Tag Archive for: keep

Clocks change 2016: How to make sure it doesn’t affect your sleep

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SleeplessNightThe change of the clocks can cause sleepless nights

Every spring we face the ritual of altering the clocks as we move to British Summer Time.

It’s a bit of a headache to make sure all the clocks in the house, the car and everywhere else have been changed.

Electronic devices usually update automatically but it’s always worth checking to see they have done it.

When do the clocks go forward in 2016? Why do we do it?

 

For many people the shift in times of sunrises and sunsets has a detrimental effect as their bodies adjust to new sleep patterns.

Those lighter evenings and darker mornings can make a real difference because of the way we are attuned to daylight – and the lack of it.

To help you avoid disrupted sleep, here are some handy tips for improving your chances of getting the full eight hours when the clocks go forward.

Adjust your Sunday routines

Sunday night can be one of the most stressful times of the week for the typical UK family, and one which typically follows the same pattern.

Children are frantically attempting to finish off any last-minute homework, while the adults get things ready for a busy week ahead at work.

One way to cope with the lost hour of sleep is to bring your Sunday habits back by an hour before it happens.

For example, if you normally eat your roast dinner at 5pm then aim to dine at 4pm on the Sunday of the clock change.

You should also make sure you don’t have too long a lie-in on the Sunday morning, so you’re completely ready for an early night.

A warm bath can work wonders

If you are someone who can take a while to drift off after getting into bed, here’s a fantastic tip for speeding up the onset of sleep.

Scientists say sleep is preceded by your body temperature dropping slightly.

Having a warm bath two hours before bed will gently raise your body temperature and when you get out of the water it will fall, tricking your body into thinking it’s time to sleep.

Add a drop or two of chamomile or lavender oil to the water too. Both of these essential oils are proven to help stressed or anxious people to fall and stay asleep.

Shut out the light

Many people find that one of the hardest things about the clocks going forward is attempting to fall asleep while it’s still light outside.

One of the best ways to tackle this tricky problem is to invest in some blackout blinds for the bedroom windows.

Even a small chink of light creeping into your bedroom, such as from the street lamps outside, can cause problems sleeping. So by helping stop outside light getting inside, blackout blinds can significantly improve sleep quality.

When the clocks go forward and the days lengthen, blackout blinds or heavily lined curtains will help keep your bedroom dark and sleep friendly even though the evenings and mornings are light.

Know the right foods and drinks

It’s a well-known fact that drinks high in caffeine, such as coffee, tea and energy drinks, can keep you awake if consumed after a certain point in the day.

But did you know there are foods that should also be avoided to prepare your body properly for sleep?

Foods to avoid within your meals and snacks on the day of the clock change include chocolate, ice cream and yogurt with coffee flavourings, protein bars, sugary sweets and other confectionery.

 

http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/clocks-going-forward-affect-sleep-11064089

5 tips to keep your homes warm and cosy in winter

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imgID44773891.jpg-pwrt3-300x200KEEP the heat in and the cold out this winter with a few simple measures that won’t break the bank.

1. A quarter of the heat in an uninsulated house is lost through the roof, according to the Energy Saving Trust.

Insulating the loft is a great way to retain heat and save money.

Even if your loft has insulation, it may not be thick enough. The recommended depth for mineral wool is 27cms, but other types of insulation maybe different.

You should lay the insulation between the joists and then across them at a 90-degree angle to create two layers, although rigid insulation boards are useful if you want to board over the loft for storage.

2. Open chimney breasts can be very draughty, so if you have an unused fireplace, get the chimney capped on the roof and fit a chimney balloon from below. This inflates inside the chimneytokeep warm air in the room and block cold air coming downthe chimney, though, of course, the fireplace can’t then be used.

3. Letting in sunlight during the day makes rooms warmer, especially if they’re south-facing.

The best way to retain that heat is to close the curtains or blinds when it starts to get dark.

If you’re at work at that time, clever technology can do it for you.

If you want the blinds to close at dusk or when the temperature falls below a certain level, you can set them to, so the room stays warmer than it otherwise would.

4. If youprefer curtains,makesure they’re thermal ones or have a thick lining. This is one of the best ways to minimise heat loss through windows and patio doors.

Forextra insulation at thistimeof year, fit a curtain pole above your home’s front and back doors and hang a thick curtain across them, especiallyif the doorsare partially or fully-glazed.

5. To keep your boiler working efficiently, make sure it’s serviced annually.

Research by boiler manufacturer Worcester, Bosch Group found that fewer than half the homeowners questioned remembered to do this, while one in five had never had their boiler serviced.

Worcester’sMartyn Bridges said: “Even new boilers need to be checked each year. This is even more important the older the boiler gets. A boiler is one of the most relied-on appliances in the home,but is largelyforgotten until it actually stops working.”

A boiler service, which should include checking the effectiveness of the flue and that the boiler is safe, must be carried out by a Gas Safe Register engineer (gassaferegister.co.uk), – or OFTEC registered (oftec.org.uk /consumers/consumers) for oil fired boilers.

