12 Relaxing Date Ideas
No matter what stage of your relationship, date night is crucial to staying connected, especially in our hectic society. Every relationship needs a relaxing date idea to keep the relationship healthy, happy and of course relaxed. Here are twelve relaxing date night ideas.
Have a picnic in the park.
Go ice skating.
Get a couples massage.
Go exploring.
See a play.
Dinner and music.
Take a drive.
Go to a drive-in movie.
Take a cooking class together.
Tour a winery.
Go horseback riding.
Enroll in dancing lessons.
Which relaxing date idea are you going to try?
7 Sweatless Ways To Dry Night Sweats For Good
One of the most frustrating symptoms of menopause is night sweat. These night sweats are an actual medical condition, known as nocturnal hyperhidrosis. Ultimately, the root cause is simply the fluctuating hormones women deal with during this changing phase of life.
During menopause, a woman's ovaries produce less estrogen, which causes a variety of symptoms. One of these is that the blood vessels of the skin dilate, which warms the body quickly. The uncomfortable result is a "hot flash," or during sleeping hours, night sweats.
Fortunately, there are many ways to deal with night sweats, if not eliminate them completely. All of the remedies listed here are completely natural, and can be incorporated into your routine immediately. Give one (or a few) a try, and see how well your night sweats can be ameliorated. N
Food and Drinks To Avoid
1. Alcohol
Though alcohol abuse is a common cause of night sweats, in women who are already dealing with hormone changes in menopause, even moderate use of alcohol can induce sweating. Red wine in particular seems to cause this symptom, so try to cut back on your consumption, especially before bedtime.
2. Spicy Foods
Spicy foods can really raise your internal temperature. Hot chilies are an obvious culprit, but also try avoiding horseradish, hot mustard, and even large amounts of garlic and onions. If you can't live without these ingredients, at least confine your consumption to earlier in the day.
3. Chocolate
Though it is a common craving, the caffeine in chocolate can worsen night sweat symptoms. In fact, all stimulants can contribute to night sweats, so consider avoiding coffee, tea, and soda as well. Again, consuming these during the morning or early afternoon hours is better than in the evening before bedtime.
Use Water
4. Drink Ice Water
Keep a cold glass of water next to your bedside. That way, when you wake up hot, you can cool down quickly and get right back to sleep. This is a simple fix, which may help when those inevitable night sweats strike.
5. Take A Cool Shower
Cool down your body temperature just before bedtime by taking a cool shower. This may even help you relax and get to sleep easier.
Lower The Temperature
6. Wear Light Pajamas
Something as simple as switching your bedclothes can make a huge difference in keeping you cool. Opt for natural fabrics, such as cotton or silk, which will breathe with your skin. Synthetics like polyester can trap heat and worsen your symptoms.
7. Use Appropriate Bed Covers
Blankets, quilts, or comforters on your bed should also be reevaluated. Ditch the synthetic duvet cover if it is destroying your sleep by making you too hot. A 100% natural fabric like cotton is ideal for a bed cover.
Unfortunately, some nights you may want to sleep with the very minimum of covers, while your husband still needs something to keep warm. An excellent product for dealing with this problem is called the "Twovet." It is a comforter with one thick side and one thin side, keeping both you and your sleeping partner comfortable. It is also machine washable, which is an important feature when you are dealing with night sweats.
Give some of these natural remedies a try, and see whether you can relieve some of your night sweat symptoms quickly and painlessly.
Bedtime Quotes for More Joyful Living
Once upon a time, you used to love sleep and now you are lucky to get a full nights rest. Here are a few bedtime inspirations to help you sleep better.
The key to joyful living is a good night's rest.
Relax before going to bed.
Make your bedroom more comfortable.
Set up a bedtime routine.
... and you'll wake up feeling wonderful.
Sleep easy by sweating out stress.
Try harder to quit bad habits.
Work hard. Play hard. Sleep easy. Rinse and repeat.
Image credits: morguefile.com and sxc.hu
6 Ways to Keep Intimacy Alive in Your Relationship
Being in any kind of successful relationship takes work because anything worthwhile takes effort. To be happy in a relationship an investment is required from both partners. Some people are fearful of the word “intimacy” and avoid it at all costs; yet it is crucial for a healthy loving relationship. Other relationships are struggling because the intimacy that was once there is fading. Here are six simple ways to keep intimacy alive in your relationship, whether you are still in the honeymoon phase or you have been together for years.
1. Communication
One of the most important aspects of any relationship is honest and open communication. You both need to feel comfortable in sharing all your fears, needs and desires to create a tighter bond. You lose a lot of intimacy through a lack of communication and begin to disconnect. Stress begins to take over and continues to build, sometimes beyond repair.
Everyone has problems and issues that need to be resolved and some believe that not talking will cause it to just go away, which is wrong! Learn your partner's body cues language to effectively resolve issues of conflict. Never attack each other or degrade one another. That may mean taking a few minutes or more to “cool off” and then sit down calmly to talk things through without fear of conflict. Never go into it a discussion with a sense of retaliation or need to be right. The most important thing in a relationship is to know you have been heard and the same goes for your spouse. Above all, you must both be honest and willing to compromise in order to move forward fully satisfied.
