Staying awake while the whole world is sleeping is five of most sickening experience in itself. If you are frequently unable to take a rapid nap despite your best efforts, then this is certainly a matter of grave concern. However, the more you ponder about this issue, it will affect you all the more. If you think sleeping pills are your best mate, then you may require to remove this thought from your rusted mind. Sleeping pills are a temporary fix for a long term problem. Not to forget the lethal side effects associated with long term consumption of sleeping pills. Below are some time tested measures which you can incorporate in your life to fall asleep quickly. Clear the MessIf you have been sleeping in a messy zone/area, without giving a damn thought that this might affect your sleep, then think five times. First, a messy bedroom showcases a messy lifestyle. Organize your bedroom nicely, & clear out all the cluster found around your sleeping area. If possible, fix a water fountain beside your bed. The soothing sound of the flowing water will help you fall asleep quickly. Early DinnerMake it a point to have your dinner few hours before the bedtime. Also, include plenty of fresh fruits & vegetables in your diet. Alcohol consumption should be avoided as it will impact the quality of your sleep. Practice Lovely HygieneLovely bedtime habits contribute a lot towards rapid sleep. Try to relax yourself before going to bed. Drink a glass of warm milk or have an apple or a banana before plunging in to the bed. If you add honey to a glass of milk, then it will help you fall asleep faster. Also, brush your teeth before going to bed to keep away from tooth decay. Take a warm bath with a lovely herbal oil to relax your mind & body , thereby offering you great peace of mind. Avoid Sleeping During the Day TimeDon’t expect a great night sleep, if you can’t limit your habit of day time nap. If you avoid sleeping during the day time, then you will fall asleep faster during the night. Bore YourselfThis strategy also works wonders. Some people indulge in reading activities before going to sleep. If you don’t have a store of books, then read newspapers. Soundproof RoomSound is the prime culprit which deprives most individuals from falling asleep soon. If you are amongst these individuals, then sleep inside a soundproof room. You can also think about closing all the windows or wearing earplugs before going to bed. Fine-tune LightsIt’s no secret that people tend to fall asleep soon in a dark place. Switch off the lights or fine-tune them appropriately so that they do not turn out to be a disturbing factor for you. Deep BreathingDeep breathing exercises can also serve as a great resource to fall asleep quickly. Breathing exercises will barely take few minutes of your time, however the resulting benefits would be huge.
Accounting about for 14% of all cancers & 28% of all cancer deaths, Lung Cancer is now the major cause of deaths (of both men & women) in the United States apart from being the most prevalent species of cancer. Lung Cancer is different from benign cancer tumours (which do not generally spread to other parts of the body affecting only the part which is hit by it) as Lung Cancer (having the ability to start anywhere in the respiratory systems or lungs) CAN spread to different organs of the body.
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• Individuals suffering with asthma should increase their lung capacity like the ability to breathe in and breathe out. This can be easily improved by regular practice of exercises such as jogging, jogging and swimming. This will ease the person to breathe more conveniently and reduce the extent of asthma attacks. Even in cases of asthma attacks, the person will have the ability to control the extent of breathing compared to others. However, care should be taken not to exercise in chilled weather. In addition to the physical exercises, it is essential to practice breathing exercises to increase the lung capacity.
A great number of people suffering with asthma use drugs. But, most of these drugs cause serious side effects such as mood swings, depression, annoyed, insomnia and lots of other side effects. Most of the ill effects are mainly due to the corticosteroids that are the components of lots of asthma inhalers. An attempt has been made in this article to introduce you sure simple ways to cure asthma without using medications.
• The major cause of asthma in lots of people is contact with allergens. An easy way to cure asthma is to identify the causative agent and stay away from it. This is simple way to keep away from asthma attacks. Some of the common irritants include the dust, pollen grains, chilled weather and molds. If you are dusting the house, there is a great chance of having asthma attacks. Hence, take care by covering the nose and mouth with a neat cloth or any other mask to filter the dust particles and molds.
• To cope up with the stress associated with the asthma attacks, it is essential to maintain the fitness of the body. This can be completed by increased consumption of flavonoids, which are the essential components present in a wide variety of fruits such as apples, berries and other enzymes. By maintaining a fit body, you can easily combat asthma attacks with controlled breathing eliminating the need of medications.
