How Does Light in the Bedroom Change the Way You Sleep

Creating a good sleep environment is the key to getting a good night’s sleep. You’ve probably thought about the kind of mattress that you sleep on, keeping clutter out of your room and how to de-stress before bed to help you get high-quality sleep.

You might not have thought about how the lights in your bedroom might affect your sleep patterns.

There are all sorts of light that our eyes can take in. However, our brains do not react to all of the different kinds of light in the same way.

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Natural Light Is Great For You

Natural light is created by the sun, as you might expect. Natural light is the best at creating a natural circadian rhythm of all the light.

But, you can also get these lights through “happy lamps,” especially if you are struggling with mood issues. The more sunlight you get, particularly early in the day, the better off you will be throughout the day.

Limit Blue Light In the Evenings

If you are changing out the lights in your house, and compact fluorescent bulbs which are more energy-efficient than traditional light bulbs. However, they are also designed to give off a brighter light that comes from the blue spectrum of light.

Blue light comes from LEDs, compact fluorescent bulbs, and LCD’s like that of your phone, computer, and televisions. These lights send signals to our brains that it needs to pay attention to whatever is on it and boosts reaction times and mood.

As you might expect, these lights are terrible for you when you’re trying to sleep. Which means you need to put the phone away when it’s time to start getting ready for bed. Instead, start using an actual alarm clock and avoid checking your phone at night to help yourself get a good night’s sleep. You can also get high-efficiency bulbs that come with a dimmer and a more yellow tint to make it easier on your eyes and brain.

All Light Is A Distraction at Night

Whether it’s coming from your phone or from a lamp outside of your window, light is a distraction. Our brains automatically translate light into signals to wake up, which disrupts your sleep pattern and circadian rhythm.

If there are a lot of lights outside your window or in the rest of your house, try shutting off those lights when you can and add light-blocking curtains to help that light out of your room whenever possible.

You can always open the windows and curtains during the day, but you should close at least the curtains at nights to keep out extra light. And, of course, put your phone face down so it’s not lighting up in the middle of the night and waking you.

You might want to talk to your partner about this as well to make sure that they are on the same page with you about these changes that you want to make.

4 Things to Remember When Maintaining Your Above-Ground Pool

In-ground pools are great but installing one in your backyard may not be feasible due to limitations in your budget, space or soil. An above-ground pool is a great alternative as you can enjoy it even in the winter.

Numerous designs are available for above-ground swimming pools. Styles range from affordable models to luxurious ones. You can use most above-ground pools throughout the year. Some feature the saltwater systems common with in-ground pools.

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Above-ground pools offer a variety of energy saving features such as energy-efficient covers and solar heating systems. Modern models may come with upgraded features typically found in in-ground pools. These features include pumps and filtration systems for cleaning.

Even with all these systems, above-ground pools still need regular maintenance.

1. Sticking to a maintenance checklist

Resist the temptation to procrastinate maintenance of your above-ground pool because it’ll come back to bite you through expensive pool problems. The most effective way of making sure you maintain your pool properly is having a weekly maintenance checklist.

Daily tasks:

·         Make sure the chlorine level is 2.0-4.0 ppm

·         Make sure the pH level is 7.4-7.6

·         Make sure the water level is around mid-skimmer

·         Run the pool filter for 12-18 hours

·         Check pump operation and filter pressure

·         Empty pump buckets and skimmer

Weekly tasks:

·         Skim the surface

·         Brush the pool

·         Vacuum

·         Make sure alkalinity is 80-120 ppm

·         Add chlorine tablets

·         Clean the pool deck

·         Clean surrounding areas

·         Add proper dose of metal control, clarifier, and algaecide

·         Clean or backwash the filter if the pressure gauge rises to 7-9 psi

2. Monitoring water circulation

Issues with water circulation are common with above-ground pools. As a result, algae easily breeds especially in the pool’s deadspots as they have the poorest circulation. These areas include the back of ladders, under the skimmer, around steps, and in any cracks.

