Paging Nurse Plummer

Life Remedies, STAT

When life gives you cramps, make bath salts … and other adages!

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Love the title to my post, which I can say without being called way too self-congratulatory, since I didn’t create it.  I found it on the Always.com website and really connected it with it for three reasons.  The first is because it is related to the old adage, that if life gives you lemons, make lemonade, the second is because it gives me another opportunity to educate about periods and cramps and lastly because I really like to luxuriate in the bath with aromatic salts making me feel like I am in a spa environment and hadn’t thought about making them myself.

People should take time to be happy. – Grandma Moses (1860-1961)
Let me start with the idea that for every negative you can think of in a situation, I truly believe that there is positive that can be made of it.  For example,  let’s say that you missed a flight or that you are inconvenienced in some way because of something that is out of your control, do something that turns it around and again places you in control.  I have missed many a flight in my day and been frustrated about it, but have found that allowing myself some pleasure reading time helps me overcome the frustration.  Also, I am thankful that I travel with a computer that allows me to stay in touch and manage life without actually being there.  Along with that, I am happy that I am safe and sound and around to live another day.  This is truly the way I think about things most of the time.

Record only the sunny hours. – unknown
At times though, fortunately not often and mostly after days of poor weather, I become grumpy and negative.  It really doesn’t help me, or those close by, when I spend my time verbalizing flaws in everything.  Instead, to break that cycle, I usually take a walk, and then write down a few things that I am thankful for and that make me happy and, POOF, back out of it and Ms. Joyful again.  It sounds simpler than what it is, because you truly have to be cognizant of your own being and want to change your mood.   Once I am on the upward state of mind, it is like there is a wind at my back pushing me along.

Cramps:  We fear what we don’t understand. – Aesop (c.620-560 BC)
As you have guessed, Aesop never said anything about cramps, I just added that to his quote to make a point.  And, that is the more we know about a situation, the better we can help mange it.  True about cramps too.  If we understand what causes them, we can develop a way to help mange the discomfort.  I have been answering questions about periods and cramps for many years.  The pain that some women and teen girls experience can be scary and concerning, made worse by not know why that can happen.

What are menstrual cramps?  From Always.com:  “Each month, the lining of the uterus (the endometrium) builds up in preparation for a possible pregnancy.  If a pregnancy occurs, the fertilized egg attaches itself to the lining to be nourished as it develops into a baby. If the egg is not fertilized, the lining is not needed. It breaks down, and hormones called prostaglandins are released. These trigger the muscles of the uterus to contract and squeeze the lining out. The muscles are the same ones that push a baby out during childbirth, so they are extremely strong. Some women may have higher levels of prostaglandins, which is thought to be what causes painful muscle spasms called cramps.”

Not all women have cramps and, certainly, not all women have them to the extent that causes concern or disruption to their lives.   For those that do, here are some suggestions on how to help sooth the discomfort:

  •  Warmth to help sooth:  Lie down, if possible, at the first sign of pain and place a warm heating pad on your abdomen.  If you can’t lie down, there are warm wraps, like Thermacare, that will provide soothing heat and allow you to leave home and live life.
  • Pain relief medications:  Pharmacists are a great source of information about suitable over the counter pain medications that may help.  It is always best to take them before the pain gets too bad to help break the cycle of discomfort.
  • Massage:  Gently rubbing your abdomen or getting a back massage can help relieve the discomfort.  Also, you don’t have to go to a professional masseuse, ask your partner to massage your back.  No doubt the person that cares about you will want to help make you feel better.
  • Exercise: Exercise routines that you do throughout your cycle — particularly a few days before the beginning of your period — may help to reduce pain by lowering your levels of prostaglandins. Exercise also helps to keep the blood flowing in your pelvic area, easing that heavy, bloated feeling. Workouts that stretch your body — cycling with your legs up in the air, for example — are best.   Some women claim that Yoga or Pilates really helps minimize their cramps.

Now to my personal favorite, a long WARM BATH, especially with aromatic bath salts.  Here is a link to the recipe to make bath salts, that I mentioned at the beginning of this post, found on the Always.com website.  I don’t get cramps any more, but love to enjoy the spa experience.  When at home doing this, I can get out of the bath and put on warm fuzzy jammers and just hangout in comfort.

http://www.always.com/mom/period-cramps-period-cramp-relief.jsp?utm_source=worpress&utm_medium=nurseplummer&utm_content=link20120123&utm_campaign=comm_mgr

Please feel free to share what helps your cramps or what puts you in a peacefully good state of being, as you could be helping someone else with your experience.

Actually writing this post has placed me in a good Karma place, so I will close out happy and relaxed.  

