Announcement: Migrating to new site!

Hi everyone,

Sorry I’ve been MIA lately. I’ve been working with a WordPress guru to develop this blog on my own domain. You can now find it at www.findingeq.com. Please update your bookmarks. Thanks!

Emily

 

My dream: Working at home twice a week

This morning, going into work, I had a feeling I’d be coming home shortly. I had cramps and an upset stomach, which usually always accompany the bittersweet arrival of my monthly curse. My boss, who knows I have some chronic health problems, lets me work from home when I’m feeling really uncomfortable, so after about an hour and a half of suffering at the office, I high-tailed it back to my apartment.

I’m really enjoying working from home today. I’m able to watch the dog and cat wrestle (they’re hilarious), and when they’re not playing, the dog is curled up next to me or in my lap. I have the television on in the background. I can do all my work on my laptop from the comfort of my couch in underwear. Some days, boy do I love working at home. I wish I could do it more often, but then I remember my first job right out of school.

It was a PR/marketing job that I took until I could find something in journalism. It was a tiny company — at the beginning it was just me, the business owner and an intern. The intern was dismissed mid-summer, so then it was just me and the boss. He kept saying he was going to hire a partner and grow the business, but it never happened. Soon he got a consulting position at another company, which was supposed to be part-time, but ended up taking almost all his time. Because I was so often by myself at the office, he told me I could work home whenever I wanted. I was thrilled and thought it wouldn’t even feel like work.

But it sucked. At that point my real duties diminished (it turns out he was in the process of closing down the business) and I was mainly doing research and data entry, which quickly became mind-numbing. Spending every day alone in my one-bedroom apartment got old fast. I was getting cabin fever. I was dying to get out of the house and talk to a real, live human — even if just to interact with the Blockbuster cashier. When I finally found an opportunity in journalism and got out of that job, suddenly spending every day in an office populated with warm bodies felt like a novelty.

But soon after entering cubeland, I began to miss the quiet and peacefulness of working at home. I was tired of hearing other peoples’ conversations, dealing with annoying people and and sitting at an uncomfortable desk. I missed my dog and my couch and my freedom. It seemed that the grass is always greener on the other side. I realized that my ideal is smack dab in the middle of the two situations. Some days I crave that interaction I get in office and love that I can just walk around the corner and chat with friendly co-workers. Other days I just want to focus on my work and be left alone from the distractions of dozens of people, and not have to make small-talk every time I venture into the office kitchen.

I think it’s wonderful that my current boss let’s me work from home every once in a while when I’m feeling really bad, though he told me he only wants me to do that when I absolutely have to since he thinks it’s really important for us to all interact in person. Because of that, sometimes when my IBS is acting up I suck it up and stay even though I’m feeling miserable. I just put on my happy face and try to appear normal.

After experiencing both types of work environments, I think I would be extremely content if I had a job that allowed me (or everyone, for that matter) to work from home two days a week. That would give me three solid days of face-to-face interaction with colleagues, plenty of time for meetings and more than enough social time. Two days at home would allow me to really focus on things that I want to accomplish, allow me to spend a little more time with my dog and help me feel a little less stressed and more comfortable when I’m not feeling great. It wouldn’t be so much time alone that I would feel isolated or lonely. And just think of the money to be saved on gas!

I have the type of personality in which I get stressed out and burnt out easily, and my IBS causes me to feel really crummy some days. But as I mentioned, I really do enjoy face-to-face interaction. I truly think having the option to work from home one or two days a week would help me, and countless others, feel a little more sane. Though as I mentioned, I’ve learned that I’m also not the type that can handle a 100% telecommute job well. If I did find a job like that, I would have to work at coffee shops and restaurants frequently to avoid cabin fever. I’ve considered one day trying to be a full-time freelancer, but the thought of working at home full-time is a little daunting.

How do you feel about working at home? Love it or hate it?

 

The therapeutic power of blogging

Last night I was catching up on some of the Newsweek issues that arrived while I was in Europe. A short column on blogging particularly caught my eye. According to mental health experts, blogging is a new form of medicine.

