Our hormones control many aspects of our lives, including the way our bodies grow, how fast or slow our metabolism is, and even our fertility. Did you know they can also affect your emotions?

While we think of emotions as something that happens in our mind, there’s a physical aspect to them. Think about getting sweaty palms when you’re nervous or butterflies in your stomach when you’re excited.

Because your hormones control so many of your physical responses, they are also linked to your emotions. If you’ve been feeling “off” lately, there could be an issue with your hormones.

Could your emotional changes be related to hormonal problems? Here are a few key things to know if you suspect hormones are affecting your feelings.

Women’s Health and Hormones

Everyone can suffer from hormonal imbalance. However, there are certain stages in a woman’s life that make her more sensitive to hormonal changes.

Estrogen has an impact on women’s mental health and emotions. If you suspect you’re pregnant or going through menopause, keep track of how you’re feeling day to day to see if your feelings are linked to changes in your hormones.

Anxiety and Depression

In everyone’s life, a little rain will fall. We’re only human and we don’t have to feel happy every day.

A big event can trigger negative feelings like depression and anxiety. If you’re feeling down or more nervous than usual and there doesn’t seem to be anything behind it, it could be a sign that you’re having a hormone issue.

Low Sex Drive

Another sign of hormonal imbalance is lack of sex drive. There are plenty of things that can contribute to a lack of libido and your hormones are one of them.

Take note of how long it’s been since you’ve been in the mood. Hormonal fluctuations can affect your performance in the bedroom.

What You Can Do

First things first, talk to your doctor if you suspect you’re having issues with your hormones. From there, you can decide if more medical help, like hormone therapy, is needed.

There are other steps you can take to manage hormonal issues. For example, getting enough sunshine will up your vitamin D production.

Get a good night’s rest to make sure you’re not tired and cranky from lack of sleep. Try minimizing your exposure to blue light from TVs and computers so that they don’t disrupt sleep patterns at night.

There’s also online communities and support systems that can give you perspective on the challenges you’re facing. Discover more about how your hormones affect your emotions by connecting with others.

Emotional Changes and Your Hormones

There are several things that can trigger emotional changes. Once you start understanding how hormones work and how they affect your emotions, you can try to figure out if you’ve got an imbalance.

The first step is always to speak with your doctor. Together you can work on a plan that’s right for you.

Want to discover more ways to stay healthy? Check out our other health and fitness articles to keep learning!

Are you struggling through a divorce? Does it seem like you and your soon-to-be-ex can’t agree on anything? If so, it may be time to consider divorce mediation.

We know that it’s not easy to make this kind of decision, but it may need to happen if you’re feeling more stressed than normal about the divorce process.

If you’re thinking that it may be time to call in a divorce mediation lawyer, keep reading. We’re going to talk about how you can tell when it’s time to hire divorce mediation services.

Decisions Are Emotionally-Based

If you find that you and your soon-to-be-ex are fighting over decisions because of emotions, it’s time to hire divorce mediation lawyers. A divorce mediation lawyer can bring a third-party perspective that won’t be offended by anything that you or your soon-to-be-ex says.

A third-party such as these lawyers can help you and the other party make decisions factually rather than emotionally. This is especially useful when it comes to dividing time with children or important belongings.

These professionals may also be able to come up with a solution that you nor the other party can think of. Divorce mediation lawyers are experienced in making compromises and helping couples find a middle-ground.

The Situation is Time-Sensitive

If your divorce is time-sensitive, you need to contact a divorce mediation lawyer. They can help you and your soon-to-be-ex go through everything quicker and easier than you would on your own.

If one of you is looking to move, start a new family, or do something else quickly, hiring a divorce mediator is the best option.

Plus, hiring divorce mediation services can also help keep your argument out of the courtroom. So, you won’t have to worry about scheduling court dates or waiting for rulings. These timing problems tend to be the greatest issue when it comes to finalizing a divorce.

