Category: Health & Fitness

Are you struggling with postpartum insomnia? 

New babies are a big adjustment for women, and some loss of sleep is normal. However, if you find yourself struggling to sleep even for just a few hours, it could be a sign of a more serious condition. 

Keep reading to learn more about postpartum insomnia and the different options you have when seeking treatment. 

5 Steps to Dealing With Postpartum Insomnia 

Coping with postpartum insomnia isn’t easy and you might feel helpless. Seeking help and treatment can be difficult, but there are ways to make your life happier and healthier. 

If you’re feeling lost and aren’t sure where to start, here are five ways you can start treating your insomnia: 

1. Target the Cause of Your Insomnia 

Many things cause insomnia, especially after you’ve just given birth. The key to solving your trouble sleeping is to figure out the cause.

Are your hormones keeping you up? Then you might want to find ways to balance them. Are you grinding your teeth from stress? Then a Brux Night Guard might be the answer for you. 

Everyone’s insomnia is triggered by different things, so you may need to try a few treatment methods until you find the one that works best for you. 

2. Create a Calming Environment 

Bringing a new baby home creates a lot of change and chaos, which makes it difficult to sleep. Try to take one room in your home and turn it into a place where you feel relaxed and comfortable sleeping. 

Hang curtains so you can sleep during the day if necessary or try using a noise machine, essential oils or a sleep mask if you can’t relax. 

3. Start Tracking Your Sleep 

Once you start to notice that you’re having trouble falling or staying asleep, keep a sleep journal to track your sleep. Write down the time when you try to fall asleep and how many hours or minutes of sleep you manage to get. 

This method will help you assess what times you’re able to sleep better. 

4. Avoid Caffeine 

A lot of new parents lean on coffee, tea or other sources of energy to try and care for their new babies. While these products can be necessary, they might also be keeping you up at night. 

To get your sleep schedule back on track, try to cut out all sources of caffeine from your diet. 

5. Talk to Your Doctor 

If you’ve tried everything and still can’t get enough sleep, it’s time to seek professional help. Talk to your doctor about your postpartum insomnia.

There could be a deeper health issue, like anxiety or postpartum depression, that’s causing the issue. A doctor will prescribe medications and therapy to help resolve these issues so you start sleeping normally again. 

Learn More About Insomnia  

Many people face insomnia at different stages of their life, not just after you’ve had a baby. If you’re struggling with insomnia, you don’t have to keep suffering.

Check out the rest of our website for more helpful tips and tricks that will allow you to get back into a sleep routine. 

What if you were still blind after getting a new pair of glasses?

Many of us rely on lenses and glasses to improve our vision. But if you don’t know how to properly save on lenses, you might as well be making blind purchases.

Interested in seeing savings with 20/20 clarity? Keep reading to learn our top tips for how to save!

Buying Online

Chances are you have spent most of your life getting glasses and lenses from your optometrist. Here’s our biggest piece of advice: you should be ordering online.

Prices are almost always better online instead of in the doctor’s office. The only real exception to this is if you can strike a special deal with the doctor (more on this later).

Once you decide to buy online, you have plenty of vendors to choose from. This alone gives you enough choices to really start saving money.

Keep in mind some vendors will even send you glasses to try on before you finalize the purchase. This way, you don’t have to worry about buyer’s remorse if the glasses weren’t what you were expecting.

Coupon Cutter

If you use coupons, you may think of these as limited to physical locations such as grocery stores. However, there are many different kinds of online coupons available for glasses and lenses.

Sometimes, these coupons may be for a specialty product. For example, a retailer may have a coupon on prescription sunglasses just in time for warm weather.

Other times, these may be promotional codes that you find through channels such as social media. Online retailers often release such deals on social media to encourage word of mouth advertising from their consumers.

Long story short? Treat your glasses like any other major purchase and try to find any online deals that will save you money.

Avoid the Bells and Whistles

Here’s another simple secret to saving money on your glasses: skip the bells and whistles unless they are absolutely necessary.

Most retailers (both online and offline) will try to upsell you on specialty glasses features. This includes features such as blue-light coating and progressive lenses.

If you have a medical need (or just a strong preference) for these features, then you should pay the extra money. But if you just need to correct your vision, you can go with the no-frills option and potentially save a lot of money.

Don’t know what the different lens and material options are? You can read more for additional info.

BOGO Is Your Buddy

Increasingly, more glasses and contacts vendors are taking their cues from traditional retailers. And that means you might be able to find some special deals that involve getting multiple pairs of glasses.

Some vendors will offer “buy one get one free” or “buy two get one free” deals, especially around the holidays. And such deals are particularly good for anyone needing glasses or lenses.

With only one pair of glasses, for example, you’re really out of luck if they are lost or broken. But with multiple pairs of prescription lenses, you have a “safety” to fall back on.

