Your "SNOOZE" button...

Feeling Tired after you wake up? It could be because trying to sneak in a few more "snooze" minutes might make you more tired. But, if I am sleeping more minutes, how can that be?

I went to a Day-Long seminar on Restless Leg Syndrome, Depression and Sleep Disorders in Peoria. While Mommy enjoyed a day-off..I really did learn alot.

One of the interesting things I learned, is about sleep cycles. The study of sleep is extremely complicated....but there are some basics that made sense. There are 5 re-curring stages of sleep, and we go through all of the stages a few times a night.

Stage I: 5-10min of drowsiness, if awakened, you might have thought you never went to sleep.

Stage II: Light Sleep, easily arousable. Heart Rate and Body Temp start to decrease to prepare for deep sleep. I think this is the stage my husband is in when we are watching a movie together!

Stage III & IV: Sleep is Deep, with IV being deeper. Your eyes are not rapidly moving yet (REM).

{Stage I-IV lasts about 90min-120min long total}
{A POWER NAP (about 20min) will get you through Stage I-II and usually makes you feel rested, if you wake up before the Deep Sleep stages }

Stage V "REM": (Rapid Eye Movement) Rapid breathing, increased heart rate, brain activity etc. This is when begin dreaming! Your dreams seem so real, that you may want to act them out..and so your body is temporarily "paralyzed" so you don't move about. It is believe that REM is when you have body restoration, healing, learning, memory and concentration basics. The time in REM varies, but Babies and Elderly have the greatest time spent in REM sleep. Jealous!

Everyone varies, and every night varies, as far as how long a person is in each stage. But, regardless of how long you spend in each stage, you do still have to complete each one in order, everytime. You may complete all 5 stages, many times in one night. You may remember your dreams, and maybe you never do. (I almost always get to! but my Husband never does... lucky me! I kinda think its because he wakes up to an alarm, and I do not*)

When you are awakened by an alarm every morning, you rush right out of REM sleep and are awake. When you hit "SNOOZE" you are back to the beginnning of Stage I. Those 5-10minutes of snoozing, do not allow you to complete your 5 stages of sleep, and therefore you keep waking up and keep starting all over again. Messing with your sleep stages, is enough to make you wake up and not feel Rested.
If you want to feel more rested, set your alarm for the time you need to get up, and when it goes off, turn it off and actually stay UP. I think you would be surprised at how much better you will feel!

*Please note, it is not because I sleep-in that I do not wake up to an alarm. Its because, I always wake up at the same time everyday, 7:30. I just do. Anyone can train themselves to wake up at the same everyday too! Its pretty cool if it works. Thats another topic!

Happy Sleeping!!

Dear 16 Year Old Me....

http://youtu.be/_4jgUcxMezM

BrainFreeze, Side Cramps, and Toe Cramps!

I have no idea how to cure hiccups, but I think I can help you with BrainFreeze, Toes that get stuck in a cramp, and those side cramps you get when running.

BrainFreeze..this one is easy and works like a charm. As soon as you feel the brain freeze, rub your tongue up on the roof of your mouth until it stops. The heat from your tongue does the trick.

Toes twisted in a cramp (this used to happen alot when I was pregnant) It is tempting to grab your toes in pain, but just put weight on your foot, flattening it back out. Stand up, and it seems to release the tension.

Side Cramps: When you have trouble breathing and your side is in pain while exercising....It seems that there is carbon dioxide (the stuff you exhale) trapped in your lungs. Exhale all of the air out you possibly can, until there is none left to blow out. This should release the trapped CO2, and take in a fresh breath of Oxygen. Breath normally until you feel better.

When your friends come down with any of these, you'll be the genius who knows how to fix it!

Stuffy Nose & Sudafed...Insider's Tip!

Adults:
There is a secret out there, and I wish more of you knew about it.
The secret, is Sudafed.
But, there are imposters and its a little difficult to get the real thing because of all of the "meth" drama.
But, if you have a stuffy or runny nose, and you need some immediate clearing up, follow these steps. We swear by the stuff.

Sudafed is "PseudoEphedrine" and it is the real deal. It is the one ingredient you are looking for. It will dry up your nose like no other, and fast. People will not even know you are sick.
It does comes in Generic Form (fabulous), it is usually red pills, 30mg, and it is cheap. However, you have to know what you are asking for. You will not find Sudafed on the regular shelves, because it is controlled.

Sudafed PE, is not what you are looking for. You will find Sudafed PE on the regular shopper shelves. Avoid this imposter. It is not the same! Also, many cough & cold syrups may try to replicate its effect, but unless it says "PseduEphedrine" in the ingredients...I wouldn't bother.

To get real, plain old Sudafed...
1. Go to a Pharmacy (Walgreens, Wal-Mart etc.)
2. Approach the "Ask" window
3. Tell the tech/pharmacist you would like to buy Sudafed.
They can usually tell by your terrible voice and stuffy nose, "Soo-daa-fet" is how you'll sound.
4. They will get a box or two from behind their counter, and ask to see your Driver's License. Note how many are in the box, cause you will need to take 2 at a time, every 4-6hrs to stay clear. Its worth it to get two boxes if you can, to avoid this hassle next time.
5. You will have to show your ID to them, they will document your name (its okay, really), and you may have to sign something. They have to do this, to be sure the same people are not coming in, buying Sudafed in bulk and using it to make drugs. *If thats what you wanna do, I can't help ya there.
6. Purchase your magic Sudafed (its like $3-$5 per box) and walk away knowing you got the insider's tip, and will be breathing normally again in no time.

