one percent Thursday

30 June 2011

1% Thursday: On Hiatus

Thank you all so much for your encouraging comments regarding 1% Thursday, which has been running since May 2009. It’s been great to hear your comments and ideas, and also to hear that the tips have been a help!

There have now been about 25 months of 1% Thursdays, which translates into almost 90 tips. I’m going to be taking a break from the weekly entries for the time being.

Instead, I will occasionally post a question for you to answer – either here or on Facebook or Twitter! This will give you all a chance to offer your own tips on various topics.

Also, I may once in a while point you to an earlier 1% Thursday, since I know we have many new visitors here.

Thanks again for your support! I hope you’ll continue to find clear, timely, practical information here at Headache and Migraine News. 🙂

23 June 2011

1% Thursday: Cool Head

James Tips 1

Another study is saying what many of us have known for a long time. Cool head = Better sleep.

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine were wondering if people who couldn’t sleep had brains that were too hot. Maybe their thinking was heating up their brains (or perhaps hot brains were making people think more!). So what if people cooled down their heads?

In this very small study of 12 insomniacs, patients wore a cap of cooling water (similar to the SootheAway Continuous Thermal Therapy Device). When they used the cap, they slept almost normally. And when the caps were set to an even cooler temperature, sleep clearly improved.

There are simple, and more complex ways to cool your brain. We’ve talked about a cold shower, but even wetting your hair could help you get to sleep. There are also pillows that tend to be cooler, such as the buckwheat hull pillow or the Chillow. You could also try to above SootheAway Device for a few minutes right before you sleep.

Oh, and sometimes just lowering the temperature of the room makes all the difference, if you can do it.

Keep a cool head at night. You’ll be glad you did.

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!

16 June 2011

1% Thursday: Alternate Drinks

James Tips 1

We drink a lot of sugar. Yes, even those genuine 100% real juices are full of – you guessed it – sugar. Oh, natural sugar, of course. And yes, I do buy 100% juices. But all those calories add up quickly, and the sugar in your body spikes and all kinds of problems come of it.

So the tip today is not to give up drinking juice, or other sugary drinks. Here’s just a place to start…

After you drink a glass of juice, or Coke, or even milk… drink a glass of water.

That’s it. Alternate.

It might not change your life drastically, but it will start you on the path to drinking fewer sugars if you’re used to it.

By the way, I said water. Plain, 100% pure, water. No flavouring added. Just water.

And if that’s a problem for you – well, you need to get to know and love water even more than the rest of us. If that’s a problem, you need to take this post more seriously than ever.

By the way, here’s another juice tip for you, and another..

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!

9 June 2011

1% Thursday: Relax the Jaw

James Tips 3

A lot of pain is triggered by problems in the jaw. You may not realize it, but you could be clenching and tightening your jaw muscles during the day, or at night.

You could avoid a lot of pain long-term by simply learning how to hold your jaw. In fact, learning how to properly relax it during the day could even help avoid problems while you’re asleep with clenching and/or grinding.

I’d like to pass on some advice from Robert O. Uppgaard DDS in his excellent book Taking Control of TMJ.

Make a "cluck" sound with your tongue. The front third of your tongue should rest on the roof of your mouth.
Maintain this position using slight pressure. Do not allow the tongue to touch the teeth.
Keep your lips together.
Your teeth should be slightly apart and your lower jaw should be completely relaxed.
Breathe through your nose. Breathe deeply, from the diaphragm rather than from the chest.

I recommend making this exercise a lifelong habit. Always remember:

Lips together
Teeth slightly apart
Tongue resting on the roof of the mouth
Lower jaw relaxed

If you feel that your jaw is triggering a lot of your pain, I recommend you get a copy of the book and try the many other tips and exercises. Meanwhile, this one alone could make a big difference.

A review of the book can be found at Taking Control of TMJ: A Review of the Book.

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!

2 June 2011

1% Thursday: Quiet (without sore ears)

James Tips 0

Phonophobia. That’s what many migraine sufferers have. Basically, it means that noise bothers you. Sometimes that’s the slightest noise. Sometimes it’s all the time, and not just during a migraine attack.

At night, ear plugs are a great option. But sometimes they slip out of your ears. Sometimes they hurt your ears. Sometimes they just don’t cut out enough noise.

If noise bothers you, and you need to sleep… if you have a noisy house and you need to sleep during the day (for example, when you’re sick with a migraine attack)… if you have a spouse that snores… it may be time to invest in some serious quality ear plugs.

The Westone Model 40 Custom-Fit High Noise Multi-Purpose Ear Plugs are just that. These babies are custom made to fit your ears.

That’s right, you actually get a special kit, and you take an impression of your ears, and send it back to them. The ear plugs are then made specifically for you. You can even pick the colour so it goes with your lovely eyes. 😉

Here’s what one customer said:

I’ve gone from store bought foam earplugs to these custom earplugs. Wow, what a difference. The best thing about them is that they don’t hurt like the foam ones since they’re made to fit my ears. I’m not having any headaches, I’m getting a good night’s sleep and best of all, I don’t hear my husband’s snoring or loud breathing! …They’re very comfortable and I can’t recommend them enough. I wish I’d bought these 10+ years ago!

Incidentally, I’m not affiliated with or getting paid by this company. I just think this may be a big help to many of you who desperately need sleep and have written off ear plugs because you’ve only tried the cheap store bought kind.

There are certain things that are worth the money – and this may be it for many of you. The Custom-Fit High Noise Multi-Purpose Ear Plugs ear plugs are here, and for a few dollars less you can also try the Custom-Fit Maximum Sleep Ear Plugs.

What is 1% Thursday?

Every Thursday at Headache and Migraine News (weather permitting) we’ll talk about one measurable, practical thing we can do to make our lives just 1% better. Usually it will be something very easy, sometimes it will be a challenge. Let us know if you try it, or share an idea of your own – and maybe a year from now we’ll see that things have really changed for the better!