And these deals are a great way for you to get different styles of frames. This helps you coordinate with your fashion choices to create a really hot new look.

Special Trial Offers

Do you prefer to wear contact lenses? If so, your new best friends are the special trial offers from various vendors.

Many of these vendors have free trials where you can try on a new pair of contact lenses. The spirit of such a trial is that you can make sure the lenses work for you before you spend a bunch of money.

The chance to find out that your chosen contacts don’t fit well is a cost-saving opportunity in and of itself. And if they do fit, you get a free pair of contact lenses: that’s what we call a “win/win” situation!

Doctor Deals

So far, we have focused on finding online vendors as a way of saving money. However, you may still be able to snag some deals from your local optometrist.

Many doctors are licensed vendors and they are able to cut special deals for select customers.

A doctor who understands what your budget looks like may make you a special offer. Or a doctor may offer you a better deal as a way of securing repeat business.

Even if you can’t get a direct deal on lenses or glasses, you can go ahead and get a cheap exam. With that, you can proceed to find deals online.

Old Lenses, New Frame (And Vice-Versa)

Have you thought about the main factor when it comes to expensive new glasses? In most cases, it is the fact that you are getting all new frames and lenses.

You can significantly reduce this cost if you are willing to reuse one of these elements. If your vision hasn’t changed, for instance, you can simply put your old lenses into new frames.

Alternately, if your vision has changed, you can get new lenses and pop them in your classic frames. Either way, you save money versus getting something that’s completely new.

Courtesy Kit

Our last bit of advice saves you money in unique ways. Here we go: whenever you get new glasses, see if the vendor will include a case and a cleaning cloth for free.

Some vendors may not include such things unless you ask. And by getting them for free, you add value to your purchase in the short-term.

As for the long-term, a good case can protect your glasses from scratches and breaks. And a good cleaning cloth can help you polish the glass without accidentally leaving any annoying scratches or marks.

In this sense, asking for a “courtesy kit” helps add value to your investment and protect it from future harm. 

How to Save On Lenses: Seeing Clearly

Now you know how to save on lenses. But do you know how to keep even more money in your pocket every day?

We specialize in helping people save money while living their best lives. To see what we can do for you, check out our frugal living section today!

20% of U.S. adults have chronic pain. Do you suffer from pain every day of your life? If so, living a normal life is unbearable. This is even worse if you’re a parent.

From the time they’re infants and even as they age, your kids demand your every second of attention. They also want to play, get out of the house, and parenting requires hustle and bustle that’s difficult when you’re in pain.

Don’t worry, you can still be a hands-on parent, even when you suffer from pain. Here’s how to keep up with your kids, even if you have constant pain.

You Can Parent Differently

There’s no rule that states you have to parent a specific way. You can be a great parent when you have a pain disorder. You just have to be a different parent.

Let’s say you have an infant. You can use a harness to hold the baby if you’re in too much pain to hold your child. If you’re a woman and breastfeeding is too painful, you can bottle-feed your baby.

You can even parent differently as your child grows older. Parenting requires lots of out and about time — and the times when you have to chase your kids around.

If it’s too painful to run and walk, travel scooters help you keep up with the mobility demands of parenting.

Reach Out If You Need Help

Don’t try and handle all parenting by yourself. Do you have family or friends you can reach out to? Create a network of loved ones who you can call if you’re in too much pain, have a doctor’s appointment, or are on bed rest.

If you don’t, you have options. Hire a nanny or a babysitter who can come by and watch your children, even if you’re home but are in too much pain to move.

Keep Your Child’s Best Interests in Mind

Many people will tell you what’s right and wrong in the world of parenting. But your children are the most important. There’s no reason to feel guilty unless your child’s interest and care is at stake. There are always exceptions.

Have to cancel a playdate because you’re in too much pain to drive? You can play at home with your child or ask the friend to visit your home.

Have to miss a big event, such as a game, because you’re in too much pain? Ask a loved one to attend in your place and make it to the next game.

As long as you’re able to contribute to the child’s basic care needs, you’re being a wonderful parent.

You Can Be a Good Parent, Even When You’re in Constant Pain

Many people dream of being a parent. Parenting has its tough times, especially if you’re in constant pain.

If you suffer from pain, you can still be a good parent. Understand your parenting will be a little different, accept help when you can, and always keep your child’s best interests in mind.

Need more family advice? We offer more resources and advice for families. Continue reading our family life section!

Experiencing infertility is a devastating event in a couple’s life. Infertility affects both men and women differently, but it can be overcome with medical help.

Have you been trying to get pregnant without success? Do you think it might be due to infertility? Infertility awareness can help you decide if infertility is genuinely the cause of not becoming pregnant.

