爱米河

跟朋友聊天，无意中发现，至今天为止，我在枫叶之国已经呆了4个年头。4年，这4年都怎么过的？想想很短，细想又很长。

 

4年是个坎。现在的我，有份比较喜欢的工作，有自己的小朋友圈，有很多业余活动。但是，这些，是我最终想要的吗？这会是我最终的归宿吗？

 

朋友开玩笑说：是不是该考虑为祖国四个现代化做贡献了？我没正式回答。但是我想，人生的乐趣，在于有意义的折腾。

 

我得好好想想…… 

Have you been to a live Hocky game?

See audiences dress like a superman?

Everybody talks loud and proud,

sounds like they are going to save the world.

By the time when the game starts,

people begin to scream and cry.

Fuck, shit, piss, heck, loser, damn it,

why can't the players do a better job?

Finally the team get one score in,

people cheer like the game is over.

If two teams don't get along well,

they are more than welcome to get in a fight.

Most of the fights don't last for long,

audiences get disappointed since they want more.

By the time the players take a break,

A super-hot girl comes with a mini-skirt.

She bends down low to pick up craps,

But I can easily see her pants.

By the time when the game is over,

I feel nothing but tired and dizzy.

the lights inside must be from Casino,

First time for me to see so many colors.

It will be a while before I can get home,

people walk like they are drunk.

Finally I am in my quiet bed,

Hocky is nothing but a good show.

Kan na Luo ye

Qiao ran piao xia

Yiwei zhe Nitu

Xiang yun you zai

朋友请我去他家吃火锅，说帮我庆祝生日。

 

切蛋糕时7个人同时为我大声唱生日歌，不知道为什么一霎那间觉得特别感动。我闭上眼睛许愿，可他们每个人的声音我都听得很清楚，我甚至能想象当时他们脸上那种祝福的表情……

 

在异国他乡的我，其实很容易知足。

折腾了两年，加拿大移民终于快下来了。我也不知道怎么回事，有些对别人容易或能很快得到的东西，对我却特别难特别慢。

 

不过这可是好消息，which意味着我以后往返加拿大再也不用什么签证，工作也不用申请许可。自由过境，随意找工作，学费跟本国公民一样（这个来得有点晚）。唯一的区别是没有选举权和被选举权，以及去别的国家依然要签证（因为拿的还是中华人民共和国护照）。

 

现在就眼巴巴的等着移民纸和枫叶卡，一下来就赶紧订飞香港的机票，老爸老妈还盼着早日见我呢。

 

 

看来相亲结婚这个曾遭受唾弃的模式又开始管用了。

 

最近又有个国内的朋友结婚，他本人说太太是父母安排相亲认识的。而且在此前一直是密集相亲，每两个礼拜相一次……可怜天下父母心。不过可喜可贺，父母辛苦付出有了回报，这不就结了吗？

 

后来想想，我好几个结婚的亲戚和朋友（国内），要不就是大学/中学时就开始谈恋爱，要不就是父母相亲认识的，只有少数几个是工作时认识的。这么比较下来，相亲似乎比工作认识更有效率啊。

 

邓小平同志说，管他是相亲还是自由恋爱，能结成正果就是好同志。呵呵！

 

护肤品，让我说些什么好？

 

直到去年在UBC读书，我对它们了解甚少，用的都是表姐之前在资生堂工作取回的样品，还有倩碧last forever的黄油。当时我只用洗面奶和面霜，简单明了。

 

变成有米阶级后，觉得必须打理自己又干又油的皮肤。看了护肤三部曲，了解护肤的基本步骤，再在罗晶同学的推荐下，买回一堆clarins大大小小的瓶子，甚至细心到把护肤棉都买回来。一早起来带上头圈，洗面乳洗脸，把爽肤水倒在化妆棉上，鼻子由上而下，鼻子以外由内而外的擦，然后无名指上绿豆大小的眼霜，搓热，轻轻拍在眼下的皮肤上，再做环形按摩。接着把毛孔收缩剂运用在t-zone地带，最后用clarins那款hydra-matte的面霜。完毕。出门见人。

 

