Snowmobile Fun and Safety

picture via essentialtreesources. com

picture via essentialtreesources. com

There’s no doubt that snowmobiles are a fun and exhilarating winter sport, but along with the fun comes risk. Each year there are snowmobiling accidents and fatalities. In Minnesota alone, there were 212 accidents and 19 fatalities in 2011. A large number, over 70 percent, of these accidents involved alcohol. So how do you stay safe on the trails and enjoy playing in the snow? Keep reading for the essential do’s and don’ts of snowmobile safety.

DO check the condition of your equipment before heading out. A good checklist includes checking the throttle, belt, lights, brakes, skis, fuel and battery. If you have an emergency kit on the sled, make sure that it’s well-stocked with essentials such as a flashlight, flares and a first-aid kit.

DON’T combine snowmobiling with alcohol. As stated above, a large amount of snowmobiling accidents involve alcohol. An inebriated snowmobile driver has the same problems as a drunk driver on the roads, including impaired balance, reactions and concentration. Don’t just avoid alcohol yourself, but also avoid riding with those who have imbibed.

DO dress appropriately. Dressing for snowmobiling is not just about safety, but potentially also about survival. Wear plenty of layers to stay warm and dry. Always wear gloves, a helmet and goggles. Make sure the helmet is an approved DOT helmet. Gloves and goggles keep the elements out and increase safety.

DON’T ride too long and be cautious about riding at night. The longer you ride, the more your concentration dulls. The assault on the senses during snowmobiling tends to dull your concentration over a long period of time. Take breaks every few hours to keep it sharp. It’s generally not a good idea to snowmobile at night, but if you do, make sure not to overdrive your lights so you can see obstacles in plenty of time to avoid a collision.

DO stay on the trails if you’re participating in a snowmobile event (ex. a large race featured in Idaho Falls Magazine or some of the events Red Bull sponsors). There are two main reasons for staying on trails while snowmobiling. One is simply safety. The trails were made for a reason. The second is that trespassing tends to be a big complaint regarding snowmobiles and you could be ruining it for everyone else if you venture into private property. It’s also important to respect the wildlife and staying on the trails can help this.

DON’T ride on ice. In general it’s best to avoid frozen lakes and rivers, but if you do, make sure you’re prepared by wearing a life jacket over the rest of your clothing. Avoid ice with a visible current beneath it or nearby, as the ice is likely to be weak. However, be aware that it is impossible to tell how strong ice is just by looking at it. The best policy is to stay safe and avoid it entirely.

DO make sure someone else knows your plans. Have a contact that you call before leaving and call back when returning. Make sure they know what time without a call should be cause for concern. Make sure they also know your route. Another good reason to stay on the trails: if you’re in an accident, rescuers will know where to look.

DON’T be tense while riding. Keep your machine flexible by being loose and limber as you ride. When you turn, look in the direction you want to go and do it with your entire head. Use your lower body to guide the machine and not your arms.

Using these tips you can have a blast and still stay safe on the trails!

Bio –

This guest post contribution was made by SnoWest Magazine which features articles, reviews and equipment for your snowmobiling enthusiast including Polaris Snowmobiles and more.

Simple Changes You Can Make At Home To Calm Your Mind

Do you struggle to switch off when you arrive home from work? Are you prone to disorders like anxiety that can stop you from getting a good night’s sleep? Then it’s important that you consider the information on this page carefully. Of course, people with serious concerns should book an appointment to see their family doctor. Consistent lack of sleep can lead to breakdowns and other mental health conditions that could make your life even worse. The advice in this article is designed to help you create a tranquil atmosphere that should improve your situation. Just don’t make the mistake of stopping your research here. At the end of the day, you are the person best placed to identify the best route forward.

Paint your home in relaxing colors

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Believe it or not, some colors are considered to help the human mind to unwind. So, it makes sense for you to undertake some redecoration work during the next few weeks. Just take a look around your local DIY store and see how you react to different shades. Lavender, pale gray and cool blue are considered the best. However, your brain might prefer alternatives, and so it’s wise to spend some time making your decision. If you don’t want to do all that while you’re at the store, just search Google images and stare at your screen. When you find a color that seems to reduce your anxiety, buy the paint and start work.

