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New Parent? 5 Tips for Getting the Sleep You Need

Miranda — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 21:58:46 +0000

Source: sxc.hu Photo: nelso47

There are a number of things you can do to improve your sleep, and to make sure that you are getting enough of it. Adequate sleep is important for your health, happiness and for your sanity. However, some of the tricks you can use to improve your sleep don’t hold up as well if you are a new parent, trying to get the rest you need while caring for a newborn. Sometimes you just can’t do all of the things you should when it comes to ensuring a whole night of uninterrupted sleep. In situations that involve newborns, you actually need to come up with different strategies for getting better sleep. You want to get good rest as a new parent, and here are 5 tips for getting the sleep you need:

Nap when your baby does: You might have heard this before, but when you are faced with dirty dishes and a number of other chores, it suddenly becomes more tempting to skip the sleep and get something else done. Don’t. When your newborn sleeps, you should, too. You can clean or return phone calls at some other point, such as right after the baby has been fed and is content to sit in the bouncer chair for half an hour.
Get help: Enlist the help of the rest of your family to help with keeping the house clean so that you don’t have to resort to chores when you could be napping while the baby sleeps. You can also check into the costs of hiring a mother’s helper or a babysitter to help with household chores, or to watch the baby once or twice a week. You can also get a little help from older children or a partner by having someone else take care of one or two feedings. If you breastfeed, you can pump ahead of time. It doesn’t hurt for baby to learn to take feedings from others via bottle.
Don’t immediately jump up when you hear the baby: It’s okay for the baby to cry for a few minutes before you pick him or her up. Sometimes, after your baby starts sleeping most of the night, he or she will cry a little before re-settling and going back to sleep. You don’t need to hurry into the room at every noise. Usually, it can wait a little bit.
Be up front about your sleep needs: Talk to your partner about your sleep needs, and your health. Be up front with how lack of sleep is affecting you, and see if you can work out some way to help you get the rest that you need. This may include help from your partner on the weekends so that you can sleep a little to recharge, or help with a feeding so that you can nap.
Don’t take on too much: When you are caring for a newborn is not the time to add new responsibilities to your plate. Instead, cut back. Taking care of yourself and your new baby should be your main concerns. Additionally, you want to have time with other children that you may have, so taking on new responsibilities could be a real problem. Instead, learn to say “no” so that you can take care of the more pressing necessities in your life.

Having children is both challenging and rewarding. Adequate sleep and some time for relaxation are necessary if you want to be able to better deal with the challenges so that you can, in the end, take good care of yourself and the rest of your family.

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New Parent? 5 Tips for Getting the Sleep You Need

How to Sleep Better at Night

Miranda — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:49:13 +0000

Source: sxc.hu Photo: intuitives

Sleep is an important part of physical wellness and mental health. Indeed, numerous studies have looked at the importance of sleep, and suggest that sleep is a vital part of health — and that there are very real consequences attached to a lack of proper sleep. Some of the problems that can arise from a lack of sleep include:

Reduced immune system performance
Impaired memory and concentration
Heightened irritability
Increase in your risk of accidents at home and on the road
Difficulty in maintaining a healthy weight

As you might imagine, one or two nights of poor sleep probably won’t ruin your life. However, lack of sleep can add up to a sleep deficit that can turn into a real problem, affecting your physical, mental and emotional health, and even affecting your happiness. Most adults require between seven and nine hours of sleep each night, depending on their individual needs. Below are some ideas for helping you achieve better quality sleep:

1. Consider your sleep environment

Think about your room and your bed. Are there some things about it that impair your ability to sleep? Try to make your room a relaxing environment, conducive to sleep. This includes making your room a relatively quiet place, and keeping the room dark during sleeping hours. You can use a fan or soft, soothing sound recording to cancel out jarring noise that can keep you awake. Also consider room temperature and proper ventilation. Try and make your bed a place mainly for sleep and sex. Watching TV in bed can be an issue, and in many cases, people find they get better quality sleep without a television in the bedroom.

For your bed, consider whether you have enough room for comfort. Experiment with mattress toppers, different types of pillows, and different blankets, comforters and sheets to find a comfortable combination that allows you to sleep deeply, without being awakened by discomfort.

2. Relax during the day

Relaxation during the day can help you sleep better at night. It is especially important to relax before bed. Create a routine that helps you get ready for sleeping. This can include watching TV that doesn’t stimulate your thoughts too much, reading a light book, listening to soft music, having a light and warm snack (tea, milk, etc.), getting things ready for the next day or meditating.

Some people find that relaxation during the day, such as taking a 20 minute nap, half an hour to read, or 15 minutes of meditation can help them sleep better at night. Activities that help you de-stress during the day, keeping your overall anxiety level down, can help you at bedtime, since you won’t have as much built up tension in your body. If you do take a nap, keep it shorter than 30 minutes, and try not to do it less than five hours before you plan to go to bed.