此外，每2个晚上用clarins的那款莲花油，一个礼拜做一次深层清洁并补水的面膜。

 

可是……一年快过去了，为什么我的皮肤几乎没什么起色？t-zone毛孔还是那么粗，黑头还是多？唯一的进步是脸不再觉得很干很干了。难道这就是我一年投入这么多精力和米米的结果吗？跑去找clarins的BA问明白，人家问我：是不是每个礼拜都做面膜啊？毛孔收缩剂有没有每天使用？回答有！人家又问，按摩手法正不正确啊？答：都是按你说的方法做的啊。人家再问，是不是用的时间不够长？都一年了，还不够长啊？人家不说话了，想了想，然后推荐说，我们有一款gentle exfoliating refiner的磨砂很好很适合你，可以去角质，去黑头，细腻毛孔，要不要试试？好！反正米砸下那么多，不在乎多砸一次，买下一瓶，遵照BA的说法一个礼拜做一次。结果毛孔粗大的问题根本没解决！我对clarins的BA也失去了信任。

 

于是跑到shoppers里面问她们的BA,心想他们什么品牌都卖，给的意见也应该比较中肯。他们听了我的皮肤问题，很开心的说，我明白了。我有一个产品线很适合你，就是clarins的保湿系列！@#$%^&…… 问：还有别的吗？答：你就应该用clarins的，它们的产品配方很好，很适合你的皮肤问题。 我只好说：我一直用它们的产品，已经用了一年了，没觉得有什么效果。结果销售员半天不说话，过了很久，很诚恳的跟我说：黑头和毛孔粗大，是你这个年龄段的问题，护肤品能起的作用有限。等你过了这个年龄段，黑头和毛孔粗大问题会减弱，不过你可能会面临新的皮肤问题……这回轮到我无语了。

 

护肤品就应该无功无过吗？可如果护肤品真的没什么效果，为什么每天都有成千上万的女性买回那么多瓶瓶罐罐往自己脸上擦？是不是铺天盖地的广告宣传，美艳动人的模特，让我们眼花缭乱，失去方向？

 

看来护肤之路，任重道远。

我的老板决定辞职另谋高就了。让我昨天整整郁闷了一天。

 

这么好的老板走了以后上哪里找去？以后编程遇到问题找谁帮忙，model建不出来还能有谁在黑夜里面给我一盏明灯？Trader逼我们出数据分析还有谁能帮我扛一扛？跟trader据理力争？写的一堆document还有谁帮忙编辑，连标点符号都帮我改过来？工作做累了还有谁跟我开玩笑，让我暂时忘却工作的压力和烦恼？

 

人往高处走，我明白的。只是心里那股郁闷劲，让我久久不能释怀……

 

我想大声呐喊：郁闷！

从小组赛时就开始注意他了。起跑不算快的，中间越追越快，还有时间环顾一下左右对手，最后以小组第一成绩，轻松进入决赛……

 

决赛，比赛枪响，右脚稍微拐了一下，头20米都是踉跄着以似乎要摔跤的姿势跑的，然后越跑越快，到50米时已经远远超过其他对手。差10多米时意识到自己肯定是冠军，开始朝观众席看，停止摆臂，张开双臂，减速，捶胸，仍然以9秒69的成绩打破世界纪录……

 

更绝的是，事后从慢镜头发现，他的鞋带没系好……

Too classic, hahaha...

 

女人谨记：一定要吃好玩好睡好喝好，一但累死了，就有别的女人花咱的钱，住咱的房，睡咱的老公，还打咱的娃.

