HABITS OF HEALTHY WOMEN

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NUTRITION
EXERCISE
REST
PERSONAL SAFETY

GETTING STARTED

On this page, you will find practical tips for feeling better and growing stronger. A lot of women don’t know they can feel better. They don’t know that they have the power to become healthier. It can be done without joining a health club, without buying specially prepared foods, without taking food supplements.

There are two rules of the road when you set-off down the path toward becoming a healthier woman:

• Don’t set goals
• Don’t look at numbers

In the beginning, the best indicator of change is how you feel. It can start by drinking water – something that’s free and available everywhere. Or by getting enough rest. Most people really do need eight hours of sleep most every night. A lot of women don’t get that. Either they cannot give themselves the time or they cannot sleep once they go to bed. It’s possible to change both of those circumstances.  

10 BASIC HEALTH TIPS TO GET YOU STARTED

• Don’t smoke. It’s no secret that smoking is harmful. So if you smoke, try to quit.
• Get your cholesterol tested. If it’s high (above 200), talk to your doctor or nurse about losing weight (if you’re overweight) and getting more active. Ask if there’s medicine that may help.
• Know your blood pressure. Have it checked to make sure you’re on track. If it is high, talk to your doctor about how to lower it.
• Get tested for diabetes. If you have diabetes, keep our blood sugar levels in check. This is the best way for you to take care of yourself.
• Eat healthy foods. Eat whole-grain foods, vegetables, and fruits. Choose lean meats and low-fat cheese and dairy products. Limit foods that have lots of saturated fat, like butter, whole milk, baked goods, ice cream, and fatty meats.
• Keep a healthy weight.
• Eat less salt. Use spices, herbs, lemon, and lime instead of salt.
• If you drink alcohol, don’t have more than one drink per day. Too much alcohol raises blood pressure and can raise your risk for stroke and other problems.
• Get moving. Get a least 30 minutes of physical activity on most days, if not all days, of the week.
• Take your medicine. If your doctor has prescribed medicine to help you, take it exactly as you have been told to.

NUTRITION

Water: Bottle or tap?
Water is essential to human life and health. Water is the key to all bodily functions, and most of us are not drinking enough of it. The type of water people choose to drink, bottled or tap, is a matter of personal preference. Many people prefer to drink bottled water because they think it is safer than tap and tastes better. Is the extra expense of bottled water worth it?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sets regulations specifically for bottled water products, so one thing consumers can be sure of is that the bottled water they buy is safe. But consumers should feel the same way about the quality and safety of their tap water. Tap water is regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The standards the FDA sets for bottled water are very similar to the standards the EPA sets for tap water. Tap water may sometimes look or taste differently, but that doesn’t mean it is unsafe. The Safe Drinking Water Act requires that water is constantly and thoroughly tested for harmful substances. Tap water is not only cheaper than bottled but also contains fluoride. Fluoride promotes strong teeth and prevents tooth decay. If you or your child prefers bottled water, there are more than 20 brands of bottled water available today. Look for the terms “fluoridated,” “fluoride added, or “with fluoride” on the label. Click here for more information.

Water: How much is enough?
The recommended eight glasses of water a day includes the water in coffee, tea, juices, milk and some foods. You can monitor your own fluid intake by your urine color. If the color is light, you’re getting enough fluids. If it is bright yellow and smells bad, you’re short on fluids and should drink more. Nestle, Marion. What to Eat (North Point Press/Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2006)

Coffee: Good or Bad?
It’s surprising when something that was once considered questionable for your health turns out to have health benefits, usually with the proviso to use it “in moderation.” That happened with chocolate and alcohol, and now it is coffee’s turn, reports the February issue of the Harvard Health Letter. Here’s some of the mostly good news about coffee:  

Blood pressure. Results from long-term studies are showing that coffee may not increase the risk for high blood pressure over time, as previously thought. Study findings for other cardiovascular effects are a mixed bag. 

Cancer. Coffee might have anti-cancer properties. Last year, researchers found that coffee drinkers were 50% less likely to get liver cancer than nondrinkers. A few studies have found ties to lower rates of colon, breast, and rectal cancers. 

