It’s hard enough managing the to-do’s in our own lives. Add to that the responsibility of in home care – managing every aspect of someone else’s life too – and it can be overwhelming. Yet that is exactly what millions of people do each year providing senior services for their aging parents, and it is taking its toll. According to a study by the National Alliance for Caregiving and AARP, more than 50 percent of those providing assisted living services for their parents experience increased levels of stress and strain, often to the point of being detrimental to their health.

In other words, it does your aging parent little good if you run yourself down to the point of exhaustion while providing for their personal care, companionship or homemaking needs. It is critical that while looking after the mental, emotional and physical health of your loved one that you take precautionary steps to preserve your own.

Follow these 5 steps to ease the stress of caregiving in your life:

1. Maintain a healthy diet. You know how important eating well is to your aging parent. Well, it is equally important to you, so do yourself and your loved one a favor – make it a habit of eating at least three balanced meals a day.
2. Exercise. You need all the strength you can get when caring for an aging parent, especially if they need assistance moving around, so staying physically fit is critical. Equally important, physical activity is a great stress reliever – the perfect way to re-energize yourself so you can be at your best, for your loved one and for yourself.
3. Get plenty of sleep. As exhausted as your body may be from running around all day caring for yourself and caring for your loved one, that often doesn’t stop your mind from working overtime, especially at night. Worry is inevitable, but find a routine that helps ensure you get plenty of rest, whether that means a hot cup of chamomile tea before bed or taking naps throughout the day whenever you have an opportunity.
4. Go in for regular medical checkups. When you’re caring for someone else, it can be easy to dismiss signs of your own ill health. Or there may be things going on that you’re not even aware of. Just to be safe, it’s important that you see a doctor on a regular basis, as stress is one of the number one causes of physical illness.
5. Consider professional in home care. Whether you’re helping your aging parent just a few days a week or 24/7, you and your loved one can benefit from in home care with a professional caregiver. For instance, Synergy HomeCare is widely known as the most trusted name in home care, providing senior services throughout Arizona, including:
   
   • Personal care services
   • Homemaking services
   • Companionship services

In home care can be especially beneficial to those whose aging parents are living with Alzheimer’s or dementia, as helping a loved one with these conditions can be particularly challenging. You not only need help for them, but respite care for you so you can get away for a while to avoid burn-out.

Patrick Tourian
http://www.articlesbase.com/customer-service-articles/5-ways-to-ease-the-stress-of-caring-for-an-aging-parent-730394.html

It’s 4am and you’re wide awake.You could be the one in three who have trouble sleeping. So what are the culprits and remedies for insomnia and how much sleep do you really need to beat the bedtime blues?

The truth: Everyone should sleep from seven to nine hours per night regardless of age, according to Edward L. Schneider, MD, dean of the Leonard Davis School of Gerontology at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Sleeping less than seven hours weakens immunity and increases the risk for depression, falls and accidents.

N.A.S.A. research shows the effects on driving after being awake for 20 hours is comparable to a blood alcohol level of 0.05.

Lack of sleep can also lead to raised blood pressure, headaches, increased appetite and weight gain due to increased production of cortisol. This hormone has the opposite effect to what you desire,particularly if you are overweight,because it stores fat and burns muscle.

A University of Pennsylvania study showed that getting two fewer hours sleep a night for one week lead to reduced performance in vigilance tests and an increase in inflammatory markers in the blood stream.

SO WHAT CAN YOU DO TO GET MORE SLEEP?

FIRST,YOUR BEDROOM.
Make sure you have a comfortable bed and pillow. Your bedroom should be dark and quiet. It should also be well ventilated.

It should be peaceful.Jasmine, sandalwood or lavender scents can help.

A warm bath or shower before bed or playing tranquil music can also help. The aim is to slow your mind down. Watching TV in bed may not help, if you wish to relax your mind.