当在奥运会开幕式上看到小天使林妙可用天籁之音为我们演唱“歌唱祖国”时，我的眼泪一下就掉下来了。这还是我在异国他乡第一次流泪，而且是幸福、满足、骄傲的泪水。为祖国昌盛欣慰，为自己是炎黄子孙自豪……

 

后来在网易看到林mm不是演唱者，而是一个7岁多的小女孩杨沛宜，当时因为“换牙”而考虑到她的形象不适合登台，就换了林mm这个微笑天使。当看到这条消息，我还是感觉想哭…… http://ent.163.com/08/0812/19/4J5UOBFB00032KMI.html

 

我发表了很多评论，现在已经到了无语的地步了。

 

张大导演啊，你虽然才能万千，但是ethic太不过关了。要不是那位音乐总监曝光，你打算瞒我们到什么时候去？在一个泱泱大国几百年不遇的办奥运会上搞这种小动作，还是在万千媒体面前，让人寒心……

我在国外看的是转播。那个国外播音员说：Thousands of girls compete for the position and she got it!他们指的当然不是她得到表演的机会，而是她得到唱歌的机会。由于小姑娘“唱”得太好又有很多国内外媒体对她追加了报告……

不顾诚信手段的死要面子，最后只能是死赔面子……而且还是以国家的名义来赔……

 

ps:支持某网友观点，我们应该让刘欢代唱，蔡国庆表演！

从同学小月处看到的，觉得分析得比较精准。而且很开心的得到确认，我现在从事的行业适合我的性格呢。总共有16种不同人格，大家一起做做看。

 

MBTI职业性格测试（Psytopic特别版）

 

俺是“ISTP”(内向+实感+思维+知觉)

 

容忍，有弹性；是冷静的观察者，但当有问题出现，便迅速行动，找出可行的解决方法。能够分析哪些东西可以使事情进行顺利，又能够从大量资料中，找出实际问题的重心。很重视事件的前因后果，能够以理性的原则把事实组织起来，重视效率。

ISTP型的人坦率、诚实、讲求实效，他们喜欢行动而非漫谈。他们很谦逊，对于完成工作的方法有很好的理解力。 ISTP型的人擅长分析，所以他们对客观含蓄的原则很有兴趣。他们对于技巧性的事物有天生的理解力，通常精于使用工具和进行手工劳动。他们往往做出有条理而保密的决定。他们仅仅是按照自己所看到的、有条理而直接地陈述事实。 ISTP型的人好奇心强，而且善于观察，只有理性、可靠的事实才能使他们信服。他们重视事实，简直就是有关他们知之甚深的知识的宝库。他们是现实主义者，所以能够很好地利用可获得的资源，同时他们擅于把握时机，这使他们变得很讲求实效。ISTP型的人平和而寡言，往往显得冷酷而清高，而且容易害羞，除了是与好朋友在一起时。他们平等、公正。他们往往受冲动的驱使，对于即刻的挑战和问题具有相当的适应性和反应能力。因为他们喜欢行动和兴奋的事情，所以他们乐于户外活动和运动。

您适合的领域有：技术领域 证券、金融业、贸易、商业领域 户外、运动、艺术等

您适合的职业有：

· 信息服务业经理
· 计算机程序员
· 警官
· 软件开发员
· 律师助理
· 消防员
· 私人侦探
· 药剂师
· 证券分析员
· 银行职员
· 管理顾问
· 财务顾问
· 电子专业人士
· 技术培训人员
· 信息服务开发人员
· 软件开发商
· 海洋生物学者
· 后勤与供应经理
· 经济学者
· 贸易商
· 商品经销商
· 产品代理商（有形产品）
· 警察
· 侦探
· 体育工作者
· 赛车手
· 飞行员
· 雕塑家
· 手工制作
· 画家

Sex and the city, 我最喜欢的电视剧，出了个电影版。正巧我这两天在new york，趁着这个机会，跑到市中心的time square某个theatre,看了这场电影。

 

在new york看sex and the city,真是别有风味。看着剧情所取的场景，都是我已经过或即将经过的，心里那个亲切啊。而剧中的演员，似乎是我认识多年的朋友，我的心情随着他们的感情起伏波折，替他们欢笑，为他们流泪。另外，很多我在看电视剧中产生的伏笔或者疑惑，也在电影中给了回答。

 

我总觉得这是我近两年看到的最好的一部电影。不过让我评价，似乎有失公允。毕竟作为一个sex and the city多年的fan, 已经被他们潜移默化，价值观也多少受到他们的熏陶。它是培养我审美观的导师，让我更认清感情问题的本质，知道哪些错误微不足道，哪些事情不可忽略，哪种朋友值得相交一世，哪种只是匆匆过客。

 

坦率地说，觉得sex and the city这个名字起得不是特好，它似乎忽略了剧本中强调的友情。但是应该叫它什么呢？friends, love and the city? 还是4 beauties in the city?