Upgrade to a water bed

Experts claim that water beds are excellent for people who feel too stressed. It might take a little while to get used to sleeping on gallons of liquid, but it will benefit you in the long run. Visit BoydWaterBeds.com for additional info on the possible benefits of buying one for your home. There is also a lot of great information in relevant articles you will find on the internet. So, people who aren’t sure about the concept should perform some research. A water bed could help you to drift off faster when it’s time to go to sleep. It could also help you to maintain a better quality of sleep where you would normally wake up. Most people who purchase products of that nature don’t go back to their original solution. That should tell you something about the improvements they can bring.

Install speakers in your bedroom

Calming music and natural sounds help millions of people to fall to sleep at night. Indeed, the market for dolphin noise CDs is huge. Installing some good-quality speakers in your bedroom enables you to take advantage of the situation. You can download relaxing sounds to your laptop and listen to them all night long. Some people might also choose to purchase hypnosis recordings to alleviate their anxiety. The results of such treatments are debatable, but almost everyone claims to experience an improvement. Just make sure you take some time to learn about the hypnotist before listening to their productions. Some no doubt are better trained than others.

Keep fresh flowers near your bed
Fresh flowers are known to create relaxing results in most human beings. So, keeping some on your bedside table could help you to calm down. The choice of species is completely down to you. However, particular flowers are considered to promote relaxation, and so you should try them first. Again, lavender is the perfect solution if you don’t know where to start. Both the color and the scent should contribute towards clearing your head and assisting sleep. Roses are also a top choice as well as tulips and anything with a red shade.

Light some white candles

Lighting is crucial when it comes to achieving a suitable atmosphere. Dimmer switches will make sure you never have to sit in a brightly lit room. However, candles are often the best solution for most people. White candles are not expensive to purchase, but they could rectify the problems you experience. Just make sure you don’t buy any scented products because the smell can produce the opposite effect. Keep a lighter by your bedside and use the candles as soon as you crawl under the sheets. Hopefully, the flickering flame will focus your mind on the abyss and make you forget about your daily troubles. We shouldn’t have to say this, but keeping your candles away from flammable items is crucial. The last thing you want is to make a call to the Fire Service in the middle of the night.

Declutter your lounge and bedroom

Clutter and mess can make us all feel a little uncomfortable. That’s down to human psychology and the way our minds work. Even if you arrive home late, cleaning your house before going to bed should help. It will stop all those negative thoughts about falling behind with the housework and allow you to relax. People with high-powered jobs often find it difficult to maintain a suitable cleaning routine. That is because they tend to work long hours and often bring their job home. In those circumstances, it wouldn’t hurt to call a local specialist and employ their services. Cleaning the average home should take no longer than a couple of hours. So, it won’t break the bank, but it could benefit your mental state.

Build bookcases and keep your favorite titles on display

In the modern world, most people use Kindles or similar devices to read. However, those digital contraptions use electricity and artificial lights. Both of those concepts could hurt your sleeping abilities. For that reason, it always makes sense to read traditional books before bed instead. Building some new bookcases and keeping your favorites on display will encourage you to turn the pages more often. Just make sure you spend half an hour reading before you climb into bed every night for the best results. Try to select titles that aren’t going to make you feel too gripped. Otherwise, that half hour reading time could turn into much longer.

Pay for a working fireplace

When people buy new properties, they tend to come with electric or gas fireplaces. They are great for saving time, and they’re usually cheaper than the alternatives. However, coal-powered solutions will provide a better source of heat for your property. It also takes a while to start the fire, and you’ll need to learn the right techniques. Just visit CTSweep.com to find out more about the benefits. It should help your mind to drift back to a simpler time when heating houses would take a lot of effort. Even so, there is nothing quite like seeing a roaring fire in your lounge during the evening.  You can watch the flames while reading your books getting cozy on the sofa.

