FitSugar

7 Reasons You're Not Sleeping

FitSugar — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 20:15:42 PST

Difficulty sleeping can make the night long and the following day feel even longer. Ads for prescription sleeping pills run frequently on late-night TV, bu adopting healthy sleep habits can be as effective as medication, with no side effects. Here are reasons you may be suffering from insomnia.

Tips For Troubled Sleepers

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 09:00:12 PDT

It's late. You have an early morning meeting and all you want to do is drift off to sweet slumberland. Too bad you're doing more tossing and turning than snoozing and snoring. Here are some tips you can try to help you fall asleep faster.

Make your bedroom like a cave. Cover the windows and turn off all the lights (even night-lights). The darkness signals your body to wind down and sleep. If you can't shut out the light completely, wear an eye mask.
Don't count sheep! Instead, visualize a relaxing scene like a sun-dappled beach or a serene meadow covered with wildflowers.
Turn on the yawns with yoga. Whether you do some relaxing stretches on the floor or in your bed, it only takes a few minutes of Child's Pose or Legs Up the Wall to induce drowsiness.

For other helpful tips

Take a hot bath. The warm water is oh-so soothing and will help clear your mind and relax your muscles.
Finish eating two hours before you lie down. If your stomach is full or you're digesting a big meal, it's hard to fall asleep. Not to mention, lying down with a full belly can also lead to heartburn, which will definitely keep you up.
Listen to some relaxing music or a guided meditation. Gentle melodies of Enya or a monotonous voice leading you to sleepytown always works for me.
Write in a journal. If you're stressed, worried, or anxious about something, whether it's good or bad, thinking about it will only prevent your mind from quieting down enough to fall asleep. It helps to get your thoughts down on paper so you can forget about them long enough to get your Zs.

If you have any other surefire tips to help you fall asleep fast, please share them below.

Cures For Troubled Sleep

FitSugar — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:16:52 PST

Difficulty sleeping, can make the night long and the following day feel even longer. Ads for prescription sleeping pills run frequently on late-night TV, but studies show that adopting healthy sleep hygiene is as effective as medication with no side effects. Here are some "home remedies" for your insomnia.

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

Having Trouble Sleeping? Try Feng Shui

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Jan 2008 02:30:00 PST

Do you have a hard time falling or staying asleep? Do you wake up in the morning feeling uneasy or irritated? It may have to do with the Feng Shui in your bedroom. Feng Shui, which literally means "wind and water," is the ancient Chinese art of placement. The goal is to enhance the flow of "chi" (energy) and to create a harmonious environment that supports health and happiness.

Here are some basic Feng Shui tips to hep you get a better night's sleep:

Shut out the outside world by removing the TV, computer, and exercise equipment. The bedroom is your place of serenity, where you need to get away from the stresses of life, so if your desk or office must be in the bedroom, separate the space with a curtain or folding screen.
Use calm and friendly earth tones such as copper, cream, tan and chocolate to create a warm and cozy atmosphere. Light blue, mint green and lavender will give a tranquil feeling and invite healing energy. Vibrant colors such as red and bright orange stimulate the mind, so this may not be the best color for your bedroom.
Your bed should be in the commanding position. This means it should be far away from the door, but you should still be able to see the entrance. This will give you a sense of safety and protection. You also don't want the foot of your bed to be pointing towards the door. In traditional Chinese culture, this is called the "Death Position," and thought to drain life force energy since the deceased were carried out feet first.
There should be room on either side of the bed so it is approachable from both sides and energy can flow around you freely.

Want to hear more about your bed? Then

Try not to put your bed under a slanted ceiling, heavy beam or ceiling fan. This position is thought to contain depressing energy that literally pushes down on you while you sleep. If you can't avoid this position, hang tapestries or other fabric above the bed.
Also avoid positioning your bed directly under a window. A solid wall symbolically can support and protect you, while glass allows energy to flow in and out of the window, which may cause restless sleep. Solid headboards are great since they'll provide even more protection and support while you sleep. Footboards on the other hand block forward progress in life and are only recommended if your bed has to point towards the door.
Reduce clutter in your bedroom, under your bed, in your closet, and on your night stand. Clutter represents unfinished business, which can disturb your sleep.
Cover windows with curtains so that you can have a cocoon-like feeling at night, and they'll keep the sunlight out in the morning. Being exposed to sunlight first thing in the morning is said to influence your serotonin levels and affect you for the rest of the day. Once you're ready to wake up, you can easily pull the curtains open and flood your room with natural light.
Make sure not to hang a mirror next to or opposite the bed as this is thought to bounce too much energy around the room and prevent restful sleep.
Hang up art that exudes happiness and calm energy.

