Showing posts with label healthy living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy living. Show all posts

Tuesday, April 7, 2015

A Review of Products That Help Me Get a Good Nights Sleep


Do You Have Trouble Getting a Good Night's Sleep?




I find it hard to fall asleep. Not only am I very distracted by any sounds that aren’t relaxing, I’m also pretty wound up before I go to bed. I do most of my writing at night, and often the ideas are still buzzing around my head when it hits the pillow. Many times I’m not even sleepy. I’m only going to bed because I know it’s past time. 

A Review of Products That Help Me Get a Good Nights Sleep
My Son Asleep on Floor of Motel Room, © B. Radisavljevic

Some people, like my son in the picture, can  fall asleep almost anywhere, as he did on this motel room floor. My husband is another one who can fall asleep the minute he puts his head on the pillow. Sometimes he even falls asleep in his chair. Not me. 

Here's What I've Done to Start Falling Asleep Faster


Nutritional Supplements that Help Me Fall Asleep

For some time now I've been taking a couple of nutritional supplements that have helped me relax if I take them about half an hour before bed every night. One is Natrol® Melatonin 5 Mg, 250 Fast Dissolve Tablets Strawberry Flavor. It has worked better than any other Melatonin product I've tried, and I've tried a lot of them. I usually buy mine at Costco, but I have linked to Amazon here in case Costco isn't convenient for you. I also take an amino acid, Nature's Plus L-Tyrosine with B-6 500mg/50mg - 60 - Capsule. I'm  not so fussy about the brand for this. This combination helps me relax. 


Noise Blockers


I am also very sensitive to noise, and noises can keep me awake even when I'm relaxed and very tired. Before I moved here, my computer was in my bedroom and I didn’t like to turn off more than the energy- hogging display. If I tried to put it to sleep, it didn’t do any good, because for some reason I haven’t yet figured out, it suddenly woke up anyway. So as I was trying to sleep, I heard my computer working in the background, making those distracting little clicking sounds. Sometimes there were animal noises outside or the neighbor on the hill was having a very late party. Now that I've moved to the city, there are even more outside noises, as well as clicking sounds from my windows when the sun comes up. 

It seems the thing that relaxes and soothes me most when I am lying in bed is the sound of rain on the roof. It doesn’t matter how loud the rain is; it’s like a lullaby to me. I finally got the bright idea that I should look for CDs that make rain sounds. But they were hard to find. Almost all the nature sound tracks I found had more than rain in them. They had orchestral accompaniment, bird song, and other things included that although meant to enhance, only disturbed me and broke the steady sound of the rain falling.

It was only after I’d bought and tried about five other CDs that didn’t work for me that I saw Rain and Relaxation on Amazon and bought it. It’s made a great difference. If I go to bed tense or still full of creative fervor that wants to leap back to the computer and write more, I just play the CD, which I keep loaded in my CD player in my clock radio. All I have to do is press the button in the dark to start the process of calming down enough to sleep.

This also works after my early morning bladder wake-up call. At 6 AM the sun is about to rise or has already risen. The birds start making noise outside my window swamp cooler, and sometimes the neighbor’s dog is barking. Later my husband is in the kitchen making his breakfast or talking on the phone. I want to keep sleeping until about nine after my late night writing, so I play the CD again, loudly enough to block out the other noises.

I highly recommend this solution to others who find it hard to fall asleep at night or who fall back to sleep in the middle of the night after using the bathroom. It’s made a great difference in the quality of my sleep. It’s also made a great difference in my temperament in the morning when I wake up.


When Rain Alone Doesn't Do the Trick

Sometimes I need something a bit different than rain alone to put me to sleep. I have shared some of the other recordings I have used below. Although you may also feel the need for white noise, maybe something different like ocean, night nature sounds, or even electronic relaxation is what you need to do the trick. Check  these out, as well as some others that may be suggested as you look at them. 

