Napping and Memory

I’m a big fan of naps. Back in my radio days, I often kept a weird schedule — up at four in the morning and at work by five-thirty. I’d be done for the day around two in the afternoon… and would often take an afternoon nap to recharge. Even now that I’m keeping a more normal schedule, I often find myself wanting a nap around two in the afternoon. I enjoy curling up with the dogs and taking an afternoon snooze. I don’t necessarily need to do it, but it’s good to relax a bit and wake up with … Continue reading →

Stay Awake (and Alive) on the Road

It’s a holiday weekend here in the United States — and lots of people are taking an end-of-summer trip. The roads were extra crowded yesterday and this morning as people headed out of town for summer’s last hurrah. One danger of road trips is getting sleepy when you’re behind the wheel. And it isn’t just vacationers who are at risk! Folks who work third shift, people who drive long distances every day, and people who don’t get enough sleep are at risk for heavy eyelids while on the road. Here are some things you can do to help stay awake … Continue reading →

Sleeping in the Heat

I have a hard time falling asleep when it’s too hot in the room. I just can’t get comfortable! If you have the same problem, here are some tips to help you sleep easy in the heat. Heat rises. You might be cooler on a lower story than an upper one. Help prevent heat build-up inside. Use blinds to keep the sun out. Open windows at night if the temperature is cooler. Cool off with a shower before bed. Keep in mind that hot showers can increase the humidity, which can make the heat seem worse. Cool off with a … Continue reading →

Feeling Rested?

I ask because I’m not feeling rested today. See if you can make sense of it. Last night, I went to bed at 9:30. The alarm was set for 5:30. I fell asleep pretty quickly — felt like I was out as soon as my head hit the pillow! So it looks like I ended up with about eight hours of sleep. Pretty good, right? But I felt like I hardly slept at all — like as soon as I closed my eyes, the alarm was going off and it was morning already. The night before, I slept really well. … Continue reading →

What Else Does Exhaustion Do to You?

A few days ago, I took a good look at myself and how being tired changes me. I get cranky, I get over-emotional, I eat more, and I get clumsy. And I’m not alone. Research has looked at how your body changes when you’re low on sleep. Sleep deprivation makes you crave junk food. Your body will be craving more calories than you actually need — especially in the form of sugars and starches. Just two nights of sleep deprivation makes your body produce more hunger hormones and fewer appetite suppressing hormones. Sleep deprivation makes your stress hormones spike. Cortisol … Continue reading →

Sleep On It!

How many times do I need to repeat this? Sleep is good for you. Apparently I have to repeat it a lot… a recent survey by Prevention magazine found that more than 50% of all busy women (that includes stay at home moms, ladies with full time jobs, business owners, and more) make sleep the first thing to go when the pressure is on. But sleep is good for you! Really! A study from Harvard Medical School is demonstrating (once again) that a good night’s sleep can make your brain function better. Folks who volunteered for the study were divided … Continue reading →

How To Get More Sleep

It isn’t always easy to fit in enough bed time. A poll from the National Sleep Foundation found that sixty percent of women only manage a good night’s sleep a few days a week! Around half of all women polled feel like their lack of sleep is interfering with their daily activities. Here are some tips to help you squeeze more Zzz into your night. Prioritize. Yes, you’ve got tons of things to do… but how many of them can wait until tomorrow? An hour before bed, make a list of all the things you think you need to do … Continue reading →

Why You Need More Sleep

I’m not sure if it’s the heat or what, but lately I’ve been dragging. The last few days, all I want to do is stay in bed! When the alarms go off, I hit snooze and head back to dreamland. Yes, I have two alarm clocks — one next to the bed, as a pre-waker-upper and one across the room so I actually do have to get out of bed. It usually works to get me up and moving. As if we need proof that more sleep is better for us than less sleep, here are a few great things … Continue reading →

Counting Sheep May Not Work After All

The next time you have trouble sleeping, you might not want to bother calling out the mental sheep. A recent study from Oxford University in England studied the effectiveness of sheep-counting and found the technique lacking. Fifty insomniacs participated in the sleep study, which focused on distraction techniques. One group counted sheep; a second group was asked to visualize a relaxing, peaceful scene. A third group was given no instructions at all. Who fell asleep the fastest? The visualization group was the first in dreamland, by an average of twenty minutes. Why did the good old counting sheep let the … Continue reading →

How To Get Better Rest and Have More Energy!

Too worried to sleep? Listen to an audio book until you fall asleep. The narrative will drown out that voice in your head that’s reviewing tomorrow’s to-do list. Drink enough water. Dehydration can make you fatigued! Be sure to drink eight glasses of water every day. With all the flavored waters out there and powdered, sugar-free drink mixes, you should have no excuse for skipping the water! Ginseng (especially the Siberian variety) can help boost your stamina. It’s been studied in both animals and humans and can give you a serious boost. Just don’t overuse it — your body will … Continue reading →