AVOID.
Caffeine in the evening. Sleeping tablets can be addictive if used continuously and should be avoided other than for very short time use. Eating heavy meals or drinking alcohol within two hours prior to bedtime can also disrupt sleep.
Bedtime snacks, particularly grains and sugars will raise your blood sugar and inhibit sleep according to Dr Joseph Mercola, author of The Total Health Program.

EXERCISE.
Regular exercise can reduce stress. A walk before bedtime can not only calm you, but the physical activity can aid digestion.
Your dog would also appreciate it!

HERBS AND OTHER SUPPLEMENTS.

Mild herbal supplements like camomile tea, passion flower or valerian may help some people.

VALERIAN.
The extract from the root of this plant is a natural sedative and tranquiliser. It can induce relaxation and is very good at quieting the busy mind. It is also a rich source of calcium, potassium and magnesium, all calming and balancing minerals for the nervous system. This herb also appears to increase brain levels of serotonin, a relaxing neurotransmitter.

MAGNESIUM.
This mineral is particularly important for your general wellbeing. When combined with calcium, it is an important supplement for healthy bones and protection against osteoporis. It is also important for sleep inducement, muscle relaxation and nervous system calming.

ST JOHNS WORT.
This herb is an effective option in helping to relieve mild anxiety and nervous tension. It can aid in the maintenance or improvement of general wellbeing.

A word of caution: St Johns Wort may react with some medications,including warfarin. It is important that you consult with your doctor before using this or any other supplements.

MELATONIN.
Melatonin is a natural sleep hormone produced at night by the brain.
Studies at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have shown it to be safe, non addictive and virtually free of side effects. It is helpful for those who have light or restless sleep or take some time to fall asleep.

With correct use, it may help you to fall asleep more easily and stay asleep longer. It is an effective cure for jetlag because of its ability to regulate our 24 hour sleep/wake cycle.

Many adults, especially those aged 65 and older have insufficient levels of melatonin to achieve restful sleep, according to Mark A Stengler ND, a naturopathic physician in private practice in La Jolla, California.

APPLE CIDER VINEGAR.
Try 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar mixed with 2 teaspoons of honey in a glass of warm water, before retiring.

FINALLY, NAPPING.
Sleep researchers have widely diverging opinions here. Some state that it can disturb night time sleep, while others say that it can compensate for a night time sleep deficit, especially if below 7 hours. Dr Schneider believes that most people should not nap for more than 20 minutes.

Researchers in the sleep research laboratory at Longborough University, England have found that people are designed for two sleeps a day, the main one at night and a nap in the afternoon.

I have found that an occasional 15 to 20 minute cat nap in the afternoon, particularly if I am feeling tired, can help me sleep better at night.

The bottom line is: What works best for you?

Never start a new treatment before consulting your doctor, especially if you currently are taking medication. The information published in this article is not intended as a substitute for personal medical advice from your physician or other qualified health-care practitioner.

Graeme Lanham
http://www.articlesbase.com/non-fiction-articles/beating-insomnia-seven-secrets-to-a-peaceful-sleep-69975.html

Are you looking for the ways to help avoid panic attacks? If the answer is yes, then you have landed in the right place. Panic attacks are avoidable if the proper planning is carried out. Your first panic attack should be a learning curve that can help you avoid panic attacks in the coming future.

A panic attack is an unexpected onset of extreme anxiety followed by fearful anticipation. This is accompanied by dizziness, a rapid heartbeat, nausea, shortness of breath, a tingling sensation, hyperventilation, and other related factors.

Panic attacks are usually caused by various mental, emotional and physical stresses in everyday life. They seem unavoidable, but thankfully there are things you can do to help avoid them.

Following, are 7 essential ways to help you avoid your panic attacks:

1. Avoid Caffeine and Alcohol – One of the best ways to avoid panic attacks is to keep away or minimize your consumption of caffeine and alcohol. Studies have revealed that these vices increase the occurrence of panic attacks and Anxiety.

