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Echoes of a Dream

Many of us have escapes that we use to get away from our day-to-day lives, and many of those escapes can be as simple as reading a book or watching a movie. Music, however, for the most part, seems to be universal in helping many people deal with their emotions. Music, and lyrics, and singing, and all kinds of different tunes can help a person either mentally prepare for a big event (like listening to your favorite jams before a big event) or to help you mellow out at the end of a long day. Music is great for break-ups as well as hook-ups. In fact, you could probably find a song to fit every occasion.

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Studies have proven that when listening to music, the dopamine in peoples brains is activated, making us want to listen to more and more of it (unless, of coarse, the song is Friday.) However, no one has been able to figure out exactly why this is because while dopamine is activated during activities such as eating good food, or during exercise. If you are a gym rat, like myself, then you will understand how music can heighten one’s workout experience. As for myself, I will never understand those who are able to run on the treadmill or dead-lift without some awesome tunes ringing through their ear buds, but that might just be me.

So why is it that music gives us such a sensation that we feel the need to listen to it almost every day, at work, on the way to work on the way home from work, in the bath, in the bedroom, in the club. It’s almost like music was programmed into human DNA, and gives many of us a natural rhythm that can’t be defined by mere statistics of race or ethnicity (because some white boys can dance.) There are many different dynamics to music too, like sad, slow songs that you for some reason can’t get enough of and love to cry along to. There are fast tracks with pumping melodies and soaring chorus’ that make you feel like the universe is your oyster. Of course, there will always be that one boring song on an album that you skip every time that it comes on (OK, not always because sometimes an artist is that good.) I think it’s safe to say that for the most part, music gives us feelings.

These feelings can translate into our night lives too, because if you go to bed in a sour mood your probably not going to sleep very well, while going to bed in a neutral or happy state of mind can make for pleasant dreams. You might find that falling asleep to your favorite rock track can be a difficult feat, and that’s because its probably not designed to create delta waves in your brain which will help one fall into a deep slumber. White noise such as crashing waves and a ceiling fan can help to lull a person into the world of sleep, but classical music can also induce a person into this state. There are many things that you can find on the internet that will aid in helping a person sleep, and many musical compositions that can be found on YouTube and various other sites that can move this process along. Getting the proper support from your mattress and pillow and finding the necessary comfort are also factors that contribute to how fast one might fall asleep – besides the obvious how tired you are.

The Natural Transformation by Tomorrow's World

Some of these internet tracks are very interesting and might even carry over into dreamland. Listening to a song that remind you of the ocean could put you on a raft in the middle of the Pacific, while listening to some jungle oriented vibes could place you in a safari, among the beasties of the forest. Give it a try, listen to a soothing rhythm tonight that will help you drown out the world around you and escape into the realm of sleep.

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Well Under Way With 2014

Now that 2014 is well under way, it might be time to actually begin trying to workout your ‘new’ years resolution. I myself have kept up a decent gym schedule, with the exception of March in which I spent a chunk of time vegging on the couch due to injury. Now that June is on the way, and I’m back in the gym, and “things are looking up, oh finally,” I think that it might be time to begin working on some more pressing resolutions. For one, I’d like to get some of my other work published online, or featured in magazines and what not. I should probably stop snacking, but things take time, right?

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Many of you will be looking for ways to conserve the environment around you, and as I’ve posted before, there are literally hundreds of ways that you can help out without having to make any donations to BS organizations or even going more than within a blocks radius of your house. If you look around, and I mean really look around – and there are exceptions to this – but most neighborhoods will typically have a lot of trash lying around on the streets. We’ve become accustomed to this, especially in our own towns, and tend to not notice litter until its too late and there is a swarm of plastic bags angrily making their way across an empty parking lot, searching for its next host to latch onto a suffocate.

Now, granted, as I said before, there are exceptions, and for the most part there are a lot of neighborhoods that tend to remain pretty clean; however, there is always that trashy McDonald’s Styrofoam cup or that nasty, wet plastic bag, or the tragic array of broken beer bottles that one we will stumble across when trying to enjoy a stroll through the park. All I’m saying is that if you have a problem looking at these horrific sights then you should make it a resolution to pick it up, walk ten feet, twenty feet, half a mile, and throw it away. Perhaps you could go out with a trash bag and some gloves and pick up the trash in your neighborhood. If anything it will make you a Saint while everyone else draws their curtains and begins to resemble something more of a pig than human – at least in my eyes, that is what those who toss their trash to the wind on the freeway look like. And God forbid a condom washes up on the beach while your trying to catch some rays, at that point its time to pack up and leave. Leave for a better existence somewhere else.

