Did you get enough sleep last night? Did you remember to set your clocks ahead an hour for daylight savings time? How well do you adjust to the time change? For most people missing an hour on Sunday means a tired Monday and a quick nap to catch up. But for some, especially for night owls, that extra hour can take an entire week to get back their lost hours of sleep, which can cause irritability, lack of focus, workplace injuries and even is blamed for increased car accidents. While trying to adjust to daylight savings time sleep and naps may not be enough to make you feel refreshed in the morning, you need rest which isn’t the same as actually sleeping according to psychiatrist Matthew Edlund, MD former medical professor and author of The Power of Rest. Read more »
Why do I Snore
Are you asking yourself “Why do I snore”? If you have sleep apnea, your airways can be blocked or narrowed during sleep because your throat muscles and tongue relax more than usual, your tongue and tonsils are large compared to the opening into your windpipe, you’re overweight due to the extra soft fat tissue can thicken the wall of the windpipe causing the inside opening to narrow and make it harder to keep open, the shape of your head and neck may cause a smaller airway size in the mouth and throat area or the aging process limits the brain’s ability to keep your throat muscles stiff during sleep causing your inability to fall asleep easy and stay asleep during the night. Read more »
Serotonin Foods
Serotonin definition: a monoamine neurotransmitter that’s functionally important in neural transmission for regulating the sleep/wake cycle, depression and memory. Serotonin foods high in the amino acid tryptophan can maintain healthy serotonin levels, but lifestyle choices like traveling abroad or working a split shift can cause erratic sleep schedules that will disrupt serotonin production. When serotonin levels are low, the inability to sleep easy and other health issues can result, including depression and chronic fatigue syndrome. Read more »
How to Find Bed Bugs in Your Bed
Can you see bed bugs with your eye? Yes, bed bugs are small wingless insects that feed on the blood of warm blooded animals. Their hatchlings are the size of poppy seeds and they will grow to roughly 1/4th of an inch at maturity. As an adult they are oval in shape and looking at them from the side they appear to be flat from top to bottom. Color ranges from almost white when they just molted to a light tan, deep brown or even a burnt orange. You can see the host’s blood within the bug’s body as a dark red or black mass. They do not have wings and when disturbed will scramble to find shelter in cracks and crevices. How can you find bed bugs and sleep easy? Read more »
Baby Blankets and SIDS
There are various factors when it comes to choosing baby’s bedding. Baby blankets should ensure the safety of the child and unlike adults your baby will not care what color the blanket or that it matches the room’s décor. Infants generally do not need a pillow or a heavy comforter until they are older due to the risk of suffocation. In today’s market you can purchase either the traditional baby blanket or opt for a wearable blanket otherwise known as a sleep sack. When purchasing either a blanket or sleep sack, make sure it is not very large or the baby might get entangled feeling uncomfortable or have trouble breathing. Also the material should be soft and smooth like 100% cotton, as well as washable. What new information is available about baby blankets and SIDS? Read more »
Magnesium Rich Foods
You need magnesium to continue good health as it performs various functions to maintain normal blood pressure, metabolism and heart rate, keep bones strong, regulate blood sugar levels, helps you fall asleep easy, produce protein and keeps bones strong. Symptoms of a magnesium deficiency are insomnia, high blood pressure, muscle cramps that cause restless leg syndrome (RLS), osteoporosis, hyperactivity and panic attacks. The average adult needs about 300-400mgs of magnesium daily. One way to compensate for this deficiency is to include magnesium rich foods in your diet. Magnesium rich foods are in green leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, fruits, fish, desserts, dairy products and certain drinks like coffee and cocoa. Read more »
Techniques for Bedtime Separation Anxiety
In most homes infants sleep in their parents room especially if they are breast fed. This is convenient for both mommy and baby and generally will continue until the child sleeps through the night. Separation anxiety usually occurs when the child is in their own room or even in a bedroom they share with other siblings. A panic response arises out of a feeling that they are not safe as parents are considered their protectors and separation from them heightens the child’s nighttime fears of abandonment. What can parents do?........... Read more »
A Sleep Easy Welcomes You with Sleep Remedies
I am Kat and I want to welcome you to A Sleep Easy…we know at A Sleep Easy you may not be getting enough sleep at night. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that an adult, 18 years and older, should be getting seven to nine hours of sleep at night. While on the average a person only gets six hours and 40 minutes. Why? Read more »