Beauty Sleep
|
Beauty Sleep
The health and beauty of a good night's sleep
by Cathy Gatson
Sleeping is a necessity, not a luxury. A good night's sleep is just as crucial to maintaining wellness as is a healthy diet and proper exercise.
The Importance of Sleep
Sleep is a restorative process. While we're sleeping, our brain is cycling through the 3 stages of sleep: light, deep and REM. Sleep restores, rejuvenates and energizes the body and brain. Our immune systems are recharged, cells grow and repair themselves, and our bodies conserve energy.
Dangers of Sleep Deprivation
Unfortunately, to many sleep is not valued. In this "open all night" society we now live in, four out of ten Americans are trading much-needed sleep hours for longer hours at the office, gym, club and other activities which seem more important or interesting. What they may not realize is that lack of sleep takes a toll on our mental and physical well being. Studies performed by the National Sleep Foundation show that even minimal sleep loss has a profoundly detrimental impact on mood, cognition, performance, productivity, communication skills, accident rates and general health. For optimal functioning throughout the day, the average adult needs between seven to nine hours sleep a night. According to the NSF, the American adult population functions on about six and a half hours of sleep per night.
Don't Sleep?
For some, lack of sleep is not a choice, but a condition. Millions of Americans suffer from insomnia. According to the NSF, a third of Americans are using over the counter or prescription sleep aids at night. If you suffer from insomnia, here are a few tips to help you get some shut eye:
· Pray before bedtime. The bible tells us to "Cast your burden upon the Lord. Don't go to bed with a heavy load. Give it to God. Remember Joy comes in the morning"
· Avoid caffeinated food and beverages like coffee, teas, soft drinks and chocolate 3 to 4 hours before bedtime.
· Exercise regularly, but complete your workout at least three hours before bedtime. Keep your body calm.
· Make sure your mattress is the right one for you. Flip your mattress over periodically.
· Develop a bedtime ritual. Taking a warm bath 90 minutes before bedtime will relax your body and usually make you feel sleepy.
· Make sure your bedroom is quiet and comfortable.
· Have a cup of warm milk.
· Play relaxing music.
· Go to bed and wake up the same time every day. When your sleep cycle has a regular rhythm you will feel better.
Be a Sleeping Beauty
A friend of mine once told me that a woman should present herself to her husband at bedtime like a present. Interesting?so I polled a few colleagues and found overall most husbands prefer their wives to be lingerie clad at bedtime. Nude came in a very close second and pajamas were considered very un-sexy. Wives preferred their hubbys wear only boxers to bed. Whatever your sleepwear preference, bedtime is the opportunity to prepare your mind and body for the rest it deserves. Here are a few more tips to help you sleep pretty:
· Always remove your makeup and cleanse your face thoroughly before bed (Oil of Olay Foaming Face Wash for Sensitive Skin). Going to bed without washing your face not only leads to mascara-stained sheets (Andrea Eye Q's eye makeup remover pads $3.50+ voted best by Allure Magazines 1999) but the dirt picked up during the day can clog pores and lead to acne.
· Brush and floss your teeth.
· Vaseline works wonders on rough spots while you sleep. Try it on feet, elbows, and knees and dab a little on your lips too.
· There are several night creams on the market now claiming to be more effective if applied at bedtime, here are a few to try: Lancome - Primoridale Intense Night Cream $41.50, Murad Perfecting Night Cream $41.50. If these prices are more than you normally spend then L'Oreal Age Perfect Night Cream and Oil of Olay ProVital night creams are available at Wal-Mart and Target. Prices range from $14 - $15.
· If you wrap your hair in a scarf at bedtime, remember to wash it regularly.
· Wear your fancy nighties to bed. Don't save them for a special occasion. You are a special occasion.
· After your bath or shower ritual slather on a lotion that relaxes you and helps you fall asleep like Origins Night-a-mins moisture lotion or Calm to Your Senses Body Souflee.
· Marilyn Monroe is said to only have worn Chanel No.5 to bed but if you prefer something a little lighter then Issey Miyake's L'Eau D'Issey Soothing Night Fragrance is a good pick.
Here's wishing you brighter days and more restful nights!
