Tips To Help Women Get A Better Night's Sleep

(NAPSI)-Women are often faced with balancing the demands of work, family and household responsibilities, which can interfere with getting a good night's sleep. It's no wonder that sleep problems affect more women than men. When women do sleep, it tends to be light and easily disturbed. In fact, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, insomnia affects about 40 percent of women compared to only 30 percent of men.

Insomnia is characterized by difficulty falling asleep, difficulty staying asleep, poor sleep quality and impairment of next-day function. Symptoms include waking up feeling tired or not well rested, feeling tired during the day, having trouble focusing on tasks and feeling anxious, depressed or irritable.

Women and Sleep

Many factors can influence the quality of women's sleep, which may change over time. Common factors affecting sleep include:

Lifestyle

• Life events (e.g., loss of a loved one, financial concerns)

• Poor sleep hygiene (sleep hygiene involves practices that are necessary to have normal, quality nighttime sleep and full daytime alertness)

• Stress

Health

• Medical problems (e.g., acid reflux and asthma)

• Medication use (e.g., antidepressants, antiepileptics, CNS stimulants)

• Pain conditions (migraine, tension headaches and arthritis conditions are more common among women)

Research shows that poor sleep and sleep-related problems are more strongly associated with poor health outcomes in women than in men. Not getting enough sleep may cause:

• Increased accidents

• Increased risk of diabetes, hypertension and cardiovascular disease

• Poor job performance

• Trouble concentrating

• Weight gain

It's important to note that prescription insomnia treatments have not been shown to impact these consequences.

Getting Help

Many treatment options are available for insomnia. In fact, nearly $15 billion is spent each year on healthcare related to sleep problems. Non-prescription treatment options include practicing good sleep hygiene (see adjacent SLEEP Tips), over-the-counter therapies, natural remedies and behavioral therapy. Prescription insomnia medications are available as well, including benzodiazepines (BZRAs), non-BZRA sedative-hypnotics and melatonin receptor agonists. Each type of medication works differently in the body. For instance, melatonin receptor agonists, the newest class of prescription drugs for sleep-related problems, work with the body's normal sleep-wake cycle to initiate sleep, while BZRAs and non-BZRAs work with GABA receptors in the brain.

Your healthcare provider can help further explain the differences between treatment options and answer questions.

For more information about insomnia or appropriate treatment options, please speak to your healthcare provider.

Speaking with your healthcare provider about prescription insomnia medications can be an important step in finding an appropriate insomnia treatment.

Bra Basics: Experts Share Fit Tips

(NAPSI)-Finding intimate apparel to fit and flatter may be easier with a few tips from the experts.

To help you find a great-fitting bra, Don Allen, Warner’s intimate apparel designer, offers a few strategies:

• If you are smaller busted and need a bit of lift, look for a bra with “light lift” or a push-up. These bras have padding on the bottom or side cup and add lift to fill the cup. A fuller-busted woman wearing the same bra will have a more dramatic cleavage display.

• Today’s busy women with active lifestyles have new options in underwire. Warner’s new Elements of BlissWire™ bra features a soft underwire that provides true comfort and support with fit and flexibility. The underwire casing features three layers of fabric for increased softness. Light contour cups offer great shaping without show-through.

• If you experience “double-bubble”--breast tissue spilling out over the front edge of the bra and at your underarm--you may be wearing an incorrect cup size. Try the next cup size up. A good check would be to try your bra on under a snug T-shirt. If your breast tissue isn’t contained to your bra and it’s apparent under the shirt, then you chose the incorrect cup size.

• If you are “shallow in the bust” and you experience an open, hollow area inside your bra where the strap attaches to the cup, choose a bra with a pared-down style, such as a semi-demi. If you have a full, rounded bust, choose a full-coverage bra that will contain your entire bust without any “double-bubble” effect.

• When choosing a strapless bra, your bust should comfortably fit into the cups without any gaping or spilling over, the center of the bra should lay flat against your body, and the back panel should sit comfortably and straight across your back. A back-close bra has three adjustments.

For more information on the latest innovations and styles in bras, visit www.warners.com.

The design of underwire bras has evolved greatly. New styles provide true comfort, support, fit and flexibility for busy women.

Women Use Friendship to Tackle Domestic Violence

(ARA) - Whoever first said that “a friend in need is a friend indeed” certainly knew what she (or she) was talking about. Good friends encourage you to live your dreams, and stand by you through good times and bad. And, as one recent poll shows, women are most likely to confide in a friend when they are facing violence in their home.

“Women draw support from friendship on so many levels, from sharing beauty secrets and common experiences to dealing with life’s ups and downs,” says Shelley Simmons of The Body Shop, whose recent global survey revealed that 59 percent of women are most likely to confide in a friend if affected by domestic violence. “Social misconceptions about domestic violence may make women feel more comfortable confiding in a friend whom they can depend on for caring, nonjudgmental support.”

