Get Better Sleep in Your Bedroom

Keep It Cool

Experts say the best temperature for the bedroom while sleeping is around 65 degrees. That may seem chilly, but your body will lower its temperature while sleeping anyway, so a too-warm room can interfere with the natural sleep cycle. If you wake up often during the night, try lowering the room’s temperature and sleeping on cooling pillows. You may sleep better when you remove blankets that are too heavy.

Make It Dark

The body’s natural sleep cycles or circadian rhythm is activated by light and dark environments. Make the bedroom as dark as you are comfortable with by using blackout curtains or curtains with liners. Even the light from street lamps is enough to keep some people awake. On the opposite end, when you need to wake up, you should flood the room with natural sunlight for a great start to the day.

The best sleep is had when you remove sources of light pollution from outside, and, if needed, sleep with a very low night light that is placed away from the bed.

Eliminate Tech Gadgets

Make the bedroom a place for sleep and not texting, office work or paying bills. You will be amazed at the sleep sanctuary you can create when you remove the TV, cellphones, laptops and tablets from the bedroom. Instead, opt for reading a novel or listening to soft music before turning out the light for sleep. If you have noise pollution from outside (traffic, garbage trucks, etc.), consider a white noise generator, which makes these ambient sounds less noticeable.

It may take time to adjust, but removing tech gadgets also removes the blue light exposure that is known to keep people awake.

Declutter the Bedroom

You will sleep better in an area that is clear from clutter. It is suggested that you keep the bedroom orderly and pleasant. Consider diffusing your favorite calming scents like lavender, jasmine or frankincense in the air. If your surroundings are chaotic, cramped or unpleasant — your sleep may be affected. Consider keeping the nightstand tidy, storing books and other items in bins underneath the bed, and keeping clothes hung in the closet.

Consider these 17 Proven Tips to Sleep Better offered by Healthline.com.

We welcome you to a peaceful night of relaxing sleep at Audubon Parc apartment home in Cary, NC. Our spacious one-bedroom to three-bedroom apartments are available with lofts or a den to give you that extra space you need to turn your bedroom into an oasis for sleep.

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Many of the residents of our Cary, NC, apartments prefer to eat healthily, but like most busy people, they know it's not always easy to get the vitamins and nutrients their bodies need. When it comes to a well-rounded diet, leafy greens are essential, and broccoli — with its power-packed offerings of beta-carotene, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc and vitamins B1, B2, B3, and B6 — is the perfect accompaniment to any meal. However, it can be tough to fit this fine vegetable into everyday meals. 

With this in mind, we've taken the challenge of helping you find different ways to embrace broccoli.

1. High-Fiber Broccoli Smoothie

Whether you have kids who won't eat their broccoli or you're just trying to figure out how to integrate this veggie into your own diet, this smoothie will hide the vegetable elements while giving you a sweet, thirst-quenching smoothie that'll leave you wanting seconds. For extra texture, freeze the bananas, cherries, and avocado. You can also freeze the pomegranate juice in an ice cube tray.

2. Broccoli and Feta Pesto Sauce

You don't have to eat whole raw broccoli if you don't want to. A little olive oil and feta cheese will transform steamed broccoli into an outstanding sauce that you can pour over any pasta. It's also great for many types of meat, particularly grilled chicken breast.

3. Broccoli Cheddar Crackers

Stop feeling guilty about your late-night snack cravings. When you sit down to binge on your favorite Netflix shows, put the popcorn down and leave the ice cream in the freezer. These scrumptious little chips are filled with healthy ingredients, including broccoli. While they're great all by themselves, they're even better when dipped in hummus. Of course, you can purchase store-bought hummus, but if you're feeling really crafty, consider making your own. This broccoli hummus recipe brings your veggie efforts full circle with very little effort.

4. Roasted Broccoli and Cheddar Soup

Soup is an easy item to take to work so you don't feel the need to eat out or munch on unhealthy frozen food. This rich and creamy recipe is thick enough to satisfy your midday hunger pangs while giving your body more of the nutrients it needs.

Great eating starts with a beautiful kitchen. Stop by our Audubon Parc Apartments so we can show you our chic kitchens with white shaker cabinets, subway tile backsplashes, white and charcoal gray countertops, and black stainless steel appliances today!

The post Embracing Broccoli: How You Can Get More of This Green Garden Veg appeared first on Audubon Parc Blog.

