Because learning about your brain and sleep can be fun . . .
Bedtime trail mix might help you get to sleep as you hike off to Dreamland Some supermarkets have dozens of varieties of trail mix these days. It wasn’t always this way. The creation of and access to all these concoctions is a relatively recent innovation, at least compared to how long people have been eating it. As recent…
It’s 2 a.m. You don’t have to be up until 6:30 a.m. That’s four long hours away plus 30 minutes more. If this goes on for the whole time, what, are you supposed to do with yourself until then? This sucks! You’re irritated! You may or may not be able to get some sleep later…
Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. — Aristotle In the Bible, in the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon compares the typical events of life to seasons. It’s a profound analogy that has stood the test of time. It’s been the basis for a hit song (Turn, Turn, Turn by the Byrds). It’s…
Perfect is the enemy of “done.” Learn to say está bien and mean it! On June 13th, Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Zack Greinke didn’t allow a single Washington National player to reach base—until the seventh inning. If he had kept every opposing player off the bases until the end of the ninth inning, it would have…
Sitting back with earphones while a tape or CD plays seems like an effortless way to learn. You might imagine your brain to be like a sponge or paper towel as if it would soak up information the way a kitchen sponge soaks up spills. The trouble is, that learning doesn’t work that way, especially…
Also sold as “diphenhydramine,” this allergy medicine is used by many to help them fall asleep. Life happens. The usual way of ensuring you get a good night’s rest should be to be active during the day, get some exposure to the sun, avoid drinking too much coffee too close to bedtime, and be relaxed.…
People are always struggling to quit something, start something, or stop something. They even struggle to stop struggling, to relax. The circadian rhythm is part of the struggle. Also known as the wake/rest cycle, men and women struggle to wake up and struggle to go to sleep. You can’t fight—or struggle well—if you don’t recharge. At…
In illustrations of “A Visit From St. Nicholas” by Clement Clark Moore they always show the narrator getting up out of bed with an old-fashioned sleeping hat. The classic poem, more commonly known as “The Night Before Christmas,” frames the idea in the collective mind as to what a sleeping hat, also known as a sleeping cap, looks…
When going to bed, people brush their teeth. They put on some loose, comfortable clothing. They tighten their bedsheets. It’s all part of a routine in getting ready to go to bed. Rituals like these routines help one get in the mindset for sleep success. According to a multinational 2013 survey, 50 percent of the people…
In the Bible, God communicated with people in dreams. The angel Gabriel announced to the Virgin Mary that she would bear the Savior. Another angel came to St. Joseph and told him of Herod’s plans to kill off the oldest son of every Jewish family. There are many other instances in both the Old and…