2. Regular Yoga and/or Meditation – Practice some yoga poses such as Flamingo poses, Locust poses, Backbends yoga, Inverted yoga, and others on a regular basis to keep your mind and body healthy. Yoga and meditation does not only help you avoid panic attacks, but also increases energy levels and awareness.

3. Relaxation – We all know that stress and anxiety is a major contributor of panic attacks. So staying relaxed would obviously help to avoid them. To overcome such situations simply follow these easy and effective steps:

Take time out to enjoy activities that engage your mind. Whether it be a much loved hobby or even a walk in the park, it all helps!

Perform some breathing and stretching exercises during stress and anxiety to calm your body and mind right down.

Commonly, stress is known to circle at a time of loneliness. So if possible, keeping in touch with your friends and family can help to avoid panic attacks.

4. Laughing/Humor – Humor is one of the most useful ways to avoid panic attacks – Many psychiatrists recommend the sufferer to use laughter and humor to decrease stress and anxiety.

5. Music – It is always good to keep an MP3 player or ipod with you whenever you are on a trip. Listening to upbeat, feel good music keeps you busy and occupied, thus keeping you from stress and anxiety.

6. Ample Sleep – The adrenal system of the body helps in controlling response activities. Insufficient sleep can lead to the adrenal system to stop working properly and hence, cause panic attacks. Therefore, it would be better to take at least 7 hours of sound sleep per night to help avoid panic attacks.

7. Healthy Eating – ‘Eat healthy live healthy’. Making a habit of eating a healthy diet will help to keep away all worries and stresses. A well balanced diet helps you to nurture your mind and body while also making you feel happier.

Follow these 7 essential tips above to avoid panic attacks and help you lead a healthier more balanced lifestyle.

Ethan Grays
http://www.articlesbase.com/stress-management-articles/avoid-panic-attacks-7-essential-ways-to-help-avoid-panic-attacks-714493.html

Everyone is aware of the cycles of the sun and moon. They give structure to our days, months, and seasons. But did you know that the sun and moon can influence your fertility?

When you are in sync with the earth’s natural rhythms and cycles you can boost your fertility. If you work against nature’s rhythms as many of us do, then you may be harming your delicate fertility balance.

Your biological clock is intimately linked to your reproductive system by utilizing the same hormones that trigger ovulation and sperm maturation. Therefore both women and men are affected by respecting or ignoring their natural rhythms.

Importance of Bright Light

Getting adequate sunlight or other full spectrum light during the day is key to optimum fertility for many reasons. Vitamin D is created in our bodies when we are exposed to sunlight and Vitamin D deficiencies have been linked to infertility.

Adequate sunlight also helps regulate circadian rhythms which allow you to sleep better at night. Regular exposure to the sun also helps you maintain a strong immune system which is necessary to maintain a healthy pregnancy. Women who get more sunlight also have consistent and stronger menstrual cycles.

Finally, bright light prevents your body from overproducing melatonin which suppresses fertility. This might explain why it is easier for women to conceive in southern regions and during the summer months.

Importance of Darkness and Full-moon Light

Many researchers believe that prior to the introduction of electricity into our homes, all women menstruated during the new moon and ovulated during the full moon. This has been proven by studying cultures today that do not use electricity. Women in these cultures sleep in close to total darkness except for the days surrounding the full moon.

The small amount of light from the full moon is enough to halt melatonin production long enough for ovulation to occur. Most women can synchronize with the cycles of the moon in about three to four months by altering the light level while they sleep. Coordinating menstruation not only strengthens your cycle in many ways but it also makes it much easier to pinpoint the optimal timing for intercourse.

Darkness also plays an important role in optimal fertility by triggering melatonin, on most dark nights, which leads to a good nights sleep. Just make sure to prevent overproduction with bright light in the morning.