Buy thick rugs and cover that wooden floor

Wooden floors can make a property seem modern and upmarket, but they don’t do much for comfort levels. Anyone who’s spent time walking on laminate in the past will know what we mean. You’re trying to create a calming environment, but that’s difficult when the ground isn’t soft. So, people with wooden floors should look online for thick rugs to keep them comfortable. You should place them in your halls, living rooms, and bedrooms. It’s especially important to keep one at the side of your bed, so your feet don’t get cold during the night. We all know those twilight trips to the bathroom can wake us up and ruin our chances of a decent sleep. However, it’s much easier to drift off again if your feet are warm and toasty.

Rearrange your bedroom furniture

You don’t have to believe in feng shui to see the benefits of this suggestion. There could be hundreds of reasons you struggle to remove that anxiety and relax. Many of those factors could relate to the layout of your bedroom. Maybe your bed is too close to the window? Perhaps you can see hall lights under your bedroom door? Whatever the issue might involve, rearranging your furniture could provide the answer. Try moving your bedroom around once each week until you find a layout that works. With a bit of luck, you should notice a positive difference if you stick to that idea. Some changes will make it harder to sleep, but others should have the opposite effect.

Now you know about some of the simple alterations you could perform at home, calming your mind doesn’t seem like such a hard task. Regardless of the specifics, you just need to turn your property into a relaxing sanctuary using our advice. As we mentioned at the start of this post, people who suffer from insomnia for more than a few days should contact their doctor. There are many medications and talking therapies that could help you to get back on track.

Everyone else should try the suggestions on this page before looking for more great tips. There are plenty of articles online that could help, and most of the posts are accurate and up-to-date. Changing your job might seem like a dangerous step, but sometimes that’s the only solution if the problem persists.

Bears for Humanity Review and Giveaway

If you have never heard of Bears For Humanity, you should definitely check them out. Bears For Humanity is a social commerce company that believes in 100% certified organic products, healthy children and a sustainable environment. They manufacture Teddy Bears and Animal Friends with an organic faux fur that is the closest thing to hugging a real bear (but much safer)! The company proudly employs women and at-risk mothers from the CalWORKs program. When a customer buys a Bear For Humanity stuffed pal, another just like it is sent to a child in need.

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We all shop, we all buy gifts, but how often do we see a company who donates 1:1 to children in need?

Typically, when you purchase an item online, you are asked for your name, credit card and perhaps an option to join the mailing list. When you purchase a teddy bear from Bears For Humanity™, you have the delightful task of choosing a charity – Toys For Tots, Save The Children, Semper Fi Fund, OneSimpleWish.org, Lucile Packard– because your purchase instantly doubles as a gift for a child in need!

More than that, the cuddly pal is personally delivered to a needy veteran’s house, a children’s hospital or an underprivileged household. It’s a win-win way to run a company! The stuffed bears come in two sizes – 16” Premium Bear ($39.99) and 7” Baby Bear (19.99). The many charity options and five color choices are splashed across www.BearsForHumanity.com website that opens to a philosophical question – Can A Teddy Bear Change The World?

Toy industry experts, the California welfare-to-work program known as CalWORKs and an armful of mom bloggers heartily shout, “Yes!” The benefits only begin with the buy one-donate one model. The bears are luxuriously soft! Bears For Humanity pals are the only 100% Certified Organic Cotton/ Hemp teddy bears in the world. Plus, they are naturally antibacterial and hypoallergenic which gives parents the peace of mind they don’t get from polyester plush toys!

Give a gift that gives back w/@bears4humanity. Buy 1, give 1 to a needy child #bears4humanity http://amzn.to/1Q5myfu

All of these adorably squishy bears are also available on Amazon and Whole Foods. Wouldn’t they make the PERFECT Valentine’s Day gift?

We want to share the gift of cuddles with you! Enter to win your very own Bears 4 Humanity Premium and Baby bear.
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Make Your Pre-Move House Clear Out Easier With These Tips

The prospect of moving to a new home is an incredibly exciting one. However, what you’re probably not looking forward to is the big pre-move clear out you need to have. Over time, we collect so many unnecessary items and end up storing them in our homes but never using them. That’s why, before we move house, it’s important to have a big clear out so that we’re not lugging unnecessary items along with us. The only problem is that clearing out your home and ridding yourself of all your junk is incredibly stressful, or, at least, it can be.