• Sufficient care has to be taken regarding the dietary habits. Sure foods are active in initiating the asthma symptoms. However, sure foods such as the fish varieties such as tuna, mackerel and salmon play a great role in reducing the symptoms of asthma attacks and should be included in the diet of an asthma patient. Their action is due to the production of anti-inflammatory compounds that reduce the extent of constriction that is blocking the air passage. Other foods that reduce the asthma symptoms include spinach, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and also fruits that are rich in vitamin C and B.
• Chlorine which is generally found in drinking water serves as an activator for receptors within the lungs and throat. To keep away from these adverse effects of chlorine, it is essential to consume chlorine free water.
By regular practice of all the above measures, it is possible for every asthma patient to lead a drug free life.
• Sure oils such as the lavender oil, rose oil and chamomile help to reduce the asthma attacks. They act by increasing the lung capacity to breathe deep. They even help to reduce the extent of muscle spasms. However, before using these oils do not forget to check them for allergens.
Coconut Oil is a wonderful healthy food that has been shown to increase metabolism and assist in burning unwanted fat off your body. It is a wonder food that has been around for centuries and a great addition to any fat burning meal plan. Unfortunately, some people have a really hard time believing that coconut oil is not "fattening" or "dangerous". We have all been falsely led to believe that fat, especially saturated fat, is the cause of our weight gain and health problems. This is only true half true. Some fats like hydrogenated oils and vegetable oils do contribute to heart disease and weight gain but good fats like coconut oil, butter and olive oil are actually great fats for our bodies. Think about how much healthier people were in the late 1800's and very early 1900's. Heart disease was almost unheard of back then. Let's put some of these MYTHS about coconut oil to rest right now. Myth #1 - Coconut Oil contains a lot of fat so it must be fattening. Truth - Not all fat makes you fat (I want to get this tattooed on my forehead). Certain fats do cause weight gain but other good fats will actually burn unwanted fat off your body and accelerate your metabolism. Myth #2 - Coconut Oil contains almost all saturated fat so it must be bad for you. Truth - Saturated Fat is not the cause of heart disease, weight gain and high cholesterol. Saturated Fat has been falsely accused and it is SUGAR that is Enemy Numero Uno (It is worse than the Joker in Bat Man). (To read more details about how fats can be healthy and the history of dietary fats, read Butter: Good Fat or Bad Fat?) Myth #3 - Coconut Oil should be avoided by those who are at risk for heart disease Truth - The fat in coconut oil is one of the healthiest oils you can consume (yes, even for those with heart disease). It is rich in lauric acid, which is known for its antiviral, antibacterial, and antifungal properties and contains no trans fat. The saturated fat in coconut oil is different than many other oils in that it is of the medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) variety. The body digests MCFAs more easily and sends these fats directly to the liver where they are immediately converted into energy. Now isn't that great? A fat that is used to make energy instead of storing it on our bodies. We can all use some of that. I highly recommend everyone use unrefined, organic coconut oil for all of their cooking needs. 1 - 2 tsps for most cooking is more than enough. I usually have about 2-3 total TBSPs per day which is a perfect amount for a fat burning eating plan. While it's really good for you, there's no need to go overboard.
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First and foremost, never be desperate to win the argument as this will only worsen the situation. Put your ego at rest, and face the cruel reality of life. Admit the fact that you can’t be right all the time. Even if you are, you don’t really have to express the fact in the form of a heated argument. Try your best to calmly convince the person, and if you think that the person isn’t co-operating, then simply walk away. This is the best way to evade the emotional trouble which the argument would ultimately land into. Remember, when you vacate the place, there won’t be any further arguments. Unless anger encounters a rebellion force, it won’t build up.
Most people fail to realize that anger can be channelized for fruitful purposes. If you see yourself in an angry situation, try to relax and calm yourself down. Go for a walk or simply lay down. This is a stage where you need to feel the energy present within yourself. Refrain from thinking about the problem, and focus on the things happening within your body. This will help you calm down, and thereby solve the problem at some point. Remember, controlling anger is a big feat in itself. In a way, you are in control over your feelings and emotions, which is a good sign.
Below are some effective measures through which you can control your anger.
Breathing
You must have often seen people breathing slowly and deeply while they are angry. This move really works! In fact, it’s one of the most simple and effective anger control measure. Make sure that you keep breathing slowly for a few minutes, and you will feel the nerves relaxing, your pulses slowing up, and your anger vanishing away.
Meditation
As much meditation has loads of benefits in store. It provides one with peace of mind, and thereby helps us control the anger. It’s important that one devotes some time from their daily routine for meditation, to ensure that anger does not survive within them for too long.
