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Fitness Experts Reveal 7 Best Ways To Get Rid Of Belly Fat

January 7, 2021 by Lakeisha Ethans

Do you want to get rid of belly fat? Are you aiming to work off the fat that gathers in your stomach area? Do you seem to accumulate fat in your abdomen naturally? If any of those questions resonated with you, then you’re like many other people who are struggling to work off belly fat that seems to stick to you or build no matter what you try!

Luckily, losing weight and fat is science. Specifically, it’s biology, and lots of research over the years has told us exactly how to go about it in the most effective ways. Here’s how fitness experts reveal the 7 best ways to get rid of belly fat.

1. Eat Healthy Fat

It sounds counterintuitive to eat fat to lose fat, but it works – as long as you’re opting for healthy fats. Unsaturated fats, namely polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats, are your best bet. These fats make you feel full faster and provide lots of other positive benefits, but mostly, they’re good at helping you lose visceral fat and abdominal fat.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics national medial spokesperson Yasi Ansari, a Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics and a Registered Dietician, recommends adding healthy fats in moderation in regular meals. They’re high in calories, so you can’t have too much of them, but they increase satiety and are great for health when done right.

Here are some great sources of healthy fats:

Anchovies
Avocados
Eggs
Herring
Mackerel
Nuts
Olive Oil
Salmon
Sardines

But what, then, are fats you should avoid? Trans fats are the very worst of the bunch, and they are made by placing hydrogen into unsaturated fats. Commonly found in spreads, soybean oil, and margarine, they’re so bad for you that many producers and manufacturers have discontinued their use in their products altogether!

Not only have trans fats been linked to multiple life-threatening diseases, but they also increase abdominal fat. A study found that consuming diets rich in trans fat can increase abdominal fat by 33%. To avoid trans fats, stick to unsaturated healthy fats in moderation, and you’ll lose that belly weight in time.

2. Track Your Consumption

Losing fat is all about math. This is why tracking consumption – and exercise – can be a useful way to meet your goals. If you don’t have issues with number obsession, this is a good way to become more mindful of what you eat and the work you put into losing fat.

American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer Chris Gagliardi explains that by burning 500 more calories than usual for a week, you’d burn 3,500 calories that week in deficit, leading to one pound of fat lost. Gagliardi says that while counting calories is the easiest way to be sure of what you’re doing, you don’t have to crunch numbers – cutting down portions or adding 30 minutes to a workout and being aware of those changes can work, too.

As an individual, you can decide how quickly you want to lose weight and how much you want to cut from your everyday diet or add to your exercise following that. Keeping a food diary has been found to increase weight loss progress and makes the process more positive in terms of results, so do consider finding a way to track yourself, whether via pen and paper, app, or another method.

3. Exercise

Exercise is a wonderful way to get rid of belly fat slowly, and it’s much more sustainable than a restrictive diet. Adding exercise to your routine means you’ll be healthier overall, and it’s a better way to seek long-term fat loss that keeps the weight off.

Johns Hopkins’ Clinical and Research Physiology director Kerry Stewart explains that exercise is so effective because it promotes many results for so little exchanged time. It’s also especially effective with belly fat because exercise brings down insulin levels, signaling that the body does not need to hold onto fat.

Here are some great exercise options to try:

· Ab Workouts

If you’re trying to lose belly fat, you should work on gaining lean muscle in the stomach area. There’s no way to spot reduce fat in certain parts of your body, but building muscle can be done in specific areas. NASM-certified personal trainer Chris DiVecchio recommends choosing to do ab workouts a few times a week non-consecutively, choosing workouts that target the muscles of your abdomen and sides.

· Aerobic Exercise

Certified Diabetes Educator and Registered Dietitian Franziska Spritzler states that cardiovascular exercises, or aerobic exercises, are a great way to burn calories quickly while improving health. It’s often been found to be among the most effective belly fat-blasting exercise kinds out there, and results have been revealed clearly in studies.

· Lift Weights

Spritzler also recommends this form of resistance training. Studies that focus on individuals with metabolic diseases show that belly fat loss can be achieved via training. Some studies even show that a mix of strength and aerobic workouts lead to higher visceral fat losses than other methods of working out.

· Walk

Simply just walking can help reduce visceral fat even at low levels or amounts, says research. Gagliardi states that walking is a common entry exercise for many, and even starting with just a minute of walking and working your way up can help. Start slow and walk a little every day, increasing the amount as you get used to it.

4. Eat More Fiber to Get Rid of Belly Fat

Fiber, especially soluble fiber, is crucial to satiety and is a great way to manage your portions better. You may have noticed that sugars and refined carbs don’t keep you full for long, and that’s precisely why – they lack fiber.

George Mason University’s department of nutrition and food studies chair Dr. Lawrence Cheskin, M.D., states that fiber slows down your digestion, which is what makes you feel full faster.

Studies have found that soluble fiber makes you eat less, reduces the calories absorbed from food by the body, and helps weight loss. Better yet, research indicates that for every 10 grams added to one’s intake of soluble fiber, belly fat gain decreases by 3.7%.

Some good sources of soluble fiber are:

Avocados
Blackberries
Brussels Sprouts
Flax Seeds
Legumes
Shirataki Noodles

5. Get More Sleep

Few people realize just how big of a role sleep can play in a weight loss plan’s success. Cheskin states that sleeping too little is significantly worse for weight loss than getting enough or even sleeping too much. It would be best to sleep for around 8 hours a night, at least.

Studies have shown that individuals who sleep less tend to eat more to maintain their energy levels, concentration, and general positive thinking during the day. They also often make worse calorie choices as their body craves certain unhealthy quick fixes found in junk food. It also means that they’re awake longer and therefore get hungry more often, and they often have less energy to work out.

This also affects belly fat, as all the aforementioned bad habits performed by those who lack sleep typically contribute to abdominal buildup. If you are getting enough hours of sleep but still feel very tired during the day, this can also contribute to the problem, and you should get yourself checked for a sleep disorder.

6. Eat More Protein

You’ve probably heard a lot about using protein for “gains” at the gym, but there’s a reason it’s such a big deal in the fitness world. Protein can:

Hasten muscle recovery so you can work out muscles more often
Increase feelings of satiety, so you eat smaller portions and don’t give in to cravings
Raise your metabolic rate, so you burn fat faster
Aid in muscle growth and retention, so your workouts produce better results

Spritzler stresses the importance of protein in weight management and also discusses how most people who consume higher levels of protein enjoy a more positive outlook on fat loss. Research has shown that those who eat high-protein diets tend to have lower abdominal fat levels overall.

Here are some great protein options:

Beans
Beef
Chicken
Dairy
Eggs
Fish
Tofu
Turkey
Whey Protein

7. Learn To Manage Stress

Did you know that being stressed out can cause you to gain fat around your belly? According to Spritzler, this is because when you’re stressed out, you trigger a component in the body known as the adrenal glands. These glands then produce a stress hormone known as cortisol.

When stressed out on rare occasions, cortisol is nothing short of useful. It is meant to kick in during fight-or-flight situations. It works by putting your body in survival mode to focus entirely on the situation causing you stress.

The problem is that “survival mode” means the body is retaining fat to survive. When stress is rare, this isn’t much of a problem. But when your stress is constant, chronic, or long-term, it means you’re storing abdominal fat indefinitely.

Worse still, this constant stress can lead to long-term imbalances in cortisol production, so it’ll be harder to lose that weight later. Basically, if you don’t start learning to manage stress and boost your positive thinking, it’ll be even harder to work off belly fat when you want to.

There is an additional psychological issue with stress. You are more likely to crave unhealthy foods and give in to cravings when stressed out. It’s a psychological game, and it’s much easier to “win” if you start working on finding ways to relax.

Final Thoughts On Some Best Ways To Get Rid Of Belly Fat

Many people want to lose belly fat, and if you do, there are plenty of healthy and sustainable ways to start. Avoid “quick” solutions like crash dieting or “fad” options like waist trainers. These will not work in the long run, might be counterproductive, and may even harm you.

Losing belly fat is much more straightforward than you might think, with many of the recommended and science-backed methods boosting sustainability and ease. You can make these changes to your life at your own pace and without disrupting your entire world – and that’s what makes the journey doable!

