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Get your kids to eat more veggies? Yes, with a school grant from Action for Healthy Kids!

March 30, 2018 By Debra Pearlstein Leave a Comment

Parents can be a formidable force for change in schools, especially when it comes to starting health and wellness programs. Ensuring that our kids are eating healthier foods, learning about nutrition, and being more physically active in school not only sets them up to learn lifelong healthy habits but, according to a growing body of research, it helps them be better prepared to focus and learn in class. Studies also show when parents are involved in a child’s education, their children demonstrate higher academic achievement, better attendance, better social skills, better-eating habits, increased physical activity and less emotional distress.

Yet, despite wanting to do what’s best for students’ health, many schools lack the necessary resources to implement health and wellness practices that help students eat better and stay physically active. That’s why Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK) has announced a new Parents for Healthy Kids grant just for parents for the 2018-2019 school year. The grants, which are provided through funding from ALDI, are designed for parents, caregivers and parent-groups (e.g. PTAs, PTOs) to lead school-based physical activity and nutrition initiatives and to engage more parents and family members in student and family health.

If you’ve ever thought of starting a school garden, getting kids to eat more fruits and veggies at school lunch, or finding ways to ensure they get more physical activity in and get the wiggles out during the school day so they can better focus in class, then this grant opportunity is for you. If you can think of a way to improve school and student health, AFHK can help you do it. In addition to providing schools with needed funding (grants up to $1,000), AFHK provides grantees with technical support and resources to activate their grants successfully.

Parents can learn more and apply for a grant by April 13, 2018 by visiting ParentsforHealthyKids.org/Grants. While you’re there, check out the resources to help you get involved in school health, and sign up to receive news your family can use to create a healthier school and home, today!

This sponsored post is brought to you by Action for Healthy Kids and coordinated by Wendy’s Bloggers.

Natural Pain Relief with Far Infrared Therapy

March 29, 2018 By Debra Pearlstein 12 Comments

So many of us have chronic pain or know someone who does. I have fibromyalgia and other muscle and joint issues which affect me daily including severe sciatic pain. Pain relief can make the difference in a good day and a bad one, how we interact with our family and friends, even our general outlook on life.

As a holistic health therapist, I am always looking for ways for myself and others to improve their quality of life and increase wellness. I feel that a healthy lifestyle including alternative therapies can improve your life for the better and help you live with joy, peace and purpose.

For years I have watched my family members and friends suffering from arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, back pain and so much more. I’m a strong believer in a healthy whole food diet, staying well-hydrated, electrolytes, probiotics and omegas as well as cranio-sacral work, acupuncture, massage, t’ai chi, chi gung, yoga, mindfulness and meditation.

Recently I’ve found a new alternative therapy that I’m really excited about! Have you heard about infrared technology helping with pain relief? Far Infrared Therapy is natural and non-invasive. Experienced by us as heat, it’s the invisible part of the sunlight spectrum. It’s the wonderful warmth you feel with the sun on your skin.

HealthyLine makes Far Infrared heating mats created in collaboration with inventors and healthcare professionals.that are definitely worth checking out!

I love the mats they have that provide completely natural gemstone heat therapy. The gemstone surface has jade, amethyst, tourmaline and sometimes obsidian as well. As you heat the gemstones, they emit far-infrared rays (FIR) in large amounts. FIR are most commonly received from sunlight and these rays can penetrate 4-6″ into body tissues, help stimulate circulation, decrease pain, inflammation, stiffness and stress, and promote relaxation. Each mat also comes with a foil space blanket to amplify the effectiveness. You get the same benefits as an infrared sauna but with the inclusion of negative ions and a fully functional pulsed electromagnetic field system.

These treatments are very helpful for arthritis, fibromyalgia, lower back and sciatic pain, even daily aches. While infrared saunas may be helpful, they can be very expensive and you have to leave the comfort of your home which is no fun when you just want to relax. You can use these mats anywhere. Think of how much money you can save on holistic health treatments as well. It truly is a wonderful investment towards wellness.