Cholesterol. Two substances in coffee — kahweol and cafestol — raise cholesterol levels. Paper filters capture these substances, but that doesn’t help the many people who now drink non-filtered coffee drinks, such as lattes. Researchers have also found a link between cholesterol increases and decaffeinated coffee, possibly because of the type of bean used to make certain decaffeinated coffees. 

Diabetes. Heavy coffee drinkers may be half as likely to get diabetes as light drinkers or nondrinkers. Coffee may contain chemicals that lower blood sugar. A coffee habit may also increase your resting metabolism rate, which could help keep diabetes at bay. 

Parkinson’s disease. Coffee seems to protect men, but not women, against Parkinson’s disease. One possible explanation for the sex difference may be that estrogen and caffeine need the same enzymes to be metabolized, and estrogen captures those enzymes. Press Release. Harvard Health Letter, February 2006

SAVE THIS GROCERY LIST
It may be the only one you need.

• Eggs
• Almonds
• Sweet Potatoes
• Lo-fat Yogurt
• Whole grain cereal
• Oranges
• Salmon
• Whole grain bread
• Salad greens
• Chicken
• Whole grain pasta
• Frozen mixed berries
• Dark Chocolate
• Frozen stir-fry vegetables
• Canned Black Beans

Notes:
1) When buying bread, cereal, or pasta, the first word in the ingredients should be “whole”, not “milled” or “refined”. 100% whole grains is even better.
2) Frozen vegetables and berries are almost as nutritious as fresh and save time because they are already peeled and cut.

Eggs: Egg protein is the most complete food protein short of human breast milk. Eat just one and you’ll also get about 30% of the daily need for vitamin K, which is vital for healthy bones, and 10% of daily protein. And eggs contain choline, a brain nutrient that aids memory, and leutin, a pigment needed for healthy eyes.

Boil, fry, scramble or use eggs as the base for skillet meals such as frittatas. Or include them in sandwiches, burritos, or wraps as you would meat fillers. You can also add them to casseroles and soups by cracking one or two in during the last minute of cooking  

Low-fat yogurt: Besides being a good source of protein and calcium, low-fat yogurt with live cultures provides the healthy bacteria that your digestive tract needs to function optimally. This good bacteria may also have anti-inflammatory powers that can offer some relief to arthritis sufferers.

Salmon: An excellent source of high-quality protein (you get about 30 grams in a four-ounce serving), salmon is also one of the best food sources of omega-3 fats.  

Bake, grill or poach salmon with fresh herbs and citrus zest. Gauge cooking time by allotting 10 minutes for every inch of fish (steaks or fillets). Salmon should flake when done. Precooked (leftover) or canned salmon is great in salads, tossed into pasta, stirred into soups, or on top of pizza.

Fresh fish keeps one to two days in the fridge, or you can freeze it in a tightly sealed container for about four to five months.  

Chicken: A low-fat source of protein.
Bake, broil, grill or poach chicken in broth. Leftover chicken works well on top of salads, mixed into pasta, or stuffed into sandwiches and burritos.

Fresh chicken stores safely for two days in the fridge, but can be frozen for 6 months or more.

Almonds: Nuts, especially almonds, are an excellent source of vitamin E, an antioxidant. Add almonds and other nuts to salads or pasta dishes, use as a topping for casseroles, or throw them into your bowl of hot cereal for extra crunch. Combine with chopped dried fruit, soy nuts and chocolate bits. Almond butter is perfect spread over whole-grain toast or on a whole-wheat tortilla, topped with raisins, and rolled up.

Store all nuts in jars or zipper bags in a cool dry place away from sunlight and they’ll keep for about two to four months. Storing them in the freezer will allow them to keep an extra month or two.  

Whole-Grain cereal, bread, and pasta with protein: Look for 100% whole grain. All the grains and flours included in the ingredients should be listed as whole, not milled or refined. Whole grain cereal is excellent for breakfast – a meal you don’t want to skip. Research indicates that those who eat breakfast are healthier, trimmer and can manage their weight better than non-breakfast eaters. Sprinkle whole-grain cereal on top of your yogurt, use it to add crunch to casseroles, or tote it along in a zip bag.  

