1. SCAMS: Does Florida’s DMV send text messages? Threats?
Annoyed by all those Sun Pass text scams? Now there are text messages going out warning that your Florida driver’s license will be suspended if you don’t take care of an unpaid traffic ticket.
The Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles warned the text has been reported throughout the state and the threat is serious. The text scam includes a link to supposedly pay the “outstanding traffic ticket” to “avoid license suspension and further legal disputes.”
“FLHSMV will never contact you via text message demanding payment or threatening suspension or arrest.”
If you receive a suspicious message: Do not click any links; do not share personal or financial information. Report it to the Florida Attorney General’s Office by calling 866-9NO-SCAM or file a complaint online at myfloridalegal.com/how-to-contact-us/file-a-complaint. – Cheryl McCloud/USA TODAY Network-Florida
2. HEALTH: Urinating frequently at night, what does it mean?
It’s 2 a.m., and you know the light you just turned on to use the bathroom is about to ruin your sleep. But when you’ve got to go, you’ve got to.
Nocturia, known colloquially as frequent nighttime urination, is common. More than 50 million people in the United States suffer, according to the National Institutes of Health’s National Library of Medicine. And roughly half of adults over 65 have reported getting up at least once every night to use the bathroom.
“Waking up to urinate can either be a warning sign or an actual sign of a health issue you may not be aware of or a health issue that is not being properly treated,” said Dr. Justin Dubin, a urologist and men’s health specialist at Memorial Healthcare System in South Florida.
So, how do you know when it’s an issue worth bringing up to a doctor? Waking up once a night every once in a while, is usually OK, Dubin says. “Consistently waking up two or more times every night? That is considered abnormal,” he adds.
To much water before bed or certain medications can be the culprit. But even if your nocturia isn’t a warning sign of other issues, the loss of sleep is likely enough reason to seek help. – Hannah Yasharoff/USA TODAY
3. SLEEP: Zero-gravity could be the answer to restless nights
In pursuit of a good night’s sleep, would you consider sleeping zero-gravity? The zero-gravity sleep position, which can be achieved with the help of a specialized bed, entails sleeping with your head and legs elevated, and your knees resting at an angle, says Dr. Mara Vucich, a spine specialist at the Mercy Spine Center. Proponents of zero-gravity beds tout a few possible benefits – from improved spinal alignment to enhanced blood flow – but is there weight behind these claims?
It’s possible that sleeping in a zero-gravity position offers the following benefits:
Lying in a reclined, zero-gravity position allows for your weight to be evenly distributed across the mattress, helping to relieve pressure placed on your spine, says Vucich; it prioritizes spinal alignment; may help increase blood flow; could reduce swelling; may help alleviate acid reflux.
A zero-gravity bed probably isn’t something you should purchase on a whim, Vucich says.
They can be expensive, though there’s a significant price variation between brands.
If you’re a side sleeper, or someone who tosses and turns a lot at night, a zero-gravity bed might not be for you. – Caroline C. Boyle/USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on Marco Eagle: 3 To Know: Sun Pass, DMV scams; zero-gravity sleep, more
Reporting by Marco Eagle / Marco Eagle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
