Get some natural sunlight every day, preferably in the morning. Exposure to natural light during waking hours helps balance your body’s circadian rhythms, leading to increased melatonin production at night.  The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that people of all skin tones wear 30 SPF sunscreen when in direct sun.  Getting some sun exposure from a window is better than getting none at all, if you can’t get outside. Workers in offices with windows tend to produce more melatonin (and sleep better) at night than those who work in offices without windows. Dim or switch off LED lights in the evening. These light bulbs produce blue light, which suppresses your body’s natural melatonin production. Opt for traditional fluorescent bulbs, which produce blue light at a lower level, or blue-light free bulbs intended to maximize melatonin levels. Blue-light free bulbs can be purchased at several online retailers or your local hardware store. Dim the lights around your house in the hours before bed, creating a darker environment no later than 9:00 or 10:00 PM. The gradual darkness will help your melatonin levels rise naturally. You can purchase a dimmer to add to existing lamps at your local home-improvement store or online. Avoid using your tablet, phone, and computer in the hour or 2 before bed. These devices emit high levels of blue-light, which suppress your natural melatonin production. Your melatonin levels will rise when your eyes are not exposed to this kind of light before bed. You’ll probably sleep better, too. Put your devices in night mode, which emits less blue light, if you need to work in the evenings. Use blackout shades to make your bedroom very dark at night or try a sleep mask. Avoid using nightlights or leaving a bathroom light on, as these suppress your natural melatonin production. The darker your bedroom, the higher your natural melatonin surge will rise. Aid your body’s natural melatonin surge at night by installing a red light in your bathroom. Red-spectrum bulbs are less disturbing to melatonin levels than LED or even fluorescent light bulbs. By using one, any evening bathroom visits will be less likely to disrupt your sleep cycle.

Summary: Expose yourself to at least 15 minutes of bright sunlight every day. Turn off LED lights when you wind down at night. Use a dimmer switch in the evenings. Sideline electronic devices in the evenings. Sleep in complete darkness. Install a dim red light in your bathroom if you wake frequently at night.


The Snapchat app icon is a white ghost with a yellow background.  If you aren't already logged into Snapchat, tap Log In and enter your username (or email address) and password. You'll also need your friend to open Snapchat if you're adding them in person. Doing so will open the profile page which contains their individual snapcode (the yellow box with a ghost in it). Skip this step if you're scanning a snapcode from an online page or poster. You should be able to see all of the snapcode box on your screen. If the snapcode isn't in focus, tap it on your screen to refocus your camera. After a brief pause, you should see the snapcode's account pop up on your screen. Whoever the snapcode belongs to is now in your friends list! You can also add a friend by snapcode from a picture in your camera roll by tapping Add Friends on the profile page, tapping By Snapcode, and selecting a photo with the snapcode.

Summary: Open the Snapchat app. Have your friend swipe down on their camera screen. Center the snapcode box in your screen. Tap and hold the snapcode box on your screen. Tap Add Friend.


Remembering how many calories you’re eating every day can be difficult. That’s why using a food journal is so helpful — you can refer to it at the end of the day and add up how many calories you ate so you know whether or not you’re on the right track. Whenever you eat something, write it down in your journal along with how many calories it is.  Your food journal doesn’t have to be a physical book. You can keep track of the foods you’re eating in a note on your phone, or by using a food journal app. Some food journal apps you can try are MyFitnessPal, Calorific, and Lose It. Just like the foods you’re eating, it’s a good idea to write down how many calories you’re burning through exercise every day. That way you’ll know whether or not you’re burning enough to lose weight. Over time, if you notice that eating less and exercising isn’t adding up to a 1,000 calorie deficit every day, you’ll know that you need to change your routine.  To figure out how many calories you're burning through exercise, enter the exercises you're doing and how long you're doing them for into an online calorie-burning calculator. You can find a calorie-burning calculator at https://www.healthstatus.com/calculate/cbc. Since you’re trying to lose weight in a short amount of time, it’s important that you keep tabs on your progress. Weighing yourself every day will give you an idea of whether or not you need to eat less and exercise more.  You won’t see a change in your weight every day, but if you see your weight going up or not changing for over a week, you’ll know that something needs to change.

Summary: Write down what you eat in a food journal. Keep track of how many calories you’re burning from exercise. Weigh yourself right after you wake up every day.


On the saddle are leather straps called the girth (or the belly band). Feed the leather strap into the buckle, and secure it so the girth is tight. You should be able to fit your fingers underneath the strap. The girth stops the shafts from going backward if the cart or carriage gets unbalanced. Take the leather straps of the traces, and place each of them behind the leather straps of the belly band. They should sit on top of the saddle’s leather strap (behind the horse’s front legs). The bridle will easily fit over their head. Then, place the bit inside the horse’s mouth so their tongue lies underneath. Attach the curb chain to the hook on both sides of the bit so the bridle stays put on their head. The bit is a slightly curved metal piece that sits in the horse’s mouth. This helps control the horse. Connected to the bit is a curb chain and 2 rings for the reins. After the bit and curb chain are in place, strap the reins to both of the rings on the bit. You can use the lower loop for more control over the horse. Run the reins through the rein tariffs on the harness and buckle up the ends.  More control of the horse is helpful if you are driving on roads with traffic, for example. The rein tariffs keep the reins straight and tangle-free. Inspect each buckle and ring to ensure each strap is properly fastened. They should fit snugly around the horse, and you should be able to fit your fingers underneath. Tighten or loosen the straps as needed.
Summary: Attach the girth around your horse’s body to keep the saddle in place. Run the traces behind the girth. Place the bridle around your horse’s head and the bit in their mouth. Connect the reins to the bridle and the saddle. Check each strap to make sure it fits securely and comfortably.