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The good news is that there are plenty of small things that you can do to make your pre-move clear out easier and less stressful. Want to know more? All you need to do is keep reading, and all will be revealed!

Focus on one room at a time

Clearing out the clutter can be stressful as there is just so much to go through. Don’t make the mistake of starting on one room and then switching between that and another. To make sorting through everything easier and less stressful, focus on one room at a time. Work out how much time you’re going to need to clear each room in the house of any clutter and then set enough time aside to declutter the whole house.

It’s best to work on one room at a time so that you don’t end up getting overwhelmed. Plus working on one area at a time will make it easier to keep track of what’s been sorted and what hasn’t. Start with the attic – one of the most time-consuming rooms, and then work your way down through your house.
Hire a skip

Often, one of the most stressful parts of clearing out your home is finding time to drive to the dump with all the rubbish you no longer want. Instead of stressing about this, why not make things easier for yourself and hire a skip? It might cost you, but at least, you won’t have to drive back and forth to the dump with a car full of junk. All you need to do when you’re clearing out is chuck anything that’s unwanted into the skip.

If you like the idea of using a skip, get in touch with a skip or mini skip bin hire company and find out what they charge to hire a skip. Make sure that whatever company you opt to use offers a free disposal service of your the rubbish you put in the skip.

Get help

The best thing you can do to make decluttering your home easier is get a little help. Make sure that everyone that lives in your household knows that they’re expected to help out – even the little ones can do their bit. Getting all the junk in your home sorted will be much easier and quicker if you’re not working alone.

Split the rooms up fairly and come up with a plan that ensures nothing that should be kept will be thrown out. Perhaps you could put the rule in place that each person can only mark their own belongings as junk, no one else’s. That way you won’t have to stress about things you want to keep, accidentally being thrown away.
Moving house is always going to be stressful, but if you can make the small things a little easier that always helps.

Modern Interpretations of the Seven Dwarfs

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For generations, audiences around the globe have been enchanted by the timeless tales brought to life by the artists of Walt Disney Animation Studios. Since the debut of the very first feature-length animated film in 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, the visionary studio has generated some of the most beloved films of all time through masterful artistry, epic storytelling, and groundbreaking technology.

From the extraordinary team behind the success of Snow White emerged a group of animators who would become legends – Disney’s Nine Old Men. These prolific artists, including Frank Thomas, Marc Davis and Ollie Johnston, were the heart and hands behind the magic of Bambi, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmatians, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, The Jungle Book, Alice in Wonderland and so many more.

After more than 90 years, this rich legacy of innovation and creativity lives on with every animator who passes through the hallowed halls of Walt Disney Animation Studios.

In celebration of the one that started it all, seven Disney artists from different generations have come together to share a modern look at the seven iconic characters who shared the journey of the original Disney Princess.

BASHFUL by Benson Shum (Animator, Zootopia, Moana

“I always wanted to be an animator and started to pursue that after high school!  The Little Mermaid was one of the first movies that inspired me to become an animator.  For Bashful, I looked at the original model sheets of the dwarfs to get inspired to see how they were drawn and created.  I picked the background color to match Bashful’s personality.”

DOC by Andy Harkness (Art Director of Environments, Moana)

“When I was a freshman in college, Disney visited our school and showed us early clips of The Lion King and Pocahontas. I was hooked immediately.  There was something about seeing the work in progress that sparked something in me. I created “Happy” using polymer clay.  Then I photographed the sculpt and painted him in Photoshop.  I found an image of him with a little guitar and thought that would make a charming prop for the design.”

DOPEY by Trent Correy (Character Animator, Zootopia, Moana)

“I was 17 years old and trying to find something to do after high school. I loved making live action films and also liked to draw, so animation seemed like a good fit! I just tried to have fun with Dopey and keep the drawing as wacky and energetic as his character.”

GRUMPY by Eric Goldberg (Supervising Animator, Moana)

“I loved creating flip books at age 6 and made Super 8 films at age 13, I’ve always had an interest in animation and filmmaking for as long as I can remember. Since he’s Grumpy, I wanted to tap into his “grumpiest” side, with strong underlighting and stylized color. This is, of course, before Snow white transformed him!”