Therapists Reveal 5 Calm Ways To Deal With Selfish People

January 7, 2021 by Lakeisha Ethans

Have you ever encountered someone so self-centered and self-absorbed that you have trouble managing interactions with them? Do you find that you feed into the toxicity of selfish people or react in such a way that plays into their hand? It’s certainly a frustrating experience, and it’s not your fault that they’re acting this way.

Unfortunately, there’s no avoiding selfish people permanently. All you can do is learn to identify selfish traits, process them, and react appropriately to them. Naturally, though, this is much easier said than done, but it’s not impossible. Here’s how therapists reveal the 5 best ways to deal with selfish people.

1. Begin With Understanding

People are rarely ever black-or-white, and therefore they are also rarely good-or-bad with no in-between. People who behave selfishly shouldn’t be held up in your mind as individuals defined only by those specific traits. Instead, try to start with the power of understanding.

Psychoanalyst, psychotherapist, and licensed clinical social worker F. Diane Barth states that understanding doesn’t mean you’re letting a selfish person get away with toxic behavior. Instead, it’s about you being able to spot such behavior, which will allow you to respond more positively and proactively without incorrect assumptions.

Here are some things that Barth recommends doing to foster understanding before you react, and some commonly studied social motivations that influence selfishness over more positive behavior:

· Don’t Make Assumptions

Assumptions are rarely ever accurate. It’s not a good idea to assume that someone has ill intent. Sometimes, holding your tongue and observing for a moment longer will give you additional insight that changes your first impression. You can sometimes directly ask someone why they want something done, what their goal is, or what they mean. Communication is always more effective than guesswork.

· Don’t Take Things Personally

Someone’s perceived selfish behavior is rarely about you. It’s in the name of behavior: it’s selfishness. That person is focused on themselves, and that’s the reason their actions are hurtful to others – all they care about, at least for the moment, is them. Learning not to take their actions personally helps to detach you from the situation, allowing their negativity to affect you much less and allowing you to see the situation with a clear mind for what it really is.

· Put Yourself In Their Shoes

Put yourself in the position of the person you perceive as selfish. You may know that you wouldn’t behave like them, but trying to see from their perspective may give you insight into the roots of their actions. This will allow you to formulate a more effective response and plan of action.

It’s also worth noting that acts of selfishness do not make a selfish person. In fact, Dr. Leon F. Seltzer, who holds a doctorate in Psychology and runs a relevant clinical private practice, illustrates a significant difference between being toxically selfish and being reasonably selfish. Selfishness is a necessary trait for self-care, and no acts are ever truly selfless, anyway. As such, before you dismiss someone as selfish, first consider: are they selfish, or just putting themselves first as they need to for the time?

2. Consider Emotional Intelligence

People often gloat about IQ, but EQ is often just as important, if not more so. Emotional intelligence dictates your ability to interact well with others, pick up on social or nonverbal cues, and healthily manage your emotions. Therapist, marriage counselor, and life coach Dr. Lisa Marie Bobby highlights some facts to keep in mind about emotional intelligence.

Emotional intelligence is a spectrum. Some people have more, and others have less. When it comes to selfishness, people are likely not to realize what they’ve done; studies have found that people often automatically and unintentionally misremember incidents where they were selfish in favor of more positive views of themselves.

How low emotional intelligence is harmful

Low emotional intelligence almost always involves selfishness. This is because one of the more common symptoms of this is self-absorption, where one is overly concerned with their own desires, thoughts, needs, and emotions and overlooks that of others.

People with low emotional intelligence tend to come from backgrounds where their needs, feelings, and opinions were dismissed, belittled, or not valued at all. On the other hand, individuals with high empathy tend to have grown up with the validation or respect of their emotions.

Truly compassionate and unselfish people are often made, not born, as anyone can be taught to understand and appreciate the value of their own and other people’s perspectives and needs. However, it is a difficult and often slow process.

Most individuals with low emotional intelligence are completely unaware that they are selfish. Many of them also don’t pick up easily on others’ emotions in general, so they haven’t noticed cues that indicate discomfort or disdain from others.

In other words, many selfish people aren’t 100% aware that they’re selfish due to their low emotional intelligence. You have to accept that these people will be blissfully unaware until they decide to accept the truth about their behavior.

3. Set Boundaries

You can’t control other people. You can only really ever control yourself. That’s why setting clear boundaries is important when you have to deal with someone selfish. When you set boundaries, you’re drawing a line for what you will and won’t accept that is easy for you and those around you to follow.

Author and life coach Nancy Levin states that this practice ensures that you dictate what you are available for, your reactions, and where you draw the line. This is especially important for selfish people who don’t listen to your communication about your discomfort with their behavior.

Here are some tips for setting boundaries around selfish people:

Don’t cave into a selfish person’s complaints about your boundaries; continue to enforce your needs and ignore the noise.
Be assertive and direct about your boundaries, and don’t allow others to talk over you about them.
Maintain positive thinking and withdraw from a situation where your boundaries are crossed.
Be willing to explain or hold a conversation with someone who genuinely wants to understand your boundaries better.
Reign in the amount of energy and time you spend on someone who violates or ignores boundaries.
Be prepared for a selfish person to respond extremely negatively to your attempts to hold them accountable or call them out.
Think about whether this person really needs to be a part of your life if they do not respect you.

4. Remove Focus From Them

Selfish people are self-focused. If that’s the case, then you need to work to stop giving them that focus. They already spend so much time concerned about themselves – the last thing they should be given is more concern over them from others. Here are some tips for removing focus from selfish people:

· Talk About Yourself

If you’re in a conversation or discussion where a selfish person starts talking about themselves, they might not give you the chance to speak at all, says coach, professor, trainer, and author Preston Ni. Be aware of this and don’t feed them extra ammunition to continue gloating with. Turn the conversation towards you or others also taking part instead.

· Don’t Feed Them Attention

Licensed marriage and family therapist Dr. Margalis Fjelstad states that selfish people will often do whatever they can to get attention, as they constantly crave it. If you give it to them, you essentially set yourself up as a target. Don’t give selfish people the attention they want from you, and they will try and find amusement somewhere else instead.

· Squash People-Pleasing Desire

If you’re a people-pleaser, you may be a little bit too kind to selfish people. Levin says you should check yourself and recognize the source of your behavior around selfish people. Are you trying to buy their favor? Trying to keep the peace? It may be time to reconsider.

· Don’t Do What They Demand

Selfish people tend to have a lot of demands without ever doing the same for others. Ni says that this is where you need to work hard to remember your rights as a person and stand up for them. You are never required to do what a selfish person demands. Stop giving them what they want!

· Don’t Feel Pressured To Be Noticed Over Them

Selfish people can be manipulative, and their acts of stealing the spotlight seem like they are sure to get them a favor. But studies show that very few truly believe their intentions are positive when they do this. Research indicates that manipulative or selfish people are not typically favored over others to pursue position or power. As such, please don’t add to the problem by acting selfishly to gain traction over them. Be the bigger person!

5. Let Yourself Feel

It would not help if you didn’t blow up on a selfish person the second they start behaving badly. No, it would be best if you didn’t cause a scene, nor should you start acting like two wrongs will make a right. But you are allowed to feel angry or upset about someone’s behavior.

Denying, suppressing, or bottling up negative emotions degrades your positive thinking over time. Eventually, it will come to a head and explode, and that’s not an effective way to deal with someone selfish.

When you have time to yourself, allow yourself to be angry about someone’s actions. You can even excuse yourself from a situation where a selfish person is unreasonable and handle your emotions elsewhere.

Then, once you’ve confronted and understood your feelings, use them to fuel you forward. Take your anger and turn it into a determination to no longer feed into that selfish person. Take your discomfort and use it to motivate yourself to find a new social circle to spend more time with. Use your hurt feelings and use them to remind yourself not to cave in next time. There is usefulness in your emotions if you turn them towards the positive!

Final Thoughts On Some Best Ways To Deal With Selfish People

Selfish people can be exhausting to deal with, but you can combat their antics with your own fortitude. Learn to understand their perspective so you can respond accordingly, stand up for yourself and your boundaries, and stop leaning into their negativity. You deserve better than to be caught up in someone else’s selfish games!

Psychology Explains Why Younger Men Often Prefer Older Women

January 7, 2021 by Sarah Barkley

It is becoming more common for younger men to prefer older women.

Fortunately, psychology explains why this is the case. If you aren’t in one, this relationship may be hard to understand, but the reasoning is pretty legitimate. Even with negative stereotyping and judgment, younger men frequently go after older women.

