Page 22 - MAR 2019 proof 7 - The Castle Pines Connection

22 CastlePinesConnection.com
Village Castle Pines Garden Club
Information and photo provided by Terri Sundermann
Several ladies from the Village Castle Pines Garden Club visited the Colorado Home & Garden Show at the Colroado Convention Center in February, courtesy of The Castle Pines Connection.
“We enjoyed the multiple garden displays, some with very large water features” stated club member Terri Sundermann. “The smell of narcissus* lled the entire convention space. The multiple food-preparation booths, featuring items such as brightly-colored garlic graters from Spain and induction cooktop pans, meant we left with unplanned purchases. A good time was had by all!
*Editor’s note: Narcissus is the proper name for the da odil family. Although its exact origin is unknown, the name is often linked to Greek mythology and the young man who fell in love with his own re ection.
Upon his death, a yellow and white ower grew where he perished. Others believe it is so called because its bulb houses a toxic substance and the Latin word “narcissus”(from the Greek Narkissos – perhaps from narkē meaning numbness) is a reference to its narcotic properties. Regardless, it is bright and colorful and reminiscent of spring!
Pictured left to right: Sharon Winders, Terri Sundermann, Mary Kay Henry, Jomie Heftye, Kim Watson, Ethel Parrington and Wanda Ford.
What’s your APPtitude?
Feeling sleepy? Time for Sleepzy
By Amanda Merriman
Humans love tracking data. Data about our health is no exception. When it comes to health, sleep quality (or lack thereof) is an important topic of conversation. Roughly one-third of Americans report poor sleep quality, and as such, there are many devices aimed at tracking how well we sleep.
Sleepzy is a free app that acts as a smart alarm clock that monitors your sleep cycles. It is currently available only for iOS devices and recently optimized for the Apple Watch. Sleepzy plots total amount of sleep time in addition to time spent in each phase. When you set the alarm through the app, you choose a wake-up range that spans from as little as 5 minutes up to an hour (default is 30 minutes). The app will determine when you are at the lightest part of your cycle during this time frame and wake you up. Awakening during
a lighter phase will help you feel less groggy and more refreshed. You can set a sleep goal
for yourself and therefore track if you are racking up a sleep debt. The app notes sleep quality as well by comparing your sleep goal versus actual duration and time spent in each phase.
Sleepzy accomplishes these things by
using the microphone on your device to analyze sounds or movements. You do
not have to sleep with your phone in your bed to use this app. Instead, place it on your nightstand. Remember to keep your device charging so the battery does not
run out. Another item worth noting is that sounds from your partner or pet may a ect the sleep analysis. Premium subscriptions o er additional features including trends with advanced statistics, listening to/saving/ sharing recordings, and notation capability. The subscriptions come in 1- ($6.99), 3- ($11.99), or 12-month ($39.99) options.
Good quality sleep is critical to overall health. Practicing good sleep hygiene is an integral part of this. Admittedly, research indicates that keeping
your phone in your
bedroom can make it di cult to follow
the recommended guidelines (limiting electronics before bed) for quality sleep. Personally, I keep my phone next to my bed because I do not have a landline, and I use the phone as my alarm. When I’m sliding into bed, I truly have gotten into the habit of not looking at it to do anything aside from turning on the alarm and charging it.
To learn more about sleep, check out the website for the National Sleep Foundation at sleepfoundation.org.