The Best Tips for Ladies on Bowling

Any lady interested in the game of bowling? You are welcome here to learn more about the game. The participation of the ladies has taken the game to the family level. It was played by men before. And you have to know that there are some things different between the men's type and that of the women's. And there have been a lot of changes in the places where and how the game of bowling are played since the ladies have taken up the game.

Thanks to the ladies, bowling has become a family game. Years ago, it was a game strictly for men to enjoy, because bowling alleys were places in which women and girls could hardly afford to be seen. Poorly lighted and poorly ventilated, equipped with a goodly supply of cuspidors and shady characters, and located in dingy basements, the alleys were anything but inviting. The entrance of the first good-sized contingent of feminine bowlers into the game was the signal for a tremendous change. Owners and operators of bowling establishments realized that to attract this desirable element they would have to clean up and police their premises.

Out went the cuspidors and the seedy characters in came modernistic furnishings and illumination. Later came air conditioning. And now proprietors are vying with each other to outdo themselves in erecting splendid palaces for the sport. It was a wonderful thing for the women, too. Those who had been sitting at bridge tables day after day suddenly discovered that they could get a fine type of exercise which would allow them to keep their trim figures without effort. The thrill of real competition was furnished to many of them for the first time in their lives. Any fears that they might have had that the game was too strenuous were disproved by the performance of such mites as Allie Brandt, the 122-pound kegler with the 886 series rolled with a ball no faster than that rolled by a woman. Girls weighing just over 100 pounds began shooting 200 games.

Obviously, brute strength was not a necessity and, in fact, often proved to be a hindrance. The ladies are coming up fast in the bowling game now, and why shouldn't they? When you analyze it, the sport is a natural one for them, for it puts a premium on smoothness, gracefulness and rhythm, with which the average woman is born. We have already pointed out that mere brawn has no advantage in the game, for excessive speed and power are actually a detriment rather than a help. Getting started correctly is far more important to the ladies than to the men. Men, as a rule, have more powerful muscles which enable them to control the ball despite poor footwork and timing, something that the average woman beginner cannot do. If she should get started wrong, it is far more difficult for her to improve.

CHOOSING A BALL

To begin with, a woman should determine for herself the weight of the ball she can control one that she can handle without dropping, or getting excessively tired, especially in the final game of a series. True, many women can, and do, handle a limit-weight 16-pound ball with ease, but others, due to weaker wrists, or because of their size or the work they do, must choose one of lighter weight. After you have bowled for some time and have become familiar with the fundamentals of the game, you will find that you can handle a heavier ball, because a proper delivery makes the ball seem lighter. A heavier ball tends to increase your accuracy and improve your average, but that is true only when it is handled without effort. Bowling balls range in weight from 10 to 16 pounds. You might begin at any weight over 10, and work to perfect your timing and footwork, so that when your delivery is at the point where you feel it is "grooved" and the ball seems to be too light, you can graduate to a ball of more weight.

The questions of how many finger holes the ball should have are debatable where men are concerned but not with women. I would say that 99 per cent of the ladies would be better off using a three- fingered ball. Once in a great while we find a girl who can handle effectively the two-fingered type, but this is quite the exception. I advise the three-fingered variety. The reason for this is quite simple. When you use a three-fingered ball, you support a weight of 16 pounds or close to that with your two fingers and thumb. In using a two-fingered ball, you are forcing one finger to do the work of two in lifting. Men, possessed of stronger fingers and muscles, can do this fairly well, but for an overwhelming percentage of women bowlers, it is exceedingly inadvisable. The strain put upon them by the two-fingered grip is tremendous, especially after they have bowled several games.

As you may see that there are many changes in the ways the men and women play the game of bowling. From the weight of the ball to the numbers of finger holes etc. But it is for sure that the ladies cannot match the power and stamina of the men.
By Mitch

Strecthing Programs in Basketball

The body is flexible. It is supposed to be flexible. You have to be able to bend and reach something you dropped on the floor, or reach that book you need to read at the top shelf. But if your in sports like basketball, you need to be able to do more then stretch. Your muscles need to be loose and flexible all the time. If your muscles are tight, it will be a lot easier to strain and even rip them in an aggressive game of basketball. And we all know it takes a lot longer to heal a ripped or strained muscle than a break.