Circulation problems occur in these areas regardless of how effectively the pump circulates water. Setting up multidirectional return jets might improve the situation. But you may still need to use a pool brush to circulate the water manually.

3. Maintaining the walls

You need to attend to the pool walls as keenly as the water in the pool. Don’t encourage guests to sit on the pool’s top rail or edges as the may crease or crack. When constructing the pool, make sure the custom pool contractors build it such that the pool walls are clear of potential causes of trauma such as tree branches and objects thrown by kids.

4. Winterizing the pool

Winterize the pool when swimming season comes to an end. Start by cleaning the pool thoroughly. You may need to add a chemical kit to the water. Remove the ladder, cleaning supplies, and chemicals for storage in a dry area. Run the filter for about an hour before removing the pump and motor for safe storage.

Make sure the water level is below the skimmer and return. To prevent damage to the pool resulting from hydrostatic pressure, avoid completely draining the pool. Add pool anti-freeze and set up threaded winter plugs to block water from entering the pipes. Don’t use vehicle anti-freeze. Finally, use a winter cover to cover the pool.

5 Ways to Make Holiday Cleaning Less Stressful in 2018

Our lives tend to be very chaotic, especially as the Holiday season approaches. What should be a time of joy and a time we enjoy with our family quickly turns to disarray as we cleaning up our home before our family members arrive. Between cooking meals and washing the dishes, decorating the Christmas tree and cleaning up the mess around it, you won’t get a lot of time to relax and cherish the Christmas spirit.

But it doesn’t have to be like that! If you find your schedule is too busy and cleaning only throws you further into disarray, consider hiring a professional cleaning service like Maids a la Mode. Experienced cleaning companies can make your home ready for Christmas without you having to break a sweat, so you can focus on being a good host for your guests.

Alternatively to home cleaning services, a few changes in your daily routine and mindset can help you avoid all the fuss as the Holidays approach. This way you’ll find cleaning more relaxing, enjoyable and a lot easier.

Follow our tips below to learn how you can get your home clean in a time of the Holidays and at the same time find sanctuary from the stress.

How to Make Holiday Cleaning Less Stressful

The worst thing about Holiday cleaning is that we usually put it off for as long as we can. This is why we have to do most of the heavy lifting (or cleaning) at the very last minute. We are in a rush to get everything ready for when the guests arrive and have to deal with stress until that happens. This leaves us too tired to actually enjoy the time with our family.

So, before you get to read our advice on how to make cleaning less stressful the first thing you need to do is stop procrastinating and start early.

Motivate Yourself with Music

Playing some music while you clean can help you get rid of some of the stress and even make cleaning fun. Create a playlist of your favorite songs of artists and set the mood for the cleaning. You’ll see how the time you spent cleaning will pass by quicker, as it always does when you do something you enjoy.

Follow a Plan

If you don’t have a cleaning plan you’ll probably waste your time going from room to room aimlessly. This way you may get distracted easily, jumping from one place to the other, never finishing the previous task completely. The right way to do this is to create a cleaning plan and stick to it. Start from one room and work your way to the last.

Let the Sunshine In

Making room for some sunshine and fresh air can help improve your mood. Open the curtains wide to let the sunlight in. If the weather is not too cold, you can also open the window to let some fresh air in. Not only will you enjoy it, but the air will also help you get rid of the cleaning chemical odors

Take a Break

If you didn’t wait for the last minute to clean your apartment, you have plenty of time to finish it. Therefore, don’t shy away from taking a break whenever you need it. You can watch a few short videos on YouTube, talk to your family or meditate; whatever helps you relax.

Reward Yourself

Holiday cleaning is a lot of work. Make sure you reward yourself for a job well done. Have your favorite sweets, enjoy a bubble bath or go to your favorite coffee shop. This will help you relax and be ready to be the best host you can be for your guests.