7 Ways To Fall Back Asleep In 10 Minutes Or Less

You wake up in the middle of the night, relieved it's only 3 a.m. and that you still have a few hours of solid shut-eye before you have to get up. Only, you can't fall back to sleep. So what's your solution? Here are seven strategies you can use to drift back into dreamland—fast. 

I need to get back to sleep!

1. Turn on as few lights as possible.

Don't flick every switch on your way to the bathroom. "Light is stimulating because our brains and bodies interpret any light—whether it comes from the sun or a lamp—as a signal to be alert," says W. Christopher Winter, MD, director of the Martha Jefferson Sleep Medicine Center. So you should do your best to avoid it by only turning on the lights you absolutely need. Finding your way in the dark is best, but using a small lamp for just a few minutes won't set you back much. "The brighter the light and the longer you're exposed to it, the more alerting it will be," Winter says. 

Dim light promotes sleep

2. Read to make your eyes tired.

Remember fighting to stay awake during reading assignments in school? Take a cue from college: If you're struggling to fall back asleep, thumb through a nearby book or magazine, suggests Winter. But try to avoid an exciting thriller that gets your heart racing—it will stimulate instead of sedate you. Again, make sure to keep your light exposure to a minimum. Winter recommends attaching a small reading light to your book. 

But don't read on any adventures book, try read laws

3. Use your brain.

If you want to occupy yourself instead of just tossing and turning, forego using your phone, tablet, TV, or computer. "Electronic devices emit light that can keep you up—especially the ones you hold closer to your face, like a mobile device," says Winter. Instead, perform a mental exercise: For example, cyclists could imagine prepping a bike for a ride, step by step. 

One little, two little, three little...z.Z

4. Stay on your back.

Or your side or stomach—whichever position you prefer. Just don't keep fumbling around. If you stand or sit up straight for long periods of time, your body is more likely to interpret that as a reason to stay awake, suggests Winter. If you're going to keep busy while you're up, make sure you're lying down. 

Find the best position

5. Don't eat anything.

You might think having a bite to eat could put you back to sleep, but midnight munching actually hurts your chances of dozing off again, Winter says. In fact, a mid-slumber snack could trigger more sleep interruptions in the future. "You can easily start to condition your brain and body to expect food at that time of night, which can reinforce the habit of waking up," says Winter. If you absolutely need to nosh, go ahead, but try to channel your strongest sense of willpower to resist your stomach rumbles. It will help to keep from establishing a standing date with your refrigerator. 

Feel hungry? 

6. Try progressive relaxation.

It's a technique developed by physicians to reduce muscle tension by focusing on releasing one specific muscle group at a time. "Relaxing your body can also relax your mind," says Winter. Holding tension in your muscles signals to your brain that it needs to remain alert. Consciously reducing stress in your muscles, on the other hand, signals that it's time to fall asleep. Taking long, deep breaths, begin with your largest muscles groups—like your thighs and back—and slowly work your way to smaller muscles in your hands and face. 

Relax yourself

7. Don't make up the sleep you missed.

If you're extra tired after falling short on rest, it's important not to sleep in or take a nap the next day. "You essentially want to penalize your brain to avoid this happening regularly," says Winter. If you indulge yourself in a few extra hits of the snooze button or a long mid-afternoon siesta, you're just creating a template for your brain and body to stay awake in the middle of the night.

Sleep on proper time

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How To Spot Thyroid Cancer

The rapid rise in thyroid disorders and thyroid cancer has been well documented over the past several years. Surprisingly, especially with thyroid cancer, sufferers are most commonly women of childbearing age, much younger than the average cancer patient.

“We’re not yet sure why thyroid cancer affects more young women than men, but thyroid disorders themselves are more common among women,” says endocrinologist Scott Isaacs, MD, clinical instructor of medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. “Thyroid cancer just moved up the list of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women, and now sits at fifth.”

Family history, genetic factors and other thyroid disorders all increase your risk of cancer. Hypothyroidism, for instance, results in high levels of Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH). When TSH levels are high, the body prompts an underactive thyroid to create more thyroid hormone, which can also stimulate the growth of cancer cells. Knowing these risk factors, and keeping disorders in check, can be helpful—but a larger culprit still looms.

Thyroid cancer patient

“The big reason for the increase in cases has to do with the accumulation of radiation in the environment,” Dr. Isaacs says. If you live near a nuclear power plant, have been treated for past cancers or have had numerous imaging tests with high levels of radiation, like CT scans, your risk goes up.