Benefits:

Far Infrared Therapy is channeled thru heated gemstones:

Amethyst – emits a steady flow of far infrared and negative ions and can promote better healing, sleep and overall wellbeing.

Jade – emits a low heat that is wonderful for relaxation and meditation and helps restore energy and efficient body function

Tourmaline – produces the highest amount of negative ions out of the gemstones used, revitalizes you and helps detoxify

Negative Ion Therapy – Did you know that technology can disturb negative ion exposure? This is particularly relevant as so many of us use it so often. Negative Ions are nature’s purifiers. They are plentiful near waterfalls and bodies of water such as rivers and oceans. They can help you feel more at ease and promote good health. That sense of well-being so many feel after a rainstorm may be caused by the high concentration of negatively charged ions n the air.

HealthyLine heated gemstones provide a boost of negative ions which can ease respiration, decrease stress, detoxify and clear your mind, improve sleep and overall health

The hot stone therapy lets you turn your home into a spa, relaxes and soothes muscles and is scientifically linked to stress reduction and lowering anxiety. It increases blood flow to help pains and heal and can be used with massage and other holistic therapies with synergistically improved results (chiropractic treatments, acupuncture, acupressure). Heating gemstones releases far infrared ray and negative ions and the stone surface also works with your body’s pressure points to de-stress.

Pulsed Electromagnetic fields (PEMF) stimulate cell health and counteract harmful exposure from electronics. PEMF is FDA approved to manage joint pain, bone repair, and signs of depression. It is even used by NASA to maintain the health of astronauts in orbit. Compatible with our own natural biorhythms, it is based on the Earth’s magnetic pulse.

Photon Light Therapy penetrates just below the surface of your skin, helps with motor function and nerve regeneration, and can help manage symptoms of depression including Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

Treatment with Healthy Line far-infrared mats is simple and painless. The energy penetrates the skin and is absorbed by deep tissues. This stimulates blood flow, , improves muscle recovery and decreases pain and inflammation. It can also be used after exercise. Just remember to stay hydrated!

Fibromyalgia and Sleep

I love that these mats can help with sleep as well. Did you know that in the U.S., 30% of adults suffer from short term insomnia, while for 10% or more it is chronic. After a long day, so many just want a good night’s sleep! Sadly, there are more than 3 million new cases of fibromyalgia a year in the U.S. alone. I am all too well aware of the widespread muscle pain, tenderness, fatigue, altered sleep patterns and occasional brain fog.

I’m a firm believer in focusing on improving the body’s organic healing systems through whole foods, yoga and meditation, t’ai chi and acupuncture. HealthyLine Infra-red mats can also help the body manage and deal with pain, relieve muscle tension and sleep better. The mats are completely safe to sleep on.

Each mat comes with a 45-day trial period so you can test it for yourself. Check out HealthyLine’s website for a plethora of cool products including pillows and bedding.

Special Offer

HealthyLine is offering Strange Daze Indeed readers a 10% discount!

Disclosure: This is a partnered post with HealthyLine and Chronic Illness Bloggers, however, all opinions are strictly my own.

Amwell: Doctors 24/7 at your Fingertips!

February 21, 2018 By Debra Pearlstein 17 Comments

Remember the days when doctors used to make house calls? Neither do I. Now it seems you have to schedule appointments way in advance, hope that something else doesn’t come up and take a lot of time out of an already busy day.

How about those days when you are really feeling too sick to go to the doctor? I know that when I’m not feeling up to par, driving and sitting in a waiting room is the last thing I want to do. But, relax, friends, because Amwell has you covered. They make it amazingly easy to find a board-certified, licensed doctor for live, online visits, any time of day or night on either your phone or your laptop. It’s genius really!