In some instances, it may be more life experience that draws a younger man to an older woman. In other cases, it is due to their level of maturity. Whatever the case may be, it is becoming increasingly common for these types of relationships to flourish.

Men want different things from relationships than women of the same age want. Older women want different things than younger women want. These different desires are part of what attracts younger men to older women.

Understanding these mindsets and relationship preferences is the key to understanding why some younger men are drawn to mature ladies. There are many reasons, and they all align with what a man is looking for in a woman. Also know that these are generalizations–not every statement applies to every person, just as not every younger man prefers a mature partner.

What Men Want in a Relationship

Before understanding why younger men often prefer older women, it is essential first to understand what a man wants in a relationship. Most men look for the same things, whether they realize it or not.

1 – Attraction

Men look for strong attraction in a relationship and want the attraction to last. This can occur if you are yourself right from the beginning. If you start changing soon after the relationship starts, they will stop being attracted to you.

2 – An Emotional Connection

While men don’t always show their feelings as often as women, they want to open up to their partners. If he breaks down before you, he will want to know that you won’t judge him for it or stop loving him.

3 – Respect

A man doesn’t want to be belittled by his partner, so he will look for someone who doesn’t do this. He doesn’t want to be overly criticized, either. You should also avoid comparing him to other men or treating him like a child.

4 – Praise

Men want to know when they did something well or when they appreciated what they did. They will look for a woman who praises them because it makes them feel good about themselves.

5 – Acceptance

Men don’t want a woman that tries to change them. They want a partner who will accept and love them despite their flaws.

6 – Security

Men want to know that their relationship is secure. They want someone reliable, honest, and dependable.

7 – Maturity

Men want a mature relationship, which means acting like a child is out. Throwing a fit, making threats, and refusing to communicate are all signs of immaturity.

8 – Fun

Men want a woman who enjoys adventure and has a sense of humor. They want to laugh and have fun with their partner. Plus, they want someone comfortable trying new things and letting loose occasionally. A study published in the Journal of Women and Aging suggests that this match is made in Heaven, as mature ladies often don’t want to re-marry. Indeed, they want fun and companionship.

9 – Space

At the right times, men want space to be alone once in a while. Having a woman who will willingly give him space without getting upset is ideal for them. He still has hobbies and interests outside of his relationship and will want to continue them.

Why Younger Men Often Prefer Older Women

Here are a few reasons a younger man might prefer a more mature partner.

1 – They Are Sometimes More Intellectual

Men want a woman they can talk to and connect with on a deeper level. Since mature women have more life experience, they tend to hold intellectual conversations better than younger women. Plus, they tend to know more about world events.

Some topics men, like to discuss with their partners, include politics, world issues, media, and religion. They are more likely to find this in older women, so men tend to be drawn to older women. With younger women, some males think that the conversation will revolve more around drama and pointless experiences.

2 – They Know What They Want

Women with more life experience are more aware of what they want in life than younger women. Since they are surer of what they want, an older women may have a clear and focused thought process. Men want a woman with meaningful and fulfilling goals, which is easier to find in an older person.

Because of their clear and focused thoughts, these women tend to have concrete plan. They focus on achieving their goals instead of superficial things and want to develop positively. Plus, they want to see those around them doing just as well as they are.

Plus, they won’t waste a man’s time since they know what they want. Some younger women will stay in a relationship even if they aren’t happy, but an older woman will leave. Men want to be in a relationship where they don’t have to guess the other person’s feelings.

3 – Life Experience

Older partners have more life experience than younger women do. Men like this because they can gain another perspective on life issues. Plus, a man can get sound advice from an older woman, and she can help him mature more quickly.

Men are drawn to someone who can give them realistic outlooks on situations. They want to plan for what may happen, and have someone experienced will help.

Men also want someone who will help them grow intellectually, which an older woman can do. Their life experience allows them to help a younger person learn and grow.

4 – Emotional Maturity

Men usually don’t have to deal with immaturity if they go for an older woman. One reason is that they don’t play mind games like younger females do. They won’t confuse trip their man up, and the man can be confident in this area of his relationship.

This isn’t to blame younger women for their immature behavior, however. It takes time for hormones to level out and learn to manage their emotions. Older women have already achieved this, making them more mature.

Another benefit is an older woman can also help a younger man grow emotionally. They will learn to manage, process, and understand their feelings better with an older woman to help them.

5 – Less Hectic Behavior

Since mature ladies have already learned how to handle their emotions, their behavior is less hectic than younger women’s. Older women are calmer, and men can better guess what they will do next. Men enjoy a slower pace, so they are drawn to the women who can offer this.

6 – Confidence

While younger women tend to need constant attention, a more mature lady might not need this. Older women are more confident in who they are and won’t need constant reassurance that they are cared for.

This isn’t to say they don’t want any attention, but they can focus on other things instead. They know who they are and what is important in life, which makes them more confident.

7 – Financial Independence

As young men start their careers and secure their place, they don’t want to take care of someone else financially. Older women generally don’t have to worry about that because they are already financially independent.

Men also like women’s financial independence because they can find comfort in knowing their partner isn’t only with them for money. Plus, they can count on splitting bills if they ever move in with their partner.

8 – Mutual Respect

Men want to be in a relationship where they are respected, and they want to respect their ladies, too. They respect older women because they have become successful and worked hard already. Knowing that their partner was dedicated and persistent on her path to success will make them respect her instantly.

9 – Strong Emotional Support

Younger women haven’t quite found their emotional maturity yet, and they may not offer the best emotional support. Older women, on the other hand, are perfectly capable of this.

As men figure out their lives, they become stressed out and need a woman to help them. Since mature ladies have been through it before, they know what type of emotional support to offer.

Final Thoughts Younger Men Often Preferring Older Women

While younger men often prefer a more mature partner remained a mystery for a long time. It is now better understood. Psychology has helped explain this reasoning, allowing the rest of us in on the secret. From higher levels of maturity to be able to communicate intellectually, men enjoy the maturity and dependability.

A man can go to their older woman for support and guidance and count on them for sound advice. Plus, they won’t have to worry about being played or manipulated like they would have to worry about from someone younger.

Now that the reasons younger men often prefer older women are clear, it is easier to see why. The reasons are all pretty logical and align with what a man wants in a relationship.

18 Things That Can Help You Look 10 Pounds Lighter

January 7, 2021 by Sarah Barkley

If you want to look 10 pounds lighter, there are many things you can do to achieve that goal. Rather than dieting to lose weight, you could make some small changes to make you appear smaller.

Wearing unflattering clothes or clothes that don’t fit can make you look bigger. On the other hand, styling clothes properly and wearing the right things can make you look lighter.

When you want to look good and feel good, appearing lighter can make all the difference. By following the tips discussed below, you can instantly look 10 pounds lighter.

How to Look 10 Pounds Lighter

Try these useful hacks to gain a slimmer appearance.

1. Wear a V-Neck

Wearing a shirt with a V-neckline can take attention away from your midsection. It makes your upper body look thinner and longer. This high focal point created by the V-neck top will make your body seem better proportioned.

You can find V-neck tops in all types, from tank tops, t-shirts, sweaters, cardigans, dresses, jackets, and camisoles. This type of top is great for everyone and will bring balance to your hips and thighs, too.

2. Make Sure Your Underwear Fits Properly

Yes, even the part of your outfit that no one will see is important if you are trying to look thinner. Wearing the wrong size bra can make your chest seem misshapen, which instantly makes you look bigger. Plus, wearing the wrong size bra can highlight back fat, too.

If your underwear is too tight, it will create bulges that show through your pants and skirts. It will also highlight rolls, a muffin top, and cellulite, even through your clothes. Plus, too tight underwear can cause unsightly visible panty lines, which cause the butt and hips to be bulkier.

Another option aside from traditional underwear is choosing shapewear instead. Shapewear will give you more support and hide imperfections such as bulges and cellulite. Plus, it will make you look 10 pounds lighter, too.

You don’t have to choose full body shapewear, either. For something simpler, you could choose a shapewear camisole, a corset, or shapewear tights.

3. Choose a Shirt with Buttons

This tip to look 10 pounds lighter is so easy. Anyone can do it. If you want to look thinner, choose a shirt that has buttons.

Then, put a t-shirt underneath and leave it unbuttoned. Leaving it unbuttoned will make your body appear longer, which instantly makes you look thinner.

