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Sometimes I have difficulty in sleeping right away. There are just times when I feel so sleepy and I really wanted to sleep yet I just can’t seem to fall asleep. This problem of not falling asleep is what people call insomia. Insomia as defined on wikipedia.com is a sleeping disorder characterized by persistent difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep despite the opportunity. It is typically followed by functional impairment while awake. Insomniacs have been known to complain about being unable to close their eyes or "rest their mind" for more than a few minutes at a time. Both organic and non-organic insomnia constitute a sleep disorder.

So, here are some tips I got from yahoo on how to battle insomnia and get a good night sleep.

    *      Acknowledge your stressors. Consider transferring that list of items swirling around in your head at night onto a sheet of paper. This will help you feel as if you’ve gotten started with your tasks and let you get some rest.
    * Exercise regularly. It may seem counterintuitive, but upping your level of activity during the evening, when you think you’re wiped out, will help you to gain a second wind and probably to sleep better when you do retire.
    * Avoid caffeine after mid-day. Be wary, too, of sodas and teas, which often contain caffeine as well.
    * Go to bed when you’re tired. Don’t spend time staring at the ceiling and worrying about how you simply must get some sleep. Get up, do something relaxing in another room, and return to bed when you’re ready.
    * Learn relaxation techniques. Consciously attend to your breathing; imagine being in your favorite place (think: "Calgon, take me away!"); relax your muscles, scanning your body from head to toe – Pilates and yoga classes often teach these skills.
    * Maintain a routine. Changing your sleep schedule dramatically on Friday and Saturday nights can lead to a shift in your circadian rhythm that carries into the following week.
    * Consider melatonin. This hormone is a natural sleep aid. It appears to work particularly well for those who have trouble staying asleep, even though they may easily fall asleep. A dose of 0.3 mg nightly is recommended.

I have not yet tested these ways but I think these would really work. Hope it helps those insomniatic people out there struggling from this disorder. Fortunately for me, I just experience it once in a while.

We all love to drink coffee  for different reasons. To keep us awake during that overnight of studying  for our upcoming exams, to jumpstart our day or for the reason of just hanging around with friends in our favorites coffee place. Most of the time, we read or hear of the disadvantages and bad effects of caffeine in our body. But, do you know that there is also an advantage of having caffeine in our body? Read on the article below to find out this good effect we get from caffeine.

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Caffeine: Good For Your Skin
by Leslie Baumann, M.D.

We all know what caffeine can do for our moods in the morning, but caffeine is also increasingly celebrated in the dermatological community for its impact on the skin.

For years, caffeine’s ability to quickly and effectively constrict blood vessels has made it a valued topical ingredient, particularly in products designed to minimize facial flushing. For that reason, caffeine can be a tremendous boon to those who suffer from rosacea, which is essentially caused by frequently dilated blood vessels that lose their ability to contract.

La Roche Posay Rosaliac products, for example, are a great anti-inflammatory option for anyone who suffers from rosacea or facial redness. Topix Replenix CF Anti-Photoaging Complex SPF 45 is another excellent, well-rounded product that offers a blend of powerful antioxidants, caffeine, and sunscreen.

Caffeine’s blood vessel-constricting benefits also make it a go-to ingredient in many eye creams (like MD Formulations Moisture Defense Antioxidant Eye Crème, for example), as it can quickly minimize redness and puffiness.

In addition to its anti-inflammatory benefits, though, caffeine is starting to get lots of attention for its antioxidant properties when used both topically and orally. (That morning cup o’ joe might not be so bad after all!)

In fact, research suggests that both oral and topical caffeine may offer powerful anticarcinogenic benefits. A series of studies performed on mice found that caffeinated green and black teas prevented sun damage and even repaired damage once it occurred, whereas decaffeinated teas did not.

One particularly promising study suggested that topical caffeine may also repair UV damage – and that it may prove to be a stronger antioxidant than certain green tea polyphenols, currently among the strongest and best-researched antioxidants around. (On a related note, coffeeberry, which comes from the fruit of the coffee plant, is also getting a lot of attention lately as the next big antioxidant.)

Just a couple words of caution, though: Caffeine is dehydrating, so be sure to follow your coffee or tea with plenty of water. And if you’re prone to facial flushing, hot beverages can cause redness; consider enjoying your caffeinated beverages over ice.
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So, there you go! We can also benefit something good from our fave energy booster drink! Something good and beneficial for our health.