Amwell docs can write prescriptions for your local pharmacy or do refills when needed and they are so convenient. Two weeks ago, I got a bad burn cooking and was unsure whether it needed urgent care and dressing or whether I could ride it out. That is a perfect time for Amwell. What if your child has a bad cough, your husband was stung by a bee or if you are having flu symptoms? I can assure you that a germy doctor’s office or ER is probably the last place I’d want to go if I was already feeling under the weather; not to mention that here in New England we’ve had a very bad winter with unexpected snowstorms and ice.

Want to try Amwell yourself? Here is a code for 25% off your visit:

Use the code MOM15 when you have your online visit to save 25%! This code is good through 12/31/18.

This week I got the opportunity to try Amwell. I woke up with a headache that was mind-crushing. I couldn’t drive and I couldn’t get anything done. Frankly, I was worried and had a lot of questions. How convenient that I could contact a doctor from the comfort of my home.

It’s so easy because it takes minutes to install the app or go to the Amwell website. Just create an account, put in as much or as little info as you want regarding medical history and choose a practitioner. You are also able to attach a photo so the doctor can look at your rash or bruise or burn up close and personal.

The wait is truly minimal. You can choose the next available physician or look through the profiles of the docs online. I looked through them and found someone that I felt was just right for me. It’s a really nice feeling to see the person helping you and know you are being seen as well.

The doctor I chose was extremely knowledgeable in helping me differentiate different types of headaches and what I could do to alleviate mine, as well as the possible causes. We discussed the pros and cons of different over the counter medications as well. The doctor took her time with me; there was no rush. She was a great listener and assisted me with another issue which had been bothering me as well. While the price of Amwell is very reasonable (oftentimes covered by insurance), the peace of mind I had afterward was truly priceless.

I know that I will be using Amwell in the future for myself and my family, and I also want to make life easier for you with a 25% code.

Use the code MOM15 when you have your online visit to save 25%! This code is good through 12/31/18.

Unsure of how to get started? Here are three ways:

Visit the Amwell Site
Get the Amwell app at the Apple App Store
Get the Amwell app at the Google Play Store

A votre santé dear readers!

Disclaimer: Compensation was provided by Amwell via Momtrends. The opinions expressed herein are those of the author and are not indicative of the opinions of Amwell or Momtrends.

Breast Cancer Awareness Survey – Please Help!

January 30, 2018 By Debra Pearlstein Leave a Comment

This is a partnered post with The Motherhood. All opinions are my own.

You likely know someone who has been affected by breast cancer: about 1 in 8 U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer in their lifetime. That’s why we’re reaching out with a request to help us gather insights on how helpful/valuable information on the topic of breast cancer is when shared in blogs.

The Motherhood is working with researchers at George Mason University and the University of Florida on gathering feedback for a brief survey. If you’re interested in helping support this important project, here is what we’re asking:

Spend 5 minutes taking this brief survey and please enter ‘Strange Daze Indeed’ in the first box along with any other blogs you read. That’s it. You are now entered to win one of five $100 Visa gift cards! The odds are pretty good in my opinion and you are also helping and we appreciate you.

Here’s a link to the survey which is open to anyone in the U.S. ages 18+ who is a blog reader.

https://gmuchss.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6hZnP5WiekkYNXD

Here’s to your health and wellness!

How I fell in Love with my Tens Unit by Techcare

July 3, 2017 By Debra Pearlstein 1 Comment

I have been given this product as part of a product review through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network. Although the product was a gift, all opinions in this review remain my own and I was in no way influenced by the company.

I really love my shoulders, but sometimes it seems they carry the weight of the world. This week I was driving home from buying groceries when the pain started. First, a small nagging whisper, then it got increasingly louder until it was soon at an 11. Can you relate?

I have fibromyalgia which makes me particularly sensitive to pain, but, so many of us struggle with pain issues, whether from overexertion, work or everyday stress. Wouldn’t it be nice to come home and have someone give you a nice massage?