4. Wear the Right Skinny Jeans and Style Them Properly

Skinny jeans are a great fashion item if you wear the right pair and style them well. Wearing skinny jeans that are tight on your calves will make them appear larger, so choose a little loose pair. Then, it would be best if you show your ankles.

By showing your ankles, you are showing one of the skinniest parts of your body. This one simple trick will make it seem like you are 10 pounds lighter.

For optimal results, you should wear shoes that match the skinny jeans, too. Wearing contrasting shoes will visually break up your legs, making them seem shorter and wider.

5. Choose Jewelry That Draws Attention to Certain Areas of Your Body

You can use jewelry to make you look 10 pounds lighter instantly. By choosing a long necklace, you will be making your neck appear longer and thinner. Plus, a long necklace will draw attention away from your hips and your midsection.

Earrings can play a role, too. If you wear big earrings, then attention will be drawn to your face instead of your body.

When it comes to other jewelry, cuffs and bangles for bracelets will draw attention to your wrist instead of your arms. Likewise, eye-catching rings will do the same, drawing attention away from your upper arms. This jewellery Bondi Junction shop has a wide variety of jewelry pieces.

6. Avoid Baggy Shirts and Sweaters

While you may think baggy tops will hide your body and make you appear skinnier, it does the opposite. Wearing baggy shirts or sweaters can hide your waistline, making your lower body appear shorter. If you only have baggy tops, add a thick belt to help elongate your body.

7. Don’t Wear too Many Oversized or Baggy Things at Once

As mentioned before, baggy tops can make your body appear shorter and wider. Likewise, other baggy or oversized items will do the same. Not only will they do the same, but adding too many baggy things at once can make you appear bigger than you are.

Even accessories can make you look bigger. If you are wearing wide pants or an oversized top, you should avoid an oversized purse. Choosing a small clutch or handbag can even out the look, whereas wearing them all at once will not.

8. Wear a Long Coat

If you are wearing a coat with your outfit, make sure the coat is longer. This is especially true if the color of the dress and the color of the coat are contrasting. Doing so will cause your body to appear thicker because it has been visually cut.

You could consider a long coat even if you are going casual, too. A long coat will keep you warm but will also lengthen your body, making you appear lighter.

9. Don’t Pull Your Shirt Down too Far

When you put a shirt on, you may be tempted to pull it down as far as you can. However, it would be best if you avoided this temptation as it can make you appear bigger. It makes your body look disproportionate as you are taking away from the body half of your body.

If your shirt is too long and you can’t help that it is long, tuck it in instead. This will help your body seem more proportioned. Adding an unbuttoned jacket or sweater over the tucked-in shirt will help elongate the body, too.

10. Avoid Wearing Dresses That Are Too Tight

While sizing down may seem like a good option, it isn’t. It doesn’t do you any favors and will highlight your midsection in unflattering ways.

Instead, wear dresses that are looser at the bottom but still flattering to your waistline. This will make you appear lighter than if you had chosen a tight dress.

11. Show Your Thinner Body Parts

Covering up every inch of your body will not make you appear lighter. Instead, it will have the opposite effect and will make you appear heavier.

To avoid this, make sure to show thinner areas such as your wrists, neck, or ankles. By showing these parts of your body, you will make yourself look much lighter.

12. Wear Skinny Heels with a Narrow Toe

Wearing skinny heels such as stilettos will help you appear lighter. Even better, make sure to wear a shoe with a pointy toe. This will make your calves appear thinner and your legs longer.

On the other hand, wearing thick heels or rounded toes will make your legs look bigger. Your legs would appear shorter and thicker, too.

13. Avoid Embellishments and Small Designs or Prints

When you choose clothes and look for clothes that are free of embellishments, you want to look lighter. When it comes to jeans, wear jeans with unembellished pockets and extra embellishments.

Clothes that have those added embellishments create the illusion of bulk, making you appear bigger. The same goes for small designs or prints, as they draw too much attention to unflattering areas.

14. Wear Longer Shorts

Wearing very short shorts will make you appear bigger. It will highlight all of your flaws and make them look worse than they are. So, choose a longer pair of shorts instead, and you’ll instantly appear lighter.

15. Get a Spray Tan

Spray tans help hide blemishes that cause an unflattering visual breakup of your body. You will seem thinner if you have clear visual lines across your skin. Getting a spray tan can hide veins, cellulite, stretch marks, and brown spots that cause the visual breakup mentioned before.

16. Wear an Open Jacket

Wearing an open jacket or cardigan will always make you appear lighter. If you wear it over a V-neck shirt, it will be even more flattering. When you want to look lighter, put on a blazer or other jacket to make an instant difference.

17. Think About the Materials You Wear

The materials you wear play a role in your appearance. Flat materials such as cotton, denim, silk, or wool will not add volume. Other fabrics such as jersey, cashmere, fine cotton, and a touch of spandex will make you appear thinner.

On the other hand, other materials will make you appear bigger. These materials include corduroy, velvet, metallic, leather, suede, angora, taffeta, satin, fringe, and flannel. If you want to appear lighter, you should avoid these fabrics at all costs.

18. Wear the Same Color on Top and Bottom

If you wear the same color on top and bottom, it will create an uninterrupted visual line. This elongates your body and makes you appear smaller.

On the other hand, if you wore contrasting colors on top and bottom, it will draw eyes to your midsection. If this is the area you want to take attention away from, it is best to avoid wearing contrasting colors.

Final Thoughts on Trying out These Hacks to Look 10 Pounds Lighter

Most people want to look 10 pounds lighter once in a while. Whether you are going on a date or going to a fancy dinner, there are times when you will wish you could make that change. It is easier than you think, however.

You can look 10 pounds lighter in an instant, without dieting or exercising at all. By making these simple changes, you will instantly look lighter and feel better about yourself.

Yale Researchers Found How to Help Parents End a Child’s Temper Tantrums (For Good)

January 7, 2021 by Power of Positivity

Temper tantrums are a normal occurrence in toddlers. One of the biggest challenges for parents is knowing how to deal with screaming, hitting, and falling on the floor child without getting upset. Researchers at Yale University and other leading universities reveal some helpful strategies for parents to know what to do when their child has a temper tantrum.

What is a temper tantrum?

Temper tantrums are common for kids between the age of 2 to 4. The older your child is, the fewer temper tantrums they will have. Studies found that it’s prevalent for toddlers to have a tantrum at least once a day. They can last as long as fifteen minutes. It’s an exhausting experience for you as a parent to watch your child go through this out-of-control episode. But, as a parent, it’s possible to help your child manage the tantrums.

What causes temper tantrums?

Just about anything can set off a toddler’s temper tantrum, but the most common triggers are tiredness, sickness, or hunger. Frustration also triggers tantrums due to the toddler’s combined desire for their parents’ attention and a desire to be independent. Kids also use their tantrums to manipulate their parents because it’s an effective way to get what they want quickly. Temper tantrums also occur due to your child’s frustration when you don’t let them do dangerous things like touch the stove. Over time, your child will learn how to express their feelings by naming emotions like happy, sad, and mad rather than going into a temper tantrum. Until then, it’s up to you as a parent to learn strategies to handle your child’s tantrums.

Yale reveals a new, effective program for parents to help end temper tantrums for good.

Yale reachers are working on an online tool to help parents with their child’s temper tantrums. The program will be 8 module video series with easy-to-understand strategies for dealing with children’s temper tantrums. You can do it at your own pace, and there’s hope to incorporate a few telehealth visits during the series. This 50-year-old program isn’t up and running yet, but their goal is to have it ready for parents as soon as possible.

What do you do during a temper tantrum?

Sometimes temper tantrums can’t be avoided. The first thing is to remember when your child has a temper tantrum is that it’s a normal thing for toddlers. When your child has a tantrum, try to stay calm, it’s actually a way to teach your child to have self-control. It’s not easy. Take a breath and remember what it was like when you were little. When you remember how you used to be, it can help you relate to your child.

Remember the acronym RIDD.

Studies show that using the acronym R.I.D.D. can help you handle your child’s temper tantrums.

Remain calm: Quietly try to redirect your child or distract them. If they’re hurting another child or you, tell them, “No biting” in a firm, but calm voice.
Ignore the tantrum. Sometimes this stops the child since they aren’t getting your attention.
Distract: You can pick up your child and take them to another room. One person found that singing a song and dancing around stopped her child during their tantrum. This can work short term, but will probably lose its effect over time.
Do say yes: This means that if your child has a physical need, you help them such as food, water, or nap. If it’s simply a demand, then it’s best not to give in since this will reinforce to them that tantrums get them what they want.

