10 Tips for Better Sleep Hygiene

Sufficient sleep isn't a luxury, but a necessity.

(NewsUSA) - Between office meeting and errands, sports practice and studies, many people sacrifice sleep for a few more hours of productivity. According to the National Sleep Foundation, fewer than half of Americans report getting adequate sleep every night.

But sleep deprivation results in more than just yawns. Inadequate sleep has been linked to depression, weight gain, hypertension, poor concentration and memory retention, and accidents.

Take driving, an activity that most Americans perform daily. In a recent National Sleep Foundation poll, 54 percent of respondents said that they have driven while drowsy. Twenty-eight percent confessed to falling asleep at the wheel. People know that alcohol impairs driving, but too few consider sleep deprivation's effect on their motor skills. Drowsy driving causes thousands of accidents each year.

Setting aside seven to eight hours for sleeping isn't a luxury -; it's a necessity. The American Sleep Apnea Association offers 10 tips for better sleep hygiene:

1. Set a sleep schedule, and stick to it.

2. Don't nap for more than 45 minutes a day.

3. Avoid excessive alcohol intake within four hours of bedtime. Do not smoke.

4. Avoid caffeine six hours before bedtime.

5. Avoid spicy food six hours before bedtime.

6. Exercise regularly, but not right before bed.

7. Use comfortable bedding.

8. Keep your room at a comfortable temperature.

9. Block out noise, and eliminate as much light as possible.

10. Do not use the bed as an office, workroom or recreation room.

If you feel tired even after sleeping eight hours, an undiagnosed sleep disorder, such as sleep apnea, may be to blame. In sleep apnea, the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses during sleep, blocking the airway. Sufferers wake up for a few seconds every time they stop breathing, sometimes hundreds of times a night. Visit www.sleepapnea.org to find out your "Snore Score," or the likelihood that you have sleep apnea. The disorder can be treated, so it's important to speak to a doctor if you experience excessive daytime fatigue.

Sleeping Beauty -- Skin Tips for Youthful Skin at Night

Your skin repairs and restores itself overnight.
(NewsUSA) - In the morning, you might cleanse, tone and moisturize. But your nighttime skin care routine requires more than just a quick swipe with a washcloth. In fact, your skin needs additional TLC before bedtime.

During the day, environmental factors are battling against our skin and breaking down the structural components which keep our skin tight and firm. Elastin, which is one of these components, is primarily composed of cross-linked fibers to form a durable, resilient web. In facial skin, this elastin web helps to keep skin flexible but tight, providing a bounce-back reaction to its normal shape as it stretches to accommodate normal activities like talking.

As skin ages, the natural cross-linking of elastin fibers is reduced. At night, while you sleep, the skin works to repair and restore its structural components, and actually "opens up" to allow creams and serums to absorb more readily. You can get the most bang for your buck, then, by applying products with powerful anti-aging ingredients before bed.

"It's important to establish a nighttime skincare regimen to restore skin's defenses and replenish essential moisture," explains nutritionist Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD. She adds that the skin can lose moisture during sleep, making hydrating ingredients especially important.

To help skin restore itself at night, women should adopt a nighttime skin care routine that includes an exfoliating cleanser, a serum and a moisturizing cream created for evening use. Sass

recommends applying a nighttime serum containing beneficial and robust ingredients such as DDF Restoring Night Serum (www.ddfskincare.com). This nighttime serum contains an exclusive turmeric complex that strengthens the moisture barrier and drenches the skin with essential hydration to allow the natural cross linking of elastin, helping to repair the look of deep wrinkles for visible results in just two weeks. Women who used DDF Restoring Night Serum saw noticeable improvements. After four weeks of use, the skin's surface structure doubled in strength, significantly minimizing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

"The secret to radiant, firm and more youthful-looking skin is a skincare diet rich in robust ingredients," says Sass.

For more information, visit www.ddfskincare.com.

Tips to Keep Preschoolers' Teeth Healthy

If your child wants to eat a piece of candy, make sure it is small enough that they can consume it all at once. Always make them brush their teeth soon afterward.

(NewsUSA) - Preschoolers' smiling teeth do more than just bring joy to the people who see them. Preschoolers' teeth also help them chew and speak, and they create space in the jaw for adult teeth to grow in straight. Unfortunately, these "baby teeth" are also prone to early childhood caries or baby bottle tooth decay, also known as cavities.

How do preschoolers develop cavities? As in adults, children's mouths are filled with bacteria. Whenever a child consumes sugar or starch, the bacteria feed on the sugar, releasing acid as a byproduct. This acid can break down the outer layer of the tooth, creating cavities.

So, how can parents ensure that preschoolers' teeth stay healthy? Here are some tips:

* Keep preschoolers' teeth clean. By the time a child has reached age 2 to 5, they should be on their way to caring for their own teeth. By age three, they should have a full set of baby teeth. Most children at this age will want to brush their teeth on their own, but it is important to supervise and help them until they are doing it correctly. Do a quick follow-up brushing if necessary with a soft-bristled tooth brush.

* Use probiotics. Oral care probiotics can be an effective step in a preschooler's oral care routine. If left unchecked, bad

bacteria can overwhelm the mouth, possibly leading to tooth decay. EvoraKids (www.myevorakids.com), a chewable containing a special blend of oral care probiotics designed for children, works by flooding the mouth with good bacteria, which adhere to tooth surfaces, including crevices, pits and fissures in the chewing surfaces, helping to promote happy smiles. It supports tooth health by balancing the bacteria in the mouth.

* Limit sweets. Sugar produces an acid that removes calcium from teeth, thereby breaking down the enamel. Only give children fruit for snacks, not cookies or crackers with refined sugar. If you do keep sweets in your house, only give children candy that they can consume all at once. Always make them brush their teeth soon after eating candy to remove any sugars that may still be sitting in the mouth.

* Avoid sharing silverware with your child. Never put your mouth on anything that will enter your child's mouth -- children aren't born with destructive bacteria in the mouth, they catch them from mom and dad.