Spread whole-grain bread with peanut butter or stuff with your favorite sandwich fillings and plenty of sliced veggies. Coat with a beaten egg for French toast or use as layers or crumbled in a casserole.  

Whole-grain pastas contain more fiber than refined pastas, additional B vitamins that are crucial to energy metabolism, and disease-fighting compounds such as lignans. Pasta makes a complete one-pot meal when tossed with veggies, lean meat, seafood or tofu. Combine pasta with a light sauce, a bit of your favorite cheese and turn it into a casserole. 

Dark chocolate: Chocolate contains potent antioxidants called flavonols that can boost heart health. Research suggests that the chocolate flavonols ease inflammation and help prevent blood substances from becoming sticky, which lowers the risk of potential blood clots. Dark chocolate generally contains more flavonols than milk chocolate.  

Sweet potatoes: A single 100-calorie sweet potato supplies over 250% of the daily need for vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, the powerful antioxidant. Sweet potatoes are also a good source of vitamin C, potassium, iron, and the two trace minerals manganese and copper.

Sweet potatoes can be baked, boiled, or microwaved. You can fill them with bean chili, low-fat cheese, and your favorite toppings, or you incorporate them into stews and soups. Baked as wedges or disks, sweet potatoes make delicious oven fries.  

Don’t store sweet potatoes in the fridge because they will lose their flavor. Instead, stash them in a cool, dark place, and they should keep for about two weeks. 

Oranges: Oranges supply over 100% of the daily need for the antioxidant vitamin C. Add orange sections to fruit and green salads, or use the orange juice and pulp for sauces to top chicken, pork or fish. And to benefit from the compound herperidin, use the orange zest in baking and cooking.  

Select firm, heavy oranges, and store them in the fridge for up to three weeks. Orange zest can be stored in a glass jar for about a week if kept in a cool place. 

Mixed salad greens: “mixed” includes radicchio, butter leaf, kale, curly endive, escarole, mache and others found at your supermarket. Each variety offers a unique blend of phytonutrients that research suggests may fend off age-related diseases, such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, heart disease, and diabetes.

Toss a mixed greens salad with tomato, cucumber, scallions, and an olive oil-based dressing. Stuff mixed greens into your sandwiches, wraps and tacos. Or place greens in a heated skillet, toss lightly until wilted, and use as a bed for grilled salmon, chicken, or lean meat.  

Greens store best in a salad spinner or the crisper drawer in your fridge for up to 6 days. Just don’t drench them in water or they won’t keep as long. 

Frozen mixed berries: Dark red, blue and black berries contain anthocyanins- a powerful group of antioxidants that may help stave off Alzheimer’s disease and some cancers.

Frozen berries make a great base for a smoothie and there’s no need to thaw them. Once thawed, eat them straight up or add to some vanilla yogurt with chopped nuts. Or liven up your hot or cold cereal with a handful. You can also bake berries with a nutty topping of oatmeal, honey, and chopped almonds for a sweet treat.  

Frozen stir-fry vegetables: Most ready-to-use stir-fry veggie combos offer a potent mix of antioxidants by including red and yellow peppers, onions, bok choy, and soy beans. Frozen vegetable mixes save lots of preparing time but still provide the same nutrition as their fresh counterparts.

Dump the frozen vegetables right into a hot skillet, add tofu, seafood, or meat, your favorite stir-fry sauce, and serve over brown rice. Or throw them into pasta water during the last few minutes of cooking, drain, and toss with a touch of olive oil. You can also mix the frozen veggies right into soups or stews at the end of cooking, or thaw them and add to casseroles.  

Canned black beans: Researchers theorize that the fiber-folate-antioxidant trio in black beans is why a daily serving of beans appears to lower cholesterol levels and heart-disease risk. In addition, black beans and other legumes are low glycemic index (GI) foods, meaning the carbohydrate in them is released slowly into the body.

Open a can of black beans and pour into vegetable stock along with frozen mixed veggies and your favorite seasonings. Mash beans with salsa for an instant dip for cut veggies, or spread onto a whole-wheat tortilla. Add beans to pasta or rice for extra fiber and protein  Excerpt. Applegate, Liz. “The Best Grocery List of All Time.” Runner’s World. October 2006. 

