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Ordinance banning homeless from sleeping outside Sacramento City Hall to go into effect Thursday
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Sacramento’s updated ordinance prohibiting unhoused individuals from sleeping outside of City Hall will go into effect on Thursday. Under the ordinance, camping outside City Hall between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. is not be allowed.City leaders said they hope it drives those camping to get the help the city is offering, while also making people feel safer entering City Hall.”We’re not trying to criminalize homelessness. We’re not trying to punish people for, you know, experiencing some sort of tragedy,” Councilman Phil Pluckebaum said. “What we’re trying to do is both create a space that’s appropriate for people coming to city hall to do business and whatever their purpose is, but also make spaces for people that are experiencing homelessness, so that they have somewhere to be with dignity.”The Sacramento City Council voted in late July to prohibit unhoused individuals from sleeping outside City Hall, reversing a 2019 policy that had allowed it. The item passed with a 6-3 vote, with council members Mai Vang, Lisa Kaplan and Caity Maple voting no.Mayor Kevin McCarty had pushed for the ordinance, claiming the cleanup costs outside of city hall were around $350,000 per year.”Having tents or sleeping bags or anything else set up in front of it is just a symbol of an abject failure in our housing policy. So, what we’re trying to do is not just erase the symbol, but also help those folks that are in those spaces,” Pluckebaum said. Throughout August, the city’s Department of Community Response has been leading outreach efforts, informing people about the changes. KCRA 3 spoke with two women who generally sleep outside of city hall on Wednesday. They said its one of the few safe places they have found to sleep. “We’re trying to survive. And City Hall is the only safe haven that we have at the moment.” Donna Valentine said. “Where is everyone supposed to go?””I feel safe because they have the camera and they have security,” Mane Davila said. “We have to figure something out after tomorrow.”Beginning Thursday, they’ll have to find a new place to sleep. Despite the outreach, Davila and Valentine did not accept the resources offered, citing what they consider to be strict rules at shelters.”They did, but unfortunately, I’m not going back to the shelter,” Valentine said. KCRA 3 observed the ordinance take effect on Thursday. Watch in the video below:The enforcement details remain unclear, but any person who violates the new rule could face a fine of at least $250 and face misdemeanor charges. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —Sacramento’s updated ordinance prohibiting unhoused individuals from sleeping outside of City Hall will go into effect on Thursday.
Under the ordinance, camping outside City Hall between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. is not be allowed.
City leaders said they hope it drives those camping to get the help the city is offering, while also making people feel safer entering City Hall.
“We’re not trying to criminalize homelessness. We’re not trying to punish people for, you know, experiencing some sort of tragedy,” Councilman Phil Pluckebaum said. “What we’re trying to do is both create a space that’s appropriate for people coming to city hall to do business and whatever their purpose is, but also make spaces for people that are experiencing homelessness, so that they have somewhere to be with dignity.”
The Sacramento City Council voted in late July to prohibit unhoused individuals from sleeping outside City Hall, reversing a 2019 policy that had allowed it. The item passed with a 6-3 vote, with council members Mai Vang, Lisa Kaplan and Caity Maple voting no.
Mayor Kevin McCarty had pushed for the ordinance, claiming the cleanup costs outside of city hall were around $350,000 per year.
“Having tents or sleeping bags or anything else set up in front of it is just a symbol of an abject failure in our housing policy. So, what we’re trying to do is not just erase the symbol, but also help those folks that are in those spaces,” Pluckebaum said.
Throughout August, the city’s Department of Community Response has been leading outreach efforts, informing people about the changes.
KCRA 3 spoke with two women who generally sleep outside of city hall on Wednesday. They said its one of the few safe places they have found to sleep.
“We’re trying to survive. And City Hall is the only safe haven that we have at the moment.” Donna Valentine said. “Where is everyone supposed to go?”
“I feel safe because they have the camera and they have security,” Mane Davila said. “We have to figure something out after tomorrow.”
Beginning Thursday, they’ll have to find a new place to sleep. Despite the outreach, Davila and Valentine did not accept the resources offered, citing what they consider to be strict rules at shelters.