HAPPY by Nara Youn (Animator, Zootopia, Moana)

“I always loved animation and was glued to the TV in admiration. There is one movie that made everything click for me and that movie was Monsters Inc. The animators gave so much character and story to such simple looking characters and I just fell in love with the craft. It was the movie that drew the bridge for me and made me think, ‘Wow, I really want to do this.’ For Happy, I used to draw on a Post-it note everyday for three years straight. Since then I have found it very comforting to work that way and have created more than a thousand tiny art pieces because of Post-its. It’s medium has become a signature of mine :)”

SLEEPY by Hyun-Min Lee (Animator, Zootopia, Moana)

“I think it was when I was about 4 and watched Robin Hood, which was the first Disney animated film I ever watched, that I first became aware of Disney Animation and its amazing legacy.  I watched a lot of Disney features and shorts from then on, and even if I didn’t know what being an “animator” even was, I knew I wanted to do something related to the making of those films.  I kept drawing and watching lots of animation, until finally I was able to realize my dream and became a Disney animator! I think picking “Sleepy” was a natural and fortunate choice for me, since I’m always the sleepy one around work!  I think I identify with how hard Sleepy works on fulfilling his role no matter how tired he is.  During important moments especially, he may be “sleepy,” but not “sleeping,” which I think is an important distinction!”

SNEEZY by Valentin Amador (Animator, Zootopia, Moana)

“According to my parents, when I was 4 they took me to see Fantasia and I was mesmerized by it. As early as I can remember I’ve always wanted to be a Disney animator. For Sneezy, I wanted to create a little piece of animation, but leaving it rough, no clean up lines or color, to show a bit of the process to the audience. I even left the in-betweening charts to show how a finished rough animation looks. Also, to bridge the old and the new, I animated it on a digital medium, but I used one of the original sneezes from the character in the film.”

Win Tickets to the Big Apple Circus

Want to see the Big Apple Circus while it is in town?  You can get tickets here www.bigapplecircus.org or you can enter to win a family four pack using the Comments below. Entering is easy! Just answer one of these questions below.

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QUESTIONS FOR THE CONTEST

  • Name one of the four modes of transportation featured in  Big Apple Circus’s new show, THE GRAND TOUR

In addition, you can use promo code BIGAPPLE to save 20% off tickets (that’s not just off one ticket, but the whole purchase).* (*Limited availability. Offer good on select seats and shows. Other conditions apply. Children under 3 are free when on the lap of a paid adult, one child per lap.)

About Big Apple Circus
Conceived and founded by Paul Binder and Michael Christensen to be a leading presenter of live family entertainment and a nonprofit performing arts institution, our nation-wide performances and community programs have made our 38-year history far-reaching and full. It all began in 1974, when American entertainers Binder and Christensen became juggling partners and took to the street corners of Europe. Their comedic juggling act was a hit, and they soon found themselves on the stage of the prestigious Nouveau Cirque de Paris. They returned home to America in 1976 with a vision: to entertain and improve the lives of millions of American children and families. One year later, they found a site for the first tent-raising in Battery Park, New York, and went on to create the award-winning, nonprofit Big Apple Circus. For more information, visit www.bigapplecircus.org.
Good luck, and see you at the circus.  NOTE- the tickets are for the performance on Thursday, February 18th at 6:30pm.  Please make sure you can attend before you enter!