Forgiveness
One can’t defy the fact that we all commit mistakes at some stage of our life, and we all expect some kind of mercy or forgiveness when we do such mistakes. Likewise, develop the habit of forgiveness, which will help you stay away from anger.
Smile
A simple smile is a great tool to defuse anger from our lives. Develop the habit of laughing at yourself, and you will realize that the world is a much better place to live than you ever thought of it!
There was a time when no one would even think of doing hair transplant surgery on young men. It was agonizing for this group of young people because thinning, balding, and receding hairlines often started before they got out of their teens. Now the procedure is being opened to young men - but with restrictions. Because losing hair at such a young age is very traumatic, hair transplant doctors do not like to go along with the patients' snap decisions. After an in-depth consultation, the doctor will do everything in his power to put off the surgery. He will ask the patient to come back for a final consultation in six months or so. Many doctors will refuse to do immediate hair transplants if they are put to the test. There are advantages to getting hair transplant surgery under the age of 25. Most of these patients are healthy. They do not usually take medications. They are often optimistic and have the motivation required to make the commitment needed for what may end up being lifelong treatment. When a young man gets a hair transplant procedure, it can avert many problems with low self esteem and lack of self confidence. With older men, these attitudes are already ingrained so that it takes some doing to change them. If the hair restoration is started early enough, the young patient need never feel the stigma of being bald for very long at all. A doctor who is skilled in doing hair transplant procedures on young people will do some investigation before tackling such a project. He will ask to see members of the family to assess their hair loss and how the young person might inherit hair loss traits from the family. If family members cannot be present, the doctor might ask for photos. One trick of doctors, who work to give young people hair transplant surgeries, is to guide them in setting the hairline. A young person will usually want a fairly low hairline. He remembers the way it was just a few short years ago and wants to duplicate the image. A good hair transplant surgeon will discourage a low hairline. Instead, he will campaign for a higher hairline. There are several advantages to this. One is that, with less top hair to cover, more donor hair will be saved. Since the young patient will be dealing with this problem for a long time, this is a necessary consideration. When the hair transplant surgeon achieves a higher hairline, he will be able to get more fullness on the top of the head because he has less to cover. This is not to say the young person will have a receding hairline when the procedure is complete; just that the hairline will not be too low. There is no reason for young people to enter adulthood without a full head of hair if they can get a hair transplant. This option is now open to them. It is bound to make many bald young men very happy.
Most of us often wish to read other person’s mind to uncover the hidden secrets behind their face. While there is no foolproof method which will guarantee results with 100% accuracy, there are several effective means which you help you gauge what the other person is thinking.
Below are some effective tips which will help you achieve this feat.
Body Language
One of the primary steps involve understanding the body language of the person. The body movements will provide you with some key indications of what the other person thinks. For instance, while in a meeting if the person’s feet are towards the direction of the door, then the person is most likely not interested in the meeting, and wants to leave the room as soon as possible. Likewise, if a person is standing in front of you with folded hands, it implies that the person is less receptive to your suggestions, or is quite defensive. A lying person will unknowingly point his/her knees to the left. This pattern is the same with right or left handed individuals.
Eye Movement
Another key body organ which will help you sneak into a person’s mind is their eyes. Usually when an individual is trying to compose an image out of nothing, they will generally look upward towards the left. The same eye movements will be depicted when a person is trying to think of a lie on the spot. An individual trying to recollect an image will also look upward, but towards the right. Although these eye movements are an effective measure to read a person’s mind, don’t consider them a bible of instructions.
Voice
Sound is another apparent sign which will help you read someone’s mind. More than often, this is one of the biggest and most prominent clue. This clue will prove extremely useful, when you know a person really well. If you experience a change in the person’s tone, then this should give you an idea what he/she means. If the individual is an absolute stranger to you, then go with your intuition as your listen to the person. If there are many other individuals who know the stranger better than you, then you get a chance to judge the person by other people’s reaction. If they are giggling over his/her statements, then you should know that his/her statements may carry half truth.
The dream of gaining the ability to secretly read other people’s minds has been around for a quite some time now. Once considered as an impossible feat is now pretty much achievable with clever planning and conscious efforts.
Combine and practice all the above mentioned techniques, and within no time you will see yourself as an expert reading other people’s mind. You will need to harvest some efforts initially, however, once you gain enough practice, this ability will come naturally to you, thus helping you learn the hidden secrets within the person’s mind with least or no extra efforts at all. Now, enjoy the Sherlock Homes personality present within you!
