A good rest has always been called beauty sleep, but what a dream lean body? New research shows that individuals who are sleep deprived have a greater ability to lose weight and keep it off.

Here are 10 Tips to Improve Your Beauty Sleep:

1. Avoid before-bed snacks, particularly grains and sugars. This will raise blood sugar and inhibit sleep. Later, when blood sugar drops too low (hypoglycemia), you might wake up and not be able to fall back asleep.
2. No TV right before bedtime. Better yet, get the TV from the bedroom or even outside the house, completely. It is very stimulating to the brain and it will take longer to fall asleep. Also disruptive of pineal gland function for the same reason as above.
3. Go to bed early. Our systems, particularly the adrenals, do a majority of recharging or recovering during the hours of 11 pm and 1 am In addition, the toxins from the gallbladder dumps during this same period. If awake, backup of toxins in the liver which then secondarily back up your entire system and cause further disruption of their health. Before the widespread use of electricity, people went to bed shortly after sundown, as most animals do, and that nature intended for humans. Read The Full Story…
   

Most African-Americans like to pray just before doing so, white Americans like to do with their pets, Asians tend to do better, and Hispanics are concerned only with prior work.

It is the dream and the dream in the 2010 survey by the U.S. National Sleep Foundation (NSF) shows that sleep patterns vary by ethnic group to which it belongs.

Afro-Americans are the busiest of bedtime routine: three-quarters said they watched television in the hour before bedtime, and only slightly less - 71% - said they prayed.

Only 18% of Asian, a third of whites and nearly half of Hispanics said they prayed before going to bed.

1 in 10 have sex every night

One in 10 African Americans and Hispanics, said they had sex every night - which is 10 times more than Asians and 2.5 times more than whites.

Asian sleeping better, according to the study, said to be the first to examine the ethnic differencs dream in the United States. Read The Full Story…

The idea of bunk beds is thought to have come from ancient Egyptians who used the similar concept of loft beds. To date, there are different types of bunk beds made from different materials you can choose from, offering great benefits and uses.

Bunk beds have gained its popularity because of their space-saving and multi-purpose benefits. What really are bunk beds and where did they come from? Here are some information on bunk beds you might find interesting:

Idea of bunk beds

Bunk beds are made up of two beds, one on top of the other. A frame supports these two beds, along with a ladder going to the top bed. There is really no evidence on how the use of bunk beds began or where it started. However, during the ancient times, the Egyptians who introduced the use of beds, were found to have utilized a loft bed, which is similar to that of a bunk bed. Others consider it as a type of bunk bed.

Bunk beds are ideal for rooms with limited floor space, such as small rooms, dorms, military camps, and even ships. They are also fun for your kids who are sharing the same room. These bunk beds are usually made up of wood or metal.

Different types of bunk beds

There are different types of bunk beds you can choose from according to your needs. These bunk beds vary in style and size of beds used. The most common types are twin over twin, twin over full, L-shaped, three bunk beds, and futon bunk bed.
- Twin over twin. This is simply described as a twin-sized bunk bed on top of another twin bunk bed. Otherwise known as standard bunk bed, this is the most common type of bunk bed available in the market and sought after by users because it saves a lot of space. Read The Full Story…

An orthopedic pillow is a pillow designed to correct body positioning in bed or while lying in any other surface. Its design conforms to orthopedic guidelines to ensure the right placement and support of one or more specific parts of the body to provide safe and healthy rest to the sleeper.

Pillows have been traditionally made of foam and fiber, but other types now exist, such as pillows made of memory foam, a heat sensitive material that can acquire the shape of the body lying upon it. It may or may not recover its original shape immediately when the body is removed from the pillow. Read The Full Story…

Definitions of drowsy driving generally involve varying uses and definitions of fatigue, sleepiness, and exhaustion. For the purpose of the discussion at hand, drowsy driving is simply driving in a physical state in which the driver’s alertness is appreciably lower than it would be if the driver were “well rested” and “fully awake.”

Warning signs of drowsy driving is:

- The inability to recall the last few miles traveled,

- Having disconnected or wandering thoughts,

- Having difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open,

- Feeling as though your head is very heavy,

- Drifting out of your driving lane, perhaps driving on the rumble strips,

- Yawning repeatedly,

- Accidentally tailgating other vehicles,

- Missing traffic signs.

Here are a few tips that can help you avoid falling asleep at the wheel:

- Get adequate and quality sleep before a trip;

- Avoid alcoholic beverages and heavy foods;

- Beware of medications that can impair your driving ability;

- Limit long distance driving — stop at least every two hours — and rest;

- Stop at a safe place and take a nap. Wait at least 10 minutes after waking up to see how alert you are. If you don’t feel any more alert, don’t drive. Find a place to sleep for an hour or for the night;

- If possible, drive with a companion and switch driving when necessary. Talk with passengers but not to the point of distraction;

- Keep the temperature cool in your vehicle. Keep your eyes moving and check your mirrors often.