3. Physical activity during the day

Part of making sure that your body is properly tired, and ready to experience quality sleep, is engaging in physical activity during the day. Vigorous exercise not only helps your overall health, but it can also encourage better sleep at night. Finish exercising at least three hours before you go to bed, though, to give your body time to wind down. You can simple stretching exercises or yoga an hour before bed, as part of your bedtime routine, as long as you don’t raise your body temperature. If you don’t have a 20 to 30 minute chunk of time for exercise at once, break up your activity into five to 10 minute periods. Exercise can relieve stress throughout the day, as well as ensure you are tired enough to sleep well.

4. Balanced diet

What you eat — and when you eat it — can affect how well you sleep at night. Try to avoid big meals within two hours of bedtime, and stay away from stimulants. Realize that caffeine can stay in your body for up to 14 hours, and that a diet high in caffeine can disrupt your sleep. A diet with lots of refined sugar and fatty foods can also affect your sleep, creating conditions in which your body does not deal well with what is inside of it, upsetting your sleep patterns. Some suggestions for bedtime snacks include a banana, hot tea, small bowl of whole grain cereal, half a turkey sandwich, half a peanut butter sandwich, or warm milk.

Other considerations for a good night’s sleep

Additional tips that can help you increase the quality of sleep you receive at night include:

Have a set bedtime and a set waketime. Try to keep this schedule as much as possible so your body falls into expected patterns of sleep.
Be careful about sleep aids. If used too much, or incorrectly, they can actually reduce the quality of your sleep.
If you do wake up at night, try not to stress about it. Get comfortable again, close your eyes and breathe deeply. Concentrate on your breathing. This near-meditation can help you fall asleep. Even if you don’t fall asleep, the relaxation exercise can be of better benefit than fretting about your sleep.
Stay away from liquids after 8 p.m. to reduce the chance that you will be up to use the bathroom in the middle of your sleep cycle.
Don’t just keep the lights low in your room before bed; try to keep lights throughout the house dim a couple of hours before bed to cue your body that bedtime is coming.

If you still have trouble getting quality sleep, your physician or a local sleep center can help you pinpoint whether or not you have a more serious problem that is keeping you from getting the rest that you need.

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How to Sleep Better at Night

Relax! 8 Things You Can Do To Unwind

Miranda — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:23:42 +0000

Source: sxc.hu Photo: k_vohsen

With news of wars, natural disasters and economic troubles, not to mention the day-to-day of living, it is no surprise that many people have difficulty relaxing. My mother was recently lamenting that she can’t relax enough to fall asleep at night. And I still remember some of my battles with anxiety and stress. Being able to relax is an important of maintaining a health lifestyle. Being able to unwind helps you on levels that are both mental and physical. (For believers — in whatever capacity — relaxation can also help your spiritual health.) In a world that seems increasingly fast-paced and stressful, the importance of daily relaxation should not be ignored.

The good news is that there are several things you can do to unwind, refresh yourself and generally improve your outlook on life. Plus, once you start a daily habit of relaxation, you will find that it becomes progressively easier to unwind.

Eight things that can help you unwind and enjoy the benefits of relaxation

Here are eight of my favorite ways to relax:

