8 Things You've Gotta Start Doing If You Have (Or Think You Have) Adrenal Fatigue

It's 6:30 am; the alarm went off at 6:00, and you've hit snooze now for the 10th time. You wonder why you just can't get out of bed, even though you went to sleep early the night before, collapsing under the covers at 8:00--even on Survivor night! 

You drag yourself throughout the day, feeling dizzy when you get up from your desk. And even after 4 coffees throughout the day, and half a bar of chocolate, you still can't stay energized. By 5:00, while you're sitting in rush-hour traffic getting home, or stuffed into a subway train, your nerves feel totally shot; you sigh wondering how you'll face the noise and hyper-activity of your kids and dog when you get home.

Sound familiar? Does that describe you or someone you know? 

You could have what's called Adrenal Exhaustion (or Fatigue): A syndrome in which your nerves are shut down and thus operating below the necessary level. People with Adrenal Exhaustion can't get their energy throughout the day, have a harder time recovering from illnesses, and have an overall feeling of greyness or depression. They are typically addicted to caffeine, sugar, and fatty foods to keep the energized, while maintaining that the caffeine "does nothing for them." 

There are innumerable websites to visit on this syndrome by simply Googling 'Adrenal Fatigue' or 'Adrenal Exhaustion'. 

If the symptoms above sound like things you've been experiencing, here are some quick tips:

1. See your doctor: Obviously this is the first step. Get some tests done and see if what you're feeling is caused by adrenal fatigue or something else.

2. Cut down on caffeine: Do you need those four espressos during the day? You don't. In fact, the more caffeine you're drinking, the more stress you're putting on your adrenal glands thus worsening your symptoms. Start off by cutting out one coffee per day, and continue until you've reached a level that you find is right for you--might be two coffees or only one. Many people claim their symptoms level out when they cut down the caffeine.

3. Avoid sugar: Sugar is another substance that burns out your nerves, especially when you're in the throes of that unavoidable crash. Avoid those tempting sugary carbohydrates, fruit juices, and fruits in general high in sugar. 

4. Eat at the right times: When you skip meals, or eat sporadically, you're causing your blood sugar levels to crash out, which puts stress on your nerves. Eat at the right time, and choose foods with high protein and low carbohydrate content. This will give you the energy you need without the burnout.

5. Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water--it's good for you, especially if you have Adrenal Exhaustion. Consider adding lemon or even sea salt to it, for many sufferers have low electrolytes.

6. Eat fat: No this isn't a prescription for Kentucky Fried Chicken--but eating fatty foods from natural sources are important, such as nuts, avocados, butter, nut butters, and cheese. 

7. Plenty of protein: Again, not a prescription to hit the nearest Burger King; nevertheless, protein is important if you're suffering from Adrenal Exhaustion. If you can, reach for organic meats and chicken, and wild, not farmed, salmon and other fish. 

8. Exercise: This is just generally good for anyone; but if you're suffering from mild depression as a result of Adrenal Exhaustion, then getting your endorphins flowing in your brain will help you feel better. As well, when you're exercising, you tend to eat healthier. It's good all around.

Two websites you should check out for more information:

Adrenalfatigue.org

adrenalfatiguesolution.com

Pass this information along to your friends, family, and co-workers if you feel it might benefit them.

This Shocking Fact Shows You Could Be Driving Impaired Without Even Knowing It

According to a study by Loughborough University, even mild dehydration leads to the same amount of driver errors as drunk driving. Over a two-day period, males were put behind a driving simulator. When hydrated, the driving errors averaged about 45, but when they were dehydrated, the errors increased to 101--the same number one would expect to find with drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs; the errors included lane drifting, braking too late, and crossing the divided lines. The study concluded that hydration is a vital part of driving safety, and should garner the same level of attention as impaired driving. 

So the question is, what constitutes hydration? If I'm drinking a coffee, for instance, on the way to work, am I within the appropriate hydration levels for safe driving? Here are some quick tips for staying hydrated.

1. Coffee is hydrating: A common belief is that coffee is de-hydrating given that it's a diuretic; however, its diuretic effect is not great enough to off-set its hydration qualities. 

