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Psychologists Debunk 7 Widely Believed Sleep Myths

October 16, 2020 by Lakeisha Ethans

Sleep is an essential bodily function. It helps you recover after a long day of work, and it keeps you on schedule and alert during your day. It also allows you to rest and recuperate. Without it, the human body would be unable to function. Think about it – how well do you perform when you’re sleepy? Bad sleep has been documented as displaying numerous negative results for decades. Unfortunately, there is a lot of misinformation floating around the world that either ignores or over-emphasizes these findings, and you need to be aware of them. Here’s how psychologists debunk seven widely believed sleep myths.

1. You Can Sleep Anytime And Gain The Same Effects

A lot of people think that sleep is simply a quota of hours they have to fill. You might not realize that there’s more to it than that. This is simply a harmful sleep myth.

Rebecca Robbins, Ph.D., a sleep researcher and postdoctoral fellow at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, published an extensive paper documenting how these myths are commonplace but harmful. Her studies, published in many peer-reviewed journals and cited during her interviews on TV and publications, reveal that sleeping at odd hours does much more harm than good.

Why does this happen? The answer lies in the body’s internal clock, which follows something known as the circadian rhythm. Human bodies are naturally designed to follow the rising and setting of the sun. The body jolts you awake when it sees sunlight and produces the sleep hormone melatonin when light is absent.

This means that sleeping at odd hours, such as maintaining a nocturnal schedule, can lead to circadian desynchronization. This issue causes the body to struggle to sleep with the same quality and quantity as nighttime sleep provides. But even small changes in the exact time of night you sleep can cause a similar effect – your body never gets into the perfect circadian rhythm for your lifestyle, bouncing around every day depending on when you choose to sleep.

Of course, some sleep in the day is better than no rest at all. But if you can help it, try to keep a regular sleep schedule, waking up in the morning and sleeping at night.

2. You Only Need Four or Five Hours Of Sleep

Technically, you probably “know” that the recommended amount of sleep per night is more than just five hours. But you might also think that you feel fine after less sleep than required, so you don’t need that much sleep.

Health psychologist Nancy L. Sin, who has published research that debunks this myth, makes it clear that at least seven hours of sleep are needed nightly to guarantee positive function the next day. Her studies show that a lack of sleep can have harmful effects on:

Cardiovascular system
Chronic illness
Immunology
Longevity
Mental health
Metabolism
Mood and positive thinking

A lack of sleep causes you to have more trouble managing stress, which means you enjoy your daily life much less and have more difficulty concentrating and completing tasks.

Some people believe that you can “train” yourself to do well on very little sleep, but there’s no evidence to support this theory. There’s so much evidence to the contrary that it’s almost safe to assume this idea of sleep-training is entirely false.

There’s a small caveat here: some little evidence exists that suggests short and long sleep phenotypes in certain people, meaning some will do fine without seven hours of sleep. But this phenotype is extremely rare, and it’s much safer to make sure you’re getting seven hours of rest nightly!

3. Stay In Bed, Even When You Can’t Sleep

This is one of those sleep myths that people rarely consider. A vast number of people believe that, if they find themselves tossing and turning, they should force themselves to stay in bed. But, according to the National Sleep Foundation’s advice, getting out of bed is more likely to have a positive outcome.

This is because lying awake in your bed for prolonged periods can associate the bed with wakefulness. The mental connection that you may create here from this link can lead to it being even more challenging for you to fall asleep in this environment in the future.

So what should you do instead? After 20 minutes of trying and failing to fall asleep, the National Sleep Foundation recommends leaving your bed and doing relaxing activities for a short period, such as:

Listening to soft music
Reading
Meditating
Simply sitting or lying down elsewhere.

4. If You Can Remember Your Dreams, It Means You Slept Well

This myth can easily be disproved with this simple fact: most people experience multiple dreams per night, between four and five of them. Department of Population Health professor and researcher Girardin Jean-Louis states that we don’t remember most of them because our sleep isn’t disrupted. Thus, the dreams fade away without waking us up.

Studies have found that those who remember their dreams vividly:

Wake up twice as much at night
Are much more sensitive to sounds when awake and asleep
Experience more brain activity in the part of their brains that processes information

This indicates that remembering dreams means that you’re experiencing lower quality sleep. Yikes!

Do note that it is possible to remember dreams later in the day, not right after you wake up and that this usually doesn’t have any bearing on your sleep quality. Incredibly emotional dreams, for example, may suddenly be recalled when you’re relaxing during your day or if something triggers it. Apart from that, though, mundane dreams are rarely remembered.

5. It’s Possible To Sufficiently Catch Up On Sleep

It’s easy to think that you can sacrifice some sleep during the weekdays and sleep in on weekends to make up for it. Unfortunately, rest isn’t a debt that you can just pay off. There’s no real way to “catch up” on a lack of sleep, mostly if that lack of sleep happens multiple days in a row.

Studies indicate that although sleeping in might help you be more awake than usual, it doesn’t help with your performance in everyday tasks or work. As a matter of fact, when you try to catch up on a lot of sleep loss with extra hours spent napping, you’re doing more damage to your ability to function than if you had pulled an all-nighter.

6. Turkey, Milk, and Cheese Help Sleep – Or Give You Nightmares

This rather odd myth isn’t accurate in the slightest. It’s based on the concept of tryptophan inducing sleep. Tryptophan is an amino acid that is used in the production of serotonin. In turn, serotonin is needed to produce melatonin. That’s where this myth comes from, but the connection isn’t really significant.

Studies have been conducted to attempt to find links between tryptophan and sleep, but not only is the effect not overwhelming even in high amounts, but no foods have that much of the amino acid in them anyway. Ultimately, the component has no effect on sleep, mood, positive thinking, or cognitive ability.

What about the myth that cheese gives you nightmares? Well, that one’s not true, either – and there’s no telling where that myth rose from! Still, it’s worth following the advice of not eating cheese, or anything else, before bed, says Harvard Men’s Health Watch, Former Editor in Chief Dr. William Kormos. This advice is because:

Consuming high-carbohydrate meals before dinner may cause night sweats due to the way the body digests carbs.
Eating large amounts of food before bedtime can lead to indigestion.
Eating a meal before lying down in bed can cause heartburn.
An active gut trying to digest your last meal will keep you awake for longer or wake you up during the night.
Stomach discomfort while sleeping can reduce sleep quality significantly

7. Drinking Alcohol Before Bed Helps You Rest Easier (maybe the most common of our sleep myths)

If you’re in the habit of drinking nightcaps, you likely know you get sleepy after some alcohol. Unfortunately, that sleepiness will eventually backfire. To better understand that, you need to understand how alcohol is absorbed and used in the body.

1: Alcohol relaxes you and causes a sedating feeling as it depresses the central nervous system.
2: The alcohol rebounds, resulting in a jolt to the central nervous system, filling you with more adrenaline.
3: The adrenaline boost, typically happening while you’re asleep, causes your REM sleep, or deep sleep, to be interrupted; it may even completely wake you up!
4: The lack of deep sleep means you don’t get restorative sleep, so you’re more tired the next day.

It’s OK to drink a glass of something alcoholic every day, provided your doctor gives you the all-clear. But try to stop consuming alcohol within several hours of your bedtime, or you risk harming your rest for the night! The National Sleep Foundation, and multiple studies, certainly agree!

Final Thoughts On Debunking Some Widely Believed Sleep Myths

In our day and age, access to information is astronomical. It’s easy to get caught up in the sheer volume of data that is just at your fingertips, but then you may forget that not all of that date is accurate. Myths about health and wellness have been around since even before the advent of the internet,

Additional problems then arise when you believe incorrect information and follow it. It’s fine when it’s over something mundane and unimportant, but some of this insufficient data pertain to health and wellness. Given how difficult it can be the maintain the body’s balance of good health and efficiency, just believing a couple of wrong tidbits of info can have noticeable unwanted consequences.

This is why staying aware of what is real and what isn’t is so important. It’s crucial to recognize when a piece of information is accurate and when it’s just a myth, even more so when it relates to your health. And when it comes to sleep, you can’t afford to trust the wrong information!

So the next time someone has a fact to share about sleep, do yourself a favor, ask for their evidence, or look it up yourself. Don’t believe and follow everything you hear! If you have questions or concerns regarding these sleep myths, talk to your doctor.

Psychology Explains 12 Causes and Signs of Secondhand Stress

October 16, 2020 by Power of Positivity

The company you keep not only affects your reputation, but it can affect your emotions. Think about a time when you’ve been around friends, family, or co-workers who were an emotional mess. You likely left the situation feeling a little messy yourself. That’s the insidious nature of secondhand stress.

