desperate for a good night sleep? - 6 things you should avoid before bedtime

Even if you've drunk gallons of camomile tea, shut the curtains and turned off the lights, there's still plenty of reasons why you might not be falling into the land of nod.

Here are six of the biggest sleep faux pas that keep millions of Brits awake at night...

Too many tablets

If you've got a cold or, even worse, the flu, you may be struggling to switch off because of a runny nose and chesty cough. It's natural to reach for the pills and pop a couple of tablets, but this could actually make things worse.
Pseudoephedrine, which is present in most decongestant tablets, has been known to cause insomnia, so stick to remedies specifically designed for the night time.

Cut your soak short

A long hot bath can definitely make you feel more relaxed, but climbing straight out of the water and into bed really isn't a good idea.
Naturally your body temperature dips at night making you feel more relaxed. A hot bath makes your temperature rise, but it's the actual cooling down process that relaxes you.

The steeper the drop, the deeper you'll sleep, so quickly diving under the covers won't give your body the correct cool-down. Take a bath at least an hour before bed time for the best results.
Don't use your laptop in the dark

Tapping away on your computer before bed may sound like a great way to rest, but research has shown that the 'blue-light' emitted from gadgets suppresses our melatonin levels and throws off our body clocks.
Switch your gadgets off an hour before bed or dim the screen as much as possible after 8pm.

Carb cramps

Eating big starchy meals before bedtime puts strain on your digestive system and can leave you feeling bloated. Research has shown that a full tum can stimulate brain waves that result in nightmares, so steer clear of big meals two hours before bedtime.

Avoid arguments

Even if you're bursting to get something off your chest, arguing about it before bedtime will just keep you awake. Stress and over stimulation before bed won't allow your brain to relax, so you'll stay in a state of 'sleeplessness'.
The same goes for sending angry texts or making difficult phone calls - save the stress until the morning.

Don't search for missing items

You've just got comfortable but now you've remembered that annoying missing sock that you forgot to look for earlier.

Getting up and searching for it could settle your mind, but if you can't find it it will only drive you to distraction. Unless it's urgent stay away from puzzles and conundrums until the morning.

How being kind is good for your health

Whether you believe in karma or not, there’s no doubt that the world’s major religions and our basic human morality suggest we be nice to others. ‘Do unto others as you would yourself’ is the mantra taught to Brownies and Beavers across the land. And while it’s a lovely idea for our society, there may be a more selfish reason for being kind - it’s good for your health.

Kindness could have an alterior motive after all...

Doing something kind for others has been found to reduce stress and improve your mental health. Lowering your stress levels cuts down on stress symptoms that can cause you physical and emotional troubles, improving your overall outlook.

A study of churchgoers, for last year’s ‘Be Kind to Humankind Week’, found that people who are in the frame of mind to offer love and support to others have better mental health than those less inclined to offer kindness. It was even found to have the physical effect of increasing dopamine in the brain, making us feel calmer and happier. Kindness also ups our self worth and reduces nagging doubts and worries.

It stands to reason - looking outwards and addressing the problems of others means we spend less of our time and energy on our own neuroses and anxieties, making us less likely to experience depression. Plus, it’s a positive cycle. As other people’s moods are likely to be improved by your good deed, you reap the benefits of their positivity.

But don’t go overboard! The study also found that if you give beyond your means, it can have a negative effect on your health and happiness.

Scientists believe this policy of altruism is integral to human interactions. They have suggested it evolved to help us mate (by proving to potential partners that we’d make great parents) and that it helps society work better for everyone – reducing the amount of work individuals have to shoulder on their own.

So be nice - it’ll help you bag a partner and give you more free time…!

Perk your boobs right up with these easy chest exercises

Get the side boob confidence of Jessica Biel with these simple moves to keep your puppies perky and pert.

Do the following three exercises twice a week to start seeing results within a month.

One: Arm lifts

Take a pair of hand weights and lie on the floor.
 
Rest the weights on your chest with your elbows out at a 90 degree angle from your body (think of the arms you need for the chicken dance!)
 
Tense your core and contract your abs.

Push the weights away from your chest until your arms are straight. Lower the weight back down to you slowly, counting to three as you go down.
 
Do three sets of 12 reps.

Two: The boob push up

Try doing the girl modified push up.
 
Lie on the floor, flat on your stomach.
 
Place your hands on the ground next to your armpits.
 