2. Fruits work: Don't like forcing yourself to drink litre upon litre of water? Try fruit. Watermelon, for instance, is 90% fruit. If you're going on a long drive, pack some fruit snacks. 

3. Soda Pop?: Yes--in spite of being laden with aspartame and sugars, soda remains a hydrant. So if you don't like litres of water, or eating triangles of watermelon, a soda will do.

4. Juices & Sport Drinks: If soda works, then juices and sports drinks are a given. You can limit their sugar content by adding water to them (something you can do with your kids to keep them from freaking out.

5. Just Add Lemon: You can add stuff to water to make it a bit better, such as lemon (which has a bunch of nutritional benefits, such as flushing toxins out of the body, aids digestion, and a great source of potassium, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium). You can also create your own drinks with sparkling water with raspberries or mint sprigs.

6. Celery Sticks: Vegetables are not as hydrating as fruits, but can still do the trick. Those high in water are celery, green peppers, tomatoes, and romaine lettuce. 

7. Urine Check: This is one way to tell if you're hydrated or not: check your urine. If you're urinating every 2-4 hours and your urine is light-coloured, you're hydrated. If, however, it's been 8 hours and you haven't urinated, you're most likely dehydrated.

8 Reasons Why Failure Is Not An Option--It's A Necessity For Living To The Fullest Of Who You Are

"Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. 

Fail better."

- Samuel Beckett

I want to tell you something right now that might change your life: it's ok to fail. In fact, failing better can be the best way for you to recover your sense of self-efficacy, self-control, and self-confidence than trying not to fail at all. 

Remember when you were a kid? Did you concern yourself with failing when you were scribbling around on your sheet of paper in school, or colouring outside the lines? Or how about when you danced or put on plays with your friends? It's likely you didn't think about failing at all--life was a big adventure, and you were centre stage; you were free.

And then something happened: you cared more about being judged than being yourself; you watched your back instead of shooting after that new horizon; you went from centre stage to stage left. And now, maybe you find yourself in a place in which failure is absolutely not an option. Feel good about that? 

Here are reasons why failure is a good thing; something you need to embrace if you haven't already:

1. Failure pushes you beyond your comfort zone: If you are always comfortable, you're not learning very much. We learn when we're pushed against the wall and have to respond; when we've lost our moorings and have to find our way again. 

2. Failure is a big giant you've got to slay: If you can slay the giant of failure, you break the giant of fear. Most people are so afraid of screwing up that they don't try anything new. Fear then runs amok in their lives. But what if failure is a good thing? What if you try to fail better? Afraid now? Probably not.

3. Success isn't what it's cracked up to be: There are many who have written about the destruction of success. One is Tennessee Williams who wrote the Catastrophe of Success, in which he laments his successes as a writer and playwright and yearns again for the day when he can shut down his hotel room of decadence and live on an island somewhere where he is unknown. Why? Because success made him soft and a conformist. When he's really on his game is when he's failing.

4. Failure means wrong and strong: My brother is a professional guitar player; and one night he was playing a gig with a bass player from L.A. who had worked with jazz legend Chic Corea, among others. When my brother mentioned to him before the show that he was nervous, the bass player replied, "Wrong and strong baby! That's how Chic taught us to play: when you play it wrong, play it strong!" This reminds me of another Jazz legend, Miles Davis. He was a tremendous perfectionist and one of the greatest musicians in history. And yet, his band members were not allowed to practice before the performance. Why? Because he wanted them to practice on stage during the performance, so that they'd be free to try new things and open up new avenues of playing. Davis understood the power of trying and failing and trying again.

5. Failure is being human: As humans, we screw up; we make mistakes. To err is human, to forgive is divine, as Alexander Pope made famous. Embedded in our human condition is mistake making, error-proneness. And isn't it interesting that error-proneness is all part of learning and growing? Embrace it and learn from it--mistakes are embedded in our DNA and part of our maturity. 

