FitSugar

Trouble Waking Up? Try Sleeptracker Pro

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 13:00:00 PDT

Some of you may have a difficult time falling or staying asleep, but others are the opposite. You hit snoozeland as soon as your head hits the pillow and you could end up sleeping until lunch. If that's the case, you probably have a really tough time waking up, and this little device called the Sleeptracker Pro ($179) may interest you. Just as its name states, it tracks the series of sleep cycles your body experiences throughout the night. Most people will go through four to five full rounds of these 90 to 110 minute cycles, which are comprised of five stages. In Stages 1 and 2, you're lightly sleeping, and Stages 3 and 4, known as Delta Sleep, are when you're in the heaviest sleep. This is when your body has the chance to rebuild itself. Stage 5 is known as REM sleep is when we dream.

As your body undergoes these cycles, the Sleeptracker Pro's sensors can figure out what points during the night you are "almost awake." You set the alarm for a certain window of time, say 6:15 to 6:30 a.m., and the watch gently wakes you at the most optimal moment when you're most alert. This device may be great if you tend to be coma-like each morning. The only downside is that wearing a bulky wrist watch like this may be annoying and it'll keep you up all night. If you're a deep sleeper though, you probably won't even notice it. What do you think of the Sleeptacker Pro? Is this a helpful gadget or a waste of money?

Apparently Dr. Phil is a huge fan. To hear what he had to say

4 Lazy Moves That Boost Your Health

Prevention — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 04:05:16 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

You don’t have to go on a deprivation diet or spend hours exercising to ward off disease and be your healthiest self! Instead, try these supersimple tips
By the editors of Prevention

Staying healthy can feel like so much, well, work (think: logging hours at the gym and whipping up nutritious meals from scratch). However, there are plenty of small moves that you can make in your everyday life that will have big health benefits. We’ve rounded up 15 practically zero-effort ways to fight disease, whittle your waist, lower stress, and more. Bonus: many of these good-for-you moves feel good, too. So say sayonara to the old adage “no pain, no gain” and try these tips today.

Lazy Move No. 1: Protect Your Ticker by Snoozing
Need a good excuse to grab your comfiest set of pajamas and hit the sack? Skimping on shut-eye may do more than make you cranky or unproductive - it also boosts your risk of a heart attack. According to one Norwegian study, people who reported that they did not wake up feeling refreshed in the morning had a 27 percent higher risk of a heart attack, those who had trouble staying asleep almost every night in the last month had a 30 percent higher risk, and those who had trouble falling asleep almost every night in the last month had odds that jumped to 45 percent.

Twenty Ways to Sleep Better Every Night

Some researchers speculate that insomnia might trigger your body to release more of the stress hormone cortisol. High levels of cortisol have been linked with high blood pressure and diabetes, which are both risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Plus when you’re exhausted, you may be more likely to make unhealthy choices that up your heart disease risk, such as skipping your workout or reaching for fatty or sugary snacks for a quick energy fix.

Keep reading for three more lazy ways to improve your health.

Jasmine, Gardenia, and Juicy Couture - OH MY!

Sponsor — Thu, 15 Dec 2011 03:00:00 PST

Finish the sentence: I never leave the house without a spritz of my favorite ___________.

If you said perfume then you’re in good company. If you said couture perfume then you’re in fabulous company. Viva La Juicy by Juicy Couture (because, one can never have enough couture in their lives). Viva La Juicy is an alluring fragrance of wild berries and mandarins, honeysuckle, gardenia, and jasmine. With underlying hints of amber, caramel and vanilla, sandelwood and praline. Inspired by a glamorous girl who is always the life of the party, the Viva la Juicy girl never turns down a glass of champagne or the chance to get into the tiniest bit of trouble. She stays out late, wakes up early and lives life with Viva!

90210 "A Thousand Words": Most Scandalous Moments

Rose Curiel — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 22:58:40 PST

These days, it seems no political campaign is complete without a scandal, and on this week's 90210, Teddy unwillingly fills that role in his conservative uncle's race for Congress. There are plenty of other issues, of course, including Annie taking a shocking new turn with her relationship with Patrick.

Meanwhile, Dixon tries to sort out his life by dealing with his addiction and feelings for Adrianna head on, and Ivy and Raj, receive good news. Let's break it all down when you

How Can I Get Rid of Love Handles?

Shape — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 04:14:40 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Shape here on FitSugar. This week Shape turns to personal trainer and strength coach Joe Dowdell for some help!

Q: How can I get rid of love handles?

A: There isn't just one secret to losing love handles - it's a combination of factors. It's true that the typical answer of total-body strength training, high-intensity cardio intervals, proper nutrition, and sound recovery strategies are the keys to long-term success, but there are more secret strategies for burning belly fat.

You've probably heard that cortisol, the "stress hormone," is responsible for excess abdominal fat, but that's only part of the story. Your body produces cortisol in response to stress—physical, mental, or emotional. This may include extremely low-calorie diets (fasting or starvation), infection, lack of quality sleep, emotional trauma, or intense exercise, as well as daily stressors such as job pressure or relationship trouble.