I was so happy when I was asked to review the Tens Unit 24 Modes by Techcare Massager through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network. I remember looking at one some years back, but, it was a large heavy unit and it wasn’t cheap. This unit, however, is fantastic! It’s light, smaller than my phone, very portable and easy to use. The price is so reasonable as well.

Tens is an acronym for Transcutaeous Electrical Nerve Stimulation. You attach the electrode pads to the desired areas as desecribed in the instruction manual and you can relax in the comfort and privacy of your home.

The Tens unit was easy to set up. You simply plug it in and charge it through the enclosed wall unit or your computer USB port. The built in rechargeable lithium battery can be used up to 12 hours. The bright blue 3.75″ Large LCD Screen is easy to read and there are 24 pre-programmed massage modes.

I really love the different massage varieties: Kneading Swedish, Cupping, Scrapping, Reflexology and T’ai -Chi. I’m still discovering them all. You have a choice as to the intensity as well.

If you are wondering how it works: FDA approved TechCare massagers deliver low-voltage pulses to the skin to stimulate nerve fibers and effectively block the pain signal to your brain. No medication needed! How amazing is that for healthy pain management?

Friends, I am in love! Serious love! The Techcare Massager contracts and releases the muscles and helps get the knots out. My shoulders felt relaxed and I honestly felt joyful! I don’t know if it was the feeling of someone massaging that very spot where you most ache or because the pain was released. Alongside the qualities of stimulating muscles and blocking pain, the brain is also stimulated to release endorphins. Endorphins are the ‘feel-good’ natural chemicals in the brain. For me, this effect is a revelation.

Techcare Massager gently contracts and releases the muscles and gives you the benefits of a massage. So far I have had success with carpal tunnel, neck, back and shoulder pain, headaches and the other pains of fibromyalgia. I have learned that it is also effective for arthritis, bursitis, tendonitis, sciatica, TMJ pain and so much more.

There are some people who are not good candidates for TENS, however. This includes people who:

Use a pacemaker
Have a bleeding disorder
Experience epileptic seizures
Are pregnant

I have reviewed many products on my blog, but, I can honestly say, that this Tens Unit is one of the best. I was actually surprised to see the price on Amazon. Even one massage session costs more than that!

The unit comes with: the 2017 Newest Model Controller, 4 Large Electrodes ( Pads ), 2 Electrodes Cables, User’s Manual, USB and Wall Charger, 1 Small Electrode Pad and Wire Holder, 1 Treatment Points Chart and a lifetime limited warranty.

I have to add here that I love the Acupuncture Points Chart! I am a huge fan of Acupuncture, but, I can only afford so many sessions a year. With this unit and the chart, I can treat the same points my Acupuncturist does. I was particularly fascinated to see how the different points relate to different conditions. As someone who does acupressure, they are both accurate and extremely helpful.

So now, I am no longer shouldering the weight of the world. My neck is happy. My back is happy. I love my Tens Unit and I’m sure this relationship will last a very long time!

Freedom From Pain with Liberty Lixir CBD Tincture!

July 2, 2017 By Debra Pearlstein 3 Comments

Sometimes misfortune may be a catalyst to discovering new ways of healing. This is how Liberty Lotion began. Samson Garner was working in an industrial environment when he had an accident which left him with crippling pain and a decreased quality of life. He had such a severe injury that metal plates were put in his upper back and he was prescribed high doses of pharmaceutical painkillers. Finding these treatments largely ineffective with unpleasant side effects, Samson’s imagination and creative mind led him to find out what natural solutions existed to help his debilitating issues.

Samson was amazed to find that there were many natural options that could have a profoundly positive effect on his quality of life without harmful side effects. In his process of discovery, he came across CBD, or Cannabidiol, a substance found in a variety of plants and other sources, usually derived from hemp. He learned that scientific studies have indicated that CBD has a strongly potent effect on inflammation and appears to help the body regulate and regenerate by boosting and balancing the endocannabinoid system.

That’s when Liberty Lotion was born. Soon came Liberty Lixir and Liberty Lip Balm, and that was just the start.