So, if you are playing or coaching basketball, or any sport for that matter, you need a stretching program.

What Is Stretching?

Stretching is simply the act of extending to full length the body and its muscles. This activity involves straightening or stretching the body structure or the limbs.

How Does One Do the Stretching?

Stretching is fairly easy. As mentioned in the introduction, it is involved in the normal activities. It can be done by any people, regardless of age.

However the extent of stretching and flexing differs. Like the muscles tighten as a person ages, when you are playing a sport like basketball the muscles shorten their span making them tight. The range of joint movements can be minimized when the elasticity in the muscles begins to run out. Bending or flexing becomes more limited. The muscles take longer to stretch out and soon you are on your way to sitting on the bench due to an injury for the game or even the season. This is why stretching regularly, as part of a routine is very important.

Simple stretches can be done everyday. It can be incorporated in the lifestyle and the daily activities. It does not require much of your time.

Stretching exercises can also be done while training. Actually, stretching is an essential part of any training or sport. It must be done first before anything else. Stretching the body and the limbs is a good preparation for a more rigorous activity.

Most athletes would do the sit and reach, wherein they position on the floor, extend their legs and reach the tip of their foot with the tip of their hand. Actually, most trainers actually require their athletes to really do the stretching before playing.

There is actually an ideal length of time in stretching. It is best to do it in 10 minutes. This will give the body enough opportunity to move and flex the muscles, thus preparing it for more complicated and strenuous movements.

Experts however would frown upon going way beyond 10 minutes. Stretching the exercise to 30 minutes or more will already wear out the body before you even get started playing. This would not be favorable if one is preparing for a game.

What Are the Benefits of Stretching?

1. Increase the Range of Movement
As one constantly does the stretching exercises, the length of the muscles and the tendons are also increased. This will help in increasing the range of your movement. Thus, the limbs and joints will be able to move, way before an injury can take place.

2. Increased Ability to Perform Skills
When you have a wide range of movement, the more you will be able to do more things. For example, you can jump high without feeling any pain when you land back on the floor. Plyometrics is based on this fact. Learning to stretch in this aspect early on will allow you to have a more active lifestyle longer.

3. Injury Prevention
You can prevent injury to joints, tendons and muscles with stretching. When the muscles and tendons are well-flexed, they are considered in good working order. This will help in a faster recovery and decreased soreness. The muscles of the body will be able to take more exhausting and rigorous movements with less probability of being injured.

4. Reduce Muscle Tension
If the muscles are given their regular exercises and stretching, it is less likely that they will contract. This will definitely relieve you of any muscle pain or problems.

5. Enhance Energy
Being able to move more will also give you more energy. Stretching will also help enhance your awareness, like knowing that you have a body that is capable of doing many things. As such, you are going to be more driven to move rather than sulk in the corner.

6. Reduces Cholesterol
Research also shows that doing prolonged stretching exercises, like yoga, will help reduce the cholesterol in the body. This of course must be done with a healthy diet at hand. This could prevent and even reverse the hardening of the arteries, allowing you to avoid coronary diseases.

If you incorporate stretching in your everyday practice before doing basketball, the benefits, as the commercial says, will be priceless. It does not require much. After all, your fitness is everything so do what it takes to keep the body healthy.

Insurance of Accident in Swimming Pools

If you are installing a new in-ground swimming pool or above ground pool on your property, you should look into other insurance options besides the typical coverage given on your homeowners insurance. In the event of an accident in or around your swimming pool, many times homeowners insurance is not alone sufficient to protect you and your assets in the event of a lawsuit. If you are already a pool owner or are considering a new swimming pool, you should look at more comprehensive insurance options.