6. Failure sets you free: The Chinese philosopher Chuang Tzu made an observation: Without pay, the archer's hand is steady; but offer money for a bulls eye and watch his hand quiver. When you are not afraid of failing, of loss, you are more confident. You know you will learn from your mistake and move on--you have nothing to lose. However, when you feel you've got something to lose, then your focus shifts away from what you ought to be doing. According to Bandura, those who are not afraid to fail, who are willing to learn from them, achieve greater things than those afraid of losing in the process.

7. It's all bananas anyway: Try this: with yourself, your family, your work colleagues, just change the name of 'failure' to something else, say 'bananas'. And think of your task, whatever it is, as something else, say milk. Whenever you make a mistake, you get a banana that then has to be exchanged at the store for milk--no big deal right? 

8. Failure can be glorious: The rock n' roll band U2 went on tour once, the object of which was to get as near bankrupt as possible to ensure a) they were putting everything into it, and b) they were keeping their edge. According to Bono, Bono later said, "When we built Zoo TV, we were so close to bankruptcy that if five percent fewer people went, U2 was bankrupt. Even in our irresponsible, youthful and fatal disregard of such material matters, it was terrifying." Along similar lines, Bono has mentioned that U2 is most successful when they don't know what they're doing.

These 6 Giants Can Kill Your Dream--And You Need To Get To Know Them Right Now And Make Like Balboa

When it comes to following dreams, there are as many giants as there are guides; and being able to tell the difference between the two is critical. Often we let various things get in the way of our dreams without even realizing we've succumbed to them and been taken off track. 

Here are 6 giants you need to get to know:

1. False friends: These are the people who latch onto you out of a narcissistic need for validation, but have no interest at all in you as a person. When they start to see you living differently, making decisions in the fulfillment of your dreams, they cut you down or try to thwart or dissuade you from your efforts. The best thing you can do is realize this and either a) cut them loose, or b) engage them with a deeper sense of boundaries. You can be a welcome mat without being a door mat. 

2. Overbearing family: Family members can unwittingly prevent you from your dreams, especially when they fear your dream will take you away from them. Jealousy, envy, competition are just some of the feelings the pursuit of your dream can stir up in family members. You may even have parents with unfulfilled dreams who are too bitter about their lives to encourage your path. You can't let those you love get in the way, though you absolutely should love them nevertheless. 

3. Self-talk: There have been many studies done on the advantages of positive self-talk for the fulfillment of goals and dreams. However, many people get trapped in negative self-talk: "I'm not worthy of my dream." "Who am I to accomplish this goal?" "Why do I think I can achieve this when few people have?" "I don't know what I'm doing..." These are just a few examples of negative self-talk that trap you from fulfilling your dream. You can't listen to it. Instead, you need to replace the negative self-talk with positive messages: "I'm precious." "I am creative." "I love this dream and I love pursuing it no matter how hard or impossible." 

4. Laziness: It's 6am and it's time to get up for that training run for the upcoming marathon. You ignore the alarm and drift back to sleep; and then you ignore the snooze several times until--it's too late. This is what Steven Pressfield calls "resistance," and it's the difference between amateurs and professionals. A professional applies all the qualities that one has at one's job to one's dream. It means playing hurt or tired, taking the hits and still working, not taking failure personally, not over-identifying with the job. It means overcoming laziness day in, day out. Laziness will beat you to the ground; and the only way up is getting up.

Author Steven Pressfield on Battling Resistance

5. Self-deception: Another selfie issue: believing you're too good or too talented to have to put in the hard work. Some people believe they deserve their dream to come true just by virtue of having it without the hard work it takes to bring it to fruition. It's again like Malcolm Gladwell's 10,000 hour rule to success: if you're not putting in the hard work, it's highly likely you won't accomplish your dream. If you believe you're too good to get dirty and sweaty and dig into the trenches of what your dream requires, it'll leave you behind. You've got to take a good look at yourself in the mirror, accept that you're human like everyone else, and be willing to get down and dirty.