Congratulations on receiving the UBC MM degree that we all well-deserved!

 

Such a wonderful thing to see and chat with you guys, full of emotional...

 

We get the freedom, we have more choices now, let's rock the world!

既然身在加拿大，就要学会在加拿大生存。以下10条总结算是给您指点迷津：
　　
　　1、要精通厨艺，会做自己爱吃的中餐，但不要太精通、太讲究，不要缺一样配料就觉得无法下咽。
　　
　　2、要学会随时随地跟别人微笑，但不要被商人的微笑所蒙蔽而忘了去仔细读合同(注意合同的背面！)
　　
　　3、要在讲英语时忘掉汉语的习惯，别讲中式英语；但在说汉语时，也别以带英文习惯、说英式中文而自豪。那只能说明汉语的基础还需巩固。跟华人同胞见面也不要劈头就讲英文，好像是在过招儿。
　　
　　4、要直率，要改掉中国人拐弯抹角的习惯。但要学会洋人的委婉。
　　
　　5、不要带着传统教学方法的框杠来上这里的大学，那会很被动。但是，假如觉得上学枯燥，那也不必过人惊讶。做洋论文，也很可能会做得像鲁迅所说的做古文一样：通篇用典，都是自己写的，而又全非自己所做。不同的是，洋论文要求你不仅要“事出有因”，而且要“查有实据”--要有引文目录。
　　
　　6、要抵抗起个蹩脚的洋名的诱惑。不必学着别人，非得张三就叫山姆张、李四就叫西蒙李或莎莉李、王二麻子就叫马修王。不了解历史和文化，也许10年以后你才发现自己竟然跟某个臭名昭著的人物同名。但是，当你被洋人叫拼音名字时，你要准备好，对各种奇怪的叫法都得答应。假如嫁给了外国人，那就不要羞于用丈夫的姓，别以为洋人就没有势利眼的，用外国的姓有时候很能消除民族隔阂。
　　
　　7、如果是单身女子在加拿大，那一定要明白加拿大男人单独请你吃晚饭，那几乎就是汉语的“约会”的意思。吃完饭如果在他的楼下请你上去坐坐，那据说就是加拿大的约会的意思--多半就下不来了。但是，注意不要看到洋人专注热情的眼神就认为那里面有什么意思。加拿大人的五官凹凸有致、表情的透明度也高，所以那眼神也只能礼貌友好而已。更不要认为嫁给加拿大人就一定很浪漫。从表面上看，多数加拿大丈夫是跟中国丈夫一样“家常”的--假如他是个好丈夫、不花心的话。
　　
　　8、在工作方面，要看清这里的社会分工格局，看清自己的位置，不要总期望还能有在国内时那样的职位。但是，也不能完全丧失了自我。若您是以国内大学教授的身份来到这里，我劝您最好别屈就自己到餐馆打工，毕竟为中国民族培养优秀人才要有价值的多。
　　
　　9、不要一味崇洋，但是也不要妄自尊大，总拿北京上海的大酒店标准来跟这里的穷人水准相比。外国确实还有很多东西值得我们学习。但是国外的好东西，学到中国也不见得依旧精彩。
　　
　　10、在加拿大生活，要入乡随俗，尽量西化，别抱着旧皇历跟环境格格不入。但是也不要以为通过自身的努力，自己就可以变成洋人。更别以为自己就是国际人了--私有制还存在。也不必总想着自己是华人，那会把生活搞得太敏感，风声鹤唳、草木皆兵。当然也不能不想着自己是炎黄子孙！至少，加拿大社会还以它的多元文化而自豪呢。
　　
　　总之，生存在海外，角色里有很多尴尬，但要学会转化适应。

啥都别说了，有力出力吧。

 

 

