Swobidu Health

Posts Tagged ‘sleep’

1. Humidity

According to Mayo Clinic, cold viruses thrive in dry weather. That explains why we don’t get these nasty bugs during our super-humid N.C. summers!

It’s unlikely that you will have a humidifier in your dorm, but humidity can be created temporarily at your sink.

Fill your sink with the hottest water you can get. then, place a towel over your head (to keep the steam from escaping) and breathe in the steam. this process should help clear up congestion and open the sinuses.

2. Honey

I’m sure you’ve heard of drinking honeyed tea to help soothe a sore throat. I find it very effective at easing the scratchiness for a little while. Mixing a couple teaspoons into hot tea (some people recommend adding lemon and ginger to the mix as well) is one of the easiest cold remedies there is.

And, it may have other benefits!

In a recent research study, doctors found that consuming two teaspoons of honey before sleep was as effective of a cough-suppressant as some over-the-counter medications. It’s cheaper and better tasting than cough syrup, so why not give it a try?

3. Hit the hay

While I realize this is easier said than done, getting some extra sleep gives your immune system some more time to recover. try to get as close as possible to the recommended daily allowance for adults — seven to nine hours.

4. Healthy foods

There have been a lot of research studies on the effects of vitamin C and zinc in cold relief. while vitamin C seems to be best for arming yourself against your roommate’s cold, it wouldn’t hurt to work a little more into your diet. Zinc, on the other hand, might help with actual cold symptom relief.

After a quick Google search, the only miracle food containing both happens to be artichokes. If you’re not feeling that intimidating, spiky thistle for dinner, try a combination of foods to get the vitamin C and zinc you need.

For vitamin C, try oranges, kiwi, sweet red and green peppers, and strawberries. for zinc, try sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, and peanuts. I’m sure you can find a tasty combination!

And finally, if all else fails, you can revert to over-the-counter medications. I personally swear by Advil Cold & Sinus for day and NyQuil for night. but, try a few natural remedies first. You never know if you’ll find a great new trick that will work for you!

Any other tried and true cold remedies you’d like to share? Tweet us at @PitTalk.

There are many reasons people choose to stop smoking. it may be due to health issues, a heavy cough, the ugliness of stained fingers, feeling like an outsider, or something else. One thing is sure, however, it is a very difficult habit to break. One option that is proving easier and highly effective is to quit smoking easily while you sleep.

Actually, nicotine remains in the body a very short time after stopping. this is usually between 72 and 96 hours. this is when withdrawal symptoms will be the worst. after this it is simply a matter of changing a bad habit, especially during times when use is most common, such as when driving or after eating. However, thousands of people have managed to become non-smokers using this technique.

One of the newer strategies, that requires little or no effort, is reprogramming the subconscious through self-hypnosis. this is because the periods an individual is asleep are the most productive during the day. since the habit is subconsciously embedded, addressing that part of the psyche is important.

For this to work an audio recording is played at night when falling asleep, as well as a couple of times a week during the day. the message transmitted erases thoughts about the need to smoke and replaces them with healthy new habits. since habits cannot be erased, only replaced, this is an important step. Speaking directly to the subconscious is what makes this technique so effective.

Hearing the recording repeatedly provides the needed reinforcement necessary to ensure that changes last. In order to change an embedded belief or habit the information needs to be heard many times. how often will depend on a person’s resistance to change. As a result, it can take many months while others find themselves successful after only one session.

Many programs believe so much in this method that they will even put the guarantee in writing. Checking this option is important when ordering from any Internet site. after all, if they believe in their product strongly enough to provide a money-back guarantee, it is more likely to work.

If you have always wanted to quit smoking, then your help is finally here. you will be satisfied to learn that you can quit smoking easily while you are sleeping.

This is part two of the how NOT to Put a Baby to Sleep Series.  In the first series we went over 3 methods that many people use to put their baby to sleep that they should not.  In this segment of the series we will continue to provide methods that you should not use to put your baby to sleep.  you may find them humorous, disturbing or perhaps you may think there is nothing wrong at all using the following methods.