I love that Liberty Lotion’s guiding principles are to use the best sources available and to support small businesses which help make our country great. They are rigorous about labeling transparency and quality. CBD is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid commonly found in hemp. In anecdotal stories and scientific studies, it has been indicated that CBD may be a viable treatment for anxiety, chronic pain, stress, neuralgia, migraines, arthritis, and more, especially those conditions with a direct relationship to inflammation.

Evidence suggests that CBD is a potent anti-inflammatory, and, since inflammation is the cause of so many diseases, CBD has the potential to help so many.

I was sent the Liberty Lixer ULTRA 1,000mg 1oz Tincture to review. Liberty Lixir Ultra contains 1,000 mg in a 30 ml bottle dispensing 6.7 mg CBD per pump. You spray it under the tongue so it can be rapidly absorbed. Within 15 minutes, I began to feel a wave of relaxation that was very pleasant. As there is no THC in the Liberty Lixer, I was able to get work done, the only difference being that I was not in a lot of pain. As a fibromyalgia sufferer, I have daily chronic pain which can be annoying at its best and debilitating at its worst. It wears on you and it wears you out. I am always researching and writing, yet back, neck and shoulder pain (which often causes headaches as well) make what I love to do unpleasant.

After taking the Liberty Lixer spray, I definitely felt my shoulders were looser, my neck pain diminished and that unpleasant tension and stress was gone. I’m not saying that it was a miracle cure and all my pain disappeared; it just took it way down to where it really didn’t bother me, which is truly a blessing. I also noticed that when I took the Liberty Lixir at night I was able to sleep better and woke up without any ill effects.

I love that this company is all about quality and customer service. Check out their topical lotions and lip balms too!

Use this link to get a 10% discount off your purchase (any purchase) with the code STRANGEDAZE

How CBD Oil Eases My Chronic Pain

June 18, 2017 By Debra Pearlstein 7 Comments

Have you heard about or tried CBD oil? It’s very popular right now for treating pain, inflammation, anxiety, sleeplessness, and many other issues. It is available online and also through medical dispensaries. Since I have fibromyalgia with a lot of daily pain impacting my life, I was very intrigued. When an opportunity came along through the Chronic Illness Bloggers network, I was very interested.

In case you are wondering, CBD stands for Cannabidiol. Cannabidiol is a cannabis compound with significant medical benefits. While it does not make people feel high, it can be pleasantly relaxing.

Clinical and Scientific investigation, much of which is sponsored by the U.S. government, illuminates CBD’s potential as a treatment for a wide range of conditions, including arthritis, diabetes, alcoholism, MS, chronic pain, schizophrenia, PTSD, depression, antibiotic-resistant infections, epilepsy, and other neurological disorders. CBD also has neuroprotective and neurogenic effects, and its anti-cancer properties are currently being researched at several academic research centers in the United States and elsewhere. Evidence suggests that CBD is safe even at high doses. Some cannabinoids have been synthesized and are prescribed for nausea relief from chemotherapy as well as other ailments.

CBD oil made from the entire hemp plant is readily available online and is legal in all 50 states, as long as the THC level is less than .3 THC on a dry weight basis, thanks to the Agricultural Act of 2014, AKA the “Farm Bill”.

I will admit that I really had no idea what the effects would be so I was happy that my first experience was a topical CBD oil. This way I could easily control the amount and gauge its effects.

I immediately loved the smell of the Premier Biomedical CBD oil which is very uplifting. The roll-on has Coconut Oil, Sweet Almond Oil, Shea Butter, Eucalyptus Oil, Sage and Citrus Essential oils among other ingredients. It honestly smells heavenly! The Cannabidiol used is of the highest quality and the natural, organic, certified non-GMO inert aromatic ingredient enhancers boost the effectiveness and efficiency of the CBD blend.

