Should You Say "Goodbye" To Your Alarm Clock? New Thinking On Sleep

Don’t smoke, don’t be obese and get exercise: these are the healthy living mantras we live by. But what about sleep? All too often, sleep is a lost cousin of healthy living; something that for all too many of us falls by the wayside, thanks to our stressful, hyperactive lifestyles.

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Not getting enough sleep, however, ultimately leaves us feeling exhausted, no matter how much coffee we drink during the day. Here’s some of the latest thinking on sleep.

What’s The Magic Number?

You’ve heard it time and time again that you need about 8 hours of sleep to be at your best. But is that always true? Actually, the amount of sleep that you need varies dramatically based on your age. Newborns need a whopping 14 to 17 hours of sleep every day. Teenagers need between 8 and 10 hours to perform optimally.

The crucial number when it comes to sleep is actually 7. Adults who get less than 7 hours of sleep a night live longer and are healthier than those who get less, according to http://www.nytimes.com/. The National Sleep Foundation has more information on how many hours sleep you should be getting at your particular age.

Keep A Sleep Diary

Most people think that they know how long they spend asleep, just as most people believe that they know how many calories they are eating. The problem with guesswork like this, however, is that more often than not, it’s wrong. Most people massively underestimate how much they eat and overestimate how much they sleep.

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A sleep diary helps you to see just how much you sleep compared to how much you think you sleep. Thanks to modern technology, you no longer have to do this by hand. There are sleep trackers that will accurately track your sleep at night, giving you an objective measure of how much shut-eye you’re actually getting.

A sleep diary is also an excellent opportunity to reflect on how comfortable you felt and whether your mattress is up to scratch. As bestmattress-brand.org points out, the type of mattress you choose can affect the quality of your sleep, and the quality of your sleep can have significant knock-on effects for your health in the long term.

Say Goodbye To Your Alarm Clock

What did humans do before they had alarm clocks? Well, most people got out of bed when it got light. In fact, this is what our bodies have been designed to do through eons of evolution. Modern life, however, runs counter to this. Our alarms clocks don’t care about our circadian rhythm; instead, they are there to help us lead more regimented lives and not be late for work.

But there’s a problem with alarm clocks: they don’t respect our natural sleep patterns. As we sleep, our bodies go through cycles, from deeper sleep to lighter sleep and then back to deeper sleep. If your alarm wakes you up while you’re in a deep sleep part of the cycle, you’ll wake up feeling groggy, no matter how much sleep you’ve actually had. If you’ve got the flexibility in your work, say goodbye to your alarm clock for a week or two and see if it has any effect.

Three New Habits You Need To Make Now That Can Transform Your Life

Creating a new habit is easier said than done. Most of our habits are developed slowly over a long period of time, which is why we often don't realise we are doing them. Switching the kettle on when we get in from work can be a habit if done for long enough, or maybe you have a less savoury habit, such as biting your nails. Whatever it is you do, this aspect of your daily life has probably become part of your everyday routine now. Experts claim that it takes around 21 days of repeated behaviour to signal to the brain that a new habit is formed. Many of us try to make major changes to our lives without a structured routine but in many cases this only leads to failure as we slip out of the habit as soon as something comes up and distracts us from said routine. If your personal care is something you have been meaning to focus on more, here are some ways you can create positive new habits that easily fit around your family life.

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Skincare

Our skin is something that most of us swear we are going to start looking after at some point. But, although we may start a skincare routine with the best intentions, it's one of those things that we usually end up giving up not long after we've started it. This is often because we are simply too ambitious with what we try to achieve. After all, how many of us honestly have the time to use a face mask, an exfoliator, a cleanser, a toner and a serum every single morning? When the kids are running amok, it simply isn't going to happen. Instead, keep it simple and set a reminder every morning and evening to commit to your routine. As an extra incentive treat yourself to some cut price goodies with something like a Superdrug discount code for 2017. A simple cleansing face wash and an exfoliator (the latter to use just a couple of times a week) should be perfect. You can even save time by using a tinted moisturiser as your foundation too.  

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Exercise

You probably only need to look at the word exercise to internally groan and want to roll your eyes. Practically all of us can say that we should probably exercise more, but how many of us actually get round to doing it? Not many. By creating a habit of exercise, you are more likely to commit to the cause and see real results too. The best way to do this is to focus on the mornings. Early morning exercise may not sound like your cup of tea, but, you are far less likely to be interrupted before the rest of the world has started stirring. Arrange a workout session with a friend for a number of weeks, as this will hold you accountable. Or, put your gym wear in your kitchen near the kettle so it's one of the first things you see when you get up.  Once you get used to going, you will find it easier to carry on in the long-term.

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Cooking

When it comes to feeding the family, it can sometimes feel like you are feeding the 5000. The most important thing to do when it comes to creating the habit of cooking is to first break any unhealthy habits you have developed. Order takeout a little too often? Throw out all your leaflets and menus and delete those apps from your phone. Once temptation is removed from your path, it will be a lot easier to create a positive habit in the place of your negative one. A bit like with skincare, don't be too ambitious. The meals you cook don't need to be complex or fancy, just tasty and wholesome. Make a point of buying all your ingredients for the week on a Sunday so that you never have the excuse of not having anything in. By taking some of these simple steps you can develop new positive habits that benefit you in all areas of your life.

Fine / Not Fine - How Do Your Cleaning Habits Stack Up?