Yoga is a very perfect exercise for children. It helps to promote good health. In addition, it helps to overcome stress that accompanies children in the learning age. Here are some top ten tips that would be helpful in teaching yoga to kids.
1. To motivate the kid to learn yoga, you should initially teach the benefits of yoga before teaching the postures and be a role model to the child by practicing yoga regularly.
2. An important factor which is needed while teaching yoga postures for kids is to remain patient. If the child is very energetic, then make him to do the postures that demand energy rather than simple breathing exercises. Once the child calms, make him do breathing exercises. Do not let them strain too much; they may lose interest if they are too tired.
3. Initially, introduce simple breathing exercises rather than complicated postures. If the child is very young, teach them with fun by saying how the air he is inhaling entering the lungs and driving all the toxins. They will feel interested and will do the inhalation and exhalation appropriately with the same imagination.
4. Once the kid is used to breathing exercises, start introducing simple postures. Use videos or visual charts to teach the postures in a step by step manner. Do not force them to attain the exact position right on day one. A simple yoga posture that children love to learn in the initial days is the elephant posture. Just ask them to bend at the waist and challenge them to touch the ground with their palms. Then, slowly teach them not to bend near the knees. You can select other postures with animal names such as cobra pose, fish, crow and downward-dog pose and such.
5. Do not expect the child to remember all the exercises you taught him. Let them take their own time. To increase their ability to learn, ask them to teach you the exercises they know.
6. As children are very little and will get tired very easily, encourage them to take short breaks after strenuous exercises. It is also essential not to retain any posture for a very long time. Children below the age of six years should not practice any posture for more than a minute and the entire session should not be more than 15 minutes. For children above six years of age, the session can be up to 25 minutes.
7. Children always keep nibbling some food. Make sure that the kid does not eat any food half hour before yoga practice.
8. Before starting the yoga session, make sure to practice certain warm-up exercises. However, warm up should not eat up all the energy of the kid.
9. To encourage the kids, reward them with a small gift, whenever they do correct postures.
10. If the kid is bored to practice with you, involve his friends to make him feel enthusiastic.
By following the simple tips given above, it is very easy to train the child for yoga and give them a gift that is beneficial to them throughout their life.
For many guys attracting and impressing a girl is a very easy task. But many guys think this is the most difficult thing in this world. To be able to attract a girl can be tedious some time. A girl uses her heart in all the decisions. It becomes very essential for a guy to treat her well and respect her. Girls get impressed with those guys who can treat them like princesses. They just require that their boyfriend or husband should take care for them.
A guy should know what to say and how to say in front of a girl. If you have confidence and you are charming then there is no difficulty in your way. The most important thing that has to be kept in mind is that you do not have to be egoistic. You should never bring your ego in between your conversation with a girl. It is a big turn off. Girls run away from those guys who are arrogant and have a big ego.
If you have looks but you do not know how to speak well. Then it can prove out to be negative for you. The way you start your conversation with a girl is the deciding factor. If you are an average looking guy but you have powerful communication skills then your way through a girl’s heart is confirmed. Nice conversation can really break the ice.
Some tips that can help you in attracting a girl are:
1. You should not show the girl that you are keenly interested in her the first time you meet her. Girls in such cases become very high headed and then they prefer to stay away from that boy. If a guy will show very less interest in a girl then she will try to be with him more because they become curious to know why the guy is behaving this way.
2. Always talk to a girl by maintaining an eye contact. This shows your confidence and girls get attracted to you very easily and naturally. So this is a very easy way to attract a girl.
3. It is recommended that a guy should be a good listener. One should talk about them but the entire conversation should not be just about you. So this thing should be kept in mind.
4. A good laugh can do wonders for you. If you can make a girl laugh then she will fall for you instantly. Every guy cannot make them laugh. It is not like you have to behave like a joker. Instead a good humor, jokes can serve the purpose for you.
5. Behave nicely and sweetly. Do not badly treat her. Respect her and soon you will win her heart.
All these suggestions and tips are followed nicely then you can surely win your girls attraction. Women are very emotional so be nice to them and try not to hurt their sentiments. These are some easy ways to a women’s heart.
Summer’s fun has faded and now it’s time to crank up the heat, grab a cozy throw, wrap your cold hands around a cup of hot tea and perhaps curl up with a good book.
Well, that would be nice in a parallel universe. The thing is, you have to jump up early, make sure the family has a healthy breakfast, and get everyone out the door in one piece. And… you’re faced with frigid weather conditions.