People are contagious, and we don’t mean illnesses. Secondhand stress is real, and psychologists warn about the dangers of subjecting yourself to it. However, you may not even realize you’re dealing with this extra stress.

Here are 12 causes and signs that, according to psychologists, show you’re dealing with secondhand stress.

What is Secondhand Stress?

It is a phenomenon where your emotions and feelings begin to mimic the emotions and feelings of people around you. You may not realize it, but people’s emotions can inadvertently seep into your aura and pierce your mood before you even realize what hit you. People’s emotions can be as contagious as a cold.

Causes of Secondhand Stress

The cause of this stress is simple – people! More specifically, it’s people that are constantly bombarding you with their emotions. You may be the person they come to when they’re feeling sad, angry, or depressed.

When people place their emotions on you, it’s usually an innocent exchange. They may be your best friend, child, spouse, or favorite co-workers. Unless they’re an emotional vampire, they don’t mean to infect you with their stress.

Unfortunately, it will still happen.

How to Avoid Secondhand Stress

It seems the simple solution is to avoid other people’s stress. Unfortunately, you can’t. There is no way to escape secondhand stress. According to Shawn Achor, a lecturer, and researcher, and the author of The Happiness Advantage, we are so interconnected these days that you can even pick up people’s stress through a cell phone.

While you may not be able to avoid secondhand stress, there are some ways to cope with it better or not to let it affect you so severely. To do that, you need to identify the causes and signs that let you know you’re being involved. The next section has 12 signs to watch out for.

12 Causes and Signs of Secondhand Stress

Be aware of these red flags that could reveal you struggle with this condition.

1. You don’t know why you’re stressed; you just are.

If you’re stressed out for no apparent reason, it could be that someone else’s stress is transferring over to you. It can be challenging or almost impossible to deal with someone else’s stressors on top of your own. If you’re stress-free in your life (congratulations!), keep it that way by not letting someone else’s stress get to you.

2. You continually see the glass as half empty.

If you’re usually a happy, positive person, but you’re suddenly pessimistic about everything, you might be wallowing in other people’s stress. Stress can quickly drown out your positive vibes.

It may even take someone else pointing out to you how negative you’ve become because it may be hard for you to recognize on your own. Letting go of the secondhand stress will get you back to your positive, cheery self in no time.

3. You get constant notifications on your devices.

These days, it’s rare to come across someone who doesn’t have a smart device. They keep you connected and organized, but when you’re continually getting notifications, you’re constantly looking at your phone.

In a survey done by the American Psychological Association (APA), it was found that people who were constantly checking their smartphones, called constant checkers, were a lot more stressed than people who don’t. According to Lynn Bufka, Ph.D., APA’s associate executive director, being a constant checker can have a negative impact on your mental and physical health.

4. You’re always in a rush.

Stress can make you nervous and anxious, and you may be in a rush to do things all the time because your mind is moving a million miles per hour. When you recognize that this is happening, you must slow down and pinpoint where that stress is coming from. There is a good chance that it’s someone else’s stress that’s putting your mind into overdrive.

Know these ten surprising stress symptoms that nobody discusses.

5. You’re always tired.

It takes a lot of energy to deal with stress, and your body may be redirecting all of it to coping with stressful situations. Another reason you may be tired is coping with the stressed-out person, to begin with. It also takes a lot of energy to deal with a frazzled, anxious person. That person may be an emotional vampire who is sucking away all of your energy, leaving you feeling drained.

6. You have trouble concentrating.

It’s no surprise that you would have trouble concentrating if you’re always tired. Stress zaps your energy, and it also impairs cognitive functioning on a chemical level. Your brain can’t focus, and your concentration takes a hit. You may find yourself needing caffeine or supplements to focus, but these are only temporary fixes. The real solution is to shed other people’s stress.

7. Your productivity/creativity is taking a hit.

Stress can stifle your productivity and creativity. Your mind might be moving at the speed of light, but it’s wandering aimlessly, and your body can’t keep up. The lack of focus and lack of energy will leave you unable to think like you usually do. If this happens in the workplace, you could be putting your job in jeopardy, so it’s crucial to shed other people’s stress immediately.

8. You’re always around stressed people.

You don’t have to feel it. If you’re always around stressed people, you can bet that you’re stressed also. As stated before, stress is contagious, so if you’re in a room full of contagious people, you’re catching the vibe.

In some cases, you may not be able to get away from these people. Your job can be one of the most significant stressors, but you still have to go to it. In this case, you need to find ways to block the stress or cope with it.

9. You’re gaining weight.

If you usually eat healthily, exercise regularly, and lead a mostly healthy lifestyle, it can be confusing when you’re gaining weight and seeing extra inches around your midsection. However, stress causes an increase in a hormone called cortisol.

Cortisol is known to make you store fat around your midsection. Therefore, stress can make you gain weight and go up a dress size. If you don’t get it under control, you may go up several dress sizes.

10. You have random crying spells.

When you’re stressed out, your emotions may be all over the place. This is especially true for women because stress can affect hormone balance in the body (as mentioned with cortisol in the previous section). You may be sad and crying one minute, and the next minute you won’t even know why you were unhappy. You’re not crazy, you’re likely just sharing in other people’s stress too much.

11. Your child/children are anxious or stressed.

Children go through a lot of hormonal changes as they grow up. These changes can cause them to be stressed out. This is especially true for teenagers. Studies show that the rate of chronic stress among teens is increasing.

Chronic stress can change your family dynamics. It’s already hard enough to deal with regular teenage drama, but dealing with a chronically stressed teenager can push your family dynamics to the limit.

12. You feel bad, and you don’t know why.

With all these things above happening to you from secondhand stress, it’s no surprise that you’re just going to feel bad mentally, physically, and emotionally. You may find yourself trying to be happy, and it’s just not working. If you’re feeling this way, the first thing you need to do is get away from secondhand stress. You may need to seek therapy or go on a vacation – whatever it takes to reduce those secondhand stressors and bring your inner peace back.

Final Thoughts About Secondhand Stress

Stress is all around you, and there is nothing you can do about that. It seems like a bleak revelation, but it doesn’t mean that things are hopeless. You can’t control other people’s stress, but you can control how it affects you.

There are ways to cope with secondhand stress. A few of them include:

Identify the source and see if you can help.
Take breaks away from stressed-out people.
Have a bigger pool of positive people than stressed people.
Keep your health up to par.
Change your response to stress.
Arm yourself with positivity in the mornings before you start your day.
Learn to let things roll off you instead of eating them up.

With practice and patience, you can learn to manage the secondhand stress in your life. In fact, you may get so good at it that you help others manage their stress so that no one is dealing with the fallout of being chronically stressed. If you can achieve this feat, you’ll find that you and everyone around you become so much better.

Relationship Experts Explain the Five Love Languages to Every Couple

October 16, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Did you know you have a love language? Your love language is what is meaningful to you to feel appreciated by your significant other. Everyone shows and receives love differently. In his well-known book, The 5 Love Languages: The Secret To Love That Lasts, author, Dr. Gary Chapman, explains the 5 different love languages and how you can understand how to love other people.

Communicating affection–both giving and receiving

We all communicate our love differently. It’s easy to assume the way we show love to others is as meaningful to them as it is to us. But many relationships go south due to a misunderstanding of a how your partner prefers to give and receive affection.

Everyone has one major love language. It’s the things that others do that make you feel special. Many people have a couple of secondary preferences that aren’t as strong as the primary one. Nevertheless, they are still important.

What are the five love languages?

Here is a brief list of the five love languages Dr. Gary Chapman suggests to help you better understand yourself and your partner.

Love language	Meaning	Positive communication	Negative
Affirmation	Encouraging words, caring words	“You look beautiful. I appreciate your efforts.”	Not interested, being distracted. Assume you know they love you, without telling you.
Time with them	Want attention, time together	Spend time with you, join activities with you.	Doesn’t plan dates, disinterested in the things you like to do.
Gifts	Big or small gifts are meaningful.	Little gifts of coffee, muffins. Love notes left in your car.	Gifts that were not planned. No time put into what you like.
Serving	Doing chores, helping around the house, running errands.	See you need help and initiate it. Run errands without being asked.	They ignore that you need help. If you ask them to help, they forget.
Touch	Loves kissing, cuddling, hugging. Romance is important.	You like holding hands, rubbing backs, and cuddling on the sofa.	Don’t seem interested or motivated to kiss or cuddle that much.

