Did you know that your brain does not stop when you're sleeping? Research has shown that your brain is very active while you're sleeping. Here are just some of the things that your brain focuses on.
Your brain processes information and prepares for actions during sleep. A recent study found the brain processes complex stimuli during sleep and then uses the information to make decisions while awake.
Another thing your brain does while you're asleep is form new memories, consolidate older ones and linking memories together. This happens during REM and non-REM sleep. Have you ever heard that sleep is highly important when it comes to learning? A teacher has probably told you that before, and now studies have shown that sleeping before you learn will help your brain prepare for initial formation of memories. Sleep after you learn is important to help save new information as well. Without sleep, your ability to learn information can drop up to 40%.
Your brain doesn't stop when you're asleep, because it is also clearing out toxins at the same time. During sleep, the brain clears out damaging molecules associated with neurodegeneration.
If these are not good enough reasons to convince you of the importance of sleep, then read on for more information on what your brain does while you're asleep: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/28/brain-sleep-_n_5863736.html?ir=Healthy+Living
Tuesday, September 30, 2014
Tuesday, September 23, 2014
Did you Catch That Nasty Cold?
You might have heard that there is a respiratory illness sending many children to hospitals this season. It is a severe illness that has taken over many other states besides Colorado, starting as a common cold but continuing into something much worse. What are some things you can do to avoid this nasty cold for you and for your family?
1. If you or a loved one has a respiratory problem to begin with, such as asthma, make sure you are taking all medications necessary. This will help if you do catch a cold to lessen the harshness of the illness.
2. As always, wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. After every time you use the rest room, cook a meal and sneeze, you should be washing your hands to ensure that this cold doesn't spread, especially if you already show signs of a cold.
2. People who are already sick are the ones you should avoid kissing, hugging and sharing cups and eating utensils with.
3. Disinfect frequently touched surfaces. This includes things from doorknobs, toys, Washing hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. A good cleaning around the house with disinfectant can help with any frequently touched surfaces.
4. With kids, make sure vaccinations are up to do. The influenza vaccine is one that is highly important since it can help avoid the flu any time of the year.
By taking these steps you can help avoid that cold that could knock you out and keep you from work for a few days. As winter nears us, it's important that we keep our health in check.
1. If you or a loved one has a respiratory problem to begin with, such as asthma, make sure you are taking all medications necessary. This will help if you do catch a cold to lessen the harshness of the illness.
2. As always, wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. After every time you use the rest room, cook a meal and sneeze, you should be washing your hands to ensure that this cold doesn't spread, especially if you already show signs of a cold.
2. People who are already sick are the ones you should avoid kissing, hugging and sharing cups and eating utensils with.
3. Disinfect frequently touched surfaces. This includes things from doorknobs, toys, Washing hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds. A good cleaning around the house with disinfectant can help with any frequently touched surfaces.
4. With kids, make sure vaccinations are up to do. The influenza vaccine is one that is highly important since it can help avoid the flu any time of the year.
By taking these steps you can help avoid that cold that could knock you out and keep you from work for a few days. As winter nears us, it's important that we keep our health in check.
Tuesday, September 16, 2014
Prepare Your Home for Fall
Did you notice the leaves changing colors and you have slowly been adding more layers to your outfits? It's that time of the year again; the time where you dreadfully are aware that winter is upon us. Here are some ways you can prepare your home for fall.
1. It's important to always think of that one way you keep warm in your house every winter: the furnace. Without heat you are going to be pretty miserable, so to avoid being miserable look up your favorite professional that will inspect your furnace and provide you with the comfort in knowing you will stay warm and cozy this winter. It's always best to hire a professional instead of trying to inspect your furnace yourself so you know it is working as efficiently and effectively as possible.
2. One thing you can do for your furnace is change the filter. A fresh filter will help your furnace run smoothly as well.
3. If you have a fireplace, make sure you have a professional clean the chute and make sure nothing is clogging the fireplace as well. You will want your fireplace to produce a warm atmosphere, not a smoky and hazardous atmosphere.
4. Do a home safety check. This means checking all of the smoke and CO detectors, fire extinguishers should be full and get rid of any fire dangers such as old newspaper. Making your home as safe as possible should always be a priority. Your home needs to be prepared for fall before it becomes an issue.
5. Make sure outside is safe as well. Gutters can easily get clogged from all of the falling leaves as well as downspouts. You don't want to be dealing with anything outdoors such as your gutters when it's the middle of winter and a blizzard is blowing through.
6. Inspect your roof for any leaks, damage and corrossion. A faulty roof can be a huge problem in the winter time, so make sure that none of the summer storms caused any substantial damage.
These are just a few of the ways you can prepare your home for fall. Fall is a great time of the year and a time where you should be spending your time carving pumpkins, going to corn mazes and other fun events, not a time where you should be dealing with issues because you ignored them to begin with!