Big Apple Circus Returns New Jersey with The Grand Tour

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Big Apple Circus returns to Bridgewater, New Jersey for the company’s 38th season with the New Jersey Premiere of The GrandTour! Tickets start at $25, and the show runs from February 12 – March 13, 2016 under the Big Top at TD Bank Ballpark, 1 Patriots Park (GPS: 860 East Main Street) Bridgewater, NJ. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.bigapplecircus.org.
The Grand Tour transports audiences to the Roaring 1920s, the advent of the modern travel era, when the most adventuresome began touring the world in ships, planes, trains, and automobiles. With every seat less than 50 feet from the stage, audiences will be awed by the world-class entertainers as they perform breathtaking acts from the four corners of the globe. Clowns, jugglers, acrobats, and aerialists from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and North and South America appear with ponies, puppies and more; the troupe sets off on a whirlwind adventure, accompanied by the live, seven-piece Big Apple Circus Band at each performance.
“The Grand Tour is a first-class jaunt.” – The New York Times
“A class act … Sophisticated and beautiful.” – The Village Voice
“Language can’t do justice to the visual and kinetic thrills of the Big Apple Circus. Just go!”
– Time Out New York
“Polished and fun.” – Daily News
“The Finest Up-Close Circus in America.” – Variety
“America’s Best Circus for Children.” – Parents Magazine
Four-time Big Apple Circus ringmaster John Kennedy Kane returns to introduce a variety of stunning performers: clowns Joel Jeske and Brent McBeth; third-generation circus animal trainer Jenny Vidbel with her pony and dog acts; aerialist Sergey Akimov; international juggling sensation AlexanderKoblikov; ninth-generation circus performer Chiara Anastasini with hula hoops; the Dominguez Brothers defying the law of gravity with their thrill-filled act featuring the Wheel of Wonder; Chinese hand balancers The Energy Trio; the African acrobatic troupe Zuma Zuma; and the Dosov Troupe soaring on the teeterboard.
The Grand Tour, conceived and created by Joel Jeske, is directed by Mark Lonergan (artistic director of Parallel Exit, the three-time Drama Desk Award-nominated physical theater company) with choreographer and associate director Antoinette DiPietropolo. Musical direction by Rob Slowik, with clown material created and directed by Joel Jeske. Set and lighting design by Maruti Evans, costume design by Oana Botez, and props design by Katie Fleming.
The company will present two special performances:
Big Apple Circus Embraces Autism will take place on Wednesday, March 2, 2016 at 11am. Big Apple Circus has joined with world-renowned Autism Spectrum Disorders experts to adapt The Grand Tour for families with members on the spectrum and create a joyful experience for all. The adapted show includes the same world-class artistry as the full performance with a shorter running time, adjusted lights and sound, a calming center, pictorial social narratives, and specially trained staff and volunteers to assure a memorable event for everyone! All tickets to this special performance, a 75-minute abbreviated show, are half price ($12.50-$37.50).
The Grand Tour Family Fun Dayperformance will take place on Saturday, March 12, 2016 at 4:30pm. Join Big Apple Circus for Family Fun Daywith interactive entertainment by our Clown Doctors, a full performance of The Grand Tour, followed by dessert in the Ring with the performers. Plus free popcorn for all and free goody bags for the kids! Tickets start at $30. All proceeds support Big Apple Circus Clown Care®in New Jersey.
As a nonprofit performing arts institution, the Big Apple Circus is committed not only to thrilling audiences in the ring, but also to bringing the joy and wonder of circus into the community. Big Apple Circus creates direct, shared connections inside its one-ring Big Top AND in hospitals, nursing homes, and schools, in its New York City home and in cities across America.
“These performers, many from circus dynasties, preserve an important tradition, reinforced by the nonprofit Big Apple Circus’s commendable community-service activities, notably the
Clown Care program, which entertains hospitalized children. This company … doesn’t only have awe-inspiring acrobatic skills; it has a lot of heart, too.”
– The New York Times, 2014 Critics’ Pick
Big Apple Circus Clown Care® brings the joy of classical circus to hospitalized children at 15 leading pediatric facilities across the United States. Performers collaborate with doctors and staff to design a program to fit the needs of each hospital. Members of the Clown Care team bring the healing power of humor to children with acute and chronic illnesses, visiting nearly 225,000 young patients every year.
Big Apple Circus offers a specially adapted performance of the show, Circus of the Senses, for children and adults with vision or hearing impairments and/or other disabilities. American Sign Language interpreters are positioned in spotlights throughout the tent, and wireless audio headsets transmit a live audio play-by-play description of the action in the ring. Braille or large-print descriptive programs are available for audience members. A “touch session” after the show offers a unique opportunity for pre-selected groups of visually impaired children to go into the ring to meet the artists and literally feel a clown nose, a juggler’s clubs, or the silky coat of a performing dog. Big Apple Circus Embraces Autism provides performances with modified lighting and sound as well as a staffed calming center, to meet the needs of children on the autism spectrum. Inclusion is a core value at Big Apple Circus, which is dedicated to delivering the finest circus entertainment to everyone, regardless of physical or cognitive ability, or economic circumstance.
Circus for All! distributes free and subsidized tickets to schools and nonprofit organizations serving low-income children and families, enabling many of them to experience the excitement and wonder of the circus for the very first time.
Circus After School teaches kids life skills such as teamwork, responsible risk-taking, and perseverance, through a structured program of learning and performing circus arts.
About Big Apple Circus
(Will Maitland Weiss, Executive Director; Guillaume Dufresnoy, Artistic Director)
Conceived and founded by Paul Binder and Michael Christensen to be a leading presenter of live family entertainment and a nonprofit performing arts institution, our nation-wide performances and community programs have made our 38-year history far-reaching and full. It all began in 1974, when American entertainers Binder and Christensen became juggling partners and took to the street corners of Europe. Their comedic juggling act was a hit, and they soon found themselves on the stage of the prestigious Nouveau Cirque de Paris. They returned home to America in 1976 with a vision: to entertain and improve the lives of millions of American children and families. One year later, they found a site for the first tent-raising in Battery Park, New York, and went on to create the award-winning, nonprofit Big Apple Circus. For more information, visit www.bigapplecircus.org.