Set Up a Workout Spot

If you plan on using the same area in your apartment for workouts, such as your living room or bedroom, set it up as a handy workout spot. Keep a basket in this area with any fitness equipment you’ll be using, such as weights, resistance bands or a yoga mat. This makes it convenient for you to get started on your workout routine on a daily basis. Make sure you have enough room in your workout spot to move around while doing stretches and other exercises. 

Be Accountable to Someone

One of the challenges of working out at home is that it’s easy to skip your workout routine if you don’t feel like doing it. You can overcome this by having an accountability partner. Let a friend or family member know about your daily or weekly fitness goals, and check in with them regularly. Knowing that you’ll have to tell someone else whether or not you did your workout can help you stay motivated enough to do it even when you don’t want to.

Use Media and Technology

If you’re not sure what exercises to do, consider following a workout routine with help from online videos, apps or DVDs. This can provide you with guidance, so that you can do the kind of workout you need in order to achieve your particular goals. For example, you can do a yoga workout, a low-impact cardio workout or some strength training with specific exercises while watching someone demonstrate how to do them.

When you want to get outside your apartment and exercise, our community features a pool, yoga and stretching rooms, and a fitness studio. Contact us for more information on our apartments in Cary, NC.

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Borrow a dog

If you don't have a furry family member of your own, borrow one from a neighbor. Fido will seldom refuse an excuse to go sniff about the landscape, and while you've got a leash in hand, you'll be adding to your daily step count. Since we're a pet-friendly community, you can rest assured that there are dozens of dogs that would be happy to accompany you on your evening strolls. Even better? Consider adopting a dog who needs a forever home if you've got the time and ability to care for such a creature.

Take the stairs

Elevators are often the popular option over stairs, but if you go the route less traveled, you'll gain steps and help your heart stay healthy while still heading to your normal destinations. Anytime you put your finger on the elevator call button, ask yourself if you'd be able to take the stairs instead. This is an incredibly easy way to build positive habits into your days.

Dance like no one's watching

Dancing is a great way to let go and alleviate stress. After you chuck your work clothes on the bed and slip into something more comfy, crank the music for a few minutes and let loose. If you can't find the time for a three-minute jam session, do a little jig with your favorite songs while you're cooking dinner. Suddenly, the kitchen becomes your stage and you've got some serious talents to showcase.

Have an afternoon office-gossip walk

Everybody needs to vent about work from time to time. Grab a colleague and head outside for a walk around the parking lot or a nearby park in the afternoon. Not only will this increase your steps, but it'll help remove strain from your eyes and give you a clearer head when it's time to get back to work.

At our Audubon Parc apartments, we're proud to say that we do our part to contribute to the health and wellness of our residents. Stop by, so we can show you our dedicated yoga rooms and awesome fitness studio.

The post Fun Ways to Reach Your Daily Step Goals appeared first on Audubon Parc Blog.

Single Serving Gluten-Free Bread

This recipe for single serving gluten-free bread is so simple to make you’ll want to keep the recipe on hand for last-minute bread cravings.

Ingredients:

• 1 egg, medium
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1/3 cup gluten-free flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon water

Directions:

1. Combine the egg, water, and buttermilk in a bowl with a whisk.
2. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and honey until combined.
3. Pour the mix into a shallow saucer.
4. Place in the microwave on high for about a minute and a half.

Gluten-Free Bread Loaf

This bread comes out looking just like a regular loaf of bread, except that it’s totally gluten-free. Use it to make sandwiches, toast or anything else you’d make with “regular” bread. First, make the brown rice flour blend.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups brown rice flour
• 1 1/2 cups tapioca starch
• 1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Use a whisk to combine thoroughly. Set aside.

Ingredients:

• 4 1/2 cups of the rice flour blend
• 1 tablespoon gelatin powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 cup powdered milk
• 3 eggs, medium
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons white vinegar
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1 package dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water

Directions:

1. Add the yeast to the warm water. Set aside.
2. Grease two bread pans and set aside.
3. Mix the dry ingredients together with a whisk.
4. Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and blend.
6. Add the yeast to the mixture and blend.
7. Pour the dough into two greased bread pans.
8. Allow the dough to rise for one hour.
9. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
10. Turn out onto a cutting board and enjoy!

Keep these two gluten-free bread recipes on hand for guests who have gluten allergies, or anytime you want to enjoy gluten-free bread. To learn more about apartments in Cary, please contact us today.

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