- Avoid caffeine-type drinks like coffee or cola. They provide a short-term boost, however, if you are seriously sleep deprived, no amount of caffeine will help. It’s best to stay off the road.

- If possible, avoid driving during the peak drowsy times — from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., and from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. Read The Full Story…

Over the years of putting our own children to sleep and keeping them asleep, and counseling thousands of other moms and dads on various styles of nighttime parenting, here are some time-tested, proven attitudes and techniques. Most of these are applicable to infants and toddlers of all ages.

Here are a few simple tips you may want to try to get a bit more uninterrupted sleep:

1. Keep to a routine. If your baby wakes up late in the morning to help make up for some of his late nights, begin waking him at an earlier time each day to help encourage him to get the sleep he needs at night — when the rest of the household sleeps.
2. Put baby in bed while awake. Yes, they can go to sleep by them selves if not hungry! This you should do both at night and every time your baby takes a nap at day time. During his first weeks your baby will probably fall asleep at your breast every time he nurses (or with the bottle). Don’t worry about it.
3. Increase daytime feeds. Feeding your baby more often during the day will allow him to meet his nutritional needs at a time more convenient to you.
4. Sleepy Sounds. The calming, repetitive sounds of traditional lullabies recall the ‘womb music’ your baby heard before birth (your heartbeat, and fluids whooshing through the placenta). Baby music that incorporates elements such as the rhythm of the maternal heartbeat or ‘white noise’ has remarkable soothing effects, especially if played continuously through the night.
5. A light cotton cloth over the eyes. I know many babies that fall asleep almost instantly if their face is cover by a very thin cotton cloth. I suppose it helps them shutting out distracting visual impressions.
6. Choose a well-lit area for your baby’s naps. This will help encourage shorter naps, which in turn may help your little one sleep better at night.
7. Stuffed animal or blanket that smells MOM. Mom and milk is usually what babies want when the most waking up. With a stuffed animal with your smell on it, he might not feel as lonely when waking up in the middle of the night. Put the animal close to your body for a few day and nights and then give it to your baby every time he goes to sleep.
8. A Magic Touch. Silent nights could be at your fingertips: Research from Miami University showed that infants and toddlers who were massaged daily for one month, for 15 minutes prior to bedtime, fell asleep more easily by the end of the study.
9. Avoid using Aids to Help your Baby Sleep. Many exhausted parents resort to external aids to get their babies sleeping (for example, constantly using a pacifier, driving your baby around, and rocking or nursing your baby to sleep). Though your baby might initially fall asleep sleep quicker with these external aids, you are ultimately making your job much more difficult. The problem is that it helps you avoid teaching your baby how to fall asleep alone. Instead, take the time to get your baby falling asleep without any help, and he will fall asleep faster and sleep

10. Waking up Throughout the Night. Most, if not all, babies wake up several times throughout the night. Even a baby who is already sleeping through the night wakes up numerous times during the night. The key is that if your baby knows know how to fall back to sleep on his own, he won’t need you to put him back to sleep. So, don’t rush in as soon as your baby wakes up in the middle of the night. Instead, give it some time and you might be pleasantly surprised to find that your baby falls back to sleep on his own.

Did you know that 78 percent of women have insomnia and other sleep problems during pregnancy? There are numerous reasons you may have trouble drifting off to dreamland during pregnancy. Some of the more common troubles include frequent urination, an unquiet mind, stress, leg cramps or the incapacity to get into a comfortable position.

Here are 10 tips for reducing insomnia during pregnancy:

1. Go to bed drowsy. Sometimes the issue is that you are going to bed wound up and not able to sleep because you are not physically or mentally ready to sleep. By entering your bed, only when truly ready to sleep, you increase the likelihood of actually succeeding. To help with this avoid caffeine after early afternoon, don’t exercise vigorously past late afternoon, and don’t have heavy discussion before bed or in bed. Doing relaxation alone or with your partner can be helpful.
2. Skip the daytime naps. Oh, how tempting they can be. When my daughters are entertained, or my husband is home, I’m tempted to take some good pregnancy advice and sneak in a nap. Unfortunately, taking a nap means I have a more difficult time sleeping at night. While it might be hard to make it all day long without catching some zzz’s, naps might be contributing to your pregnancy insomnia. Try cutting them out, and see if you are able to sleep more soundly at night.
3. Try a glass of warm milk with some honey and a light, carbohydrate filled snack that will keep your tummy full so you don’t wake up in the middle of the night hungry. The milk will help you drift off to sleep.
4. Pillows. Use them where ever you need them: between your knees for aching hips, under your belly for support, behind your back, and under your head.
5. Warm water bath. A bath or shower can not only relax you and soothe soreness that accompanies pregnancy, but it can also help you prepare for sleep. This works before bedtime as well as in the middle of the night.
6. Change eating habits: Many cases of pregnancy insomnia are caused by improper eating habits. When food intake is causing heartburn or acid reflux, eating less at night can help a whole lot. Also, if you haven’t already, cut out caffeine and other similar products. These can add to pregnancy insomnia a whole lot and they are not good for the baby. Read The Full Story…
   

The right room temperature plays an important role in your sleep.

