Think Tank: The Neuro Blog
5 Reasons Why You Should Meditate Daily
The mind is a complicated place. It is a haven for the good stuff like dreams, aspirations and visions. But sometimes (or most of the time, for some people), it can also be a space for negative stuff like anxiety, worry and stress. As if the world isn’t packed by enough stress-inducing events like adulthood, along came COVID-19. In a study done this year, 55% of Americans said that they are more stressed now and this is largely because of the pandemic. Given the circumstances, who wouldn’t be? Our minds are already loaded with stuff that doesn’t spark joy way more than Marie Kondo can hope to declutter. Is there a way to quiet down the noise and achieve inner peace? The answer is quite simple: meditation. Meditation is the process of training your mind to have the ability to focus and increase your awareness of yourself and your surroundings. It is an ancient practice that has gained popularity in recent years because of its effects on a person's overall well being. Why should you incorporate meditation in your daily routine? Here are 5 reasons why: Promotes better emotional health Stressors are inevitable. It’s pointless to even think about removing them from your life because it’s something you can never have control over. What you do have control over is the way you respond to them and process them. When you meditate, you center your thoughts into becoming more self-aware, you redirect your thoughts from a place of worrying to a place of being at peace with what’s happening around you. The less you worry about something, the less anxious you become. The less mind space you dedicate to these thoughts, the more space you have for positive thoughts such as a positive outlook in life. Helps manage symptoms of certain diseases There’s a growing number of research that supports the health advantages of meditation. While more research is needed to pinpoint these specific benefits, some research suggests that meditation can help manage symptoms of certain diseases like asthma, chronic pain, irritable bowel syndrome, high blood pressure and heart disease. It is true that meditation is not an alternative to the medicines administered to counter these diseases, but it can be a useful complement. Improves sleep Sleep is one of the body’s most important defenses against diseases. A lot of the body’s most important biological processes happen during sleep. However, it’s hard to sleep when your mind is overloaded with anxiety, stress and worries. What’s going to happen tomorrow? What if I don’t remember everything that I’ve just studied? When am I going to get a job? All these concerns, while valid and sometimes true causes for worry, hinder you from getting a restful and good night’s sleep which turns everything into a vicious cycle. You worry, you can’t sleep, you don’t do well during the day which makes you worry even more. By meditating, you rid yourself little by little of these anxieties, you free your mind of worries, making it easier for you to power down at the end of a tiring day. Helps open new perspectives When things become heated and difficult and you feel like there’s no other explanation or a way out of something, doesn’t it always help to step out, relax and get some air to clear your head so you can think clearer? The same thing happens when you go in and meditate. You declutter your mind and free up the space otherwise occupied by unhelpful thoughts and limiting beliefs. Through meditation, you will have the ability to see a situation from a different angle - something you wouldn’t be able to do had you not allowed your mindset to shift. Convenient, Accessible and Free You don’t need fancy equipment when you meditate. All you need is yourself, an area where you can be comfortable, and your willingness to let go. You don’t even have to spend anything! It also doesn’t need to be time consuming and does not usually need a lot of preparation time unlike most hobbies. Dedicate a particular time in your day when you can meditate - it can be when you wake up, during lunch hour or right before you go to sleep. Consistency is important in building a habit so try as much as you can to meditate during allotted time. Try doing it for a few minutes first, then gradually increase the duration as you become more comfortable in the habit. Inner peace, or peace of mind, Is the state of having mental and spiritual calmness in the face of stress. The operative phrase there is “in the face of stress”, because let’s face it, stress is here and it will still be here even if we’re long gone. The only thing we can do is to navigate around it and equip ourselves with the right tools like meditation so we can show up and do more. Hero Image by Jared Rice on Unsplash.