A thyroid scan using ultrasound

The good news is that you can take steps to reduce your risk of thyroid cancer, and take steps to ensure that you catch it early.

1. Avoid Radiation

Radiation is cumulative, so every bit counts. Ask your dentist for a lead shield to cover your neck when you get dental x-rays. If your GP orders a CT scan for any reason, you should always see if another imaging method, like MRI, can be used for evaluation instead, because CT scans pack about 500 times the radiation of x-rays.

2. React in Emergencies

If a rare nuclear emergency happens near you, like last year’s reactor leak in Japan, listen to instructions from local officials about avoiding the damaging effects of radiation on the thyroid in particular, which will quickly seep up the iodine you breathe in or consume in the food and water supply. “The government often keeps iodine tablets (potassium iodide) on hand for these events,” Dr. Isaacs says. “Flooding the body with non-radioactive iodine will prevent the gland from taking in the harmful radioactive iodine.” One dose protects for about 24 hours, and is usually enough to halt the uptake of radiation. Never take more than instructed.

Japan Nuclear plant explosion due to earthquake

3.Know the Symptoms

Beware the common symptoms of thyroid disorders—like fatigue, muscle weakness, weight gain, and cold sensitivity—and tell your doctor if you notice any.

Most thyroid patient experience from insomnia

4. Get Tested

Have your GP check for nodules and test Free T4, Free T3 and TSH levels every few years if you have risk factors for cancer.

Get yourself tested

5. Check Yourself

Feel for any lumps in the front of the neck, just like you might with a breast self-exam. If you locate a lump, find that you have difficulty swallowing or experience unusual hoarseness in your voice, mention it to your doctor. He can check your neck and order an ultrasound.

You can ask your doctor to check for you

Early detection of nodules is the best form of cancer prevention. But even if you do feel a lump, don’t panic. “Only about five percent of nodules end up being cancer,” Dr. Isaacs says. “The biggest thing for people to understand is that it’s not a death sentence. The vast majority of thyroid cancers are very treatable.”

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The First Meal of The Day is the King of the Meal

Breakfast is indeed a very important meal. A good breakfast fuels you up and gets you ready for the day. Apart from providing us with energy, breakfast foods are good sources of important nutrients such as calcium, iron and B vitamins as well as protein and fibre. The body needs these essential nutrients and research shows that if these are missed at breakfast, they are less likely to be compensated for later in the day.

Why Breakfast is Important

Below are the 6 benefits of the Breakfast that makes the breakfast is the King of the Meal

1. RECHARGE YOUR BODY

When you wake up, your body has just finished a natural self-repair mechanism and it is famished. Eating breakfast gives a fresh recharge to your system! An ideal breakfast should contain a good balance of protein, carbohydrates, nutrients and vitamins to recharge your system and enable it with the energy to go further.

2. STAY HAPPY

You will find yourself being able to smile more after a nutritious breakfast because a good breakfast has been shown to relieve stress and lessen irritability. A happy stomach makes a happy person!

3. CONTROL YOUR WEIGHT

Having a healthy breakfast kick starts your metabolism which in turn assists in weight control. If you don’t have your breakfast, your body may go into conservation mode and it’ll be harder to regulate weight.

4. STAY FOCUSED

Your mind needs energy too! Breakfast doesn’t only wake the body up physically but also mentally. When your body gets the energy it needs, you would find yourself more ready for the day!

5. THINK BETTER

Being more focused and alert is not the only mental benefit of a good and nutritious breakfast as it has also been shown that breakfast improves memory. It could be because people were thinking less about filling their bellies!

6. FOR GROWTH

A child’s body is working during sleep to make the child grow and that is why a child may lose up to 80% of energy reserves during sleep. A nutritious breakfast helps replenish the lost energy!

Don't you ever miss your breakfast again!

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10 Amazing Beauty Tricks With Coconut Oil

Let's work backwards. When you think about the health benefits of coconut oil, we're going to guess that the last thing that comes to mind is rubbing the edible plant grease all over your face. Or your arms. Or your hair. But a growing body of research, countless experts, and an army of natural-beauty devotees swear by the stuff for just about everything. Are they onto something?

Yes, according to our experts. Coconut oil is used in many natural beauty products, and for good reason: It's naturally antibacterial and anti-fungal, it's an excellent moisturizer, it can penetrate hair better than other oils, and, well, it smells like cookies. 