Create the Perfect Bedroom for Sleep and Relaxation

image via www. interiordesigninspiration. net

image via www. interiordesigninspiration. net

The bedroom is supposed to be a place of pure relaxation. It’s supposed to be a place you can get your head down, have a good sleep, and wake up feeling refreshed. You should go to your bedroom when you feel like relaxing; no other room should do! Unfortunately, there are so many people who don’t feel like this when they wake up in the morning. They feel groggy, and not ready to get up for the day ahead. This can be due to a number of different reasons, from what is kept in the room to the color of the room. A lot goes into creating the perfect bedroom! This guide will help you to create the perfect bedroom for sleep and relaxation:

Make Sure the Walls Don’t Stimulate You Too Much

The walls are the largest element of a bedroom. Depending on how you decorate them, they can either stimulate you or relax you. If you have exciting murals on the wall in technicolor, this could be the reason you aren’t sleeping as well as you could. Bright colors can be fun, but you should keep them to other rooms of the house! Even if you just have a bright color on the wall, this can stop you from sleeping as well. Make sure your walls aren’t too stimulating at night time.

Choose a Relaxing Color Scheme
In general, there are some color schemes that will relax you and others that won’t. You may have white walls, but if you have red elements all over your bedroom, you might feel more awake at night time. Cooler colors are the absolute best colors for relaxing and getting a good night’s sleep. Colors like blue and green are perfect. It’s up to you if you want to paint the entire walls, use wallpaper, or simply include accessories in cool colors to create the look you’re after. You can use a color wheel if you’re confused as to which colors look best together.

Keep Electrical Items Out of the Bedroom

Having electrical items in the bedroom really can disrupt sleep. You may have heard this one before, but it’s true! Having TVs, phones, tablets, and other distractions in the bedroom can make your brain associate the room with things other than sleep. Not to mention the light from these objects can disrupt the sleep pattern too. If you use them before bed, your melatonin levels will lower by up to 23%. You’re basically waking yourself up and disrupting your natural sleep pattern! If you struggle to sleep, you could listen to soft, relaxing music. Maybe read a physical book rather than an e-book on a bright screen.

Make Sure Your Bed is Suited to You

If your bed isn’t suited to you, then you can hardly expect to sleep soundly at night. If you sleep with a partner, then you may need to compromise a little. You might want to do a bit of research on the top mattresses for 2016 to start you off. Your mattress shouldn’t be too hard or too soft, as you can create back problems. However, what is soft to one person may feel hard to another, so bear that in mind. You should also make sure you have the right type of pillows and quilts to keep you just the right temperature.

