Tag: livewell

Posted on

How to start a simple sleep routine for adults.

When I think of a sleep routine, I think of babies. Little humans thrive on sleep routines. At what point did we assume adults don’t need a sleep routine too? The science is there, adults definitely need a sleep routine to ensure they get the best sleep possible. 

If you are anything like me, figuring out a new healthy routine can feel overwhelming. The thing about a sleep routine is it doesn’t need to be fancy. You don’t need lots of new products or gimmicky gadgets. Here are a few easy sleep routine steps that anyone can do right away.

  • Take a warm shower an hour before bedtime. You don’t have to wash your hair, just get a shower cap and soak in all that warm water. “Your circadian rhythm, which is your sleep-wake cycle, is guided by your body temperature and light,” says sleep specialist Whitney Roban, PhD. “You want your body temperature to decrease in order for melatonin to increase. When you get out of a hot shower, your body temperature is going to drop, and the production of your melatonin is going to increase. And that will help you feel sleepy.” 
  • Keep the lights dim! Avoiding bright light before bedtime will help you maintain a healthy sleep cycle.
  • Keep your bedroom a sleep only zone, well except for that other thing you can do in the bedroom. You want your bedroom to be a sleeping only zone. Don’t work, eat, or watch shows/movies in bed. When you create this sleeping only boundary, your brain will notice and know when it is time to sleep. 
  • Leave the phone/computer out of the bed! Your eyes need a break away from that nasty blue light. The Blue light loves to interrupt your natural sleep cycle. Read a book instead or do some 4-7-8 breathing exercises to help wind down.

When you start your new sleep routine, just remember to create a space that is calming and consistent. Let me know what is in your sleep routine in the comment section!

If you are concerned about the lack of sleep you are getting, talk to a doctor. It can be dangerous to not get the sleep your mind and body need.

SWEET DREAMS!

Dana Fry

The Bedding Expert

Posted on

Sleeping with a stuffy nose

It is officially the worst season of all! No, not Holiday season! Even though Holiday’s can be a pain in the butt. I am talking about cold and flu season! Those dreaded invisible germs that sneak into your body and wreak havoc. The reason I am even bringing this up is because I just had the worst stuffy nose and I couldn’t sleep! Nothing is worse than being so tired yet you feel like you can’t breathe. So, being the millennial that I am I jumped on my phone and asked good old Google what helps you sleep with a stuffy nose. My mom was already asleep so I couldn’t ask her. DUH!

I did find some good tips if you are trying to sleep with a stuffy nose and I thought I would share a few with you.

1 . Skip the night cap! I know what you are thinking! A nice drink before bed might help me fall asleep and not feel the suffering of my stuffy nose! Well that alcohol can actually make your stuffy nose worse and even aggravate sinus pain. So, skip the wine and have a nice decaf hot tea. Perhaps a valerian tea or decaf green tea.

2. Keep those little nasal passages nice and moist. I know we all hate that word but get over it for a second and listen! When you keep your nose hydrated it makes blowing and breathing easier. Try using a over the counter saline solution to help keep your cute little button nose moist. Dry air is the enemy when trying to fight a stuffy nose. Use a humidifier to keep dry air away. I also like to use my essential oil defuser by my bed and use peppermint oil with lavender. Peppermint essential oil will help clear your nasal passages and the lavender will help you relax and sleep.

3. If you are anything like me and you hate taking medication you may jump to “natural” remedies first but if those don’t work try some gold old fashion medication. If you are sick try taking a decongestant but if you think your stuffiness is from allergies try taking a antihistamine.

4. Keep you head elevated. Prop your upper body up with lots of pillows (need more pillows to do this? Try shopping at Pillows.com. I hear they have a good selection) Keeping your head above your heart will help decrease mucus from pooling in your nose. EW

5. Know when to call the doctor. If you have sever congestion and sinus pain that just wont stop it may be a sinus infections that would require treatment. Sometimes toughing it out and waiting till it passes is a good idea but sometimes it is time to call the doctor and get checked out. Don’t let a sinus infection go on too long without treatment nasty thing cans happen. Don’t believe me? Google it.

Ok, last pro tip! If one nostril is stuffed but the other is clear just jam some tissue in the stuffy side and pass out! Have you ever done this or am I the only one?

Sweet dreams Pillows fans and stay healthy!

Posted on

Lets talk Bed Bugs

No one wants nasty guests in their bed. Bed bugs are great hitchhikers. They hide on anything possible to travel from hotel to hotel to even your own home. There is nothing worse than having a vacation or trip ruined by these pesky little things. Follow these recommendations to prevent these un-welcomed guests crawling into bed with you.

 

Necessary tools:

Flash light and credit card or hotel key card. The flashlight will help you spot any signs of the bug. You can use the flashlight mode on your cell phone to help with this. Bed bugs like to come out in the dark, so shining the light on them will make it easier to spot. The card will be able to fit practically everywhere a bed bug can fit. Sliding the card along cracks and crevices will push the bugs out. Ew gross, I know!

 

What to look for:

Bed bugs are four to five millimeters in size. They are close to the size of a pearl. They have an oval- shaped body that allows them to hide in very small places. Their bodies are typically brown or red. As they come out at night, they can still be spotted during the day if you do some digging. They leave traces of their presence around. This could be stains of blood, white eggs which are about the size of a grain of sand, or dark almost black stains which happens when the bug excretes after a meal. These guys are good at hide and go seek so, really put effort into looking for their hideout.

Step one: Keep everything away from the bed

When you first get into your hotel room, the first thing you want to do is throw your luggage down and jump into bed. Bad idea! If there are bed bugs present in the room, throwing your bags on the floor or near the bed is an open invitation for bed bugs to hitch a ride back to your house! To prevent this, put your luggage on the rack far away from the bed or put your luggage in the bathroom. This is one area of the room that is cleaned thoroughly. If you want to take one more additional step, you can can carry along a large plastic bag to help keep your luggage sealed. This might seem over the top however, this can really help prevent bringing these little creatures home with you. 

Photo Credit: Bedbugs.org

 

Step 2: Check the room

Bed bugs tend to live near their food, which is us. GAG! In a hotel, guests typically lay in bed even when they are not sleeping in a hotel room. Search within a 7 foot radius around the bed. They don’t just hide on the beds. The mattress and frame is the typical area for the bed bug to be but that does not limit them to just that area. Other furniture and carpet could also be places for them to hide. Bed bugs can fit into tight crevices which is why the frame and other furniture are great options for them. The flash light and card will come in handy while looking at all the crevices and corners throughout the room.  On the mattress, you’ll need to check all corners and crevices and seams. They could be tucked in on any part of the mattress. Stripping the bed will help looking for these bugs. Checking the sheets is also a good idea. This is where you will be able to see any stains that the bug has left behind. Check the seams of the carpet around the bed, behind the sidetable and if there is a fabric chair or couch close by be sure to give that a good looking over as well.

Photo Credit: Bedbugs.org

 

Step 3: Any Presence of bugs

If you suspect any bed bugs after these steps, run! Go to the hotel front desk and request a different room in a different part of the hotel. Don’t feel bad about asking for a new room. It is not worth the risk of getting bitten by these gross creatures and bringing them home with you to share with family.

Photo credit: Future of Business and Tech

 

Do you have a bed bug story? Please share with us in the comments section. We would love to learn from people who have experienced these first hand.