Money Is a Problem

Divorces aren’t cheap. In fact, it’s not abnormal for an individual to spend more than $10,000 on a divorce. Although, divorce costs vary by state.

Divorce mediators are cheaper options for those who are looking to get a divorce. Rather than pouring money into the court systems, you can wisely spend your money on someone who is looking to get your divorce done as quickly and as painlessly as possible.

A shorter divorce time saves money, not to mention that divorce mediators aren’t looking to fee you to death.

Learning More

If your divorce is stressful, time-consuming, too expensive, you need to consider divorce mediation. Nine times out of ten, this kind of help will get you out of the divorce easier and faster than any other route.

Plus, you’ll have an unbiased third-party double-checking everything to ensure that each party is treated fairly and kindly. Neither person can stomp on the other and demand things unfairly.

You can’t go wrong with hiring someone who’s looking out for both parties.

To learn more about divorce and similar topics, feel free to check out the rest of our blog.

Are you trying to build wealth? Do you want to invest your money into appreciating assets that will secure your financial future?

If so, then you need to consider turning to unconventional investment opportunities. It’s important to diversify your investment portfolio beyond the mutual funds and stocks that you may already be in.

In this article, we’re going to take a look at whether or not you should make the decision to invest in assisted living. We’ll give you all the info you need, including the pros and cons of this type of investment, plus a timeline as to when you should start investing.

Why You Should Invest in Assisted Living

Before we start talking about when you should redirect your assets into this particular venture, let’s first talk about the justification as to why assisted living communities are a good investment.

The first thing to consider is the average age of the population. Due to the baby boomer demographic, the world’s population is steadily getting older. Another causation of this is improved medicine that allows for a longer life expectancy.

Consequently, the demand for assisted living enterprises is rising at a surprising rate. The supply of these homes is not keeping up at quite the same rate due to increasing real estate shortages around urban areas. So the final consequence is an increase in the prices of assisted living communities.

This in turn causes those communities to be valued higher as assets.

The primary con of investing in assisted living facilities is that your investment will not be very liquid. You will have to pick a particular venture and invest money into it, and because the money is not very easily tradable the capital will be tied up for several years at the very minimum.

When You Should Invest in Assisted Living

If we’ve convinced you and you’re now really thinking about investing in this kind of facility, then let’s start to talk about timelines. As with all investments, the earlier that you can put your money in, the more your money will be able to grow in the long-term.

Consequently, you should definitely focus on investment as much as possible as early as possible. But be sure that you find the right enterprise to invest in.

Even though assisted living facilities’ values are on the rise, not all retirement homes are good investments. You want to pick one that is run by an excellent management team and has positive reviews across the board. This will help to ensure its long-term success that will net you a positive rate of return.

Use a service like findcontinuingcare.com to identify the right investment. 

Keep Planning for the Future

Whether you decide to invest in assisted living communities or other asses, be sure to keep planning for old age by putting your money to work for you in various investment assets.

For more financial articles, be sure to check out the rest of the articles on the website before you leave!

1.4 billion people traveled internationally in 2018. Each year since 1950, the United Nations World Tourism Organization has seen an increase in international travels throughout the world. If you’re looking to jump on the international traveler bandwagon, or you are just looking to take a cross country road trip, you are not alone!

Traveling is one of the most fulfilling parts of being on the planet, but it can also cause stress and be expensive if you don’t consider certain aspects. Read on to learn five DIY tips for thrifty travel, and you can be on your way to your next vacation. 

1. Find Cheap Flights

Don’t be afraid to put in the work to find the cheapest flights possible. Use different sites and different apps, such as Skyscanner, which will show you all of the flight options instead of trying to highlight the most expensive ones. 

If you want to be a thrifty traveler, be prepared to reduce your luggage and not be picky about your seat. Putting in the research for different flights will give you the upper hand, and you’ll know you’re getting the best deal.  

