Acupressure Mat

What is an acupressure mat and could it help your anxiety?

For centuries, acupressure techniques have been used as a form of remedy. Pressing your body on certain points give benefits you cannot get from medication. While acupressure treatment takes time, effort, and sometimes a lot of money, the method itself can be transformed into day-to-day tools. One of which is the acupressure mat. The idea of a mat that can press your body up may seem a little strange. But once you understood the purpose and benefit, you can use it to help your anxiety.

What is an acupressure mat?

Acupressure MatBasically, it is a thick mat made of foam or rubber that is embedded with spikes on hard disks. To put it in a simple sentence, it is a more modern version of a bed of nails. These spikes are designed to replicate the pressure applied to your body throughout acupressure therapy sessions. The cheap ones made from durable plastic, good brands offer 100% recyclable Medical grade HIPS plastic, other bmats can be made from metal materials such as nickel.

With acupressure mats, you get to enjoy most of the benefits of acupressure therapy without having to attend any session with the therapist. This way, you get to save more time and money.

Can acupressure mat help your anxiety?

When facing a challenging or stressful situation, some people may experience anxieties. Some won’t last long, but some experience severe anxiety that may impact their lives in the long term. The symptoms of anxiety include fatigue, nausea, sleeping disorder, and muscle tension.

Anxiety is mostly treated with therapy, meditation, or a combination of both. There are also alternative treatments that can help, including acupressure. Acupressure can counter anxiety as it switches on the nervous system to produce chemicals in the body. These will provide pain relief.

The direct relation of acupressure mat and anxiety is slightly small. But, there’s a sign that it will help you relax. One of the quickest ways to help you relax when anxiety hits you is to sit in an upright position. You can place your thumb between your eyebrows quite firmly and make circular motions with your thumb. While you’re doing it, breathe through the nose and out through your mouth. This exercise will relax the nervous system and stop your heart from beating too fast.

It’s recommended to use the acupressure technique in a meditation or yoga practice with professionals. Also, acupressure mat will give a maximum benefit when you use it even just by lying on it for 20-40 minutes, several times a week. It’s a safe and simple way to relieve your anxiety.

How to use it properly

It may take some time to get used to the mat. The spikes are sharp and can cause pain or discomfort when you use the mat for the first time. But after a while, you will start to warm up to it and you will feel good lying on the mat eventually. To help you with the transition, here are some tips to use your acupressure mat properly:

Choose the right surface to lay the mat

First-timers often make a mistake by using the mat on a bed or sofa. This may seem like a good idea, but the mat requires a flat and firm surface to optimize its function. That being said, if the spikes are hurting too much, you can use the bed as a start. Once you get used to it, spread out the mat onto the floor.

Apply another layer between yourself and the mat

To help you get used to the sharp spikes, you can wear a shirt or a thin fabric instead of going bare skin. It may help to reduce the pain from the pressure. However, for the best result, it is highly recommended to go bake skin.

Use the mat often and routine

For some people, it takes time to get used to using the mat. But many others have no complaints even from the very first time. Using the mat often will help you get used to it plus optimizing the result.

Conclusion

The acupressure mat is guaranteed to help you with your anxiety. As your blood flows better, your body becomes more relaxed. That is one step closer to the anxiety-free moments you deserve. Play relaxing music in the background and practice your breathing technique during your time lying on the mat. These will help you even better with your anxiety!

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gambling behavior among college students

A Social Learning Perspective of Gambling Behavior among College Students

Learning about gambling behavior among college students offers an opportunity to learn more about them. The proportion of undergraduate students who gamble is on the rise as well as their level of involvement in the gambling industry. This post provides a social learning perspective of gambling behavior among college students and how it is shaped. Understanding why students gamble allows one to understand more about their gambling behavior. The following need to be considered when discussing gambling behavior among college students.

gambling behavior among college students

  1. Frequency

With online gambling options easily available these days, the frequency of gambling behavior has skyrocketed. Before students even enter college, they tend to be already addicted to gambling. Hence, it is common for some college students to be heavy gamblers by the time they first enter college.

Moreover, the stress that comes with studying at a college also increases the student’s frequency to gamble. Many students view gambling as a way to blow off steam. However, this creates a cycle where students find themselves being heavily addicted to gambling and it simply becomes impossible for them to slow down or quit.

  1. Scope

Media shows a glamorous depiction of gambling. It has created an environment where students view gambling as their ticket to a life of happiness. However, what media misses is that most gamblers have serious mental issues and by the time they even win the lottery, they have put a lot on the line. The scope of gambling behavior has increased significantly in recent times. Social media stars show college students an easy and fun lifestyle where gambling is the shortcut to success. Hence, many students consider quitting college for a chance to win it big.

Some students seek student loans and end up wasting the money on their gambling addiction. The scope of gambling has become all-expanding. With the rise of the gambler lifestyle, many students aspire to become a high-profile gambler in the future. Gambling for entertainment has become the norm. Students on average gamble three times a month according to various studies.

  1. Expenditure

Gambling behavior can be easily measured by comparing the expenditure of students towards gambling. More and more college students are spending their savings on lottery tickets, betting, poker, and slot machines to boost their chances of winning a ton of money.