The column says mental health experts are beginning to see blogging as a very therapeutic practice — more so than regular diaries, “chiefly because of its built-in audience.” Not only that, but an upcoming study mentioned in the column will show that bloggers may be happier than the blogless. Because of this, blogging is now being incorporated in some psychiatric/psychological therapy. I’m not surprised — the counselor I went to all throughout college encouraged me to write, and even gave me handouts about studies proving how cathartic and helpful writing is for those suffering from depression and anxiety.

Another perk of blogging, the column says, is that it “fulfills the primal need for sympathy.” It keeps us from isolation, and when we need help, it arrives via comments (well, that depends on the success of the blog).

It also says the anonymity of the blog is therapeutic because “it’s high intimacy with low vulnerability.” This is actually more complicated than it sounds since anonymity varies blog-to-blog. Some blogs, such as My Open Wallet, are completely anonymous — all we know is that the author is a single professional woman living in New York. There are other blogs where you know the first name of the person and see their pictures, but don’t know their last name or day job (I suppose mine is that way). I’m pretty happy with that level of anonymity. Then there are those like Penelope Trunk, who is one of my all-time favorite bloggers. She puts everything out on the table, and it’s no secret who she is, what she does, where she lives, etc. I would be happy to be that open, but it could affect my day job, and I cannot risk that.

Even more interesting, the column concludes by saying if you reveal too much in your blog, you can feel shame and guilt, so you should make sure not to spill all the beans online. The aforementioned Penelope gets extremely personal, blogging about going to marriage counseling and her first few dates post-divorce. For some people, that works (though you have to have tough skin — not all comments are friendly). Others will feel remorse after revealing too much, so only write as much as you feel comfortable. If you have a tendency to reveal to much, before you publish, ask yourself if your mother would object to anything you have written about. That might help.

I definitely agree with almost everything the column said. I have only had this blog for a few weeks, but I’ve been blogging at work since late last year and truly enjoy the interaction it provides. Back in high school I had a Xanga where I wrote about my personal life, and while it was much more cathartic, it got dramatic very fast. I’ll never go that far again, but I do love blogging and the online community it provides.

Have you felt the therapeutic benefits of blogging?

 

Eating well while traveling abroad

I’m not going to lie: I was scared to death of eating while abroad on my recent Europe trip. Haggis, black pudding, strange sausages, snails, rabbit, frog legs…oh my! I definitely wanted to be a little adventurous, but knowing my propensity for tummy troubles, I knew I couldn’t be too risky. Plus, I am a very picky eater, and I try to eat healthy whenever I possible. I knew it was going to be tricky.

A delicious and healthy salad I had in Hamburg

The best way I found to eat well was to stay somewhere with a kitchen. In Edinburgh, Scotland, instead of staying in a hotel, my mom and I stayed in a cute little serviced apartment. When we did choose to eat out, I stayed with safe things — potatoes, sandwiches, Italian food, and Chinese food. But there was a great grocery store around the corner, so we bought healthy snacks and meals to have around the house. Not only did that save us loads of money (the exchange rate with the pound is wretched), but it allowed my tummy to enjoy some familiar and low-fat foods. In Germany, I stayed at a friend’s apartment for a few nights, and we did the same thing — went grocery shopping and made most of our meals and ate most of our snacks at his house. It saved a lot of money. It was especially helpful for me because German food can be heavy, and this way I was able to buy things I knew would agree with me and allowed me to eat healthier.

A cheeseburger I had in France -- surprise, no bun!

Fortunately, in the U.K., I could just ask if I had any questions about food since they all speak English (thank God I asked what black pudding was — it’s congealed blood!). I knew I’d be with a local in Germany who could translate food labels for me. But I was really nervous about France, where I didn’t know the language and wouldn’t have anyone there to help me (or stop me from accidentally ordering something horrendous).

To solve this problem, before I left the country I found a great site that listed every food term in French — basically a French/English dictionary for food — and printed it up and put it in my messenger bag. I can’t find the exact one I took with me, but here is an example of one. Funny thing is, I never ended up needing it — every French restaurant I went to had English subtitles on the menu or had a separate English menu. Every waiter I encountered spoke English. Then again, I was in a tourist-heavy part of Paris. I’m sure had I been in less-touristy parts of the city or in other regions of France, that dictionary would have REALLY come in handy. I’m glad I brought it just in case.