The five love languages in detail

Each of the five love languages has specific details explaining what they are and what they mean. You need to understand your love language and your partner’s love language. Let’s take a detailed look at each of the five love languages.

Affirmation

Affirmation is defined as emotional support and encouragement. It’s love expressed with words that build up or encourage. Affirmation communicates love with phrases like

“Your hair looks great today.”
“You always make me feel happy.”
“I’m lucky to have you in my life.”
“I’m proud of you!”
“I love being with you.”

If this is your partner’s love language, be sure to compliment them, encourage them, and be specific with your affirmation. They don’t appreciate sarcasm or wicked humor. Watch your words. Saying hurtful things even if you’re joking goes deep for these folks. They feel it more than others.

Important to know: Your affirmation must be genuine. Folks who need this affirmation care deeply about the emotions behind the words. If you say empty sounding words, they will feel like you don’t really mean what you’re saying.

Spending time with them

This special someone is all about spending time together. If this is your partner’s love language, they will want your undivided attention. They will love it when you hang with you to watch their favorite television or go shopping with them. Plus, they want you to turn off your phone, to look them in the eye and talk with them and listen to them. They will feel like you don’t care if you always cancel your times together or if you forget. Quality time for them isn’t out at a restaurant with a group of friends. It’s attention and focus and being there. Here are three things you can do to spend quality time with your partner, whose love language is time. Your time with them should be.

Deliberate-This means effort and planning time with them. It’s their special time with you.
Focus-Be focused on them only. Look at them, talk with them in an undistracted way. Ask them questions. Listen with your complete attention.
Loving-Be affection and loving. Show them you love them.

Gifts

Those who have this as their love language enjoy small gifts. The gifts don’t need to be expensive or luxurious. They love little surprise notes, flowers, or food gifts. They will be sentimental and keep your gifts for years. Knowing you care enough to take the time to give them something is extremely meaningful and makes them feel loved. Here are some suggestions for gifts you can give your better half.

Pick up a coffee for them
Order the book they want to read
Hand lotions
Candles
Perfume
Scarf
A funny card
Write a sweet note on the bathroom mirror

Serving

Someone who prefers serving feels that actions are a lot louder than your words. Expressions of doing means the most because they take your time and your energy. If the service is done grudgingly or with complaining, the person feels unloved. Acts of affection done spontaneously mean the most to those who speak this love language. Doing things for them to ease their burden means a lot.

Doing the dishes
Taking care of the baby in the middle of the night
Spontaneously vacuuming the living room
Cooking dinner or ordering out, so they don’t need to cook
Taking the kids out for a walk to give them a break

Like the other love languages, acts of service don’t need to be extravagant to be meaningful. It’s the little things that are meaningful to them.

Touch

Physical touch is the love language of many people. This doesn’t mean that you are interested in extreme PDA, but you want to feel connected to your partner by kissing, hand holding, or hugging. The physical touch love language isn’t necessarily about sex, or even showing you’re interested in sex at the moment. It’s more about feeling close. Examples of physical touch love language look like these:

Holding hands while you’re at a restaurant
Putting your head on their shoulder
Sitting close on the sofa
Giving a back rub
Running your hair through their hair

Of course, physical touch is important in all romantic relationships. But some people feel most loved by touching.

How to communicate your love language

Many couples are together for years without understanding the love language of one another. It’s important to communicate your love language to your partner and to figure out their love language. Watch closely how your partner expresses their love to you. Do they touch a lot or bring home little gifts all the time? Good chance, that’s their preferred style.

Growing up, your parents probably showed their love for you by taking care of you, physical affection, and affirmation. They may have showered you with gifts all the time. You often pick up your parents’ love language and express affection in this way. But once you’re in a relationship, you may find out that your partner doesn’t express or seem interested in communicating love in this way. This is what causes the disconnect for couples who aren’t aware of one another’s love language. Here’s a quick test to figure out what you and your partner’s love language might be.

What do they (you) complain about the most in your relationship?
How do they (you) express love to others?
What do they (you) request most often from your partner?

These are great indicators of which love language matters most to you or your partner.

Final Thoughts on Growing Closer to Your Partner by Understanding the Five Love Languages

Everyone communicates love differently. These sweet expressions are meaningful ways in which you receive and show your affection for each other. The five love languages are affirmation, gifts, serving, spending time, and physical touch. Your love language expresses how you personally like your partner’s adoration to be communicated and shown to you. Once you and your partner understand one another’s love language, your relationship can flourish and grow.

Science Explains What Happens if You Go to Bed Hungry

October 16, 2020 by Power of Positivity

You’re heading to bed, but your stomach tells you that the small salad you had for dinner didn’t cut it. You are really hungry. But bedtime eating is a big no-no, right? Maybe not.

Now we know the truth. Eating a nighttime snack before bed may not be as bad as previously thought. So, what happens when you go to bed hungry? Will you gain weight?

For many years, eating right before you went to bed was considered unhealthy. People avoided nighttime snacks for fear of gaining weight. But studies suggest quite the opposite. Instead of being harmful, eating a low-calorie protein-rich snack before bed benefits your muscles and metabolism, and you won’t gain weight.

A few things to keep in mind if you are hungry at bedtime.

Of course, knowing that it’s okay to eat a nighttime snack doesn’t mean you should overeat during the day. Eating the majority of your calories late at night will cause weight gain. Instead, during the day, consume a diet high rich in vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, healthy whole grains, and lean dairy. Add fish high in omega 3s such as salmon or tuna to your diet several times a week. Eat only a small amount of meat. Get plenty of exercise every day, such as walking, swimming, biking, or running.

A healthy lifestyle, along with eating a low calorie, protein-dense snack before bedtime, will improve your health and help you sleep better.

What happens if you go to bed hungry?

Now you know why you should eat a healthy snack before bedtime, but what happens if you go to bed with a growling stomach?

1 – You won’t sleep as well

Being hungry makes it hard to fall asleep. Your brain is more alert when you’re hungry, so your body can’t relax. If you fall asleep, there is a good chance you’ll wake up a couple of hours later, even hungrier and wide awake with your brain on overdrive. The next day you’ll feel groggy and tired. It won’t be easy to do your job or schoolwork. Lack of sleep causes you to make mistakes and be less engaged in what you’re doing.

2 – You’ll eat more the next day

Feeling hungry during the night not only messes up your sleep cycle, but it also increases your appetite the next day. When you’re tired, you’re apt to eat more because your body is trying to increase your energy. This overeating causes you to gain weight. Some researchers found lack of sleep causes you to eat comfort foods high in sugar and fat. Plus, if you’re tired, you’ll drink more caffeine to stay awake during the day. Too much caffeine affects your ability to fall asleep. It’s a crazy cycle that can be avoided if you eat a small healthy snack at bedtime.

Some illnesses, such as hypothyroidism, can cause insomnia due to our blood sugar dips during the night. If you suffer from hypothyroid insomnia, try eating a low-calorie protein and carb snack of whole-grain crackers spread with a teaspoon of peanut butter to regulate your blood sugar during the night so you’ll be able to sleep.

3 – You’ll lose muscle mass

Your metabolism slows down at night. When you’re in a deep sleep, your body repairs and builds muscle by turning protein into muscle and repairing damaged tissue. If you go to bed hungry, your body won’t have the extra energy it needs to do this job, so you end up losing muscle mass as you sleep. While this is not a big deal if you do this on occasion, it becomes more of a threat if you make it a daily habit.

4 – You won’t have energy

You know what it’s like to have a sleepless night of tossing and turning. The next day you feel tired and listless. When you go to bed hungry, you’re apt to lose sleep, which in turn will cause you to feel exhausted and out of energy. Eating a light protein snack before bed helps you wake up feeling refreshed and full of energy.

5 – You’ll have lower insulin levels

Your insulin levels are maintained by eating regular healthy meals during the day. If you go to bed with an empty stomach, it causes your insulin levels to drop. Over time, you could develop hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia causes low sugar levels or blood glucose levels. If left untreated, hypoglycemia will turn into diabetes. Your body uses glucose for energy.

Symptoms of hypoglycemia include the following:

Shaky feeling
Anxiousness
Sweating or chills
Impatience
Confusion
Irregular heartbeat
Dizziness
Nausea
Hunger
Weakness

If you are regularly experiencing these symptoms, talk to your doctor. They can give you tests to check your blood sugar levels. Some medications affect your blood sugar levels, causing you to be prone to becoming hypoglycemic or diabetic.

What should you eat if you are hungry at bedtime?