 

http://www.clactonandfrintongazette.co.uk/news/north_essex_news/14137927.5_tips_to_keep_your_homes_warm_and_cosy_in_winter/

 

10 Ways To Keep Your Home Cool.. Without Touching The Air Conditioner

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1. Keep your blinds closed. As simple as it may seem, the Family Handyman notes that up to 30 percent of unwanted heat comes from your windows, and utilizing shades, curtains and the like can save you up to 7 percent on your bills and lower indoor temperatures by up to 20 degrees. In other words, it essentially prevents your home from becoming a miniature greenhouse, which is especially the case for south- and west-facing windows.

o-CURTAINS-FLOWERS-570

Read the complete article here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/25/ways-to-cool-your-home_n_5516182.html

More comfortable summers

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Sky light blinds

 

Q: Will solar blinds really keep my home cooler in summer? We have two large bay windows and I was looking at installing some Krumpers solar blinds or perhaps some awnings. I’m skeptical about the blinds since they still let heat inside the glass.

A: Your plan is a great way to reduce heat buildup during summer. And though I don’t have any personal experience with the blinds you’re thinking of, I expect they’ll help quite a bit. The research I’ve looked at with the Krumpers product impresses me.

Your concern about heat still getting between the glass and the blinds probably won’t turn out to be an issue. The light colour of solar blinds will reflect energy back out again through the glass, but you don’t necessarily need to go ahead on mere “blind” faith. Before you commit to buying, try simulating blinds by putting a sheet over your window temporarily during sunny weather. I think you’ll find it makes quite a difference, and proper blinds will make even more of a difference.

Although most people don’t realise it, openable skylights with blinds offer another option for keeping houses cooler during the summer. Even homes with central air conditioning often still have upper rooms that are way too hot in the summer. A few operable skylights left open even an inch or two allow hot air to escape outside, enabling the air conditioner to do its job upstairs. The best solar skylights don’t require wiring and they can open and close electrically, either on schedule or manually. They also close automatically when the first drops of rain hit.

 

STEVE MAXWELL | HOUSEWORKS
Published May 24, 2014 – 12:00am
Last Updated May 24, 2014 – 12:10am

 

Toddler’s Death Prompts New Warnings For Window Blind Cords

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When we find out we’re having children, we end up doing everything in our power to baby-proof our homes to keep our little ones safe and out of trouble. We pad table corners, deadbolt doors, lock cabinets, plug outlets and put window-blind cords up high out of the reach of little hands. Erica Barnes Thomas did everything she could to keep her two children, Charlie, 6 and Mac, 2, safe. She was vigilant and made certain that all safety precautions were taken, especially when she had roman shades hung in Mac’s room, having them installed with the pull-cord on the opposite side, so it was further away from her son’s bed, as well has having a child-safety release installed on the cord as well.

The-Thomas-Family

However, despite all the hyper-vigilance, tragedy struck. On Saturday March 1st, Thomas’ oldest son Charlie, woke up at 6:30 a.m., and went downstairs into the living room to watch cartoons. Mac was still asleep when his mother checked on him, which wasn’t anything out of the ordinary, as Mac would always sleep later than his brother. Thomas busied herself by getting breakfast ready.

The morning was set to be a busy one, as the family was preparing for Thomas’ husband Stephen, a U.S. Army physician to return home from deployment in Jordan. They still had a few last minute errands to run, but by 9 a.m., she decided that it was time to wake up Mac. However, when she walked into his bedroom, she found him lying on the floor, clutching his two favorite stuffed animals. Thomas explains what happened next “I thought he was sleeping, he looked like he was sleeping, but he didn’t get up. I thought ‘Maybe he’s really sick.’ As soon as I touched his cheek, I knew.” Thomas immediately called 911 and began CPR on her son, but it was too late. He had been strangled by a hidden cord that ran behind the window covering.

Mac is one of the four children in the last two months who have died of cord strangulation from pull-cords on window coverings. Nearly 300 deaths have been documented from strangulation in window-blind cords between 1996 and 2012. On average, 1 child a month dies from the cords that are on window treatments, according to Kim Dulic, spokesperson for the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Dulic says, “all cords are bad, whether it’s on the front, back or side. Kids and cords don’t mix – that’s the message the commission wants to get out.”

Many parents already were aware to either cut the cords, tape them out of reach of their children, or tie it. But many parents are not aware that children can also strangle themselves on the cords that run through the blinds or down the back of the blinds. Various consumer and product safety groups have issued warnings and are now asking the government to take action and create mandatory standards for the window covering industries to follow.

Later on, when Thomas entered her son’s bedroom, she noticed a cord hanging from the window-shade. However, the pull-cord was still near the ceiling, out of reach. She believes that Mac must have woken up and climbed onto the only chair that was in his bedroom to look out his window, and must have gotten caught and strangled on the cord that ran behind the blinds.

CPSC acting chairman, Bob Adler offers some advice. “Make sure all loose cords in your home are inaccessible. The commission recommends buying cordless blinds. It is the safest option for your family.”

Source

Blinds help to keep your home warm and reduce your energy bills.

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autumnThe time of year has hit us again, Autumn.  It is sunny and warm for some time and then the chill hits.

Blinds that cover your windows will save you a minimum 25% off your heating costs.  Not only is this good for your pocket but it also is good for the planet.

Paul Pollard-Fraser from Deva blinds says “I live in a modern apartment in the middle of Chester and I have a roller blind over my patio doors.  In the winter I can feel the cold air when I open my blinds in the morning.  It is another thermal barrier against the cold.”

If you want to keep warm this winter think about using blinds to cover your windows.

A good example is the blocOut blind, please look at the various options here.

Keep warm this winter and dress your windows with blinds, they don’t cost the earth, but will help save it.