Some college students spend as much as 20 percent of their monthly expenditure on gambling, whereas, some even spend twice that amount. This is alarming for colleges. Although the employment status of students plays a huge role in their gambling behavior, both employed and unemployed college students spend a staggering amount of money on gambling.

What Colleges and Parents Can Do?

This post provides an insight into the gambling behavior of college students. Colleges and parents need to do a lot more to understand students’ gambling behavior. Policies need to be adopted to help students deal with gambling addiction. There should be an open policy where students should feel safe to get the help they need.

Sources for this article:

http://111.90.150.155/

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40405-017-0022-7

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10413200802056685

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1797802/

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How to deal with peptic ulcer disease?

Peptic ulcers occur when the lining of the stomach and small intestine gets open sores. These open sores induce a lot of pain and discomfort and are sometimes a source of bleeding as well. Read on to know more about peptic ulcer disease and how you can prevent it:

What causes peptic ulcer disease?

As with the pathophysiology of almost all the gastric diseases, eating habits and lifestyle play a vital role. An important cause of peptic ulcer disease also lies with what we tend to eat. Ulcers form in the gastric lining when there is excessive production of gastric acid, or there is breakdown of the protective mucus layer. As a result, the stomach lining gets irritated by the acidic environment, and inflammation and pain ensues.

In our setting, Helicobacter pylori infections are a major cause of peptic ulcer disease. H.pylori spreads through eating unclean food and water, as well as, close contact. While many people who are carriers of H.pylori do not get ulcers, in some, it can break down the mucus layer and raise the amount of acid. This can end up causing severe and resistant to treatment peptic ulcer disease, which often returns despite treatment.

peptic ulcer disease

Frequent and indiscriminate use of painkillers also leads to peptic ulcer disease. NSAIDs like Aspirin can interfere with the protective mucus barrier over the stomach lining, which makes it vulnerable for the stomach acid. This also occurs with other NSAIDs like naproxen and ibuprofen, as they have the same mechanism of action, and occurs more often when these drugs are taken for a long time. For this reason, self-medication is often not a great idea, as seemingly harmless drugs can also have potential adverse effects people are unaware of.

Other types of painkillers like acetaminophen, however, do not have the same adverse effect on the stomach lining and are often prescribed as an alternate.

Stress can be an unavoidable risk factor and causative agent for peptic ulcer disease, as can be eating spicy food and smoking cigarettes.

What are the symptoms of peptic ulcer disease?

With excessive gastric acid production, there is discomfort in the belly, especially on an empty stomach. There can also be acid reflux in a recumbent position, especially at night, or on lying down shortly after eating. In severe cases, there can be a grinding pain under the breastbone, which goes away on taking antacids, but returns when the effect of the drug wears off.

Small ulcers more often only cause pain. However, big ulcers can be problematic and can show alarming signs like blood in vomitus, bloody or dark stools, or weight loss. If any of the aforementioned symptoms are observed, you should visit a hospital which has a multi-speciality panel as soon as possible. Mid City hospital is a good option in this regard.

How to manage peptic ulcer disease?

The goal of therapy in peptic ulcer disease is: to relieve the symptoms of the patient, and deal with the cause of excessive acid production. Small ulcers can heal on their own, but some ulcers can be recurrent if proper care is not taken. In most cases, treatment is tailored according to the cause behind the ulcer.

In case of H.pylori infection, a mix of antibiotics are used to kill the bacteria. Triple therapy is used—with two kinds of antibiotics, and one proton pump inhibitor, for some time for complete eradication of bacteria. Any interruption in treatment can lead to recurrence of infection, therefore, adherence and compliance are essential for treatment to be successful.

If the cause behind peptic ulcers disease is too much use of NSAIDs and painkillers, then their use must be tapered for relief. Reducing the dose of painkiller can also be effective; you can talk to your healthcare provider to switch your medication to one that does not disturb the gastric mucosa.

There are certain medications for peptic ulcer disease that help to reduce the secretion of gastric acid. These include drugs called: proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine blockers. PPIs help in reducing the secretion of gastric acid, and therefore protect the lining of stomach and duodenum, and allow it time to heal. In fact, PPIs are also used in fighting H.pylori infection. PPIs are great for managing peptic ulcer disease; however, they too aren’t without side effects. PPIs should be used only for the duration of the period they have been advised by the healthcare provider and not longer. Studies show that in Pakistan, many people self-medicate with PPIs, which is not a good thing in the long term. Examples of PPIs include: omeprazole, esomeprazole, pantoprazole, lansoprazole.

Histamine receptor blockers also help to reduce the secretion of acid through blocking the histamine pathway. They also work in a similar manner to PPIs and give time for the peptic ulcer to heal while there is reduced secretion of acid. Examples of histamine receptor blockers include: famotidine, cimetidine, ranitidine.

Another class of drug that helps to protect the gastric mucosa is called protectants. They work by coating the ulcers in a way that gastric acid cannot come in contact with the ulcer. Sucralfate is a commonly prescribed protectant that doctors use for peptic ulcer disease. Antacids can also be prescribed to help neutralize the acid already present in the stomach.