The last thing you need to worry about is the oh-so-dreadful sniffles, which then turn into a sore throat, accompanied by a nasty cough and fever, which inevitably represents lost wages you were counting on. Let’s not even talk about the growing pile of dirty laundry you can‘t bring yourself to do.
So, how do you stay sniffle-free? What can you do to increase your chances of breezing through the winter healthy and strong, immune to the sea of sickness surrounding you?
I’ve decided to share what works for my family. Following are seven ways to keep your body’s defenses on the up and up. These tips will help keep you on your feet performing all the duties beckoning to you.
1. Take probiotics. Available at your local health food store, this supplement boosts your immune system’s defenses. Swallow a capsule or two each morning before you head out the door. It’s a simple and quick way to help fight the flu by preventing it.
2. Add a teaspoon of organic apple cider vinegar to a glass of water, 1-3 times a day. The vinegar kills the bacteria that can make you sick. It also has been known to give one an overall feeling of increased energy and well-being.
3. Eat garlic. A natural antibiotic, this often-avoided food has medicinal value that will not only keep the vampires away, but the doctor, too. The body doesn’t become immune to garlic as it would a prescription antibiotic, therefore you can reap the positive benefits continually.
4. Take a good multivitamin. Provide your body with all the ammunition you can to combat the germs it will come into contact with. In our polluted environment, we need all the help we can get.
5. Make healthy food choices. Fuel your body with balanced nutrition so it will be strong and function properly. The more nutrition you consume, the stronger your immune system will be. Treat your body well and it will do the same for you.
6. Wash your hands! Germs are on the rampage these days and cleanliness is vital to your health. You never know what illness lurks on doorknobs or shopping carts. Keep a big bottle of hand sanitizer in your car as well as a small one in your purse or pocket.
7. Rest. Get to sleep early and stay well rested. Enough sleep cannot only enhance your immune system, but give you that extra ‘pep in your step’ you need to make it through the day.
These seven suggestions should carry you through winter’s cold and flu season sniffle-free.
You wonder why she’s glaring at you over breakfast and notice the way she slams the door as she leaves without a goodbye kiss. It’s not until an hour later that you glance at the calendar and get a sickening feeling in your stomach. It’s your anniversary… and you’ve forgotten all about it. Don’t worry, here you’ll find some great anniversary ideas!
What to do as soon as you remember
Don’t panic and ring her up to wish her a happy anniversary, thus admitting you’d forgotten about it to begin with. Instead, send her a coy text message or email along the lines of ‘I hope you’ve kept tonight free.’ Don’t make mention of the day or any specific plans (easy, as you don’t have any); this will pique her interest.
What to do in the next 1-3 hours
Make plans and make them good. It doesn’t have to be an expensive dinner, though that can go a long way. It should be something that she will enjoy; seeing a play she’s wanted to see for awhile, going on a boat on the river – anything you know she’d love and you’d usually do anything to get out of. Ring around until you have a reservation somewhere.
Then…
Call her or send her a text or email to tell her you’ll pick her up at 7 or 8 or whenever. Also give her an idea of what to wear, i.e; if it calls for her to break out her little black dress or not.
Lunchtime
Go Shopping. If you’re at work this is what lunch breaks are made for and if you only have an hour then you’ll have to do it fast. Steer clear of flowers and chocolate. Jewellery and perfume can be great if you get them right but choose the wrong scent or a piece she doesn’t like and it’ll look like a token gift. Again, it doesn’t have to be expensive; just make it something she’ll like and that shows you know her well.
Before you pick her up
If you have the money then spring for a taxi to take you out. It’ll add a date-feel to the whole evening and that way you can both drink without having to worry about how to get the car home. When you see her dressed up to go out tell her she looks amazing. Be sincere.
And the final tip…
Don’t forget your anniversary again. Program a reminder into your computer or your mobile phone or anything that will send you an alert a week in advance next time. It’ll be that much easier.
Quit Once, Quit Again, Quit for Good
Most people try to quit smoking a few times before they finally succeed. Therefore, failing is not failure—it's practice. Nicotine loves the brain and the brain loves it right back; it even found its own little pleasure-inducing receptor there (the nicotinic receptor). What other satisfying thing do you do 200 times a day (the average number of puffs a pack-a-day smoker enjoys) and then abruptly decide not to do at all?The good news is that although the science of addiction research is relatively young, the way to quit smoking is becoming clearer: Some combination of drugs, stop-smoking aids, counseling, support, and changes of habit will work for you. Maybe not the first time, but maybe this time. Good luck.
