Why You Can't Nod Off Even When The Kids Are Sleeping Through

If you’re a mom, you may be used to sleepless nights. In the early stages, parents tend to run on adrenaline, and it can take a long time to get back into the swing of getting enough rest. As children go through stages of development, there are different causes of disturbed nights, and for some parents, it can take years to regain those precious moments of peace. As a parent, you’re probably geared up for restless nights, but what happens when the kids are sleeping through, and you still can’t sleep? If teething, nightmares or feeding are no longer a valid excuse, here are some of the reasons you may be struggling to nod off. 

Your routine

If you have kids, you’ve probably devoted a lot of time and effort into getting them into a routine. The trouble is that many parents neglect their own regime. Your body has an internal clock, and if you’re going to bed at a different time every night, you’re taking naps during the day or your alarm is set for a different time each morning, you’re going to struggle to establish patterns. Once the kids are in bed, take a bit of time to chill out and unwind. Put some soothing music on, run a bath or read a book. Go to bed at a similar time each night and keep your alarm set for the same hour each morning. You should find that your body gets used to the new pattern and you find it easier to doze off and get up the next day. 

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Anxiety

Do you find it hard to sleep because you can’t switch off? Do you lie in bed with thoughts whizzing around in your head? Do you feel anxious about leaving your children, do you worry about things at work or do you simply feel like you can relax? Anxiety is a natural human response to certain scenarios, but if you feel uneasy all the time, this could be a sign that you have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is a common mental health disorder, which can be treated using medication, talking therapies and in severe cases, rehabilitation and support programs. It’s wise to talk to your doctor if you can’t switch off. You may also find it beneficial to research facilities online and read pages with articles with titles like learn about our partial hospitalization program or find out more about what we do. Often, there’s no need for intensive treatment, and anxiety is part and parcel of becoming a parent. However, it’s important to differentiate between feeling anxious and suffering from anxiety. 

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Your lifestyle

Your lifestyle can have a significant influence on your ability to sleep. Try and exercise on a regular basis and avoid eating or drinking alcohol or caffeinated drinks late at night. Leave work at the office, and try and refrain from checking emails or looking at your social media timelines when you get into bed. If you’re feeling stressed, do something that enables you to have fun, release tension or burn off excess energy. Go to a yoga class, do a fitness session at home, call a friend for a chat or put your favorite funny movie on. 

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Are you struggling to sleep, even though the kids are sleeping through? If you’re running on empty, hopefully, these tips will help you get some rest.

Eye Problems Aren't Just For Old People

Eye problems are a regular health concern for the older generation. As you start to age, your eyesight will naturally start to degenerate and most of us are prepared for it. However, people often forget about kids when it comes to eye health. They consider it something that only affects the elderly but the truth is, children can develop all sorts of eye conditions and if they aren’t dealt with quickly they can lead to lifelong sight problems. Look out for the signs of any of these eye conditions in your kids and get them to a doctor straight away if you spot any. 

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No Chill: Keeping the Heat in Your Home This Winter

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Winter is fast approaching. If you've grown used to mild temperatures and amiable weather, but reaching that time of year when temperatures drop rapidly and, more often than not, you will find yourself tackling winds, rain and frost each time you leave your home. Now, there might not be all too much that you can do to heat things up when you’re stood at a bus stop or on a train platform waiting for your transport to arrive. You might have to grin and bear short walks against the elements into the office. But there is one aspect of your life that you can hold a little more control over when it comes to keeping things warm and comfortable: your home. Your home should be your safe haven, where you can kick back and relax without tensing up, shivering and huddling into whatever layers you have on in order to preserve heat. Here are a few hot tips to keep the heat within your property over the coming winter months.

The Problem With Pests- Kick Out These Uninvited Guests!

Tempted into our homes by warmth, shelter, and food- pests are a common nuisance even in tidy and well-kept homes. As well as being unpleasant to be around, pests can cause expensive damage to the home and in some cases spread diseases in humans as well. Insects and rodents can carry bacteria that cause serious health problems in humans and in some cases, even death. Dysentery, salmonella, and gastroenteritis are just a few illnesses that can come about from pests in the home. Plus, if you have respiratory issues or allergies already, pests will certainly make them worse. Here are some things to bear in mind if you’re dealing with pests or looking to prevent them. 

Common Pests

Common pests that you might come up against are insects such as ants, cockroaches, termites, beetles, and moths. Rodents are also common, particularly if you live near areas of wild, undisturbed land such as fields or woods. Even some species of birds can be considered pests, pigeons, for example, can nest in the eaves of buildings and cause damage with their corrosive droppings. This can lead to leaks, structural damage and damage to the outside such as on bricks or rendering. 

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Repairing Damage

In many cases, you might spot pest activity before you see the pests themselves. This could be damaged electrical cables, ripped open food in the pantry and droppings caused by rodents- click here for more information on this. It could be dead insects, balding carpets and holes in textiles caused by beetles and moths. As soon as you see any indication of pest activity it’s important to act quickly- since they can multiply so quickly, a small problem can fast become a very large one. There are plenty of DIY products which can help to kill pests. However, it’s often best to leave it to the professionals. Since the problem can re-emerge from just a few eggs or live pests being left behind you can find yourself in a vicious cycle. Contact an exterminator and find out if they deal with the type of pests you have, you will save yourself hassle in the long run. 

Preventing Future Pests

Any home can be invaded by pests, even clean and tidy homes. However it’s always best to keep your home clean and tidy since you reduce your chances of being infested, and you will also notice pest activity more quickly, If you’re surrounded by clutter and mess, it could be long before you spot the signs which mean the infestation has more time to spread. 

Since food is one of the driving forces for pests entering homes, make sure that this is always stored away. In your pantry, put dried food into glass lidded jars since pests aren’t able to gnaw through. Make sure crumbs, general food mess and even pet food are put away at the end of each day to prevent pests targeting your home.

What steps do you take to prevent pests in the home? If you keep away from chemicals, do you use screens, traps, or any other method to stop them from invading?

Winter Family Occasions You Can Count On

It often seems as though once it gets to winter you can’t really go out and do much with the family. But this doesn’t really need to be the case. As long as you use your imagination and widen your view a little, you should easily be able to come across some great family outing ideas which are great for this time of year as well as any other. The good news is that there is plenty to choose between - you just need to make sure you choose one that really works for your family. In this post, we are going to look at some of the best ideas for winter family occasions which you might want to consider.

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