Health Tips for March 12

Health Tip: Getting Back to Sleep

After you wake up during the night, do you generally go right back to sleep? If not, the University of Maryland Medical Center offers some suggestions.

The center's experts say it's OK to lie in bed for about 15 or 20 minutes. Beyond that, you're probably not going to have an easy time getting back to sleep. They say you should get out of bed.

Read a book or a magazine, soak in a warm bath or do something else relaxing. You should not do anything that would tend to make you even more awake, such as office work, cleaning or watching TV.

After about 20 minutes of your relaxing activity, head back to bed, advises the center. Getting back to sleep should now be a lot easier.

Health Tip: Does Your Child Need a Nap?

Children need plenty of sleep to keep them healthy and happy.

Take note of these warning signs that your child may need a daily nap, courtesy of the Nemours Foundation:

• Acting sleepy during the day.
• Acting cranky or fussy late in the afternoon.
• Difficulty getting out of bed in the morning.
• Difficulty concentrating, hyperactivity, impatience or aggression.
• Problems concentrating on school work or other tasks.