5 Ways To Help Your Child Get Better Sleep

When your kids have exited the toddler stage, you may think that you are done with sleep struggles. You may find that you have as many challenges now as you did when they were learning to sleep on their own. When older children don’t get enough sleep, they can be irritable and don’t learn as much in school. Take a look at our five tips to help your children get enough sleep.

1. Model Good Sleep Habits

Children are primed to follow their parents’ example when it comes to bedtime habits. If your child sees you staying up late and playing with your phone, he or she will want to do the same thing. It is a good idea to model healthy sleep habits for your children. Set sleep and wake times for everyone, even for the weekends.

2. Bedtime Routines

A good bedtime routine is as important for an older child as it is for a baby or toddler. Keep the lights low and keep activities quiet. Give your child a warm bath or shower. Change into fresh pajamas. Read a story or listen to quiet music to get in the mood for sleep. Keep this routine consistent and your child will associate it with falling asleep.

3. Set Times for Devices and Screens

It is important to keep electronics use to a minimum before bed. Set a cut off time for at least an hour before bedtime. This includes television. It's healthy for everyone in the family to follow this guideline, since blue light from devices keeps people awake.

4. Sleep Environment

Make sure your child’s bedroom is set up to provide the best possible sleep environment. Ideally, your child’s room should be a calming, uncluttered, restful place. Take some time to organize your child’s room so that distractions like noisy toys are not visible.

Keep your child’s bedroom dark. You may want to get blackout shades or curtains. If your child needs a nightlight, keep it small.

Keep the bedroom and the rest of the house as quiet as possible. You may want to get a white noise machine, especially if your child goes to bed earlier than the rest of the household. This can block out unwanted sound.

Make sure the temperature of the room is optimal for sleeping. Bedrooms should not be too warm or too cold. The ideal temperature is between 60 and 67 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure sleepwear is comfortable and keeps your child at the right temperature. Having tags or scratchy material on their sleepwear can keep them awake as well.

The right mattress is a valuable investment in your child’s sleep. If he or she is having sleep problems, try a latex mattress. This will give your child a comfortable foundation for the best sleep possible. Use bedding with natural fabrics and fibers for the best possible sleep.

5. Be Aware of Problems

If your child is having sleep difficulties and the above suggestions did not help, your child may have a sleep disorder that needs to be treated by a physician. Signs that your school-aged child is not getting enough quality sleep include loud snoring, hyperactivity, falling asleep during the day, academic problems, and a general lack of alertness.

With some simple adjustments to your daily routine and to the child’s sleeping space, you may be able to greatly increase your child’s quality of sleep. Your child will be happy, alert, and ready to learn, and you will get better sleep as well. Paying attention to sleep quality is healthy for the entire family.

How to Afford Being a Vegan

Whether you are a student or not, affording to lead a healthy and well balanced vegan lifestyle can be challenging. This is especially true if you enjoy specialty food item such as faux meats, artisan nut cheese, and other things. However, you can maintain a nutritious diet without breaking the bank. Learn how with these four smart strategies.

Create a Meal Calendar

A meal calendar is one of the simplest ways to avoid overspending and ensure that you have every day covered with well balanced meals. To do this, simply figure out what meals you would like to enjoy over the course of the next several days or week. Include plenty of variety and a good amount of fruits and vegetables while brainstorming. Typically food comes in over-sized portions. Combine ingredients to be used across multiple meals. An example of this is using Quinoa pasta for your dinner and then using some of that same quinoa pasta for your lunch. You should also account for a few snacks each day. You may even include vegan gluten free recipes if desired. One you are down, use your meal calendar as a guide while shopping. This way, you will not be tempted to indulge in unnecessary items.

Invest in Bulk Staple Items

Grocery stores that allow you to purchase loose products in bulk such as nuts, rice and beans are a great way to reduce your grocery shopping costs. The Vegan Society recommends stocking up on instant noodles as well, many of which are surprisingly vegan. You can use them to create simple stir fry dishes or soups. Bulk items can be stored in reusable containers in your kitchen or dorm. These foods are often cheaper to prepare on your own. For example, investing in a pound of dried beans can be half the cost of buying canned and precooked varieties.

Pick One Special Treat

One way to avoid overspending on junk or specialty foods is to allow yourself to pick one item you enjoy each time you go grocery shopping. This way, you will not accidentally spike your grocery costs and can take the time to really savor your treat. Peta mentions that buying store brands of common foods such as canned goods, oatmeal and frozen vegetables is a great way to reduce your overall costs, allowing you to feel good about investing in your specialty item. Another way to ensure you do not spend too much on junk foods is to eat before you go to the grocery store. The Simple Dollar found that doing this can limit your impulse buys that may be based on hunger alone.