“They did, but unfortunately, I’m not going back to the shelter,” Valentine said.
KCRA 3 observed the ordinance take effect on Thursday. Watch in the video below:
The enforcement details remain unclear, but any person who violates the new rule could face a fine of at least $250 and face misdemeanor charges.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
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Insomnia drugs could lead to driving and cooking while sleeping, FDA warns
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Pretty much everyone has heard of sleepwalking – and some of us even do it from time to time. But sleep cooking and sleep driving?
Engaging in such activities while not awake – a phenomenon known as complex sleep behaviors – can result from taking prescription insomnia medications, also commonly referred to as Z drugs. These medications include eszopiclone (Lunesta), zaleplon (Sonata) and zolpidem (Ambien, Edluar, and Zolpimist).
Z drugs can improve the quality, though not necessarily the duration, of sleep, according to research. But they can also pose serious risks by leading to bizarre complex sleep behaviors, including driving, cooking and eating while sleeping, the Food and Drug Administration warns.
The FDA has even had reports of people accidentally overdosing on other medications or shooting themselves while taking Z drugs.
Upon waking, people may or may not recall their complex sleep behaviors.
The FDA cautions that people could find themselves enacting complex sleep behaviors even on lower doses or after their first use, and that Z drugs could impair your ability to drive or operate machinery even the next morning.
The FDA recommends:
• Discussing the risks of taking a Z drug with your health-care provider
• Reading the patient medication guide as soon as you fill a prescription for a Z drug
• Carefully following dosing instructions from your health-care professional
• Not taking Z drugs with other sleep drugs, including those available over-the-counter
• Abstaining from alcohol use before and while using Z drugs since together they may be more likely to cause side effects.[ad_2]
Courtenay Harris Bond
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7 Steps to Getting a Better Night's Sleep – POPSUGAR Australia
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Having trouble falling asleep is an experience many people (hi, there are 50 to 70 million of us) know like the backs of our eyelids. You would think such a ubiquitous issue would have an equally ubiquitous solution – but alas, here we are. When it comes to getting a good night’s rest, many of us are, well, in the dark.
Long-term sleep loss has severe ramifications on our health and well-being. “Not getting enough sleep impacts every facet of someone’s life, from lowered immunity, disrupted digestion, and increased feelings of depression and anxiety to more long-term consequences such as increased risk of developing metabolic and heart disease,” says Kelly Murray, a certified pediatric and adult sleep consultant.
Still, knowing that we need to sleep doesn’t always help us get the job done (if only!). Ahead, Murray and Abhinav Singh, MD, director of the Indiana Sleep Center and medical review expert at The Sleep Foundation, explain why so many people struggle to catch their zzz’s – and offer six tips for finally putting your mind to rest.
Why Falling Asleep Can Feel So Hard
We need to be calm, cool, and collected to power down our brains at night. But the truth is, many of us haven’t shed the day’s worries by the time we slide beneath the covers.
“Mental and emotional stress are the most common reasons people struggle to fall asleep,” says Murray. “When we experience a stressful situation, our fight-or-flight response is triggered. As a result, ourbody produces cortisol, the alert hormone, to give us enough energy to flee the scene or fight for our lives.” Feeling the evolutionary urge to outrun a lion isn’t exactly a lullaby, right?
Worry isn’t the only thing keeping us awake at night. Factors such as genetics, irregular work schedules, and substance use can also determine how well we sleep. If you suspect that something beyond stress is fueling all that tossing and turning, make an appointment with your primary care physician, stat.
Related: 15 Products That Might Just Revolutionize Your Sleep Routine
6 Tips for Falling (And Staying) Asleep
1. Limit or Avoid Alcohol Before Bed
Alcohol is a sedative, but while it may help you fall asleep, getting a solid eight hours after a boozy evening is another story. Research shows that alcohol may suppress REM sleep during your first two sleep cycles. This means that, even if you stay in Dreamworld all night long, you may wake up feeling like you spent the night aimlessly counting sheep.