Deep sleep helps restore and rejuvenate the reproductive system. Lack of sleep can increase cortisol levels, lead to an increased use of caffeine and other fertility reducing substances, disrupt your hormone balance, cause depression which in itself can affect fertility or can lead to relationship problems with your partner. In extreme cases sleep deprivation can stop ovulation altogether.

How to synchronize with nature’s cycles

Get at least one hour of bright sunlight a day

Try to get bright light soon after waking

Use full spectrum indoor bulbs during the winter months

Use a light simulation device 15-30 minutes first thing in the morning and once at night(particularly in winter)

Aim for total darkness at night. Use room darkening shades. Avoid the use of any lights whatsoever

On the three days of the full moon, try to bathe yourself in soft light while you sleep. A light from a closet, a 75-100 watt nightlight or even opening your blinds to the street light should do the trick.

Try to go to sleep with sun and get up with the sun. You might be surprised if you do not use lights or TV, how sleepy you get.

Make love during the full moon

Keep sleep and wake times consistent and avoid shift work. If you are tracking your ovulation signs, then you should taking your basal body temperature at the same time every morning anyway.

Efforts to conceive can be challenging and heartbreaking. The fertility enhancing methods mentioned here are easy, free, and painless. They will boost your overall health as well as your fertility so if you are trying to conceive it can only help and not hurt to synchronize your cycles with the earth.

Sheryl Lyon
http://www.articlesbase.com/careers-articles/boost-your-fertility-while-you-sleep-67114.html

People who are overweight, or worse obese, face consequences which have the ability to become a daily nightmare. For some it is their lifestyle choices which has led them to become obese, others perhaps have gathered the extra weight through no fault of their own.

To live this overweight and obese life can be difficult, people have to face every new day with the fear of prejudice from others making it hard to live in the world which demands perfection and looks down upon them. It’s a sad reality that many people have to face, a reality which comes at a great personal cost.

A persons self image and their self esteem depends almost entirely on how other people perceive them, or perhaps how other people perceive them. It is very hard to totally ignore the criticism and not care about the opinions of others. With excess weight, of course, the more you weight the harder it will get. People will stare at you no matter where you go, not to mention the snickering and jokes are a surefire way of helping to lower you self esteem.

Unfortunately this can often led to a self destructive circle leading people to become depressed and complacent with their weight which can lead to more weight gain. Obese people may stop going out doors, therefore they receive less exercise, which leads to weight gain, which lead to less exercise and so forth. This low self esteem has the ability to manifest itself in a way which makes it increasingly difficult for a person to motivate themselves in order to make an improvement in their life.

Relationships can be very difficult for obese people to enjoy when they are overweight. Sex can be become awkward with couples becoming self conscious about their bodies. The extra weight in the bedroom can make performing very difficult and excessive sweating is probably not the sexiest thing either. If they don’t already have a partner it can be difficult for obese people to find a lover. The fact that they do not go out to social events as often as they should coupled with their low self esteem often results in many people giving up.

If you want to deal with your obesity problem you need to motivate yourself. But even then motivation may not be enough, outside support is mandatory. Other people helping you can make the difference between succeeding and failing, these people also often stop you from eating that extra food you should be avoiding.

Food addiction can be a very difficult thing to overcome; when someone who eats a lot first cuts back the body can have withdrawal symptoms from sugars and fats, often leading to depression. The extra support around for this week or two can make a world of difference.

Becoming obese is the easiest part but now you have to lose those pounds and this is the hard part. It will be a struggle at first, but you need to stay strong, the health, social and emotional benefits of the new you will be unbelievable. A life of less food and more exercise sounds scary to a lot of people but it doesn’t have to be, if you make sure you have good support it will be easier to achieve this goal. Just think how good you will feel when you look into the mirror and walk down the street with your new body and new confidence.

More than 1 in 4 people will become overweight in their lifetime, don’t let this be you.

Daniel Millions
http://www.articlesbase.com/fitness-articles/obesity-and-your-life-121257.html