One of my few indulgences on the trip: An insanely delicious French pastry filled with vanilla creme

When I did decide to be daring and try something rich (such as a gorgeous French pastry) I made sure it was at the end of the day when I’d finished my sightseeing and was somewhat near home. My stomach is so touchy, I didn’t want to risk ruining the rest of the day to a stomach ache. That pastry was SO worth it though, and if you are a healthy eater or can only certain foods, I do recommend trying to eat outside of the box eeeevery once in a while, just to get a taste of that culture. Though I know I would have been absolutely miserable had I eaten quiches, pastries, and other rich foods every day!

Eating in a foreign country is scary and exciting, and is some peoples’ favorite part of travel. For picky, healthy, sensitive eaters such as myself, it incites fear and anxiety. I was just, fine though — utilizing grocery stores, asking questions, doing research, and sticking to comfort foods most of the time worked well. And I have no regrets about eating that pastry!

Have you had any interesting or troubling culinary experiences while traveling abroad?

 

You only get two weeks’ vacation!?!?

Two weeks ago, I was at a nightclub in Hamburg, Germany, hanging out with an old friend who lives there. I met several of his friends, all of whom speak English. They asked me how long I was in Europe for, and I told them I was traveling four countries in two weeks. “Just two weeks?” they all asked. “Why would you come all the way here for only two weeks?” I told them I only had 11 vacation days from work this year, and between those, the weekends, and the July 4th holiday, that amounted to just over two weeks of freedom.

“You only get ELEVEN vacation days?” they asked in a stupor. They seriously could not believe it and laughed, somewhat convinced I was joking. “Why?” I asked. “How many days do you guys get?” A few said 25, but most said 30. They explained that is standard, and some people even get more in Germany. And that’s not counting holidays.

According to an article about world-wide vacation policies in In These Times,

The European Union requires its members to set a minimum standard of four weeks paid vacation (covering part-time workers as well). Finland and France require six weeks paid vacation, plus additional paid holidays.

America is the only major industrialized country to have so few vacation days — not just that, but there are no American laws that even require us to even have paid vacation days. Because of that, some employers provide none or very few. We work increasingly long hours (when I was younger I was told everyone worked 9-to-5; since graduating college I’ve learned that it’s now 8-to-5). We aren’t given enough time to take off work and relax and see the world. In fact, we aren’t even using all of the few vacation days we’re given.

What’s wrong with us? Why do Americans work so long and so hard without breaks? Why has our government not stepped in and made regulations about this? I’ve already written about studies finding that not vacationing can cause major health problems. I wonder what else has to happen before we hit a new low. Our economy isn’t doing too well right now, so there’s no way the government or employers will favor paying people to work less anytime soon. But what will it take?

I’m afraid people will continue to work longer hours and take even less vacation as time goes on and America struggles to stay a superpower. This benefits employers for a while, until workers become sick and burnt-out. Americans truly need more vacation time, even if they don’t use that time for anything except hanging out at home with family. People need a break every once in a while or they will fall apart. In Germany, everyone said they were given enough vacation time to take some nice trips (I think seeing the world and becoming more cultured is SO important) but they also have enough days that they can just take an occasional day off when they are feeling burnt out or have a friend in town. I rarely have enough days to spare to do that. Going on this long trip truly revitalized me and gave me a wonderful break from work and life, though I had to use every single vacation day I had to use it — now I only have several holidays for the rest of the year, such as Labor Day and Thanksgiving. If any surprises come up, I’ll have to use one of my few remaining sick days. I just wish we had Europe’s policies so I could do another two-week trip (or staycation) six months from now.

 

Travel tips for those with chronic digestive conditions

Several days ago I returned from a two-week romp around Scotland, England, Germany and France (which explains my absence from the blog). It was great fun, but the constant travel and sightseeing were a bit stressful, and while my Irritable Bowel Syndrome didn’t stop me from eating croissants in Paris and hiking through the hills of Scotland, it did bother me at some inconvenient moments. Seeing as there are millions of people suffering from IBS and other equally frustrating digestive conditions, I know there are many who look at global travel with trepidation. I too went into this adventure with extreme fear, as it would be the most travel-intensive trip I’ve been on since I’ve had IBS, but it taught me a lot about travel with chronic illness. I want to share with you what I have learned.