Feeding Baby until they Fall Asleep – Many, many parents make the mistake of continually feeding their baby either by breastfeeding or bottle feeding until their baby falls asleep.  Some parents believe that feeding their baby lots of food before they go to sleep will help them sleep better and longer.  In fact, using the method to put your baby to sleep is very unhealthy.  One of the reasons it is unhealthy is that it begins a bad routine for your child, having them expect a full belly when going to sleep.  Another negative of this method is that it makes your baby feel like it has to be sucking on something when it falls asleep.  Last but not least, putting your baby to sleep this way can also cause them to have an upset stomach and will likely result in your child sleeping in a soiled or waking in the night because of it.

Letting Baby Sleep Where they may – The title of this bullet may seem confusing to some.  let me explain.  Many parents will let them baby stay up until they just pass out and never build a routine around bed time.  This of course is a bad idea and not a healthy way to put your baby to sleep either.  Routines are essential in a baby’s growth and development.  they crave routine and you should take advantage of this craving.  having a routine to put baby to sleep should include a task you do every night before bedtime.  This task may be giving baby a bath, singing, reading, massaging, etc.  If you make it a habit of doing a specific task with your baby each night he/she will begin to associate it with bed time.  having a routine will also help your baby settle down into their own crib, allowing baby to sleep without crying and fussing.

A little Bit of Cough Syrup does the Trick – I know it sounds absurd to you, but this is much more common than you may think.  Generally when someone puts a baby to sleep using cough syrup it’s not the parent. Often it is a nanny, babysitter or even a relative. they  do this so the baby will go to sleep and not bother the caregiver.  the parents will come home, ask about the baby and often the response is, “He/She is such a good kid.  He/She has been catching up on his/her sleep.”  of course this not a healthy way to put your baby to sleep, but the sad fact is some people use this horrid and disgusting technique to put a baby to sleep.

How NOT To Put Your Baby To Sleep is a series. the more readers I have, the more parts will be in the series. you may follow the series here or by visiting my very fun and informative site at babycarepointers.com.  To be continued…

Who hasn’t bolted upright in the night, awakened by a sudden and
terrible burning sensation in the pit of their stomach? Whether
you indulged in some overly spicy chili, or overdid it on those
late-night leftovers, these quick heartburn remedies will soothe
your fiery stomach and help you get back to sleep

1. The first thing you’ll want to do when you’re awakened by
heartburn pain, is to stand up. This helps keep the acid at bay
while you go and get a full glass of cool water.

2. Drink the whole glass of water, and follow it with a mixture
of 1 tablespoon of baking soda, and half a glass of water. Be
careful though, if you have high blood pressure or are pregnant,
this can cause water retention or increase your blood pressure.

3. DON’T drink milk or suck on mints to relieve heartburn. Milk
might feel nice and cool going down, but it actually contains
fats and proteins that cause your stomach to secrete MORE acid
and make your heartburn worse Mints, while they may feel
soothing, actually relax the small valve between your esophagus
and stomach, whose purpose it is to actually KEEP acid at bay
When this valve is relaxed, more acid can seep up and aggravate
heartburn symptoms

4. This is going to sound strange, but downing a teaspoon of
vinegar can help soothe heartburn immediately Why give your
stomach MORE acid when it already seems to have enough, you ask?
Sometimes, heartburn is caused as a result of too little acid,
and vinegar helps quell indigestion by giving your stomach a
little extra juice (no pun intended) to do its job

5. certain foods can cause nighttime heartburn, including: soda
pop or beverages with caffeine (which you shouldn’t be drinking
before bed anyway), alcohol, garlic, chocolate (sorry), citrus
fruits, tomatoes and tomato-based products. Avoiding these types
of food can help ease your indigestion if you frequently find
yourself awakened with that intolerable burning

6. Eating a banana each day works like an antacid to soothe
heartburn. if you’re already stricken with indigestion, eating
pineapple or papaya (or drinking the juice) can help settle your
stomach naturally. Some people also claim that eating a teaspoon
of mustard (yuck) can work immediately.

7. Avoid eating at least two hours before you go to sleep. Those
late night snacks can keep your stomach busy all night and
prevent you from easing into a deep, restful sleep. you may also
find that sleeping on your left side or sleeping at a somewhat
upright angle can keep acid down where it belongs.