No one is certain exactly how common domestic violence is since many cases probably go unreported. The U.S. Justice Department, however, estimates the number of annual cases somewhere between 960,000 and 3 million. Across all age groups and social strata, women experiencing violence in the home are far more likely to turn to a friend for help than anyone else, including police, health care providers and support groups, The Body Shop survey shows.

“With the approach of International Friendship Day in August, it’s a great time for women to get educated on how to recognize the signs of domestic violence and what to do to help a friend going through it,” says Simmons. The Body Shop’s 2008 Stop Violence in the Home Campaign focuses on how friendship can provide a lifeline to women in crisis, and promotes education on how women can help each other if they are facing domestic violence. Also, for every “For Me, For You” Shea Lip Care Duo sold, the company will donate $9 of the purchase price towards domestic violence prevention, education and rescue.

Tell-tale signs a woman is experiencing violence in the home include:

* She has become quiet or withdrawn from friends.
* She ends phone conversations suddenly when her partner appears.
* Her friends feel unwelcome or tense when her partner is around.
* She shows signs of difficult-to-explain bruises or cuts.
* She has mentioned that her partner is possessive or jealous.
* Socially, she begins to see less of her friends.

“Once a friend confides in you about violence in her home, there are many things you can do to help her,” Simmons says.

* Be patient. Listen, but don’t judge. She must make decisions about her life in her own way and her own time.
* Don’t be critical of her partner, as this may make her feel ashamed and prevent her from confiding in you again.
* Don’t give up if you lose contact with her for a while. She may temporarily retreat.
* Tell her that the violence isn’t her fault; it’s a choice and her partner is the only one responsible for his behavior.
* Remind her that domestic violence is illegal and the police have to investigate. Encourage her to seek confidential help from the police.
* Continue to support her and don’t give up on her. You may be her only lifeline.
* Finally, if you suspect she is in immediate danger, you have no choice but to go to the police. Saving her life trumps saving the friendship.

“You may not know someone who is dealing with domestic violence, but it’s still possible to help those who are,” Simmons says.

First, education is key. Teach your teen girls that domestic violence is never acceptable. Second, be the best friend you can be; you never know what emotional challenges a friend faces. Simply by sharing love, support and fun times, you could be giving support to a friend who needs it, even if you don’t know it yet.

Finally, support causes that raise funds for victims of domestic violence. “Not only does buying a ‘For Me, For You’ Shea Lip Care Duo support efforts to end domestic violence, it’s also a great way for someone to show a friend she cares and give her a gift that will make her feel good about herself,” Simmons says.

To learn more about how you can support the fight against domestic violence, or to find a store of The Body Shop near you, visit www.thebodyshop.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Link Between Carpal Tunnel Syndrome and Cosmetic Industry

24-7 -- American women have grown tired of the billion dollar cosmetic industry not addressing 21st century needs. By not providing cosmetic brushes That promotes comfort, provides an easy grip or help alleviate pain in the fingers associated with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, Rheumatoid Arthritis and other Musculoskeletal Disorders. Ask.com writes" the force place on the fingers, hand and wrist by repetitive task contributes to CTS"

"Women are three times more likely to have carpal tunnel syndrome than men. Although there is limited research on why this is the case, scientists have several ideas. It may be that the wrist bones are naturally smaller in most women, creating a tighter space through which the nerves and tendons must pass. Other researchers are looking at genetic links that make it more likely for women to have musculoskeletal injuries such as CTS. Women also deal with strong hormonal changes during pregnancy and menopause that make them more likely to suffer from CTS."Medic 8 Family Health Guide(May 2008)" the three fingers affected by musculoskeletal pain such as carpal tunnel syndrome are the thumb, index and middle finger.

Denise Brown Hubbard a makeup artist for the past 25 years; suffers from hand and finger pain do to carpal tunnel syndrome; she explains" the technology exist to develop cost effective cosmetic brushes to address pain in the fingers associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders the findings stem for 4 years of research" as stated by the Curtis National Center. "CTS is from constant muscular contractions, the tendons that move the fingers go through the carpal tunnel. Chronic over working of the tendons causes them to swell with cause's pressure on nerves. This starts the carpal tunnel symptoms." Denise explains" the pain from those disorders are sometimes felt in the fingers and that is what the cosmetic industry have the ability to address. By developing brushes to contour, the digital bone structure of the fingers instead of resting on top of the bones will relieve pressure on the three fingers affected most by musculoskeletal pain. Focusing on the Digital Bone Structure of the fingers to relieve stress, will provide comfort, an easy grip and ultimately help reduce the pain in the fingers that come from musculoskeletal disorders."