6. People pleasing: This piggy-backs on the first two points: the dream-killing desire to please others. Yes: pursuing your dream may force you to become a different person; to step out on nothing and land on something; to re-invent yourself time and time again; to take on unconventional habits and work times; to avoid certain social gatherings you used to attend; to become more reclusive at times; to put up stronger boundaries around certain areas of your dream that need protection from the unscrupulousness of others, etc etc. You can't make these changes if you put the pleasing of others ahead of your dream; you can't pursue your dream if you're too concerned about what others might think; you will not fulfill your dream if your people-pleasing leads others to stomp all over it and you; you will not accomplish your goals if you let the prying and prattling of others take away your energy and time. There's a reason why many people who are living their dreams spend time away from others, spend time alone. As the poet e.e.cummings maintained, crowds are gangs; and you will be ganged up on if you let yourself. You can maintain a sense of warmth and friendliness; you can be a good friend; you can be there for your loved ones when they need you; but you must know when to draw the line.

Afraid of Unfulfilled Dreams? These 5 Tips Will Help You Keep The Dream Alive

You've got a dream, whether it's starting your own company or writing that first novel or getting that part in a hit musical--whatever it is, you know one thing: it isn't easy.

Remember the story of how the first Rocky movie was written? Here's Sylvester Stallone who stumbles into a public library in New York to get warm. He's got no money, hocked his ex-wife's jewelry to make some extra cash, and comes across the works of Edgar Allen Poe and he's inspired to write. He moves out to California with his dog, and rents out a shell of a one-bedroom apartment--and he starts writing. He's in near destitution to the point of being unable to feed his dog, so he walks him to the liquor store and solicits the owner to buy him for $50--the offers $25 and Stallone takes it. One day, Stallone auditions for a role and gets turned down. He mentions that he's got a script and the producers tell him to bring it by--and they love it. The problem was, they didn't want Stallone to star in it--desiring instead Burt Reynolds or Robert Redford--and Stallone did. They eventually offered $350,000 for the script--barring that Stallone would not star in it--but he refused! Exasperated they gave a final offer of $35,000 and $1 Million to produce--Stallone took it. And the rest is history: Rocky went on to win 9 Oscar nominations and 3 wins, including best picture. 

One of the things Stallone talks about is the theme that remains dear to him: that of unfulfilled dreams. He explains that if he hadn't have mentioned to the producers on his way out the door of the audition that he was doing some writing, he never would have had the career that made him so famous. 

So how do you go about fulfilling your dreams?

1. You can't give up--ever! Your dream may change a little along the way, but if you give up your chances of seeing it happen are zero. There are countless stories of people who didn't give up on their dreams and saw them fulfilled. 

2. Take care of your dream. This comes from a tweet from the writer Paulo Coelho (who, by the way, began writing at 40 years old--after spending much of his childhood in a mental institution, and much of his 30s in failed business ventures) who said, "Take care of your dreams, and your dreams will take care of you." How do you take care of your dream? By believing in it; by envisioning it every day; by working at it day after day. 

3. Put in the work. This comes from the famous author Steven Pressfield who wrote the story "The Legend of Bagger Vance," which became a film starred in by Will Smith and Matt Daimon. Pressfield writes in his "The War of Art" that he had failure after failure after failure, but he kept persevering until he got his break. He put in the work everyday and it paid off. The only way to do it is to work at it.

4. Talk about it. You never know whom you'll meet or talk to. Stallone got his break by telling others about the script he'd written. He tells writers all the time to talk about their work because you never know what buttons you'll press and who might be able to open the doors. Don't bury it--let others know about it.

5. Be crazy enough to do it. Life is full of people who seem to have made all the right moves at the right times, and are living the conventional life well--they're comfortable, but are they living their dreams? Chances are, those who look the most comfortable and well-off are those who have a 'Coulda story'--you know, "I coulda' become a painter but went for the money." Or, "I loved to play guitar, but my dad wanted me to become an accountant--the guitar's somewhere in the garage." Those who go after their dreams need to be a bit nuts, need to go against the grain, need to step out into nothing and land on something. Be 

5 Ways You Can Avoid Smartphone Sleep Deprivation

It's 10:00pm, and you decide to check Facebook before going to sleep. Do you realize what that simple act is doing to your body? 

