| How to Get More REM Sleep Posted: 24 Jul 2016 05:00 PM PDT Rapid Eye Movement (REM) is a stage of sleep where your brain is very active and prone to dreaming. During REM sleep, your eyes actually make rapid movements. The amount of REM sleep you get may depend upon age and other factors, with infants spending 50 percent of time in REM and adults spending closer to 20 percent.[1] Increased REM sleep has been shown to improve your memory recall and your overall mental abilities.[2] You may also experience vivid dreams when you are in REM stage of your sleep cycle and may want to prolong your dreams at night. EditAdjusting Your Sleep Habits - Understand the stages of sleep. There are four stages of sleep, with the fourth and final stage being REM sleep. In order to get more REM sleep, you need to gradually allow your mind and body to go through the first three stages of sleep. Maintaining a regular sleep schedule and healthy sleep habits will help you do this.[3]
 - Stage N1: This is when you are transitioning into sleep and lasts about five minutes. Your eyes will move slower under your eyelids, and your muscle activity will slow down but you can be easily awakened by a noise or a sound.
- Stage N2: This is the first stage of true sleep and lasts 10–25 minutes. Your eye movement will stop completely, your heart rate will slow and your body temperature will decrease.
- Stage N3: This is the beginning of deep sleep, during which you are hard to wake up and if you are woken up, you will often feel groggy or disoriented for a few minutes. In this stage, your brain waves are very slow and blood flow is directed away from your brain to your muscles, which restores physical energy in your body.
- Stage N4: The final stage of sleep is REM sleep, or dream sleeping. This occurs about 70 to 90 minutes after falling asleep. You will likely experience rapid eye movement, shallow breathing, and your heart rate and blood pressure may increase. During this stage, your arms and legs are also paralyzed.
- Keep in mind that during the night, your sleep follows a pattern, moving back and forth between deep sleep and REM sleep. Each cycle lasts about 90 minutes and repeats four to six times during the night. As the night progresses, the amount of time you spend in each stage changes. Most deep sleep occurs in the first half of the night. Later in the night your REM sleep stages become longer.
- Maintain a regular sleep schedule. Create a sleep schedule where you wake up and go to sleep at the same time everyday, even on weekends or days off. Sleep requirements vary from person to person, but on average, you should be getting between seven to nine hours of sleep. Having a regular sleep schedule will allow you to experience REM sleep more often, as you will cycle between the stages of sleep several times throughout the night during a full seven to nine hour sleep[4]
- Some people think getting just one less hour of sleep won't affect their daily functioning or that they can make up for lack of sleep on the weekend or a day off, but unfortunately it doesn't work that way. Any changes or shifts in your regular sleep schedule will only have a negative effect on your sleeping habits and could lead to less deep sleep or REM sleep.[5]
- It's a myth that your body adjusts quickly to different sleep schedules. While most people can reset their biological clock, this can only be done by timed cues, and even then, only by one to two hours per day at best. Keep in mind it can take more than a week for your body's internal clock to adjust to traveling across several time zones or to switching to the night shift.
- Turn off all electronics and distractions a few hours before bed. Shut off your television, smartphone, tablet, and computer or, even better, keep all electronics out of your bedroom completely. The type of light these screens emit can stimulate your brain, suppress the production of melatonin (which encourages REM sleep), and interfere with your body's internal clock.[6]
- Another option is to shut down your computer on a schedule. This will automatically sleep your machine and prevent you from working on your computer too late or too close to your bedtime. There are sleep features on both PCs and Macs that you can activate. As well, if you want your computer to be ready to go in the morning, once you wake up, you can schedule a startup time too.
- Keep your bedroom dark, cool, and quiet. Use heavy curtains or shades to block the light from windows. Cover any electronic displays, like tvs or computers so the light does not glow in the room. You can also use a sleep mask to cover your eyes and create a dark space that will help you sleep.[7]
- If you have difficulty sleeping due to loud noises outside your window or a loud sleep partner, consider investing in good earplugs, or a noise machine.
