Thursday, December 16, 2010

Rx: Final Exams


source


I saw this photo in the Denver Post yesterday and thought, "yep, that about sums it up". I lucked out this year with only one class, but next semester may be daunting. I thought those days (and nights) of cramming and paper-writing were over, but no, I'll get my dose soon. So, anyone stuck in the library after midnight and/or dealing with acute carpal tunnel, here are some tips I learned in nursing school.

- For dry, red, over-studied eyes: Eye drops with glycerin help restore moisture. People blink less when they stare at a computer screen source.Sometimes applying a warm damp-wet compress over your eyes for 5-10 minutes is enough to improve circulation and comfort.

- REM (rapid eye movement or dream sleep) is needed to process all that input. Also, REM sleep makes you feel more rested and studies show that will improve concentration while studying or testing.

- How can you fall asleep fast? A big dose of L-tryptophan is a mild sedative (warm milk, turkey, peanut butter), 25mg of Benadryl works within 30 minutes, and relaxation methods like 15 minutes of yoga or guided meditation like hypnosis can also work.

- For sore wrists, fingers, and necks: NSAIDs like ibuprofen (Motrin) or naproxen (Aleve) reduce inflammation and soreness. Or, doing restorative yoga poses like Downward-facing Dog and Child's Pose can do miracles.

Good luck, kids!

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