STEPS YOU CAN TAKE FOR A HEALTHY PREGNANCY

• Stop smoking, drinking alcohol, and doing drugs. These can cause long-term damage to your baby. Ask your doctor for help.
• Eat healthy foods. This includes lots of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and calcium-rich foods. You need 1000 milligrams (mg) of calcium per day. Drink at least eight glasses of water a day. Avoid eating a lot of fatty foods such as butter, and fatty meats. Choose foods lower in fat like chicken and turkey without the skin, and fish.
• Don’t eat uncooked or undercooked meats or fish. Do not eat any shark, swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish (also called golden or white snapper) because these fish have high levels of mercury.
• Limit caffeine from coffee, tea, sodas, medicines, and chocolates.
• Take at least 400 micrograms of folic acid daily. This will help prevent certain types of birth defects. Your doctor may prescribe a daily vitamin that has it, or you can buy folic acid pills. Eat foods high in folic acid like orange juice, leafy green vegetables, beans, peanuts, peas and whole-grain products.
• Tell you doctor about all of the medicines you take. This includes prescriptions, over-the-counter medicines you buy without prescriptions, and herbals. Ask if they are safe to take while you are pregnant. Most of the time, the medicine a pregnant woman is taking does not affect her baby. But sometimes it can, causing damage or birth defects. Talk with your doctor about which drugs are safe.
• Stay active. Being physically active during pregnancy helps you in many ways. If prevents a lot of extra weight gain. It helps you have good posture, which will help you feel better later in your pregnancy. It can help you sleep better and have a shorter, easier labor. Talk to your doctor about which activities are good for you.
• Avoid toxic chemicals. These include paint, paint thinners, cleaning products, and those used to kill bugs or that contain lead or mercury. Read the product label to see if it has a pregnancy warning.
• Avoid hot tubs, saunas and x-rays.
• Avoid changing cat litter. It can carry and cause an infection that can cause birth defects. Wear gloves when gardening in areas cats may visit.
• Get enough sleep. Try to get seven to nine hours every night.
• Control the stress in your life. Don’t be afraid to say NO to requests for your time and energy.
• Learn all you can. Read books, watch videos, go to a childbirth class, and talk with other moms.

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EXERCISE

It’s what you do everyday
Anything that expends energy – including routine daily activities or even just fidgeting - is exercise. Filing, copying or standing at work expends energy as does making the bed. Look at these examples:

• Walk to class, work, the store, for pleasure, walk the dog or walk to take a break from work. Walk up stairs, down stairs or downhill.
• Gardening and yard work. Rake the lawn, dig and weed.
• Shovel light snow.
• Scrub the floor or bathtub, sweep, clean out the garage, wash windows, take out the trash.
• Put away the groceries.
• Walking while carrying a child or pushing a stroller.
• Getting up and down from the floor.
• Paint, wall paper or plaster walls.
• Hand wash and wax a car.
• Coach a children’s sports team.
• Bicycle.
• Dance. Ballroom, line, square, folk, modern, disco or ballet.
• Light yoga or calisthenics.
• Play softball or basketball with friends.
• Play Frisbee or badminton.
• Ice skating.
• Swimming.
• Play on school playground equipment with your kids.
• Skateboard or roller skate.

Sources: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity.

So How Much Exercise Do I Need?
So how active do you have to be to reap health benefits? This is where things can get tricky. It's true that for completely sedentary people, any activity makes an impact. But it's also true that, up to certain limits, the more exercise you get, the better. The good news is that the health benefits begin kicking pretty early. Try walking 7 miles a week, roughly a brisk half-hour walk four times a week. For many people, this is a reasonable goal. Once you've reached this goal, try a brisk half-hour walk 5-6 times a week. That’s 10 miles.

Sunscreen
Before you head outdoors to enjoy summer activities, slather on the sunscreen. The average adult requires 1 ounce of sunscreen -- 2 tablespoons' worth -- for full body coverage. Apply 15 to 30 minutes before sun exposure and reapply every one to two hours while outdoors. Look for one that offers:

Broad-spectrum protection.
Find one that protects against ultraviolet A (UVA) and ultraviolet B (UVB) sun rays. Both can damage the skin.