So, you know you should start eating a low-calorie, healthy snack before bed, but what should you eat? Here is a list of fourteen suggested bedtime snacks.

Low-fat milk with a whole-grain cereal
Scrambled eggs or boiled egg
Peanut butter on whole-grain crackers (only one or two)
Yogurt topped with granola.
Apple slices dipped in peanut butter.
Handful of walnuts, almonds, or cashews
Protein smoothie
Hummus on whole wheat pita bread
Turkey sandwich on whole grain bread
Grapes
Fresh fruit
Oatmeal
Cheese and crackers
Pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds

What should you avoid eating before bedtime?

But eating high-fat or high-calorie snacks at night is never a good idea. Instead, choose low-calorie snacks around 100 to 150 calories at the most. Keep a good supply of low-fat, low-calorie snacks available, so when you raid the refrigerator at midnight looking for something to eat, you’ll have healthy choices.

Avoid high sugar snacks that will make your blood sugar fluctuate during the night. Stay away from spicy food since these foods can cause heartburn, which can interrupt your good night’s sleep. Here’s a list of the worst bedtime snacks.

Chocolate

Chocolate candy bars, snack bars, or cookies are high in sugar, which causes your blood sugar to fluctuate during the night and waking you up. Besides, chocolate contains caffeine, which might keep you awake.

Cheeseburger and fries

A cheeseburger and fries may sound delicious at midnight, but it will come back to bite you. Eating high-fat foods late at night causes heartburn and insomnia. These eating a diet of high in fatty foods will cause weight gain, heart disease, and high blood pressure. So, resist the call of that cheeseburger and fries when you’re hungry at night.

Pizza

Pizza is a classic late-night snack, but it’s not a good bedtime snack. High in fat, salt, and acid, pizza can cause heartburn. Most doctors suggest that you eat your biggest meal at breakfast or lunchtime, not late at night. Eating pizza late at night will pack on the pounds, so avoid it.

Pasta

Eating a big bowl of pasta is the ultimate night time comfort food. Unfortunately, it’s high in carbohydrates, which causes your blood sugar to spike and your body to store fat. Go ahead, eat your pasta at lunchtime, but skip it late at night.

Spicy foods

Eating chips and salsa may sound like a yummy snack, but eating hot peppers late at night is a sure way to cause insomnia and heartburn and possibly lots of trips to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Sugary drinks

Avoid drinking juice, soda, or sweet coffee at night. Sugar and caffeine will keep you awake. Sweets at night can spike your blood sugar. If you’re craving something sweet, try eating frozen grapes or some cherry juice with natural melatonin.

Final thoughts on not going to bed hungry

You always thought that going to bed hungry would help you lose weight, but it’s not true. If you’re hungry before bed, eat a small snack. It only makes sense. There’s nothing worse than waking with in the middle of the night with a grumbling tummy.

When you’re raiding the fridge for your nighttime snack, reach for a healthy, low-fat protein snack. Avoid fatty, sugary foods, even if you’re craving them. They will not only cause your blood sugar to rise but cause weight gain. Feeling hungry at bedtime? No problem. Just let common sense rule when you choose your late-night healthy snack.

How To Start Saying No And Stop Struggling, According To Therapists

October 16, 2020 by Lakeisha Ethans

Are you a people pleaser? Do you tend to be a yes man? There’s nothing inherently wrong with being able to fit a lot onto your plate. But you might find yourself overextending and becoming burned out often. The solution is clear–start saying “no.”

Before you know it, all the people you’ve said yes to have saddled you with tasks you can barely stand under. As time progresses, each task becomes harder and harder to finish, and you get more and more exhausted. Worse still, the constant people-pleasing means people are always coming to you to request assistance, and you’re at the end of your rope!

6 Ways You Can Start Saying No

How can you fix this? It’s simple – learn to start saying “no.” Of course, that’s much easier said than done, but it’s far from impossible and is a skill worth picking up. Here’s how to start saying no and stop struggling, according to therapists.

1. Say “I Don’t,” Not, “I Can’t.”

“I don’t” is quite a powerful phrase. It conveys the important message that you aren’t and will not be interested in or capable of doing an activity for a certain situation. You’re setting up your personal rules and showing your strong convictions that won’t be knocked down.

On the other hand, when you say the phrase “I can’t,” you’re less firm. You’re saying a reluctant statement that tries to let the other down gently – “it’s not me, it’s just the circumstances”! Unfortunately, that can be misconstrued. Sure, to you, it’s a refusal, but other people can hear several different things, like:

An excuse that can be debated or fought
A lack of certainty that can be swayed
A mind that can be convinced or changed

Vanessa Patrick, a Doctor Of Philosophy, authored a study about this very phenomenon. In it, she explains how her results indicated that using the phrase “I don’t” instead of “I can’t” resulted in more positive results from the refuser. It was simply more efficient and understandable, allowing for the firm message to come across quickly.

2. Be Aware Of Your Limits

Boundaries are essential for a positive life, with good work-life balances and relationships all around. But how can you ensure those boundaries are in place properly, and how can you determine your limits? Here are some ideas:

· Recognize What’s Feasible For You

You can’t do everything! When you have multiple areas of responsibility, it’s time to slow down. There will be time to do other things in the future. If you struggle with this concept, adjust the thought in your brain, says Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist and adolescent peer consultant Elizabeth Hinkle. You’re not saying no forever – just no, for now.

· Start Prioritizing

If you consider all your tasks equally important, you’re going to wind up burned out and exhausted. National Certified Counselors, Licensed Professional Counselor, and Mind Body and Soul founder Madeleine DiLeonardo suggests trying to find a balance that works best for you. Naturally, balance as a concept can change from week to week, but recognizing bandwidth allows you to determine how much you can put on your plate. Knowing that amount will let you choose what to prioritize.

· Give Yourself Permission

It’s difficult to accept that you have every right to be pushy back if someone is particularly pushy. Give yourself the permission to shoot back and make a joke out of the situation, recommends Bregman Partners CEO Peter Bregman. This will gain the other person’s respect and show them that your “no” means no, end of the story.

3. Be Kind

Depending on what you’re saying “no” to, the other person may be upset by your refusal. That’s perfectly fine and normal, especially if the person in question isn’t taking it out on you or being too aggressively pushy about it.

While you shouldn’t let your refusal be compromised, you can still be compassionate to the person in question. That can help you get your “no” out there without feeling guilty about hurting someone else. Here are some tips for this!

· Express Appreciation

It’s okay to tell someone that you appreciate that they’ve come to you. This doesn’t mean you’re going to change your answer, states Bergman – just that you want to make it clear that you understand what this must mean to them.

· Know It’s Okay To Let People Down

It is simply impossible to please everyone. Someone will feel disappointed by standing up for your boundaries will be okay and recover from this minor sting. DiLeonardo recommends working on not internalizing it – stay confident and retain positive thinking because you made the best decision for yourself.

· Offer An Explanation

Most people dislike not knowing why you’ve turned them down and potentially disappointed them. If possible, be honest about why you’re unable to do something, no matter what the cause is, recommends Bergman. This is especially true for people who are very close to you; the further the acquaintance, the less you’ll need to explain yourself.

· Say Kind Words And Be Supportive

What happens when you have to say no to someone who needs some assistance in a more serious variety? The Plaza Hotel’s Finishing Program and Beaumont Etiquette founder and director Myka Meier recommends making it absolutely clear that you care. Be supportive and offer compassionate words. Make sure they know that you do want to help and would if you were able to.

· Get It Straight – The No Is About The Request, Not The Individual

Please make sure the person who is asking for your aid knows you respect them as a person. Bergman says you should ensure that you’re clear that the “no” is for their question, invitation, or request, not for the actual person you’re dealing with. Be genuine about your feelings regarding your respect for them, so they know for certain that it’s truly not their fault.

4. Get Good At Being Assertive

Assertiveness takes time to learn and build. It’s a good idea to get started right now, but don’t aim too high just yet. Start by practicing your assertiveness in situations that are more low-stakes. As an example, you can:

Tell a cashier that you do not use store credit cards when asked to apply, instead of politely saying, “not today, thanks.”
Explain today a salesperson trying to convince you to buy something that you don’t use, want, or need their product, instead of turning them down very gently.
Tell a distant acquaintance asking you to favor that you don’t have free time when they need you, instead of reluctantly agreeing or agreeing only to cancel later.

Why should you practice first? Well, assertiveness is much harder to come by when you’re trying to deal with the people close to you in your life. Practicing in advance will help you get into the swing of things, so you are more ready to be assertive among people you know.