There is a lot of information on the web about the impact of screen-time on sleep patterns. In one study with 10,000 teens in Norway, those who used a smart phone or computer one hour before bed were more likely to get less than 5 hours of sleep; and the longer those teens spent in front of the screen during the day, the more likely they were going to take longer falling asleep at night. 

However, other studies, one from Harvard and the other from the Mayo Clinic, suggest that it is only when the brightness of the screen is at its highest that melatonin levels the keep one awake are effected. 

The fact is we remain guinea pigs in a decade-long or more experiment on the impacts of smartphone and other such technologies on the body and mind. From cancer to attention disorders to overly abbreviated speech, we have yet to fully understand and realize the impacts these devices will prove to have on us.

While the studies seem conflicting, it is advisable to do the following:

1. Turn off your mobile device before going to bed: Do you really want this radioactive device running all night by your head while you sleep? As well, what if some brown-noser from work sends out an email at 2am? You'll be tempted to answer it, which will keep you from sleeping.

2. If you must have it on, keep it somewhere you can't reach it, for similar reasons to the above. 

3. Stop looking at your computer or smartphone/tablet at least one hour before going to bed. 

4. Use alternative media, if need be: How about reading books instead of ebooks, or reading a magazine instead of reading your smart device. 

5. Turn the brightness of your screen down: following the Harvard and Mayo clinic studies, you might be able to ward off the effects of the screen by keeping the brightness turned down and holding your device about one foot away from your face. 

6 Reasons Why It's Just Plain Good To Give Stuff Away

Give it away? Why would I want to give anything away, let alone things I actually like? One of our first world problems is having too much: everywhere we look in our homes there's stuff. And you can get stuff so cheaply these days, whether its stumbling upon an amazing sale at the mall, rolling up on a garage sale, or scavenging the used store for fashion items at a fraction of the price--we tend to have a stuff problem. And then there are those who have a garage sale to get rid of their stuff, which, collectively, turns out to be the mass recycling of junk nobody uses to other's homes where it won't be used, only to find itself at yet another garage sale.

Here are some reasons to give stuff away:

1. You have too much stuff: If you have a stuff problem, just donate it: Value Village, Goodwill, the Salvation Army are all places to drop things off at.

2. You'll feel good: Before you give something away you wonder how you'll ever part with x; but when you give it away, you realize you don't even miss it, and what you feel in its place is just feeling of joy--it feels good to give.

3. Help someone in need: If you have a lot, and others are in need, give to them. There are so many people who don't have the basics. There are many who go away on missions of various sorts, while leaving behind in our cities and towns people who are in need. 

4. Tax benefit: depending on where you give, you may receive a tax receipt that will help you at tax time. Some may see this as tainting the giving process, but others see it as a benefit of the system that encourages giving. 

5. It makes us suffer: In various religious traditions, stuff causes suffering: we worry about our stuff, plan to eagerly get new stuff, and burn with envy when we see someone with more than we have. Giving stuff away helps us restore our sense of who we are apart from what we may or may not have. 

6. Less is more: You don't have to accept the lie that more stuff makes you happy--the truth is, it won't; it'll just give you more to worry about. 

We think that more stuff will make us happier or more successful, but it's actually the opposite: the less you have the less you need to worry about. 

7 Reasons Why You Should Opt For A Selfie Stick And Not A Drone

Drones look cool. But should you buy one? Selfie Sticks lack that cool factor, but may be a better all around purchase than a drone. Here are some reasons why you might want to hold off.

1. They don't require skill to fly: Have you ever tried out one of this toy helicopters sold at a mall kiosk? Pretty difficult to get the hang of. Having a drone is markedly more complicated and expensive. It's advised to become adept at flying one of those helicopters first before venturing out into drone territory. A selfie stick? No flight required, unless you're being hurtled off a yacht out on the Pacific and want to capture that moment.

2. They don't crash: When drones crash, they can a) break, b) harm people, and c) cost more money. There are many testimonials of people who have lost their drones in an ocean somewhere or have crashed them on their first flight. If you're buying one, make sure it's something you can afford to break. The selfie stick? Well, they can 'crash' anything: parties, bar mitzvahs, even funerals. But they won't hurt anybody--well at least physically.