用了红十字会的网上信用卡支付系统，还是挺方便的，不过只接受visa卡。

自小就希望家里养些宠物，可是因为父母的原因，从来没有机会。如今工作了，口袋不再是紧绷绷的，也有些闲工夫了，于是从昨天开始，开始实施我的养鱼大业。

 

上个礼拜去宠物店逛了一下，才发现鱼的品种五花八门，让人眼花缭乱。有圆鼓鼓的，扁扁的，三角的，扇形的，下巴朝上，朝下的，鱼鳍大，鱼鳍小的，眼睛鼓出，眼睛隐藏的，会发光的，不会发光的，内脏可视的，不可视的，尾巴像多花，尾巴基本看不见的，骨头硬，骨头软的，爱打架的，爱和平的……至于鱼的组合，更是丰富多彩，有些鱼不能生活在一起，有些鱼则起互补作用。例如那种叫beta的大尾巴鱼，两条公的在一起就会打架致一方丧命，还有一种被我称为扇子鱼（catfish的一种）的，喜欢在鱼缸底部一扇一扇的游，看上去很喜欢吃其他动物的米田共。

 

看了那么多鱼后，发现来自Africa的cichild最能吸引我，图片（http://www.timstropicals.com/FreshwaterFish/AfricanCichlids/index.asp）它们看上去有些傻乎乎的，其实精得很，一看你的手指指过去就‘呼’的一下游到你附近，然后上下打量你一番。等到发现你没给他们什么好处，就转过身体大摇大摆的游走了。

 

要养Africa的cichild,对水环境要求很高。必须是ph值为7（我差点打成ph.d了），水温在26度左右，要有filter过滤，还要定期清除水中污垢等。总之，越问到后面，就越发现养鱼是个很大的commitment.而且水馆gg还劝我一开始不要养象cichild那么难伺候的鱼。应该先养容易打理的。在他的指点下，我买了一个10gallon的小鱼缸，heater,thermometer,filter还有一些铺在水底的gravel.他让我先别买鱼，应该先回家把这些东西set up,等到水环境稳定后再来选鱼。于是乎，我背着一堆大大小小的equipments,怀着一颗期盼的心回家了。

 

养鱼之乐在于赏鱼。这些个五彩缤纷的小生命在鱼缸里游来游去。不管外面风吹雨打，不管主人心情好坏，它们都能不受影响的享受那份悠然自得。当看着这些如天使般的精灵，我又怎么能不喜欢，不羡慕，不嫉妒呢？

 

多少年后，我才能像它们那样拥有自己的悠然自得呢？

The Healthy Habits of Good Sleep

Sleep Hygiene – More Important Than You Think
Poor sleep habits – or hygiene - are among the most common problems encountered in our society. We stay up too late and get up too early. We interrupt our sleep with drugs, chemicals and work, and we overstimulate ourselves with late-night activities such as television. Good “hygiene” is anything that helps you to have a healthy life. Sleep hygiene helps you stay healthy by keeping your mind and body rested and strong. It may surprise you to learn that chronic sleep deprivation, for whatever reason, may significantly affect your health, performance, and safety.

There are many causes of sleep deprivation. The stresses of daily life may intrude upon our ability to sleep well, or perhaps we might trade sleep for more work or play. We may have medical or mental-health conditions that disrupt our sleep, and be well aware that we are sleep-deprived.

Consequences of sleep deprivation
In the short term:
• Decreased Performance and Alertness: Sleep deprivation may induce significant reductions in performance and alertness. Reducing your nighttime sleep by as little as one and a half hours for just one night could result in a reduction of daytime alertness by as much as 32%.
• Memory and Cognitive Impairment: Decreased alertness and excessive daytime sleepiness may impair your memory and your cognitive ability -- your ability to think and process information.
• Stress Relationships: Disruption of a bed partner's sleep due to a sleep disorder may cause significant problems for the relationship (for example, separate bedrooms, conflicts, moodiness, etc.).
• Poor Quality of Life: You might, for example, be unable to participate in certain activities that require sustained attention, like going to the movies, seeing your child in a school play, or watching a favorite TV show.
• Occupational Injury: Excessive sleepiness may also contribute to a greater than twofold higher risk of sustaining an occupational injury.
• Automobile Injury: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates conservatively that each year drowsy driving is responsible for at least 100,000 automobile crashes, 71,000 injuries, and 1,550 fatalities.

