Author: veejay

Sleep issues are a common problem. Have you ever lied awake at night staring at the clock as the minutes ticked away, tossing and turning, or fluffing your pillow trying to sleep? With all the stressors of daily life, it can be difficult to wind down from the day and relax enough to sleep.

This is where sleep hygiene can be beneficial.

Sleep hygiene refers to the habits, behaviors, and environmental factors that help you get a good night's sleep. It is about creating habits and an environment conducive to getting a good night’s sleep. Not getting enough sleep can lead to unproductive habits like sleeping at inappropriate times, irritability, and lack of concentration. Paying attention to your sleep hygiene is the best way of getting a good night’s sleep.

Here are some helpful tips for creating effective sleep hygiene:

• Create a relaxing nighttime routine and sleep schedule. Start your routine about 30-60 minutes before bedtime.
  • Take a nice shower or bath
  • Listen to soothing music while focusing on breathing exercises
  • Do some low-impact stretching to relieve stress and relax your muscles
  • Read a book
• Make it a habit to refrain from using electronic devices in the 30-60 minutes leading up to bedtime
• Try to limit the number of caffeinated beverages you drink throughout the day
• Set up a sleep environment that works for you
  • Invest in a supportive mattress and comfortable pillows
  • Lightly scented candles
  • Optimal room temperature
  • White noise machine

By paying attention to sleep hygiene and implementing these strategies, you can greatly improve your chances of getting a restful night's sleep and waking up feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.

With the arrival of Spring and the flurry of holidays during this season, making healthy eating choices can be a challenge. However, with foresight and planning, we can elevate our eating experiences to promote healthy and nutritious food choices. While I was researching this topic I came across the Eating Well website and discovered some tasty-looking options.

Indulge in the irresistible goodness of this simple, high-protein snack that reminds you of a Reese’s peanut butter cup. Peanut Butter Yogurt Cup with the Magic Shell Topping is easy and versatile, you can use any nut or seed butter to make this four-ingredient recipe.

Enjoy these wholesome bars Carrot Cake Oatmeal Bars as a snack on the go or with morning coffee. Created from a blend of shredded carrots, oats, and brown sugar carrot cake oatmeal bars make for a quick and easy recipe. These healthy Banana-Peanut Granola Bars will put you in the mind of a peanut butter sandwich with a crunch. These bars pack a punch with a blend of ground ginger, brown rice cereal, macadamia nuts, and more. Both of these recipes would be good for a quick breakfast on your way out the door.

Who doesn’t love a good avocado toast? Salsa-topped avocado sounds delicious. Using fresh salsa really wakes up the taste buds. Making homemade salsa allows you to add your favorite ingredients and customize the salsa to your taste. However, to save time using store-bought salsa can be a convenient option.

These are just a few ideas for healthy snacks. Now get out there and enjoy this Spring weather!

Boo at the Zoo
Date: October 20, 21, and 22
Location: Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute
Cost: Tickets/ $35 / Member tickets $25

Boo at the Zoo is a popular event with tickets and parking spots sell out quickly. Guest should plan ahead and purchase both ticket and parking passes early.

13 Nights of Halloween
Date: October 19th - 31st
Time: Check the calendar for event times and dates
Location: Wunder Garten
1101 First Street Northeast Washington, DC 20002

Have a Spooktacular time at Wunder Garten. Over the course of thirteen nights join in on Halloween-themed events such as costume parties for you and your pets, pumpkin carving contests, and more. Enjoy screening scary movies and dance the night away with the DJ. Keep the party going into the weekend with live music!

Hocus Pocus Halloween Party
Date: Saturday, October 28th
Time: 9:00pm - 11:30pm
Location: City Tap Penn Quarter
901 9th St., NW Washington, DC 20001

Join the spooktacular Halloween bash at City Tap Penn Quarter! Get ready for a night of tricks, treats, and wicked fun. Dress up in your most bewitching costume and party with us till the witching hour! We've got a cauldron full of thrilling activities, including a costume contest and creepy cocktails that will cast a spell on your taste buds. Don't miss out on the live DJ and bone-chilling music that will keep you dancing all night long.

Hocus Pocus Halloween Party
Date: Saturday, October 28th
Time: 9:00pm - 11:30pm
Location: City Tap Penn Quarter
901 9th St., NW Washington, DC 20001

Join the spooktacular Halloween bash at City Tap Penn Quarter! Get ready for a night of tricks, treats, and wicked fun. Dress up in your most bewitching costume and party with us till the witching hour! We've got a cauldron full of thrilling activities, including a costume contest and creepy cocktails that will cast a spell on your taste buds. Don't miss out on the live DJ and bone-chilling music that will keep you dancing all night long.