3. They're not unpredictable: There are reports of people who have flown their drones only to watch them veer off out of control and crash. If you're planning to buy a drone, make sure you know what tho do with them and when to fly them. Most drones, it is claimed, are unpredictable and will fly out of control. The technology simpley isn't there. Selfie sticks? Well, they're out there--literally. Can't be too discrete with a 5-foot telescopic pole with a camera on the end while walking down Bloor and Yorkville.

4. They're not expensive: A good drone begins at $500; and with the points above about skill and unpredictability, you have to be comfortable with crashing them and losing that money, not to mention all the other surrounding gear for them: upgrades, battery packs, etc. A selfie-stick? 

5. They don't invade privacy: It might be cool to have your drone cover your party, but if it veers off somewhere and begins taking video of your neighbours, you could face legal issues. A selfie-stick? Well, ok, they can invade privacy if you're stupid enough to walk behind someone wielding one of them, but the person being spied on has more control over the proximity to the said selfie stick--unless of course you are being chased by one, but then you have other problems.

6. They don't present Legal issues--yet: There are plenty of laws detailing what is legal practice for flying drones but even that isn't entirely clear. There are issues every day involving drones and privacy. Selfie Sticks? Well, I know they are, as of yesterday, banned at the Kentucky Derby--incidentally along with drones; but they seem to be more tolerated legally than drones.

7. You don't become part of the problem: We already have surveillance in many parts of our society that is only getting worse. Do we really need more cameras in the air? It could be easier to just buy a selfie stick--it's cheaper, and you can still watch yourself all you want while doing other things.  Selfie sticks may be annoying, and look ridiculous, they cost lest money, they won't injure someone when crashing, they don't require much skill, and they are quite predictable. Selfie sticks? Well, there is the problem of narcissism, self-absorption, and photo/video proliferation; but those issues can be easily ignored by the sheer comedic factor those parading with such sticks provide.

How You Can Free Yourself From Your Cell Phone and Enjoy Your Life In 5 Easy Steps

Mobile phones are a constant source of distraction and stress. Think about how much slower the pace of life was when the only time you got a call was either at work or at home--before answering machines. Imagine travelling home in your car from work wondering who had called during the day, and thus being present for the drive. Imagine having to hand-write a letter, or type it I suppose, to communicate with someone in an alternative fashion to the phone itself. How different that correspondence would be: constructed slower, perhaps with more depth of thought than the product of spontaneously drubbing the screen with full-cocked thumbs. How much more present for our world would we be, for the people in our lives, for life itself. 

There are ways to gain some of that presence back, but it will take some hard work and dedication. Here are ways to put your mobile phone in its place:

1. Leave it somewhere and forget where it is: You'll get by without it--go ahead, give it a try. Leave it by your bedside, or under your bed for that matter--just leave it. You probably have at least two other back-ups, such as your work computer and possibly a tablet, if not a second or third mobile phone. 

2. Lose the selfie-stick: First of all, it's really tacky--you're that much of a narcissist? Really?--and secondly, your experiences can actually be unmediated, that is you're freed up to view things as they're happening around you. 

3. Use Do Not Disturb Mode: This is a great feature if you have an iPhone: set it to this in your settings, and all calls, emails, texts, and notifications will be stalled for a period of time. Try keeping it on all day.

4. Check email only twice per day: This simple practice will help you keep your nose out of your inbox throughout the day, as well as give you bandwidth for doing other things. Feel you have to be always on call? Try this out and see how much, over time, you're actually needed to that extent.

5. No phones at meal tables: This simple rule supports the healthy practice of commensality, or, quite simply eating with others. Nothing stunts commensality more than one's phone going off during a meal time. If you must have the thing on, at least keep the display face down at the table. 

If you have a problem doing any of these simple tricks, you might have proved my point: that you are not easily able to live without your mobile phone. What is at stake here? A slower-paced lifestyle

6 Signs Your Snoring May Be A Cause For Alarm

Your in a deep sleep until "whamo!" you're struck in the face with a pillow by your spouse: you're snoring like a chain saw--again! 