More than 65 percent of U.S. mothers with depression don’t receive adequate treatment, a new study has found.
Black, Hispanic and other minority mothers are least likely to receive adequate treatment. Mothers with health insurance are three times more likely to receive adequate treatment than those without insurance, wrote the researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health.
“Health insurance facilitates access to adequate treatment for maternal depression. Expanding health insurance coverage to mothers with depression is a critical step in helping them get the care that they need,” study author Dr. Whitney P. Witt, an assistant professor of population health sciences, said in a news release from the university.
The analysis of national data on 2,130 mothers with depression also found that working mothers were less likely to receive adequate treatment, possibly because long work hours make it difficult for them to find time to seek treatment. This means that workplaces could prove a useful location for depression intervention.
“Services like employee-assistance programs can help these mothers get screened and treated, even if they are unable to visit a provider or a mental health professional in the health-care setting,” co-author Kristin Litzelman, a population health sciences doctoral student, said in the release. “Since healthy employees are productive employees, it’s often a win-win for employers to offer benefits that support employee mental health.”
Depression in mothers can have a major impact on the entire family, especially on the health and well-being of their children, the researchers noted. Treating depression in mothers can improve the long-term health of their families.
Health-care providers need to understand the racial, ethnic and educational disparities that affect treatment of mothers with depression in order to intervene and help these patients get the care they need, the study authors noted.
The study was released online in advance of publication in an upcoming print issue of the Journal of Behavioral Health Services and Research.
Sleep experts say habitually sleeping more than 10 hours can be indicative of other medical problems
(CNN) -- Instead of feeling crisp and refreshed, Jesse Wu wakes up sluggish after 12 hours of sleep.
"If I sleep the right amount, I feel really good," said the 25-year-old who lives in a suburb of Chicago, Illinois. "If I sleep too long, I feel groggy throughout the whole day."
Like Wu, some feel exhausted after long hours of rest.
"Many people will tell you, they sleep a little worse when they sleep a long time on weekends," said Dr. Daniel Kripke, co-director of Scripps Clinic Sleep Center in La Jolla, California. "Too much long sleep on weekends does not seem to make people feel better." But he acknowledged that the reasons haven't been determined.
For years, doctors have warned about the dangers of not getting enough shuteye -- traffic accidents, weight gain, decreased productivity and immune protection, but the effects of oversleeping are not well-understood. There isn't medical evidence to recommend that people who sleep long hours should change their habits, Kripke said.
Daylight saving time ends this Sunday, giving sleepers a bonus hour of sleep.
Wu savors his sleep. "I really enjoy it," he said. In the morning, he needs five alarms -- each with a different sound -- that he smacks as he lumbers out of bed.
Like many professionals, Wu sleeps little on the weekdays (about five hours) and makes up for it on weekends, spending eight to 12 hours blissfully hibernating. Sometimes, after a long stretch, he wakes up too tired to function.
"After I've gotten so much sleep, the first situation is I fall asleep at 10 p.m., even though I've gotten 12 hours of sleep, because I feel so groggy," said Wu, who works as a membership coordinator for a professional association.
This is known as sleep drunkenness, when a person hovers between sleep and wakefulness, said Dr. Lisa Shives, medical director at Northshore Sleep Medicine in Evanston, Illinois. In one case, a patient who had sleep drunkenness came to the emergency room because his wife thought he had a stroke.
"They'll wake up and be in this weird state of sleep drunkenness," Shives said. "If it's really severe, you're not going to be in any state to make decisions. If it's just regular [case], a lot of us feel 'blah,' and most of us have to carry on and get going on a shower and cups of coffee."
Oversleeping once in a while doesn't present serious health risks, experts say.
But if you habitually sleep excessively, it could be the result of an underlying health problem. And it could be cutting into your life span.
"There's been at least two epidemiological studies to show that if people get less than five hours, or more than 10 hours of sleep, it increases their mortality," said Michael Breus, the clinical director of the sleep division at Southwest Spine and Sports in Scottsdale, Arizona.
A 2007 Finnish study found that the mortality risks increased by about 20 percent for people who slept more than eight hours. That same year, a British study found that people who slept five hours or less and those who slept more than eight hours also faced increased risks. Another study showed that people who routinely slept more than eight hours a night had a greater chance of stroke than others with less sleep.
Scientists say sleep and longevity are somehow associated, but there might be confounding factors.
"We don't know if it's the long sleep. It could be something else causing illness and the long sleep," said Kripke, who has researched the topic for 35 years.