Cathy Gatson is a freelance writer and owner/operator of a hair and body salon located in Northern California.
|
|
|
New York Laser Hair Removal Clinics Are All The Rage
Laser hair removal: New Yorkers are in love with it. With no time to spare, New Yorkers find that laser hair removal is a quick and efficient way to clear their faces, backs, legs, armpits and bikini lines of that unwanted hair. The latest machines allow specialists to remove hair from virtually any part of the body, as long as it is fully grown hair and not just peach fuzz. After six months of treatment, you can expect that somewhere between 60 to 95 percent of the treated hair will be gone.Where can I find a New York laser hair removal clinic?Ask your friends and relatives who have undergon...(related: Beauty)
Fragrance And Fun Fight Dry Skin
If you are a baby boomer, you might be experiencing dry skin seasonally or everyday. It can be a constant challenge to keep the skin moist and supple; especially when menopause approaches or you live in the cold ...(related: Beauty)
Straight Hairstyles Are Easy
The patented ultra smooth ceramic plates on flat iron hair straighteners produce a smooth straightening motion that eliminates potentially damaging snagging or pulling, resulting in salon quality hairstyles.Whether your hair is fine, coarse, dry, oily, or damaged, a good flat iron ceramic hair straightener will help you to finally obtain the hairsty...(related: Beauty)
Natural Beauty: The Benefits Of Holistic Skin Care
What is holistic skin care? It's a regimen that recognizes that your skin is not just the outermost layer of your body it's also a reflection of your body's internal state. Rather than just treating the surface symptoms, such as wrinkles, sallow skin, acne, dry flakes, and so on, holistic skin care aims to target the root problems in an effort to revitalize and rejuvenate the entire body. As a result, you don't just see an improved appearance; you also feel more energized, clear-headed, and physically fit.Prescription Drugs Vs. Holistic Treatment OptionsHolistic skin care sometimes gets a negative reputation from mainstreamers who prefer to ...(related: Beauty)
Home Tanning Beds Are A Great Investment
If you're like many of us and just have to have that suntan whether it's August or January then you should seriously think about buying a home tanning bed. Home tanning beds are a great investment.You can purchase home tanning beds online, from salons that are upgrading, from many retail outlets, and sometime out of your local papers classified ads.The prices on home tanning beds vary depending on the make, m...(related: Beauty)
Create A Home Spa
Here are 10 personal little home spa tips that will make you look and feel like a million bucks!Squeeze in a few extra minutes to your every day self care time and you'll see how easily these step by step pampering recommendations will turn even the toughest days around. Or if you can negotiate a few minutes here and there from your day to get even more time?by all means? do it! Your family, friends and co-workers will meet a much happier, more chipper, fantastically refreshed you!In Preparation:First things, first. No shopping, buying or leaving the house. Scour the house for a few fun spa essentials and make a decadent 'Home Spa ...(related: Beauty)
Eyeglasses And Contact Lenses - More Style, Same Utility
At one time, promotions on television advertised a new,sexier you if you elected to lose the glasses and pop in apair of contact lenses. This image has always beendemonstrated in Superman comics, television programs andmovies.He's a bit of a geek or too normal a guy, but when theglasses come of...(related: Beauty)
Combat Frizzy Hair With These Essential Tips
Frizzy hair doesn't discriminate. It plagues both the thin and thick haired alike. If your hair has even the slightest wave or curl, it's susceptible to frizz. This article details the six critical things you can do to launch a full-on assault on those unruly frizzies...along with a list of things not to do.INTERNAL FACTORS--Our circulatory systems deliver oxygen and nutrients to hair follicles, which keeps hair growing healthy and strong. Make sure you're getting enough of the nutritional requirements for smooth, shiny locks. These include:O...(related: Beauty)
The Facts About Rhinoplasty Nasal Surgery
Rhinoplasty is a surgery to reshape the nose. This is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in the United States. Rhinoplasty can reduce or increase the size of the nose, change the shape of the tip or bridge of the nose, narrow the span of the nostrils, change the angle between the nose and upper lip, or correct a birth defect or injury as well as relieve breathing problems. Rhinoplasty can change appearance and increase self-confidence but you will not necessarily end up with a "perfect" nose.The best candidates for rhinoplasty are people looking for an improvement in their nose and not perfection. You also must be physically healthy, psychologically stable, and have realistic expectations of the future results of the surgery.Are there any risks to rhinoplasty? An...(related: Beauty)
Rosacea Treatment & Rosacea Skin Care - Can You Cure Rosacea? There Is A Solution....
Rosacea is a fairly common skin disorder that primarily affects fair skinned people in their 30's and over. While it's exact cause is difficult to pinpoint, the symptoms of Rosacea a...(related: Beauty)
Color Toric Contacts - Good News For People With Astigmatism
If you have an astigmatism it doesn't mean that you are stuck with wearing glasses. These days there are special ...(related: Beauty)
site-map - Copyright © 2007 | Contact Webmaster | All Rights Reserved | Free Articles and Information | Beauty