Since alcohol is a diuretic, a substance that increases fluid in the body, those couple glasses of wine may also spark a midnight pee break (or, let’s face it, a couple).
How much and how often you drink is obviously up to you. Knowing that alcohol acts as such a sleep disruptor can help you make well-informed decisions about when that martini is worth it and when you’d prefer to wake up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed the next day. These are the kind of adult decisions that, *sigh*, must be made by adults every day – so you do you.
2. Create a Borderline-Extra Bedtime Routine
When we say that you need to dream up the kind of bedtime routine that makes other people roll their eyes, we mean it. Dr. Singh recommends creating a wind-down ritual that includes a candle-lit shower, journaling, breathwork, reading, and any other activity you find relaxing.
No matter which pre-sleep practices you choose, make sure that your phone isn’t a part of the equation. “Reduce phone usage 45 min before bed and keep ambient light dim in the evenings,” says Dr. Singh.
3. Make Your Bedroom a Cave
Dr. Singh has a vision for the perfect bedroom vibe: it should be “dark like a cave, cool, quiet, and comfortable,” he says. Once you’ve completed your bedtime ritual and your eyelids start to droop, you can enter your cave-like chamber with its dim lighting, gravity blanket, sound machine, and whatever other cozycore you can think of. Having a space that’s only for sleep will signal to your brain and body that it’s time to shut down and restore.
Related: How Much Sleep Do You Really Need?
4. Stick With Your Sleep Schedule
Here is perhaps the most hated of all sleep advice: you should be going to sleep and waking up at the same time every single night. Yes, even on the weekends, according to Dr. Singh.
Keeping a strict sleep schedule reinforces your circadian rhythms, or how your body rests, awakens, and functions on a 24-hour cycle. Over time, staying true to this agenda will teach our bodies that we should be getting sleepy around, says, 10 p.m. and should be feeling up-and-at-’em around 7 a.m.
5. Don’t Stare at the Clock
While it may be tempting to look at your alarm clock and start doing mental gymnastics (“If I fall asleep in one hour, I’ll still get six hours of sleep.”), Dr. Singh and Murray both warn against all this mental math.
Inevitably, some freshman-level algebra won’t help you drift off to sleep; it will stress you out and delay your journey toward rest. In fact, a 2023 study conducted by Indiana University found that time-monitoring behaviors caused frustration and sleep troubles among the study’s 5,000 participants.
The lesson here? Turn your alarm clock away from you or, if you’re feeling bold, ban it from your bedroom entirely.
6. Have a Plan for When You Can’t Fall Asleep
We’ve all been there. Five minutes pass . . . then 30 . . . then 90. We’re still not asleep even though we’ve counted 12 dozen sheep and tried our trusty breathing exercise. If you find yourself in this position, it’s time to remove yourself from your cozy cave – difficult as it may be – and head to a more neutral part of the house. Why? Staying in your bedroom when you can’t sleep may create a negative, sleepless association with that place, which is the last thing we want.
Once you settle into the couch, engage in a hobby or activity that’s enjoyable but not overstimulating. For example, maybe you read a poem or two or engage in some light stretching. What you don’t want to do is dive into the romance book you’re currently obsessed with or turn on the television. Remember, the whole point of this little midnight intermission is to make you start to feel sleepy, not to get you so riled up that you vow never to sleep again.
Go ahead and return to your bedroom when you feel like you can no longer keep your eyes open. And hopefully, with some luck, you’ll drift off without an issue.
7. Seek Help From an Expert
One final note: Dr. Singh says that if you start to have trouble sleeping, it’s vital to seek help sooner rather than later. While you can always create better sleep habits, catching sleep disorders or negative sleep patterns when they first crop up gives you a chance to rule out any larger health issues and avoid many nights of lost sleep.
Related: This Breathing Trick Can Help You Fall Asleep Instantly – Try It Tonight
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Kells mcphillips
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What is The Connection Between Sleep and Nutrition in Children?