Last adage:  I believe in Karma. If the good is sown, the good is collected. When positive things are made, that returns well. 
Yannick Noah

 

“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.” ~Irish Proverb

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“A good laugh and a long sleep are the best cures in the doctor’s book.” ~Irish Proverb

There has been a lot written lately about sleep or the lack of it more specifically.   Most of what I have read, on blog postings, center around hilarious middle-of-the-night wake-ups because of ill or restless children.  My theory is that sleeplessness results in an awakening of some inner sense of humor that serves as the coping mechanism for the inability to sleep while kids need attention.  While I totally enjoy the read, there is nothing funny the underlying reason.   Also, I have read about teens who actually need more than 8 hours of sleep but seem to get far less.  So, when they say they I can’t get out of bed for school because they are too tired, they probably are.  Lastly, how much sleep does a woman over the age of 70 years really need and what kind of games is her body playing on her that makes her awaken after a few hours.  I went searching for some answers.

To get the info for this post, of course I went to the National Sleep Foundation’s website.  They describe themselves this way:  “The National Sleep Foundation is a 501(c)3 charitable, educational, and scientific not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving sleep health and safety through education, public awareness, and advocacy.”   Additionally, I went to the National Institute of Health (NIH) content on sleep and beinggirl.com, as there are several research-based articles there that focus on teens and their sleep needs (see links to the sites below).

Here are some facts that I learned about sleeping.  Some you may know and others that are kind of surprising:

Sleeping is NOT a passive sport.  Sleeping is as important to our well-being as eating.  Animals need sleep to survive.  It impacts our nerve-signaling chemicals or neurotransmitters, and impacts our psychological and physical health, as well as how we metabolize food.

“Fatigue is the best pillow.”  (Benjamin Franklin)  There is NO one amount of sleep that everyone needs.  Each person is different, so no matter how old or young, each individual has his/her own sleep needs.  For example, I have a colleague who requires very little sleep.  While up at 2:00 a.m., she isn’t watching cooking shows or reruns of Sex in the City, she works and creates.  As a result, I used to get emails from her timed at all kinds of sleeping hours.  When awake, she always seemed chipper and energetic.  Not me, if I was awake at 2:00 a.m. I would watch Kitchen Bitches or Two Fat Ladies and, if really fortunate, reruns of Andy Griffin and then be one fat bitch in the morning.

The majority of teens don’t get enough sleep. “Teens need about 9 1/4 hours of sleep each night to function best (for some, 8 1/2 hours is enough). Most teens do not get enough sleep — one study found that only 15% reported sleeping 8 1/2 hours on school nights.”  Another issue with teens is that their sleep patterns are irregular as their weekend patterns usually differ from school days and their school sleeping patterns differ depending on what is going on.  For example, less sleep may happen when studying for a test or participating in sports that require early practice.  As a result, it impacts their ability to concentrate, remember things and listen.  Not ideal when education is the key part of their life.

Consequences of not getting enough sleep are real and can result in physical or psychological issues.  Not getting enough sleep can result in acne or other skin problems in teens.  It can also lead to aggressive or other inappropriate behaviors.  Importantly, no matter the age, people who don’t get enough sleep are heavier than those that do.  That may be because they are eating high fat food and too much of it and not metabolizing it well.  Also, not getting enough sleep can lead to driving accidents, as well as accidents because equipment is not being used safely.

Sleep Needs DON’T decline with age.   While aging doesn’t decrease the amount of sleep needed, aging messes up our sleep habits.  GREAT!  So while older adults are awakening more throughout the night and taking longer to fall asleep, they are also suffering more from sleep apnea and from a decline in their important REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.  The Mayo Clinic defines sleep apnea as: a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts.  Everyone needs a certain period of time for REM sleep in order to have a complete sleep cycle.  Altering that alters ones sleep pattern negatively.  Some causes of sleep problems in adults are: GERD, due to the pain of esophageal reflux; restless leg syndrome; too much caffeine, and the urge to urinate.

What to do… What to do….

First, let’s look at how much sleep we need a night:  According the NIH, “infants generally require about 16 hours a day, while teenagers need about 9 hours on average. For most adults, 7 to 8 hours a night appears to be the best amount of sleep, although some people may need as few as 5 hours or as many as 10 hours of sleep each day. Women in the first 3 months of pregnancy often need several more hours of sleep than usual.”

The RELAXation Method for falling asleep:

Say to yourself, you are getting sleep, you are getting sleepy…(only kidding).  Actually, beinggirl recommends the following:

When you get to bed, close your eyes and get comfy. Focus your attention on the parts of your body that feel uncomfortable. Take a deep breath, and as you breathe out, focus on relaxing each of those areas, one at a time. Take two deep breaths for every body part that you relax. Continue this deep and relaxed breathing. Deep breathing should help you sleep better.