- Don't consume caffeine or alcohol four to six hours before your bedtime. About half the caffeine you consume at 7 pm is still in your body at 11 pm. Caffeine is a known stimulant that can suppress your REM sleep and can be found in coffee, chocolate, soft drinks, non-herbal teas, diet drugs, and some pain relievers. Limit how many cups of coffee you have several hours before bed, or try to eliminate caffeine from your diet all together.[8]
- Alcohol also prevents deep sleep and REM sleep. It will keep you in the lighter stages of sleep, causing you to possibly wake up easily and have a harder time falling back asleep. Avoid consuming alcohol several hours before bed to improve your chances of having REM sleep.[9]
- Try to go to bed sleep 30 minutes earlier than usual. Your REM sleep stages are longer in the morning, so try to prolong your REM sleep by adding an extra 30 minutes of sleep. Adjust your bedtime so you go to sleep 30 minutes earlier than usual and then maintain this adjustment in your sleep schedule by doing this every night.[10]
- Always be consistent with adjustments to your sleep schedule, as you will need to get enough of each stage of sleep, especially deep sleep, to improve your REM sleep. If you do not get enough deep sleep at night, your body may try to make up for it the next night, thereby reducing the amount of REM sleep you experience.
EditUsing Medication and Exercise - Ask your doctor about melatonin for improved REM sleep. Recent studies have shown that taking melatonin supplements, about 3 mg a day, can increase your REM sleep and help you stay in the REM stage of your sleep cycling for a longer period of time. Your doctor can recommend a melatonin supplement, usually in pill form, as well as the prescribed dosage for your body type.[11]
- Melatonin is also recommended for the elderly and people who work late shifts at night, as it can help to normalize your sleep cycle and be beneficial for your health overall.
- Be wary of over-the-counter medications that can lead to suppressed REM sleep. Many of the side effects of these drugs can have adverse effects on your sleep patterns and daytime alertness. Common medications that can disturb your REM sleep include:[12]
- Nasal decongestants.
- Aspirin and other headache medications.
- Pain relievers that contain caffeine.
- Cold and allergy medications containing an antihistamine.
- Certain diet pills and antidepressants.
- If you are taking any of these medications, try to reduce your dosage. Or research alternative methods to treat these issues so you can stop taking these over-the-counter medications.
- Commit to exercising at least 20 to 30 minutes a day. Daily exercise is proven to help people sleep and can help you stay in the REM stage of sleep longer. But a workout too close to bedtime might interfere with your sleep schedule. Try to get daily exercise about five to six hours before bedtime.[13]
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| How to Capture a Big World in Small Sketches Posted: 24 Jul 2016 09:00 AM PDT In your daily rounds, do you see noteworthy things that inspire your creativity? Carry a pencil and paper and record those images by hand. You will employ "artist's license" to give things your own flair, so your work will be the opposite of a photograph. Things seen and documented with your own eyes and hands become part of you. Years later, your drawings will continue to speak to you and transport you back to that moment in time. No matter how simple they might be, you will feel pleased to have done them. EditAssembling Your Supplies - Make sure you have all the right tools on hand. A (No.2) pencil, a pencil sharpener, pieces of paper or a small, pocket size, spiral bound sketch book. Optional: a stick of sanguine (rust colored) Conte crayon, a medium gray pastel stick, a charcoal pencil, a travel set of watercolors, and a brush. Also, a pencil case to carry your supplies.
- Decide what you want to draw. Find a place to settle yourself. Become a "fly on the wall," perhaps sheltered from others so you will not be disturbed as you think and work. Engage all your senses and open yourself, let things come to you.
- Jot down, in words, your impressions. Lose the fear of a blank page by describing the scene in words, record your impressions. You could list the specifics of your situation at that moment; your location, weather, wind, temperature, etc. Just start making marks on the paper. Whatever it takes to help you open the eye to hand connection and get those lines flowing.
- Pretend you are a camera and focus on a striking image. The world abounds with eye catching things. Once you begin this activity, you will be inundated with material worth documenting on paper. Just the process of singling out an image and recording it brings it to life.
- Go outside to take in nature. Trees, tree tops, branch patterns, tree trunks with differing bark, how trees are connected to the ground, etc. The sky, clouds, layers of color or shades of value from white to grays, to black. Sturdy weeds, seed pods, grasses, tiny flowering plants, rocks, pebbles, etc. Flowers, shrubs, wild flowers, planted flowers in all stages of growth.
- Look at man-made offerings. Cast off paper, bits of thrown away junk on the ground. Park benches, seats, boats, buildings, cars, bikes, walkways, bridges, fences, walls, etc. are rich material.
