitamin D to boost your immune system. Scientific studies show that your body produces over 200 peptides to fight against the microbes that can make you ill when you have a high level of vitamin D in your bloodstream. 

6: Improving Your Overall Mood

If you don’t have enough vitamin D in your body, then you can become depressed. If you are feeling sad, then go outside to have more exposure to sunlight or buy a specialized lamp that creates simulated sunlight. In addition, consume more foods that contain vitamin D or take vitamin D supplements. 

7: Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease

When you have Alzheimer’s disease, you may also have low levels of vitamin D in your blood. You can increase your body’s vitamin D levels by spending more time outside in the sunlight or taking a dietary supplement to maintain your brain’s cognitive functions. 

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We Know It's True But Here Are the Facts: Healthy Eating Does Promote Longer Life

Healthy Eating Will Help You To Live Longer 

Everyone knows that eating nutritious foods will lead to a longer life, but most people don’t know why this is true. You may have forgotten about the different types of nutrients in foods and beverages, so it is a good idea to learn more about the minerals and vitamins that you consume each day. Experts know that healthy eating promotes a longer life because your body is stronger and damage is repaired when you consume a lot of nutrients. When you eat a diet that is low in nutrients, your body can’t develop new cells that will provide vital energy.

Nutrients Required For a Longer Life 

Here are a few of the essential nutrients you need each day to promote a longer and healthier life. 

Nutrient 1: Vitamins

Researchers have discovered numerous types of vitamins in natural foods, and it is also possible for scientists to create artificial vitamins. If you buy a processed food, then it will typically have artificial vitamins, making it a fortified food. Dietitians recommend consuming foods that are natural to ingest the most nutrients. Some of the most common types of vitamins include:

• Vitamin A – in eggs, broccoli, spinach and carrots
• Vitamin B – in milk, beef, poultry and fish
• Vitamin C – in citrus fruit such as grapefruits, lemons, oranges and limes
• Vitamin E – in sweet potatoes, avocados, spinach and seeds
• Vitamin K – in kale, cauliflower, eggs and fish

By eating a diet that has a wide variety of foods, you will get an assortment of vitamins that will boost your immune system, build strong bones and keep you energized. 

Nutrient 2: Dietary Minerals

Your body contains major and trace mineral elements that you ingest from plant foods, water and different types of meat. Without these minerals, your body will slow down, and you may also develop brain fog. The major minerals required by your body include:

• Magnesium – found in spinach, legumes and whole grains
• Sodium – milk, spinach and salt
• Potassium – carrots, bananas and tomatoes
• Phosphorus – rice, poultry and red meat
• Calcium – found in dairy products, canned salmon and some vegetables

The trace minerals are also important for your body, and these elements include: 

• Selenium – eggs, seafood and grains
• Iodine – found in fish and fortified iodized salt
• Molybdenum – nuts, whole grains and legumes 
• Magnesium – dark chocolate, beans and nuts 
• Zinc – dairy products, poultry and oysters
• Copper – liver, nuts and whole grains
• Iron – red meat, beans and nuts 

Minerals are a vital component to create and repair your teeth and bones, but these nutrients also keep you healthy in other ways. 

Nutrient 3: Proteins

Protein foods contain amino acids that are essential for the cells in your body. With amino acids, your body will have the right level of hormones so that you will have vibrant skin along with resisting diseases such as the common cold or influenza. While you might think that meat or fish is the primary source of amino acids, there are other foods that contain this nutrient. Add these foods to your grocery list:

• Raisins
• Avocados
• Almonds
• Chia seeds
• Pumpkin 
• Watercress

The 3 Best Benefits of Strength Training

Regular weight training can benefit people in a number of ways. It helps increase muscle mass, prevents illness and promotes mental health.

Adults should engage in 20 to 30 minute strength training sessions at least two to three times per week. The exercises should involve all muscle groups. Studies show that, in addition to muscle mass and strength, resistance training preserves bone density and promotes vitality. Weight training improves mobility, promotes weight loss and provides relief for a variety of ailments as well as improves the recovery rate from illness. Research conducted by the National Institute of Health shows that strength training combats weakness and frailty along with their potentially debilitating consequences.

Strength, Flexibility and Stamina

As we age, our bodies naturally lose muscle mass. Men and women lose approximately 1 percent of their bone and muscle mass each year after puberty. Lifting weight counteracts this natural process and increases the size of muscles and increases bone density, which helps ward of osteoporosis. Working your muscles through a full range of motion improves your flexibility. This reduces the risk for muscle pulls and back pain. It also strengthens tendons and ligaments, which lowers the risk of back, knee and other joint injuries. Along with better body mechanics, stronger muscles help you to maintain good posture and balance, which improves stability. You can reduce your risk of falling by 40 percent. Physical exercise increases your overall energy levels and gives you more stamina. Increased muscle mass will give you more strength and endurance to perform everyday tasks like walking up stairs and carrying groceries as well as engaging in the leisure activities that you enjoy.

Improved Physical Health

Increased muscle mass boosts your metabolism and burns more calories. Along with helping you lose weight and keep it off, strength training has several other physical health benefits. It increases the level of good cholesterol and decreases the amount of bad cholesterol. This reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure as well as other cardiovascular diseases. According to the American Diabetic Association, weight training improves insulin sensitivity, which reduces the risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Resistance training also helps manage arthritis pain. Exercise keeps the muscles around the affected areas strong while it lubricates joints and reduces bone loss. It also helps to control joint pain and swelling. Regular exercise boosts the immune system helping to ward off colds, the flu and other illnesses while reducing recovery times.