The roll-on comes in a convenient, pocket-size applicator which is great to take with me and throw into my bag. It goes on smooth and absorbs quickly. It’s non-greasy and I apply it to wherever I am hurting. I love that it has a ball that you roll on wherever need be and it feels soothing and cooling. Premier Biomedical Pain Management Solutions CBD Roll-On with 110mg of CBD Oil is easily applied directly to the skin, for relief of minor aches and pains.

But enough information, you are saying, tell me how it works! Well, for me, it worked wonderfully. As far as pain goes, I loved it. I could apply it to my lower back, my wrists, my shoulder, wherever I was hurting and the pain definitely diminished. I felt naturally relaxed and slept better.

There is a growing body of evidence that suggests CBD possesses medical potential for natural relief from : knee pain, shoulder pain, joint pain, pain from arthritis, muscle soreness and tenderness, headaches and migraines.

Premier Biomedical also has a pain patch which delivers 4 days of pain relief. The formulations contain no psychoactive components.

All of their pain relief products are opioid-free, and 50-state legal.

So, whether you’re like me and new to CBD oil or whether you have used it before, I highly recommend Premier Biomedical CBD oil. The price is also extremely reasonable as it lasts quite a while.

Life can be stressful enough so why not use something natural to ease your day and allow you to enjoy life to the fullest?

Life is not meant for suffering and stress, but to be enjoyed and shared with those we love.

Tried-And-True Tips to Help Your Children Sleep at Night

February 22, 2017 By Debra Pearlstein Leave a Comment

If you are a parent, chances are that you are well aware of the struggle of getting your little ones into bed on time. Unlike us grownups who would actually kill for some more sleep, kids hate going to bed. To them, it’s the end of all things fun, like ruining the newly wallpapered bedroom with pen scribbles, playing catch with your grandmother’s antique flower vase or dipping your Smartphone in the flush because “daddy, it gets thirsty too”. Be it 2 year olds or 10 year olds, getting them to sleep on time is an uphill battle.

Newborns and toddlers need around 16 to 20 hours of sleep per day. Children require an average of 9-12 hours of sleep per day. Children who do not get the required amount of sleep tend to be more problematic than those who do. Their emotions get out of control; they get easily irritable, irrational and hyper. They may also suffer from behavioral problems, focus issues or weight problems. As a parent, it is very important that you make sure your child gets the amount of sleep his/her body requires. The more important sleep is for the development of infants, toddlers and school going kids, the more unappreciated it is by them.

Learning what your child is feeling at bedtime and how you can resolve it is the key to getting them in bed and snoozing. Every parent has to struggle with opposition from their kids at bedtime. Let’s start by breaking down every parent’s struggle into phases.

Phase 1: Pooper and Tooters (0-1 Years)

This is the most difficult phase for a parent as the baby keeps waking up every few hours. Infants need to sleep 4 to 5 hours since they have small stomachs and cannot hold food in for very long. Once they get it out, they get hungry again! This can be quite disturbing for the parents too during the night since that is the time we fill up on our sleep. Here are a few tips you can use to get your crying poop machine back to sleep.

⦁ Get your spouse to take turns with you to feed the baby during the night. The baby will get up after every few hours, so one of should be ready to feed him/her. Once fed, chances are that the baby will go back to sleep.
⦁ Babies cannot differentiate between day and night. And after being fed, they are ready for some playtime. If the baby wakes up during the night and does not go back to sleep after being fed, try not to engage playfully with him/her. Keep the lights turned off and be as quiet and subdued as you can.
⦁ If your baby refuses to sleep, check the obvious details like are the baby’s clothes comfortable? Does he/she need a diaper change? Is the environment around the baby sleep inducing? Just like adults, babies also need a sleep inducing environment to sleep.
⦁ Make sure the baby is not over stimulated before bedtime. Playing peek-a-boo and piggyback rides are not a good idea before the baby’s bedtime.

