It never feels good when you just can’t keep your eyes open anymore and it’s only two o’clock in the afternoon. Power napping is the newest consideration in the area of office productivity. The concept has been around for a long time, but now it is more widely accepted as a practice. Power napping is one of the most effective ways to help you get a second wind on a busy day. It doesn’t take as much time as you think and you can do it on your lunch hour.

Causes of Sleeplessness

The human body needs about eight hours of sleep a night. Most people don’t get that much, usually between six and eight hours. When you don’t get enough sleep, the body doesn’t have time to repair itself properly. This can lead to irritability, increased stress and decreased productivity. It can also lower your life expectancy.

However, when you get too much sleep, nine or more hours, it can leave you feeling tired even though you have just slept all night.

Benefits of a Nap

Afternoon naps are widely accepted for children, but not for adults. The fact is that after eight hours of moving around, the body needs a rest, and adult bodies need one, too. That is where the power nap comes in.

Here are just a few benefits of taking a midday break:

* Increased productivity – When your body starts to wind down, your brain begins to shut down. It is hard to keep working at your previous pace. Once energized after a nap, you can perform just as well as you did when you first arrived at the office.

* Increased focus – We’ve talked about the brain shutting down. It starts wandering around when we get tired. The words you need to finish that report are floating around just beyond your reach, especially after lunch. That can change with a power nap.

* Less stress – When we are tired, our fuses get shorter. We are more likely to lash out at others or overreact to a simple situation. To regain your composure and your level of well-being, a brief respite could be what you need.

The Ideal Power Nap

The ideal power nap is between 15 and 30 minutes. Find a quiet place like your car, or your office if you have a door. Turn the light down low to induce a sleep cycle. Close your eyes and relax.

The best time to power nap is when you begin to feel sleepy. You are already relaxing. If you need to, set an alarm so that you don’t oversleep.

Power napping is one way to re-energize your body midway through your day. Maybe you can’t take a long nap like you did when you were a child, but you can still catch a few beneficial winks.

What Is Restless Leg Syndrome?

Restless leg syndrome or RLS is the term used to describe the movement of your legs when your body is at rest. Those who have this condition often say that they have an uncontrollable urge to move their legs even though they want to go to sleep.

The only thing that seems to make the legs feel better is to move them, but if it is midnight, you would rather be asleep than walking around.

Millions of people are affected by this condition. While some have inherited it, the incidence of RLS can increase as you get older. In any case, as the day winds down, your legs are just ramping up. If you have been experiencing this, it’s time to get help.

There are many different words used to describe the sensation, but here are just a few:

* Crawling
* Tingling
* Pain
* Electric feeling
* Tension
* Itching
* Burning
* Creeping feeling.

This occurs throughout the entire leg. It is often felt in the calves and thighs. Some people even feel these sensations in their feet and hands.

No one exactly knows why restless leg syndrome occurs. It is believed by researchers to be linked to the level of certain neurotransmitters in the brain, specifically dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that controls muscle movement in the body. Low levels of it are believed to lead to problems like this.

You can reduce the incidence of discomfort in your legs with a few tips:

* Get exercise. Muscles change and grow as they respond to stress placed upon them. This is what happens when you get your body pumping with exercise like aerobics and weight training. The muscles need time to rest and repair after a good workout, and this can lead to a calmer night for you.

* Avoid caffeine and other stimulants. If you need to feel refreshed in the morning then have a cup of coffee, but try to avoid drinking it too late in the afternoon. Caffeine can over stimulate you and even increase your leg movement at night.

* Engage your mind. If your body has to sit, then let the mind stay busy. In the evenings, try reading a stimulating book, engage in a little “neur-obics” with crossword puzzles, or try a hobby such as sewing, model building or painting.

* Take a relaxing bath. Muscles become more pliable and relaxed in the presence of warmth. Try a nightly soak in the bathtub with infusions of lavender or chamomile. Both are herbs that are used to relax the body. Give those legs a good rub as well to settle them down.

Restless leg syndrome can disrupt your sleep cycle and your entire life. Use the tips above to help alleviate as many symptoms as you can to get your life back under control.

The body needs sleep, it but we all know that falling asleep is hard to achieve sometimes. The answer for you may be found in meditation.

Meditation is a state of mind where the body and mind are working together to bring peace and well-being to the body. It is not just taking a minute for a breather, but learning to allow your mind to slow down, and in turn to cause your body to do the same.

Meditation has been prescribed for years for a variety of conditions. It has been called upon to help with stress relief, depression, physical fitness and behavioral modification for anxiety and other mental conditions. There is also a meditative process to the exercise of yoga.

