You can receive Featurettes by e-mail daily, weekly or monthly by request. We can e-mail by your choice of topic or all stories as you may prefer. To make it even more convenient for editors to use our stories, NAPS has added an RSS syndication feed to our Web site. Simply hit the RSS button on our site for automated updates on available content. Please contact us to arrange to receive Featurettes in the format that works best for you at (800) 222-5551 or e-mail your request to us at printmedia@napsnet.com. We can provide Featurettes on CD-ROM or you can download it online at www.napsnet.com. Gary Lipton Media Relations Manager Phone: 1-(800)-222-5551 Fax: 1-(800)-990-4329 Web site: www. napsnet .com e-mail: printmedia@napsnet.com #2655 North American Precis Syndicate, Inc., 415 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10017 When Is LASIK A Smart Investment? (NAPSA)—If you are looking into LASIK eye surgery but have been put off by the high price tag, here are some facts you may want to consider. Although the initial cost of LASIK may be significant, it could actually be a good investment and save you money in the long run once you realize you will be wearing, and paying for, glasses or contacts for the next 20 years or more. It’s a smart idea to do the math and see if the procedure makes sense for you. The American Refractive Surgery Council notes that the investment in LASIK can benefit both your vision and your wallet. Consider these facts: •If you wear contacts for at least $70 a box, a six-month supply would cost $280. •If you pay for vision insurance, it may only cost you $10 a month, but it’s only worth it if you get money back on contacts or glasses. Regular checkups are usually free after LASIK surgery. •If you get a new pair of glasses every year, they could cost you $150 a pair or more. If you need more than one (distance and reading), that could be $300. •Contact lens supplies also add up—over 10 years, the expense of contact lens maintenance can be well over the cost of the LASIK procedure. In addition to learning if the procedure is right for your vision, you can also research ways to pay for the procedure, with options that include financing through a health care financing company, financing through a LASIK sur- A Key Step Is Required For Many Jobs (NAPSA)—The Supreme Court recently reaffirmed that those men who fail to register with the Selective Service System can legally be denied a federal job. In addition, many states and municipalities now link their jobs to Selective Service registration. Even some government contractors are now requiring proof of registration for employment. LASIK surgery can be an investment in the quality of your life. geon or using a flexible spending account. Some financing plans give you up to five years to pay off the procedure. The IRS considers LASIK to be a tax-deductible medical expense, and while your medical expenditures may have to exceed a certain percentage of your income, the procedure may help you reach that amount. So don’t let financial considerations keep you from investing in your quality of life. LASIK can deliver great vision, making activities more enjoyable and eliminating the worry and frustration of losing glasses, as well as potential eye irritation and infections related to contact lens use. You can find more information about considering LASIK and download a refractive surgery checklist by visiting the American Refractive Surgery Council at www.americanrefractivesurgery council.org. What To Do Taking a few minutes to register, young men, 18–25 years old, can maintain their eligibility for these jobs throughout their careers, and at the same time remain eligible for a number of federal job-training programs, such as those that are tied to the Workforce Investment Act. Registration also means being eligible for government-funded student financial aid, including Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, National Direct Student Loans, and College Work Study. Virtually all young men living in the United States—regardless of their citizenship status—must register with the Selective Service System within 30 days of their 18th birthday. Immigrant men on valid visas are not required to register. Registration Registration is easily done at any U.S. Post Office, by U.S. mail or online. For more information about registration, visit www.sss.gov. A Better Night’s Sleep Might Lie In Your Blanket (NAPSA)—Sleep is a wonderful thing, but for many people, getting that sleep can prove elusive. Tried-and-true tips include keeping a regular schedule, getting enough daily exercise and creating a relaxing bedtime routine, but a new approach to sleeping soundly suggests that the right blanket can be instrumental in getting plenty of zzzz’s. For some people, the tried-andtrue tips simply don’t work. That was the case for the founders of Mosaic Weighted Blankets™. Beth Peacock had interrupted sleep due to restless leg syndrome and her friend Laura LeMond had a history of sensory issues that kept her from getting enough shut-eye. For years, LeMond stacked pillows and even books on her feet to fall asleep. That’s when she realized that using weighted therapy would be a good solution for people with sleep and sensory processing disorders, autism, ADHD and anxiety. LeMond and Peacock developed Mosaic Weighted Blankets (www. mosaicweightedblankets.com), a safe and effective line of soothing blankets, wraps and lap pads. They believe their blankets are one of the newest sleep remedies to help children, teens and adults relax, sleep soundly and focus during school and work, calming mind, body and spirit “one blanket at a time.” Mosaic Weighted Blankets also help ease symptoms and supplement treatment for cancer anxiety, menopause and many other conditions that might interfere with sleep. The deep pressure touch stimulation or “swaddling” that happens when you cuddle up under a weighted blanket helps encourage the production of the hormone serotonin, which induces a more peaceful and happier state of mind, and melatonin, a natural hormone that helps regulate the sleep cycle. Studies show that melatonin not only helps people fall asleep, but A weighted blanket wrapped around the body eases the mind. also enhances the quality of sleep. Earlier this year, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that an estimated 40 million people in the U.S. have chronic sleep disorder and 1.21 percent of the American population has ADHD. Symptoms of ADHD and treatments for ADHD can often cause insomnia. Penny Williams, editor of her website, A Mom’s View of ADHD, and mom of son Luke, who has sensory processing disorder, ADHD and trouble sleeping, has tried various ways to help her son feel more comfortable and settle down. After trying a Mosaic Weighted Blanket, Williams could definitely see a calming benefit. “Luke only uses his blanket at night but will not sleep without it. He feels grounded and secure under its weight,” said Williams, who reports that the blanket did lessen the number of times he woke during the night. The handmade blankets come in various sizes and weights to fit the body and can be used at home and will add focus at work and in school. Depending on the need, they can be used to calm and relax by laying across the lap, wrapping around the shoulders, covering legs or the whole body for sleeping. Custom blankets can be ordered by the appropriate size and weight recommended by a health care professional or therapist. For more information, call (512) 868-0207 or visit www. mosaicweightedblankets.com. Calming mind, body and spirit.