Phase 2: Monsters and Bedtime Stories (1-6 Years)

This is the stage where you have to focus on setting a consistent bedtime routine for your growing child. At this age, a child needs to sleep around 11 – 12 hours per day.

⦁ Start by incorporating bedtime activities before putting your child to sleep. Set a routine of having the child brush their teeth and change into their jammies. Grab a book and cuddle up with them in bed and read them a story.
⦁ Keep the lights low and have them follow the bedtime routine at least an hour or thirty minutes before they get in bed.
⦁ Don’t let your child watch TV or go anywhere near digital screens or anything that gets them excited before bedtime.
⦁ The most important thing is to stay consistent with the bedtime routine even if your child does not sleep on time. This will enable their body to automatically detect bed time and start inducing sleep when the brain associates the bedtime routine with sleep.
⦁ If your child is wetting the bed or suffering from fear, be supportive and take action. For example, if the child complains of a monster in their room, you can help calm them down by spraying the room with ‘monster killer spray’.

Phase 3: Homework and Video Games! (7-12 years)

At this stage, your child has already gotten used to sleep. Kids this age require an average of 9 hours of sleep. The difficult part now is staying consistent with the bedtime routine. A proper sleep routine is very important for the child because the child needs to focus in school and that is not possible if he/she is sleep deprived.

⦁ Stick to the child’s bedtime routine and focus on bedtime hygiene as well. Kids this age have a tendency to nag when it’s sleep time (“Ten more minutes please mommyyy?”). Don’t fall for it and make them go to bed on time.
⦁ Do not allow activities that can cause the kids to be hyper before bedtime. These include video games, TV, iPads, phones etc. The bedroom environment has to be calm, dark and sleep inducing.
⦁ Do not allow the kids to stay up past their bedtime even on the weekends since it disturbs the body’s biological clock.

Despite the years of sleepless nights annoyed parents spend being woken up in the dead of the night by their children, they are always sad to see them go away to college or move out when they grow older. Hopefully these tips will help you and your children get some sleep and some amazing memories to look back upon down the lane.

About the Author
Eugene Gabriel is a passionate blogger. He has always been fascinated by sleep and how it relates to health and wellness. Read his post on How Sleep Changes with Age. You can follow him on twitter @eugenegabrielj.

Get Healthy in 2017! Best Mobile Apps to Improve Your Sleep

December 27, 2016 By Debra Pearlstein Leave a Comment

Best Mobile Applications to Improve your Sleep

As 2016 draws closer to its end, the fact that there’s an app for everything nowadays rings truer than ever. However, as a quick glance through the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store will confirm, the focus is definitely on quantity rather than quality. There IS an app for everything now. There is an app that allows you to zip and unzip a zipper and that’s about all it does. There are even apps that (falsely) claim to charge your phone using solar power or help cure baldness with “special” frequencies.

Amazing, isn’t it?

Amidst all the noise, genuinely useful apps exist that can help you sleep. Today, we are going to go ahead and curate a list of apps that help you get to sleep faster and sleep better. From apps that play a variety of relaxing, atmospheric sounds to lull you to sleep, to apps that are smart enough to actively track your sleep patterns and maintain a log for you. From apps that use binaural beats to help you snooze, to apps that wake you up gradually over time instead of abruptly.

Let’s get started!

Best entry-level app

If you only have trouble sleeping sometimes but at other times you snooze just fine. Here is our top contender for someone who wants a no frills app to help him or her sleep.

Relax Melodies

This is a neat little app that gives you the option to drown out noise and distractions in your surroundings and helps you relax and focus on sleeping. It has a lot of high quality ambient sounds and binaural frequency audio to help you gently nod off to slumber. The best part is that you can create your own sounds by mixing up to 12 of the high quality sounds together. Play around with it a bit to see what suits you best. It also lets you save and store your mixes and has a neat timer feature that turns it off after the preset time period.

You can find it on Android or iOS.

For the mildly curious

If you want to have a veritable sleep assistant by your side, you can try out Sleep Cycle.