You certainly know that when you go to bed, you don’t fall asleep right away. The mind tries to download and catalog the events of your day, much like a computer hard drive. You go over the mistakes, the happy moments and the fact that you have just as much to do the next day. Even though you have an event calendar, your mind has to “de-stress” for a while.

Meditation can help you to focus your thoughts so that you can fall asleep faster, and also help you to stay asleep. While the mind downloads at night, that process can take a little longer if you are under stress. It can also lead to insomnia.

There are medications that can be prescribed by your doctor for sleeplessness. One issue that you will want to discuss with your doctor is the potential side effects of such medications. Many people worry about the addictive properties of some sleep aids. Over-the-counter medications can be taken too frequently and lead to problems.

Meditation

Meditation doesn’t require anything but you and a quiet place to perform your techniques. Anyone can perform simple meditation to help get a good night’s sleep.

Begin with a quiet place. It can be your bedroom, living room or someplace that you have set aside for mediation. Sit on the floor or in a chair, but make sure that you are comfortable.

Meditation can start with a mantra, like the traditional “om” that most people recite. This is your focal point. Now, the mind is easily distracted by noises or even your own thoughts. When you notice a rogue thought coming into your head, refocus again on the object of your focus.

You can also use guided meditation. By using a CD or a script, you can learn to focus your mind and body. Concentrate on your breathing and also feeling your body losing all of its tension. A body that is free of tension is better able to fall sleep.

Meditation is one way to help when you are having trouble sleeping. It promotes relaxation and the connection between the body and the mind.

As a parent it is your job to help your children develop healthy habits that will last for a lifetime.

Children need more sleep than adults. Their small bodies are growing at a rapid rate each and every day.
However, children want to play and eat and do everything but sleep. You already know this if you’ve ever tried to put them to bed before they were ready.

There are many theories and remedies around, but here we want to give you some tips that will help you to help them to decide that it is time for bed:

* Set a bedtime and stick to it. This will require the help of both parents. If one is out or working late, then the other parent must take charge.  For example, at eight o’clock each night, march the children to bed. They may try to get you to allow them to stay up longer, but remember that consistency is the key.

* Create a bedtime ritual. Children like to ply their parents with requests for stories, glasses of water and the tucking of the covers. Well, you can give them all of that. Just begin about half an hour earlier. If they want a bedtime story or a video, then they have to sit in their bed at seven-thirty. In addition, including a nightly bath as part of the ritual before the story will relax them.

* Offer a snack. A child won’t go to bed if their stomach is rumbling. Dinner may have been at five o’clock but it is okay for them to have a snack at seven if they will be in bed in an hour.

* Keep them busy. A playing child is also a sleepy child as the night wears on. Daily exercise can lead to better compliance and a more restful sleep at night.

* Warm the bedroom. A child will usually feel more comfortable if the room is warmer.

If your child is having trouble with going to bed at night, the above tips above may be able to help you.

There is nothing more alarming than hearing your child scream from somewhere else in the house. You run to their side only to find an unlabeled bottle lying next to them and their face flushed. What do you do?

Accidental poisonings occur more often in the home than anywhere else. And most of the time, they involve small children. Putting things in their mouths is a child’s favorite thing to do. They won’t stop with toys or teething rings. If given the opportunity, they will do it with anything around the house.

Many substances in your home that are considered poisonous are expected to be out of reach of children. It says as much on the labels of the bottles. If anyone ingests it or breathes the fumes, it is expected to be an adult who had an accident while handling it.

If you suspect that your child has ingested a poisonous substance, look for the signs, which could be burns around the mouth, nose or on the hands (corrosive substances). Your child will scream as the chemical comes in contact with their skin.

Smell their breath. If it smells like a chemical in your home, they have probably swallowed it.

Hopefully you won’t find your child unconscious. If they have fallen down, check to see if they are breathing. Depending on what they ate, breathing could be labored; there could also be a fever or a rash that has erupted.

Take a deep breath and resist the urge to panic. Your child needs you every minute from this moment forward. Get on the telephone and call the Poison Control Center. Keep the number posted beside your telephone so that you can easily access it. It can also be found in the inside cover of the phone book where the numbers for police, fire and emergency are listed.

Give the person on the other end of the call as much information as you can about the incident. If you have the bottle, read what it says about the ingredients and also what do to in the event of an accident. They may be able to instruct you on how best to proceed.

Call emergency medical services. Your child will need medical attention. Make the call to 911 first if you find them unconscious.