SPF of 15 or higher.
A sun protection factor (SPF) of 15 deflects about 93 percent of the UVB rays and allows you to remain in the sun 15 times longer than you normally would before getting burned. Higher SPFs deflect about 97 percent of the UVB rays.

Water-resistant or waterproof qualities.
This is especially important if you'll be swimming or perspiring heavily. Water-resistant sunscreen protects for 40 minutes; waterproof sunscreen for up to 80 minutes.

Skin-appropriate form.
If your skin is dry, choose a cream or lotion sunscreen to increase moisture. For oily skin, choose an oil-free sunscreen. If you have sensitive skin, look for a sunscreen that contains only zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. These ingredients provide a physical barrier against UV rays rather than chemically absorbing them, which may be gentler on your skin. Avoid alcohol-based sunscreen if you have rosacea or eczema.

Press Release, 6/21/06 www.mayoclinic.org/news

Yoga: What is it?
Yoga is a system built on three main structures: exercise, breathing, and meditation. When yoga is practiced regularly, these systems are designed to work in unison and produce a clear mind and a strong body. Hatha yoga (which is actually part of Raja yoga) is the form most popular in the West and focuses on postures and breathing.

All forms of yoga should be thought of as a process rather than a type of exercise. In most fitness programs, for example, someone who has not been physically active may begin exercising with a goal of touching her fingers to her toes. A more avid athlete will train for months or even years to achieve her goal of completing a marathon. With yoga, by contrast, the focus is on what you are doing—specific postures (asana) and exercises (pranayama)—and how you feel while you are doing them.

Thousands of women are learning that the ancient Indian practices of yoga and meditation can provide real health benefits. Medical studies show that yoga and meditation may be helpful for those with a variety of conditions, including heart disease, asthma, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, PMS, anxiety, and stress.

"Yoga and meditation focus people," says Rachel Donnell, Community Health Nurse at Red Lake Comprehensive Health Services, in Red Lake, Minnesota. "Women get so caught up in the everyday world; they have to take time to regenerate and rejuvenate." Donnell, who regularly practices yoga herself, adds, "It gives you the power to do what you want to do."

If you’d like to try yoga, look for classes in your area. Before signing up for a class, call and ask questions to get an idea of what to expect, including:

• What are the instructor’s qualifications? Where did that person learn yoga, and how long has he or she been teaching? The organization Yoga Alliance maintains a national registry of certified yoga teachers who meet the organization’s standards at www.yogaalliance.com.
• Does the instructor have experience working with students with your needs or health concerns? If you have a sore knee or an aching shoulder, can the instructor help you find poses that won’t aggravate your condition?
• Is the class suitable for beginners? Will it be easy enough to follow along if it’s your first time?

National Women's Health Information Center at http://www.4woman.gov/

Why Exercise During Pregnancy?
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that pregnant women without health problems or pregnancy complications exercise moderately for 30 minutes or more on most, if not all, days of the week. Fr most healthy moms-to-be, ho do not have any pregnancy-related problems, exercise is a safe and valuable habit. Even so, before exercising during pregnancy, talk to your doctor or midwife.

Here are some really good reasons to get regular exercise during pregnancy:

• It can ease and prevent aches and pains of pregnancy including constipation, varicose veins, backaches, and exhaustion.
• Active women seem to be better prepared for labor and delivery and recover more quickly.
• Exercise may lower the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes during pregnancy.
• Fit women have an easier time getting back to a healthy weight after delivery.
• Regular exercise may improve sleep during pregnancy.
• Staying active can protect your emotional health. Pregnant women who exercise seem to have better self-esteem and a lower risk of depression and anxiety.

Low-impact exercise that requires moderate exertion is probably best. Walking, swimming, dancing and cycling seem to be comfortable and enjoyable activities for most pregnant women. Follow these tips to have safe and healthy work-outs:

• When you exercise, start slowly, progress gradually, and cool down slowly.
• You should be able to talk while exercising. If not, you may be exercising too intensely.
• Take frequent breaks.
• Don't exercise on your back after the first trimester. This can put too much pressure on an important vein and limit blood flow to the baby.
• Avoid jerky, bouncing and high-impact movements. Connective tissues stretch much more easily during pregnancy. So these types of movements put you at risk of joint injury.
• Don't exercise at high altitudes (more than 6,000 feet). It can prevent your baby from getting enough oxygen.
• Make sure you drink lots of fluids before, during and after exercising.
• Do not work-out in extreme heat or humidity.
• If you feel uncomfortable, short of breath or tired take a break and take it easier when you resume exercise.

