http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lhxNCgMSNfI

What is fibromyalgia syndrome?

I was searching for articles on sleep and this problem that affects women mostly popped out?

It is estimated that around 7 to 10 million mostly female americans suffer from FMS (fibromyalgia syndrome).

"It can begin spontaneously or after an injury, particularly when associated with serious emotional stress. Fibromyalgia is characterized by a consistent pattern of non-restorative sleep or insomnia, widespread body pain and stiffness, chronic fatigue and varying degrees of anxiety and depression. Symptoms include light sensitivity, PMS, tension and migraine headaches, environmental sensitivities, TMJ, irritability and mood swings. And these symptoms are magnified when exposed to stress -"


I never knew that! So with the economic climate as it is more people are susceptible to this syndrome - and therefore become sleep deprived.!


So anyone who deals with stressful situations or facing layoffs or other situations and already has insomnia; it is important to keep in mind to try to prevent this from happening by trying to release some of that stress. Also be more aware of how to better get your daily 8 hours of sleep to stave of fibromyalgia syndrome.

It is not easy but prevention is better than a cure my grandfather always said.

Sleeping is not actually easy for some people to do

I was reading about an article from a patient who suffers from sleep disorders and related other conditions and she was complaining that it is not really easy to fall a sleep even with practicing good sleep hygene and sleep practices

Sleep deprivation is equal to being drunk

Getting less than 6 hours a night can affect coordination, reaction time and judgment; posing "a very serious risk." says a british study
Drivers are especially vulnerable, the researchers warned. They found that people who drive after being awake for 17 to 19 hours performed worse than those with a blood alcohol level of .05 percent. That's the legal limit for drunk driving in most western European countries, though most U.S. states set their blood alcohol limits at .1 percent and a few at .08 percent.
The study said 16 to 60 percent of road accidents involve sleep deprivation. The researchers said countries with drunk driving laws should consider similar restrictions against sleep-deprived driving
The British Medical Association warned that there are other problems associated with sleep deprivation beyond impaired motor skills. People who get too little sleep may have higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression, and may take unnecessary risks.
And the dangers aren't limited to drivers. People who work long shifts or night shifts, such as medical personnel or other emergency workers, may also have troubles.

This is according to a CNN article -

Wow a better way to get rid of depression and stress is to sleep a little bit more


Check out http://www.blackout-curtain-togo.com/

Did you know that may is National Better Sleep Month (May 2009)?

Here is our Product on youtube!

Portable blackout curtains for travellers!

Blackout Curtain ToGo AKA Blackout To Go is a unique sleep assistant that all light sensitive travelers should take with them.

Blackout ToGo is a kit of multiple sized Blackout Curtains that block light from LED lamps, alarm clocks, any electronic device that emits light when off and light from outside your room.

Blackout ToGo will take a light polluted hotel room or home environment and in a few minutes convert it into a darkened room that is easy to fall asleep in.

If you can not use an uncomfortable blindfold to sleep with this is a great alternative!

I was reading and article in Web MD about sleep disorders

According to that article the most important thing you can do is prepare to go to sleep throughout the day and have a positive attitude toward sleep - some people have resistance to going to bed - take my 6 year old " she hates to go to sleep" too scared she might miss something!

My son on the otherhand will go to sleep right on time - even in other people's houses.

More tips on going to sleep include
- Set clear boundaries to sleeping - and dont bring work to bed
- Do not procrastinate important things - like filing for Taxes before april 13th LOL
- Do not have a computer or television in your bed room
- Have a bed time routine - even reading to your kids is a routine for you to unwind
- Get proper excerise in the day
- Have a comfortable sleep environment - no clutter in your room, have a great bed
- NO Caffeine in the afternoon

I think those are great tips and if we can at least adopt one habit per week and try to keep it up we might see an improvement in our sleep habits dont you think?

Here is what I found on the Dr. Mercola's Health blog

"However, the story that caught my attention in last month’s issue wasn’t about the usual stuff of people, animals or the environment. The article was entitled Our Vanishing Night and it discusses the problem of light pollution.
The first time I’ve heard of light pollution, I just shook my head because I was surprised to learn that light can also be a pollutant. Light pollution is the excess light generated by human activities that shines outward and upward into the night sky and is enough to obscure many stars and other heavenly bodies.
When man-made light spills into the natural world, some aspect of life like migration, reproduction and feeding will be affected. Because light is very powerful biological force, it draws many animals to it like a magnet. For example, migratory birds can collide with tall buildings with bright lights. Songbirds sing during unnatural hours in the presence of artificial lighting. Sea turtles, which lay their eggs on dark beaches, have difficulty finding their nesting spots.
Many nocturnal mammals also look for food more cautiously due to light pollution because they’ve become easier targets for predators.
Light Pollution and your Health
We humans also need darkness. I learned through the article that darkness is important for our biological welfare because the regular oscillation of waking and sleep is a biological expression of the regular oscillation of light on Earth.
A group of cells in your brain located in the hypothalamus called the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN) controls your biological clock because the cells that form the SCN react to light and dark signals. Light travels through your eyes’ optic nerves to your SCN where it tells your body that it’s time to wake up. Light also signals your SCN to start other activities associated with being awake, like increasing your body temperature and producing hormones like cortisol.
When your eyes signal to your SCN that it’s dark outside, your body will begin to secrete melatonin, the hormone that induces sleep. How much melatonin you produce is related to the amount of bright sun exposure you have had the previous day. The less bright light, the lower the production of melatonin.
Aside from inducing sleep, there are many studies that show that melatonin also decreases your risk of cancer. So if your sleep is disrupted by light pollution, your melatonin levels will go down, increasing your risk of cancer."