Take a hot shower: Water can soothe and relax you at the end of the day. I like taking a hot shower and closing my eyes and letting my worries sort of wash away. For those who enjoy baths, a warm soak can be beneficial. I have low-flow shower heads, and I try to keep my relaxing showers fairly short. But it never ceases to amaze how much relaxation can be achieved during an eight-minute shower. I try to move slowly and deliberately as I towel off and slip into something comfy, in order to retain those relaxed feelings.
Yoga or Tai Chi: Gentle exercises like Tai Chi and Yoga are often repetitive and methodic. When you move slowly and deliberately, flowing from one pose to another, you can release some of the tension that has built up during the day. Plus, if you familiarize yourself with a Yoga or Tai Chi routine, you will soon be able to accomplish the exercises without much thought, allowing you to enter a state that is similar to meditation (which is also calming). Gentle stretching can also have a similar effect — while helping you increase your flexibility.
Massage: When you enjoy a massage, tension is released from your body, and you can enjoy some health benefits, including lower blood pressure and increased circulation. You can even self-massage. You can do your own shoulders, legs, feet and hands, taking some to reflect and relax as you do so. I like to use an aromatherapy foot lotion each night after my shower and massage my feet.
Scents: I love scents. I often have some sort of soothing scent in my home, or a scent that reminds me so much of “home” that I can’t help but relax a little when I come through the door. There are some scents that can refresh and relax you naturally. Some of those include peppermint and cinnamon (which also aids in concentration while making you less irritable), lemon and other citrus scents, lavender and flower scents. People vary, so what is relaxing to you may require a little bit of research and trial and error.
Deep breathing: This is one of the oldest tricks in the book. Take deeper breaths. However, you want to be deliberate about it. Instead of thinking about whatever it is that has you anxious and upset, move into a more relaxed state by concentrating on your breathing. Take a slow count of three, five or seven for each inhalation and each exhalation. Closing your eyes can increase the effect.
Power nap: You’ve probably heard about how a 15 to 20 minute power nap can help you feel refreshed and relaxed on a stressful afternoon. I don’t often power nap, but when I do, I feel much better and more productive when I wake up. This can help relieve accumulated tension, as well as help you refocus. Many sleep experts warn, however, that you should not take a nap that lasts longer than 20 minutes. Otherwise, you just end up groggy. I find that 15 minutes is about right for me. You might only need 10 minutes, or the full 20. You can use slow breathing to help you drift off.
Music: Your mood and your ability to unwind can be affected by music. You can use guided meditations set to music to help, or you can choose some calming music that you enjoy. I like Baroque music to help me relax. I also find that guitar and piano music helps, as does folk music. Everyone is different, and you should choose something you enjoy, and that helps you lower your heart rate and clear your head. As with many other relaxation techniques, closing your eyes and breathing deeply can enhance the effect of music.
Reading: For some people, reading is a chore. For me, it is an essential relaxation technique. I like to read after I have taken my shower and massaged my feet. However, when I am having a particularly hard time, I don’t read anything new, or particularly deep or complex. I instead turn to some of my favorite novels. Choosing something familiar can help you unwind and settle in for a relaxing evening if you are having an especially difficult time trying to unwind.

As you can see, it is possible to take half an hour to an hour each day to create a routine that combines a number of relaxation techniques in order to truly have a fulfilling experience.

Do you have a favorite relaxation technique or routine? Share it in the comments!

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Relax! 8 Things You Can Do To Unwind

Planning a Vacation With to-do Lists

Miranda — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 04:14:26 +0000

Source: sxc.hu Photo: woodsy

I just got back from a five-day trip. A vacation be relaxing, but at the same time, you need to do a little more prep work ahead of time to ensure that things run as smoothly as possible while you are gone. This is especially important if you are taking an extended vacation of a week or more.

Taking care of your home while you are on vacation

One of the best things you can do is to make a “to-do” list of what needs to be done before you leave town. Think about what is likely to happen while you are gone, and what should be taken care of in your absence. Your to-do list should include some of the following items:

Put your mail on hold at the post office, or have a trusted friend or relative bring it in the house for you. It is risky to leave your mailbox stuffed full.
Put your newspapers on hold. You can either get credit for the days the newspapers aren’t delivered, or you can usually donate them to local schools. Newspapers piled up in front of your home are a tip-off to would-be thieves that you are gone.
Halt other deliveries. We have milk delivery from a local dairy. If you have grocery delivery or some other type of delivery, have it stopped while you are gone.
Have your plants watered. If you don’t have an automatic timer for your garden, consider paying one of the neighborhood children to take care of it. Have a trusted friend or relative care for plants. (He or she can bring the mail in while being about it.)
Take care of your pets. If you aren’t taking your pets with you, you will need them cared for. Outside pets usually just need someone to check on them and feed and water them, and maybe take them for a walk. Indoor pets need more care. There are automatic fish feeders that can release food for tank-dwelling animals. You might also consider boarding your pets if other options are not feasible.
Unplug your appliances. TVs, computers and even cordless phones (provided you have an answering service instead of a machine) can be unplugged while you are gone in order to save money on electricity. Turn off the air conditioner as well.
Set up automatic bill pay. If you have bills that will be due while you are gone, either pay them early, or set up automatic bill pay so that they will be taken care of while you are gone. Many hotels offer online Internet, and if you bring your laptop, you can keep tabs on your finances online.
Notify others of where you will be. Let those who need to know where you are going, and how long you expect to be gone. Let those you work for know that you will be leaving, and make sure family knows when you are expected back. That way, if something happens and you are not back, they have something helpful to tell the police.