Have A Fit Pregnancy www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/pregnancy/fit.cfm

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REST

GUIDE TO HEALTHY SLEEP

Each year an estimated 70 million adult Americans have some type of sleep problem. In today's "24/7" society, many people cut back on sleep to squeeze in more time for work, family obligations, and other activities. But skimping on sleep can be harmful. A comprehensive new handbook from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) explains that sleep is not merely “down time” when the brain shuts off and the body rests.

“Our brains are very active during sleep, and research has shown that adequate sleep is important to our overall health, safety, and performance," notes Michael Twery, PhD, acting director of NHLBI's National Center on Sleep Disorders Research. "Scientists also have a better understanding of how a chronic lack of sleep or an untreated sleep disorder can impair health. Like good nutrition and physical activity, adequate sleep is critical for continued good health.”

Studies have linked sleep to our ability to learn, create memories, and solve problems. Sleep has also been tied to mood. Without enough sleep, a person has trouble focusing, and responding quickly – a potentially dangerous combination, such as when driving. In addition, mounting evidence links a chronic lack of sleep with an increased risk for developing obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and infections.

“Your Guide to Healthy Sleep” provides the latest science-based information about sleep in an easy-to-understand format. The 60-page handbook describes how and why we sleep, and offers tips for getting adequate sleep, such as sticking to a sleep schedule, relaxing before going to bed, and using daylight or bright light to help you adjust to jet lag and shift work schedules.

“Your Guide to Healthy Sleep” can be downloaded free at http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/sleep/healthy_sleep.htm.

Press Release, 3/23/06, National Institutes of Health (www.womenshealth.gov)

Sleep: Does Anybody Get Enough?
Sleep is one of the most basic factors in health. Along with adequate nutrition and physical activity, sleep provides a foundation for managing day to day hassles and functioning at our best. Americans now sleep 20 percent less than in the past while working and commuting more. We only function at about 50-70% efficiency without adequate sleep so, when we're tired, we're more likely to waste time and make mistakes.

Children and adolescents need more sleep than anyone. Adults, whether young or old, need about the same seven to nine hours of sleep a night. Sleep patterns normally change with age – older adults tend to go to bed earlier and get up earlier than younger people. But failure to sleep well and waking up tired is abnormal at any age. Of course, we all have “sleepless nights”. If those sleepless nights persist, talk to your doctor. An untreated sleep disorder can impair your quality of life and can also complicate treatment for other medical conditions.

Check out your current sleep habits by doing the quick inventory below then read on for some tips on getting good sleep. The inventory (Epworth Sleepiness Scale) is from the Sleep Disorders Unit, Epworth Hospital, Melbourne Australia. Using the scale below, rate your likelihood of dozing while engaging in the following activities.

0=never doze
1=slight chance of dozing
2=moderate chance of dozing
3=high chance of dozing

Add your total. Interpretation
Scale: 0-6: You are probably getting adequate sleep
7-8: Average. You may have mild sleep deprivation
9 and above: You may be significantly sleep deprived.

Tips for Improving the Quality and Quantity of Your Sleep
Caffeine achieves its maximal effects two hours after ingestion, so if you want to be alert at 9 p.m., you should have your pop or coffee at 7 p.m. Since it can inhibit sleep if it is consumed too close to going to bed, it is a good idea to stop all caffeine intake after 7 p.m. •

Although alcohol can promote drowsiness and is, in fact, a depressant, it can cause a restless sleep and may actually deprive you of necessary REM sleep.

Eating too close to bedtime can cause disrupted sleep and you will feel less rested the next day. If you are hungry, stick to carbohydrates, such as popcorn, bread or crackers, which are easier for your system to digest.

A glass of milk before bed really will help you become drowsy. Milk contains an enzyme called tryptophan, which induces drowsiness.