Time out may be effective for a while, but it will lose effect if you use it a lot. Time outs should be short. A rule of thumb is 1 minute per how old your child is, so a two-year-old should have a two-minute-long time out.

Affirmation and roleplay

Another helpful strategy is to notice when your child is doing something well. Be sure to be specific in how you encourage them. Say something like,

“I like the way you didn’t get upset when I said no more cookies. You’re showing me self-control.”

Instead of assuming your child will learn on their own to control themselves, try to role-play to teach them. Kids love to pretend, so practice the role play when your child is doing well, never while they’re having a tantrum. Make it a fun time for them with you pretending to be the child, and they’re the adult. Act out what it looks like doing it the wrong way and what it looks like. Throughout the day, you can remind them by saying something like,

“Remember how we acted out what to do when you’re angry? You can say,’ Mommy, I’m mad about not getting a cookie.’ instead of falling on the floor. Right?”

Your child may not get it at first, but after practicing the “right way” by doing role play, your child will begin to practice what you acted out over time. It’s a process of your training and their learning.

Preventing a temper tantrum

Prevention is another way to handle temper tantrums. There are ways to offset your child’s angry outbursts.

Schedule: Kids do well with routine. If possible, create a schedule for your day for meals, nap time, and playtimes. This builds a sense of security for your child because they know what’s coming next. You can tell them, “Okay, five more minutes of playtime. Then we’ll have lunch.” This helps them adjust to forthcoming changes.
Manage their stress: Try to avoid creating a lot of stress for your child if they are prone to tantrums. Be consistent in how you relate to them. If you are unpredictable, it builds stress and frustration in your child.
Be a good role model: Yelling at your child won’t help them learn not to yell when they’re angry. Communicate with them, teach them to use words like angry, frustrated, sad, or mad. Ask them questions to help them work out how they feel at the moment. Say something like,

“Are you crying because you’re hungry? Please stop crying and sit down. Mommy has your lunch right here. See?”

“Does not being able to go outside make you feel angry? We don’t always get to do what we want. It’s hard, I know. Let’s play puzzles.”

At first, they won’t be able to communicate what’s going on inside their hearts and minds, but you can still use this language so that over time, they’ll begin to communicate their feelings.

Give your child positive attention:

Give your child positive attention by playing with them, reading books, including them in your daily tasks of cooking or cleaning. Try to childproof your house, so you aren’t constantly correcting your child about touching things. Be sure you’re aware of what they’re watching on television or their tablet. Aggressive games and shows can cause aggressiveness in kids.

How do you know if something’s wrong?

Sometimes temper tantrums go beyond what is normal for a toddler. If your child is constantly aggressive or intentionally hurting themselves or others or can’t calm themselves down after 25 minutes, this could be an indication there’s a deeper issue. It may be helpful to talk to your pediatrician about your child’s behavior.

Sometimes, atypical temper tantrums indicate that a child has a specific condition such as the following:

Oppositional defiant disorder
Post-traumatic stress (PTSD)
Autism
Generalized anxiety disorder
Learning disability
Vision problems
Hearing problems
ADHD

If your child has one of these disorders, getting an early diagnosis helps them and you. Your pediatrician can evaluate your child or recommend a specialist to diagnose your child.

What about bites?

Researchers reveal that children, especially with lesser developed language skills, commonly bite during frustration.

If your child is a biter, try to protect other kids and yourself from getting bit. If your child bites someone, clean it out with soap and water. If your child bites you or another child and breaks the skin, clean out the wound with soap and water, and then apply an antibiotic cream. Keep an eye out for infection and continue to apply the topical antibiotic cream on the wound.

Final thoughts on managing temper tantrums, once and for all

Don’t worry. Temper tantrums don’t cause harm to your child’s brain. Even if they hold their breath, it won’t injure them. Of course, temper tantrums can be disruptive to your life, especially if you’re out in public. For sure, it’s embarrassing, but anyone who’s had a child understands what you’re going through. The main thing to do when your child has a temper tantrum is to stay calm. Try to distract your child with another activity or a funny dance.

Sometimes the best practice is to ignore the outburst but never allow your child to hurt themselves or someone else. Kids thrive on a routine, so try to keep a routine at home, scheduling their meals, playtime, and naps. If your child has unusually long or aggressive tantrums, talk with your pediatrician for advice. They can evaluate your child based upon their past experiences or any health issues that could be going on.

You can teach your child to communicate their feelings and create fun times of role play doing the right thing when they’re upset. And don’t forget to give your child positive attention throughout the day by playing with them, reading to them, or including them in your daily routine.

Most of all, remember to hang in there. Your child will grow out of their temper tantrums.

10 Daily Habits That Eventually Cause Wrinkles

January 7, 2021 by Sarah Barkley

Developing wrinkles is inevitable eventually, but many daily habits can cause wrinkles to appear sooner. Seemingly harmless habits can speed up the appearance of aging, something most people work to slow down. Wrinkles happen due to collagen and elastin breaking down, which weakens the skin’s structure.

Being aware and knowledgeable of what causes wrinkles to occur can help you right now and long-term. Knowing what these daily habits are that cause wrinkles will help you slow the progress even further. You will be able to make the necessary changes and work on looking as youthful as possible.

Your skin is the first part of your body that shows signs of aging. Skin can be affected when things are even slightly off in your body. You need to change these daily habits if you want your skin to stay youthful and healthy.

Using all the face cream and anti-wrinkle serum in the world won’t help if you don’t make some lifestyle changes. These 10 daily habits can eventually cause wrinkles, which is quite surprising since the habits are so common.

Daily Habits That Might Eventually Cause Wrinkles

1. Chewing Gum Frequently

If you chew gum every day, you may develop wrinkles quicker than those who don’t. The non-stop chewing motion causes wrinkles to develop around the mouth because it overuses the muscles. It also causes a break down of supportive tissue, which weakens the elasticity of the skin.

You could consider using breath mints instead of gum to help break the habit. This will help slow down the development of wrinkles around your mouth.

2. Running and Other Outdoor Exercises

You always hear how running and other forms of exercise are extremely beneficial to you and your body. This is true, but you still have to be careful, or your skin can suffer.

First, running burns fat from under the skin, which could cause your wrinkles to become deeper. When this happens, they will be easier to see on your skin. Running can also cause cell damage, which can be counter-acted with vitamins that fight free radicals.

Another reason running can cause wrinkles is that runners tend to forget their sunscreen. When you head outside for any exercise, you must apply sunscreen with SPF. Even more beneficial is waterproof sunblock because sweat can cause the sunscreen to wash away.

3. Looking at Your Phone, Tablet, or Computer too Much

This is something most people do many times a day. With a cell phone constantly nearby, it is hard to avoid looking at it frequently. This daily habit can cause premature wrinkles to appear on your skin, however.

Looking at a phone, tablet, or computer can cause premature wrinkles for a couple of reasons. First, looking downward at the device continually can cause unnatural wrinkles on your neck. These neck wrinkles are unnatural because they wouldn’t have appeared at all without the help of electronic devices and continued downward glances.

If your job requires you to stare at a computer or other device all day, you’re in trouble when it comes to wrinkles. When you concentrate so hard on a screen, you tend to frown the entire time. This causes premature wrinkles to appear around your mouth.

These daily habits may sound like ones you cannot combat, but there are solutions to help you. First, make sure you put your devices at eye level when you use them. This even includes your cell phone and tablet.

Setting your devices up at eye level will help avoid the neck wrinkles that were mentioned before. Then, to combat the wrinkles around your mouth, remind yourself throughout the day to stop frowning if you have to put a mirror next to your computer to be reminded to change your expression.

4. Not Wearing Sunglasses

Sunglasses are much more than a simple fashion accessory. Squinting in the sun is a sure way to create or deepen wrinkles around your eyes.

These wrinkles will appear as crow’s feet next to your eyes or cause wrinkles between your eyes. Plus, they could appear as wrinkles between your eyebrows if you often try to concentrate on things while in the sun.

Any kind of sunglasses is better than wearing no sunglasses at all. For the best results, however, look for sunglasses that have plastic frames and UV filters. Surprisingly, metal frames can cause sunlight to reflect onto your cheeks, causing skin damage there, too.