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During child growth and development, two big things matter a lot: sleep and nutrition. They’re like best friends, always working together and helping each other out. Understanding how these two connect is super important.
It is not just about keeping kids healthy now; it’s about making sure they can be the best they can be when they grow up.
Think of it like this: sleep and food are like a team. When one does well, the other cheers it on. This teamwork is crucial for everything in a child’s body and mind to work properly.
If we ignore how these two work together, it is like missing out on a treasure map that leads to a future where kids aren’t just okay but super awesome. We want to make sure kids not only grow but also shine bright like stars.
The Importance of Quality Sleep in Child Development
Photo by RDNE Stock project: https://www.pexels.com/photo/child-sleeping-with-toy-10566196/ 1. Sleep Cycles
Quality sleep is the cornerstone of a child’s growth. It is influential in physical health, cognitive function, and emotional well-being.
To comprehend its significance, we must first grasp the intricacies of sleep cycles.
In children, sleep cycles are composed of different stages, and each stage plays a distinct role in their development. It is like a carefully choreographed dance where each move has a specific purpose, contributing to the child’s overall well-being.
The first noteworthy stage is deep sleep, known for its restorative effects. This is the time when the body works its magic, repairing and rejuvenating. It’s like a power nap for the growing body, ensuring that the child wakes up refreshed and ready for a new day.
Another crucial stage is REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, where something fascinating happens – memory consolidation. It’s as if the brain is a diligent librarian, organizing and storing away the experiences and lessons from the day. This not only aids in memory but also plays a key role in the child’s cognitive development.
Think of these sleep cycles as essential chapters in a book, each contributing to the overall narrative of the child’s vitality. Deep sleep ensures physical well-being, while REM sleep enhances cognitive functions. Together, these phases form a dynamic duo, working in tandem to support the child’s growth and development.
2. Growth Hormone Release
During deep sleep, the pituitary gland releases growth hormone, a crucial factor in a child’s physical development. This hormone stimulates the growth of bones, tissues, and muscles, laying the foundation for a healthy body. Inadequate sleep can disrupt this process, hindering optimal growth.
3. Cognitive Function and Memory
Beyond physical development, sleep profoundly impacts a child’s cognitive function and memory consolidation. It is during sleep that the brain processes information gathered throughout the day, solidifying learning experiences.
Insufficient sleep may compromise a child’s ability to focus, learn, and retain information, affecting academic performance and intellectual growth.
The Connection Between Nutrition and Sleep
Photo by picjumbo.com (Pexels) A well-balanced diet serves as the cornerstone of a child’s overall health. It is critical for their energy levels, physical growth, and cognitive functions. Nutrients like vitamins, minerals, proteins, and carbohydrates act as the building blocks that fuel every aspect of a child’s body.
1. Micronutrients and Sleep Quality
Nutrition serves as the fuel that propels a child’s growth and sustains their energy levels. Certain micronutrients play a pivotal role in promoting quality sleep.
For instance, magnesium regulates neurotransmitters that induce sleep, while vitamin B6 aids in the production of sleep-inducing hormones. A well-balanced diet ensures the adequate intake of these micronutrients, contributing to sound and restful sleep.
2. The Impact of Macronutrients
Macronutrients, such as carbohydrates and proteins, also wield influence over sleep patterns. Carbohydrates stimulate the release of serotonin, a neurotransmitter that promotes relaxation and sleepiness.
Proteins, on the other hand, provide a sustained release of energy throughout the night, preventing disruptions in sleep due to hunger.
3. Hydration and Sleep
Often underestimated, hydration plays a vital role in ensuring optimal sleep quality. Dehydration can lead to discomfort and restlessness, disrupting a child’s ability to maintain a deep sleep state.
Encouraging adequate water intake throughout the day contributes to a well-hydrated body, fostering an environment conducive to uninterrupted sleep.
Practical Tips for Parents to Nurture Sleep and Nutrition
Creating an optimal sleep environment complements the nutritional aspect, fostering a setting conducive to restful sleep. Armed with the knowledge of the profound interplay between sleep and nutrition, parents can take proactive steps to optimize their child’s well-being.
