Health Tips for September 15

Health Tip: Falling Asleep

We spend about one-third of our lives asleep, but sometimes sleep can be elusive.

Almost everyone has had transient insomnia -- the inability to fall asleep once in a while, or waking up feeling tired.

Chronic insomnia lasts longer. The common condition may be brought on by medical or psychiatric causes, such as colds, pain or depression. But 10 percent of all insomnia occurs in the absence of any medical or psychiatric disorder, and is called primary insomnia.

Duke University offers these good sleep habits:

* Keep a schedule for when you get up, eat, take medicines, go to bed, etc.
* Establish a relaxing pre-sleep ritual, such as taking a warm bath, reading for 10 minutes, or having a light snack. This lets your body know that bedtime is near.
* Go to bed only when sleepy and get out of bed if you're not sleeping. By spending long periods awake in bed, your body learns that it's OK to be awake in bed.
* Exercise regularly. It's best to exercise in the late afternoon, about six hours before bedtime.
* Avoid caffeine, alcohol and smoking around bedtime.
* Don't nap. If you must, it's best to take naps in mid-afternoon.

If these habits aren't working, tell your doctor. More assessment and treatment may be needed.

Health Tip: Do's and Don'ts While Breastfeeding

Since a new mother's diet can affect her breast milk, what a breast-feeding mother eats can be as important as when she was pregnant.

Here are dietary suggestions for breast-feeding women, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:

* Do eat a well balanced diet of plenty of fruits, vegetables, beans or meats, and whole grains.
* Do get plenty of calcium via dairy foods like milk and cheese. Talk to your doctor about calcium supplements and other ways to get more calcium.
* Do eat more calories than normal -- about 500 more per day -- and increase your fluid intake.
* Don't take any medications without talking to your doctor.
* Don't smoke.
* Don't use alcohol or caffeine.
* Don't eat foods that seem to bother your baby.