If you are not properly insured and someone gets hurt around your swimming pool, it can lead to trouble. Even if your pool will only be used by family and friends, anyone - and sometimes especially family and friends - may turn on you and consider a law suit as a means to recover damages from a loss. Getting sued by people close to you is usually not out of spite or hatred but many times out of necessity. Medical expenses are high and can mount up to a point that there is no way out of the insurmountable debt. Many times, if a serious injury has occurred, people can't afford not to sue. The bad news for pool owners is if the accident happens around your swimming pool, you are ultimately at fault regardless of the atmosphere the accident took place.

If someone does get hurt, don't be alarmed if you get sued. It happens and accidents happen when you least expect it. Even if you monitor your swimming pool 24/7, accidents happen in the blink of an eye. Pools are hazardous areas and accidents usually occur by diving and running around the slippery surface surrounding the pool. But, don't let this turn you off from pool ownership. Accidents can happen anywhere - in your yard, in your home, on your sidewalk - anywhere. Swimming pools have statistically higher accident rates so it is a good idea to opt for extra insurance and keep you completely covered. Liability insurance is the best insurance to get for swimming pool owners. Try to get the highest coverage possible in your price limit such as 300k - 600k. An umbrella plan is also a great option because it is a separate liability policy in addition to homeowner coverage. The umbrella plan kicks in extra coverage when your homeowner's insurance plan drops off ensuring complete coverage in any situation.

Cost wise, the extra insurance coverage is not bad. The umbrella coverage or stand alone liability plans are usually an extra 30 to 40 dollars extra a month. To offset the costs even further, consider buying all of your plans from the same insurance provider Insurance companies usually offer bulk discounts if you purchase all insurance from them (i.e. life, auto, home, liability). As pool owners, extra insurance is not a necessity but it is highly recommended. It is better to be safe than sorry.

By Nicolas

Tips for Weight Loss Quickly and Healthy

Quick Weight loss tips can literally be the solution for all of your weight problems.
But you have to know that once you start one of the existent weight loss programs, you have to possess a certain degree of ambition and patience in order to have the wanted results. It is all about balance and discipline, after all.

Because nowadays there are so many weight loss programs, it is not so hard to lose weight in a quick and healthy manner. Whether you choose one of these programs or if you decide trying to lose weight after your own diet program, there are some quick weight loss tips that will help you make the most out of your diet program. Here are a few of them:

• Avoid having marathon work outs – Of course, physical exercises are essential when deciding to start losing weight. Marathon work outs are ones of the biggest mistakes people make when trying to burn fat and lose weight in one long, extensive work out session. So, instead of having one long, extensive work out session, try to break up your work out plan into small chunks throughout the day.
• Choose protein – It is one of the best quick weight loss tips. Protein-laden foods are always the perfect choice for boosting your metabolism and helping your body to burn fat rapidly. A protein-enriched diet will always contribute to burning fat and will help you rebuild your muscle after work outs, maintaining leanness of that muscle.
• Have more meals – As weird as it may sound, having more meals is one of the best quick weight loss tips. The traditional three meals a day may not be enough if you are trying to burn fat in a quick and wise manner. Top specialists strongly consider that you should eat six small meals a day, of course with the condition of making sure that you cut back on your food consumption at each meal, if you don’t want to double your weight, instead of reducing it.

Quick weight loss tips can be an alternative to weight loss programs if wisely used. Or, even wiser is to use a combination of these two options if having decided to start losing weight. Anyone who is able to offer quick weight loss tips to an obese adult struggling with her/his weight is a true life savior. If you desperately want to lose weight because you are grossly overweight or just not too pleased when you see yourself in the mirror and realize that it isn’t a fattening one, and it’s just your real figure, you are considered normal.

The Internet proves to be – in an ironical manner – nowadays a cause of rising rates of obesity and overweight, as well as an opportunity to improve outcomes of dieting and weight loss efforts. Because we all know that anything that contributes to our sedentary lifestyle is an important ally of the little monster caused “weight” that always takes pride in becoming our “friend” – and the Internet definitely does that. This is where structured weight loss programs delivered over the Internet come in handy.