5. Using Straws Often

Some people use straws when they drink coffee or tea to avoid getting stains on their teeth. This seems like a great daily habit because it’ll help maintain a white smile, but it can cause another problem, too. Using straws too often can cause premature wrinkles or cause existing wrinkles to deepen.

6. Side or Stomach Sleeping

Surprisingly, the position you sleep in can cause wrinkles, but it’s true. Sleeping on your side or your stomach can cause wrinkles because your face is pressed into the pillow. This causes your skin to fold and sleep lines, or wrinkles, to form.

Wrinkles caused by side or stomach sleeping can cause new wrinkles on the forehead, lips, and cheeks. If you already have these wrinkles, it will cause them to worsen. To avoid this, you should try sleeping on your back whenever you can.

7. Smoking

Smoking is highly detrimental to your skin because it releases an enzyme that will break down collagen and elastin. The smoke from cigarettes also causes blood vessels to constrict, which causes a lack of oxygen and nutrients. All of this causes new wrinkles to form and old wrinkles to deepen.

8. Wearing Contacts Everyday

Putting in contacts requires pulling your eyes in unnatural directions and unintentionally creating wrinkles. Even if you can do it without pulling on the sensitive skin around your eye, you will still be lifting your brow. Raising your brows like this daily can cause wrinkles on your forehead.

Another reason that wearing contacts every day can cause wrinkles is that they don’t protect from UV rays. Glasses protect the skin around your eyes from UV rays, but contacts cause you to lose that benefit. This will further cause wrinkles and the breakdown of your skin.

9. Consuming too Much Sugar or Other Unhealthy Foods

The food you consume plays a huge role in the health of your skin. Sugar is the biggest culprit in contributing to wrinkles, much to the dismay of anyone with a sweet tooth.

There are a few reasons that sugar causes wrinkles. It increases oil production, causes breakouts, contributes to dark circles under your eyes, and breaks down collagen. If you cut sugar out of your diet, you will notice a huge difference in just three days.

Other unhealthy foods that might eventually cause wrinkles include those filled with inflammatory properties. These foods include white bread, processed foods, and red meat. Avoiding them will work wonders for protecting your skin and slowing down the formation of wrinkles.

10. Not Drinking Enough Water or Drinking Unhealthy Drinks

Water is a necessity in life, and you have to make sure you are consuming enough. The minute you begin to become dehydrated, your wrinkles will appear deeper. This is because staying hydrated plumps the skin positively, helping to hide the appearance of wrinkles.

It goes beyond simply consuming enough water, however. It would be best if you tried to stick to water whenever you can because consuming alcohol or caffeine is even more detrimental.

Too Much Alcohol

Alcohol quickly dehydrates you, causing your current wrinkles to show up more. Plus, it causes new wrinkles to form. However, this isn’t only due to dehydration because alcohol consumption also stops or slows down cellular regeneration.

Too Much Caffeine

Coffee and other forms of caffeine are great, but you should avoid overconsumption. It can cause cortisol levels to elevate, which quickly speeds up the aging process and wrinkle formation. Caffeine also leads to dehydration and your skin drying out.

Final Thoughts on Daily Habits That Might Eventually Cause Wrinkles

Most people want to slow down the aging process and prevent wrinkles. Surprisingly, however, many daily habits can eventually cause wrinkles. Once you know these detrimental habits, you will be able to make some changes for the better.

From the things that you eat and drink to the way you sleep, many unexpected things can contribute to the development of wrinkles. Take care of your skin by taking care of your body, and you will notice the appearance of wrinkles fade a bit. Plus, you will be able to prevent more wrinkles from forming.

Remember these daily habits that might eventually cause wrinkles as you go about your day and pay attention to how many you are guilty of. It isn’t too late to make healthy changes when it comes to wrinkles. Starting now will make a difference, and each time you change one of these habits, you are helping yourself.

Psychology Explains Why People Feel Stuck in a Relationship

January 7, 2021 by Sarah Barkley

There are many reasons that people feel stuck in a relationship. When anything other than being romantically attached is keeping you from leaving, you are likely feeling stuck. It’s unfortunate when a relationship reaches this point, but it can happen over time.

Feeling stuck is when you no longer have romantic feelings for your partner, but you stay anyway. Whatever your reason may be, from loyalty to something else, it causes a feeling of being stuck in a relationship.

It may be hard to understand why you or someone else stays when the romantic attachment is gone. Never the less, it happens often. Even the reason that feeling stuck happens in relationships is hard to figure out.

While it may be hard to accept or pinpoint the reason for feeling stuck, there are now answers. Psychologists have figured out why people feel stuck in a relationship, helping you to understand, too.

Why People Feel Stuck in a Relationship

Through a study of both married and unmarried couples, researchers began to identify why people feel stuck. It was quickly discovered that many of the participants described feeling stuck in their relationship.

From that discovery, the researchers decided to study how and why certain things keep a couple together. They began by defining what it means to be stuck and determined that at least one of three instances would occur. These instances include:

-feeling like you shouldn’t have stayed in the relationship for this long

-taking a long time to end the relationship, even after you have decided to

-feeling uncertain about being with that person

The feelings mentioned above likely won’t be there at the beginning of the relationship. Usually, the relationship starts great, and both people are happy.

As the relationship continues positively, you will form a deeper connection, sense of loyalty, and entanglements. Then, once the happiness and positivity fade, this all leads to feeling stuck in a relationship. With all of the obstacles that will have to be overcome, it may seem impossible or hard to leave it behind.

By continuing the relationship instead of facing the obstacles, you are only making the situation worse. It allows more and more constraints to occur, causing you to feel even more stuck than before.

What Causes Partners to Stay

Here are some reasons people stay together.

1 – Financial Instability

When a couple pays bills together and buys things for the home together, finances are easier to manage. So, when you do the math and realizes how much more income will go to bills when only one person contributes, it causes some anxiety about leaving.

It causes a complete lifestyle change, and some people can’t afford to make it alone. This financial problem can prevent them from leaving when they become unhappy.

If the person feeling stuck is the one who makes more money, they may worry about their partner. They may realize that the other person would struggle financially if they left. This often stems from feeling obligated to take care of their partner or from a sense of loyalty.

2 – Children

Having children with someone is a leading reason that people stay in a relationship. Uprooting the children or disrupting their lives is a serious concern for most parents. Plus, parents want a stable home for their children and don’t want them to experience being in a divorced family.

Another reason children play a role in couples staying together is because of co-parenting. Even if you leave someone, when you have children together, that person will still be involved in your life. Plus, this would mean you probably have to share parenting time, giving up precious time with the children.

3 – Loyalty or Obligation

A huge reason that couples stay together even when the romance has faded is out of loyalty. They may also feel they are obligated to stay for financial or other reasons. The longer a couple has been together, the more likely this scenario will occur when the romance fades.

4 – They Got Serious Without Thinking It Through

Sometimes, when a relationship seems perfect in the beginning, couples move too quickly. They begin forming bonds and connections too early in the relationship that is not easy to undo. Instead of staying together for a while and thinking about taking big steps, they act on impulse.

This could mean moving in together early in the relationship or having a baby before truly knowing one another. It could also mean getting married quickly and beginning the married life before they were ready.

Once the excitement and perfection of the new relationship fades, however, feelings can change. This is unfortunate in these instances because it can be hard to get out of a lease or separate possessions. Even more serious is when a baby is involved because it requires co-parenting and continued connection.

Oftentimes, when things moved too quickly, one partner will feel like they have sacrificed their dreams. They likely had to give something up to live the life they have with their partner. This can cause them to feel stuck once they have realized what has happened.

5 – Nostalgia

All relationships had happy times at some point, and this could be a reason someone stays. When times get hard, people will look back on all the good times and reminisce about the way they felt.

Sometimes you may even have good times again, making you rethink the way you feel. Just as quickly as the happy feeling returned, however, you will likely return to the feeling of being stuck.

6 – They are Too Comfortable

Comfort in a relationship is important. If you have grown comfortable with someone, it could be hard to leave. Even when the romantic aspect of the relationship is gone, comfort often overshadows it.

7 – They Think There are too Many Obstacles to Overcome

Sometimes, it isn’t simply one or two obstacles preventing someone from leaving. They may have many things to overcome, making it seem impossible to get out of the relationship.

How to Become Un-Stuck

As easy as it is to start feeling like you are stuck in a relationship, there are a few ways to get rid of this feeling. If you feel like you are stuck, you have to take action in some way.