1. It's important to always think of that one way you keep warm in your house every winter: the furnace. Without heat you are going to be pretty miserable, so to avoid being miserable look up your favorite professional that will inspect your furnace and provide you with the comfort in knowing you will stay warm and cozy this winter. It's always best to hire a professional instead of trying to inspect your furnace yourself so you know it is working as efficiently and effectively as possible.
2. One thing you can do for your furnace is change the filter. A fresh filter will help your furnace run smoothly as well.
3. If you have a fireplace, make sure you have a professional clean the chute and make sure nothing is clogging the fireplace as well. You will want your fireplace to produce a warm atmosphere, not a smoky and hazardous atmosphere.
4. Do a home safety check. This means checking all of the smoke and CO detectors, fire extinguishers should be full and get rid of any fire dangers such as old newspaper. Making your home as safe as possible should always be a priority. Your home needs to be prepared for fall before it becomes an issue.
5. Make sure outside is safe as well. Gutters can easily get clogged from all of the falling leaves as well as downspouts. You don't want to be dealing with anything outdoors such as your gutters when it's the middle of winter and a blizzard is blowing through.
6. Inspect your roof for any leaks, damage and corrossion. A faulty roof can be a huge problem in the winter time, so make sure that none of the summer storms caused any substantial damage.
These are just a few of the ways you can prepare your home for fall. Fall is a great time of the year and a time where you should be spending your time carving pumpkins, going to corn mazes and other fun events, not a time where you should be dealing with issues because you ignored them to begin with!
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Do you sleep walk?
Do you or somebody you know suffer from sleep walking? Sleep walking is a serious issue because it can cause harm. Although mostly children suffer from sleep walking, adults can also have the problem as well. Let's learn more about sleep walking.
Approximately 15% of children between 4-12 years of age will experience sleepwalking. Genetic tendencies could be the cause, but scientists are not positive that genetics have anything to do with sleep walking. It is also much more likely to occur if a person is sleep deprived because when they are sleep walking they remain in a deep sleep, so when someone is sleep deprived it makes it harder to wake them.
Most people do not remember sleep walking. Since it is a deep sleep, other complex behaviors can happen such as talking and sitting up in bed. Many people have been told not to wake a sleep walker as it could be dangerous, but it can be even more dangerous not to wake a sleep walker.
Between 1 and 15% of people sleep walk. There is no association with psychiatric or psychological problems, but common triggers include sleep deprivation, sedative agents, febrile illness and certain medications.
Sleep walkers might also experience:
American Down and Feather can help you find the best products to provide you with the best night of sleep possible! Contact us today.
Approximately 15% of children between 4-12 years of age will experience sleepwalking. Genetic tendencies could be the cause, but scientists are not positive that genetics have anything to do with sleep walking. It is also much more likely to occur if a person is sleep deprived because when they are sleep walking they remain in a deep sleep, so when someone is sleep deprived it makes it harder to wake them.
Most people do not remember sleep walking. Since it is a deep sleep, other complex behaviors can happen such as talking and sitting up in bed. Many people have been told not to wake a sleep walker as it could be dangerous, but it can be even more dangerous not to wake a sleep walker.
Between 1 and 15% of people sleep walk. There is no association with psychiatric or psychological problems, but common triggers include sleep deprivation, sedative agents, febrile illness and certain medications.
Sleep walkers might also experience:
- Sleeptalking
- Little or no memory of the event
- Difficulty arousing the sleepwalker during an episode
- Inappropriate behavior such as urinating in closets (more common in children)
- Screaming (when sleepwalking occurs in conjunction with sleep terrors)
American Down and Feather can help you find the best products to provide you with the best night of sleep possible! Contact us today.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
ALS Ice Bucket Challenge
I'm sure you've heard of it by now - the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. It's a great way to raise money for a terrible disease and everyone is posting their videos up on Facebook. If you haven't seen them yet, a few great ones to watch are Mark Zuckerberg, Chris Pratt, Conan O'Brien and Bill Gates. Those are just some videos to give you a feel for what the Ice Bucket Challenge is although anybody can do it!
So what is ALS? ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS eventually leads to death when the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. Patients in later stages may become totally paralyzed when voluntary muscle action is affected. Jean-Martin Charcot found the disease in 1869, but it wasn't brought to attention until 1939 when it ended the career of Lou Gehrig, a famous baseball player.
This disease does not have a cure which is why so many people have participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge. If you haven't, do the Ice Bucket Challenge, donate to http://www.alsa.org/about-als/ and upload your video to Facebook! Share with American Down and Feather so we can see them all!
So what is ALS? ALS, otherwise known as Lou Gehrig's disease, is a neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS eventually leads to death when the ability of the brain to initiate and control muscle movement is lost. Patients in later stages may become totally paralyzed when voluntary muscle action is affected. Jean-Martin Charcot found the disease in 1869, but it wasn't brought to attention until 1939 when it ended the career of Lou Gehrig, a famous baseball player.
This disease does not have a cure which is why so many people have participated in the Ice Bucket Challenge. If you haven't, do the Ice Bucket Challenge, donate to http://www.alsa.org/about-als/ and upload your video to Facebook! Share with American Down and Feather so we can see them all!
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