Weight loss programs have different forms and ways of appliances. And the ones that people tend to follow are the ones that Hollywood stars say to have taken and that have succeeded. That is why there are as many weight loss programs as many VIPs. Whether you are 100% skeptical or totally open to the idea of the effectiveness of these programs, you will certainly find a program to perfectly suit your individual needs and possibilities.
By anne

Health Insurance Become Importance Today

Do you ever feel like you know just enough about Health Insurance to be dangerous? Let's see if we can fill in some of the gaps with the latest info from Health Insurance experts.

Health insurance is something that most people don't think about very often and yet it is something that when comes foremost to mind when a loved one is sick. Health Insurance coverage varies across the world, even across the different states in the United States of America.

Health insurance is a very specific type of insurance. With this type of insurance the insurer pays the medical costs of the insured if the insured becomes sick due to covered causes, or due to accidents. The insurer may be a private organization or a government agency. Health Insurance can protect a family from financial devastation in case of serious illness.

Today, according to statistics from the US Census Bureau, many Americans, approximately 85%, have some form of health insurance. Many people, about 60%, are insured through their place of employment or through health insurance acquired personally. For about a quarter of the population, federal or state government agencies provide the insurance. These agencies may include Medicare and Medicaid as well as various state funded health insurance plans.

I trust that what you've read so far has been informative. The following section should go a long way toward clearing up any uncertainty that may remain.

Today, health insurance costs are rising, which is a concern to many people. Because of ongoing advances in medical care and in technology, medical treatment is more expensive. These advances help people to live longer. Today there are more senior citizens than ever before – our population is aging. The elderly population is more frail and prone to illness thus requiring more medical care than a younger population that is healthier. This also causes an increase in the price of health insurance.

Health insurance costs are also rising due to personal health choices made by individuals. Poor eating habits, smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, a lack of exercise, obesity are some of these poor health choices. In addition, there are still rural areas where there is a lack of health professionals including doctors.

Today, health insurers offer discounts and incentives to people who love a healthy lifestyle. Often, a person will provide health information and a personal medical history when buying health insurance. This history may address questions such as smoking, weight, drug use, and disease history. The incentives offered by Health insurance companies today may encourage individuals to quit smoking or make other positive changes in their lifestyle. Many times, heath insurers will not insure pre-existing medical conditions. The medical history provided will screen out such applicants.

Because of the concern over pre-existing medical conditions, there are now state and federal laws that help ensure that those individuals with pre-existing conditions can acquire or maintain health insurance, even if they need to change plans or providers. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is a federal law ensuring that all health insurance plans nationally have a common set of standards. In addition, states can also have laws regulating Health plans including group health insurance and individual health insurance This means that the laws regulating your health insurance protections may vary from state to state. Keep in mind, that even with these laws, access to health insurance may not be protected in all situations.

COBRA continuation coverage can help you if you leave of change your job. Under COBRA, you may be able to remain in your old group health plan for a certain length of time. This can assist you in those times when you are between jobs or waiting for a new health insurance plan to cover your pre-existing condition. Under COBRA, there are limits to what you will need to pay to continue your coverage.


When word gets around about your command of Health Insurance facts, others who need to know about Health Insurance will start to actively seek you out.

Signs and Symptoms of Depression

Those who suffer from signs of depression and related disorders may know the warning signs symptoms of depression all too well. They also know that these disorders tend to manifest themselves as repeated episodes of the depressive condition with the typical patient having many distinct episodes during their lives.

While not identical in every person, 10 signs of depression that may be experienced can include any of these:

1. Difficulty sleeping or other disruptions of sleep patterns
2. Overwhelming feelings of anxiety and/or sorrow at inappropriate times
3. Loss of interest in pastimes formerly enjoyed
4. A sensation of hopelessness, lack of self esteem and feelings of guilt
5. Fatigue and overall lower energy levels
6. Loss of appetite or abnormally large appetite, leading to weight loss or gain
7. Suicidal thoughts and recurring thoughts about death
8. Irritability, restlessness and short temper
9. Memory lapses and an inability to concentrate
10. Difficulty in maintaining close or romantic relationships

The warning signs symptoms of depression have increased in frequency in western industrialized societies, especially among those born after 1930. Some have concluded that pollution and its attendant harmful effects on the human body are to blame for some of the increase in depressive disorders and has ramped up the number of persons suffering from depression signs.