In the long term, the clinical consequences of untreated sleep disorders are large indeed. They are associated with numerous, serious medical illnesses, including:
• High blood pressure
• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Stroke
• Obesity
• Psychiatric problems, including depression and other mood disorders
• Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
• Mental impairment
• Fetal and childhood growth retardation
• Injury from accidents
• Disruption of bed partner's sleep quality
• Poor quality of life

With the wealth of information and treatment options available for sleep deprivation, much of the suffering, illness from the many related diseases, increase in accident rates, and effects on productivity, performance, concentration, and memory can be avoided.

Sleep Habits
It is easier for you to fall asleep at night if you have bedtime “rituals.” These are things that you do every night just before going to bed.

Normal Sleep
Contrary to what is often thought, sleep is actually an active, organized process. How and when we sleep is governed by a number of factors under our control, such as whether or not we are sleep deprived, and factors beyond our control, such as our internal biologic clock that regulates our biologic rhythm (also called a circadian rhythm) over a 24-hour period. Sleep also has an internal organization regulated by different areas of the brain.

Sleep actually occurs in stages, which occur at different times during the night. There are two major divisions of our sleep state. These are called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and non-rapid eye movement (Non-REM) sleep. Non-REM sleep is in turn further divided into four different stages (1 through 4), with stages 3 and 4 often referred to as "deep sleep." In adults, non-REM sleep occupies around 80 percent of the night, and REM sleep 20 percent. However, REM sleep does not occur in one large block. Actually, we go into REM sleep in cycles of around 90 minutes. That is, REM sleep occurs around once every 90 minutes.

Non-REM and REM Sleep
During non-REM sleep, many of the restorative functions of sleep occur. Hormones are released which help the body rebuild itself from damage done during the day. During REM sleep, memories and thoughts from the day are processed. REM sleep is the stage of sleep in which vivid dreams occur. The purpose of dreaming is not well understood, but it probably relates to processing mental information that was received during the day. During REM sleep, we normally lose the use of our limb muscles. Thus, we have an active mind in an inactive body. This normal loss of muscle activity in REM (or dream) sleep helps prevent us from acting out our dreams.

Different sleep disorders may occur during different stages of sleep. For example, sleepwalking and night terrors, common problems in children, usually occur in non-REM sleep. There are disorders of REM sleep in which the normal loss of muscle tone is absent. Affected patients may act out violent dreams and harm themselves or others.

How Much Sleep Do I Need?
There is, in fact, a wide range of sleep time that is considered "normal." While the average normal amount of sleep is around 7.5 hours per night, there are some people who do just fine on 5 hours per night, and some who require as much as 9 hours per night. The key is to find the right amount for you. The best way to tell is by seeing how you function during the day.

For example, if after 6 hours of sleep you feel refreshed in the morning and awake during your daylight hours, then you don't need more than that. If, on the other hand, you need 9 hours a night to feel refreshed and to function well during the day, then that is what your individual requirement is and sleeping the "normal" amount of 7.5 hours per night will actually leave you sleep deprived.

Good sleep hygiene can have a tremendous impact upon getting better sleep. You should wake-up feeling refreshed and alert, and you should generally not feel sleepy during the day. If this is not the case, poor sleep hygiene may be the culprit, but it is very important to consider that you may have an unrecognized sleep disorder. Many sleep disorders go unrecognized for years, leading to unnecessary suffering, poor quality of life, accidents, and great expense. Since it is clear how critical sound sleep is to your health and well-being, if you are not sleeping well, see your doctor or a sleep specialist. Below are some essentials of good sleep habits. Many of these points will seem like common sense. But it is surprising how many of these important points are ignored by many of us.