- At home, pick what interests you. By working in a series, you might explore the facets of a single thing, for example your morning coffee accouterments and routine. You might want to celebrate a particular food or fruit. You can make a visual collection of random images. Open yourself go with it.
- When stumped begin with a single thing, for example, a clump of weeds or dog passing by. Then work out in all directions from that central figure until you come to the edge of your picture plane or paper.
EditMaking Small Sketches - Draw a rectangle, approximately 3 ½ by 4 ½ inches, or another small geometric shape, if using sheets of paper. This gives you parameters and provides a frame for your sketch. Vary formats, work horizontally vertically, square, etc. If desired, these can later be transferred to a "scrapbook" or "photo album," even a page that you paste into a colorful collage.
- Work quickly to capture the essence of a thing. Divide what you see into three or four basic geometric shapes, like a puzzle within your picture plane. Try making initial lines touch two or more edges of you paper.
- Add texture liberally. Repeating one shape to create a pattern results in texture. Push it. If the texture is subtle, play it up to make it more dramatic.
- Move things to your liking. No need to draw exactly what is in front of you, shift things to suit yourself. It's all about the art work, designing a page, not necessarily capturing reality.
- Explore the possibilities of your (No.2) pencil. Use the sharp point with everything from light pressure to heavy pressure. Tip the pencil to the side and rock it as you sketch. Draw lines that go from thin to fat. This is called a weighted line and can quickly depict the volume of an object, such as a tree trunk or rock.
- Shade with the pencil. Turn in on its side and rub an area of your sketch. Show where the light is strong on the object as the white of the paper, to where it is in shadow. Shade your textural areas to make them appear almost three dimensional.
- Blend your shading with a finger. Or not. If you desire a less smooth transition from one area of shading to another, leave the pencil marks alone.
- Crosshatch to get shading. This is simply doing a series of lines in one direction and then repeating them in the opposite direction.
- Refine your simple drawings. If you want more detail, put it in. You can manipulate your drawings, taking them from abstract to realistic. Drawings comprised of lines that are rough and retain the a gestural quality to those that are delicate and refined, each has its own beauty. Retain and celebrate examples of each.
- If working in a sketch book, simply open it and begin your journey.
- Capture the fun of a day in the country. The possibilities are endless.
EditColoring Your Sketches - Practice holding your watercolor box. Most have a thumb hole and are light weight. Your palette and paints are designed for working on the fly and quickly become an extension of your non-dominant hand.
- Get a water supply for painting. It doesn't have to be much, but change it often, when it gets dirty. Fill a discarded cup half way from your water bottle for drinking.
- Wet your paints with water from your brush to activate them.
- Go back to your pencil sketches and begin with one of them. Paint within the lines or more abstractly. Paint only what is most important and leave the rest black and white lines. Paint softly or use harsh shapes and colors.
- Work back in with other media. Try painting directly without sketching first. Explore the unlimited possibilities.
- Think of your sketchbook as a good friend. It is there when you need it and can be called upon in times of need. Its value grows with use and familiarity. It helps pass the time, even easing you through difficult events. Keeping sketches is a gift you give yourself.
- People are drawn to artists at work. Folks have a natural curiosity to see what is going on, so be polite and remember they are just interested. Share to whatever degree you feel willing to. It's OK to say that you need to concentrate on your work if a person gets too talkative.
- Take your own reference photos if you think that later, at home, you will want to have specific details of the scene or object your are working on.
- Add other supplies to keep your interest alive. Ball point or gel pens in black or colors. Magic markers, crayons and pastels. Fine line pens with permanent ink are good, but water soluble pens will run when wet and can give wonderful accidental effects when used with watercolors.
- These small sketches would be nice displayed in a purchased collage picture frame. Leaving them in the spiral book makes for easy storage in a purchased photo box.
- Always be aware of your surroundings and stay close to people. Creating art is so engrossing, it is easy to lose yourself in it, so be careful of the passing of time. Better yet, work with a buddy.
- Be respectful of sketching other people and keep facial details of others non-descript. Avoid doing detailed drawings of the children or babies of strangers.
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| How to Calculate Your Total Daily Calorie Needs Posted: 24 Jul 2016 01:00 AM PDT A calorie is a unit of energy that your body uses to function and perform daily life sustaining activities.[1] The calories you eat from foods provides your body with energy. Everyone's daily caloric needs are different based on age, height, weight, gender, lean body mass and activity level.[2] When you know how to calculate your total daily calorie needs, you can design an eating plan to help meet your health goals. EditCalculating Your Total Calorie Needs - Use an online calculator. You can calculate your total calorie needs with the number of available online calculators.