Concerned that you might be too assertive? Push that thought aside! Studies have actually found that personal ideas of assertiveness aren’t accurate. This means that the way you perceive your “pushiness” is typically completely wrong! Don’t worry about being confrontational; as long as you’re not shouting or going overboard, there’s a high chance that the person you’re turning down isn’t perceiving you as threateningly as you think you’re being.

5. Tailor Your “No”s

Different people are going to need different kinds of “no”s from you. You wouldn’t, for example, say “no” to your sibling and your boss the same way. Meier recommends tailoring your phrases of denial based on your “audience.” Here are some examples:

· For A Friend

Gently be honest and direct about the reasons for your refusal, offer kind words, and suggest an alternative method of support or aid. If you have the bandwidth, offer to make it up to them – and make good on that offer. Don’t flake on them later!

· For A Colleague

Be casual but professional, maintaining clear, respectful language and making sure your explanation, if any, isn’t too personal.

· For A Boss

Express appreciation and desire to do your task, but explain the situation you have professionally. If the tasks currently taking your attention are work-related, convey that to your boss and ask if you should switch gears.

Need some go-to phrases? Avoid using the word “sorry” – you don’t owe someone an apology for being unable to meet their request! Instead, try some of these statements on for size; they work best for professional settings:

I currently have too many commitments and am unable to give this my attention.
Unfortunately, I’m not currently able to assist with that matter.
I can help you find another person who is capable of taking on this task.
I don’t have the time to devote to this task right now; I’ll be able to take it on in two weeks.

6. Accept That Missing Out Isn’t Always A Bad Thing

When you have to say no to some things, you’re going to miss out on those things. And that’s okay and completely fine! Unfortunately, a lot of people suffer from FOMO – the Fear Of Missing Out. If you get FOMO often, it could be preventing you from saying “no” and ruining your positive thinking when you have to.

Career coach and counselor Dara Blaine states that we live in what can be described as a “yes” culture. In this culture, people are always expected to say yes to further themselves. You might have heard some phrases like “the grind never stops”; that’s the kind of mentality that could make you believe you’ll never succeed if you take even one break.

It’s a good idea to start by laying out your personal goals. Understand the things that are most important to you. Once you know what matters most, you’ll know what you don’t want to miss out on and what doesn’t truly matter in the long run.

Final Thoughts On How To Say No And Stop Struggling, According To Therapists

It can be tough to say “no” to the people in your life, especially those you see often or who mean a lot to you, and even more so if you’re not used to it. But ultimately, learning when to put your foot down and say no is crucial in maintaining your health and wellness. So don’t spread yourself too thin!

7 Ways to Strengthen Your Relationship, According to Law of Attraction

October 16, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Being positive takes work. Once you’ve mastered how to see the world through rose-colored glasses, then you want to be around like-minded folks. Though people say that opposites attract, there must be something in common to form a relationship.

One of the critical aspects of attraction is a positive attitude. Do you want to hang around with someone who is negative all the time? Did you know that it creates more opportunities for you when you’re positive, and it makes you less fearful of trying new things?

Having that attitude and believing that you can accomplish anything you set your mind too is infectious, and people will want to be around you. There’s no way you will succeed at everything in life, but your optimism rises from the success you’ve already achieved.

Could You Have Better Relationships if You Alter Your Attitude?

The Law of Attraction is a belief system that teaches people to attract positive outcomes by exuding positivity. This mindset impacts every area of life–including your relationships. So those who want to have excellent interpersonal connections will establish those by positive thinking.

Here’s how it works.

Did your parents always tell you that “Birds of a feather flock together?” They probably were chastising the crowd that you hung around with during your childhood. Some of your friends were positive, but it was the negative ones that troubled them.

A cynical person usually complains a lot, and in return, you will start to complain too when you’re around such an individual. When you’re focused on all the things that are wrong in your life, it’s hard to count your blessings. Complainers are concentrate on pointing out the negative aspects so much that they can’t see all their gifts.

Complaining is flat out negativity. Can you imagine going on a date or to a job interview and complaining the entire time? You wouldn’t dare do that because you know they will quickly overlook you for someone who has a better attitude. Being a complainer creates people to develop a wrong impression of you, affecting your health and relationships.

Do you think the negative people you meet in this life have people flocking to them for wisdom and friendship? You won’t be favorably remembered if you complain, or if you are, it won’t be for the right reasons.

When there’s a pool of 100 applicants for a job, you want to stand out and be memorable. What you don’t want is to be remembered for your chronic negativity.

Seven Excellent Ways of Being Positive

If you want to become a more positive person, then you need to change your mindset. Here are a few tips to help you change the way you view things.

1. Make the Choice to Be Happy

Being positive is not a procedure that you study. There are no techniques or tricks either. It’s the outcome of choice. It would help if you chose to see obstacles as tasks rather than barriers; it’s confidence in your talents and believing in you and others.

Don’t fake being cheerful, as others will see right through it. Plus, it’s not going to help you develop a positive attitude. Just because someone greets you with a smile doesn’t mean they’re an optimistic person.

You can feel there’s something not genuine about them, and soon their real demeanor will show. If you want to be happy and positive, then you must choose to be that way. It’s not going to be easy, but you can retrain your brain to view things on the sunny side of life.

A positive person is pleasant to be around, and you won’t have to tell anyone that you’ve changed your mindset. People will draw closer to you because you can take whatever life throws your way and smile through the pain. Your tenacity for life will become infectious.

2. Don’t Let Life Affect You

Don’t let the cares of life get you down. If you’re positive, people will be able to hear it in your tone when you’re speaking, and they will see it in your expressions. Your friends and colleagues can pick up on your inner turmoil in the way you walk and the light that comes from your eyes.

If you’re remaining positive, they will be able to tell. They can also tell when you’re trying to “fake it to make it.” There will be troubles in life, and there will be days where you don’t want to do the daily grind.

However, you can’t let all the outside influences ruin your optimistic nature.

3. Recite Positive Affirmations (important in the Law of Attraction)

Being positive takes practice. You’re not going to be cured of your negativity overnight. Thankfully, you can help to retrain your brain by reciting positive affirmations each day.

Do you wake up each morning with a headache when you think about all you must accomplish? When you change the way you look at the day, you will change the way you feel. Start saying things to yourself like the following phrases:

Today’s going to be a great day
I will meet exciting new people
I will be kind to all my coworkers
I’ll accomplish every goal set before me
I am optimistic because I am blessed
I am loved
I will make today memorable

When you start saying things like this every morning when you awaken, you will change your entire mood. If you want more friends and deeper relationships, then being positive is an excellent place to start.

4. Helps Others

Perhaps one of the most significant ways to change your outlook and attitude is to give back. There’s always someone that has it worse than you. You may be sad because you’re going through a divorce or you lost your job, but what about the person that never had a job or marriage.

Find ways that you can give back to your community. It’s a humbling experience to serve soup to someone that is homeless when you have a home and cabinets full of food. Remember the Golden Rule, and you should apply it to every aspect of your life.

Being positive by reaching out to those in need is a great place to start. Plus, there will be many opportunities to meet new friends along the way. People that give back and are into philanthropy flocked to others of the same mindset.

5. Learn to Manage Your Problems

There is no life without problems. Whether you’re a millionaire or have $20 in the bank, you’re going to have struggles. The difference is a positive person knows how they handle them.

While you may not have a solution, you can manage your response. If you want better relationships, then having the right answers to problems created by others is a place to start. Don’t freak out over every little thing that comes your way.

Tackle what you can and leave the rest to the universe. You’re only human, and you need to realize that you have limitations. Being positive reminds you that you need to call on a higher power when the cares of life become too much to handle.

6. Set Goals

Everyone needs to set goals for their life. This is because you don’t want to become preoccupied with what’s behind you but instead look to the future. A plan will give you the motivation that you need to get out of bed in the morning.

Once you accomplish a goal, no matter how small, you will have a boost in your step because you can cross something off your list. If you want to make more money, get involved in a serious relationship, or get a new job, you can accomplish it by having a systematic approach.

7. Make Lists

If you struggle with the concept of being positive, then you should make a list of how this mindset alteration will affect you. Will your family and friends like you better with an optimistic attitude?

How much better would life be if you weren’t cynical and depressed about failures and problems all the time? Your life can do a 180 degree turn when you learn to stop looking at everything wrong in life and look at what’s right.

Final Thoughts on How Being Positive Can Improve Relationships

Maybe you don’t see the need to change. You can be successful, have lots of friends, and even be rich, all while being a negative person. However, when you change your mindset to the positive side, you are successful, no matter what comes your way.