1 – Make a List and Rank All the Important Things in Your Life

When you do this, you will be forcing yourself to think of what is most important. If there are things high on the list that you can’t do while in your current relationship, it will be an eye-opener for you.

You could also list the things you want in life and the things you believe they want. If the views don’t align, you must consider that maybe it’s time to walk away.

2 – Plan a Way Out and Act on It

Before any further obstacles can occur, you need to make a plan and get started. The sooner you get out, the less there will be to overcome in the process. Remind yourself that you can walk away, and you can make it without the other person.

3 – Reflect on the Good Times and Reconnect

Sometimes, you aren’t able to walk away from someone, however. The obstacles that are in place may prevent you from leaving. You may not even want to leave, even if you feel stuck, because you want things to be good again.

When this is the case, you should think back on the good times. Remind yourself of the reason you fell in love in the first place. Recall your happiest moments and the way you felt at that time in your life.

Talk with your partner about these things, and remind each other why you formed a life together. Then, try to stop thinking about how you feel stuck or why you can’t leave. Instead, focus on the happier times and try to reconnect in that way, again.

If you can’t leave, you might as well make the most of it. When you reconnect and rekindle positive feelings, you may find that your relationship isn’t as bad as you thought. Your partner will likely be just as happy with the reconnection as you are.

4 – Avoid Forming Obstacles Too Soon

When you begin a new relationship, go slowly. Don’t be afraid to take your time as you get to know your partner. By doing this, you will let the excitement of a new relationship fade away and reveal what the relationship may look like long-term.

Then, once you have settled into the relationship slowly, you can assess. If you find any hints of wanting out, you can walk away freely without dealing with any obstacles.

Final Thoughts on Why People Feel Stuck in a Relationship

As you can now see, there is psychological research to back up why people feel stuck in a relationship. There are many reasons someone might feel this way, and figuring out the cause is essential if you want to fix it.

Once you have figured out the cause, you can evaluate what is most important to you. Then, deciding if you should take action to leave or to fix things will become easier.

Doctors Explain How to Use Meditation to Sleep Better

January 7, 2021 by Sarah Barkley

Many people have trouble falling asleep or suffer from insomnia regularly. If you are one of them, you are not alone in this. Since so many people have this problem, doctors have worked to determine how to use meditation to sleep.

Using meditation to sleep is helpful because it is a relaxation technique. Meditation will inspire inner-peace and you will be less stressed, anxious, or tense. Since it relaxes your body and mind, meditating before bed will help you sleep better.

There are different ways to use meditation to sleep, so try them all and decide which ones work for you. Remember that what works for one person may not help another, so don’t get discouraged if the first one doesn’t help. You should also keep in mind that meditation is a practice, and you’ll get better each time you do it.

How Does Meditation Help with Sleep?

Doctors have discovered that meditating before bed leads to several physiological changes. Studies show that those who normally have insomnia have positive results after trying meditation to sleep. The participants noted fewer symptoms of insomnia and a decreased level of fatigue during the day.

The researchers determined that meditation helped in a few ways. First, it helps with relaxing and calming the mind. It can also help you take control of your autonomic nervous system, which helps you fall into a deeper sleep.

Meditation helps increase serotonin and melatonin levels, both of which will help you sleep better. It can also reduce your heart rate and blood pressure, which can further relax you. Plus, it stimulates areas of the brain that promote healthy sleep patterns.

All of the changes that occur in your body when you are falling asleep are the same changes that occur when you meditate. This means that it is effective in helping you fall asleep and stay asleep.

How to Use Meditation to Sleep Better

When using meditation to sleep, Doctor Joyce Walsleben from the New York University of Medicine recommends doing it right before bed. You should be in a calm, quiet environment, as well.

She does note that you can do these types of meditation anytime throughout the day. When using meditation specifically for sleep, however, make sure to do it right before bed for the best results.

You won’t need any tools or equipment, and meditation only takes a small amount of your time. As mentioned before, meditation is a practice so you won’t do it perfectly right away. The key is to keep working at it each day, and each day you’ll experience more of the benefits.

The Basic Steps

While there are different types of meditation you can do for sleep, they all follow the same basic steps. These steps are as follows:
1. Create or find a quiet, calm environment.
2. Get comfortable and lie down.
3. Close your eyes and focus on your breathing, inhaling, and exhaling deeply.
4. Push all negative thoughts away, and bring your focus back to your breathing.

Now that you know the basic steps to follow, you’ll be ready to practice some of the techniques to sleep better.

Mindfulness Meditation

The main focus of mindfulness meditation is to focus on the present. You will become more aware of your consciousness, your body, and your breathing. This technique requires you to let your thoughts go as they come to your mind.

To practice mindfulness meditation, you should first remove all distractions from the room you are in. This includes your cell phone or computer. Then, do the following steps:

1. Lie down and get comfortable.
2. Inhale for 10 counts, holding your breath for 10 counts, and then exhaling for 10 counts.
3. Repeat the breathing pattern five times.
4. Inhale deeply and tense your body up at the same time.
5. Hold that position for a second or two.
6. Relax and exhale, and repeat the tensing and relaxing process five times.
7. Focus on your body and your breathing again.
8. If any part of your body feels tense, relax it.
9. Push away all thoughts as you think about breathing in and out steadily.

Guided Meditation

This type of meditation is when someone else leads you through the meditation. They will tell you what to do and when to do it, helping you to stay focused as you relax. Guided meditation is sometimes also referred to as guided imagery.

It is called guided imagery because oftentimes, the person guiding you will tell you to envision things. They might ask you to envision relaxing scenes such as clouds, water, or mountains. Sometimes they may leave it open-ended and ask you to envision the place you find most relaxing.

It is common for a guided meditation to involve not only envisioning the sights but to use your other senses, well. Think of the smells of the place you are imagining, and of the way it would feel for you to reach out and touch something there.

Since you may not always have someone there at night to guide you through the meditation to sleep, there are other options. Many podcasts, apps, and streaming services offer guided meditation that you can play before you go to bed.

Once you have your guide ready, lie back, and relax as you focus on the words. The more you focus and do what the guide says, the sooner and better you will sleep.

Body Scan Meditation

With this technique, you don’t literally get a body scan. Instead, it means that you focus on each part of your body to become more aware of tension and pain so that you can relax those parts. To do body scan meditation, follow these steps:

1. Lie down and get comfortable.
2. Close your eyes and slow your breathing.
3. Pay attention to the weight of your body as a whole.
4. Then, focus on one body part at a time, starting with your face.
5. Focus on the specific parts such as your jaw, eyes, and muscles.
6. Continue down your body to your neck and shoulders next, relaxing them as you go along.
7. From there, keep going down to your arms and fingers, then to your stomach, back, hips, legs, and feet.
8. Focus on all of those parts individually, taking note of how that body part feels.
9. Keep your thoughts solely focused on your body.

Abdominal Breathing Meditation

This technique requires you to breathe from your abdomen and focus on your breathing. Simply lie back and get comfortable, and consider listening to soft music as you do this. Then, put your hands on your stomach and focus on how your hands move up and down as you breathe.

Focusing on the movement of your hands helps you take your mind off of your troubles. It is a calming way to distract yourself and will help you eventually drift off to sleep.

Meditation Through Counting

When you have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep, this technique is an easy one to help you sleep better. To do it, start by breathing in deeply, holding it for a few counts, and then let the breath out. Relax your body, and then breathe in, hold it, and let it out again.

Once you have repeated that process a few times, finding something to count down in your mind. One example is to think about going downstairs and counting all of the imaginary stairs along the way. As you count down, it helps you slow your body down, too.

Other Benefits of Meditation

Using meditation to sleep isn’t the only benefit you can find by practicing meditation regularly. Some of the other benefits of meditation include:
-less stress and anxiety
-boosting your mood
-increased inability to focus
-increased cognition
-a better pain response
–lowering blood pressure
-improving heart health
-less inflammation
-fighting off cravings and addictions

Risks Associated with Meditation

There are not many risks associated with meditation. It is safe for most people and in most instances. There are rare times when meditation can be harmful, however.

If you have ever struggled with mental illness, meditation could trigger those symptoms. Meditation could trigger the following side effects in those who have suffered from mental illness:
-anxiety
-derealization
-depersonalization
-dizziness
-mood changes

Even those who struggle with mental illness will likely not experience these risks, however. They are rare, but it is important to mention them just to be safe. If you aren’t sure whether it is safe for you, you can ask for guidance from your doctor.