Experiencing one or more of the 10 signs of depression and other mood disorders has to do with levels of neurotransmitters, specifically dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine along with changes in the neural pathways of the brain. Imbalances between the neurotransmitters appear to be a cause of depression in many cases where depression signs are manifested.

Depression signs can derail careers and relationships, cause school work to go downhill and lower quality of life. The feelings of despair, sadness and frustration can make it impossible to function normally and relate to others. In many cases, depression goes undiagnosed due to the stigma borne by mental illness or failure of medical professionals to correctly diagnose or treat the problem.

Those who suffer from this condition often choose to self-medicate rather than go through the side effects of prescription medications. These people may use alcohol, caffeine or street drugs in an effort to feel better, which never works in the long run. Many of those who commit suicide happen to have symptoms of depression.

An additional problem faced by those suffering from depressive disorders is the stigma which is attached to the ailment. People who have depression signs are sometimes seen as crazy, unpredictable, even dangerous! In short, they are often avoided because of their disorder which only adds to their feelings of isolation and despair.

The stigma associated with depression signs can be devastating to those afflicted with depression. Teachers, co-workers, neighbors and employers will tend to treat them differently because of the disorder. It can be difficult to hide in many situations, for instance, when trying to get a new job. While it is not legal to ask a prospective employee about medical conditions they may have, one does not necessarily want to withhold the truth from an interviewer.

At the same time, it might be a long shot to actually land that job if your interviewer is aware of your depression. This is a case whether or not your depressive disorder would affect the quality of your work. In the case of students, teachers may treat them differently and the student could suffer from low expectations on the part of teachers.

There is also a lot of misinformation about persons with mental illness of any sort, with many making the assumption that all such persons are potentially violent and feared as a possible danger. Again, this leads people to isolate the sufferer, making their life even even worse.

Health insurance plans offered by employers often will involve higher premiums from the employer if a new hire has health problems, including depression signs. The employers fear is that their premiums will go through the roof if they are to take on a new employee with any sort of preexisting medical issues. This is true! Those who suffer from depression signs and disorders hardly get a fair shake from insurance companies.

The feelings of worthlessness and isolation that are felt by those who suffer from a depressive disorder are made worse by the stigma attached to the condition among the general public. This leaves the patient feeling even worse, their sensation of inadequacy and guilt compounded by the way that society treats them.

Society as a whole must learn to treat those with depression and other mental illnesses like the human beings that they really are. They are simply human beings with an illness, no different than a physical illness, merely different symptoms.
By David

Tips to Care Your Dog

Keep your dog safe in your backyard. All dogs suffer when it is too hot. Some are particularly vulnerable to heatstroke. If you are in a hot climate, make sure you have a shaded area or a porch where the dog can get out of the sun. It is vital they have a secure source of fresh water; by secure we mean he can't easily tip it over. Common sense is important when deciding whether it is safe to leave your dog outside: a short coated dog or a companion dog that is bred to spend his life indoors will not be able to tolerate being left outside in a cold climate. Your dog care tips include:

Securing Your Yard

It may not make sense to you that the same dog that is so happy to see you when you get home may want to find his way out of the back yard to freedom, but many dogs are lost each year because of this. Most dogs do not have a good sense of the dangers cars represent. Once outside your yard, they may just follow interesting scents and be so focused on those they aren't aware of approaching vehicles. They can also get frightened and run right into traffic. Many breeds are efficient diggers. They can tunnel under a wooden fence with ease. A back gate that is not latched properly can also give your dog an escape route. With smaller breeds, only a few inch gap between slats can be enough for them to squeeze through. Think of this in the positive way: your dog is not trying to escape from your house, he is perhaps trying to find you.

