Sleepwalking can be disturbing to encounter, but it is typically a harmless sleep disorder. Sleepwalking is most common in children and is usually outgrown. Sleepwalking is also genetic, so if you are or were a sleepwalker, it is likely that your child will be too.

What is Sleepwalking

According to Mayo Clinic, Sleepwalking occurs during the deep sleep cycle. A person who is sleepwalking will not be aware of their actions and will not remember them in the morning. Sleepwalking can be caused by excessive fatigue, new surroundings, anxiety and stress, or medications. Sleepwalking in children is rarely a sign of other problems and unless it seems to be causing excessive sleepiness during the day, or continues into teen years, it does not need to be treated. If it causes excessive sleepiness, it may be linked to other sleep disorders such as sleep apnea. Sleepwalking includes, but is not limited actual walking. Sitting up, repeated motions such as eye rubbing, and talking or screaming are also considered sleepwalking.

How to Manage Sleepwalking

It is rumored that it can be harmful to wake a sleepwalking person. This is not true. However, it is very difficult to wake a person in deep sleep, and a child especially will be easily frightened if woken while sleepwalking. This makes the easiest course of action simply directing the sleepwalker back to bed.

There are no immediate risks to sleep walking. However, because the sleepwalker is unaware of their motions and surroundings, they can injure themselves during their nightly roams. You can help protect sleepwalkers by clearing bedroom floors so they are free from obstacles, locking doors and windows, locking doors to any rooms with harmful items, and placing baby gates over stairs. Helping your child get enough sleep can cut back on sleepwalking episodes. Set a regular sleeping schedule for your child, this includes naps, bedtimes and wake-up times. This will help your child have a routine and sleep better during the night.

If you are concerned about your sleepwalking, or your child’s, feel free to consult a doctor. A doctor will help you determine any possible underlying problems and solutions, or give you piece of mind if the sleepwalking is a normal occurrence. The good news is a few nights spent sleepwalking normally will not interfere with a restful night of sleep and leave you or your child sleepy during the day.

Photo “Unmade Bed” courtesy of Lisa Murray

It’s easy to add new style to your bedroom by giving it a fresh coat of paint. Here are few helpful tips to help make your project fun and rewarding.

Prepare

Prep work is the key to a fantastic looking paint job. While it may not be the most fun part, you certainly don’t want to cut corners. To make your room look the best prepare it carefully. First you must choose a color.

A few helpful tools will get the job done quickly.

Bring home samples and paint some swatches on the wall. You want to be fully satisfied with the color before you invest in the paint and sometimes it will look different at home than it did at the store.

Repair and Clean

Next, repair any cracks or holes in the wall. Fill them with spackle, then once it is dry sand it down with a fine sandpaper until it is nice and smooth. Then, RealSimple suggests wiping down the walls with mildly soapy water to remove any dust, dirt and oils.

Use Primer

If the walls were already a dark color you will want to use primer before you paint. Primer will help the paint look nice and even. Making it Lovely points out that primer will also help if you want to use a latex paint on top of an oil based paint.

Start With The Edges

When you are ready, you can use blue painters tape to protect any trim and windows. It can be faster to skip the tape and simply paint with a steady hand and a good angled brush. It is not too hard to get good clean lines without tape. Any mistakes can be removed quickly with a wet paper towel kept close at hand.

Always start with the edges and work your way in. Once you have the perimeter of the walls painted a few inches in, use a roller to fill in the big spaces. If you need to take a break, but aren’t ready to wash your roller or brushes, wrap them in a damp paper towel and place them in a plastic bag. This will keep the paint from drying out and ruining your brushes and rollers.

Clean Up

When you are finished you can clean latex paint out of brushes with water and a little mild dish soap. To clean oil based paints you will need to use mineral spirits. Addicted 2 Decorating provides detailed instructions for cleaning up oil based paint, if it something you’ve never done before.

Your Colors

Painting a small bedroom can be a quick project that will bring some new life into your home. Within a weekend you can have a fun new style.

What new colors would you like to try in your bedroom?

Image:Tools for the Trade by Keith Williamson

We all know that baking soda’s uses extend well beyond cookies and other baked treats. You have probably also used it to eliminate odors in your refrigerator and for a little cleaning. Here are five uses for baking soda that you may have never heard about.

Toothpaste

Mixing baking soda with a 3 percent hydrogen peroxide solution (this is the kind typically sold in drugstores) can be used as an alternative to traditional toothpaste. Just sprinkle a little baking soda on top of your regular toothpaste for extra freshening and whitening.

Soothing Insect Bites

Baking soda can be used to relieve the itch and sting associated with mosquito bites and bee stings. Simply make a thick paste with baking soda and water and rub it over the affected area.

Cleaning the Oven

You can avoid the harsh chemicals and high temperatures of cleaning the oven by using baking soda. It sounds too good to be true, but it really works! Pour a thick layer of baking soda on the bottom of your oven. Use a spray bottle to thoroughly wet the baking soda. Allow the baking soda to sit on the oven for a few hours or overnight is even better if you have the time. Then scoop out the caked mixture and wipe the surface clean.

Remove Marks from the Wall

RealSimple suggests baking soda for removing unwanted marks on painted walls. Baking soda will even remove crayon. Just sprinkle the soda on a damp sponge and scrub the mark until it comes off. Then wipe the surface clean with a fresh damp cloth.

Freshen Stuffed Animals

Stuffed animals get dirty easily and can be tough to wash. You can remove odors and oils from your kid’s favorite stuffed toys with a little baking soda.Mom.me advises using about a tablespoon per stuffed animal and tossing them together in a pillow case. After a few minutes of tossing remove the stuffed animals and shake off the excess baking soda. Then wipe the animal down with a damp cloth to remove the rest. You can fluff the stuffed animal inside the pillowcase in the dryer set on low.

Put out Fires

Baking soda can be used to put out small grease fires in the kitchen.  When a grease fire happens in your kitchen you should never pour water on it because the vapors can spread the grease and the fire. Instead, turn off the heat source and pour baking soda on the flames. The baking soda will help smother the fire.

These are just a few fun and helpful uses for baking soda. The list of all the uses for baking soda is truly endless.

How do you use baking soda in your home?

Image: “Chemical Reaction” by Kate Ter Haar