According to Curtis National Hand Center "recognized as the largest most experienced hand center in the nation" statement on Hand Injuries and Conditions "the hand is involved in almost every activity we undertake from the moment we wake until we end our day. Yet we often take our healthy hands for granted. It is when we can not use our hands that we realize how vital they are each minute of our lives."

Newell Rubbermaid's Goody Luxe Hair Accessories Unite Style and Technology to Solve Common Consumer Frustrations

PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Newell Rubbermaid's (NYSE:NWL) Beauty & Style global business unit today announced the launch of Goody Luxe(TM), a premier line of hair jewelry designed to address global hair trends while offering consumer-desired functional benefits previously not available in this category. Equipped with StayPut Hold(TM) technology, the Luxe Collection holds steady at the office and on the town to resolve the most common frustration women experience with hair jewelry -- it slips or falls from their hair -- while adding a touch of timeless sophistication.

Historically, hair jewelry has been reserved for special occasions, such as weddings and holiday parties. However, Goody brand managers have found that many women now wear hair jewelry at least once per week as an affordable way to add style to everyday attire. Extensive consumer research and focus groups with female consumers in their 20s, 30s and 40s highlighted an innovation opportunity in the growing hair jewelry segment. Consumers indicated a desire for distinctive, well-made hair jewelry in classic styles appropriate for everyday wear and special occasions. They also expressed disappointment with current hair jewelry offerings, where metals and embellishments often mean additional weight that is not only uncomfortable to wear but is also prone to slip from the hair. In fact, 89 percent of consumers studied cited experiences with accessories that were too heavy, of poor quality or slid out of the hair.

"The Goody Luxe Collection addresses a trend toward hair jewelry that is being embraced by women across the globe, whether in the U.S., Europe, China or Mexico," said A.J. Ross, president of Newell Rubbermaid's Beauty & Style global business unit. "Our female consumers continue to seek affordable luxuries to add sophistication to their wardrobes, and they trust our Goody brand, with more than 100 years of hair products experience, to meet their needs with products like Luxe that are on trend and offer real performance benefits."

To solve consumer concerns with slipping, many of the products in the Goody Luxe Collection combine the elegance of hair jewelry with Goody's patented StayPut Hold technology. StayPut Hold grip technology provides a secure hold that prevents accessories from sliding out of hair during activities but is gentle enough to remove without snagging. It was first used in a line of Goody hair accessories for athletes and active women. In the Luxe Collection, StayPut creates a strong hold so wearers can work, play or dance without worrying about mussed hair styles or lost hair accessories.

The Luxe Collection is comprised of a variety of high-quality barrettes, fashion combs, headbands and ponytailers in four styles: Vine, Deco, Antique and Starburst. They range from classic to modern and capture the crisp, sleek lines of art deco, the charm and romance of vintage jewels, the whimsy and light of the constellations and the flourishing expressions of vines and blooms. The Goody Luxe Collection is now available at leading food, drug and mass market retailers in the U.S. and Asia with a suggested retail price ranging from $2.99 to $6.99. Luxe will be available in Europe, Mexico and Australia later this year.

Celebrate the Queen Bee in all Women

(ARA) - Although moms get their own special day of recognition every May, what about all of the other women that help make the world go ‘round? Grandmothers, sisters and best friends all deserve to know how much they are appreciated on a daily basis.

The summer months are dotted with special days dedicated to the ladies. This summer, declare all of the women you know a queen bee and celebrate the things that make them beautiful – inside and out. Keep these dates in mind and surprise her highness with a day of pampering.

Gorgeous Grandma Day – July 23
Girlfriend’s Day – August 1
Sister’s Day – August 3

Natural beauty is easy to attain with an item you most likely already have in your kitchen cupboard – pure honey. Used by itself or with a combination of ingredients, honey can help moisturize, ward off unwanted bacteria and help give your skin an all-over natural glow. Not only is honey a humectant, it also contains vitamins, enzymes, minerals and antimicrobial properties, making it one of the more natural ways to indulge your skin.*

Christopher Watt, Hollywood aesthetician to stars such as Halle Barry and Jennifer Lopez, has developed a database of recipes especially for the National Honey Board that focuses on natural ingredients and easy do-it-yourself directions.

* Not a significant source of vitamins, enzymes or minerals.

RECIPES:

The Honey and Gold Luxe Facial

Ingredients:
1/3 cup pure honey
1/4 cup papaya, peeled, seedless (optional)
1 banana (optional)
1 Tbsp. Chamomile tea (optional)
24-karat gold leaf sheets

Treatment Instructions:
Steep 1 Chamomile tea bag for 5 minutes and set aside. Mix together honey, papaya and banana in a small bowl. Add 1 Tbsp. Chamomile tea; mix until completely blended. Apply to clean skin in circular motions. Leave on face for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove using tepid water. Apply gold leaf sheets to entire face and neck. You may need to use tweezers to handle as the gold sheets are very thin and delicate. Leave on skin for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water, followed by a cool rinse. Skin may appear shiny after application. If desired, wash face with a gentle cleanser. Apply moisturizer.