We can't think of anything. But we can think of 10 amazing uses for it in your very own home that don't require spending a fortune on store-bought products. In fact, all you need is one thing: Raw (and preferably organic) virgin coconut oil. 

Here, count on two hands our completely natural DIY beauty tricks with coconut oil.

To Soothe Dry Hands

This won't work for dry digits when you're on the go, but at home, coconut oil can work wonders on your dish washing-parched hands. "I keep a jar of organic extra virgin coconut oil by the kitchen sink and put a little on after washing my hands to keep them soft and moist," says Low Dog. And if you cook with coconut oil—you can sub it for butter in baking recipes because it’s solid at room temperature—scoop out a little extra for your hands, too. "Whenever I cook with coconut oil, I make sure to moisturize my hands with it too," says Katrine van Wyk, a holistic health and nutrition coach based in New York.

As a Cheekbone Highlighter

Nothing perks up a tired face like a little highlighter, but you don't need store-bought products to achieve the same effect. Simply sweep a small amount of coconut oil on top of makeup and leave it alone. It looks like your skin but glowier, which is why many natural makeup brands use it as a base ingredient in their formulas. If you're looking for a more portable option, try the cult favorite Living Luminizer by RMS Beauty, which has a coconut-oil base and light reflecting pigment.

To Shave Your Legs

Conventional shaving cream is an expensive cocktail of chemicals that you don't need to get a nice clean shave on your legs or underarms. Coconut oil, on the other hand, is inexpensive, naturally antimicrobial, and smells divine. Plus, its skin-soothing properties will leave your legs looking hydrated (but never greasy).

As a Deep Hair Conditioner

There's a reason many conditioners contain coconut oil: It's better able to penetrate hair (and prevent protein loss) than mineral and sunflower oil, according to research. "I use it in my hair and on my skin for deep conditioning," says Tasneen Bhatia, MD, an integrative doctor and owner of the Atlanta Center for Holistic and Integrative Medicine. Apply a quarter-size dollop to your hair, comb it, and then pile it into a loose bun. You'll want to place a soft towel over your pillow or sleep in a shower cap. In the morning, shampoo as usual with a gentle cleanser.

To Remove Eye Makeup

Yes, coconut oil even works on waterproof mascara! Put a little on a cotton ball and gently sweep it over your eyes, paying attention to your under-eyes as well. The oil does a great job breaking down waxy, inky eye makeup, and leaves the delicate area hydrated, too. Once you're done, wash your face as usual.

As a Body Moisturizer

A recent animal study found that when applied topically, virgin coconut oil can speed up wound healing, and a human study found it to be effective in increasing hydration and reducing water loss in seriously dry skin. Sounds like a recipe for a really good lotion to us! It's a health-expert favorite, too. Says Wyk: "It smells delicious, is very affordable, and leaves my skin feeling nourished and smooth."

To Clean Your Face

Because coconut oil is naturally antibacterial, anti fungal, moisturizing and, according to research, great for atopic dermatitis, many women swear by its use as a nighttime moisturizer for their face, too. Try the double-cleansing method: Simply rub the oil in circular motions all over your face and neck, giving yourself a gentle massage as you go. When you're done, wash off the residue with your favorite cleanser. (If you're adult-acne prone, avoid this technique unless you know your skin tolerates coconut oil.)

Shinier Hair

Smooth a tiny amount of coconut oil onto your ends to add a little shine, or on flyaways if you have dark hair. Remember that a dab will do you: Any more and your hair might appear greasy.

In a Luscious Body Scrub

Here's a little DIY beauty secret: That store-bought body scrub you save for special occasions? It's a waste of money. That's because you can make one yourself with ingredients you already have in your kitchen. Low Dog agrees. "I love to do this. It's wonderfully moisturizing, great for the skin, inexpensive, and blissfully absent of chemicals you can't pronounce!" To make your own, Low Dog suggests melting ½ c of coconut oil at very low heat. Pour it over 1 c of brown sugar or salt and stir well. If you have some on hand, add in five drops of your favorite essential oil or some pure vanilla extract for a scrub so fragrant you'll want to eat it.

Massaging

Many store-bought massage oils have either coconut or jojoba oil as their base. Cut out the middleman and go straight to the bottle. It's slippery, skin-friendly, and moisturizing, too.

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