Don’t make the child vomit. If a corrosive has been ingested, vomiting can introduce more acid back up into their throat and cause further burns.

Perform CPR. If your child is not breathing, begin chest compressions and rescue breathing until EMS arrives.

Is your house safe for your children? We often think of safety hazards as sharp edges or open electrical sockets. However, there are common items around the house that can be poisonous.

As an adult, you stand a lot taller than your toddler. The world looks a little bigger from where they stand, and it also is a bit more exciting to them. Cabinets, crevices and boxes all fuel the imagination and cause them to seek out mischief.

We have always been taught to keep chemicals down low and not at eye level. One spill and you could be blinded for life. But, the cabinet under the sink could be dangerous for your children.

Possible Poisons

Here are some common household substances that could become poisons to your children:

* Medicines – When your child sees you taking pills, resist the urge to describe them as “candy for adults.” If your child gets hold of one of those bottles, they might eat the pills thinking that they are candy.

* Hair spray and shampoo – In the bottles, it looks like something to drink. Neither have childproof tops so children can possibly work them loose. With spray bottles, pushing down on the nozzle the wrong way could give your child a splash to the face or even the eyes.

* Cleaning products – These are often what we think of when we consider household poisons. They are often kept below the sink in the bathroom and kitchen, but not necessarily locked away. Even bottles that have twisting nozzles to prevent spraying can be manipulated by a child. Corrosives can burn and eat away at the mucus lining of the throat and stomach if ingested. Mixing chemicals can lead to noxious fumes.

* Make-up – Loose powders can be smeared on the face and get into the eyes. Mineral make-up may be safe on the skin, but not when ingested. Children can also get into and drink perfumes, body washes, shaving cream and other personal products.

* Pesticides – Products used in the garden or to kill bugs can also be a danger to your children. They are often lethal if ingested, inhaled or absorbed through the skin. Your child won’t be wearing gloves when they get into it.

Preventing Poisonings

Here are some tips to help you make your home as safe as you can for your child. Accidental poisonings happen more than you think, but you can keep them occurring:

* Lock cabinets. Keep childproof locks on cabinets under the sinks so that children can’t reach the cleaning products.

* Use original containers. In case there is accidental poisoning, you will more easily be able to identify the substance so that the correct treatment takes place.

* Keep medicines in the out of reach. Leaving them on the counter is within the grasp of little fingers.

* Clean up any spills. Small hands are always on the counter. A child could accidentally rub their eyes with a hand that has some household cleaner on it.

* Keep your make-up in a bag and out of reach. Never let your child play with it. They could use it improperly at another time and hurt themself.

There are more poisons in your home than you realize. Think like a child and use the above tips to secure dangerous chemicals.

Your home likely has hardwood flooring or carpeting.  If you have carpeting, just how clean is it?

We all try to keep our homes as beautiful and clean as possible. Wherever you see dirt, you work to get rid of it. But, what if you can’t see the dirt? What do you do then?

Carpets are not always as clean as they look. Especially in high-traffic areas, shoes walk all over a carpet day in and day out. It may take some time before wear and tear shows visibly on the surface of the carpet, but dirt is still in the fibers.

As more and more dirt enters the carpet fibers, the existing dirt is pushed further down. Most vacuum cleaners are strong enough to pull the surface dirt out, but can leave behind particles that are not seen but which are still hazardous to you and your family.

Think about the dirt that can be found in your carpet. This can consist of smoke particles, dust mites, bacteria, food particles, pet dander and the like. Think about your children playing or even sleeping on that carpet. They could be breathing in mold, spores and any number of other allergens.

Because of the make-up of some carpet fibers, they hold onto chemicals as well. Using sprays and powders to clean your carpet can leave behind residue if your vacuum is not powerful enough to remove it.

Another problem could be the carpet itself. Chemicals are used in the manufacturing process for lots of carpeting. These smells and chemicals can stay in the carpet long after it has arrived in your home. Remember that new carpet smell? It can linger for months and lead to poor air quality for your home.

If your carpet is making you sick, what can you do to stop it?

One, ask about chemical-free carpeting. Some companies don’t use as many or hazardous chemicals in their product. Ask that the carpet be aired out before installation in your home occurs.

Get regular carpet cleaning. Use the carpet cleaning instructions to determine what you need to use. If your vacuum is not getting the deep down dirt out, rent a carpet cleaner or have a professional company come in and do the job for you. They will use steam and/or dry cleaning to remove the dirt down to the fibers. Not only will your carpet look like new, it will be fresher and safer for your entire family.

