10 sleep myths busted

We found out the truth behind these fictions.

1. Catching Up

MYTH
It's good to "catch up" on sleep when you can—like sleeping in late on weekends.

TRUTH
It's tempting to sleep late on weekends, but it's important to keep a regular sleep schedule seven days a week. A regular bedtime and waking time will help you fall asleep at night.

2. Evening Workouts

MYTH
A good workout in the evening will make you tired so you'll fall asleep faster.

TRUTH
Exercising regularly does make it easier to fall asleep. But make sure you finish working out at least three hours before bedtime—preferably in the afternoon. A cooler body makes it easier to fall asleep. Exercise raises your body temperature and it takes about six hours to get back to normal temperature.

3. Older People

MYTH
Older people need less sleep.

TRUTH
It may seem like older folks get by on less sleep. But the TRUTH is, they need the same amount of sleep as younger people—seven to nine hours a day. It's their sleep patterns that change: They tend to sleep more during the day, with small naps.

4. Brain's Rest

MYTH
Sleep is needed for your brain to rest.

TRUTH
Sleep is definitely needed—but it's not your brain that needs to rest, it's your body. Your brain is still working when you're asleep, controlling bodily functions like breathing.

5. Falling Back Asleep

MYTH
If you wake up in the middle of the night, it's best to lie still and try to fall back asleep. Getting up will only wake you up more.

TRUTH
If you can't fall back asleep within 15-20 minutes, get out of bed. Go to another room and do something relaxing, like listening to music or reading. If you lie there stressing out about falling back asleep, you'll only get more anxious—and never fall asleep.

6. Your Bedroom

MYTH
It's good to hang out in your bedroom at night, before you go to sleep, because it will get you "ready" to fall asleep.

TRUTH
The more activities you associate with your bedroom—like watching TV, or working on your computer—the harder it may be to fall asleep there when you want to. It's best to use your bed only for sleep and sex, to strengthen the association between bed and sleep.

7. Sex

MYTH
Sex at night will only arouse you and keep you up.

TRUTH
Actually, sex releases endorphins that make you feel good about yourself, so it relieves stress making it easier to fall asleep.

8. Temperature

MYTH
Cozying up under heavy blankets will make you go to sleep faster.

TRUTH
The body gets into sleep mode more easily when it is at a cooler temperature. So if you must use a squishy down comforter (or two), open the window a crack to let in some fresh air. You don't want to be cold, but you don't want to get too warm either.

9. Snoring

MYTH
Snoring is common and totally harmless.

TRUTH
Snoring is common—and harmless for most people. But it also may be a symptom of sleep disorder called sleep apnea — (which can be life threatening). If you snore loudly, and there are long pauses in your snoring, you should see your doctor. Sleep apnea can be treated.

10. Alcohol

MYTH
A nice glass of wine will help calm you down and put you to sleep faster.

TRUTH
While drinking alcohol may make you tired and put you to sleep faster (and of course drinking a lot will really knock you out), you'll end up having fragmented sleep and waking up during the night.

From Yahoo Health

10 Secrets of Happy Women

1. Spread your happy thoughts

Let your daughter know how great it feels to spend the day shopping with her. Brag to your spouse about the unexpected compliment your boss paid you.

E-mail your best friend to tell her how fondly you remember the camping trip you took last year, and include a hilarious picture of your attempt to pitch a tent. Sharing happy memories and experiences with others—or even simply anticipating doing so—is one of the most powerful and effective ways to prolong and magnify joy, Bryant's research shows. "It helps sustain emotions that would otherwise fade," he says. Affirming connections with others, he adds, is "the glue that holds people together."

2. Build memories you can savor

Take mental snapshots of memorable moments that you can draw on later.

Recall vivid, specific events, and pinpoint what brought you joy. Do you love your red wool scarf because it's chic and cozy, or because its smell reminds you of your childhood romps in the snow? Interjecting mystery into happy moments—reflecting on what's surprising or hard to understand about them, for example—can strengthen their power. Just be careful not to overanalyze and lose the wonder of the moment. What you want, says University of Virginia social psychologist Timothy D. Wilson, PhD, is to dissect your experiences just enough to appreciate how they've helped form you and then get back to simply living them.

3. Pat yourself on the back

Take pride in a hard-won accomplishment—it’s not something that many people do.

If you spent a year sweating at the gym to reach a fitness goal, bask in your new jeans size—and share your success with others. Self-congratulation doesn't come easily to everyone. "A lot of people have trouble basking in an accomplishment because they feel that they shouldn't toot their own horns or rest on their laurels," Bryant says. It's a fine line between joyous self-congratulation and shameless self-promotion, but don't worry: You'll know if you're crossing it.

4. Fine tune your senses

Here’s an easy trick to hone your tastebuds or follow your nose.

Close your eyes while you roll a square of dark chocolate over your tongue or fill your lungs with salty sea air or eavesdrop on your grandchildren's play and laughter. Shutting out some sensory stimuli while concentrating on others can heighten your enjoyment of positive experiences—particularly those that are short-lived.

5. Compare downward

Comparing upward makes us feel deprived, but comparing downward can heighten enjoyment.

Think about how things could be worse—or how things used to be worse. Keep it light—you don't have to relive a scary health diagnosis or revel in a neighbor's job loss. Simply take note: Is today sunnier than the weather report predicted? Did you finish off that work project more quickly than you thought you would?

6. Get absorbed

Some joyful moments seem to call for conscious reflection and dissection.

At other times, we savor best when we simply immerse ourselves in the present moment, without deliberate analysis or judgment. Listen to your favorite music with headphones in a dark room. Lose yourself in a novel you just can’t put down. Set aside enough time on the weekend for your favorite hobby so you can attain a level of absorption known as the "flow" state.

7. Fake it till you make it

Putting on a happy face—even if you don't feel like it—actually induces greater happiness, says Bryant.

So be exuberant. Don't just eat the best peach of the season; luxuriate in every lip-smacking mouthful. Laugh out loud at a funny movie. Smile at yourself when you pass by a mirror. After all, he says, "a surefire way to kill joy is to suppress it."

8. Seize meaningful moments

Some positive events come and go quickly—a surprise toast to your accomplishments at work, your daughter's sweet 16 party.

It seems obvious that the more quickly a positive experience evaporates, the more difficult it is to savor. Yet paradoxically, Bryant has found, reminding ourselves that time is fleeting and joy transitory prompts us to seize positive moments while they last.

9. Avoid glass-half-empty thinking

The world has enough pessimists.

Short circuit negative thoughts that can only dampen enjoyment, such as self recriminations or worries about others' perceptions. When you find yourself awash in happiness, give it space to grow—don't ruminate about why you don't deserve this good thing, what could go wrong, how things could be better. Consciously make the decision to embrace joy.

10. Say thanks more often

Cultivate an "attitude of gratitude," Bryant says.

Pinpoint what you're happy about—a party invitation from a new pal, a seat on a crowded subway—and acknowledge its source. It's not always necessary to outwardly express gratitude, Bryant notes, but saying "thank you" to a friend, a stranger, or the universe deepens our happiness by making us more aware of it.

From Prevention