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How much does mess bother you? It's a question worth asking, because there are so many pages of magazines and hours of TV shows dedicated to having a pristine home. No one really enjoys the process of getting it that way. Well, unless you're one of those people whose home is always sparkling and who loves the smell of bleach. But then, you don't need anyone's help.

Keeping your home looking fabulous is never easy. It's all the more difficult when you have kids. If there is only one of you and two or three of them, they can create mess faster than you can clean it.

An increasing number of people are coming round to the idea that a little mess is okay. They may have a point - but there's a difference between a little mess and a filthy home. So what are the acceptable boundaries of living in a non-pristine home?

Fine: Not Making The Bed Every Day

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Some domestic goddesses and gods could lead you through their house showing you a total absence of mess and clutter. You'd be forgiven for thinking that no-one lives there. A detective could look at the beds and conclude they haven't been slept in. But at the end of the day, what happens with those beds?

Exhausted people slide into them and fall asleep right away. They don't need to be like a show home. Change the bedding every couple of days, fine. But don't stress over keeping them too neat.

Not Fine: Disposing Of Anything Just Wherever

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There is a difference between tidiness and hygiene, and it's an important one. A few books or pens lying around won't hurt anyone (as long as they aren't on the floor), but letting waste accumulate cannot be allowed. Also, there are places to dispose of things. Gravy and sauces don't go down the sink, for example.

Your kids need to know that not just anything can be flushed, too. Wet wipes go in the garbage, not the toilet. But in case something like that happens anyway, one of these toilet plungers is a wise investment.

Fine: If It's Yellow, Let It Mellow

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Okay, there is no escaping that this icks some people out, but stay with it, science is onside here. The more you flush the toilet, the more water you use and the worse it is for the environment. It's widely accepted that, as long as it's the correct number, you don't need to flush with every use. At the same time, if it's brown, flush it down.

Not Fine: Letting Spills Soak In

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It's no big deal if you leave a coffee pot on the counter, or a cereal box on the kitchen table for a little while. But this principle can't be extended to spills. Time is of the essence with liquids and sitting dirt. If they are left, they become home to bacteria and other nasties. So if there is a spill, get it right away. This is, again, the difference between tidiness and hygiene.

An acceptable level of mess is no big deal in a family home. If you're having visitors who may not share those principles, then you'll need to devote some time to cleaning and tidying. Other than that, as long as you don't take it too far, don't sweat the small stuff.

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Accident, Injury Or Sickness? When To Seek Help And Who To Ask

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Sometimes in life, we pride ourselves on being careful. We like to be able to take it easy, go slow and take our time in getting things done. But, at others, we rush. And when we rush, we’re more susceptible to accidents. It’s the same with injuries, although they can happen at no fault of our own. And, regardless of how hard you try to take care of yourself, you can still get sick too. When either happens, it can be frustrating and distressing. Whether you’ve had an accident, been injured or have gotten ill, it’s time to take action, take back your health and get some help.

Sickness Won’t Shift

When you’ve got a sickness that just won’t shift, you can often feel lost. Whether you’re doing something wrong, or you've had a misdiagnosis (either from yourself or your doctor), it’s difficult to have faith in finding health ever again. If being healthy all year round just isn’t happening, and you can’t get rid of your cold, flu or sickness bug, you need to call in your doctor, or ask to be referred to a specialist if your persistent problem just won’t give up.

You Were In An Accident

Accidents happen, we all know that. It’s a fact of life. No matter how careful we are with walking, driving or carrying out our duties, sometimes things slip through the crack. When that happens, we can be seriously hurt, or hurt others - even if the result of the accident wasn’t intentional. If this happens to you, or you were at fault, you’re going to want to speak to your doctor, specialist or even your lawyer right away.

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You’ve Been Injured

In life, mysterious things happen. Not all of them are explainable, but at times, it’s not always worth wondering why. It certainly applies to the case of injuries. Sometimes they just occur. You can hurt yourself playing a sport, or while driving your car, or you can even be the victim of medical malpractice. If that’s the case, you’re going to want to find a lawyer, using a site like www.injurylawyer.com, to understand your rights. This step could be the difference between paying urgent medical fees and having to go without any medical attention at all.

You’ve Found A Symptom

Although deep down we know it’s not always wise to check symptoms online, we all do it. When you feel as if you’re not well, regardless of how superficial it is, it’s always worth getting checked out. Whether you’ve got a persistent headache, a lump, or a rash, it’s time to head to the doctor and get an accurate diagnosis.

An Illness Came Back

When you are ill and find yourself better again, it can feel like the illness never occurred. Unless it comes back. Then, it feels very real. Whether it’s a stomach flu or a lump, you’re going to want to re-see a specialist right away. Whenever an illness comes back, it can be crucial to get assistance right away, so don’t wait.

The Elms is a Great Getaway Spot with Kids! Excelsior Springs Rocks!

*Warning: there are a zillion pics in here. I need to do a separate post for the place we ate dinner and Hall of Waters. I also need to make pics bigger and caption them. Oh, and I am currently going through my pictures in my basement and vow to find the pic of me on my back in the pool at The Elms full-on PREGNANT with our child who we found a name for at The Elms! So come back!

SPOILER ALERT: We did not see any ghosts. I didn't even feel any weird activity or anything like that, but I am also not super open to that sort of thing. I kind of put on my "ghost cloak" when I go places like that because I honestly don't WANT to see or feel anything like that. I want to live in my happy little life where I am now and if that means my head is in the sand, so be it. I'm comfortable there.