ChatterMoms

Of all the things we'd like more of —time, sleep, another finger-scoop of cake icing —energy is at the top of most of our lists. For almost all of us, energy levels swirl down the day's drain as more hours pass. Slowly leaking. Until. We. Finally. Crash. Sometimes, we don't know what makes us tired, whether it's too little sleep, too little exercise, too much stress, a lack of sunlight, or just the evening news. But we do know many of the cures —and they come in the form of what you drink, eat, and pop. So here's a guide to the major myths about energy-boosters, and what you can do to make sure you have energy to spare.

Myth: Sweet snacks give you a sugar high and then a sugar crash.
If you're sluggish at 4 p.m., conventional wisdom says you're hypoglycemic. Your blood sugar's low, and a handful of M&Ms will make those levels —and you —spike and then plunge. But that line of thinking has as much truth as the Loch Ness legend, without even a grainy photograph to back it up.

"There's no evidence to support the idea that midafternoon tiredness is caused by hypoglycemia, or that healthy people feel normal fluctuations in blood sugar," says Phillip Cryer, M.D., professor of endocrinology and metabolism at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. "The threshold for symptoms of low blood sugar is 50 to 55 milligrams (mg) of glucose per deciliter of blood, and it's very, very rare for a healthy person to get to those levels."

Rather than being low on blood sugar, you're low on serotonin —the brain chemical that makes you feel focused, attentive, and energetic, says Judith Wurtman, Ph.D., a researcher in women's health at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Instead of the celery sticks: Bring back the carbohydrates. Carbs become glucose in your bloodstream, and as insulin goes to work on the glucose, it starts a chain of chemical events: An amino acid called tryptophan travels to the brain and converts to serotonin to keep your energy up. Dr. Wurtman goes against conventional wisdom by recommending snacks that are almost pure carbohydrate —which means the vending machine licorice or a small bag of pretzels isn't necessarily off-limits anymore.

By Allison Winn Scotch -- Women's Health Magazine

We all forget to drop off the dry cleaning, where we left those blasted car keys, and if we already put on deodorant for the day. Brain atrophy already? I know the feeling well. My mind used to be sharper than the scent of patchouli at a Phish concertuntil my son was born. For the past year, I've been blaming my scattered self on "mommy brain" until I learned that women actually become sharper after they give birth. Recent research from the University of Richmond found that the brain cell structures vital for communication double during pregnancy and that postdelivery the pathways to the hippocampus (where learning and memory are focused) are redefined and more efficient. Crap. There goes that theory. That's why I enlisted the help of a few experts like all-time Jeopardy! champ Ken Jennings (after all it's hard to forget a guy who won $3 million) to tell me their best memory-boosting tricks — and tried them out myself.

BRAIN BOOSTER Focus on What Fascinates
My father is a brain surgeon, so I've spent most of my life bombarded with talk of aneurysms, cerebrums, and hypothalamuses. Not that I can remember any of it. So when my dad asked me to attend a talk on his latest research, I challenged myself to retain some of it. The problem? I find science so damn dull.

"If you think something is boring, you just haven't been hearing the right facts about it," says Jennings, author of a book on the phenomenon due out in October 2006. "Try to explain ballet to people who hate it and they'll be bored stiff. But they might be a little more interested if you told them about the 1913 premiere of Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, where the audience actually rioted because the music and choreography were so shockingly modern." Or just make the information at hand more relevant to your life or the lives of your listeners to maintain attention span.

Even the most devoted moms and dads often overlook some of these — or feel that they're the opposite of what a loving parent should do. But each is important in its own way. Here's why you should give your baby...

...more sleep
Quick: How much shut-eye does the average baby need? Many parents guess it's 8 to 12 hours per day, but it's actually more like 14 to 16, including naps, for infants up to age 1, says Juan Martinez, M.D., director of the sleep lab at Joe DiMaggio Children's Hospital, in Hollywood, Florida. This misunderstanding can lead to babies who are as sleep-deprived as the rest of us.

Sure, it's tempting to try to keep that dozing cutie awake for his aunt's visit. But helping your child to snooze without interruption as often as possible is worth it. Jennifer Winn of Spring Lake, New Jersey, sometimes has to cancel her 2-year-old's playdate if her 10-month-old is overtired. "It's not easy, but I think it's really important that he have his rest," she says.

She's right. A child must be well rested to be receptive to new experiences. So know the signs that your baby needs more shut-eye. "Instead of acting drowsy, he may be irritable and hyper," Dr. Martinez says.

Setting a sleep schedule, especially once your child is at least 6 months old, is a good way to make sure he's getting enough rest. Make naptimes and bedtimes as consistent as possible, and build in a cushion of time beforehand to help him unwind you can try showing him a book, rocking him, or giving him a warm bath before bed.

Grey's Anatomy: Fantasies Gone Wrong

October's here. This is the best month there is. Last night was a good night to go home, cook a chicken, open the windows to let the early autumn in, and watch a very fine episode of Grey's Anatomy with you, the rest of America. And this was the finest episode of three in this young season! I don't see how any of you could argue with that. So let's all like each other, and be happy together, and get down to it.

Q

My husband's brother has hunting rifles in his attic, and it worries me to have my child around firearms. Do I talk to him about it?

A

There's no need for you to be delicate or squeamish. Folks who are uncomfortable with guns tend to be uncomfortable talking about them as well. But gun owners are usually perfectly happy to chat about their gear. Your brother-in-law bought his guns, hunts with them, and is likely proud to own them. He also doesn't want your child (or his own!) to be at risk, and therefore he should be perfectly willing to talk about what he's done to make his equipment inaccessible to children, something the National Rifle Association, which supports gun ownership, encourages on its website and in its brochures.

Stay in with your girlfriends and have a kid- and husband-free night

Instead of the same old dinner out with friends, get together at home — yours or a pal's:

Wine tastings. The hostess picks a wine (say, merlot) and everyone brings a bottle, plus cheese and crackers. Parenting staffer Lisa Bain and her friends set a price limit — no more than $15. "It's a fun way to learn more about wine," she says. For some guidance, check out Winemag.com's free database of 35,000 reviews, searchable by rating, price, and varietal or blend. (Registration's required, but avoid e-mail by declining updates.)

Clothing swaps. Everyone brings a bag full of clothes they no longer want (nothing ratty or stained) and goes "shopping" among their friends' stuff. Whatever's left over at the end of the night goes to charity. If you don't all wear similar sizes, include accessories such as purses and costume jewelry.

Hocus Focus

On ''Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,'' everyone gets nervous after a focus group; plus, Harriet shows she has magic powers, and Jordan's scandalous past is revealed

by Gary Susman - ew.com