Snoring is caused by air waves vibrating the tissue at the back of your throat while you sleep. If you're sleeping on your back, you're more likely to snore. About half of all people snore at some point in their lives. It can occur at all stages of sleep. Men are more likely to snore than women, and in many cases it's hereditary. It can also occur when throat muscles are relaxed through alcohol and other depressants. 

Not all cases of snoring are harmful, but others are a sign of sleep apnea which is a serious sleep disorder in which you temporarily stop breathing in your sleep. Here are some signs you may have sleep apnea:

1. Your partner complains of loud or chronic snoring. While it may seem innocuous enough that you snore, it could be a symptom of sleep apnea, as it is caused by breathing disruption.

2. Gasping for air: Again your spouse may notice you gasping for air, which is your brain signalling you to wake up to begin breathing. In severe cases, one may be gasping for air every 15 to 30 seconds.

3. Daytime sleepiness: If you're getting 8-9 hours of sleep per night and still feeling tired during the day for extended periods of time, you may have sleep apnea. Some people have suffered for so long, they are used to be tired all the time; but there in fact could be underlying difficulties.

4. Irritability or depression: If you're sleep deprived as a result of snoring and gasping for air at night, you will be irritable during the day more so than normal. We all get stressed out and tired, but if you're noticing yourself feeling more irritable or taking things out on coworkers or family members, you may not be getting enough undisturbed sleep.

5. Frequent urination: Getting up out of bed throughout the night to urinate could be a fight/flight response from your brain in reaction to breathing obstruction. This is different from having had too much to drink, or imbibing caffeine products before going to bed; however, drinking caffeine products in the evening to stay awake could be a warning sign that you're sleep deprived.

6. Waking up to headaches: Headaches in the morning could spell disturbed sleep during the night. If you're waking up and constantly reaching for the Advil or a cup of coffee first thing upon waking up, you may want to be checked for sleep apnea.

There are a number of tests and treatments for snoring and sleep apnea that you may want to explore. However, it can be a catch-22, for by not getting treatment you're leaving yourself open to more sleep disturbance and continued symptoms above; however, by getting treatment you may be subjecting yourself to equipment and tools that a) do not have a long history of success, and b) may impair your body's natural ability to sleep. So if you're going to seek treatment, do your research and check out different methods to find what is best for you.

Can't Sleep At Night? You Might Have One Or More Of These 6 Major Sleep-Wake Disorders

I've had a number of conversations this past weekend about sleep, sleep patterns, and trouble sleeping. These are nothing new, of course, but awareness of sleep disorders seems to be. I have known people who have been prescribed a breathing machine, only to abandon it after a year because they were having problems sleeping on their own accord, and didn't want to be hooked up to a machine the rest of their lives. My father is a light sleeper known to be up half the night, my brother is a night owl prone to cooking dinner at 1am, and I am good to go with a six hour maximum of sleep if I am guaranteed a nap in the afternoon.

But what are sleep disorders and what are some of the most common ones?  Here's a breakdown:

According to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association, 5th Edition (DSM-5), a sleep-wake disorder "encompass 10 conditions manifested by disturbed sleep causing distress as well as impairment of daytime functioning. According to the DSM, not only can sleep disorders warn of onset mental disorders, but also other "medical and neurological problems, such as congestive heart failure, osteoarthritis, and parkinson's disease." And they range from insomnia to narcolepsy, to breathing-related disorders and restless leg syndrome.

Here are a number of the key categories of sleep-wake disorders:

1. Insomnia: The inability to fall asleep or stay asleep

2. Hypersomnia: The state of being overly sleepy and falling asleep in inopportune times and places, such as at work or while driving.

3. Sleep-related breathing disorders: The state of being unable to breathe properly while sleeping, obstructed sleep-apnea being one very common form of this category.

4. Circadian Rhythm Sleep-Wake Disorder: The state of sleep times being out of alignment. The individual does not follow regular sleep times at night.

5. Parasomnias: Unwanted events or experiences that occur while your falling asleep or during sleep or waking up.

6. Sleep Movement Disorders: Conditions that cause movement during or prior to sleep.

In future posts, I'll explain these categories in more detail. 