Studies have found that in general, the optimal temperature for sleep is quite cool, around 60 (15.5 C) to 68 (20 C) degrees Fahrenheit. For some, temperatures that fall too far below or above this range can lead to restlessness.

Temperatures in this range, it seems, help facilitate the decrease in core body temperature that in turn initiates sleepiness. A growing number of studies are finding that temperature regulation plays a role in many cases of chronic insomnia. Researchers have shown, for example, that insomniacs tend to have a warmer core body temperature than normal sleepers just before bed, which leads to heightened arousal and a struggle to fall asleep as the body tries to reset its internal thermostat.

Experts agree the temperature of your sleeping area and how comfortable you feel in it affect how well and how long you snooze. Why? “When you go to sleep, your set point for body temperature — the temperature your brain is trying to achieve — goes down,” says H. Craig Heller, PhD, professor of biology at Stanford University, who wrote a chapter on temperature and sleep for a medical textbook. “Think of it as the internal thermostat.” If it’s too cold, as in Roy’s case, or too hot, the body struggles to achieve this set point.

For normal sleepers, the drop in core temperature is marked by an increase in temperature in the hands and feet, as the blood vessels dilate and the body radiates heat. Studies show that for troubled sleepers, a cool room and a hot-water bottle placed at the feet, which rapidly dilates blood vessels, can push the internal thermostat to a better setting.

The relaxing music and nature sounds must be carefully chosen for their ability to aid sleep, reduce stress, and provide a relaxing atmosphere for activities such as yoga, tai-chi, and meditation.

Study:

Researchers have shown just 45 minutes of relaxing music before bedtime can make for a restful night.

The Taiwanese researchers studied the sleeping patterns of 60 elderly people with sleep problems.

They told the Journal of Advanced Nursing, how the technique was easy to learn and lacked the side-effects of other treatments.

If anyone is a bit agitated before they go to bed then anything that can help calm them down and relax is a good thing.

Professor Jim Horne, from the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University

The study participants were either given a choice of music to listen to before going to sleep or nothing at all.

The music group were able to choose from six tapes that featured soft, slow music - around 60-80 beats per minute - such as jazz, folk or orchestral pieces.

Listening to music caused physical changes that aided restful sleep, including a lower heart and respiratory rate, the researchers found.

Sweet dreams

The people in the music group reported a 35% improvement in their sleep, including better and longer night-time sleep and less dysfunction during the day.

Lead author Professor Hui-Ling Lai, of the Buddhist Tzu-Chi General Hospital and the University of Taiwan, said: “The music group reported a 26% overall improvement in the first week and this figure continued to rise as they mastered the technique of relaxing into sedative music.”

Professor Jim Horne, from the Sleep Research Centre at Loughborough University, said: “If anyone is a bit agitated before they go to bed then anything that can help calm them down and relax is a good thing.

“Some say making sure older people sleep less in the afternoon and get plenty of exposure to daylight can help them get a better night’s sleep.”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/

We spend about a third of our life sleeping. The average adult sleeps 7 to 8.6 hours a day. Children sleep more than adults; they spent about 10 hours a day sleeping. Newborns, however, may sleep for nearly two-thirds of their day. There is an age-related difference in average time spent sleeping. As a person ages, they require less sleep. The elderly only spent around 6.5 hours a day sleeping.

The amount of time spent sleeping may be genetically influenced. Deprived of sleep, we run the risk of fatigue; depressed immune system; impaired concentration, creativity, and communication; irritability; and deteriorated performance. In the long-run, sleep deprivation may contribute to obesity, hypertension, and memory impairment.

Who is More Stressed?

- 26% of women report trouble sleeping at least once a week compared to only

- 16% of men

- 19% of individuals ages 45-64 admit to losing sleep due to stress a few nights per week

Sleep Facts

- Up to 15% of people is sleep walking

- Approximately 15% of people have restless leg syndrome

- Vehicular crashes are the third leading cause of death and injury in the United States, and up to 20% of them are sleep related

- Untreated sleep apnea causes 500,000 motor vehicle crashes annually

- One in 20 men have sleep apnea

- Seizures occur more commonly during sleep than during waking hours

- Many tranquilizers actually decrease deeper stages of sleep that are

required for the restoration and fresh feeling in the morning

- Jet Lag is worse when traveling toward the East

- Sleep loss of four hours is equivalent to being drunk with a blood alcohol

level of 0.1%

- One-third of young adults are pathologically sleepy during the day Read The Full Story…