Sure, you have friends, but do you want to be friends with Scrooge? Your relationships can be more profound, and doors in the business world can open to you that you never thought possible. Do you need a ghost to tell you what your past, present, and future will look like if you don’t change your ways? Then look to the Law of Attraction. Study it, understand it, and put it to work in your life.

Being positive will transform you into your thoughts and also your behaviors. If you want to marry a princess, you must first become the prince that attracts such royalty. Additionally, if you’re going to have any long-term relationships, you must be willing to give yourself in some capacity.

Remember, the farmer doesn’t get corn until he plants the seed. It would help if you planted seeds of goodness and positivity in your life to reap the harvest of the same.

20 Things to Do to Reduce High Cholesterol

October 16, 2020 by Power of Positivity

One of the buzz words you often hear concerning heart health is cholesterol, which has become something to fear. Did you know that you need a certain amount of cholesterol to live and that your body produces some on its own? It just depends on what type of cholesterol you are considering.

HDL or good cholesterol helps transport excess cholesterol from your blood vessels to your liver, and it’s healthy for your heart. However, LDL or bad cholesterol builds up in the vessels, causing heart attacks, strokes, and other diseases. Genetics, age, and gender play a role in both levels.

While some high cholesterol factors you can’t change, you can make a positive difference with diet and exercise. Some foods, herbs, and supplements may also be beneficial. Here are 20 ways you may consider reducing high cholesterol levels so that you can keep your body happy and healthy.

Twenty Ways to Reduce High Cholesterol

Are you seeking a new and healthier lifestyle? Here are twenty ways you may consider reducing high cholesterol levels so that you can keep your body happy and healthy.

1. Lose Weight

It’s a myth that only overweight people have problems with their cholesterol. However, experts say that your body is more apt to store LDL or bad cholesterol if you are packing extra pounds. You also may have a higher cholesterol reading if it’s part of your genetics.

You can still reduce high cholesterol by eating better foods for you, which will help you lose weight. Eating a healthy diet will also encourage your liver to absorb less cholesterol to form new fatty deposits. Plus, losing weight will help raise the HDL or good cholesterol levels in your body.

2. Quit Smoking

If you need another reason to nix the tobacco habit, you can reduce high cholesterol may persuade you. When you smoke, you not only increase your risk of cardiovascular disease, but you also alter how your body processes cholesterol.

Tar is one of the several toxic chemicals leached into your body from burning tobacco. It damages the cells responsible for removing cholesterol from the walls of your blood vessels to your blood. Some health experts believe that these malfunctioning cells may be one reason why smokers often develop clogged arteries.

3. Avoid Trans-fats in Your Diet

You may have done an excellent job by eliminating as much saturated fat from your diet as possible, and that’s a good thing. However, trading them off for food that is high in trans-fats isn’t helpful. Manufacturers use hydrogenation to turn unsaturated fats or vegetable oils into a solid at room temperature.

Not only do trans-fats increase your total cholesterol levels, but they can decrease the level of good cholesterol (HDL) in your body. The trans-fat culprits are margarine, shortening, and processed food with partially hydrogenated oils. To reduce high cholesterol levels in your body, avoid trans-fats.

4. Eat Healthy Polyunsaturated Fats in Moderation

To reduce high cholesterol and your risks of cardiovascular disease, trade saturated, and trans-fats for polyunsaturated ones. Omega-three is a beneficial polyunsaturated fat that can help reduce your LDL cholesterol. Research suggests that these healthy fats may reduce your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes.

Sources of Omega-three fatty acids include fatty fish like tuna, salmon, herring, and mackerel. You can also get a healthy dose when you eat walnuts, almonds, pecans, and seeds. If you aren’t a fan of seafood, you can also take Omega-three fish oil supplements.

5. Get Regular Exercise

When you combine a healthy diet with a daily exercise regimen, you can lose weight, tone your body, and reduce high cholesterol. Obesity can cause many health problems, like coronary disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and some cancers. Not only can exercise lower your obesity risk, but it can also reduce your bad cholesterol while increasing the good.

Studies show that even walking can offer you cholesterol-busting benefits. The more you exercise, the more you can lower your bad cholesterol and make your body healthier. Talk to your primary healthcare provider about an exercise regimen that’s best for you.

6. Eat More Fiber

Soluble fiber does wonder for keeping your digestion and bowels regulated. Did you know that it can also help you lower your cholesterol levels? It is the main food source for the beneficial probiotics that live in your gut.

This microscopic gut flora can lower the amount of bad cholesterol in your body. High-fiber foods also have a lot of vitamins and minerals. Increase your fiber intake by enjoying whole grains, beans, lentils, and fruit.

7. Avoid Alcohol or Drink in Moderation

Drinking too much alcohol can damage your liver and cause other serious health conditions. However, some studies show that drinking alcohol in moderation may increase your good cholesterol levels. It can also benefit the process of removing cholesterol from your blood vessels to be filtered by your liver.

8. Consider Plant Cholesterol

Although these plant-based cholesterols haven’t been proven to lower your coronary disease risks, they can help you reduce high cholesterol levels. You will find these plant sterols and stanols in most vegetable oils.

9. Try Dietary Supplements

If you are eating various healthy whole foods, you are probably getting enough vitamins and minerals. However, some dietary supplements have been found to help reduce high cholesterol levels. Consider psyllium, CoQ10, and fish oil.

10. Enjoy Green Tea

Who would have guessed that your favorite tea could also lower your cholesterol? You are probably already drinking it for its other health benefits. Drinking green tea or black tea can lower your levels of bad cholesterol.

11. Eat Grapefruit

Remember the iconic grapefruit diet that comes around again every few years? Some claims made about this fad diet may be dubious, but eating a grapefruit a day can help bring down your cholesterol levels. *People who consume grapefruit or grapefruit juice should check with a pharmacist to find out if any of their medications interact with the fruit. Grapefruit is known to affect three of these Cholesterol drugs: simvastatin (Zocor), lovastatin (Mevacor), and atorvastatin (Lipitor).

12. Drink Plenty of Water

Drinking water may not reduce high cholesterol on its own, but it can help other processes. A recent study suggested that drinking more water a day can lower your risk of coronary disease by 60 percent. It also lowers your risk of obesity, which means a better cholesterol level.

13. The Edible Egg

Perhaps no other food has been scrutinized more than the humble chicken egg. In the past, experts warned people to avoid eating eggs since the yolks were high in cholesterol, albeit the good kind. Current research not only contradicts past warnings but also indicates that the lutein in egg yolks is heart healthy.

14. Lower Your Stress Levels

Chronic stress is public enemy number one when it comes to your health. It puts your survival instinct into overdrive and pumps your blood full of stress hormones, which can drive up your cholesterol. Find natural ways to relax, like doing yoga, journaling, or taking leisurely walks in nature.

15. Bring on the Garlic

Garlic has been used for thousands of years to ward off countless health conditions, and modern science is proving its benefits. Not only is this pungent bulb good for your heart but consuming it can also lower your cholesterol levels.

16. Learn to Laugh a Little More

Research shows that laughter encourages your brain to release hormones that produce nitric oxide. This chemical is a natural anti-inflammatory that affects your blood vessels and may prevent the buildup of cholesterol.

17. The Joy of Soy

Many people around the globe use more soy protein than they do animal proteins. Did you know that soy can help lower your bad cholesterol and your risks of heart disease? You can choose many natural soy products, like soy milk, tofu, soy nuts, or tempeh.

18. Holy Basil

Basil cultivars are so much more than just a tasty culinary herb. Preliminary studies suggest that holy basil may lower your risk of developing diabetes and may lower your cholesterol. More reviews are in the works.

19. Try Whey Protein

Scientists believe that whey protein in dairy products is beneficial to your health. If you want to lower LDL and total cholesterol levels, you can try whey protein supplements. Research shows that it may help reduce your risk of hypertension, too.

20. Turmeric

Current studies have elevated this ancient herb that’s been used in Indian medicine for thousands of years. If you enjoy it as a culinary herb or as a dietary supplement, this golden root powder may reduce your chances of cardiovascular disease and lower your total cholesterol levels.

Final Thoughts on Acting Now to Reduce High Cholesterol

Statin drugs are used by doctors to treat cholesterol. However, the side effects of these drugs are troublesome, which makes many leery to take them. Thankfully, there are so many natural things that you can do to help your cholesterol levels.