1. Establishing a Consistent Sleep Routine
Crafting a consistent sleep routine sets the stage for healthy sleep habits. A regular bedtime, calming pre-sleep rituals, and a comfortable sleep environment contribute to a conducive atmosphere for restorative sleep. Consistency in bedtime and wake-up times helps regulate sleep cycles.
2. Nutrient-Rich Diets
Prioritizing a nutrient-rich diet is paramount in supporting a child’s growth and sleep patterns. Incorporating a variety of fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, and whole grains ensures a well-rounded intake of essential vitamins and minerals. Designing balanced meal plans that incorporate a variety of nutrient-rich foods ensures that children receive the essential elements for growth and quality sleep.
3. Encouraging Water Intake
Proper hydration is often underestimated but plays a significant role in ensuring restful sleep. Encouraging children to stay adequately hydrated throughout the day prevents discomfort and restlessness at night. A well-hydrated body contributes to a conducive environment for uninterrupted sleep.
4. Monitoring Screen Time
Excessive exposure to screens, especially before bedtime, can interfere with a child’s circadian rhythm. The blue light emitted by electronic devices can suppress melatonin production, disrupting the natural sleep-wake cycle. Implementing screen-time restrictions, particularly in the evening, promotes healthier sleep patterns.
Conclusion
The interdependence of nutrition and sleep in the life of children life is not a mere coincidence but a fundamental aspect of their development.
Nourishing the body with the right nutrients and cultivating a sleep-friendly environment work hand in hand. This paves the way for healthy, thriving, and well-rested children. By recognizing and embracing this connection, parents can nurture an environment where children not only grow but flourish into their fullest potential.
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Alfred Amuno
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Now Couples Can End Blanket Tug of War With New Blankini
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For the millions of people who put up with a blanket hog or be caught up in a blanket tug of war at night, there’s a remarkable new invention that’s brilliant in its simplicity – the Blankini.
Press Release
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updated: Dec 1, 2016
Cincinnati, Ohio, December 1, 2016 (Newswire.com)
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The Blankini Company, LLC, has just launched the Blankini, a soft, cuddly bed blanket that is divided partway down the middle, giving each person the ability to pull it up, down or over, without disturbing their partner. The genius of the product is in its simplicity. The bottom 30 inches of the Blankini is unified, so it tucks into the bed like a conventional blanket. It also has a toggle and loop at the top that keeps the blanket together if desired, but also easily unhooks so that the blanket can fold apart allowing each person to sleep undisturbed and in their desired level of comfort.The hand stitched center hems of the Blankini are soft yet durable enough to hold up to repeated flipping open and closed without fraying. The design is so unique; it is patent pending. The company has released an informational video that shows how the Blankini works so effectively.
The Blankini was the idea of Jon Hall, who has been married to his wife Lisa for 25 years and like most couples battled over the blankets, where one would be hot and the other would be cold. Hall had the idea one morning in April when he woke up cold because Lisa had kicked the blankets off overnight. He questioned why a blanket had to be all in one piece, and the idea was born. Hall chose the name Blankini, because just like a bikini, it’s better than a one piece.
“So many couples, my husband and I included, couldn’t get a good night’s sleep because one of us always seemed to be pulling the covers off each other. The Blankini puts an end to that struggle and provides peace at bedtime and a more restful night’s sleep,” says Lisa Hall, president of The Blankini Company.
The Blankini is available in cotton and flannel and in a variety of colors for both queen and king sized beds. Pricing starts at just at $49.00. For more information, or to make a purchase from the company’s website, visit TheBlankini.com.
About The Blankini Company, LLC
The Blankini Company, LLC is the designer of the Blankini, an ingenious divided bed blanket that ends the nightly blanket tug of war and thwarts the blanket hog, allowing couples to sleep more soundly and comfortably. For more information, visit TheBlankini.com.
Media Contact
Lisa Hall, President
The Blankini Company, LLC
Phone: 513-683-6145
Email: support@theblankini.comSource: The Blankini Company
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