The first thing you need to do is check the perimeter of your yard for any gaps in the fence. One easy solution is to dig down six inches below ground and affix narrow gage wire fencing material to your existing fence. You can hold the fencing in place below ground by burying bricks, rocks or pavers. This will make it more difficult for your dog to tunnel under, and have the added benefit or making it harder for rodents or snakes to get into your yard. You may also want to padlock your gate. A strong dog may try to push open the gate, and some gates with loose latches can even be blown open by the wind. Keeping your fence in good repair is important. If the dog can find a loose or weak slat to chew through, he will.

Safety Inside The Yard

Your beautiful back yard with the trees, flowers, grass and vegetable garden may seem like paradise to you, and your dog will certainly enjoy romping around back there, but there are safety considerations as well, and you will want to make sure your tender plants are protected from your dog.

Again, dogs love to dig. Some breeds, in fact, simply have to dig. For them, it is part of the joy of being alive. They don't care if what they are digging up is a prized flower garden, or the spinach crop you have been carefully tending since early spring. And a dog doesn't at all mind taking a short cut through the flower beds trampling them as he goes. You may want to consider fencing off areas of your yard to protect your plants. This is particularly the case with frisky young pups. As your dog grows you will be able to train him to stay out the flower or vegetable garden, but to a puppy, it all looks like a playground.
By Dee

Tips for Yoga Beginners

If you’re just starting a Yoga practice then you probably haven’t had time to figure out some of the tips and tricks that will make it easier to get started with a regular Yoga practice. These 5 tips from experienced Yoga practitioners will help you as you start your own regular Yoga practice:

1. Buy a good mat – Your Yoga mat will help protect your joints and will also be an important part of your yoga practice. Don’t buy a poor quality mat just because it’s inexpensive. When you are sure that you are going to start doing Yoga on a regular basis then it’s time to invest in a high quality mat. It’s a better value to buy a high quality mat that will last than to buy something cheap that will need to be replaced quickly.

2. Wear clothing designed for Yoga – When you’re doing Yoga you’ll be moving in ways that can put a lot of stress on clothing. You need to have clothing that is loose enough to be comfortable but tight enough to not get in the way of your movement. You also need to wear clothing that will stand up to a lot of movement and stretching. Resist the urge to buy normal gym clothes and buy some clothes that are specifically designed for Yoga.

3. Practice at home – Even if you’re taking a class at a Yoga studio you should set aside some time to practice your Yoga at home until you get the hang of the poses. Practicing at home will also help you increase your flexibility and agility.

4. Compare Yoga studios before you commit – There are lots of Yoga studios and holistic centers that offer Yoga classes. Before you commit to one particular studio you should attend classes at three or four different places so that you can compare the prices, the class sizes, and the teaching styles to which one is the best for you.

5. Give it time – It might take some time before you are as flexible as some of the other people in the class. It also might take some time for you learn the poses and the meditations. Don’t give up. There’s always a learning curve when you’re learning something new and the other people in the class and the teacher won’t expect you to be to be perfect from the start. Join a beginner’s Yoga class at first so that you will be other people who are also just learning.
By Jay

Tips to Get Slimmer Waist

How to get a slimmer waist? Probably all us want a slimmer waist, and in this article i will discuss how to get a slimmer waist.

When trying to lose weight i always recommend following a highly recommended weight loss program
and increasing the amount of exercise you are taking. Your probably asking which weight loss program and what types of exercise should i take?

Firstly the exercise. I really like HITT (High Intensity Interval Training) this the latest and and a very popular way of exercising and shedding your extra pounds. This type of training is really another term for circuit training.

Carrying out this type of exercise is great for a full body workout at a high fat burning intensity. During the workout around ten stations will be created to focus on different parts of your body. It will range from squat thrusts, short sprints, stomach crunches, you name it. Many gyms carry out this sort of training program but you can make your own up and do it in your home or garden.

Keeping the exercise at a high intensity will burn more calories and in effect burn more of you body fat. So exercise is a must for achieving your slimmer waist.

Along with an aerobic plan you must have a weight loss program in place to run at the same time. A weight loss program will ensure you keep on track and keep you focussed on reaching your goal. Many dieting plans will take you through a step by step process to ensure you are eating correctly and watching those calories.

So how to get a slimmer waist? Increase your exercise and invest in a highly recommended weight loss product.