Haunted Georgetown Walking Tour (with Oak Hill Cemetery Spook Walk)
Date: October 22nd
Time: 6:30 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Georgetown
Corner of 27th & Q Street, NW Washington, DC 20007
Cost: $25
We will start the tour at the beautiful and haunted Oak Hill Cemetery, where we will solve the mystery of the Tiffany-inspired angel in the Chapel window. From there we will go to other locales, like the mystery mansion with doors to nowhere and a previous owner who suggested being buried inside with a stake in his heart…the “ten o’clock ritual” at the old Foxhall mansion. Suggested Attire: Dress comfortably. The tour will go on rain, shine, or even if there is a full moon.

Falls Church Ghosts and History Tour
Date: Friday, October 20th
Time: 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Location: Cherry Hill Farmhouse
312 Park Avenue Falls Church, VA 22046
Cost: Free

PLEASE BRING A FLASHLIGHT - We will be walking in the dark and crossing streets. You are responsible for your safety.

PLEASE DONATE 3 OR MORE CANS OF FOOD

Enjoy yourself and have a safe and frighteningly good time this Halloween season.

GW Paws N’ Relax
Date: Wednesday, October 4, 2023, 2:00-4:00 pm.
Location: USC 3rd Floor Terrace. 800 21^st St. NW.
Cost: FREE! Registration is required.

The adorable therapy pups return in October to GW. Join People Animals Love (PAL) in the USC to rejuvenate with professional therapy pups and enjoy some paws-itivity! Please note, due to a high volume of attendees, there may be a small wait before interacting with the pups.

GW Petting Zoo
Date: Thursday, October 5, 2023, 11:00 am – 1:00 pm.
Location: GW Square 80 (between 21st & 22nd Streets/F & G Streets) 
Cost: Free! Reservation required.

Come visit Squeals on Wheels for a petting zoo. There will be a variety of animals available to cuddle and pet. Don’t miss this special event to lift your spirit and enjoy.

GW Yoga at the Museum
Date: Friday, October 6, 2023. 11:00 am - 12:00 pm. Every first and third Friday during the Fall 2023 semester.
Location: GW Textile Museum. 701 21^st St. NW.
Cost: Free! RSVP to Event

The GW community is invited to join free yoga sessions in the museum every first and third Friday of each month during the fall 2023 semester. In partnership with the Lerner Health and Wellness Center, the sessions take place on the third floor in the gallery under Anne Lindberg’s installation What Color is Divine Light? Yoga mats and stools for all sessions are provided for free by the museum!

Kingman Island Friends & Family Day
Date: Saturday, October 14, 2023. 10:00 am – 2:00 pm.
Location: 575 Oklahoma Ave. NE.
Cost: Free! Registration available

Experience all the amazing activities the island offers including paddling, nature walks, fishing, scavenger hunts, and so much more! Programs include Ask a Ranger, Gone Fishing to Learn Common Fishing Skills, Meadow Exploration, Meet Fresh Water Mussels, Tree Walk, and Sensory Observation Exploration.

Georgetown Fall Market
Date: Saturday-Sunday, October 14 & 15, 2023. 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
Location: Georgetown Main St. (3217 P St. NW.)
Cost: Free! RSVP Requested

Formerly the widely successful Georgetown French Market, now has become the fall-themed Georgetown Street Market. Enjoy sidewalk shopping, outdoor dining, and fall-themed programming like pumpkin painting, autumnal face painting, live music, and more! RSVP is not necessary, but recommended!

Turkish Festival
Date: Sunday, October 15, 2023. 11:00 am – 6:30 pm.
Location: Pennsylvania Ave, NW (between 3^rd & 6^th Streets)
Cost: Free! 

Celebrate Turkish culture with your friends and family. Festival events include authentic Turkish cuisine, live music, folk dancing performances and workshops, Turkish bazaar, coffeehouse, fortune telling, cultural activities, a tea house and a shadow theater and much more!

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DC Jazz Festival at the Wharf
Date: Saturday, September 2, 2023.
Time: 12:00 pm – 10:00 pm
Location: The Wharf, 1001 7th Street SW.
Cost: General Admission Standing tickets: $20 + fees

DC JazzFest celebrates all things jazz over Labor Day weekend. Head to The Wharf for a star-studded lineup on multiple outdoor stages. Take time to enjoy the sights and sounds on the DC waterfront!