Exercising before bed will increase your heart rate and metabolism. Your body will need time to resume a resting heart rate and this will delay the onset of sleep.

Save your bed for sleep and sex. Psychologically it is not a good idea to get in the habit of studying, reading, or watching television in bed. Keeping your bed as a place for sleep trains your body to go to sleep when it gets there!

Stop working at least 30 minutes before you go to bed and use this time to relax instead.

Keep a paper and pencil next to your bed so you can write down thoughts that keep running through your head, i.e. "Things I have to do tomorrow."

Turn the face of your clock away from your bed. Watching the time pass will only induce more anxiety and further compound the problem of not being able to fall asleep.


Feeling tense? Try listening to peaceful music, or visually imagining yourself in a relaxing atmosphere. Muscle relaxation, beginning with your facial muscles and working down to your toes, can help induce sleep.

Written by: Sarah Hansen, MA, CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist), Health Iowa/Student Health Service www.uiowa.edu/~shs/stress7.htm

Reviewed by: Katie Budke, BS, CHES (Certified Health Education Specialist), Health Iowa/Student Health Service

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PERSONAL SAFETY

• Avoid walking alone at night. Ask a friend to walk you home or to your car.
• Protect yourself. Sign up for a self-defense class, such as karate or Tae Kwon Do.
• Don’t accept abuse. Get help from friends, a health care provider, or local women’s shelter.
• Never accept a drink from a stranger or leave your drink unattended.
• Role play with children about potentially dangerous situations and practice ways to respond.

Abuse: What are the signs?
Sometimes it is hard and confusing to admit that you are in an abusive relationship, or to find a way out. There are clear signs to help you know if you are being abused. If the person you love or live with does any of these things to you, it's time to get help:

• monitors what you're doing all the time
• criticizes you for little things
• constantly accuses you of being unfaithful
• prevents or discourages you from seeing friends or family, or going to work or school
• gets angry when drinking alcohol or using drugs
• controls how you spend your money
• controls your use of needed medicines
• humiliates you in front of others
• destroys your property or things that you care about
• threatens to hurt you, the children, or pets, or does hurt you (by hitting, beating, pushing, shoving, punching, slapping, kicking, or biting)
• uses or threatens to use a weapon against you
• forces you to have sex against your will
• blames you for his or her violent outbursts

If you're a victim of abuse or violence at the hands of someone you know or love or you are recovering from an assault by a stranger, you are not alone. Get immediate help and support.

The National Domestic Violence Hotline can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 800-799-SAFE (7233) and 800-787-3224 (TTY). Spanish speakers are available. When you call, you will first hear a recording and may have to hold. Hotline staff offer crisis intervention and referrals. If requested, they connect women to shelters and can send out written information.

The National Sexual Assault Hotline can be reached 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 800-656-4673. When you call, you will hear a menu and can choose #1 to talk to a counselor. You will then be connected to a counselor in your area who can help you.

www.womenshealth.gov/violence

Safety Planning
List Here are some helpful items to get together when you are planning on leaving an abusive situation. Keep these items in a safe place until you are ready to leave, or if you need to leave suddenly. If you have children, take them. And take your pets, too (if you can).

Identification for yourself and your children

• birth certificates
• social security cards (or numbers written on paper if you can’t find the cards)
• driver’s license
• photo identification or passports
• welfare identification
• green card

Important personal papers

• marriage certificate
• divorce papers
• custody orders
• legal protection or restraining orders
• health insurance papers and medical cards
• medical records for all family members
• children’s school records
• investment papers/records and account numbers
• work permits
• immigration papers
• rental agreement/lease or house deed
• car title, registration, and insurance information

Funds

• cash
• credit cards
• ATM card
• checkbook and bankbook (with deposit slips)

Keys

• house
• car
• safety deposit box or post office box

A way to communicate

• phone calling card
• cell phone
• address book

Medications

• at least 1 month’s supply for all medicines you and your children are taking, as well as a copy of the prescriptions

A way to get by

• jewelry or small objects you can sell if you run out of money or stop having access to your accounts

Things to help you cope

• pictures
• keepsakes
• children’s small toys or books

www.womenshealth.gov/violence

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