Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Sleep Walking Tips
|
Sleepwalking is often parodied on television and in the movies, but when it happens in our own homes it can be rather scary. Estimates vary, but some say that as many as 17% of children and 10% of adults sleepwalk. So if it is happening to you or someone you love, you're certainly not alone.
Someone who gets up in the middle of the night and walks around in a dazed manner is probably sleepwalking. But that's not all that happens. Some sleepwalkers don't walk at all, but they sit up in bed and talk. Others get up and eat, feed pets, or go for a stroll outside.
In and of itself, sleepwalking is not a dangerous condition. It usually requires no treatment unless it is happening regularly. The most important concern is keeping the sleepwalker safe. Here are some of the do's and don'ts of dealing with a sleepwalker.
Do's
* Keep the windows and doors shut and locked. If you find that the sleepwalker is trying to open them, consider putting child locks on them. Even if you have an adult sleepwalker, he will probably be incapable of figuring them out while asleep.
* Put up safety gates. This is especially important at staircases. You could also block off a small area so that the sleepwalker can't go outside of it. But if the sleepwalker is a child, it's a good idea to provide access to the bathroom and your bedroom.
* Let the sleepwalker sleep on the ground floor if possible. This will make it even less likely that he will fall down the stairs or go out a high window.
* Get rid of clutter on the floor. Sleepwalkers are prone to tripping and falling, so it is important to eliminate items that present a danger as much as possible.
* Keep sharp, breakable, and otherwise dangerous items in a safe place. Lock them up in a cabinet, or put them far out of reach.
Don'ts
* Never let a sleepwalker sleep on the top bunk. He could attempt to step out of bed and fall to the floor, possibly resulting in severe injuries.
* Don't wake someone who is sleepwalking. This could frighten him terribly. Instead, talk to him in a soothing voice and lead him back to bed.
* Don't let the sleepwalker drink a lot of liquids in the evening. In some cases, a full bladder can be a contributing factor in sleepwalking episodes. Caffeine should also be avoided in the evening, because it can cause sleep disturbances, which may exacerbate the problem.
Sleepwalking isn't cause for alarm as long as the sleepwalker doesn't harm himself or others. If he does, or if sleepwalking occurs more than a couple of times a month, it might be time to get a doctor involved. But in most cases, simply maintaining a safe environment is preferable to medical treatment.
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Is There A Driving Difference Between Men And Women?
Men have historically made joking degrading remarks about women drivers.
For years there has been an ongoing debate: who are the better drivers, men or women? While everyone has their own opinions and experiences, statistics show that men are significantly more likely to die in a motor vehicle accident. But why is this, and does is really mean that women are better at driving?
There are several factors that affect this difference in accident and death rates between the two sexes:
More miles. One of the biggest factors in men having more accidents is simple - they drive more. More miles means men are more likely to have an accident, no matter how well they drive. In fact, the number of women that die in motor vehicle accidents has been steadily rising as more women obtain licenses and drive more miles. However, more men than women still die in accidents even if you account for total miles driven.
Reckless behavior. Men, especially younger men, are more likely to participate in reckless driving behavior, such as speeding and driving while intoxicated. This greatly increases the chances of an accident, especially a fatal one. This is usually attributed to the fact that young men feel that they are invincible, and that the statistics just don’t apply to them.
Seat belts. Women are more likely than men to wear their seatbelt. Even if they had the same number of accidents, this would still mean that more men die in accidents, given seat belts have been proven to save lives.
It’s not just the number of accidents that are different between men and women; they also have different types of accidents. Women are generally involved in minor accidents that take place in traffic, particularly at intersections. Men are more likely to be involved in one-car accidents that are not in traffic.
The explanation for this is that while women may make silly mistakes, like missing a red light, men are more likely to crash because they are speeding, driving recklessly, or driving under the influence. This type of accident is more likely to be fatal. While the number or total accidents is becoming more equal for men and women, there are still more male fatalities.
For older people, there are fewer differences between men and women drivers, but this doesn’t apply for younger men and women. While young women exhibit driving behavior similar to older people, young men participate in more reckless behavior. That is why insurance rates for adult males and females are often the same, while insurance rates for males under twenty-five are much higher than rates for females of the same age.
While gender can be a good indicator of driving habits, the person matters more. There are many teen boys who are perfectly safe drivers, and many older women who have frequent accidents and display very risky driving behavior.
For years there has been an ongoing debate: who are the better drivers, men or women? While everyone has their own opinions and experiences, statistics show that men are significantly more likely to die in a motor vehicle accident. But why is this, and does is really mean that women are better at driving?
There are several factors that affect this difference in accident and death rates between the two sexes:
More miles. One of the biggest factors in men having more accidents is simple - they drive more. More miles means men are more likely to have an accident, no matter how well they drive. In fact, the number of women that die in motor vehicle accidents has been steadily rising as more women obtain licenses and drive more miles. However, more men than women still die in accidents even if you account for total miles driven.
Reckless behavior. Men, especially younger men, are more likely to participate in reckless driving behavior, such as speeding and driving while intoxicated. This greatly increases the chances of an accident, especially a fatal one. This is usually attributed to the fact that young men feel that they are invincible, and that the statistics just don’t apply to them.
Seat belts. Women are more likely than men to wear their seatbelt. Even if they had the same number of accidents, this would still mean that more men die in accidents, given seat belts have been proven to save lives.
It’s not just the number of accidents that are different between men and women; they also have different types of accidents. Women are generally involved in minor accidents that take place in traffic, particularly at intersections. Men are more likely to be involved in one-car accidents that are not in traffic.
The explanation for this is that while women may make silly mistakes, like missing a red light, men are more likely to crash because they are speeding, driving recklessly, or driving under the influence. This type of accident is more likely to be fatal. While the number or total accidents is becoming more equal for men and women, there are still more male fatalities.
For older people, there are fewer differences between men and women drivers, but this doesn’t apply for younger men and women. While young women exhibit driving behavior similar to older people, young men participate in more reckless behavior. That is why insurance rates for adult males and females are often the same, while insurance rates for males under twenty-five are much higher than rates for females of the same age.
While gender can be a good indicator of driving habits, the person matters more. There are many teen boys who are perfectly safe drivers, and many older women who have frequent accidents and display very risky driving behavior.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)