BusinessVoice News Network

Some simple things when done in bed can make it harder for you to sleep. Reading, writing or doing puzzles teaches your mind to associate the bed with activity and lying in bed trying to force yourself to sleep makes your brain think that’s normal. And plan afternoon activities to avoid taking a nap that could leave you awake at night. Source Link

In summer it’s vital to know the warning signs of heat exhaustion, when skin may feel cool, moist and clammy, you may stop sweating and experience weakness and muscle cramps, dizziness, nausea or vomiting. Get to a cool place and drink cold water. In heat stroke, skin can be hot, dry and red, with rapid pulse and difficulty breathing. That’s the time to call 9-1-1. Source Link

You don’t have to give up travel just because someone suffers from Alzheimer’s. Check with their doctor first and then plan an itinerary around the person’s abilities and routines to reduce anxiety. If you’re flying, the TSA offers special assistance for airport security and also let the airline know when you’re traveling with someone with memory impairment. Source Link

How can you speed up your metabolism to burn more calories? Evenly-spaced meals let your body avoid the starvation mode that stockpiles calories and staying hydrated helps you burn more calories. Watch alcohol intake because it diverts the liver from burning fat and get enough sleep to regulate the hormones that affect hunger. Source Link

You can feel better about yourself and enjoy life more by investing in experiences instead of buying stuff. Materialism can be key to feelings of loneliness because it prompts envy, but people who spend money on experiences say they feel more connected to others. Shared events increase connections between friends and people in general. Source Link

Walking is great exercise and starting a new walking routine takes just two things that go together. Get a pair of good supportive shoes and step out, but start small. Aim to add more steps with each walking workout and look for ways to incorporate this into your daily life. That might mean taking the steps wherever you can or parking further out in a lot at the store. Source Link

Finding the perfect roommate takes some extra steps to ensure it’s someone you can really live with. Compare your styles – do you like quiet time at home or having lots of friends visiting? Get details in writing about sharing household costs and chores and consider a test run by sharing a vacation rental home or apartment. Source Link

A familiar boxed product along with fruit juice and something found in many medicine chests can be great cleaners around the home. Baking soda mixed with water makes a mild abrasive cleaner, lemon juice has natural acidity to cut through grease and grime, and hydrogen peroxide can tackle organic stains like grass, mold or blood. Source Link

You can save money and make your smartphone last longer with a few simple steps. Keep it in a sturdy case to prevent damage and replace the battery every two years to improve performance for about $100. And keep your phone clean inside and out by uninstalling unused programs and keeping dust and dirt out of buttons and ports on the phone. Source Link

There are probably some real germy hotspots in your home that rarely get cleaned. Like a toothbrush holder, the coffee maker water reservoir, inside a soft-sided lunch box, or the knobs or buttons on kitchen appliances. And pull out the garbage disposal rubber flange for a good cleaning because germs there can spray into the air every time you use it. Source Link

Selling things on Facebook or Craigslist might mean wading through a swamp full of scammers. They might insist on using PayPal or Venmo and then send you a fake payment confirmation to get the goods for free. Or they offer to pay with a check that’s over the amount and you keep the balance, and then the check bounces. The safe way to avoid a scam is to deliver items in-person with cash payment. Source Link

You can save on grocery bills by making your perishable food last longer. Layer a refrigerator crisper bin with paper towels to absorb moisture that can make spinach or lettuce go bad. Wrapping cheese in parchment paper can fight mold and get that milk out of the door and into the back of the fridge to keep it fresh longer. Source Link 

When kids are swimming in the backyard pool, these two things are the ultimate safety devices. You need a pair of adult eyes watching young swimmers at all times because drowning can happen in an instant. And that adult supervisor must not be distracted with their cellphone, or a phone call inside the house, or a conversation with another adult. Source Link

Creating a professional social media profile is different from your personal pages. Use the right blend of entertaining, educational and promotional content and remember that humor isn’t universal. Play nice with competitors and never get into an argument; be responsive, but not reactive. Give credit to sources and use just a few relevant hashtags in each post. Source Link

Those photos of homes that we love to browse on Zillow, Redfin and Realtor.com are also popular with burglars who can use them to spot vulnerabilities and scope out security systems, so it’s best to get your home offline unless you’re selling. Real estate websites let you claim ownership and request that any home photos be taken down. Source Link

Serving your dog raw food can be risky for them and for you. High levels of harmful bacteria in raw food can be a health risk for dogs and people, especially the elderly, the young and those with weakened immune systems. Unlike commercial dog foods, raw meat products are not heat-treated or freeze-dried to kill bacteria like e Coli or salmonella. Source Link

Before you keep something “just in case” you might need it someday, this decluttering trick might save you some space. If the item can be replaced for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes you can probably get rid of it, freeing up more space for storing the things you really need to keep. Source Link

You can probably save money on multivitamins and other supplements by doing one thing. Eating a balanced daily diet including fruits and vegetables can provide all the nutrients a person typically needs. Among the exceptions are pregnant women who need folic acid, seniors with osteoporosis who need more calcium or vegans who need a multivitamin to supplement nutrients they aren’t absorbing in their diet. Source Link