Infertility Awareness: What Is It?

Infertility is the inability to become pregnant with unprotected intercourse. However, you’re only deemed infertile if you’ve been trying for six months to a year or more. Both males and females can have signs and symptoms of infertility.

Signs of Infertility in Men And Women

Contrary to popular belief, women are not the only ones who struggle with infertility. Men are just as likely to experience infertility as well. 

Here are some signs of infertility in women:

1. Having abnormal periods. An irregular period would be any period that falls out of the average length of time of menstruation. For example, a regular period occurs every 28 days, and while a 31-day cycle is considered normal, anything over 35 days could be a sign of infertility. 

2. More period problems. This could range from heavy and painful periods, which point to endometriosis or even having a period stop altogether. 

3. Painful sexual intercourse, or lack of enthusiasm for sex. Having a child together and starting a family should be an exciting experience, but for some, it only ignites pain. Pain during sex is not normal and could be caused by hormones or endometriosis. 

4. Hormone issues play a significant role in your ability to get pregnant. When hormones are not functioning correctly, you may see other signs such as acne, weight gain, and even hair loss. 

For Men, their symptoms differ slightly, though they can have a powerful effect on a woman’s ability to conceive. 

1. Hormone problems might cause men to resist sexual intercourse or no longer have a sexual drive. 

2. Testicles keep the sperm, and sometimes if the testicles are small, tight, or even swollen; this can affect the sperm and contribute to infertility. 

3. Inability to stay erect. Erectile problems are linked with hormonal issues, as well.

4. In the same vein, the ejection of sperm can point to infertility as well. 

How Do You Fix Infertility?

There are a variety of reasons couples can experience infertility. Thankfully, there are ways to fight back against it.

The best course of action is to see an infertility specialist. They know the ins and outs of infertility and have likely worked with many couples. Sharing your concerns and problems with them can put you on the best path toward getting pregnant and becoming parents. 

You can also donate your eggs if you might want to try in-vitro fertilization in the future. If you’re unfamiliar with egg donation, read here. 

Infertility: You’re Not Alone

Even with infertility awareness, you can feel isolated and confused as to why you’re not conceiving. With doctor’s visits and more information, you can feel comforted knowing that you’re doing everything you can to have the child you want. 

Are you looking for more information on all things pregnancy? Our website contains everything you need to know!

Dealing with back pain is not only unpleasant, but it can also be debilitating.

Whether you work at a desk all day or have genetic issues, it’s important to know what to do when your back hurts so you can feel better and go on about your day.

Read on for a few helpful ways to alleviate your back pain for a happy, healthier life.

Pay Attention to Your Posture

One of the most common causes of back pain is poor posture. When you slouch forward, you’re putting immense pressure on the neck, shoulders, and spinal column.

If you want to know what to do when your back hurts, first, focus on your sitting and standing posture positions. Keep your shoulders back and your neck aligned while your head stays in a level position.

It will take some time to adopt a good posture strategy. Remember to be patient and stay mindful of how you’re sitting so you know when you need to improve.

Don’t Forget to Stretch

If you’re coping with back pain, a few simple stretching exercises can do wonders. Not only will stretching help to alleviate the pain, but it can also prevent future back-related issues.

Work on a few simple lower back stretches and make them a daily practice. You can do them in the mornings before work, or try them at home before bedtime.

One easy stretching exercise starts by lying flat on your back as you pull your knees toward your chest. Then, stretch your arms outward into a T-shaped position and twist one leg to the side to help stretch out the spine.  

What to Do When Your Back Hurts: Consider a Chiropractor

If you’re constantly dealing with chronic back pain, you could be in need of some professional chiropractic care. These professionals understand how the spine works and can help you realign yourself to alleviate back pain.

With regular stops at the chiropractor, many patients see relief after just a few visits. They’ll assess your spine and make adjustments to keep it in proper alignment.

Wear the Right Shoes

Wearing unsupportive footwear can wreak havoc on your lower back. Shoes like high heels and flip-flops are not recommended for long-term wear.

To keep back pain to a minimum, always look for shoes that provide you with ample cushioning and arch support. A lot of back pain is directly connected to the feet and legs.

When you wear the right kinds of shoes, your entire body will get the protection it needs against pain. Always wear the right footwear for the activity you’re participating in, such as running shoes for running or supportive, protective boots for construction.

Make Back Pain a Thing of the Past

Once you know what to do when your back hurts, you can take steps toward healing. Focus on things like posture and stretching, and always wear supportive footwear whenever you can.

Visit a chiropractor if your back pain doesn’t lessen. They can help to ensure that your spine is aligned and work with you to devise a plan for a healthier back.

Be sure to check out our website for tons of great tips and information on saving money, DIY, and more!