Peptic ulcer is a serious condition and requires immediate attention from a gastroenterologist. You should thus visit a hospital at your earliest with a competent gastroenterologist panel. The National Medical Center is one such facility.

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The Best Office Cleaning Tips & Tricks

Cleaning the workspace regularly by company employees is not common in Australia. Business owners do not feel that the office should be cleaned in the same way as their residence. Besides, it can be cumbersome to do so and instead, a commercial cleaning company is hired. If you have not hired a professional commercial office cleaning company in the past, then,  chances are that you are not aware of the severity of the situation. Hence, it is in your best interests to consider hiring an office cleaning company. However, if you want the office employees to play their part in cleaning the office, the following office cleaning tips and tricks will prove useful.

Office Cleaning

  1. Assign a Shelf for Cleaning Items

One of the best tips that will ensure that cleaning is done on time is by assigning a shelf for the cleaning items. When it comes to office cleaning, it is crucial that a shelf is designated for all of the cleaning equipment including the microfiber rags, rubbing alcohol, cleaning solutions, mops, and dusters.

  1. Involved Everyone To Clean Their Workstation

The best way to keep the office in a tip-top condition is by ensuring that everyone is involved in cleaning their workstation. If everyone meticulously cleans his or her workstation regularly, it will help keep the office neat and clean. Moreover, equipment on the desk such as the stationery items, keyboard, phone, and the monitor should be dusted every other day to clean the cubicles.

  1. Clean Dust From Lighting Fixtures

It is common for electrical equipment and lights to gather dust. Hence, it is important that they are wiped often. But, the employees should be cautious when cleaning the dusting from lighting fixtures. These days, there are many cleaning supplies that make it a lot easier to clean dust from the lights and lighting fixtures.

  1. Focus on Floor Cleaning Daily

The first thing that people notice when they step into an office is the floor. This is why it is crucial that the floor is cleaned daily. Tile and linoleum floors look their best when mopped and vacuumed daily. Older floors on the other hand can be stripped and maxed based on regular intervals to retain their top condition.

  1. Regularly Clean the Refreshment Area

The refreshment area is one of the areas which gets dirty quickly. Thus, it has to be regularly cleaned. The coffee and tea area easily attracts flies and different types of bugs when the trash has not been emptied. Moreover, the counter should also be wiped down.

  1. Ensure That Employees Regularly Clear Their Wastebasket

Since every employee has his or her own wastebasket, it is vital that they clear it regularly. When employees leave from work every day, they should make sure that they emptied the wastebasket.

Conclusion

A clean workspace is crucial for a healthy workspace. The above tips will help ensure that the employees play their part when it comes to keeping the office neat and clean.

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How Much Should You Spend on SEO Services?

Do you want to how much it would cost you to boost your online presence and reach more customers? Are you thinking of hiring an SEO company and want to know how much you should pay for SEO services? Then, this post is just for you. Search engine optimization or SEO for short helps you increase conversions, reach your target audience, and boost website traffic. If you want to hire an SEO company to implement SEO strategies, you will want to know about SEO pricing and how much it would cost you. The following are some of the typical SEO costs which you are expected to pay when you work with an SEO company.

seo campany online

Typical SEO Costs

  • Hourly Consultancy Rate: SEO companies charge anywhere from $100 to $300 for consulting businesses about the best SEO practices.
  • Project-Based Rate: Although the cost for projects is entirely variable, most projects would cost you anywhere from $,1000 up to $30,000.
  • Contract Services: When you seek contract services, you will be expected to pay a fixed price. But, the cost varies from organization to organization. Most businesses consider contract services in the beginning. Some of the most common services include social media setup ($400 to $2500), link profile audit ($400 to $7,000), site content audit ($400 to $7,000), and SEO copywriting ($0.10 to $0.45 per word).
  • Monthly Retainer: A monthly retainer is very common. It will cost you anywhere from $750 to $5,000. Thus, you will pay the SEO company depending on the services you seek and the size of the business/ project. Many SEO companies cater exclusively to small businesses.

SEO Strategy

The cost of SEO services depends on the SEO strategy of the business. Start small to find out the quality of service offered by the company. However, keep in mind that price should not be the deciding factor. You need to pay attention to the quality of work provided. Moreover, the SEO strategy should be flexible and open to suggestions from the SEO company.

One Size Does Not Apply To All

When you search for an SEO company, you need to keep in mind that one size does not apply to all. Choose an SEO service which reviews the SEO costs for the SEO campaign of your business. Following are some of the SEO campaigns.

  1. National SEO

If you want to rank at the top for your desired search engine, then, you will need to opt for a national SEO campaign.

  1. Local SEO

A local SEO campaign will help ensure that you beat your local competitors. By opting for local SEO, your business will appear for your area.

  1. Ecommerce SEO

If you are running an online store, your best option is an eCommerce SEO campaign. It is a long-term strategy which aims to keep the warehouse busy.

Conclusion

The cost of SEO services depends on the services you choose. Most SEO services tend to cost $400 to $10,000 a month, depending on the size of the business, project, and services required. Make sure to consult with a few SEO companies before opting for one.

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