One more hint. I have a repeat function on my CD player, but it only repeats one track. It really helps to get a CD with everything on one track. The last suggestion here, Summer Evening Serenade, is the one I currently use, since my rain cd wore out and I haven't remembered to replace it yet. It has everything on one track, and I keep it repeating all night. It used to be when a CD ended, it would wake me back up with its whirring sound as it shut off. When it keeps repeating, it doesn't do that. Some of my suggestions below are also available in digital downloads if that works for you.  

Recently I also decided to buy a white noise machine that does a fantastic job of blocking out louder sounds than the CD's  can cover up. Read my review of the Marpac DOHM-DS. 



If you have a way to watch a video on your computer until you fall asleep, I would suggest this one. When I try to put it on my computer the display goes out and I can't hear it anymore, either, so I need to use the CD's.




If You Need to Sleep During Daylight


If you sometimes need to sleep after the sun is up, I have found another useful product. I have had two  surgeries in the last year that required me to move into a one-story house to heal. Fortunately I inherited one I was mostly using for storage and entertaining from my mother , but it's in a neighborhood in the city limits, unlike our rural home. It is much noisier than in the country, and my CD's have become even more important with noisy vehicles parking outside my window and then leaving before even the roosters wake up.

This house also has lots of windows in my bedroom and they face east. Once the sun is up the room is flooded with light. After many mornings trying to keep my head under the covers to block out the sun, I finally broke down and bought this set of eye shades that comes with ear plugs -- Bedtime Bliss® Contoured & Comfortable Sleep Mask & Ear Plug Set. Includes Carry Pouch for Eye Mask and Ear Plugs - Great for Travel, Shift Work & Meditation.

I could kick myself for not getting it sooner. When I had my second surgery last December, I took them to the hospital, and you know how hard it is to have it dark there. The sleep mask was a great help in keeping light out of my eyes, though it couldn't keep the nurses from waking me up. I wasn't quite as happy with the ear plugs, but I've tried every ear plug I've been able to get my hands on, and none of them do much for me.

Begin Now To Sleep Better and Longer


If you have trouble getting a good night's sleep, I hope one of the ideas or products reviewed above will help you. Before you take any supplement, especially if you are on any prescription medications, it's best to check with your doctor first. Just because something is right for me might not mean it's right for you. The sleep mask and music I believe would help anyone. Why not click some of those links now and begin sleeping better very soon. Believe me, a good night's sleep is worth every penny it takes.  


Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Monday, January 26, 2015

Inexpensive Home Fitness at 50

I am not a fitness expert. Nor have I had any formal physical education training. So why am I writing a workout review?  Because I am like many other busy women who want to be fit but have a really hard time committing time and energy to working out. If we share what works for us we will all be more apt to be healthier people. 

I want to be a healthy person.  I don't want to gain more weight.  In fact, I'd like to lose a few pounds.  But at age 50, it becomes more difficult to not only lose weight but to remain toned.  My muscles seem to be turning to jelly.  Everything sags.  My muscles jiggle.  I can feel that I'm losing strength and stamina.  And I don't like it.

I am very busy. By the time I end each day at my job it is often all I can do to get home, walk the dog, make something to eat, and wander off to bed. The lack of time and energy is my biggest excuse to avoid exercise.

My second biggest excuse is cost.  My budget doesn't allow a gym membership. Besides that, I don't want to work out around people. I am not a social sweater.  I want to sweat in private.

Those reasons to avoid exercise are excuses.  I know it. You know it.  We all know it. There are quick, easy and inexpensive ways to get some exercise, at my age and at home.  I'm going to share  three of my favorites with you.

Walking

I have always been good about parking a little farther from the front door of a store. Or walking the dog farther than I have to.  The nearest bush for the dog to potty on is about 12 steps from my front stoop. Instead of walking those 12 measly steps,  I always make sure I walk him to at least the end of my parking lot.  I have no excuse for not walking a bit more each day. Walking is free.  However, I should be walking around the entire block. At least.