7 Reasons Why Singing Is The Best Thing You Can Do

You're in your car rocking your voice out to a One Direction hit, or, if you're a 40-something like me, U2 or the Rolling Stones--or better yet, trying to sing a raspy tune like Dylan (especially when in the car with your kids and they wonder how an old guy with such a creepy voice became so terribly popular). Or what about those shower opera folk who like to belt out Puccini? How do you feel when you're doing it? Pretty good, right? 

Did you know that singing is one of the most amazing things you can do for your body and soul? Here are a few:

1. Physical benefits: Singing is an aerobic activity that increases oxygenation in the blood stream and exercises major muscle groups in the upper body. It also tones facial muscles and decreases muscle tension.

2. Releases endorphins: I've talked about this in other posts: endorphins are chemicals released in our brains that make us feel good. Singing, in this sense, can have the same benefit of eating a bar of chocolate, but without the calories. As well, with the release of endorphins comes the relief from pain. 

3. Immune system booster: Yes, singing can also boost our immune systems, helping us fight off viruses and disease.

4. Anger Manager: When we sing, we find not only relief from pain, but also anger and depression. The endorphins are rushing through our brains, we're moving to the music, and we're feeling alive. 

5. Increase your social life: Singing with others can form a bond that can do wonders for your social life. Loneliness is linked to all kinds of physical and emotional ailments; when we sing with others, we are enhancing our social bonds, empathy, and feeding off the positive emotions of everyone else. 

6. Longevity: Singing is known to enhance longevity. According to a Harvard and Yale study, choral singing increased the life expectancy of the people of Connecticut. The reason for this result is singing builds a strength of heart as well as emotional well-being.

7. It's Joyful: We all need joy in our lives, and singing, whether in the car, on stage, or in the shower, is one of the best things you can do to live more joyfully. If you have a desire to sing in a choir, join one; if you love singing Puccini in the shower, keep letting it rip; if you get a huge stress relief from work rocking out to Brian Adams in the car, keep rocking. 

The world is a tough place, and we experience daily so much tension in our lives: physical, emotional, social. We've all been given a song to sing, and all we need to do is open our mouths and let it come forth to lighten up the world. 

Why You'll Want To Be Apprehensive About Amazon Dash, Even Though It Might Just Change Everything

It's 6:00am, and you groggily stagger to the coffee maker and reach for a Nespresso disc, but alas there are none left. What do you do? Or you realize you're out of toilet paper and don't have time to get to the store. 

Well, what if you had a little button by the coffee maker, or main bathroom toilet, that when pressed would send an order to Amazon through which you would receive a delivery of the needed item? This is Amazon Dash, and it has just been launched this week. 

Other than having a button that summons a new singer for One Direction, Amazon Dash is presented as an introduction to small wifi devices pasted in various parts of one's home. Teaming up with key companies, Amazon Dash offers customers a button corresponding to one's favourite products. This is perhaps the future of the internet of things: the internet being fused with innumerable household objects. 

Not an April Fools Day Prank--It's the Real Deal. But what are the ramifications?

This is also a way for companies to get a win-win from its customers: not only the sale on the item, but also the big data generated from their use of the products itself: how much product one goes through in what period of time, etc.

The question you have to always think about is what is the unintended consequence of such technology in the home? Where is the technology going? What other kinds of information are these little buttons gathering? Without letting paranoia run amok, a simple RFID tag on such a button would gather all kinds of other information. And how many of these buttons would one want in one's house? s

And I can see the advantage of convenience--having a drone land on your front lawn delivering your roles of toilet paper and diapers for the baby--but what ever happened to going out to the store? 

This is also highly disruptive technology, for if Amazon is delivering the goods, then you're no longer going to the grocery store, which would lead to greater store closures, loss of jobs, etc.

A BIG take-away in all of this is the world is changing so rapidly, and technology is becoming so subtly disruptive that you need to be on your guard in terms of what technologies you're allowing into your home, and how your jobs may be impacted in the future from the development of such advancements. 

We haven't seen the beginning of this shift in our world to the internet of things and how it will impact our lives and work and consumption.