Stay on Top of Bed Maintenance

Make sure you’re staying on top of maintenance when it comes to your bed. Some mattresses need flipping regularly, so make sure you keep to a schedule. Otherwise, you could end up flattening your mattress in all of the wrong places. Not only that, you should actually replace your mattress with a new one every 8 years. Don’t put it off, or you could begin to cause problems for your posture and spine. Even if you think your mattress is fine, you shouldn’t risk it if you’ve had it a long time.

Install Heavy Curtains
Heavy curtains will help you to keep the light from outside out. Every sleep expert is in agreement that you need total darkness to sleep soundly at night. You don’t want any distractions in the form of street lamps or something similar. You could even go for blackout blinds if you prefer.

Add Plants and Other Natural Elements

Having natural elements in the bedroom are thought to help people relax too. You can have plants, and even pictures of plants to help you wind down and relax. Any pictures or canvases that are of natural elements that you find relaxing can be included in your bedroom. Looking at these pictures should make you feel calm and ready to sleep! The art of feng shui recommends you avoid keeping actual life in your bedroom, so it’s up to you if you want a real plant in there or not. Most of the time, having pretty natural pictures should have the same effect. Some people think feng shui is a load of rubbish, but it actually makes a lot of sense when you think about some of the points it makes. For example, it says you shouldn’t have a mirror facing the bed as it bounces energy back to you.

Eliminate Clutter

Having clutter in the bedroom can make you feel uneasy and wide awake. Don’t put off getting rid of that clutter. As soon as you get the opportunity, tidy things up and get rid of the things you don’t need. Maybe put some of it into storage. Having lots of clutter around the bedroom is bad for your health, so don’t let it go on for too long. A minimalistic bedroom is best if you want a good night’s sleep.

Create Symmetry in the Room

Apparently, experts say that symmetry can create a peaceful feeling in the bedroom, allowing us to relax more. By making the effort to buy matching pairs where possible and create a symmetrical look, you could sleeping and relaxing better in no time at all. This isn’t always possible, so just do what you can to the room to make it look nice and even. Lay it out in a way that makes you feel nice and relaxed. Not necessarily the way other people think is best!

Get a Progressive Alarm

Instead of having an alarm clock that abruptly wakes you from your slumber, get a progressive alarm that gently wakes you up. You can buy alarm clocks that will stimulate a sunrise and sunset, helping you to wake up far more naturally than with a loud noise. It’ll be well worth the investment to have one of these on your bedside table. Just make sure you face the alarm enough away from you that if you wake in the night, you won’t spot the time. Looking at the time during the night is enough to kick you out of your sleep for a while. You should be able to drift back off fairly easily without looking at the time.

Use Warm Lighting

Warm lighting can help you to get into a more relaxed space, if you’re doing something that requires light in the bedroom. Maybe you want to settle down and read a book. Any form of blue lighting in the bedroom will keep you awake. Making sure the bulbs you use are warm will help you to get a better quality of sleep.

Use Scent to Relax You

Did you know that scent in the bedroom can relax you too? Scents such as lavender can make you drift off to the land of slumber much sooner. You can use candles and incense if you want to create a relaxing atmosphere, but they shouldn’t be used while you’re trying to sleep. If you want to use something while you sleep, a pillow or room spray is your best bet. Of course you can use other things to help you drift off, but pillow and room spray is one of the most natural solutions.

Lower the Temperature of the Room

The temperature of the bedroom can seriously make a difference to how well you sleep at night. Did you know that your body temperature needs to fall for you to drift off nicely? You can do this by lowering the temperature of the room, maybe crack a window slightly. You can even keep your feet out of the duvet, as some experts recommend. Although this has nothing to do with your bedroom, taking a hot bath before bed can lower your temperature nicely too.
All of these tips when used together will help you to create the perfect bedroom for sleep and relaxation. If you ignore any of them, don’t be surprised if you find it hard to drift off at night time. Use as many as you can as soon as possible and you’ll notice a huge difference in the quality of your sleep. Leave any tips that have worked for you in the comments if you like. Sleep well and I’ll see you soon!