By Matthew

Exercise Can Help You Get Better Sleep

Are you getting enough quality sleep everyday? Are you feeling restless while you are sleeping, keep tossing and turning in the middle of the night and unable to go back to sleep? Awaken feeling not fresh and even sleepier than ever before, feeling so tired and fatigue. Millions of American suffering from sleep deprivation.

Most experts recommend 7 to 9 hours for adult, and up to 10 hours for adolescents and teens per night. Although, of course, it's not easy to convince a teenager the value of sleeping compare to the late-night computer games or text messaging with friends.

Sleep problems often go untreated. While stress, hectic pace or getting older is attributed to insomnia, sleep difficulties may also be caused by a variety of illnesses, medications or lifestyle factors such as work schedule or caffeine consumption. In fact, sleeping problems have reached epidemic proportions in America, with about one-third of the adult population reporting suffering from
sleep deprivation.

While a few nights of sleep loss may hardly be noticed, cumulative sleep loss might cause fatal effects. If one does not get proper rest and enough sleep, one tends to become irritable and frustrated. If fatigue dominates the day, it caused the decreased in quality of life. The body becomes tense and achy, and the mind tends to become scattered, unfocused, and forgetful, declining in
cognitive performance leads to higher risk of accidents and injury. With a sleep loss, people tend to overeat and under-exercise. (Feeling too tired to go for a walk! Better watch television and eat some chips and pop corn instead.)

Enough of deep, restorative sleep is essential for great health. Feeling rested can mean the difference between an average day and a great day. Quality sleep is right up there with good nutrition and regular exercise to prevent injury and illness, and to keep the body functioning in top condition physically, mentally and spiritually.

Sleeping well requires planning. If you want to end your day ready to sleep, you may want to schedule some form of exercise during the day. An exercise program will not only help you sleep better but will also help you to be more effective and alert during the day. Prior to starting any workout program, however, consult your doctor to make sure you are healthy enough to do exercise.

How Does Exercise Improve Sleep?

The amount of physical activity that you do during the day is a key ingredient to helping you sleep restfully at night. The more active your body is during the day, the more likely you are able to relax fully at night and fall asleep easily.

With regular exercise your sleep quality is improved and the transition between the cycles and phases of sleep becomes smoother and more regular.

Keeping up your physical activity during the day may also help you deal with the stress and worry in your life.

Exercise relaxes the body and calms the mind as well as help reducing depression and anxiety - two common causes of sleep problems. Exercise gives signals to the body that more and deeper sleep at night is needed, although how this occurs is unknown. Usually improvements in sleep are not
always immediate; they may not be apparent until a week or two after beginning an exercise program.

People who regularly exercise report having fewer episodes of sleeplessness than people who don't exercise. This is due, in part, to the fact that exercise helps our body transition between the phases of sleep more regularly and more smoothly.


* Exercise causing a significant rise in body temperature, followed by a compensatory drop a few hours later. The drop in body temperature, which persists for two to four hours after exercise, makes it easier to fall asleep and stay asleep.

* Exercise reduces stress by helping to dissipate the lactic acid that accumulates in the blood.

* Exercise eases the muscular tension that can build up.

* Exercise sharpens the brain by increasing the amount of oxygen available.

* Exercise strengthens and stimulates the heart and lungs.

* Exercise vitalizes the nervous system.

* Exercise activates the endocrine system.

* Exercise increases the body's production of endorphins. Endorphin creates a sense of well-being and increases the body's resistance to pain.

* Exercise stimulates the release of epinephrine, a hormone that creates a sense of happiness and excitement.

* Exercise reduces the boredom, worry, and tension.

* Exercise improves sleep because it is a physical stressor to the body. The brain compensates for physical stress by increasing deep sleep. Therefore, we sleep more deeply and soundly after exercise.

If you find that you have no time to exercise on a regular basis try to add extra moments of activity into your daily schedule. Take the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible.

Try parking your car around the corner and walking that extra block to your office. There are many small simple ways that you can add activity into your life. Your goal is to have a healthy, well balanced life.
By Irwan