Bend your legs at the knees and cross your ankles, lifting them off the ground.
 
Push up with your arms as you pivot on your knees, ensuring you keep your back and neck straight. Do not arch your back.

Tensing your abs should help to stabilise your enlightenment.

Lower yourself to the ground slowly, but don't let your chest touch the floor. 

Repeat.

Do three sets of ten reps.

Three: The twirling arm

Stand with your feet hip width apart.
 
Raise your left arm out straight to the side of your body. Make a small circular motion with your hands. Do ten clockwise and then ten anticlockwise rotations.

Do the same with the right arm.

Then raise both arms and do the same actions simultaneously.

Top 5 tips to combat computer eye strain

If your eyes are just tired from staring at screens and you’re experiencing tired eyes from day to day tasks, here are Steve’s top five tips for beating eye strain:

1. Take five. Give yourself a few minutes, get comfortable, close your eyes, take off your glasses if you wear them, slow down, relax and take deep breaths. Just for a few minutes to really give your eyes a break.

2. When you get home, avoid near work for a period of time. You’ve been working on a screen all day so don’t jump right into checking your email, or looking at your phone or even read for about an hour.

3. Change your lighting. You want a gentle, soft light that’s not too bright or high intensity, but still illuminates properly. Try dimming a light, or turning on lamp rather than the main light. See how your eyes feel – you don’t want to put them under strain from too little or too much light.

4. Blink. We blink less when we’re doing intense work and some of the eye fatigue can be due to dry eye that we might not even notice. Taking five can help but also blink, get in tune with your eyes and see how they’re feeling. If they’re dry, close them or if that’s not enough use eye drops.

5. Massage. When we work in front of a computer screen our forehead muscles get very tense and just a few minutes to massage the head, brow and neck, if you have someone to do it for you, can help ease the pressure.

During the day Steve advises specs-wearers to ensure they have the right prescription and a well-fitting pair of glasses to prevent eye fatigue.

And even if you don’t need glasses yet (by 65, 94 per cent of us will!), there are things you should do to prevent your eyes being over worked. These include lining your screen up comfortably, so your eyes are level with the top third of it, with you looking down slightly. Also, adjust the brightness of your screen. It should be bright enough to read the letters comfortably but not significantly brighter than the surroundings, as a contrast will mean your retina has to work too hard to compensate.

It’s recommended you have your eyes checked every three years, even if you have no problems as some conditions, such as glaucoma, which can lead to blindness, have no symptoms.

What are your views? Express with your comments.

5 tips To Prevent Liver Disease

If your eyes are just tired from staring at screens and you’re experiencing tired eyes from day to day tasks,here are Steve’s top five tips for beating eye strain:

1. Take five. Give yourself a few minutes, get comfortable, close your eyes, take off your glasses if you wear them, slow down, relax and take deep breaths. Just for a few minutes to really give your eyes a break.

2. When you get home, avoid near work for a period of time. You’ve been working on a screen all day so don’t jump right into checking your email, or looking at your phone or even read for about an hour.

3. Change your lighting. You want a gentle, soft light that’s not too bright or high intensity, but still illuminates properly. Try dimming a light, or turning on lamp rather than the main light. See how your eyes feel – you don’t want to put them under strain from too little or too much light.

4. Blink. We blink less when we’re doing intense work and some of the eye fatigue can be due to dry eye that we might not even notice. Taking five can help but also blink, get in tune with your eyes and see how they’re feeling. If they’re dry, close them or if that’s not enough use eye drops.

5. Massage. When we work in front of a computer screen our forehead muscles get very tense and just a few minutes to massage the head, brow and neck, if you have someone to do it for you, can help ease the pressure.

During the day Steve advises specs-wearers to ensure they have the right prescription and a well-fitting pair of glasses to prevent eye fatigue.

And even if you don’t need glasses yet (by 65, 94 per cent of us will!), there are things you should do to prevent your eyes being over worked. These include lining your screen up comfortably, so your eyes are level with the top third of it, with you looking down slightly. Also, adjust the brightness of your screen. It should be bright enough to read the letters comfortably but not significantly brighter than the surroundings, as a contrast will mean your retina has to work too hard to compensate.

It’s recommended you have your eyes checked every three years, even if you have no problems as some conditions, such as glaucoma, which can lead to blindness, have no symptoms.

What are your views? Express with your comments.