Check for Discounts

Most grocery stores offer weekly coupons and other deals that can save you money if you take the time to find them. Typically, they can be found near the front of the store in a booklet. Spend a few minutes browsing the deals and circle the ones you are interested in before getting your shopping done. Another strategy to locate discounts is to ask a grocery store employee if they offer a discounted food section. Some stores keep these special finds near the back, making it challenging to find on your own. However, you can often save some serious cash on things like canned goods, bread and snacks. These goods may be discounted for simple packaging flaws such as deformities that do not affect the quality of the actual product. Others may be discounted because they are nearing their expiration date. This is a great way to cut your food costs on items that you would have spent full price for anyways.

Saving money as a vegan is not only doable, but easy. You do not need to invest in costly items to enjoy a well balanced and healthy diet. Use these strategies next time you go shopping to see the savings for yourself.

Why Everyone Should Be Drinking Protein Shakes

It's common for bodybuilders and for those with a dedicated interest in fitness to regularly drink protein shakes. The extra protein helps them build lean muscle mass, giving them better results from their workouts. What about everyone else? In truth, there are more benefits to drinking protein shakes, so, even if you don't regularly work out, a regular protein shake may do your body some good.


Why Does Your Body Need Protein?

Everyone needs to make sure they consume enough protein rich foods, because that's what helps the different systems in the body function. Our bodies use protein to create hormones, nucleic acids, enzymes, cellular messengers, and to enhance the immune system. Protein is commonly known to help the body develop and strengthen muscle and tissue, which is why it's commonly associated with bodybuilding and weight training.
However, people tend to forget the organs of our body are also made up for muscle and tissue. For instance, protein boosts heart health and is necessary for the functioning of the cardiovascular system. It also helps muscles grow and heal from tears.

Accepting that the body needs a steady supply of protein, why not just rely on our foods to give us the supply of protein we need? The most important reason is that it takes the body longer to break down foods into usable protein. When we drink a protein shake, the protein is delivered to our bloodstream within 30 minutes, a far shorter time than the proteins we derive from foods.


What Kind of Proteins are Best?

There are various forms of protein, but what is casein protein? What is whey protein? These are common questions from people new to protein shakes.  Whey protein is the most common type of protein, because it's processed much faster by the body. Bodybuilders often drink a whey protein shake just after a workout to help maximize their results.

Casein, on the other hand, takes longer than whey to be processed, because it's richer in glutamine. Among other things, glutamine is an amino acid that promotes better digestion, healthier brain activity, and muscle growth. Since casein takes longer to digest, it's best taken in the evening. As you sleep, it can deliver essential nutrients throughout the body, so you'll wake up feeling refreshed and energized.
An alternative to casein and whey is soy protein. This product is mostly used by vegetarians and vegans, because it's not derived from animal products. Soy protein shakes contain all of the amino acids that the body needs, which explains why it has become the preferred alternative.


More Reasons to Drink Protein Shakes

Even if you're not trying to bulk up, there are advantages to drinking regular protein shakes. Some people choose to use them as a weight loss tool, because they can reduce hunger and leave you feeling full for longer. In one Australian study, it was found that whey protein resulted in lower ghrelin levels, the hormone that tells your brain that you're hungry.

There's some anecdotal evidence to suggest that whey protein also fights cancer. While it's important to get screened regularly and to follow your doctor's instructions, adding whey protein shakes may reduce your risk of developing colon and prostate cancer.
Protein shakes can also help you manage stress. In recent studies, it was found that protein shakes reduced the signs of depression and elevated moods in 58 test subjects. Researchers concluded that the extra protein boosts serotonin levels in the brain, reducing stress and anxiety.

There's also evidence, supported by a University of Alberta study, that protein shakes can help improve immunity. Male test subjects were asked to engage in intensive aerobic activity, which resulted in lowering their glutathione levels. Glutathione deficiencies can weaken the immune system exposing the gastrointestinal and nervous systems to inflammation and infection. When the subjects were given protein shakes to supplement their diets, glutathione levels didn't drop as much as they had been without the supplements.


Protein shakes can provide obvious benefits, where you're hoping to build more lean muscle mass or not. It can help reduce weight and boost normal body functions, leading to a healthier state of well-being.