- These may be easier to use and less complicated than doing the required mathematical equations yourself.
- You can find a variety of calculators from weight loss and wellness clinics and some medical associations' websites. Make sure you're choosing a reliable website and do not use calculators from blogs or other personal sites.
- Most of these calculators operate in the same way. You'll input your height, weight, gender, age and activity level. Have this information handy when you calculate your needs.
- You can try online calculators from the Mayo Clinic or from the USDA's Supertracker.
- Determine your basal metabolic rate or BMR by equations. Your BMR is the amount of calories your body requires just to perform daily, life sustaining functions. It's the rate of your metabolism or the amount of calories your body burns at rest.[3]
- Your body needs a set number of calories just to stay alive and function normally. Anything from keeping your heart beating, breathing or digesting food requires energy in the form of calories. It accounts for the largest amount of total calories burned each day.[4]
- The BMR equation for the average American woman is: (4.7 x your height in inches) + (4.35 x your weight in pounds) - (4.7 x your age in years). Add 655 to this total for the BMR..
- The BMR equation for the average American man is: (12.7 x your height in inches) + (6.23 x your weight in pounds) - (6.8 x your age in years). Add 66 to the total for the BMR.
- You will use your BMR in the Harris Benedict equation to find out how many calories you burn with activity included.
- Calculate your total energy expenditure using the Harris Benedict Equation. The Harris Benedict Equation can help you calculate an estimate of how many calories you burn each day by multiplying your BMR by your average activity level.[5]
- Multiply your BMR by your activity level. This will give you a fairly accurate number for your daily total caloric intake.
- If you're sedentary (little to no exercise) multiply your BMR by 1.2.
- If you are lightly active (exercising about 1-to-3 days each week), multiply your BMR by 1.375.
- If you are moderately active (exercising moderately and/or play sports 3-to-5 days) multiply your BMR by 1.55.
- If you are very active (people who engage in strenuous sports or hard exercise 6-to-7 days a week) multiply your BMR by 1.725.
- If you are extra active (people who engage in very physically challenging jobs or exercise, such as 2-a-day workouts) multiply your BMR by 1.9.
- Consider body fat percentage. More muscular bodies or people that have low body fat and high levels of lean muscle may need more daily calories than more average people.
- If you're an athlete or naturally have a lower body fat percentage, you may need more calories than predicted by online calculators or mathematical equations.
- Lean muscle mass burns more calories than fat mass. Eating a small amount more may help you reach a more appropriate calorie goal.
- Also note that overweight or obese people may overestimate daily calories with the Harris Benedict formula.
EditUsing Your Total Calorie Needs to Manage Your Health - Make an appointment with a registered dietitian. These nutrition experts will be able to give you more specific recommendations of your calorie needs. They will also be able to tell you how to use your daily calorie needs to help manage your health. It is especially important to meet with a dietitian if you have any health conditions or medical issues that need to be taken into account.
- You may need to look up local dietitians online or ask your primary care physician for a referral to a local dietitian. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has a "Find an Expert" feature on their website to help you search.[6]
- Many dietitians have different focus areas. If you're interested in a specific topic - like weight loss, eating for athletic performance or managing chronic health conditions - look for dietitians that focus in that specialty.
- Use your total calorie needs to lose weight. Many people want to figure out how many calories they burn each day to help them lose weight. Adjust your recommended intake to help support your goal.
- If you want to lose weight, it's typically recommended to cut out about 500 calories daily to result in safe weight loss (losing 1-2 pounds weekly).[7]
- Cutting out more calories is typically not recommended. If you don't eat enough your weight loss may slow and you're at a higher risk for nutrient deficiencies.
- Add calories to gain weight. If you and your doctor or nutritionist decide that you need to gain weight, you can also use your total daily calorie needs to help you gain weight.
- Health professionals recommended consuming an extra 250-500 calories daily. This will result in about 1/2-1 pound weight gain each week.[8]
- To maintain your weight, try to keep calories within the range predicted by your calculations.
- If you notice unwanted weight loss or weight gain, revisit your total caloric intake and adjust as necessary.
- The American College of Sports Medicine states that daily calories shouldn't drop below 1,800 calories for men nor 1,200 calories for women.
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