Me at Smailholm Tower in the Scottish borders, where Sir Walter Scott lived as a young boy with polio

1) Don’t be afraid to tell people about your condition. If you’re staying at a bed and breakfast and are afraid you’ll come across as rude if you decline a hearty breakfast, think about what’s more important. It’s not worth eating something that you know will upset your stomach later just to appear nice. Be honest and explain that you have a very touchy stomach and are afraid it won’t agree with you. Nobody can argue with that. Or if you’re going to be confined to a tour bus or something similar, let your guide know that you have a health condition and may require an occasional stop. Most people will be happy to accommodate you. It can’t hurt to speak up.

2) Take preventative steps to quell your anxiety so you can truly enjoy your travels. Our brains and guts are so closely linked, so the more anxious we are, the worse our guts behave. It can quickly become a vicious cycle. One short-term solution is to get a prescription from your doctor for an anti-anxiety medicine such as Ativan or Xanax. These are not to be used often, but can really help you relax in a stressful situation. For example, I had to take long bus rides without bathroom access on two different mornings, during the time when my symptoms are often worst. The more I worried about it, the worse my stomach felt. But I popped my anti-anxiety medicine right before the rides and became calm enough to get through the trips without any incidents or anxiety attacks. Another anxiety-reliever is to wear disposable underwear or thin adult diapers during a situation when you are worried about toilet access. Before you blush, remember you’ll probably never even need to actually utilize them. It is purely as a preventative, to reduce anxiety about a potential worst-case scenario. And if that worst-case scenario happens, you are protected until you can get into a better situation. Don’t feel ashamed.

3) Research, research, research and be prepared. Know you’re going on a long bus ride and assume there will be a bathroom on board, but get on the vehicle only to discover you’ll be nowhere near a toilet for hours? Those kinds of surprises are horrible and anxiety-inducing for those suffering from unpredictable digestive conditions. Think of any potential situations that may cause you anxiety or distress and research them before you go on your trip. Perhaps you want to visit the Notre Dame tower. It will be helpful to do your research and find out that the 50-minute tower tour includes no toilet access, so you will know to avoid it if you aren’t feeling 100 percent. The more you know what to expect, the less surprises (and anxiety) you will encounter. Also, when you go somewhere new, you may want to ask where the nearest toilet is before you even need to use it. That way you can be mentally and physically prepared for a tummy situation.

4) Listen to your body and take a break if you need to. Sightseeing on an upset stomach is not fun. If you need to lay down on the couch until a stomach ache goes away or hang at in the hotel room until your Immodium kicks in, do it, and WITHOUT GUILT. What’s the point of traveling if you’re not going to enjoy it? After all, you are on vacation. Take the time you need to relax and feel better, so when you do get out and see the sights, you are fully present and ready to enjoy it. There were a few different times during my trip when I had a stomach upset and chose to stay at the hotel and rest until I felt better. It was frustrating, but my travel partners understood and went out to do some activities without me. When I felt good enough to go back out, I felt refreshed and ready to embrace the new experiences.

Me at Edinburgh Castle

5) Always keep some coins handy. While it can sometimes be easy to find a free toilet in Europe, you will inevitably find yourself in situations where you have to pay to go. I found this to be the case at public gardens in Paris, in train stations in Germany and Paris, at a tourist cafe in Versailles, and at a rural tourist site in Scotland. In most cases it was 40 or 60 cents (in pounds or euros). Sometimes it was an actual person accepting the money, so they could make change from bills, but other times, it was an automatic machine that accepted coins only. If you find yourself in such a situation, you’ll be really glad you had some coins handy. Also, you may need to occasionally buy something to use a toilet at a business — I had to buy a bottle of water in order to use the bathroom at one cafe in Paris.