Your Personal Habits
• Fix a bedtime and an awakening time. Do not be one of those people who allows bedtime and awakening time to drift. The body "gets used" to falling asleep at a certain time, but only if this is relatively fixed. Even if you are retired or not working, this is an essential component of good sleeping habits.
• Avoid napping during the day. If you nap throughout the day, it is no wonder that you will not be able to sleep at night. The late afternoon for most people is a "sleepy time." Many people will take a nap at that time. This is generally not a bad thing to do, provided you limit the nap to 30-45 minutes and can sleep well at night.
• Avoid alcohol 4-6 hours before bedtime. Many people believe that alcohol helps them sleep. While alcohol has an immediate sleep-inducing effect, a few hours later as the alcohol levels in your blood start to fall, there is a stimulant or wake-up effect.
• Avoid caffeine 4-6 hours before bedtime. This includes caffeinated beverages such as coffee, tea and many sodas, as well as chocolate, so be careful.
• Avoid heavy, spicy, or sugary foods 4-6 hours before bedtime. These can affect your ability to stay asleep.
• Exercise regularly, but not right before bed. Regular exercise, particularly in the afternoon, can help deepen sleep. Strenuous exercise within the 2 hours before bedtime, however, can decrease your ability to fall asleep.

Your Sleeping Environment
• Use comfortable bedding. Uncomfortable bedding can prevent good sleep. Evaluate whether or not this is a source of your problem, and make appropriate changes.
• Find a comfortable temperature setting for sleeping and keep the room well ventilated. If your bedroom is too cold or too hot, it can keep you awake. A cool (not cold) bedroom is often the most conducive to sleep.
• Block out all distracting noise, and eliminate as much light as possible.
• Reserve the bed for sleep. Don't use the bed as an office, workroom or recreation room. Let your body "know" that the bed is associated with sleeping.

Getting Ready For Bed
• Try a light snack before bed. Warm milk and foods high in the amino acid tryptophan, such as bananas, may help you to sleep.
• Practice relaxation techniques before bed. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, deep breathing and others may help relieve anxiety and reduce muscle tension.
• Don't take your worries to bed. Leave your worries about job, school, daily life, etc., behind when you go to bed. Some people find it useful to assign a "worry period" during the evening or late afternoon to deal with these issues.
• Establish a pre-sleep ritual. Pre-sleep rituals, such as a warm bath or a few minutes of reading, can help you sleep.
• Get into your favorite sleeping position. If you don't fall asleep within 15-30 minutes, get up, go into another room, and read until sleepy.

Getting Up in the Middle of the Night
Most people wake up one or two times a night for various reasons. If you find that you get up in the middle of night and cannot get back to sleep within 15-20 minutes, then do not remain in the bed "trying hard" to sleep. Get out of bed. Leave the bedroom. Read, have a light snack, do some quiet activity, or take a bath. You will generally find that you can get back to sleep 20 minutes or so later. Do not perform challenging or engaging activity such as office work, housework, etc. Do not watch television.

A Word About Television
Many people fall asleep with the television on in their room. Watching television before bedtime is often a bad idea. Television is a very engaging medium that tends to keep people up. We generally recommend that the television not be in the bedroom. At the appropriate bedtime, the TV should be turned off and the patient should go to bed. Some people find that the radio helps them go to sleep. Since radio is a less engaging medium than TV, this is probably a good idea.

Other Factors
• Several physical factors are known to upset sleep. These include arthritis, acid reflux with heartburn, headaches and hot flashes.
• Psychological and mental health problems like depression, anxiety and stress are often associated with sleeping difficulty. In many cases, difficulty staying asleep may be the only presenting sign of depression. A physician should be consulted about these issues to help determine the problem and the best treatment.
• Many medications can cause sleeplessness as a side effect. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if medications you are taking can lead to sleeplessness.
• To help overall improvement in sleep patterns, your doctor may prescribe sleep medications for short-term relief of a sleep problem. The decision to take sleeping aids is a medical one to be made in the context of your overall health picture.
• Always follow the advice of your physician and other healthcare professionals. The goal is to rediscover how to sleep naturally.

Helpful Information
www.Sleepnet.com
www.rls.org - Restless Legs Syndrome Foundation
www.sleepapnea.org
www.narcolepsynetwork.org
www.quietsleep.com