New Balance Women's Walking Shoe
When I spend a little bit of money on walking, it is to buy a good walking shoe.  I have had good luck with New Balance walking shoes. I find that they seem to fit my feet well - my high arch, wide foot, and narrow heel. You may or may not have the same luck with New Balance. There are plenty of shoes to choose from that will meet your walking needs and the important thing to focus on is having a comfortable pair of appropriate shoes. 


Hula Hooping 

I enjoy hula hooping and now that I have my own grown-up hoop, I have no excuse for not hooping.  I'm not very good at it. But it is a great aerobic exercise and excellent for strengthening my core.  It is also a lot of fun.   It doesn't seem as though it would burn calories but it does. 

"An average woman can burn about 165 calories in 30 minutes of hula hooping, and an average man can burn about 200 calories in 30 minutes of hula hooping" - an article by the Mayo Clinic

Hooping doesn't seem like work. It seems like fun. So it isn't very difficult to hoop for 15 to 30 minutes at a time.


Yoga

Yoga is great for both strengthening and for relaxing.  The thing that triggered the writing of this article was getting back to my yoga DVD on a regular basis. I feel such a difference.  I enjoy this workout immensely and wanted to share it with you.

YOGA BURN with Rodney Yee
There are many things about this workout that I like.  My job is a high stress situation.  I become tense physically and mentally.  I love my Yoga Burn DVD by Rodney Yee.  It is not easy yoga and is called Yoga Burn for a reason.  It makes me sweat (in the privacy of my own home).  I cannot do all of the moves fully, hold them for the entire time, or get to the end of the workout.  But I modify.  I take breaks. And I do as much of the workout at one time as I can.  Little by little I can hold the poses and make it farther through the workout.  I like Rodney Yee's instruction, the pace of the workout and the difficulty.  It is not so difficult that I feel like it is impossible and end up quitting. But I definitely feel that I am working out. 

I ALWAYS feel better when I do this workout.  I can feel my spine re-align (as I loosen up and work out, I actually feel it pop back into place) and I feel my muscles strengthening.  I also feel more relaxed mentally when I am finished.

If you are looking for a way to become more physically healthy and relaxed, this workout may be a good choice for you too.

Photo Credit - photograph courtesy of Pixabay CC0



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


Tuesday, April 15, 2014

Nature's Easter Eggs


natural colored eggs
Photo Credit: Natural Easter Eggs
You can color me green in terms of lifestyle, but healthy living is really a lovely palette of so many beautiful colors.  With Easter just a few days away, I’ve been considering how I want to apply the colors of the rainbow to create this year’s dyed eggs.  As I searched for holiday decorating ideas, I took a few scenic detours and started reading about chickens and their eggs.  When it comes to making gorgeous shells, the chickens are already several steps ahead of me.  I don’t even need to break out the dye.

As one who is on a quest to grow all of my own food, I currently have a fascination with raising backyard chickens.  My goal is to start with three laying hens this spring.  Along with the search for construction plans to build a chicken coop, I am thoroughly enjoying what I am learning about the different breeds of chickens. 

Did you know you can look at a chicken’s earlobe to potentially determine what color of egg she will lay?  I've not personally checked any earlobes to test that little tidbit of chicken trivia, but you can learn more by watching the short video clip presented in the first article linked below.  Wouldn’t it be fun if we had a similar way of seeing what our future children might look like?  But I digress. 

As I was saying before I interrupted myself, I now know why chickens produce different colored eggs, as well as which breeds to buy if I want to have delicious Easter eggs every day of the year.  Do you know which chickens lay blue, pink, green, or brown eggs?  I do now thanks to several interesting Squidoo articles. 

With the countdown to Easter, let’s have some fun by going on a virtual Easter egg hunt.  Read about Nature’s Easter Eggs and a very doable DIY backyard chicken coop.

Do you raise backyard chickens?  Have you built a hen house?  If so, I would love to read all about it.  Why not write a feature article or review of your top backyard chicken product.  I might even reward you with a basket of your favorite Easter candy.  So what will it be?  Mini robin's eggs?  Peeps?  Did I mention chocolate?



Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”


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