America Meditates - Free Meditation Sessions (Every Tuesday & Thursday)
Date: Thursday, September 7 thru Thursday, September 28, 2023
Time: 6:00 pm -7:00 pm
Location: Meridian Hill Park, W Street, NW.
Cost: FREE! Reservation required

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of daily life and find your inner peace in the heart of the city. Mediation sessions are held every Tuesday and Thursday, providing you with the perfect opportunity to unwind and rejuvenate. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced meditator, everyone is welcome to participate. At the park’s serene outdoor location, surrounded by lush greenery and tranquil vibes, you'll learn various meditation techniques to help calm your mind, reduce stress, and enhance your overall well-being.

The World is Falling Apart and I’m Dying Inside! - An Evening of Standup Comedy & Mental Health
Sponsor: GW Student Life
Date: Thursday, September 14, 2023. 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm
Location: GW USC First Floor Betts Auditorium. 800 21st St. NW.
Cost: FREE! RSVP to Event

Join standup comic, author, and mental health specialist Joshua Rivedal and GW Late Night for an evening of comedy and mental health. Rivedal will start with stand-up comedy and transition into sharing his personal experience with mental health. There will be food provided! The night will end with a Q&A.

H Street Festival
Date: Saturday, September 16, 2023. 12:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Location: H Street NE, Between 3rd & 15th Streets
Costs: FREE! Reserve your tickets

H Street Festival is one of the most anticipated and highly attended single-day festivals in DC.  The festival is 11 blocks long and has 14 staging areas that are diversely themed and programmed to target different segments of audiences.  The staging areas feature music of different genres, dance, youth-based performances, fashion, heritage arts, poetry, and many more.

Friday Night Full Moon Walk: Georgetown Waterfront and Potomac River
Hosted by Washington, DC History & Culture, Robert Kelleman
Date: Friday, September 29 · 6:15 pm - 9:00 pm
Location: Foggy Bottom-GWU 2301 I Street, NW.
Cost: FREE! Tickets Required

Washington DC's Georgetown waterfront and Potomac River are spectacular in the evening, and even more so during a full moon. With the September full moon falling on a Friday/Saturday, enjoy a pleasant evening walk with friendly people. The walk will start and end at the Foggy Bottom-GWU Metro and cover approximately 2.5 miles past several noteworthy points, with several breaks along the way. This event is more of a walk than a guided tour - although some brief information on the sites we’re visiting may be provided.

World Culture Festival - US Edition
Date: Friday, September 29 – Saturday, October 1, 2023
Location: DC National Mall
Cost: FREE!  RSVP for free passes

World Culture Festival is coming to the National Mall in DC.  Renew, groove, dance, sing, and connect with millions of people who long for more unity and less division. Nourish your heart, mind, and body with inspiration, morning yoga, meditation, and food from all traditions.

Check out Healthy Living @ Himmelfarb’s May calendar to discover a variety of activities both indoors and outdoors.

Smithsonian Craft Show
Dates & Times: Thursday, May 4 - Saturday, May 6, 2023: 10:30 am  - 5:30 pm
                              Sunday, May 7, 2023: 11:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location: National Building Museum. 401 F Street, NW.

Smithsonian Craft Show celebrates the American spirit in craft and design. See and buy hand-crafted works from leading contemporary artists, including an outstanding selection of Native American and indigenous works. Also on display are pieces from this year’s Smithsonian Visionary Award and Delphi Award winners. Other special events include an online auction, panel discussion, and more

Dumbarton Oaks Gardens
Date: Daily ticket allows entry anytime between 2:00 pm - 5:30 pm
Location: 3101 R Street, NW
Cost: Tickets: $7.00 + fees (anyone over 2 years requires a ticket)

Designed by renowned landscape gardener Beatrix Farrand, Dumbarton Oaks Gardens is an oasis within the city. Take a break to explore sixteen acres of terraced gardens, vistas, orchards, kitchen gardens, and a vast wilderness of meadows and wooded pathways. A great way to unwind and recharge.

Indoor and Container Gardening 101
Date: Saturday, May 13, 2023
Time: 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Location: Old City Market and Oven. 522 K Street, NW
Cost: Class only: $10 + fees. Class with planter to take home: $20 + fees

Join the farmers of Cultivate the City to learn how to bring the outdoors inside with container gardening. Container gardens are simple to create and easy to maintain. Apply a few basic principles and even first-time gardeners can bloom. Learn the basics of indoor gardening and how to make a sub-irrigated planter for watering when you go on vacation!

National Memorial Day Parade
Date: Monday, May 29, 2023
Time: 2:00 pm -  4:00 pm
Location: Parade Route - Constitution Ave. from 7th - 17th Street, NW
Cost: Free

The National Memorial Day Parade returns LIVE to Constitution Avenue this Memorial Day. Join the celebration in our nation’s capital as we honor the service and sacrifice of generations of Americans.

Find more information on all activities on Healthy Living @ Himmelfarb’s May calendar!