2. Vulnerability and Understanding
If you want to be fully loved and keep intimacy alive in your relationship, you have to give all of you by being completely open and vulnerable. Someone who truly loves sharing a life with you is not looking for someone that is perfect but rather for you to just be you. This is where you would rely on communication to share everything about you. Vulnerability is also about letting yourself open to receive love and affection. Everyone can benefit from vulnerability because it offers accurate expectations of your flaws and your strengths. Accurate expectations of who you are eliminate misunderstandings and disappointment. Letting yourself be vulnerable will be awkward for some people at first but it does not have to be an overnight transformation. Instead, think of it as an ever growing process with loved ones.
3. Gratitude, Give and Take
Do not be afraid to accept help from your significant as this is sometimes a form of rejection. Something may not be done your way but helping you and accepting help is a way to need and be needed. Even if gift giving has become regular, always be grateful and as shocked as you were the first time. Everyone needs to feel their efforts are appreciated. On the other hand, give your significant other little gifts for no apparent reason. Gifts do not have to be expensive because, as they say, “it is the thought that counts.” Little gifts will show your partner that you were thinking of them at the oddest moments in time.
4. Keep It Fresh and Spend Quality Time Together
Sometimes you need to have interests outside of the home in order to create a tighter bond with your spouse, such as an occasional dinner with friends, sports or hobbies. Be imaginative and even if you have children and busy schedules, make appointments (that you keep) to spend quality time together. An overnight stay at a cozy hotel or tickets to the theater or other performances are good ideas. Do not forget to dress formal as if this is your first date. As relationships grow, fun and spontaneity seem to fade but it doesn't have to if you try.
5. The Magic of Touch
Whenever you have a moment together, remember the healing power of touch. Pay attention to things your partner likes, whether it is holding hands, a kiss on the cheek in passing, hugging or a touch on the arm. Nonverbal communication is critical. Even eye contact and a simple smile across a room can mean so much. As you do more, you will notice increased intimacy within your bedroom. If you have stopped sleeping in the same bed because your partner prefers more or less blankets than you, consider the Twovet comforter which has a hot and cold side to choose from.
6. Little Things Mean A Lot
Set out little “love you” notes around the home or car, pick up the phone just to say “I’m thinking of you” or send an occasional text. You can also meet each other at the office for a lunch and a surprise visit is even better. Another little thing that matters is taking care of yourself. Stay fit and rested to maintain romance and intimacy.
If you follow the guidelines above your relationship will maintain intimacy or create it if it has disappeared.
Do you have any tips that work in your relationship? Comment below!
11 Bedtime Routines For Slumber Success
Commuting, dinner preparation and family time can increase the feeling of being constantly busy that makes it difficult to shift gears for falling asleep. Sleep experts find that setting up a sleep routine to put your mind and body into a more relaxed state can help you to fall asleep faster and stay asleep throughout the night.
1. Consume Sleep-Inducing Foods
Avoid stimulants like cola drinks, caffeine and alcohol should also be avoided at bedtime. A warm glass of milk has a soothing effect and contains tryptophan that can aid in sleep.
2. Work Quietly At A Hobby
Whether you build model cars or paint in oils, spending a bit of time at the end of the day on a relaxing hobby can help to create the right frame of mind for sleep.
3. Read A Few Chapters
Bedtime is a good time for catching up on your reading. Keep the subject matter light and unemotional to help you to relax.
4. Do Some Gentle Stretching
A bit of gentle stretching exercise can help to relieve muscle tension in back, neck and arms and help to relax you for a good night's sleep.
5. Meditate
If you know how to meditate, bedtime is the perfect way to use this method to manage the stress of the day and put you into a tranquil mental state for falling asleep.
6. Plan The Next Day
A good way to "put away" the tensions of the day is to write down things you need to do for the next day. This action gets it on paper and out of your head so that you can relax and fall asleep.
7. Relax With Warm Water Therapy
A warm bath can be just the thing to relieve muscle tension and eliminate stress from a busy day. Bathe by candlelight and add a soothing fragrance to enhance the effect.
8. Lower The Lights
Lowering the lights in the room can help to induce a state of relaxation that prepares you to fall asleep faster. Use a red-colored nightlight to light the way to the bathroom at night.
9. Shut Down Electronics
Shut down electronics that tend to energize the body in preparation for work. The lower light level will help to induce a more relaxed frame of mind.
10. Adjust Your Temperature for Comfort
Adjust the room temperature for comfort during the night to ensure a good night's sleep. Place an extra blanket at the foot of the bed for convenient cover during the night. Putting on socks can help to keep you toasty warm all night long.
11. Play Soft Music
Start a routine of playing some soft music as you prepare for bed. Opt for something soothing and gentle to help prepare your nerves and mental attitude for falling asleep.