Choose another floor covering if you can. Invest in hardwood or laminate flooring. It is easier to keep clean and you don’t have to worry about ground-in dirt.

Does your carpet need to be cleaned? If it’s been a while, you might be overdue.

Everyone wants a beautiful house to come home to. We put everything in its place and keep it tidy, but tidy and neat doesn’t necessarily mean healthy.

On the surface, things look tidy, but they can be hiding an unhealthy secret. Let’s explore ways that your home could be hazardous and making you sick and how to change the situation.

* Mattresses – No one thinks about the bed they sleep on. It can be fine now, giving you the best night’s sleep. What about when it gets old? Lumpy mattresses can lead to back problems and loss of sleep. A good mattress last for about ten years and then it’s time to replace it. Flipping the mattress every couple of months ensures more even wear. You can also check for stains or problems with the mattress that may need your attention.

* Pillows – They usually contain either synthetic fibers or down feathers. If your child seems to sneeze, cough or have a stuffy nose, it could be the pillow. Cover pillows in pillow tickings to prevent the contents from spilling out and coming into contact with their skin. Also look for hypo-allergenic pillow fillings.

* Dust mites and other allergens – When was the last time you changed your air filters? They are designed to grab dust and other allergens out of the air so the atmosphere in your home is filled with clean, breathable air. Most have a life of three months. Using a clogged filter will not only leave more allergens in the air, but also slow down the efficiency of your heating and air-conditioning system.

* Use an air purifier. Even with regular filter changes, air purifiers can remove additional pollutants around the house such as cigarette smoke, perfumes, cleaning product fumes and other irritants.

* Keep ventilation high in bathrooms. The same moisture that causes mirrors and windows to get foggy after a hot shower is also hanging over the other surfaces as well. It can lead to an increase in bacteria and also to mold. Turn on vent fans and leave doors open after showers and baths to allow the area to dry and keep moisture to a minimum.

* Use fragrance-free and dye-free products. Some skin is quite sensitive to them. Try using dish and laundry detergent that is free of them. When you find a laundry detergent that doesn’t cause itching in the family, stick with it.

How healthy is your home? If you aren’t sure, use the tips above to check it out.

At this site we seek to educate and illuminate on crucial health issues for women, and the people they love. We cover women’s health, men’s health, nutrition, weight loss and more.

It is not uncommon for children to bleed from the nose. Even so, it can be alarming for parents. If your child has a nosebleed, here are some reasons it may occur.

Your child comes to you with their head thrown back and blood on their face. Don’t panic. This will only cause your child to panic in return, as if something is severely wrong. You won’t know anything until you examine your child properly.

Take a look. The skin has thousands of nerve endings and small blood vessels. Even if it is a little scratch, it might bleed profusely. Wipe away the blood so that you can see where it is coming from.

Here are some common causes of nosebleeds:

* Dryness – Kids often wipe their noses too hard. In the winter months or dry summer heat, this can lead to abrasions that eventually open up and start to bleed. It is not constant bleeding, but can become so if not treated.

* Nose picking – Children do pick their noses. Sometimes, they may go too deep inside the nose or scrape with a jagged fingernail. Either can nick the skin and cause the inside of the nose to bleed.

* Sinus issues – Sinusitis can lead to drying out of mucous membranes, especially if you are administering nasal sprays or other over-the-counter medications to dry up a runny nose. This can cause bleeding from dryness or irritation.

* Accidents – Kids hit their noses or are hit in them when playing. An injury to the nose can lead to bleeding that can be superficial or more involved depending on the injury. Once you clean up the blood, you can assess if it is a situation you can handle or one for the doctor.

How to Stop a Nosebleed

Now that you know what might be causing the nosebleed, here are some ways to get it to stop:

* Lean forward – Usually people lean backwards to keep the blood from flowing down their face. Well, there is a passage between the nose and the throat. Leaning backwards can cause that blood to flow down the back of the throat and cause choking, nausea and vomiting. Lean forward to prevent this and to see how much the nose is still bleeding.

* Pinch the nose – Pinching the tip of the nose can cause the blood to form a clot and stop. Hold pressure for about ten minutes to stop the bleeding. Resist the urge to wipe the nose after that. You may remove the clot.

* Seek medical attention – If bleeding is constant, visiting the doctor, an emergency office or an emergency room immediately. A broken or injured nose needs attention so it doesn’t block breathing. Some nosebleeds need a little electro cautery to stop them.

If your child’s nose is bleeding, there may be a simple explanation. Assess the situation first and then choose the best course of action.