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When I’m out I do my best to pick up trash that is lying around so long as there is a trash can within eyesight. If not, no one is asking you to pick up someone else’ mess if you really don’t want to, and if there isn’t a dumpster in sight then who can blame you. In the end, what is really important is that you don’t actually contribute to the debris and filth that occupies our streets. This is our Earth, it’s the only one that we have. Screw YOLO, who cares if You Only Live Once if all you are doing is making the ecosystem fog up with smog and waste.

Other things that can be done include recycling your plastic and paper, and reusing various other household equipment. Perhaps using less hairspray or fa-breeze to lower the amount arousal cans being disposed will lighten Mother Nature’s load. Perhaps using less toxic chemicals to clean will alleviate the strain that is constantly taunting to rip apart our world. One of the best places to get in the mood for ‘saving the world and other extreme sports’ is in the bedroom, and now you can clean up your own bedroom with natural bedding from the Organic Comfort Zone, which features a wide array of cozy mattresses and pillows to blankets and pillow toppers. Don’t stop now, you’re on a roll with your new years resolutions, take it one step further and add CozyPure to your list of things to look into before the year is out.

 

 


eric-SAT-picEric is currently a student and part-time team member for Norfolk, VA based business Organic Comfort Zone, manufacturers of CozyPure organic bedding and mattress. For more information visit organiccomfortzone.com or cozypure.com or call 757.480.8500.

 

 

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Cuddle-Up Close

Sleeping alone can be liberating and all but sometimes its pretty nice to snuggle up with somebody. Most of us will have to use a pillow on most nights, wrapping their arms around the bag stuffed with latex or kapok or buckwheat, and that is fine. Perhaps two pillows might do even more justice in that you can stuff one between your bony knees to supply further comfort and warmth. Its easy to wrap your arms around a soft pillow, close your eyes, and drift out into space. Some of us just can’t fall asleep without imagining that someone else is there with them, like Ray Davies penned and Cher, The Pretenders, The Kinks, and Sia can all verify. You can also fall asleep with your pet, or at least attempt to. The thing about pets is that they’re unpredictable, making them viable to being easily distracted and perhaps running away from your outstretched arms at the first gust of wind or the sound of footsteps on the sidewalk outside, leaving you alone, once again.

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If you cuddle with your pillow, pet, or your partner, then spooning is universal. The thing about spooning is that you can do it with anything that you want. Granted that most times you will end up being the big spoon on most nights unless you really are cuddling with a person who won’t mind being the big spoon. However, all you have to do, when spooning someone – or something – is curl your body up against their own and wrap your arms around them and hold them. Talking is optional, and I would honestly rather talk to my pillow and keep my mouth shut when with a person to avoid screwing up the moment – but that’s just me. Spooning also promotes body heat and release endorphins.

Now here is one position that you can’t do with a pillow, you might do with a pet, and can definitely do with a person: face-to-face. This position is typically a romantic one, you know, the kind used for pillow talk and what not. All you have to do is lie down on your mattress and look straight into the eyes of the other person. Perhaps you can hold hands, perhaps your legs will be entwined, either way you’ll be sure to have an intimate time with your partner, whether its your pet or your lover. Remember to get comfortable, because if you aren’t comfortable, your partner won’t be either. The best way to get comfortable is to assure that you’re on the right bedding.

There is always the half-spoon, which can be executed by one person lying down face up with their arm stretch out beside them, with either their hand beneath their head or wrapped around the second person. Their partner proceeds to place their head on the others chest, most likely wrapping their own arm around the other person’s waist. Cuddling comes with its pitfalls – such as the occasional dead body part and face full of hair, but its benefits outweigh its cons in that it promotes good health, kills depression, and improves communication skills while also leaving one with a positive disposition.

 

 


eric-SAT-picEric is currently a student and part-time team member for Norfolk, VA based business Organic Comfort Zone, manufacturers of CozyPure organic bedding and mattress. For more information visit organiccomfortzone.com or cozypure.com or call 757.480.8500.

 

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Take More Steps In The Healthy Direction

It takes dedication, perseverance, and above all, sacrifice in order to be the best and healthiest person that you can be. In the same way that it depends just as much as what you put on your plate in staying healthy and how much workout time that you clock in each day, there are other contributing factors such as sleep and stress relief can also have a large impact on your health. Never forget that being yourself is what drives your world and that the deeper you dig inside of yourself the more that you will find you are capable of.