Before you try any dietary supplements, talk to your healthcare provider. Never cease or change your cholesterol medication dosage without medical advice. A healthy lifestyle is one of the main things you can do to reduce high cholesterol.

Don’t you owe it to yourself to try natural things first? Selecting a few of these methods will have a dramatic impact on your life and can reduce high cholesterol.

15 Gross Habits That Annoy Your Partner

October 16, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Trigger warning. We are “going there,” in a no-holds-barred look at some pretty gross habits. Let’s face it, we are all human and have our own quirky things we’d never admit to in public.

Being human means indulging is some disgusting behaviors once in a while. When you’re in a relationship, your unique habits can, well… gross out your partner. You may wonder what quirky behaviors you have that might annoy your partner.

15 Gross Habits That Annoy Your Significant Other

Take a look at these 15 gross habits you may be guilty of doing.

Picking your nose.

You should have grown out of the nose-picking habit in kindergarten. But if you’re still picking your nose, you’re not alone. We rate it as the number one gross habit that annoys partners. Resist the urge to dig deep into your nose. Instead, get a tissue and take care of business in privacy.

Biting your nails.

Tearing at your nails with your teeth like a neanderthal isn’t attractive. No wonder your partner finds this habit super annoying. There are good health reasons to kick the nail-biting habit.

Infection in your fingernails: When you bite your nails, you run the risk of a painful nail infection called paronychia. Symptoms are red, swollen areas where the infection lingers. This area fills with nasty pus and blisters. Usually, you need an antibiotic to get rid of paronychia.
Teeth problems: Using your teeth as nails clippers can cause your teeth to shift, chip, or break. You also spread germs from your fingers to your mouth, causing bad breath, and who knows what else.
Hangnails: When you tear off skin with your teeth, you make a hole that forms a hangnail. Hangnails get infected easily, causing pain, redness, and a swollen finger. Sometimes hangnails get so infected. You need surgery to remedy it.

Not brushing your teeth.

Being an adult means you don’t need your mom to remind you to brush your teeth. If you’re skipping good mouth hygiene, your teeth can turn yellow. You’ll develop cavities and have stinky breath. It’s no fun to kiss someone with nasty breath. Stop waiting for your mom to show up, start brushing, and flossing twice a day. Your partner will love your sweet, kissy breath, and gorgeous smile.

Farting.

It was hilarious in middle school, but loud, smelly farts aren’t that funny once you reach adulthood. No one wants to cuddle on the sofa with a farting partner. Perhaps you have gut problems that are causing gas. You may be allergic to dairy or sugar. Try giving up dairy or sugar for a couple of weeks to see if your obnoxious farts go away. Sometimes that’s all it takes to end the pungent air gifts that are so annoying to your partner.

Peeing in the shower.

Many people admit they pee in the shower. It’s so common that it’s almost an American pastime. Why do you do it? Convenience? Comfort? Just for fun? It’s unclear what the motiving cause is, but it’s actually not as brutish as it sounds. The urine gets washed down the drain with the dirt, dead skin, and other yucky bodily fluids. But all the same, if it bugs your partner, at least hold off peeing in the shower until when they’re not around.

Smelling your armpits.

You raise your arms over your head, fake yawn, then do a quick turn of the head to take a sniff of your armpits. You think no one notices you. But your partner notices, and it’s extremely annoying to them. If you’re taking daily showers and wearing a good deodorant brand, you shouldn’t need to do the armpit sniffing test. If you really feel a need to sniff your armpits, go to the bathroom. There you can sniff all you want, plus put on a little extra deodorant if you need it.

Not changing sheets on your bed.

Has it been weeks or months since you’ve changed your bedsheets? Sorry, but this is high on the repulsive list for a partner. Over time your bed is a cornucopia full of dead skin, pollen, dust mites, dander, and other plain old offensive stuff. If you sleep in that stuff long enough, you can develop allergies or skin rashes. Studies found that simple measures like weekly laundering of your bedding can reduce allergens in your bedroom. Getting serious about washing your bedding is sure to get you off the repulsive list. Plus, you’ll sleep better every night under fresh, clean sheets.

Spitting.

Spitting was against the law in the Middle Ages, and it should be illegal today. If you’re still flinging a giant ball of spit now and then, you may want to reassess this habit. It’s a big no-no when it comes to relationships. No one wants to kiss a spit flinger. If you must spit, do it in the toilet, and please flush afterward. Breaking this habit would make your sweetie a lot happier.

Not cleaning your smartphone.

Are you scratching your head right now, saying, “I’m supposed to clean my smartphone?” Think about it. Do you grab your smartphone and take it with you into the bathroom to sit a spell and write texts? During the day, do you touch coffee shop counters, door handles, and work computers? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. Most people don’t think about cleaning their smartphones. Sanitize your smartphone with a cleaning wipe at least once a day to remove grime and avoid spreading germs.

Butt scratching.

It should go without saying that butt scratching is definitely a gross habit. It’s also socially unacceptable and a big turn off for your partner. If you’re having issues with your hiney, head to the bathroom and fix it. No one wants to hang out with a butt scratcher, so nip this bad habit in the bud right away. Capeesh?

Talking with food in your mouth.

Remember when you were a kid, and you told the joke about “seafood,” then opened your mouth so the person could “see” your food? It was funny back then, but “see” food isn’t funny when you’re an adult. Your partner loves you. They love to talk to you at dinner, but when you splatter food from your mouth onto their shirt, it could push them over the edge. Try to take a bite and swallow before you talk at meals. It could save your relationship.

Not washing new clothing.

Okay, this might seem like a biggie, but it’s disgusting if you think about where your new clothes have been. People are covered with parasites, germs, and bacteria. They touch clothes on the rack at the store and try on clothing–many of them minus their underwear. Bathing suits and lingerie have been found to contain fecal matter. If this doesn’t convince you to wash your new clothing, nothing will. When you get home from the store, throw your new clothing into the washer right away so it’ll be nice and clean for wearing.

Not replacing your toothbrush head.

It’s easy to forget to replace your toothbrush head. But if you brush your teeth twice a day after several months, your toothbrush takes a good beating. The bristles wear down, causing your brushing to be ineffective. Your mouth harbors germs and bacteria that accumulate on your toothbrush. Over time, your toothbrush is germ-infested so, it’s important to replace your toothbrush or toothbrush head at least once a month.

Not washing your hands.

Your sweetie wants you to wash your hands. Not washing your hands spreads disease and germs. Poor hygiene is never romantic. Wash your hands after you use the toilet, after you’ve been outside or before you cook.

Poor toilet hygiene.

It’s time to get serious. And yes, we are going there.

One of the biggest annoyances to many is when someone’s partner does not practice good toilet hygiene. Disgusting behaviors range from forgetting to flush (or not ensuring all waste flushes) completely to “dribbling” down the side of the bowl to leaving up the toilet seat for them to touch. Do your significant other a favor and don’t make them a party to cleaning up after you use the toilet. While you are at it, be sure to wash your hands thoroughly after using the toilet, as well!

Final Thoughts: How do you stop gross habits?

Everybody has a habit to kick. Researchers suggest you can stop a bad habit by replacing the bad habit with a healthy one. If you constantly bite your nails when you’re nervous, take a yoga class to lower your stress. Researches believe it takes three weeks to break a habit. Over time, your positive habit eventually becomes a new way of life, crowding out your old bad habit.

It’s also important to find out how your gross habit affects your partner. Ask them questions like

Which of my gross habit affects you the most?
How does it make you feel?
Does it make me less attracted to you?
Do my gross habits embarrass you? Annoy you?

If you’re human, you’re apt to have a gross habit of some kind. We all do things without thinking about how it affects our partners. Bad habits take time to stop, but it is possible if you’re motivated. Replacing bad habits with a new one is a powerful way to change.

Your gross habits affect your romantic relationship. Don’t assure your partner doesn’t care. Ask them which habits bother them. Show them you want to change to improve your relationship. Good chance, your sweetie will love you even more for wanting to change for them.

13 Ways to Use Hydrogen Peroxide for Cleaning

October 16, 2020 by Sarah Barkley

Hydrogen peroxide is an everyday household staple, but the benefits go much further than expected. If you use hydrogen peroxide for cleaning, you will experience the effects of one of the best all-natural cleaners. It is inexpensive, safe, and kills harmful viruses, bacteria, and fungi.

Hydrogen peroxide comprises two oxygen atoms and two hydrogen atoms, making the chemical compound H₂O₂. You can find peroxide in varying concentrations, most commonly between three and 10%. The best peroxide concentration for cleaning and disinfecting is the three percent solution.