Here are possible factors for habitually excessive sleep, known as hypersomnia:
• Problem: Poor-quality sleep
A person could sleep the recommended amount, but still feel tired because he or she got poor quality sleep.
"Oftentimes, we only think of sleep in terms of minutes -- but that's really the quantity of sleep. In fact, there's a quality of sleep," said Breus, author of the book "Beauty Sleep."
The average sleep cycle takes 90 minutes to complete. It starts from stage 1, the lightest sleep, and progresses to deeper levels through stage 4. Then, it continues to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep when the person dreams.
"When you have poor quality sleep, you spend a lot of time in stage 1 sleep," said Shives, a spokesperson for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "You will tend to want to sleep longer to make up for the quality and increasing quantity."
Problems: GeneticsSome people naturally thrive on little sleep. And then, there are others who flourish after nine hours.
"It's only when you go less than six and a half hours of sleep, we call you a short sleeper; more than 9.5 hours, we call you a long sleeper," Shives said. "We think there's something genetic."
A study published this year in the journal Science identified a mutated gene in a mother-daughter pair that allowed them to function on six hours of sleep. The research conducted by University of California, San Francisco scientists is believed to be the first to discover a gene, hDEC2 involved in regulating sleep length. This finding could someday lead to a better understanding of why some people require more sleep.
The Health Protection Agency (HPA) reports that the total number of cases of E. Coli O157 linked to Godstone Farm in Surrey is 90.
Two children remain in hospital, both of whom are described by the hospital today as 'stable.'
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Escherichia coli (commonly referred to as E. coli) O157 bacteria usually cause diarrhoea which settles within seven days without treatment. The diarrhoea may contain blood. Occasionally, serious kidney and blood complications can occur. Good hygiene is very important in preventing person-to person spread and small children should be supervised with hand washing after using the toilet and before eating.
- E. coli is a species of bacteria commonly found in the intestines of humans and animals. There are many different types of E. coli, and while some live in the intestine quite harmlessly, others may cause a variety of diseases. The bacterium is found in faeces and can survive in the environment.
- To avoid getting strains capable of causing intestinal disease people should avoid eating undercooked meat, in particular inadequately cooked minced beef and avoid drinking unpasteurised milk. Individuals working with uncooked meats or on farms should pay close attention to good hygiene practices, as should visitors to farms.
- It is important to always wash your hands with soap after going to the toilet and before and after handling food.
- Hand washing in young children should be supervised, especially after handling animals or their surroundings, for instance on a visit to a farm.
You keep on practicing all the possible ways to lose weight like dieting, exercise and diet pills, but still they haven’t give that promising result. Then, the fault is with you. It’s correct. It is just because of lack of strong determination to lose weight. First, stabilize your thoughts and practice the below given measures, then you will definitely observe a fall in your weight.
• Step one as said above, make a strong determination to lose weight. Do not let anything come on the way.
• Plan appropriately. While planning take a squared approach, like consider each and every detail like your health condition, number of pounds you are overweight, foods you like the most and those you hate, drugs currently being used and your daily routine. May be consulting your doctor is the best. He will help you out in planning considering all the above factors.
• Now, coming to the actual practices dieting is of great importance. Eat to live but not live to eat. Consume only the amount your body needs. If you consume excess, then all of it gets deposited in the form of fat. The number of calories you burn should be greater than or at least equal to the calories needed by the body.
• Consume fiber rich foods that give the feeling of satiety very easily. Fresh fruits and vegetables are rich source of fiber.
• Drink plenty of water. Avoid sweetened fruit drinks.
• Next to dieting, practice of regular physical exercise is important. If your body doesn’t cooperate, start with something simple like brisk walking, and cycling. Walking alone will help you to burn a great number of calories. If you are youngster you can even consider attending sports training sessions. You can improve the health of entire family by involving them in practices.
• If your daily routine doesn’t give you time for exercises make it a part of your work. Wondering how? It is just very simple, move as much as you can. Do not take the help of others to get a file or book. Prefer steps over elevator. If you are out for shopping prefer to hold them yourself without taking the help of a cart.
• If you are very strict and nothing seems to work consult your doctor. Be frank about the workouts and dietary habits that you have been adopting. If obesity runs in your family history, then it will take a long time, you will reduce but not to the extent of models. Basing on the condition he will either recommend diet pills or surgery in worst cases.
