FitSugar

Sweet Dreams Are Made of These: Tips to Avoid Nap Time Meltdowns in the Classroom

LilSugar — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 08:32:49 PDT

Snuggle up! Most children require some daytime ZZZs at least through preschool - even if they fight it with all of their lil might. Here are some tips to help lil ones settle down for a snooze - or at least some quiet time - even in the classroom.

Maintain a consistent nap time. If your tot's classroom has scheduled nap time for 1 p.m., stick to the same schedule at home - and that includes weekends.
Send your lil one to school with her lovey - but with clear directions for the teachers that it's only to be taken out at nap time.
Preschoolers love to feel like they are making their own decisions. Let them feel like they're part of the process by choosing a special nap mat for the new school year.
It's important for a toddler to fall asleep on his own at night. If they can't figure out how to self soothe in their own environment, there's no chance they'll just drift off in a classroom, on the floor, surrounded by other kids and distractions.
Nap time can be anxiety producing for restless tots. Talk to your tots about what will be expected, and reassure them that it's OK if they can't sleep; but, they will have to find a quiet activity to do, like reading or coloring, so as not to disturb the other students.

Lil Community: How Do I Transition a Tot Who Only Naps in the Moby?

Lil Community — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 01:02:00 PDT

It takes a village! Psychobabble asks our readers for some nap time help in The Mommy Club group.

I am the mother of a 2.5 month old son who is having some issues with napping. When my son hit three weeks, he experienced a nasty case of colic. The only remedy to comfort him was to wear him in a Moby wrap all day. Now at 2.5 months he will only nap during the day while carried in the Moby wrap. I've tried putting him down in a deep sleep, putting him down when he's drowsy, and putting one of my shirts in the crib. He wakes up as soon as he hits the sheet and cries/flails around until I pick him up and put him back in the wrap. Once in the wrap he usually falls asleep in minutes.

How can I help him adjust to the crib for naps? I'm going back to work very soon and he will be at daycare, where I'm sure they won't be able to carry him around all day!

In terms of his nighttime habits, we had swaddled him and put him to bed once asleep with a great track record of sleeping through the night. He just started moving around in the crib at night (we found him rotated 90 degrees in the morning, but not rolling over yet) so we tried using a sleep sack only, now he's waking up during the night again. I would greatly appreciate any advice you could provide about these issues. I'm afraid I created a monster while trying to remedy his colic.

Got a mommy issue you just can't figure out? Start asking questions and sharing your advice and tips in The Mommy Club!

Nap Time: It's Like Kindergarten All Over Again

FitSugar — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 15:00:18 PST

I hated it when my preschool and kindergarten teacher cued us to take out our nap mats - why nap when there was coloring to be done? Before I blame them for ruining my chance at becoming the next Picasso, it looks like they might have been on to something: a new study suggests that an afternoon nap might make you smarter.

Pitting nappers against non-nappers, researchers gave a group of 39 healthy, young adults a memory test before and after a 90-minute nap. When taking the memory test the second time, the non-nappers' scores dropped an average of 10 percent. Meanwhile, the nappers did even better the second time around. The University of California, Berkeley researchers also found that how much sleep the nappers got was much less important than the type of sleep they received. The more "stage 2 non-REM" sleep the participants had - a lighter form of non-dreaming sleep - the better they did.

Apparently, our brains get clogged during the day with information overload and taking a nap helps it recharge. After a brief resting period, it's able to consolidate the information it's picked up through the day, while also clear itself to be more adept at learning new information. While many of us don't have 90 minutes to snooze during our lunch break, even a 15 to 20 minute nap can help too.

Front Page: New Survey Shows US Is a Nation of Nappers

TresSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 08:00:20 PDT

A new survey says that one in three adults say they nap on a typical day. - NY Times
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, old white men are the first to get laid off. - USA Today
A baby taken from her murdered mother's womb has been found alive. - Boston Globe
Four US senators have proposed a bill that would nationally ban texting while driving. - CNN
During a meeting among fashion industry insiders this week, Vogue editor Anna Wintour apparently suggested price fixing as a way to help boost retail sails.
- New York Post

Another Reason to Get More Sleep: Performance

FitSugar — Tue, 19 Jun 2007 17:15:00 PDT

Your lack of sleep could be affecting your performance at the gym...

The amount of sleep a person gets affects his or her physical health, emotional well-being, mental abilities, productivity and now performance too. Studies have associated lack of sleep with serious health problems such as an increased risk of depression, obesity, cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.

According to new research presented at SLEEP 2007, athletes who get an extra amount of sleep are more likely to improve their performance in a game including faster sprint time and increased free-throws. Furthermore, athletes also reported increased energy and improved mood during practices and games, as well as a decreased level of fatigue.

What does this mean to you? Well, get more sleep, even if you're not an athlete. If you're overtired, you may not get as much out of your exercise routine as you should. Besides, no one ever said, "Gosh, I am too rested to workout today", now did she?

Fit's Tip: It is recommended that adults get between seven and eight hours of sleep each night. Don't have time? Then at the very least, try to fit in a nap during the day. Work isn't the issue, being a mom is? Then ask your husband to help you sleep an hour more tomorrow morning.

Source

A Love Advice Columnist Has a Major Crush (on Her Home!)

