De-Stress With Sex...Or Not

Orgasm provides substantial release of tension, intimacy melts a lot of anxiety.

Nothing beats being wrapped in loving arms, it's the marriage of love and peace.

Pure relaxing bliss.

A study of Welshmen ages 45-59 showed those who had sex at least twice a week were less likely to die over a ten-year period than those who had sex less than once a month. Other studies revealed sex enhances your life, boosts the immune system, releases endorphins that can relieve pain. Some studies show regular sex can help you feel healthier, look younger and add years to your life.

Okay... so we know sex is good for you. 

But sometimes at the end of the day, it's hard to get in the mood.

Sex & orgasms don't have to be a part of the formula. Intimacy is the key. 

Intimacy can be simply cuddling, a long kiss or even a joke. Spend a minute being together. Laughing together is actually an intimate act. I often laugh until I cry and it ain't pretty, but hubby loves it. Laughter releases the same chemicals as sex. 

Have you ever had a super good laugh in bed after sex? 

If not... you gotta try it!

Noisy Morning Meditation

I woke earlier than normal and my fibromyalgia pain wouldn't let me return to a cozy slumber. Grabbing my yoga mat, I headed to the deck for a bit of stretching and meditation. 

The noise of the morning became to distracting and I found myself watching the drama unfold in my backyard as one would watch TV. 

Grab a cup of coffee and join me on the deck.

Shhhh... watch and listen.

Hear the fox squirrels making a ruckus running up and down old oaks.  Oh, those red squirrels fighting for dominance and territory are loud. Look, there's a rabbit loping through the chaos looking for breakfast. Listen to turkey hen softly clucking, to announce her arrival. Penny thinks she's special. Twigs are snapping and old dried leaves on the forest floor are crunching, but we can't see what is making the noise.

A Blue Jay's shrill call carries across the tree tops, causing everyone to go on alert for a moment. 

 Two fox squirrels stand to look at with curiosity us while Penny eats. 

A harvester spider joins me on my yoga mat.

I'm definitely not alone and I find this noisy morning to be incredibly amazing. 

I'm relaxed, refreshed, and recharged. 

If your heart is heavy or your mind is dark, take a few moments to step outside. 

Close your eyes and simply breathe. 

Listen to the sound around you. What do you hear? Human traffic? Wildlife? Nature? You will find, you are never alone but a small part of a wonderful big world.

Try getting up earlier than normal some morning. Enjoy the new experience.  

Grab a hot beverage and your honey, absorb your environment.

Drinking With My Lab

I'm usually a shop-locally-kind-of-girl, but I picked up this bottle of wine because of the name. 

I love my lab.

The capital of Portugal has a wonderful Mediterranean climate known for producing wine for centuries. This wine, Lab of Portugal, is a blend of four different kinds of grapes harvested from clay and limestone soil near Lisbon.  The blend was aged in new oak barrels for four months. 

I paired the wine with grilled veggies and BBQ ribs. With my first impression I noticed how different it is from the wines I normally drink. It had an immediate pine note. Pine, seriously? Must be the combination of the dark red fruits and tannins. As I sipped this bold dry wine, a familiar memory tickled my mind. Then it came to me.

This wine tastes like Up North. Michiganders will know that term. For those who don't, imagine visiting my gram's cottage tucked in a cluster of cedar trees. Knotty pine walls surround you and the linens have a fragrance of Ivory soap.  A breeze travels off the lake past the trees and into the cottage. 

That essence is in this bottle! Drink Lab with steak or a cheese plate and be carried away.

Oh, yes...my sweet lab, Maggie likes wine and gives Lab of Portugal her paw of approval.

Key to Love - Gratitude

Love is a powerful thing but it is tested. It is surviving the tests that makes love strong.

According to one study, 80% of couples who stayed together through marital problems were asked five years after the problem was resolved, reported being happier than before the issue.

BOOK SUGGESTION

Why Good Things Happen To Good People written by Dr. Stephen Post and Jill Neimark 

is a great book to read in regards to the keys to longevity in a relationship.

According to the book, GRATITUDE is an important key for Love that Lasts.

Being married to a pilot can be trying at times. Most people ask how the fact he's gone every two weeks affect our marriage. The time he's gone doesn't affect it, we stay close via phone, video chats, little love notes, etc. I believe the hardest part about being married to a pilot these days is the moment the plane takes off. It today's world the chance of him not coming home is always there. That thought scares the hell out of me but for my sanity, I don't dwell on it. Saying goodbye is the hardest. As I watch his plan take off, I always say a prayer for his safety and gratitude that's he's part of our lives. I'm thankful for the time we spend together no matter if it's weeks, days, hours or minutes. Saying goodbye when the jet leaves the tarmac or "TTFN" via video chat, is still a farewell. The feeling of gratitude strengthens our bond.

As my son's grow older, I've learned to say the same prayer for safety and gratitude when I hug them goodbye. I'm so thankful for my guys!

Think of the things you appreciate about your honey. Think of big things - how hard he works for his family. Think of small things - quiet time tucking the kids into bed.

Take a moment to write them down. Share them with your honey. Strengthen your love.

Whisper, Tingle, Put Me to Sleep

"Are you kidding? You've never heard ASMR videos?" 

My 15 year old was shocked but quickly preceded to educate his outdated mom. 

Coined in 2010, ASMR (autonomous sensory meridian response) is a relaxing, often sedative sensation that begins on the scalp and moves down the body. Also known as "brain massage," it's triggered by placid sights and sounds such as whispers, accents, and crackles.

My young'un showed me a variety of videos. My response was a simple, "What the...? Why?" 

He then explained not all are "dumb" and turned me in the direction of ones I might relate to. He knows I enjoy comforting sounds and look for interesting techniques to improve sleep.

There is an entire "whisper community" and "tingleheads" or ASMR Artists who produce videos to induce calm, comfort and sleep. Some are videos of well groomed hands scratching and rubbing various surfaces to create calming sounds.

Check out this video of ASMR Best Triggers for Sleep.

Other videos are more direct with a woman whispering to you while she gives you a facial or brushes a friend's hair. All the while, the focus is on hand movements and sounds.  These stimulations trigger sensations usually a tingling feeling starting with your scalp and travel downward. Everyone has different triggers such as whispers, accents, crinkling paper, marbles on velvet or spa-role playing.

Check out this video for a Healing Session - AMSR Soft Spoken with Personal Attention

After viewing several different AMSR videos...

If I closed my eyes, I found the sound videos calming and could relax with the spa-role playing. However, if I watched the role playing videos I was somewhat sheepish then giggled at the the woman as she leaned into the camera and whispered what she was going to do to me. (She was going to use a large makeup brush on my face.) Her facial expressions were a cross between comical and perverse. I'm sorry, but I couldn't help but crack up with the whispering. (I guess my immaturity is returning.)

I guess I'm really out of the loop of things, here's an article written by German Lopez in 2018 that explains the popularity of AMSR videos.

Personally, I didn't relax enough to fall asleep but it's worth a try for anyone who has sleep issues. Keep in mind science has yet to find a biological explanation for the sedative sensation triggered by sounds. I think I'll leave the videos for others. I prefer my honey's sexy whispers giving me tingles then falls asleep to night beach sounds.

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