Note: Honey may be used alone on clean, damp skin prior to the gold leaf application.

Golden Honey Body Polish

Ingredients:
1/2 cup pure honey
1/2 cup Dead Sea Salt (can substitute Epsom Salt)
2/3 cup grape seed oil
24-karat gold leaf sheets

Treatment Instructions:
Combine honey, Sea Salt (or Epsom Salt) and grape seed oil. Crush 2 to 3 sheets of 24-karat gold leaf until almost powder consistency; add to honey mixture and combine. Apply in bathtub or shower to damp skin. Work the mixture in on rough areas such as elbows, knees and the soles of your feet. Rinse with warm water. Towel dry and apply moisturizer.

Note: You may also add the crushed gold leaf to further enhance your favorite moisturizer.

Foaming Vanilla Honey Bath

Ingredients:
1 cup sweet almond oil, light olive or sesame oil may be substituted
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup liquid soap
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract

Treatment Instructions:
Measure the oil into a medium bowl. Carefully stir in remaining ingredients until mixture is fully blended. Pour into a clean plastic bottle with a tight-fitting stopper or lid. Shake gently before using. Swirl desired amount into the bathtub under running water - then step in and descend into a warm, silky escape.

For additional beauty tips and recipes using pure honey, visit www.honey.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Myth Busting: Some Helpful Tips for a Nutritious Pregnancy

(ARA) - If there ever was a love/hate relationship for the record books, it’s the relationship between a pregnant woman and food. On one hand, it’s a time when food cravings go on overdrive, and the body shouts “More, more, more!” On the other hand, certain foods can trigger discomforts such as nausea, causing a “Less, less, less!” reaction. Here are some common myth busters about pregnancy and nutrition.

Myth Number One: I’m eating for two, so please pass the gravy.
A common misperception is that you can eat anything you want while you’re pregnant. While it may be true that you need to eat wisely for your baby, it’s not about volume, according to pregnancy nutrition experts.

“You need to use nutritional common sense throughout your pregnancy,” says Elizabeth Somer, M.A., R.D., and author of “Nutrition for a Healthy Pregnancy.”

“Although it takes 55,000 extra calories to make a healthy baby, that amounts to just 300 extra calories per day in the last two trimesters. You can easily meet the requirement by eating a couple of healthy snacks throughout the day.”

Suggested weight gain for a person of normal weight is 25-to-35 pounds. A woman who is considered underweight should put on 28-to-40 pounds, and an overweight person should put on 15-to-25 pounds. So, instead of asking someone to pass you the gravy boat, simply give gravy a “pass” all together. Choose a healthy snack, such as a whole grain bagel, some yogurt or an orange.

Myth Number Two: Fish is a no-no, so I can’t have sushi.
When you are pregnant, many favorite and everyday foods suddenly become off limits – for example, unpasteurized cheeses, caffeinated beverages and deli meats. Many pregnant women think sushi is off limits too, since certain types of fish may contain toxins and pollutants that can be harmful to both mother and baby.

Fortunately you can crave your sushi and eat it, too, thanks to Fujisan Sushi, the only sushi enriched with life’sDHA -- a vegetarian and sustainable source of the omega-3 DHA derived from microalgae, with less risk of contamination. Fujisan Sushi provides 32 mg of this important nutrient per serving and is considered an excellent source of DHA, the primary building block for your baby’s brain, eye and cardiovascular health throughout life.

“Most women are not getting enough DHA. The daily recommended intake for pregnant women is 300 mg and, yet, most are consuming less than one-third of what they need,” says Peg Plumbo, certified nurse-midwife. ”From supplements to fortified foods and beverages, there are now many delicious and easy ways for pregnant women to get more omega-3s in their diet.”

Myth Number Three: Nausea is a given, no matter what I eat.
While it may be common in pregnancy, there are ways to combat nausea. Most of us have heard of tried-and-true remedies such as munching on soda crackers. A limited number of human studies also suggest that one gram daily of ginger may be safe and effective for pregnancy-related nausea and vomiting when used for short periods, according to a report by the University of Maryland Medical Center.

In a small study of 30 pregnant women with severe vomiting, those who ingested one gram of ginger every day for four days reported more relief from vomiting than those who received a placebo. In a larger study including 70 pregnant women with nausea and vomiting, those who received a similar dosage of ginger felt less nauseous and experienced fewer vomiting episodes than those who received a placebo.

Ginger is a common cooking spice and can be found in foods such as ginger bread and ginger snaps. However, ginger may alter the effects of some prescription and non-prescription medicines, so check with your health care provider first.

Courtesy of ARAcontent