Very thought proviking article dont you think???

Reading about why sleep is important..

I was reading why sleeping is so important - did you know that there is a link between breast cancer and lack of sleep - that was very scary! Maybe that reasearch is true or maybe that research is false - but the fact is I FEEL SO MUCH BETTER when I have had my proper sleep quota for the day.

So imagine people who have high pressure jobs that include travel in to the mix that they also need total darkness to sleep? Or the meeting is so important to get that client BUT you cant sleep? well the blackouttogo kit solves that problem by eliminating light pollution from lights that creep up on you in the night in a strange place when all you want to is SLEEP IN UTTER AND COMPLETE darkness - not the stupid mask that slips of your face or the towels that line the door cracks and the no pillows on your bed; because you used them to wad it over your window and curtain cracks...


well try the blackout to go curtains kit - you have nothing to lose - money back guarantee prevents you from losing money if you dont like it!

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25920811/ - great article about LED lighting and sleep

http://www.blackout-curtain-togo.com/

Sleep is one of the most important components of our physical makeup. Without a good nights sleep your most valiant efforts to get ahead in these very tough times will fall short. And none of us can afford that these days.

Technology has given us so many wonderful tools and devices to help us in our daily lives. Alarm clocks, clock radios, cell phones, televisions, computers, DVD players, game devices and the like. But all of these fabulous devices have one thing in common and that is to rob you of a good night's sleep. How is that possible you ask? Well what they all have in common is an array of LED lamps that beckon you to stay awake. Look at me. Let me illuminate your room in a bath of green, red or blue electronic light.

And if you are a light sleeper with the weight of the world pressing you into the pillow you may be more susceptible to the bath of light than other people.

Sure there are folks who can sleep through anything. Good for them!.And then there are folks who will sleep through anything with the aid of pharmaceuticals. But for the rest of us who may be sensitive to our sleep environment, including myself, we need a good night's natural sleep without distractions. And this includes not only noise pollution but LIGHT pollution. I can't use a face mask. Way too annoying to sleep!

So I have an extremely low tech way of killing the LED lamps AND light from other sources so you can have that nearly pitch black room to fall asleep in. What I hate is actually falling asleep in my bed only to be awakened by those nasty laser like LED beams bouncing off the walls. Or to be traveling for vacation or work...mostly work these days if you know what I mean and to have the hotel room door be the most annoying part of the room. That 1" to 11/2 " gap at the bottom lets in enough light from the hallway to actually read in what should be a dark room. What's up with that? I need it DARK DARK DARK to sleep!!

And speaking of hotel rooms. And I am not talking about cheesy motels.I am talking about those rooms that cost 150 to 250 per night! They all seem to have light pollution. If I am spending that kind of money I want it DARK! So I can awaken the next day, totally rested ( without drug inducement ) and attack the day with gusto! Just to make a living.

How about light creeping from behind what is supposed to be blackout curtain? At the edges and the center where the drape comes together.The parking lot lights around hotels are Mercury Vapor lamps or some such high tech illumination. And those are relentless lamps.

Why most hotels can't resolve this I don't know.

But I do know this. I can offer you the opportunity to fix it yourself in just 2 minutes before you crawl into bed. What I came up with is a new twist to the black out curtains you may have used or have seen. This idea was born out of necessity. I have a neighbor who has a yard lamp that he refuses to turn off or put on a motion detector. The light is so strong that it shines through the crack in my 2 room darkening curtains. And it illuminates my room.

That got me thinking about how to block that light without by purchasing new curtains. Coincidentally I was on travel at about that same time and spent a nearly sleepless night in a well known hotel chain room. Because of the light pollution coming from several sources The 1”gap under the door let enough light in from the hallway I could read in bed. The 3 gaps in the curtain set let in light from the parking lot. The LED lamps in the alarm clock and television. My own cell phone’s blinking LED lamp. And to top it all off right next to my pillow was an illuminated light switch. Enough! I piled towels, clothing and what ever I could to block the light in from of these laps and gaps.

But it was only a partial solution. As I dozed off to sleep it all came to me. And upon returning home to see that light streaming in from the neighbor’s light sealed the deal for me. What I put together that week was a simple and effective portable solution to this light pollution.

And the Blackout To Go kit was born. It is made from lightweight blackout material sewn into 9 blackout panels. Each panel has a specific use:

• 
  Three 12” x 84” vertical panels hung with 3M Command Strips to effectively cover the gaps in curtains and keep that light from streaming in. And it works! There is a weighted cord sewn into the bottom to keep it in place. My neighbor’s light is totally blocked! Use these as needed. On either end or in the center of the curtain set.
• 
  Two 18” x 18” panels with weights sewn into each side to keep them in place. These are used to cover any alarm clock, computer, DVD player or other device. These two panels have Velcro edges so when put together these form the bag for all the parts of the kit.
• 
  Three 6 x 6” Mini Blackout Panels held in place with 3M double sided foam adhesives. These mini panels are used to cover small devices and those pesky illuminated light switches.
  And my favorite is the 8” x 32” door gap Blackout Panel. It is weighted at the bottom edge and held in place by the foam adhesives. And the overnight bill can still be slid under the door. And boy does this block that harsh hallway light.

The whole kit is 18 x 18 x ¾” and weighs just 30 ounces. It fits at the bottom of your suitcase and all these items can be installed in about five minutes. That is the best five minutes you will spend that night. You will have created an almost total darkened sanctuary to fall asleep in.