6) Be fearless! This is the hardest tip but most important. You only have one life, and you should enjoy it to the fullest while you can. I went on this trip shaking in my boots, knowing I’d be out of my comfort zone in so many ways. I wouldn’t know where the bathrooms were, I’d be stuck in cars and buses for hours, and I had to many things to do in such a short amount of time. But I realized I had to go into it knowing that I would have a great time. I knew my severe IBS would cause some glitches, which it did, but it by no means ruined my trip. This began as a fear-filled adventure, but it ended up making me so much more confident about my ability to travel the world. It wasn’t perfect and surely would have been much more enjoyable sans IBS, but those weren’t the cards I was dealt. I had be Zen about it and do the very best I could. That’s all that counts. I had to take certain measures — for example, I knew it would be stupid to eat a huge piece of quiche before a long subway ride. I mostly had light snacks during the day, and often didn’t have real meals until dinner, when I was done sightseeing and near my hotel. It wasn’t ideal, but it allowed me to explore all day long, and I still got to eat some wonderful French food in the evenings. I did as many things as I could to reduce stress, control my symptoms, and enjoy the new experiences instead of fearing them. And it was so worth it.

If you suffer from IBS or a similar condition, don’t expect everything to go smoothly all the time while traveling abroad. Even perfectly healthy people can get sick while traveling abroad. But if you go into the trip with confidence and take the steps mentioned above, you will feel more relaxed and find the experience more enjoyable. After the trip, you will feel so proud.

 

Surprise, surprise: Americans are sleep deprived

I’ve mentioned before that I have major sleep issues — specifically, sleep apnea and trouble falling asleep. It turns out I’m not the only one with problems, and by far. A recent CNN article discusses a new poll, which found that one third of Americans had fallen asleep or become sleepy while at work. It was also found that on-the-job sleepiness results in up $100 billion a year in “lost productivity, health care costs and employee absences” in addition to other factors.

A sleep specialist tells CNN that America is a sleep deprived nation because we should all be getting seven to nine hours of sleep a night. The poll reveals how much rest we really get: “The average amount of sleep was six hours and 40 minutes a night. The average workday? Nine hours and 28 minutes.”

I understand why Americans don’t get much sleep. Modern life is complicated and requires keeping a job and building a career, taking care of children and pets, maintaining a relationship, eating well, managing complex finances, getting exercise, seeing friends…and the list goes on. It’s hard to juggle it all. So should our employers help us get some rest?

A sleep researcher who has written a book on napping says that some companies are beginning to create quiet nap rooms in which employees have access to comfy furniture and they can catch some much-needed shut eye. When I first read that, I had a hard time imagining a company really going that far for its employees. But just today a friend of mine who works for a nonprofit hospital chain in Houston said he was extremely tired yesterday so he went to the break room, where there are La-Z-Boy recliners, and took a nap during his lunch break. After getting a mere five hours of restless sleep last night, let’s just say I was a little jealous.

While some experts in the article praise the rejuvenating effects of a nap, another sleep expert says this is just a “Band-Aid solution” that employers are using to make it look like employers care about their workers. If they wanted a real solution, they would require them to work less hours or not work themselves to the bone as much. I’ve heard the same thing said about companies like Google that offer indulgent amenities to employees (free gourmet lunch and dinner, on-site doctors, oil change, car wash, dry cleaning, massage therapy, gym, hair stylist, fitness classes, bike repair, etc.) — some people think it’s the sign of an understanding and progressive company, but others see it as a way to keep people at the office as much as possible.

Anyway, I don’t think naps are my solution. I tried to nap at home today during my lunch break, but after laying in bed for about 40 minutes, I couldn’t fall asleep. Whenever I take naps and have more time, I can sometimes fall asleep, but I always wake up feeling groggy. It rarely makes me feel refreshed.

I think if my job started at 9 instead of 8, I would be so much better rested. That one hour makes such a difference. Growing up, I always heard that people worked “9 to 5.” Then once I entered the workforce, I learned that most offices actually open at 8 now. It’s easier for older people whose circadian rhythms cause them to naturally rise early, but waking up around 7 feels very unnatural to my body. I just hope work times don’t get pushed back to 7 someday. More time at work is not the answer, and I think Americans are working themselves to death. What do you think?

 

Not vacationing can ruin your health

A new study mentioned in a New York Times article reveals what we’ve always secretly hoped to hear: Taking a vacation is really good for you. Not only that, but not taking any vacations is actually detrimental to your health.

Vacation or die?
The article quotes a study published in 2000 that for nine years followed 12,000 men who were at high risk for coronary heart disease. The men who did not take yearly vacations were 32 percent more likely to die of a heart attack and had a 21 percent higher death risk from all causes. In another study, which followed a group of women for 20 years, those who vacationed once every six years or less “were almost eight times more likely to develop coronary heart disease or have a heart attack than those who took at least two vacations a year.”