To keep your sinus' clear, you will need to take 2 pills every 4-6hrs
(be sure to follow directions on your box, and when 4-6hrs rolls around, your snot will return unless you take the next dose) while you are awake. For some people, it can keep you awake, so maybe avoid it before bed.

READ Labels and Ingredients carefully...and check back soon as I tell you more about Cough and other common Medicines.

Ahem, Ladies....

Its good to know just when you are ovulating. Let me tell ya how to know when that is....

Good for you if you track your period. Not everyone does, so its hard to predict ovulation. However, you do realize that your periods starts, and that is the first clue.

About 7-10 days after your period starts ("starts" as in, the first brown tinge), you can watch for a few subtle signs you are ovulating.

1. Some women feel a little light cramping or twinging on one side, as the egg is relased from the ovary on that side.
2. More obvious, is the change in your cervical mucous. When you notice that the mucous gliding out is clear, slippery, and can do tricks, you are ovulating. The trick you can try, is to stretch the mucous between your thumb and finger, and if it stretches a ways (inches), you will know it is time. I mean, this stuff is springy. It is like that, because it is preparing to carry any sperm to the queen egg.

When you make this discovery, head to the bedroom in the next 12hrs or so!
OR...avoid the bedroom for the next 12hrs at least! (Depending on your family planning :)

But either way, its good to know when that time comes.

Relentless Diaper Rash, or Something Else?

Diaper Rash is common. But sometimes, its actually Not Diaper Rash!

Diaper Rash....
The Diaper is on a little long, the skin gets pretty damp, red and maybe bumpy. Its very tender, and if you haven't noticed already, sometimes baby wipes actually hurt more! The reason is, that some wipes contain alcohol, and it can tend to sting. The other option for clean wiping, is to use a warm wet washcloth, or warm wet papertowel.
Dry the clean skin (I like to waft the new diaper around making a quick breeze...), and apply a diaper rash ointment or cream. Both are usually made with Zinc Oxide, designed to protect the skin from wetness so that it can heal. It doesn't have any pain reliever it in, so if its bothersome enough, you can give them a little dose of Tylenol for comfort.
If the skin is open or bleeding (ouch!!) then it will need to be treated with some type of healing ointment first. I have been known to use a little Neosporin. Diaper rash cream will only irritate the wounded skin, so try the antibiotic ointment first. Maybe add an extra dash of baby powder for added wetness absorption.
But Sometimes....
The rash will not heal no matter how much cream you use. It doesn't seem to get any better, and may even spread. The most obvious sign that it is actually NOT diaper rash, is that when the rash is touched, they don't jump in pain. If they don't even seem to be uncomfortable there, then it is probably a fungal infection. It is also common, and mis-diagnosed frequently. The solution is simple, once you realize that pesky rash is not diaper rash. The Athlete's Foot creams, will do the trick. They come in small tubes, and can be a little costly. You may need to buy two, so you have enough on hand. Just be sure to apply it externally only, with every diaper change, and within a day or so the rash should clear up. Without the anti-fungal cream, it will not get better.
With any diaper rash or anti-fungal creams & ointments....
Generic brands are just as good as the name brands. Just compare the active ingredients. Many generic or store-brand products are made by the name-brand companies anyways!!

Barf & Poo Bug!!!

Gross. Someone in your family brought home the Barf & Poo BUG.
Its going around like crazy around here! Adults and Children are getting it, and I know a lot of friends and family who have had it around Christmas. My son and I got it in early December.

So....Lets here it.

You've got a bug. You can't hardly move without feeling like you might barf. Unfortunately, you are gonna feel like that for at least 24hrs. You might have watery, frequent, poo (I call it poop soup) and/or you may be blessed with Barfing too. Theres not much you can do at this point. Eating is not really an option, and drinking may be limited to just sips (Sips!) of water or electrolyte filled drinks such as Gatorade or Pedia-Lytes. Gatorade has sugar though, and your stomach may not like that.
Stay near the bathroom, you're going to be a regular customer. Fold a towel in front of the john for your knees, and tell your family to use a different bathroom for awhile. Do not try to take any anti-diarrheal meds, as this will pro-long your Bug. The bug is eliminated through your avenue of...elimination. Let your stomach rid you of it, and let it fly. Also, Tylenol and especially Ibuprofen would be very irritating to the stomach, so avoid these if possible.
Important: Wash your Hands really good after you use the bathroom. Like really wash them, and maybe keep hand sanitizer near your sink too. You are very contagious, and your Bug would love to jump on your family members. Not a good Christmas gift, people!

As you start to feel like it, reintroduce foods and drinks. Water and low-salt crackers are a good place to start. For some reason, I think McDonalds sounds then good for once in my life. The coke must do it for me. But, to prevent dehydration..water is great, too. Try a little food and see!

So, once your poop soup and barf have decided to flee...there is some serious clean up involved. It took me about a week to gain an appetite back. I didn't miss those 4lbs I lost though! You may not feel up to this, but someone needs to do it.

Good Ideas: Disinfect surfaces....
Spray aerosol disinfectant on your couch (where ever you hung-out).
Disinfect the toilet and the sink (handles too) and the light switch.
Hot wash the hand towels.
Hot wash your sheets, especially pillow cases.
Hot wash your uniform (the sick clothes you wore for 2 days straight).
Disinfect the kitchen; sink, handles, fridge, counter tops.
Vacuum the floors.
If possible, open some windows to let in fresh air.

The moral of the story is...
There's nothing you can do to stop the poo, but you can prevent your loved ones from getting it too. :)