Final Thoughts on Doctors Explain How to Use Meditation to Sleep Better

It is normal to struggle with falling asleep, staying asleep, or getting good sleep. Many people suffer from this problem, which prompted doctors to explain how to use meditation to sleep better. Their useful information is already helping so many people, and it can help you, too.

Remember that what works for one person may not work for you, but you shouldn’t give up. Keep trying these techniques until you find the ones that work for you. Give yourself some time, because meditation does take practice to master.

Doctors Explain 6 Causes of Sleepwalking (And How to Stop It)

January 7, 2021 by Power of Positivity

When you lie down at night, you hope to stay safe and sound in your bed. If you need to get up to get a drink or visit the restroom, you’re usually at least half-awake and aware of what you’re doing. However, people who walk in their sleep have no realization of their nocturnal wandering.

Walking in your sleep can be quite scary as you appear to be awake, but you’re not. Many people take part in activities and say things they usually wouldn’t when they are at rest. The technical term for sleepwalking is somnambulism, and according to the Mayo Clinic, it occurs more frequently in children than adults.

Understanding the Stages of Sleep

Insomnia is the lack of sleep, but parasomnia is when you’re aroused enough to walk during your rest. To fully understand this medical condition, as there is a lot of sleep myths around, but you must know the different stages of sleep. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, there are four stages in your rest, and they are as follows:

• Stage 1

During this stage, the brain is switching over from wakefulness to sleep. There will be just a few minutes where you are lightly sleeping, and during these moments, the body decelerates your heart rate, breathing, eye movements, and brain waves.

• Stage 2

This stage occurs right before your body goes into a deeper state of rest. Your eye movements cease as well as all body movements. An EEG shows brain waves are slow, but there will still be an intermittent burst of electrical activities.

Did you know that you will spend more of your rest time in this phase than in any of the other stages?

• Stage 3

If you don’t make it to stage 3, then you won’t feel refreshed the next day. During this phase, your heart rate and breathing have dropped to the lowest points. It’s hard to wake you from this phase as your muscles are completely relaxed.

• Stage 4

REM is the stage of rest that typically occurs about an hour and a half after you’ve been asleep. You can identify this stage as the eyes are now racing back and forth under your eyelids. The brain waves also change during this stage to a pattern typical of when you’re awake.

Everything in your body goes to a level as if you’re awake, such as your heart rate increases, your blood pressure elevates, and you’re breathing much faster. It’s important to note that your body has become paralyzed as a safety precaution during this state.

This little feature keeps you from acting out your dreams. The older you get, the less time you will spend in this sleep realm. This is where your body gets the restorative rest that it needs to thrive the next day.

Why Do Some People Sleepwalk?

According to the Sleep Association, walking in your sleep is a disorder of arousal. The most common phase for walking during your sleep is in stage three, known as N3. You should note that it’s tough to wake someone when they’re in this state, so therefore it’s hard to wake someone who’s walking/talking.

It’s also possible to have night terrors during this phase, which commonly occurs with other sleep disturbances. Studies have shown that under a great deal of stress, those who are already sleep-deprived and those who have any disruption to their sleep schedule are more likely to sleepwalk. It’s impossible to walk or talk during REM sleep as the body paralyzes itself to keep from harm.

However, you often hear of people being startled out of REM sleep and unable to move for a few seconds. The most common cause of this phenomenon is because the brain is awake, but the body is still asleep as the muscle cannot move. So, the switch between being awake and asleep is malfunctioning. It can be quite a scary experience, but it only lasts for a few seconds.

Historical Accounts of Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking was recognized in ancient times, shares an article published by the Journal of the History of the Neurosciences. According to the report, both Hippocrates and Aristotle wrote about medical anomalies such as these.

Characters who walk in their sleep have also been portrayed in the arts, shares the article. It mentions Shakespeare’s “McBeth” and Eugène Scribe’s La Somnambule as examples. Over the years, sleepwalking has been a staple of comedy routines. However, living with the symptoms of a sleeping disorder is no laughing matter.

Have you or a loved one been diagnosed with somnambulism? Maybe you remember an occurrence when you were a child, or perhaps it’s a recent condition. Since everyone is different, you may have all or a few of these symptoms.

What are the Symptoms of Sleepwalking?

Usually, you will walk in your sleep about an hour or two after you’ve fallen into a deep state of rest. It’s not likely that you would do this activity during a short nap. Walking in your sleep can be an occasional occurrence, or it may trouble you chronically.

Most episodes only last for a few minutes. However, some people may experience an episode that lasts much longer.

Here are some common symptoms of sleepwalking:

•You will rise from your bed and walk around in the room.

•You can sit or stand with your eyes wide open, even though you’re still asleep.

•Your expression may be startled with wide, glassy eyes.

•If others try to communicate, you cannot respond.

•It may be difficult to awaken from this state.

•When you finally awaken, you may be dazed and confused for a few minutes.

•You usually won’t remember the episode in the morning.

•Since your sleep has been disrupted, you may experience brain fog during the day.

•You may have vivid nightmares or terrors along with walking in your sleep.

More Serious Symptoms

•You may do regular activities, like trying to talk, dress, or eat.

•You might try to leave the house or even drive your car.

•Sometimes, you may urinate on the floor because you think you’re in the bathroom.

•In rare cases, you may become violent, as you’re acting out a dream.

•You also risk falling down stairs or trying to jump out a window.

Risk Factors That Cause Sleepwalking

You may have episodes of walking in your sleep if you have any of these risk factors:

1 – Heredity:

Did one or both of your parents have sleepwalking issues? An article from the Sleep Foundation states that 41 percent of children who have somnambulism had one parent with the disorder. When both parents had it, the statistics go up to 61 percent, says the article.

2 – Reactions to Certain Medications

Sedatives are prescription medications that help you relax and sleep. If you are taking these medications, you may go into a deep sleep and experience an episode of somnambulism, says an article published by Sleep Medicine Reviews.

3 – Stress

Although it’s impossible to eliminate all stress from your life, you can reduce it. It can keep your body in a constant state of panic and survival mode. Stress can also cause you to walk in your sleep.

4 – Alcohol abuse

If you are inclined to drink too much alcohol, it can affect your health in several ways. Alcohol has a sedating quality, and heavy drinking knocks you into a deep slumber. These booze binges can often cause somnambulism.

5 – Traumatic Brain Injuries

Brain injuries can cause multiple physical and mental health issues. A study published by the Neuropsychiatric Disease and Treatment Journal found that traumatic brain injuries can disrupt normal sleeping patterns. It can cause sleep apnea, narcolepsy, and walking in your sleep, says the study.

6 – Sleep Deprivation

It’s no wonder that so many people complain that they don’t get enough sleep. When you are juggling caring for your family, working, and other responsibilities, you may feel groggy and drained. Having a sleep debt is just asking for trouble.

Reducing Sleepwalking

The above-listed risk factors are part of the solution. But you might also need to see a doctor. Your physician can order a sleep study and get to the root of your issue. Here are some other things to try at home.

Manage your stress. If stress triggers sleepwalking, it might be severe enough to warrant a visit to a counselor for help.
Note the patterns. If you sleep walk at the same time each night, set an alarm and wake yourself up before it begins. This will help you stay safe.
Establish healthy bedtime routines and habits to help ease yourself into a deeper state of rest.
Eliminate alcohol if you suspect it contributes to your unrest.
Visit your doctor. He or she will order a sleep study to help you pinpoint a cause.

Final Thoughts on Understanding and Reducing Sleepwalking

Sleepwalking is a common occurrence, but it occurs mostly in people under a great deal of stress, suffering sickness, or those who have had their sleep schedule disrupted. Thankfully, there are things you can do to combat this problem. If you notice that you have an ongoing issue with walking during your sleeping hours, it’s best to have a sleep study to see if there is an underlying issue.

Many people have sleeping disorders that can be quite dangerous. From night terrors to acting out your dreams, there’s a reason why the body paralyzes you during your rest to keep you safe. There have been many cases of people committing horrible acts while stuck in this sleep/dream realm.

Who can forget the horrifying case where 24-year-old Kenneth Parks drove over 14 miles and killed his mother-in-law? Sure, this is an extreme example of what can happen to those who walk in their sleep, but it’s something to consider.

The jury acquitted him of all charges because it was proven he was asleep during the entire event. Sleep disorders are severe, and if you have any issues with walking or night terrors, you need to seek help immediately.

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