Take it with you while you are on vacation

It is also useful to make a to-do list of things that you need to take with you while on vacation. Make sure that you think about what you will need. Make your list well ahead of time, so that you are less likely to forget something. Then, as you pack, check items off the list. What you need will vary according to your mode of travel and your personal preferences, but here are some general suggestions for what to include in your luggage:

Good atlas/map. You need to know where you are going. And, even if you have GPS, it is a good idea to bring a back-up atlas or map. You never know when you might have a technological malfunction.
Chargers. Take stock of the gadgets you will be bringing — from DVD players for the kids to your cell phone — and make sure that you have the proper chargers for all of your electronics.
Memory cards for your camera. Buy an extra memory card or two for your camera so that you have plenty of room for pictures.
Batteries. Some electronics still require batteries (my camera, for one). Check to see what kind of batteries your electronics take, and pack some extra.
Entertainment for the kids. We have a small backpack that our son fills with books and toys when we go on a trip. This keeps him occupied whether we are in the car or on a plane (or sitting in the airport).
Prescriptions. Check your prescriptions, and make sure you have what you need. You may need to get special permission from your doctor to refill a little early in some cases. This can usually be arranged, but you should plan for it ahead of time.
Hand sanitizer. Whether in bottle or wipe form, it is always a good idea to have hand sanitizer along.

If you are going to be gone for a long period of time, you can also plan to do laundry along the way. Many hotels and vacation rentals have laundry facilities that can help you cut down on the amount of clothes that you have to pack. Just make sure to bring enough quarters. Also, realize that if you forget something, it’s not the end of the world. You can usually find a store somewhere that has what you need.

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Planning a Vacation With to-do Lists

How to Find a Babysitter That is Right for Your Kids

Miranda — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:59:20 +0000

Source: sxc.hu Photo: apfelholz

It is probable that the time may come when you want a babysitter to look after your kids while you spend some quality time with your significant other. Or you may just need a break so that you can go relax on your own. A good first choice may be a relative; grandma or grandpa — or even aunts or uncles — may be willing to help out. However, a relative may not be an option. In that case, you will have to look outside your family, and choosing a babysitter for your kids can be a daunting task. You want someone you can trust, and that means that it is a good idea to take some time to find a competent babysitter that gets along with your kids, and has some experience with children — as well as knowledge of how to handle simple emergencies.

Looking for a babysitter

One of the best ways to get an idea of who would make a good babysitter is to ask friends and family. Get recommendations from people you know. You can also check at your church, community center and local schools. Many community education programs now offer babysitting courses and certifications. These courses often teach babysitters First Aid and CPR, how to handle emergencies and basic care of children. Choosing a babysitter that has been through such courses can help provide you with peace of mind.

Check references from babysitters, and find out how many kids the sitter can handle at one time (and compare that to how many children you have). Also get rates. Babysitting rates vary according to area, the training and certifications the sitter has, as well as how many children you have, the kinds of things you expect of the babysitter and the time of day s/he will be caring for your children. Compare different rates from different sitters. You should also consider recommendations and training; sometimes it is worth it to pay a little more to know that your child is in good hands.

Choosing a babysitter

Interview prospective babysitters. Invite the sitter over to meet your children and interact with them for 20 to 30 minutes. Observe how the sitter plays with your children, and ask questions about what the sitter would do in an emergency situation. If you are looking for a sitter than will be able to drive your children to occasional activities, or pick them up, load everyone up and take a short drive to assess your sitter’s abilities. It is vital that you and your sitter get along, and that the babysitter gets along with your children. You also want to make sure that your sitter is open to your parenting techniques, and can handle your children.

After you have chosen a sitter

When you decide on a sitter, you will need to work out the terms of his or her employment. This is especially important if you expect to have your sitter come regularly. Discuss rates and times that you expect the sitter. Agree upon a regular schedule (if needed). If you do not plan to have regular need of a sitter, it is a good idea to have two or three sitters in mind so that if your preferred sitter is unavailable, you have a fall back plan. You can even ask your sitter for recommendations in such cases. It is a good idea to call a sitter at least two days ahead of time so that s/he has ample warning that services are needed. (And you can call someone else if your first choice is unavailable.)

The first time a sitter comes to care for your children, plan for him or her to arrive early. This will allow you time to go over the house rules with the sitter, and to let your caregiver know how to contact you should the need arise. Having the sitter come early can also be beneficial in that it allows him or her to start playing with your children, occupying them before you leave. This can help you avoid painful departure scenes. It is not a bad idea to call partway through the evening the first time that your sitter watches your children. When you return home, get a debriefing from the sitter about how things went. Make sure that, if there were problems, you talk to your children later about proper behavior while with the sitter.

Here are some basic considerations when choosing a babysitter for your kids:

Does the sitter show reasonable maturity and a sense of responsibility?
Does the sitter demonstrate good judgment and common sense?
Does the sitter have a friendly personality? Does s/he get along with you and your kids?
Is the sitter organized and neat?
Does the sitter have some sort of certification or training in CPR/First Aid or some sort of babysitting course?
Do you trust the sitter with your children?

In the end, you have to take a babysitter on faith to a certain extent. But as s/he proves competent, you will begin to feel safer about leaving your children with him or her.

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How to Find a Babysitter That is Right for Your Kids