 

Once your body is relaxed, clear your mind by focusing on pictures of numbers or letters. For example, picture the number 30 in your mind. Imagine that the number 30 is getting blown away by the wind, erased by a pencil eraser, or fades into invisibility. Then picture the number 29 appearing in a different color, size, shape, and handwriting than the number 30. Once you have the image in your mind, imagine the 29 getting erased in a different way. Continue picturing each number with lots of details, and imagining each one disappears until you get to the number 1. If you don’t fall asleep before you get to the number 1, your mind will be free of stressful thoughts and you will be able to sleep better.

Tips to Help Improve Your Sleep Patterns:

  • Eat earlier and lighter.
  • Take a short walk after a late meal or a very active evening to help you unwind
  • Train your mind:  Keep to a regular sleep schedule, going to sleep at the same time every night, and waking up at the same time every day. Get at least 8 hours of sleep a night and 8–10 hours of sleep if you are a teen and can. After a few weeks, you will start feeling sleepy at bedtime, and will awake ready to go before your alarm clock.
  • No matter what is going on in the rest of your house, create a tranquil, comforting environment in your bedroom.  Turn on some soothing sounds and spray your sheets and room with lavender. If you need it totally dark to get your proper rest, try a sleep mask or scented eye pillow.
  • Indulging in relaxing activities before bedtime can help too. Take a warm (not hot) bath or listen to soothing music.  Some people fall asleep reading.
  • Keeping temperatures above 74 or below 54 degrees Fahrenheit can impact sleep.  Everyone is different, but most scientists agree that sleeping in a cooler room is better for sleep and a hot room can disrupt sleep patterns.
  • Light and dark influence when we get sleepy, think night and day.  Bright light can keep you awake so turn them down!!
  • Give yourself enough space to sleep.  If you are sleeping with someone, make sure you have enough room to move around and not wake the other person – or be woken up yourself due to someone else’s restlessness.

Do you get a good sleep at night??  If so, any other tips to offer??

http://www.beinggirl.com/article/sleep-better/?utm_source=wordpress&utm_medium=NursePlummer&utm_content=link20120117&utm_campaign=comm_mgr

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/brain_basics/understanding_sleep.htm

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/

 

Willpower: It’s all in your head!

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With it being early in the New Year, I have read several articles addressing willpower and how to best obtain it.  While I promised myself I wouldn’t blog on New Year’s resolutions, especially about dieting, I couldn’t resist talking about willpower since I don’t have much, if any, about anything and I finally see a glimmer of hope.

The reason I am writing about this topic now, even though I said I wouldn’t, is because I received a brochure for a seminar for health professionals titled, How The Brain Forms New Habits:  Why Willpower is Not Enough.  The one-day seminar will include information on why habits are so difficult to change and how they govern how we think and act.  So far so good.  The session is broken up into the following sections:  Reward Centered Habits, Using Your Brain to Form New Habits, Threat-Based Mental Habits, Overcoming Threat-Based Mental Habits and Initiating and Maintaining Healthful Habits.

As you would expect since this course is for health care professionals, the focus is on caring for others and facilitating change in their behavior (some life-threatening) by understanding barriers and working through challenges.  While at the class, I am optimistic that I can also self-reflect and learn more about the habits and coping behaviors that keep me from reaching my own personal goals.  My biggest failures being diet and exercise.  Last year, I decided that I would not purchase, for myself, any new clothes, shoes, handbags, makeup, etc for a year.  I lasted 3 weeks.  A pitiful but realistic example of my willpower and why I don’t stick to diets long enough to make a difference.

You would think that entering a new year and believing strongly in healthy eating and exercise, I would be trim and toned.  NOT and I wonder why since I have the time and just about any exercise machine available in close proximity.

In one of the sections of this seminar, there will be information on the addictive features of comfort foods and changing reward based habits.  Much of this centers on the physiology of the brain and where programming happens, which for those who care is the basal ganglia.  The basal ganglia are a storehouse of bad habits, but you can also change those habits with intentional goal-directed behaviors.

I was reading a review article that I found in Neuroscience magazine titled:  “ The role of the basil ganglia in habit formation” published in the June 2006 by: Henry H. Yin* and Barbara J. Knowlton‡ Before I talk about the article, I just want to mention that the basil ganglia are a set of nuclei located in the cerebrum area of the brain.  I promise not to go on about the anatomy and physiology, since I am not an expert on neural functioning and only want to talk behaviors. Back to why I am mentioning this. Within the article there is compelling research on conditions that lead to habit formation.  Since I know that research has shown that habits can be changed, hopefully at the course, I will learn more about how to form different habits.  Importantly, I want to change my behaviors in a way that will make a difference to my health and learn how to help others do the same if they want my assistance.

I will be making every effort to attend the seminar with the only barrier being the dates.  If I do attend, you will hear more from me about this.  If not, I will be disappointed but will try to do better anyway changing old habits and welcoming new.