Our need for sleep changes as we grow – are your kids getting the right amount for their age? August has arrived. For parents, this means endless back to school shopping, scheduling and maybe a tantrum or 5 along the way. You might be anxiously waiting to put the little ones on the school bus in a few weeks but you know you’ll be fighting back tears when they wave from the window, wishing for one more week of summertime bliss. One of the tougher things about back to school is getting your child off the “sleep as long as you want” routine that happens in the summer, and onto the “you’d better g ..read more

Children’s quality of sleep is a crucial component in their well-being, affecting everything from mood to their ability to learn When we talk about sleep issues like insomnia and snoring, it’s easy to forget that these aren’t exclusive to adults. Babies, toddlers, and youngsters experience them, too. Children might not be able to verbalize specifically about what’s happening with the quality of their sleep, making it even more imperative that parents be watchful for signs of trouble. When your child wanders into your bedroom in the wee hours of the morning wide awake, it’s clear there might be ..read more

This may surprise you, but where you place your bedroom can affect how well (or poorly) you sleep Our bedroom is a sanctuary of relaxation and a haven to fall and stay asleep all night long. A supportive mattress, fresh sheets, room-darkening curtains and even what we put on our nightstand can affect the quality and quantity of sleep. But can bed placement in the room actually affect sleep? And if it does, where’s the best place to put our bed for a great night’s sleep? What is (bedroom) feng shui? Feng shui “examines how the placement of things and objects within it affect the energy flow in ..read more

5 ways sleep (and your mattress) affect your brain Does sleep affect how smart you feel? How many hours of sleep do you need to feel smart? Ever slept on it and woken up with a smart solution to your challenge? Scientists believe that our brains use sleep to sort and clean – like how nightshift crew at Target cleans up after a busy selling day. The aisles are tidied, everything’s put away and the overflow is moved to the backroom. When we don’t get the sleep we need to do this sorting, our messy brains actually start to fall apart, as seen through brain imaging technologies. So how can you sle ..read more

Well-rested kids are happier, healthier and more successful – and those healthy sleep habits start early in life! Moms and dads are well aware of the effects that lack of sleep has on the behavior of their kids. You know, the crankiness, the surly attitude, and the gruesome “no” response to every suggestion and request? Not even a mountain of animal crackers or video games can smooth the jagged edges of those moods. But one night of disrupted sleep is not the same as night after night of interruptions. According to experts, the repercussions of chronic childhood tiredness are serious and can i ..read more

Why unplugging at the end of the day is best thing you can do for your sleep health We get it. Unplugging at the end of the day is hard. Between smartphones and tablets, email, Facebook and texting, our digital chores never seem to end. We’re in constant contact with others and there’s always one more thing to attend to before shutting down. While all this communication has improved our lives in a multitude of ways, connectivity has its place. And that place is not your bedroom. The message is simple. If you’re serious about getting a good night’s sleep, power down your electronics and leave t ..read more

Power through your afternoon slump with a natural, energy-boosting beverage We all have days when it takes a little extra boost to make it through to quitting time. While vending machine energy drinks are quick and convenient, they don’t do much for your health – or your waistline. They may jolt you enough to power through your afternoon meetings but then you eventually crash from the sugar withdrawal. Defeats the purpose, right? Why not start your day with a natural energy boost? Mother nature offers a ton of healthy, natural energy advocates – in yummy flavors. Ginger, honey, citrus fruits ..read more

How does sleep shape your life? Playing fast and loose with sleep? Think you can sleep when you’re dead? These 8 TED talks about sleep will stretch your mind and force you look at your sleep differently. If you’re like us and enjoy the endless font of inspiration TED and TEDx offers the world, you’re going to want to grab your headphones and turn off your phone so you can concentrate. We’ve gathered the best (in our opinion) TED talks that focus on sleep – why we do it, why we need it and what happens when we don’t get enough of it. These videos are short, smart and will give you something to ..read more

Great (kinda, sorta good-for-you) muffin recipes you’re going to LOVE! Who loves muffins? We do! Why do we love muffins? They’re yummy, easy to make, take and share. The downside? Calories! A Starbucks Zucchini Walnut Muffin delivers 490 calories – a Big Mac is 550 calories. This isn’t good news… The solution? Make muffins at home and adapt your creations to suit your family’s personal taste and nutritional preferences. Even better, your muffin addiction can deliver a healthy start to your day or a low-fat finish to your evening. And we all know, sleep and food go hand in hand when it comes to ..read more

Collecting data about your sleep habits may be a good idea, but experts say take the info with a grain of salt With sales of fitness trackers still soaring, you’d think that we’d all be sleeping better because of their sleep tracking features. That’s not the case for many. Keeping a record of snooze time has created a new set of problems, from anxiety to unreliable data. This might be enough to give users pause about whether the technology is smart – or just another way to spend money. So before you plunge ahead, here’s the good, bad and ugly to consider before you try or buy…. Fitness tracker ..read more