If you are awakened by heartburn on a regular basis, or the pain
is severe, or if you have heartburn with vomiting, you’ll want to
consult your doctor immediately as it may be a sign of a more
serious condition such as an ulcer. above all, avoid spicy,
fatty and caffeine-containing foods before bed, and you should be
able to drift off to sleep easily.

The information contained in this article is for educational purposes
only and is not intended to medically diagnose, treat or cure any
disease. Consult a health care practitioner before beginning any
health care program.

A nasal decongestant is focussed on trying to make a thick discharge thin, so it drains. Or to prevent the formation of a discharge. This is suppressive treatment. it is not taking your body in the direction it is trying to go.

Your body is intelligent. it is always trying to make a good job of your health. But it is hampered by the lack of ‘tools’. things that make you healthy, that raise your immune system are:

• a good diet with lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and no processed food
• your optimum amount of sleep that gives you most energy
• daily doses of natural sunlight on your bare skin
• connecting with nature on a regular basis
• getting some daily exercise, preferably outside

Drugs, like a nasal decongestant, will knock your immune system, making it struggle harder in order to maintain your health. they may well unblock your nose in the short run. But that will have a knock on effect.

The normal consequences of suppressive drugs is that your energy levels go down. This is always a good indication of how healthy you are. your energy levels should be good enough to allow you to function efficiently, without being out of control.

The other thing that can happen after suppressive drugs, whether or not they appear to work for your acute condition, is that it will become worse, over time. Or more serious conditions will develop. things like asthma or bronchitis, perhaps.

But if you use homeopathy for your health problems, this only works by raising your immunity. so if the most appropriate homeopathic medicine resolves the problem, in this case nasal congestion, then it will do so by making you overall healthier.

This means you nasal congestion will improve or disappear, your energy will improve, and you won’t get more serious ailments because of the suppression.

I’ve suffered from occasional sleep problems since I was twelve. I have periods when I sleep reallу well, but as soon as I veer off mу normal schedule mу sleep patterns get thrown out of whack.

I either can’t fall asleep at all (even when I’m exhausted) and wind up staуing wide awake for 19-21 hours a daу, or I’ll fall asleep easilу, onlу to wake up several times in the middle of the night.

I accepted mу chronic crankiness, exhaustion, and puffу eуes a long time ago and figured that it would be something that I’d have to live with. that is until I was browsing through a C.O. Bigelow store a few months ago and came across Bath & Bodу Works Aromatherapу Sleep Lavender Vanilla Massage Oil.

The bottle claimed that the lavender and vanilla massage oil would promote sleep since “the lavender soothes and calms уou, while the vanilla absolute calms feelings of stress that prevents уour from falling asleep.”

I read the ingredient list and saw that it contained both lavender oil and vanilla absolute, as well as sunflower oil which supposedlу keeps the skin looking healthу since it contains vitamin E.

So I decided to purchase the Bath & Bodу Works Lavender Vanilla Massage Oil because I wanted to find out if lavender was reallу powerful enough to put me to sleep and this was a convenient and fairlу inexpensive waу for me to find out.

I ran a bath and poured a few drops into it as soon as I got home and the power of the lavender and vanilla was apparent and it definitelу worked. It relaxed me so much that after mу bath I climbed right into bed and passed out after five minutes. I also staуed asleep throughout the entire night.

I’ve used the lavender and vanilla oil this waу several times and I’ve gotten the same results. It relaxes me so much that I’ve even dozed off in the bathtub a couple of times! It’s kind of dangerous and uncomfortable but the warm water along with the fragrance makes me feel so sleepу that I didn’t even care.

I have also used the Bath & Bodу Works Aromatherapу Lavender & Vanilla Massage Oil on mу drу skin because it’s more convenient before bed and the scent calms me and I wind up falling asleep peacefullу.

Overall the Bath & Bodу Works Sleep Lavender Vanilla Massage Oil is a great product for anуone who’s stressed out or who just suffers from insomnia. You won’t have to stare at уour ceiling counting sheep anуmore. 5 out 5 stars.