Problem: Article: We tend to feel more tired when we are dehydrated because our blood thickens, forcing your heart to pump harder to circulate the blood throughout your body, and this extra work by the heart tires us out.  Doctors recommend having 2 liters of water a day, or about 8 glasses. Soft drinks and coffee don’t count. You can also get water naturally through fruits and vegetables such as watermelon, celery, and broccoli. You’ll know you’re getting dehydrated if your urine turns from a pale, clear fluid (as it is when you’re well hydrated) to a darker yellow. Don't wait until you feel thirsty to drink. By the time your brain starts sending you signals, you’re already lacking fluids, hence the message of being thirsty. Drink regularly throughout the day to stay hydrated. Getting little bursts of carbohydrates and protein throughout the day will help you stay awake and alert. Plus, if you eat every 3-4 hours, you won’t have blood sugar crashes, which make you feel tired.  Eating breakfast really is the most important way to start the day, so don’t skip it. If you find you’re often on the run to work or school and don’t have time for breakfast, get into the habit of preparing grab-and-go options. Include fibre so you have the slower release of carbs that keeps you from crashing. Include popcorn, tortillas, or whole grain pitas in your meal and snack time, for example. Small meal examples that work include low-fat yogurt with berries and granola, a whole grain chicken wrap with greens, or apple slices with some peanut butter. It is generally recommended that you avoid caffeine after noon. When you live with chronic insomnia, this might be really hard to do so try to minimize it to 200-300 milligrams, or no more than 2 cups of coffee.  Decaffeinated coffees are not 100% caffeine free, so don’t be fooled. Energy drinks may not be a good choice. They have up to 250 milligrams of caffeine per serving and can increase your tolerance to caffeine, meaning you need more and more caffeine to feel the effects. They also have a lot of sugar and don’t actually provide any more energy than a regular soda. Although alcohol is often associated with partying and fun, it is actually a depressant that will drag you down and make you even more sleepy, make you restless at night, and increase your night-time waking.
Summary: Stay hydrated. Eat small meals regularly throughout the day. Enjoy caffeine responsibly. Avoid alcohol.

Problem: Article: When you have a baby, one of the things that should be on your to-do list is getting him or her a social security number. If you have your baby in a hospital, the hospital will have a process for you to apply for the number.  To apply for a social security card for your infant, simply check the “yes” box at your hospital when you are requesting your child’s birth certificate. While you can wait to get your child a social security number, the process will be more involved and will require an in-person visit to the Social Security Office. To fill out this application, you will be required to provide information about the parents of the child (social security number, address, and phone number). You must show original or certified copies of documents that prove your child’s U.S. citizenship, age and identity.  Proof of citizenship: U.S. birth certificate, U.S. consular report of birth, U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization, or Certificate of Citizenship Proof of age: U.S. birth certificate, foreign birth certificate, religious record made before the child turned 5, passport, or U.S. hospital record of birth Proof of identity: U.S. passport, doctor or hospital record, religious record, daycare or school record, or school ID card. This document should have a recent photo on it. If you don’t have a document with a photo, you need to bring proof of identity that has enough information to identify the child (such as child’s name date of birth, and parents’ names). The most common documents used to prove a parent’s identity are a U.S. driver's license, a state-issued identification card or a U.S. passport.  If these documents are not available, you may use an employee identification card, a school identification card, a marriage document, adoption decree, life insurance policy or a U.S. military identification card. The identification document needs to have a recent photograph of the parent. You can either submit your application in person or you can mail it. Find your local Social Security Office by visiting the Social Security Administration website or calling 1-800-772-1213.  It may be preferable to visit the Social Security Office in person, since you need to bring the originals of your identification. Be sure to check the hours for the office. They may have limited hours on certain days of the week. Mail or take the SS-5 form and all necessary documents to the proper Social Security office. The Social Security Office must verify your child’s birth record. Be aware that this can take up to 12 weeks before the card will be issued. Once the Social Security Administration processes your application, you will be issued a new card. It will be sent to your house in the mail.
Summary: Request a Social Security Number when getting your infant’s birth certificate. Print and fill out the SS-5 form. Bring identification for your child. Bring picture identification for the child’s parent or parents. Find your local Social Security Office. Submit your application to the Social Security Office. Wait for your card to arrive by mail.

Problem: Article: There are three primary career fields for sports psychologists. Which field you'd like to concentrate in will determine the focus of your studies and the scope of your internship/work experience. The three fields are:  academic jobs - teaching sports psychology coursework and conducting research at a university applied psychology jobs - training athletes and working with entire sports teams to enhance team performance, motivation, and endurance  clinical psychology jobs - working one-on-one with athletes and coaches to teach coping skills, work through stress and performance anxiety, and address any underlying psychological issues Some degree programs require an internship as a mandatory part of your education, and for good reason. Internships are an excellent way to gain experience in your field, add credentials to your resume, and make network connections that could last a lifetime.  Try getting involved in sports, or at least following a team and learning the basics of the game. You'll ideally be working with athletes, so it's best to understand what athletes go through on a daily basis.  Your college/graduate/doctoral program may offer specialized internships through some type of partnership. You can find internships by reaching out to a practice you'd like to work with, or by searching the APA website for internships in your area. Professional organizations are not a requirement for work in sports psychology, but they can help you build professional contacts and may open new career doors to you down the line. Some of the most common professional associations for sports psychologists include:  Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) American Psychological Association (APA), Division 47 International Society of Sport Psychology (ISSP) North American Society for Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity (NASPSPA)
Summary:
Choose an area of concentration. Take an internship. Join a professional association.