In yet another study, this time on a group of travelers to New Zealand, it was found that after two or three days on vacation, people were getting an hour more than usual of quality sleep, and their reaction times were improved by 80 percent. Once the travelers returned home, they were still sleeping an extra hour and had a reaction time of 30 to 40 percent better than before they left for the vacation. There’s a catch, though, for the vacation to benefit your health — it needs to be relaxing. That means no smartphones glued to your hip or spending the majority of your time on the computer doing work. And no family drama.

The American way
So how many Americans need a vacation intervention? Many, as it turns out. An Expedia.com study found that nearly a third of working Americans don’t use all their given vacation days, usually leaving about three days unused. The survey also found that British workers get an average of 26 vacation days a year and the French get 37. We get 14 on average and don’t even use them all! And those are the lucky ones — some Americans get no vacation days. That’s because America, for some terrible reason, is the only industrialized country that does not require paid vacation days. Fortunately, the Times article says, some groups are lobbying to make paid vacation days mandatory.

My own vacation
This all feels quite relevant because next Thursday, I’m using all my vacation days this year to go to Europe for just over two weeks (the recommended time for a thoroughly replenishing vacation in the article). I am spending the first week in Scotland and England with my mom, who won a grant to study the Romantic poets where they lived and wrote. I’m then going to Germany for a few nights to stay with a friend who studied abroad at my high school for a year. We may or may not go to Amsterdam for a night. Then I’ll be spending a few days alone in Paris because several friends who will be in Europe during that time and I were not able to all coordinate our travel times. I’m disappointed I’ll be in the City of Love alone (with my boyfriend thousands of miles away), but I am also kind of exhilarated about embarking on an international adventure alone.

Anyway, back to my original point: I think this trip is much-needed for my sanity and stress levels. While all the traveling I’m doing will be stressful in and of itself, the fact that I will not be having to work or worry about anything serious will be wonderful. Enjoying a nice, long break from the daily grind is a precious gift I’m giving to myself. Some of my other co-workers take long vacations like this as well, but some never use vacation days, or forget they have them until the end of the year and use them all up during the winter holidays, just hanging out at home (our vacay days expire the following January). Not me, baby!

So the next time you’re thinking about forgoing work to attend to your work duties, stop and think about your sanity and health. Is your job really so important that you can’t take off for a week or two? Are there really not ways to delegate your duties to other people? Fortunately for me I’m still somewhat entry-level at my company and do not have any duties that can’t be handled by anyone else, but even for someone with many duties, it’s possible. Even if it means going to an Internet cafe every three or four days just to make sure there are no emergencies. Life goes on, and the world still spins even if you’re soaking up the sun in St. Barts. You deserve it. And when you come back, your health and happiness will be restored.

Do you ever forgo vacation because you feel too busy at work? Do you live by vacationing to maintain your sanity? Share your experience in the comment section!

 

My attempt at Pilates

Earlier this week I had my first Pilates lesson, and I think I can safely say it is not for me. My friend and I went to the studio having no idea what to expect, and we were surprised to learn that almost the entire program uses these odd-looking machines with springs (one is called the reformer).

Some of the moves we were taught felt like great stretches and some of it really worked my abs and my core, but it felt odd doing almost all my work on these strange spring machines. I also didn’t like that they all came with mostly the same resistance — you can remove a spring or two, but it’s quite different from using weights. We didn’t do many sets of each exercise either, which I wasn’t used to.

I think my main problem was that it wasn’t intense enough for me. I have a hard time doing very low-intensity workouts because I feel as though I’m not accomplishing very much (regardless of whether that is true or not). I prefer what I did yesterday at my gym — a good 30 minutes of cardio on an elliptical and some good weight and ab work. Then again, I have read that Pilates is supposed to be used in addition to cardio, not in place of it.

The friend who went with me really likes yoga and had been considering beginning it regularly, but told me if she liked Pilates better, she’d do that instead. When we left, she said she strongly prefers yoga. She finds it more soothing. In the Pilates studio we went to, it was a small facility with one big, open room with the equipment. While we were there, there was a small private class going on in addition to a few other private lessons, so it was loud and open (not to mention it was mostly older women). I think she really prefers the quieter, calmer, relaxing environment yoga provides. Pilates is purely physical, whereas yoga has a major mental element.