To be healthy you must not only feel it in your own body, but also in your mind. Without confidence in yourself, and determination in what you are doing, the harder that it will be to become the healthiest that you can. Trying new and exciting things is a great way to keep you on your toes and an even better way to find out all that you are made of. Sometimes there is just nothing better than that adrenaline rush that you get the first time that you jump off of a cliff and into the water below, that spike in your blood pressure that jolts yours steady, beating heart into a whole new life cycle. Moving in for that kiss or finally letting someone with a strong impression on your life know exactly how you really feel – whether they be a good influence or a bad influence, the best thing to do sometimes is to get it off of your chest. You’ll realize that the more that you do this, the more that you let yourself go and stop caring what the world thinks, the freer that you will become. The happier your mind will be, and the healthier your entire being will become.

Stay active. I know you’ve heard it a million times, but getting off of your butt and actually moving is a great idea. Movement at any time of the day is really great, but a decent walk after a big meal or a fatty meal is ideal. This helps with the digestive process as well as speeding up one’s metabolism. A great way to blast fat, though, is to shoot for a High Intensity Interval Workout. These workouts, in which you go as hard as you can for thirty seconds to a minutes, and then rest for the same amount of time is excellent in boosting one’s metabolism and shredding fat quickly. Remember not to give up just because you do not notice results immediately (if results are what you are looking for ) because all of the best things in life are worth sweating for.

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Remembering to not only keep up with your fitness but to also track what goes inside of you is also a big part of maintaining health. Beefing up on fruits and vegetables has been burned into the minds of children all over the world, and yet these are the things that so many of us hate. I remember myself despising spinach in my youthful years, but that was because I despised steamed spinach. I had never been introduced to the spinach salad until my late tweenhood, and thus never knew what I was missing. It was like eating a salad with lettuce, only healthier. Don’t forget to introduce yourself and those around you to new recipes as much as you can. You will never know what kinds of foods you might love or hate until you actually try them, and even then, you might never know until you try it multiple times cooked different ways.

Drink plenty of fluids, and by that I mean water. Eliminating sodas and other sugary drinks from your diet will help reduce the risk of heart disease dramatically and can also have a slimming affect on the tummy. Drinking a bottle of water or two before any meal can significantly decrease the amount of calories consumed in one sitting due the the filling effect that the water can have on a person’s stomach. This is not to say that every small choice must be weighed drastically each time that they must be made. If you are going to a bar then of coarse you aren’t going to drink bottles upon bottles of water, but it also doesn’t imply that you must consume baskets upon baskets of cheese fries. Everything is good in moderation, including those sugary drinks and those beers and margaritas that you love to enjoy on the beach. These things only become a problem when a person becomes dependent upon them.

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Lastly you want to assure that you are not only getting the best sleep possible, but that you are sleeping in the best environment possible. This means turning down the lights, turning down the Nirvana, and creating a peaceful place that you can associate with rest, and comfort. A great way to assure that you are getting the healthiest sleep imaginable is by assuring that you are getting the greenest sleep possible. It’s hard enough to fall asleep with all the bustling and buzzing of today’s society, but adding in a toxic waste bin underneath your head at night is the worst part of it all. With all the chemicals pumped into our bedding these days it is hard to know which bed is worse for you. So why not choose which one is the best! Choose natural latex and enjoy the sleep of the Gods because you deserve it and your health can depend on it.

 

 


eric-SAT-picEric is currently a student and part-time team member for Norfolk, VA based business Organic Comfort Zone, manufacturers of CozyPure organic bedding and mattress. For more information visit organiccomfortzone.com or cozypure.com or call 757.480.8500.

 

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Eat, Breath, and Sleep: Happy

We, as people, tend to overlook the simple things in our life, the things that, if looked at in the right light, should be making us happy. Some of these things include: Having a place to sleep at night, having food to eat, and having people around to support you through tough times. It is understandable why we might overlook some of these things in life, because it is human nature to strive to be better, to look for the next best thing, to shake things up. Our tendency to become unhappy is all in the way that we look at our life. For example, a child who receives a Christmas present that was at the top of their list will enjoy the gift until, of course, they grow out of it. At which point the child will begin to look for something new that might satisfy them. 