You obviously don't have to do all these things, but as long as you can walk into your bedroom and feel relaxed and comforted, then you're on your way to a good night's sleep.

Source

Mad Men's 5 Maddest Moments: "The Other Woman"

Becky Kirsch — Mon, 28 May 2012 17:22:20 PDT

The titular "other woman" in this week's episode of Mad Men is actually a car, but the ladies of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce - Peggy and Joan - are also courted in very different ways. Both women make major decisions that impact their careers and their futures (not to mention the whole dynamic of SCDP).

The way that Joan and Peggy handle their respective situations truly showcases just how different these women are, even if they both have the same ambition and devotion to success at heart. I can't get into it without revealing a few spoilers, though, so let's break down the biggest moments when you

The ending of an era: Peggy's leaving Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce! This is by far the show's biggest shake-up since Don and Megan's engagement, and it's bittersweet because it happens right in the middle of all the Jaguar madness. Peggy's felt a bit out of place all season long (especially thanks to Ginsberg), and when Don embarrasses her in his office, it's the last straw. She seeks out old friend Freddy Rumsen for advice, and he tells her she should cast her feelings aside and start exploring her options. She's quickly snatched up by a rival agency, for even more money than her asking price. Don can't believe it when Peggy breaks the news (you can practically see the smoke coming out of his ears), but he keeps his temper in check long enough to give her a very tender, heartfelt goodbye. She tells Don not to be a stranger, but could Peggy really be gone for good? I'm happy to see her character moving on, but would definitely miss her on the show.
Indecent proposal: As the writers are busily brainstorming for the upcoming Jaguar campaign, Pete and Ken get a rude awakening from Herb, the head of the dealers association. He mentions over dinner that he'd give SCDP a leg up - if he can sleep with Joan. Pete makes the already-uncomfortable situation even worse by having the nerve to bring it up to Joan in the most obnoxious way possible. She says the company "can't afford" her, which Pete takes to the partners as a bargaining chip. Don and Lane are horrified, but the rest of the guys are open to seeing what Joan will do.
A dirty job: After the partners meeting, Lane takes his turn discussing the situation with Joan. At first, she's annoyed, and I felt a tinge of sadness for her when she learns about the discussion, especially when she asks if Roger was involved. Lane's still not quite endorsing the idea of Joan whoring herself out, but he proposes that she ask Pete to become a partner rather than just taking a check. She takes his advice, which gets Lane out of yet another sticky monetary situation.
Slippery Pete: Pete's creepy ways are mostly reserved for the way he handles the Joan/Jaguar situation, but we also get another brief peek into his troubles at home. After a rousing rendition of "Goodnight Moon," Pete and Trudy get into a tiff when he mentions that he's tired of his long commute and wants an apartment in the city. Trudy says absolutely not, but it's clear that his distaste for the suburban life is only getting worse.
Game changer: When Don gets wind of the fact that Joan will sleep with Herb in exchange for a partnership, he's angry and shows up at her door. He tells her that he doesn't want to win the campaign this way, and she's appreciative of the fact that he's the only one that stood up for her. It seems that he may have changed her mind, but twist! We learn that it's too late, and she's already slept with Herb. The guys nab the campaign the next day, but the look on Don's face when he sees Joan in the partners meeting says it all.

With only two episodes left in the season, what'd you think of all the happenings on Mad Men? Were you surprised about Joan's or Peggy's decisions?