Sleep Cycle

Sleep cycle is one of the best sleeping assistant apps out there. It is an excellent all rounder sleeping aid app, that does quite a few things right. For starters, it uses your phones accelerometer readings during the night, to learn how you sleep and records data that you can view later on. One of the best features is its ability to gently wake you up within a window of time rather than waking you up abruptly by blaring an alarm. You see, we sleep in phases of high activity and low activity. We get our best sleep in the periods that we have low activity. Since the app monitors your sleep activity, it knows when your body’s activity during sleep is high and it starts to gently wake you up within that window. So, if you give it a time frame to wake you up between 6 to 6:30 a.m., what it’s going to do is pick the best time in that window to wake you up. You being gently awoken during a high activity period is bound to leave you feeling relaxed instead of shocking you awake.

Another feature is its ability to maintain detailed sleep logs every night of how long you have slept and how good the quality of your sleep was. It can also track your sleep over time and if you give it a log of your activities before sleeping, like having coffee, can compare what affects your sleep quality and how. Add to that 15 high quality alarm tones (you can use your own too) and it translates into a great value app that you just have to try out.

You can find Sleep Cycle on iOS and on Android.

Pulling out all the stops!

This should be your go-to app if you take your sleep really, really seriously (as you should). This is the mother of all sleep assist apps.

Sleep Genius

The sleep genius app was made after years of research by experts on neuroscience, sound and, of course, sleep! They claim to have helped NASA with helping astronauts sleep during the research. Hey, if it is good enough for NASA, it has to be good enough for you, right? The app is chock full of all the functionality that you might want at your fingertips and then some.

The app has sleep programs that you can follow that trains your brain towards a regular, healthy sleeping pattern. The base version of the app comes with one sleep pattern. You can unlock 3 more plus other additional features through in app purchases. Apart from the very helpful directed sleep programs. The app does almost everything that any other sleep assist app can. It tracks your body’s sleep and movements through the night to detect the sleep stage and depending upon the stage you are in wakes you up gently by playing specific soothing sounds. It tracks sleep statistics like duration, quality, efficiency and many, many others through an easy to access dashboard. The stats are recorded per night and over time as well.

They claim that their Neuro-sensory algorithm with help prepare your brain for sleep, guide it through every sleep stage and wake you up gently with a smart alarm.

You can find Sleep Genius on iOS and on Android.

Now if only it could make you breakfast in bed as well, that would be a dream come true.

About the Author:

Eugene Gabriel is a passionate blogger. He has always been fascinated by sleep and how it relates to health and wellness. Read his post on Ways to get Better Sleep. You can follow him on twitter @eugenegabrielj.

Time-Sensitive! Love Healthy Living and Amazon Gift Cards? Join Tom’s of Maine!

September 28, 2016 By Debra Pearlstein 1 Comment

This is a sponsored post. I received a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Are you someone who loves to share your thoughts and opinions? Tom’s of Maine is looking for some creative women to help inspire their future products. If your care about the ingredients in the products you and your family use daily, here’s your chance to earn Amazon gift codes for sharing your views on Tom’s of Maine as well as other natural products in the industry.

Tom’s of Maine has created an exclusive, private online community where you can share your opinions directly with brand decision makers. Are you the primary shopper of your household and care about the ingredients of the products you purchase for your family? If so, you’re likely a perfect fit for this opportunity! The community is filled with other like-minded individuals to yourself who you can share stories with, exchange tips and advice, as well as compare and contrast your opinions on Tom’s of Maine with. Each month you’ll have the chance to partake in discussions, answer survey questions, or share what’s happening in your family household via media galleries. All your efforts help influence what comes next when it comes to the brand’s future and how they plan to put the customers’ needs first.

In addition to the opportunity to impact upcoming products and promotions, members will receive $10 Amazon gift codes each month for their participation.

Spots are limited and filling up fast, so take this quick survey today to see if you qualify:http://bit.ly/2dlcVwl

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