In order to be happy, we must first learn to appreciate all of the good that we have in our lives. An easy way to do this is by actually taking the time out of your day to smile at the little joys. Countless people in my life continually complain about the most common things, like getting a zit or getting a flat tire. Now, getting a flat tire might make a person angry in the heat of the moment, and will most likely put a damper on their day, but by no means should it keep you awake at night, angry at the world. Things happen because things happen, there may be a reason behind them, and there may not be. In the case of us humans, it is best not to read into every small thing that happens to us in our live because eventually they might add up. Instead, we must find a balance, and perhaps what we can do when we get a flat tire is to get out of the car, walk away from the vehicle, and take a deep breath. Let the angst out, and then return to your car and do what needs to be done. Simple things like this can reduce stress and ultimately keep us from pondering the bad things for too long.

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Getting out in the sun, walking through the park, showing and receiving affection, smiling more, these are all things that, although so very simple, can make people happier in their day to day lives. Science has proven that the release of endorphins, which react with brain receptors to reduce pain. Endorphins are released through a surplus of activities, including exercise, dancing, gardening, and all of the above mentioned. The release of endorphins can also strengthen your heart, lower blood pressure, and increase your energy.

Another thing that will improve your happiness is, wait for it….SLEEP! Sleep has been proven to help us focus and keep our heads on straight, for the most part. But more sleep can make us less sensitive to negative emotions. When you wake up grumpy, of course your negative emotions are still intact. On weekdays you may wake up to an alarm clock that disrupts your dreams and pulls you out from your slumber like a punch to the face, the sunlight peeking through the windows can screw itself.  On the weekends, though, after having slept ten hours straight and waking up on your own accord you might find the  sunlight that streams in through your windows is beautiful in the way that it peeks through the curtains and the blinds, letting you know that today is the first day of the rest of your life. Organic bedding makes your mattress even more of a sanctuary in that you are not sleeping on harmful chemicals such as petroleum and other harmful toxins.

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So, maybe its time that we stop overlooking all of the good things in our lives, the people and things that surround us, and instead overlook the bad things, the flat tires that try and keep us from getting along with our day. Instead of seeing sticky situations as a mess, look at them as a way to challenge your wits, and come out of every experience a new person. Never forget to learn from your mistakes, and love always, because “what it all comes down to, is that everything is going to be quite all right.”

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Living Actively

Have you ever wondered about what it might be like to actually hit the gym instead of making a million excuses not to? Do you ever wonder about what some of the benefits of exercise might have on the human body? Well – besides the obvious health benefits – exercise can help you out in other ways too.

First of all, you must know that one’s body temperature tends to decline as night falls upon them, therefore, making the person want to fall asleep. When you exercise your body temperature increases as much as two degrees, and it tends to stay at this elevated temperature for a time span of four to five hours. When you work out in the late afternoon your body temperature begins to drop within a few hours, or, around bedtime, making one feel more tired due to physical exhaustion and a lowering body temperature.

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In all of the ways that exercise can improve one’s sleep, sleep can have the same benefits on one’s exercise. For instance, a good night’s sleep can improve a person’s immune function, while also reducing stress and leaving one feeling revitalized and alive. When you enjoy a good night’s sleep your body will be more eager to do healthy activities such as getting exercise and remaining active throughout the day. When combined, the proper amount of sleep and exercise can improve a person’s mood, light a candle in the bedroom, and, contrary to popular belief, exercise can actually be fun!

Simple, and fun activities one might enjoy as exercise will range from strolling around the block to swimming in the lake. Going to the gym every now and then and doing a bit of intense training could never be harmful, but it does not have to be necessary in order to live an active, healthy lifestyle. Keeping yourself on your toes and taking time away from the tube every now and then is what keeps us lively and functioning.

Going out and staying active is cheap and easy. Walking your dog or biking around your neighborhood are both fun and free things to do. Go out and enjoy the sun, or stay in and become withered and pale, its your choice, but in the end, the healthy choice is the active choice. In reality, and in this day and age especially, staying fit is made even easier because with the invention of workout DVDs and video games such as Just Dance people are able to make better use of their time spent indoors. There are so many things to do, and all can help one sleep. After a long day of hustling and bustling, whether it was for work or for your own personal enjoyment, finding your way into a warm, cozy mattress at night is always the cherry on top of the sundae. Make your sleeping experience, and body recovery, more enjoyable with a CozyPure mattress and other bedding materials from the Organic Comfort Zone.