I looked at my gym’s class schedule yesterday — I realized even though I have been a member for almost a year now, I have still never attended any classes, mostly because I just forget about them. But I noticed they do have a class called Body Flow, which incorporates elements of yoga, Pilates and Tai Chi and doesn’t use machines. I wonder if I would appreciate that type of class perhaps after an intense cardio workout, when I am more in a place where I want to relax and unwind. I think I would like that much better than just doing a standalone yoga or Pilates class. I am already paying for the gym membership, so I might as well give it a shot. Lessons and classes at Pilates studios are quite expensive, so while I am disappointed it didn’t work out for me, I know I will save a lot of money by sticking with just my gym.

Have you tried Pilates? What do you like or dislike about it?

 

Four easy ways to cure insomnia

I mentioned in my last post that I was just diagnosed with sleep apnea. Well, that’s not the worst of it. I also have an incredibly hard time falling asleep — it’s not uncommon for me to toss and turn 45 minutes to an hour, or sometimes even longer, before I finally drift off. Because I have problems falling asleep, I get anxious when I try to fall sleep, knowing it won’t be easy. That anxiety keeps me awake even longer, creating a vicious cycle. After meeting with the doctor and nurse practitioner at a sleep disorders clinic, they taught me four major ways to make falling asleep easier.

1. Try not to take naps. If you do, try to keep them to around 30 or 45 minutes. Any longer and you will make it much more difficult to fall asleep that night.
2. Use the bed ONLY for sex and sleep. That means no reading or watching TV in bed. The doc said if you toss and turn for a long time at night, you begin to associate the bed with anxiety and frustration. The more you do non-sleep-related activities you do in bed, such as reading or watching your favorite late-night show, the less you associate the bed with sleep. When you try to actually go to sleep, you have a difficult time. Instead, read or watch TV in the living room, and only to go the bedroom right before the lights are actually about to go out.
3. If you can’t sleep and toss and turn for a while, get out of bed. Surprisingly, the doctors told me the worst thing insomniacs can do is stay in bed when they can’t sleep. Again, it fuels your association of the bed with anxiety and frustration. After you’ve tossed and turned for a while, turn the lights back on, sit on a chair in your bedroom or go back out to the living room. Read or watch TV until you are literally on the verge of falling asleep, even if it takes a long time. Then enter the bedroom and go to bed. This retrains your body and mind to associate the bed with sleepiness and helps you fall asleep with more ease. The docs said even if it means reading on the couch until 2 a.m., it is important to not stay restless in the bed itself. Once you are retrained and it becomes easier to fall asleep, you will be able to go to bed earlier and earlier.
4. Lastly, as painful as this sounds, you need to wake up on the weekends within an hour of when you wake up on the weekdays. I have to wake up every weekday at 7:20, which is an ungodly hour in my opinion. I am also a night owl by nature, making it hard for me to go to bed early. By the time the weekends roll around, my sleep deficit is so high, I like sleeping in until 11 or 12. I used to do this all the time, but it turns out I was actually screwing myself the next work week. My doctor said pushing your circadian rhythms forward is really easy, but pushing them back is tough. So each weekend it was easy for my body to go to bed later and wake up later, but when the week came and it was time to do both things earlier, my body was extremely slow to shift gears. So lately I have been waking up around 9 or a little after on weekends. As frustrating as it is (even though I should be waking up closer to 8), I know I am in the process of retraining my body. Not only will it be easier for me to wake up earlier during the week, but it will also make falling asleep at night much easier because I will be so tired by bed time. When you have no reason to get up that early, it’s a challenge, but your body will thank you for it. If you’re afraid you’re going to fall back asleep watching TV on the couch, hit the gym or go for a walk outside to pep you up.

After learning these tips and tricks, I realized I have been doing the wrong things for a long time. Last night for the first time I read on the couch for about an hour before going into the bedroom, and I did notice that I fell asleep easier. I will continue to use these methods, and hopefully I will find that even with the apnea issue, I get more restful sleep. If you have sleeping problems, you should strongly consider giving these a try!

Do you have any helpful tricks for sleeping better?