Hydrogen peroxide starts to break down when exposed to heat, light, or air and becomes plain water. It isn’t harmful when this happens, but it won’t work well for cleaning once this occurs. This breakdown is the reason that peroxide comes in a brown bottle.

How to Use Hydrogen Peroxide for Cleaning

Not only can you be more efficient by using hydrogen peroxide for cleaning, but you will also save money. If you aren’t buying expensive chemical-filled cleaners, you can put that money aside for something better. The best part is that hydrogen peroxide poses no health or environmental hazards.

1. De-gunk Your Tiles, Granite, Marble, and Grout

Keeping tiles, granite, marble, and grout clean can be difficult if you don’t have the right solution. Spraying hydrogen peroxide on the surfaces can help clean them and even whiten the grout.

To clean the grout, leave peroxide for thirty minutes before scrubbing. You can scour with a grout brush or an old toothbrush. Removing your grout might take a few applications if it has many buildups.

Granite, tiles, and marble show water stains, and food stains can be harder to clean off. Using a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and baking soda can help.

Use half a cup of baking soda with a few drops of peroxide to form a paste, then spread it over your countertops. Let it sit for 10 minutes before cleaning it with a wet cloth.

2. Use Hydrogen Peroxide for Cleaning Your Beds and Mattresses

Most people don’t realize they should clean their mattresses every six months. To clean them, remove the linens and padding, and vacuum the mattress thoroughly.

If you see any stains on the mattress, you can use a mixture of equal parts water and hydrogen peroxide. Use a soft, clean toothbrush or other cleaning brush, and then work the ingredients into the stain. Let it sit for five minutes, and then repeat the process.

Continue the process until the stain has faded, and then use a hairdryer to dry any excess moisture. Don’t put the padding or the linens back on until the mattress fully dries.

3. Lighten Up Your Bathrooms and Toilets

Bathrooms and toilets can get nasty, but hydrogen peroxide can make cleaning easier. If you have mold or mildew in your bathroom, spray it with peroxide and let it sit for a few minutes. Then, wipe it away with a wet cloth. For a thorough clean throughout your home, consider hiring carpet cleaners newport to tackle any carpet stains and keep your floors looking fresh.

Research shows that hydrogen peroxide removes bacteria, yeast, fungi, viruses, and spores, effectively cleaning your toilet. Pour half a cup of peroxide into your toilet and let it sit for fifteen minutes before scrubbing it clean. You’ll notice that the grime comes off quicker and is cleaner than ever.

4. Refinish Metal Objects

You can use hydrogen peroxide to clean and refinish any metal containing iron or an iron alloy. Before spraying the peroxide, you must remove, paint, and sand the surface. Once you have a fresh start, spray vinegar onto the surface and let it dry for five minutes.

While you wait for the vinegar to dry, mix two cups of peroxide, four tablespoons of vinegar, and one and a half teaspoons of salt. Soak the metal surface with this mixture, and you will notice that rust begins forming immediately. This method of refinishing will result in an antique-looking piece.

5. Try Hydrogen Peroxide for Cleaning Rust Stains

While hydrogen peroxide can cause rusting when mixed with the right ingredients, it can also remove rust if used differently. Mix equal parts of cream of tartar and baking soda, then add a few drops of hydrogen peroxide to form a paste.

Apply the paste to rusted objects and leave it for one hour before cleaning them with water. This method removes rust from moderately rusted items. Plus, it can remove rust stains in your sink or bathtub caused by the rust in your tap water.

6. Sanitize Your Kitchen Utensils

Using hydrogen peroxide to clean your kitchen utensils can keep things bacteria-free. Your cutting board is an excellent place to start because it gets cuts on the surface that trap unhealthy bacteria. To clean it, spray it with white vinegar first, then pour hydrogen peroxide over it after five minutes.

If you have ceramic-coated cookware, you can clean that using hydrogen peroxide, too. Spread it on the dish’s interior, and it will lighten stains while cleaning the surface. You can also use it on any utensils that are hard to clean entirely.

7. Freshen Up Your Furniture

Harsh chemicals can ruin your furniture, so using hydrogen peroxide for cleaning is a better option. Mix half a cup of dawn dish soap with one cup of hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle. Then, spray it on your upholstery and let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing it with a rag.

Using a large sprayer, you can also clean your outdoor furniture with hydrogen peroxide. Here is how to clean furnishings with hydrogen peroxide. Mix one gallon of warm water with one-quarter cup of peroxide, a few drops of dish soap, and one scoop of borax. Then, spray your outdoor furniture and let the mixture sit for 15 minutes before scrubbing and rinsing.

8. Use Hydrogen Peroxide for Cleaning and Sanitizing Your Appliances

Studies show that residential dishwashers often have fungi and yeast inside them. This fact is the case for other appliances too. You can use hydrogen peroxide for cleaning small appliances, though.

Mix one cup of hydrogen peroxide with two cups of water in a spray bottle. Add about fifteen drops of lemon essential oil or two teaspoons of lemon juice and then shake the bottle. You can use this all-natural cleaner on many appliances and other surfaces, including your:

kitchen sink and garbage disposal area
microwave
refrigerator (inside and out)
coffee maker
blender
slow cooker
dishwasher (inside and out)

9. Shines Your Mirrors

You can use hydrogen peroxide to clean shiny mirrors with no streaks. Fill a spray bottle with equal parts water and peroxide instead of a regular window or mirror cleaner. Wipe the mirror with a lint-free cloth or newspaper for the best results.

10. Remove Stains from Your Clothes

When you have stains on your clothing, you can use hydrogen peroxide as a pretreatment a couple of hours before washing. Add one cup of hydrogen peroxide to your washing machine before wearing white clothes. Peroxide brightens the whites and removes stains naturally.

If you get underarm stains on your clothes, you can use a hydrogen peroxide mixture to remove them. Mix equal parts peroxide, baking soda, and water, and then use a soft-bristled brush to scrub the area. Then, allow the mixture to sit for at least half an hour before giving it a final scrub and throwing it in the washing machine.

You can also remove food and grass stains by combining hydrogen peroxide and one part dish soap. Use a soft-bristled brush to work the mixture into the spot and let it sit for a while. Then, rinse with cold water and apply again until you can’t see the stain anymore.

11. Eliminate Bad Odors

Hydrogen peroxide can help you eliminate foul odors, including skunk smells, urine, and other offensive odors. Peroxide destroys the odor by breaking down the source of the smell and using enzymes to remove it. It accelerates the elimination process for both foul odors and stains.

Mix one part of hydrogen peroxide with six water parts, then spray it on the area thoroughly. Blot at the area and then let it dry for a while. Repeat the process as necessary until the odor dissipates.

12. Remove Watermarks in Your Windows

If there are hard water stains on your windows, you can use hydrogen peroxide to clean them off. Mix equal parts of water and hydrogen peroxide and saturate the mark. Let the solution sit for a few minutes, then respray the glass when it dries.

Then, scrub the glass with a rough towel or rag with the mixture. Repeat this process until there are no watermarks left. You can also make a paste instead of a liquid and use it to scour the watermarks of your windows.

13. Sanitize Your Children’s Toys

You can use hydrogen peroxide to sanitize toys and stop the spread of germs in your home. Put peroxide on a rag and wipe down all of the toys and play surfaces once a week. It will kill germs and bacteria without exposing the child to harmful chemicals.

You can also fill a spray bottle with hydrogen peroxide over the toys. Let the liquid dry naturally; if it bubbles up, do it again.

Final Thoughts on Ways to Use Hydrogen Peroxide for Cleaning

Hydrogen peroxide is a safe and all-natural alternative to chemical-filled cleaners. You can also use it when you run out of your usual cleaner.

It is important to note that mixing hydrogen peroxide with bleach can cause an explosion, so avoid the combination. While it is an all-natural cleanser, hydrogen peroxide should never be consumed.

Use natural ingredients that you already have in your home to enjoy a cleaner, fresher home. Hydrogen peroxide for cleaning is an excellent alternative, and you’ll be glad you tried it out.

Weekly tips, affirmations, and small actions to feel your best.

Picking your nose.

Biting your nails.

Not brushing your teeth.

Farting.

Peeing in the shower.

Smelling your armpits.

Not changing sheets on your bed.

Spitting.

Not cleaning your smartphone.

Butt scratching.

Talking with food in your mouth.

Not washing new clothing.

Not replacing your toothbrush head.

Not washing your hands.

Poor toilet hygiene.

Every day is a day to shine. Shine on!