Top 50 Fall Dit Foods for Weight Loss

Stress and cortisol alone do not make you fat, but research has linked high cortisol levels with storage of body fat, particularly visceral belly fat. Visceral fat is packed deeper in the abdominal cavity and around the internal organs, whereas "regular" fat is stored below the skin (known as subcutaneous fat). Visceral fat is particularly unhealthy because it is a risk factor for heart disease and diabetes. Therefore, the key to avoid storing excess fat around your middle is controlling your cortisol response, or the amount of stress on your body.

Learn the top tips for getting rid of love handles after the break!

What to Rent: New DVDs This Week

BuzzSugar — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 03:05:00 PST

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

Harry, Ron, and Hermione embark on one final adventure in the eighth film in the Harry Potter franchise. The trio sets out on the search for the remaining Horcruxes necessary to take down Voldemort, but it is ultimately Harry who must face off with the Dark Lord in what becomes an all out war between good and evil in the wizarding world. The film's stars deliver powerful performances in a fast-paced, visually stunning movie. DVD extras include deleted scenes and featurettes about the female characters of the franchise and the creation of the Gringotts goblins.

96%

The Change-Up

After a drunken night out together, best friends David Lockwood (Jason Bateman) and Mitch Planko (Ryan Reynolds) wake up to discover they've switched bodies. The irresponsible and unemployed Mitch struggles to pull off David's life as a father and lawyer, while the tightly wound David has trouble handling his friend's acting auditions and active dating life. The storyline is predictable, and the film's raunchy humor is more often gross than funny. The DVD features deleted scenes and a gag reel.

24%

The Vampire Diaries "Smells Like Teen Spirit": The Good, the Bad, and the Bloody

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 08:03:53 PDT

The gang is officially back in school for their senior year at Mystic Falls High on this week's episode of The Vampire Diaries, but they've got way more to worry about than what they're going to wear on the first day. Stefan is a bully in the halls, Matt and Jeremy are haunted, and Rebekah is the new, annoyingly popular girl (and killer vampire).

There are a few shocks near the end of the episode, but I was really into the return of the students at school (especially the vision of something we rarely see: drunk Elena). I'm ready to break down all the good, the bad, and the bloody of the episode, though, so get there when you keep reading.

Zachary Quinto Shares His Moving Motivation For Coming Out

Annie Scudder — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 10:45:13 PDT

Zachary Quinto revealed that he's gay in a recent interview with New York Magazine. The Star Trek and What's Your Number actor, who has also played gay roles, told the magazine that he finds it perplexing that in one year New York has legalized gay marriage, while gay teenagers continue to commit suicide. Getting frank about his sexuality for the first time, Zachary said, "As a gay man I look at that and say there's a hopelessness that surrounds it, but as a human being I look at it and say ‘Why? Where's this disparity coming from, and why can't we as a culture and society dig deeper to examine that?'"

After that conversation, the actor took to his own website to share more about coming out. Last month's suicide of Jamey Rodemeyer, a 14-year-old gay kid who had experienced years of bullying, influenced Zachary's decision. On his site, Zachary wrote that Jamey Rodemeyer's life changed his own, explaining:

when i found out that jamey rodemeyer killed himself - i felt deeply troubled. but when i found out that jamey rodemeyer had made an it gets better video only months before taking his own life - i felt indescribable despair. i also made an it gets better video last year - in the wake of the senseless and tragic gay teen suicides that were sweeping the nation at the time. but in light of jamey's death - it became clear to me in an instant that living a gay life without publicly acknowledging it - is simply not enough to make any significant contribution to the immense work that lies ahead on the road to complete equality."

Zachary said that it is now his intention to live "an authentic life of compassion and integrity and action." Let's hope his brave example helps gay teens like Jamey.

The Vampire Diaries "The Reckoning": The Good, the Bad, and the Bloody

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 08:05:17 PDT

If last week's episode of The Vampire Diaries wasn't as exciting because it was largely setup, it was worth it for this week's super-exciting and satisfying episode. Klaus, Stefan, and Rebecca terrorize the halls of Mystic Falls High, and the doppelganger/hybrid problem is pretty much resolved.

The ghost ex-girlfriends Vicki and Anna both play a big part this week, too, and one of them introduces us to the show's next big supernatural character. Stefan is still adrift in a sea of evilness, but all it does is make this episode even more interesting - especially where Damon and Elena are concerned. Ready to break down the good, the bad, and the bloody? Just

Signs You Need to Change Your Bedtime

Leta Shy — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 11:04:03 PDT

Even when you know you should be going to bed sooner, life gets in the way. Whether it's a busy schedule that doesn't leave you with enough hours in the day or the need to relax in front of the TV before you grab some shut-eye, you may not be able to force yourself to get to bed when the yawning starts.

If you're tired of paying the consequences of a late bedtime the next day, here are some reasons to remind yourself why it may be time for you to call it a night earlier.

You rely on your snooze button. Your internal clock may not be set for 6 a.m. jogs, but if you find yourself having too much trouble getting out of bed - hitting the snooze button over and over, for example - try getting to sleep earlier. After all, snoozing won't help you feel refreshed since fragmented sleep doesn't make up for sleep deficits.

You need a nap during the day. We can't always just curl up in a ball when we want to, but if you're constantly fighting the urge to snooze come afternoon, you're probably not getting enough sleep - or at least not enough sleep that counts.

Read on for more signs you're going to sleep too late.