Better Mental Health

Sleep problems plague millions of Americans each year. A study published by the Centers for Disease Control revealed that more than 30 percent of adults do not get enough sleep on a normal basis. Regular exercise may be the solution. Weight training promotes a good night’s sleep, which helps reduce stress, anxiety and depression. Restful sleep also helps improve memory and other cognitive functions. You will be more alert and in a better mood. Resistant training helps you to fall asleep faster and sleep more deeply. This will make you feel better when you wake up. Your improved body image and sense of accomplishment as your stamina and strength improve will increase your self-esteem. As you get stronger and feel better, you ability to handle stress will improve. Clinical studies show that regular exercise in one of the best tools for effectively managing stress.

Strength training should be an integral part of your overall fitness program. Speak with your doctor about an exercise regime designed for your individual needs. As you continue with the program, you will notice an improvement in your physical and emotional health, which improves your quality of life.

Why Happiness is So Important to Health

At this point, multiple researchers have uncovered quite a bit of evidence that negative emotions can damage your health. This damage can take a number of forms. In particular, experiencing stress during your earliest years can permanently change how your body responds to stimuli. When neglected or abused as children, people often develop "hair trigger" responses that exacerbate the stresses of ordinary life. These effects can manifest as unhealthy spikes in heart rate and blood pressure. Over the years, prolonged stress or fear can speed up the natural processes that lead to disease. 

So we can clearly see that negative emotions are clearly bad for your health. However, happiness is more than simply a lack of negative emotions. Researchers are still working to understand how active positivity could benefit your health. These processes appear fairly subtle and studying them is difficult. For one thing, it is simply easier to see the physical effects of negative emotions at work. Anxiety and anger cause immediate effects in your body, from raised cortisol levels to increased heart rate. On the other hand, it isn't so easy to clinically differentiate between a person with a neutral mood and a person who is genuinely happy. Researchers have worked around this problem by conducting long-term studies which monitor subjects' self-reported moods and health outcomes. 

Laura Kubzansky is one of recognized leaders in this field of study. In a 20-year study that ended in 2007, Kubzansky found positive health results for adults with enthusiasm, hope and personal engagement with life. Subjects who reported more of these positive qualities were significantly less prone to coronary heart disease. This particular study only looked at the health outcomes of people between the age of 25 and 74. However, it is safe to assume that maintaining these healthy attitudes can prove physically beneficial for people of all ages. 

Having a positive attitude can indirectly improve your life by helping you build and maintain a network of family and friends. Older adults and senior citizens with stronger social networks are prone to live longer lives. Thus we see that besides subjectively improving your life quality, maintaining a happy state may actually lengthen your life. While longevity is largely influenced by heredity, clinging to positive attitudes can certainly make a difference. 

Although researchers have certainly made some headway in exploring this issue, they will need to do a lot more work before the connections between positive emotions and health are fully clear. The research in this area remains controversial and fraught in some respects. During a time when the birthrate is low and our population is rapidly aging, society has a vested interest in improving the health of older adults. To further this goal, responsible stakeholders should work together to fully explore the positive effects health effects of positive thinking.

Why Are Lots of Babies Born around 8:00AM

The general view of childbirth is that it is pretty random and inconvenient, with babies arriving in the middle of other important events or in the middle of the night. Babies seem to come on their own time schedule and expectant parents often have to accommodate that, no matter how inconvenient it may be. But this general view is somewhat out of step with actual modern birthing practices.

Historically, this view was much more accurate than it is today. When childbirth was a more natural process simply because doctors did not know how to intercede, it did tend to be more out of the hands of the parents. However, these days there are three general birthing methods: natural, induced labor and C-section. The rise of scheduled C-sections accounts for a large part of the high number of morning births. 

Although babies tend to generally be born more during the day by all methods, C-sections are often scheduled ahead of time. Thus, they are heavily influenced by factors like hospital staffing. This contributes to the fact that when you break births down by the minute around the clock, you see 3.5 times as many births at 8 a.m. than at 3:09 a.m. These are the two extremes of most popular and least popular minute of the day for being born.

Currently, only half of U.S. births are "natural." This is defined as a vaginal delivery that has not been induced. Another 18 percent of births involve induced labor and the final 32 percent are C-section births. Both induced labor and C-sections are much more likely to happen during the day, with the largest spike occurring in the morning.

In fact, C-sections account for a large proportion of the births between 8 and 9 a.m. That one hour span sees 3.7 times as many C-sections as average. Total births are only up by 1.9 times the average delivery rate per hour and induced births are actually slightly less common at during that time.

Some of the factors influencing these statistics include older mothers having more children and women generally working more. Women with jobs, and especially women with serious careers, are more likely to schedule a delivery than full time homemakers. Many of them feel they simply cannot afford to have their lives so completely disrupted by waiting for the baby to show up on its own schedule.

Older women also may schedule a delivery due to complications that come from being pregnant while older or due to having had intervention from a fertility specialist. If more than one embryo was implanted and more than one took, the resulting twins or triplets are likely to come early and need more help.

So, there is nothing nefarious about the increase in C-sections. It generally grows naturally out of a changing world and changing lifestyles. In some ways, it is an indicator of the more empowered lives of the average American woman compared to how our mothers and grandmothers lived. It wasn't all that many decades ago that some women could not get a job without the permission of her husband. 

Due in large part to changing lifestyles, birthing practices have changed substantially. Scheduled C-sections are more common, and this fact largely accounts for the spike in births that occur around 8 a.m.