Elka Karl — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 11:07:16 PST

Advice columnists are used to answering questions - though usually not about themselves. Today, love advice columnist Wendy Atterberry of Dear Wendy is revealing her crushes and love for all things home-related. Wendy lives in Brooklyn, NY, with her husband, Drew, their baby boy, Jackson, and their two cats, Simone and Miles (who make a cameo in the photos here). Keep reading to see what Wendy has to say about why she's majorly crushing on her home.

What she most loves about her home:

It's a tie for my favorite spot in my home between my bedroom (and specifically, my bed), and my "china cabinet" wall. My husband, Drew, and I painted all the walls in our place, inspired by the colors of the beach, so I love the shades of green in both spots. We have a king-size bed, which feels like a luxury, and I love Sunday mornings when all five of us - Drew, our new baby Jackson, our two cats, Miles and Simone, and I - all pile in the bed and read books, nap, and talk. Drew and I love to travel, so above our bed we framed postcards of all the places we've traveled together in the nearly six years we've known one another. The china cabinet in my other favorite spot of the apartment belonged to my great-great-grandparents and I just love it. It's filled with lots of glassware for entertaining, which is something we enjoy doing. Everything else in that spot is a second-hand buy, found at garage sales or thrift stores, with the exception of the gray wool blanket on the bench, which I found somewhere online.

What others love most about her home:

Probably our "bar," which is usually pretty well-stocked thanks to generous friends who bring bottles of stuff whenever we have get-togethers. People also comment that our place is "cozy," which could also be a euphemism for "small," but here in New York where most places are tiny, I like to think it's a genuine compliment.

What she'd love to add to her home:

Luckily, we already have most everything I'd want in a home - a walk-in closet, a big bathtub, a dishwasher, central air, and a washer and dryer. We even have a large balcony, which is pretty awesome in the warmer seasons. But if I could wave a magic wand and make this truly my dream home, I'd add one more bedroom (and maybe an elevator!); our second bedroom - now our baby's room - is awfully small and one day we'll outgrow this place, which will be sad. More realistically, I'd love to change the light fixture in the dining area, which is pretty ugly. We're renters, so it doesn't make sense to put any more money into the place, but if we owned, that would be the first - and maybe only thing - I'd change. Oh, and more original artwork. Oh, and a hammock! If only money were no object . . .

Need love advice? Head over to Dear Wendy for articles, advice, and much more!

Too Many Cats in the Kitchen

Sara Yoo — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:00:00 PST

For some of us, the kitchen is a frightening place filled with sharp objects, alien ingredients, and hot surfaces. But for cats? It's a jungle gym of exploration. There are things to play with, sit on, hide in, nibble on, and nap in. If you have a surface, appliance, utensil, or container, your cat will find a novel use for it. Take a look at our favorite cats getting comfy in the kitchen.

Bright Swaddlers and Nappers For Spring Sleep Time

Leta Shy — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 14:42:03 PST

Swaddlers and sleep sacks do double duty: not only do they make babe look oh-so-adorable, but they also help regulate his temperature for a comfortable and cozy sleep. With Spring peeking at us from behind clouds, celebrate the season by wrapping up your sleeping beauty in these swaddlers and nap sacks!

Clockwise from top left: Nook NapSack ($36); Baby Boy Summer Cocoon and Hat ($80); Juicy Jungle Baby Swaddler ($20); 3 Sprouts Quilted Sleep Sack ($44); Ladybug NapSak ($32); DwellStudio Owls Sky Sleep Sack ($48).

Do You Nap Regularly?

FitSugar — Tue, 25 May 2010 03:47:47 PDT

I was never much into napping, because I usually sleep enough at night. That is until I became pregnant. Now I can't help lying down for 20 minutes in the afternoon a couple times a week. If even you're not preggers, there are a couple of reasons to take a siesta: napping in the afternoon can improve your memory and snoozing three times a week has been found to be good for your ticker.

8 Life Lessons Learned From CES 2012

Kristy Korcz — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 13:31:59 PST

This year's CES didn't just teach us about gadget trends and the future of the industry - it also taught us a few things that we'll remember in our everyday lives as well. Here, we offer up a few tips to take with you on your next journey to a big tech conference, or to keep in the back of your mind for life. Trust me: our pain is your gain!

Get plenty of sleep. Between long hours on the show floor and various industry parties (and afterparties), there's a good reason we'd love to see siesta lounges at CES. But if you can't nap during the day, be sure to get enough shut eye at night. This is true even for the real world, where you've got emails, shows, and news to catch up on. Put away the laptop at a decent hour and get your beauty rest. You'll wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day's to-do list.
Carry water. Downing coffee, cocktails, and Diet Cokes, coupled with the dry weather in the desert, and filtered air in the hotels and casinos can cause dehydration fast. Keep a bottle of water on you at all times. This not only keeps your skin fresh, lips hydrated, and head clear, but it'll keep you from overheating due to thirst.
Wear good shoes. Did I mention how much we walked at CES? Seriously, the biggest expo I've ever seen, it spans the Las Vegas Convention Center and surrounding hotels. It's not hard to walk six miles in a single day. Multiply that by three or four days, and you've got yourself a good workout. Dress your feet appropriately for CES, and everyday life, since it can save your back later down the road.
Get in the lunch line early. Hungry bloggers line up to get their lunches far before the 11:30 a.m. call time. Although we never saw a shortage of food, who wants to wait in another line when you're tired and hungry? This is another way to say "eat your lunch." Skipping meals can lead to headaches and crankiness, symptoms you don't want to experience when you're in a fast-paced and crowded space or in your office.

Check out the rest of the list when you read more.