2. Reuse Old Glasses Cases

If you have old glasses cases or sunglasses cases, these can be reused for safekeeping and organizing tons of other items. You can store chargers and cords, which are always a pain to keep untangled, as well as jewelry, or anything else small and easily lost. This is a great way to avoid having to buy an extra travel case.

3. International GPS 

If you’re an avid traveler, you know that getting lost is a part of the gig. And sometimes, getting lost can get quite expensive, either with your money or your time, especially if you went a couple of hours in the wrong direction. 

Getting an international GPS is a way to avoid having to pay this toll. Though they may be a bit pricey when considering frugal travel, they pay off on the long end, knowing that you can experience your adventure without getting lost in an unfamiliar place.

4. Hoodie Neck Pillow

A hoodie neck pillow can be a lifesaver for a long airplane ride during international travel or train rides. Even when you have headphones or earbuds in, it might not be enough to block your neighbor (or your loud family). 

You can make these by sewing a hood onto your comfortable neck pillow, or you can buy one already attached. Make sure it’s long enough to cover your eyes and ears! 

5. Take Free Tours

There are so many free tours of different cities and attractions across the world. Do your research ahead of time and find them, and do them.

If you can’t find any free tours where you’re traveling, there’s probably a podcast or YouTube video about it. Download it and take a tour of the place yourself, for free. 

Thrifty Travel Tips 

These thrifty travel tips will help you be smart, comfy, and save money whenever you choose to travel next. Travel should be fun and exciting, not stressful and expensive! Get creative and put these tips to the test. And, if you thought this article was helpful, browse through more of our articles today! 

Did you know that some children that are only a few months of age might have to wear glasses? If your kids are currently among the percentage that has to wear glasses and you are confused about the different types of eye doctors, we are here to help. 

Keep reading to learn the difference between your eye doctor options. 

1. Optometrists

This is one type of eye doctor that usually provides primary vision care. They do things like eyesight testing, diagnosis correction, manage vision changes, and treat eye concerns. An optometrist will attend optometry school vs going to medical school. 

It takes four years of postgraduate studies to receive a doctorate in this field. It does not ever hurt to learn more about what else is involved in the practice of optometry such as:

• Eye exams
• Vision tests
• Giving visual rehabilitation
• Detecting eye irregularities
• Prescribing corrective lenses
• Prescribing medication for eye conditions

In Alaska, Louisiana, Kentucky, and Oklahoma, optometrists are also allowed to perform laser eye surgeries as see fit. To be 100% on what an optometrist can do in your particular state we always recommend looking at your regional board of optometry for any changes and updates. 

2. Optician

This eye doctor is a technician that is able to design and also fit contact lenses, eyeglass frames, eyeglass lenses, and other devices to correct someone’s sight. An optician can use prescriptions from either an ophthalmologist or an optometrist to verify and also fit the visual aids required for a patient. 

Keep in mind that an optician does not have the necessary training to diagnose any eyesight problems and they can’t treat eye conditions either. 

3. Ophthalmologist

This eye doctor requires the most schooling because they have to go to medical school in order to receive their degree. They usually have a minimum of 8 years of medical school training and once they officially become an eye doctor they are able to practice medicine and perform eye surgeries in any state. 

Ophthalmologists are able to offer the same medical services as an optometrist. For example, they can fit eyeglasses, prescribe eyeglasses, diagnose all eye conditions, and treat all eye conditions. They are pretty much specialized medical doctors and some take it a step further by choosing a subspecialty. 

If they choose this route they continue their education and training in a certain area of either surgical eye care or in a specific area of medical care. Depending on the ophthalmologist’s training there are some that have the ability to detect other health problems that are not related to the eye but that can sometimes be noticed when conducting a routine eye exam. 

Now You Know the Different Types of Eye Doctors

We hope that we have cleared up any confusion you might have had about the different types of eye doctors and now you can feel confident making an informed decision on whom to call. 

Found this article helpful? Browse around the rest of this section for some more.