Photo courtesy of AMC

How to Rough It and Still Look Red-Carpet Ready

Michele Foley — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:00:56 PDT

I love to camp. And I am, for the most part, pretty OK with whatever the wilderness throws at me. Not the case with everyone - including a few friends of mine who sometimes join me in the outdoor fun. I've learned from them that newbie campers have the most trouble with sleeping outside and abandoning their normal beauty and hygiene regimen. If you know someone like this - or if this is you! - here are a few essentials to make sure that you get a good night's rest and also look your absolute best (without seeming like a princess).

Source: Thinkstock

Bachelorette Breakdown: First Impressions From the Premiere

Maggie Pehanick — Tue, 15 May 2012 10:09:48 PDT

Welcome to a new season of The Bachelorette, everyone! First of all, is anyone else as excited as I am to see Emily Maynard take the reigns, or roses, as it were? She is sweet as apple pie and I don't know anyone that doesn't love a Southern belle, least of all the gentlemen vying for her affections. I use the term "gentlemen" lightly, as several of them displayed relatively ungentlemanly behavior on this week's premiere.

As per Bachelorette tradition, the premiere included a basic primer to who Emily is, the limo intros with the guys, some time for Emily to mingle at her party and eventually give out the coveted First Impression rose, followed by the first rose ceremony. Let's have a quick rundown of the episode's highlights, shall we?

Find out our take when you read more.

For Better Sleep, Do These 3 Things 20 Minutes Before Bed

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 10 May 2012 05:01:37 PDT

We spend about a third of our lives in slumberland, but many people complain of not sleeping well. If you have a tough time falling asleep or you toss and turn in the middle of the night, try exercising during the day and limiting alcohol and caffeine a few hours before bedtime. But if you are doing this already and still have troubles, here are three things to do immediately before hitting the hay to calm your body and mind and help you get the restful night of sleep you crave.

The Power of Water
Twenty minutes before bedtime, dim the lights in the bathroom, turn on some relaxing tunes on your iPhone and take a warm shower or bath. The heat soothes achy muscles, and the steam clears your sinuses, which is essential if allergy symptoms prevent you from sleeping well at night. It's also a great way to wash away germs and prevent you from getting sick, which can also make it difficult to sleep.

Bye-Bye Pains
After your 10-minute warm bath or shower, slip into your PJs and do five minutes of stretching to ease any pains that prevent you from sleeping. Lower back pain is common for many, so if yours bothers you, here's a yoga sequence to offer back pain relief. If a sore neck and shoulders are your woe, do these soothing stretches. A little self-massage can also ease muscle tension, or apply a heating pad or one of those rice pillows you warm up in the microwave to sore areas.

Get Bored
Now slip into bed, not with a riveting, can't-put-it-down book, but one that has a dull, monotonous, stale topic that's bound to have your eyelids drooping in minutes. Be sure to read from an actual book, not a laptop or iPad, as the lights cue your brain to wake up.

How to Combat That Afternoon Slump

Leta Shy — Thu, 03 May 2012 13:40:46 PDT

Sometimes, you just can't beat that afternoon slump. Sitting at a desk all day can leave you feeling the opposite of energetic, especially around those postlunch hours when our bodies expend more energy digesting or we crash from the effects of our morning cup of coffee - and when that happens, don't think you can always rely on energy drinks. Besides their long list of unpronounceable ingredients, a new study has found that energy drinks contain high levels of citric acid, which can cause major tooth enamel erosion.

Luckily, even without the energy drinks you don't have to spend your nine-to-five dreading the inevitable urge to nap. Here are some ways for combating that afternoon slump.

Exercise in the morning. A good day begins with a good start. Exercising in the morning is beneficial for many reasons: you don't have to worry about scheduling a time later, and it's nice to be able to check something off your list before the day really begins. A morning sweat session is also good for keeping your energy levels up throughout the day, so if you find yourself hitting a wall in the afternoon, try moving your workout session to before work and see how you feel.
Take an afternoon walk. If you find yourself spending more time dozing and daydreaming than working in the afternoon, take a 10-minute break to rev up your body. Just walking around the office, chatting with co-workers, or taking a break to enjoy the sunshine outside can be all you need to give your body a recharge.

Still tired? Read on for more tips that'll keep you from taking a nap at your desk!