• Use of diet pills is not compensation to dieting and exercises. They are used to boost the overall weight loss regime. While purchasing the diet pills, check if they are approved by FDA. Be cautious; never overdose with an intention to lose weight fast. It would result in side effects.
• Last approach where the diet pills fail to work is surgeries. There are a variety of surgeries that mainly act by reducing the stomach and small intestine volume. Everyone is not a candidate for weight loss surgery. Only people whose body mass index is above 40 are ideal candidates for weight loss surgery. Surgical procedures should be followed by strict dietary habits and workouts.
• To have a healthy glowing skin it is essential to have a balanced diet rich in all nutrients. Consumption of good amount of fruits and vegetables helps to maintain the skin texture. Drinking plenty of water maintains the moisture content of the skin, and avoids most of the problems that are associated with dry skin.
• Soaps generally have chemicals that damage the skin complexion to some extent. Hence, it is recommended to use gram flour made from green gram and Bengal gram mixed in equal proportions instead of soap to preserve the natural skin complexion. It also helps to unclog the skin pores, and there by helps to reduce the problem of acne.
• Use of natural fruit masks helps to rejuvenate the skin. Papaya and skin of oranges are found to give good results in improving your skin complexion.
• A simple complexion mask can be made at home by mixing a pinch of turmeric with milk, honey and juice of lime. The antiseptic property of turmeric helps to heal any damages to the skin and milk helps to moisturize the skin.
• Regular cleansing, toning and moisturizing of the skin will help the skin to have a fair complexion. Use the above given gram flour mix to cleanse the skin or an oat meal and sandalwood scrub to cleanse the skin. Vinegar serves as a good toning agent.
• If you have a rough skin texture you will not be able to improve your complexion with superficial cleansing. Exfoliation is a technique that removes oil from the superficial layers of the skin and makes it resistant to roughness. Chemical peels and laser treatment help you to have a smooth skin surface and fair complexion.
In addition to using the above recommended recipes to improve skin complexion, it is essential to protect the natural skin complexion.
• Reduce the extent of exposure to sun, if it is unavoidable try to cover your body to the possible extent or apply a sun screen lotion.
• Avoid cosmetics with harmful chemicals that most of them use to improve skin complexion. It will only worsen the complexion further.
• Have good night sleep to provide time for your body to rejuvenate from damages caused during the entire day. Reduced skin rejuvenation also results in dark complexion. However, reduction in rejuvenating capacity of the skin and wrinkle formation that is seen with aging cannot be avoided.
• Take care of skin problems like acne immediately as they will leave permanent scars on the body, which will darken your complexion.
• Increased exposure to pollutants, chemicals and smoking, they destroy the natural skin texture making it rough and dry. Hence, avoid them to the maximum possible extent or cover yourself appropriately.
Caffeine is a major reason of bedwetting, and teenagers drink a lot of caffeine products like tea, coffee and soft drinks. If you manage to cut down the amount of caffeine intake in kids then the problem of bedwetting can be reduced.
Usually, teenagers sleep heavily and most of the times they do not realize that they have a full bladder and need to empty it. This is not even realized after they have wetted their bed. For this, it is important to empty your bladder before you go to sleep. This can help you in avoiding bedwetting.
Consumption of a lot of water just before going to bed is another common reason. If you are thirsty right before going to bed then it is advisable to suck ice cubes or Popsicles. Visit the bathroom once before you go to sleep and empty your bladder. This will help you avoid bedwetting to quite some extent.
In winters and rainy season it is quite natural that you tend to visit the bathroom frequently. If bedwetting is common during these seasons then it is important that you wear warm clothes, and pack yourself cozily so that you don’t feel the cold outside. Also, make sure that before you go to bed you have emptied your bladder. Keeping yourself warm during such weather conditions can help avoid bedwetting in teenagers.
In case the bedwetting is a chronic problem, it is advised that you visit the doctor. The doctor would examine your physical condition thoroughly and prescribe you with the required medicines, which will prevent your body from making more urine during a particular time, and hence you can have a proper sleep.
There are also some medical sensor alarms that have been designed to wake you up when your bladder is full. This can help you prevent bedwetting and rather visit the bathroom. These devices are easily available and you can make use of them to avoid teenage bedwetting.
If you or your teen is facing bedwetting problems then it is nothing to feel embarrassed about. The teenager might be suffering from some medical condition or the problem might be a result of a physical factor. Make sure that you talk to your teen and discuss issues that are happening in their life. This can solve the problem. If the problem does not rectified then it is advised that you visit a doctor who would be able to help you in a better manner.
