Sleep wreckers, the surprising six

You wake up. Stretch, attempt to roll over and start your day. But for some reason you’re more tired than you were last night.

Though some sleep wreckers are obvious – disruptive neighbors, late-night caffeine, wailing newborns – other causes of sleep loss aren’t so evident. Check out these surprising six.

 

Cell phones.

Whether texting or surfing the web – staring at a bright screen before bed kicks up brain activity and makes it harder to doze off. Plus artificial blue light from electronic gadgets can suppress sleep hormone melatonin. Women's Health Mag

Alcohol.

But doesn’t drinking make you drowsy? 

Contrary to frat party etiquette – the body’s response to alcohol is more complicated than snoozing on the floor after one too many. 

Though one or two glasses of wine can act like a sedative, drinking in excess or too close to bedtime lessens time in REM sleep and leads to waking up throughout the night.

Ingestion.

Late night munchies and twilight dinners aren’t so great for great sleep. 

Come nighttime, the body’s metabolism slows down and your intestines become sluggish when digesting food. To avoid heartburn and stomach aches stay away from spicy, fatty and heavy eats at least four hours before lights out.

Medication.

Medicine cabinets are often the key to troubled sleep mysteries. 

Not only do drugs come with known side-effects – they also have veiled energy-zapping effects.
 

Common pills like steroids for asthma or beta-blockers for high blood pressure can keep you up till dawn. WebMD

 If you’ve started a new med but feel more lethargic than usual, check with your doctor and explore alternatives. 

Pets.

Though pets get spoiled with snuggles in bed – studies suggest animals make sleeping harder to do. WebMD

Dogs and cats just don’t have the same sleeping patterns as we do. While you’re in deep slumber at 4 a.m. – your kitty might deem that prime time for scratching and pouncing on the bed. 

If you’re waking up drained all the time, try having your cat sleep elsewhere in the room. 

Pain.

From headaches to back-aches and menstrual cramps – any form of pain can wreck your rest.

Nighttime discomfort signals sent throughout your body can fragment sleep and cut short needed restorative hours. 

Even if it’s just mild chronic pain, it’s worth letting your physician know.

Autumn: Five healthy edibles you can't help but fall for

The  switch to cold/flu season is never easy. Especially when you’ve spent the last four months basking under the green tree canopy of summer.

Though fall foretells dropping temperatures and back-to-school crunch time, tasty autumn foods can make the change warm and enjoyable.

Figs: Small yet luscious, these fruits are sweet in flavour and low in calorie. Plus they’re loaded with essential nutrients like: vitamin K and bone-building calcium. Figs make delectable jams or baked snacks, and help clear cholesterol, pimples and acne.

Figs and toasted almond brie recipe

Bell peppers: Bite in on the crunch and color of bell peppers by dicing them in stir fry or baking them in pizza. Abundant in antioxidants, vitamins A and B6, these veggies lower pre-menstrual symptoms like anxiety and prevent many types of cancers.

Bell pepper stir fry recipe

Beets: Raw, steamed, baked or pickled, these versatile veggies taste scrumptious in soup and salad. They also go beautifully with beef, pork, steak and even duck. Sweet and earthy, beets are loaded with vitamin B and betacyanin (heart-protective nutrient) benefits. 

Roasted beets with feta recipe

Pears: Juicy and buttery in texture, the pear makes an easy choice to chunk and eat with salad or hot cereal. Plentiful in copper and potassium, indulging in them often lowers cholesterol and harmonizes intestines. 

Brandied pears recipe

Pumpkins: The pumpkin’s healthy orange hue is a clue to hidden treasures from within. From fibre to beta-carotene, these fresh fruits improve vision and boost your immune system. Come Halloween why not try a pumpkin pie parfait?

What you’ll need: 
1/4 cup plain pumpkin puree (fresh or canned)
1/2 large frozen banana
1 to 1 1/2 cups almond milk
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Optional toppings:
Crumbled graham crackers
Peanut butter or sunflower seed butter
Cinnamon

What to do:

Blend all ingredients in a blender, adding the almond milk as you go until reaching the desired consistency.

Pour into glass and top with desired toppings!

Recipe via: Greatlist.com

Resources: 
Canoe Health Canada
How Stuff Works

Back-to-school buzz: Safety tips for kids

From fresh faces and bright backpacks to different classes and new teachers. Fall is a thrilling time for many kids.

But while youngsters focus on fun and learning – remember that safety shouldn’t slip too low on their radar screens.

The trek to school

Open up a map. Do a little digging and check out the most direct way of get to your child’s school. The fewer streets to cross the better. Also advise against cutting across empty fields or parking lots and show them the way beforehand.

“Stop, look and listen.” Teach kids this easy mantra and encourage them to use it when traveling without you. Show them how to use a crosswalk and let them know they shouldn’t be skateboarding or biking across the street.

Pair them up. Brother, sister, friend or neighbor – be sure your kids have someone to walk with.

Be cautious of strangers. If you or your children don’t know someone well – accepting gifts and rides from them isn’t a good idea. Instead protect your kids by telling them not to talk to strangers.

Put a helmet on. Forgo a good hair day and make sure your children wear helmets when riding to school. Biking is a lot of fun, but accidents happen.

Playtime. Jungle gyms and gravel don’t always mix well. Each year approx. 29,000 children are treated for playground injuries. (Canadian Pediatric Society) Check your nearby playground for sand, pea gravel or rubber mats. These are safety precautions that all playgrounds should have.

Avoid drawstrings. Prevent snags and catches on bus doors by removing around-the-neck drawstrings. Drawstrings circling the waistline and bottom of jackets should similarly be no longer than 3-inches long.