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3 Most Effective Dietary Changes for Better Energy
Let’s admit it, the best way to make sure you have all the energy you need in a day is to “live clean and eat healthy”. But in reality, how do you do it? One moment you’re oozing with so much energy and vitality, and another you’re feeling sluggish, slow and defeated. Is there a way to maintain the optimal amount of energy so you can always do more? The kind and amount of food that you eat are partly responsible for your daily energy level. If you consume the type and quantity of food that are appropriate to your activity level, then you can be more or less sure that your energy levels are sustained within the day. Here are some very easy and basic hacks that you can start doing today to make sure you’ll have plenty of energy tomorrow: Hydrate You do know that your body is made up of 60% water, right? Time and time again, you are taught that water is your friend and that you should drink more of it. However, because there are a whole lot more enticing options for liquid drinks, water tends to land at the bottom of the list. Some people even need to have an actual reminder in their schedule just to drink water! You’ll be surprised how many apps are developed just for people to track their water consumption and remind them to drink their next glass. You can say that water is boring and sugary drinks taste way better, but water has benefits you can’t deny. Did you know that dehydration can lead to a lot of health repercussions? According to studies, even mild dehydration can impair important brain and bodily functions which may make you feel beat, sluggish and tired. If you haven’t been drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day and you’re feeling tired easily, try stepping up your drinking (and not the alcohol kind) game and observing if something changes in your energy level. While you’re at it, why not download one of those water apps and see if it works? Ease your way into a diet We all see these different types of diets being advertised by whoever is famous on Instagram. While we don’t take anything away from these diet plans and we recognize that some of them may be backed by science and research, it is important to understand that altering your eating behavior drastically to lose weight may not be doing you and your energy levels any good. If you feel very strongly about a diet plan and you’re absolutely convinced that you should do it, try your best not to do it drastically and dive head first all at once. Keep in mind that insufficient calorie and nutrition intake can cause fatigue. Ease your way into a diet and gradually shift your eating habits in such a way that prepares your body for the change. That way, your body will have time to adapt to your new habit while sustaining the amount of energy you need to keep you going throughout the day. Consciously choose healthier options We’re not saying no to occasional binge eating sessions and food trips, because who doesn’t love those? But consuming deep fried, fatty food with a side of ice cream and fries then gulping it down with a sugary soda daily? Come on, even reading that makes you rethink your food choices. These unhealthy food choices play a huge role not just in your energy, but in your overall health and well being as well. Sugar crash is not a myth invented by moms to stop little kids from eating desserts, it’s real and it becomes more real for adults because it affects the quality of your day. It can make you unproductive, unable to focus and just overall distracted. “You are what you eat” - you know it very well but sometimes you forget to keep it in mind when you do your grocery runs. If you want better energy, you have to be ready and willing to consciously choose healthier options when it comes to your food and drinks. Start with checking out the Nutrition Facts (yup that black and white box at the back you’ve ignored all your life) of the food items you buy and compare which ones contain more of the good stuff and less of the unhealthy stuff. It’s time to stop consuming food or drinks that you don’t know what’s inside of. Do you research which items you should be getting more of, and get them. If you can, try to prepare your own food as well - not only will you save money from constantly getting take out food, you will also be more aware of what’s going inside your body. At the end of the day, the amount of energy you’re going to have is tantamount to the amount of conscious effort you put into getting it. The start will always be the hardest and there will always be obstacles, but knowing that you’re doing this to unlock a better version of yourself should be enough to keep you going. Hero Image by THE 5TH on Unsplash.
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6 Reasons Why You Should Chew Gum
We think we know a lot about gums, but what do we really know about gums? And what else don’t we know? Gums go way back, from tree barks to spruce tree resins, to the shape and form that we know gums today, it has evolved and adapted to the way we live and the way we move. From our childhood, we know that gums (or bubble gums) are these sugary, tasty confections our moms warn us not to eat too much of lest we run the risk of having a toothache. But now, gums are no longer confined to being just a sweet childhood treat, it has evolved into something that is functional and practical - a tool that we can use to do more. What else don’t we know about gums? Here are some seriously amazing reasons why you should include gum in your daily routine: 1. Reduces Stress This study wanted to find out if there is a correlation between chewing gum and reducing stress and guess what, there absolutely is! The first group of participants who chewed gum recorded reduced levels of stress while the second group who abstained from chewing gum recorded higher levels of stress-specific emotions like feeling tense. The next time you’re in for something stressful like presenting a business pitch or meeting the “parents” for the first time, grab a pack of gum and chew the stress away! 2. Improves Mood and Increases Alertness A study done to determine whether chewing gum has effects on mood and alertness actually proved that chewing gum is associated with improved alertness, and a more positive mood. Reaction times are also shorter even in more difficult tasks. The associated jaw movement was also linked to increased brain activity and reduced sleepiness. If you’re training for a sport and you need to be alert or you just need a quick mood boost on hump day, chewing a gum might just do the trick for you. 3. Improves Memory Chewing gum is also linked to better memory. As you chew, your heart rate increases which improves the delivery of oxygen in your brain. This becomes a potential enhancer to brain functions which leads to better memory and retention. If you’re preparing for an important business presentation or you’re studying for an exam, include a pack of gum in your preparation so you can remember the information better. 4. Burns Calories and Helps in Weight Loss Cravings, also known as your diet’s arch nemesis, is the one thing (okay, maybe 1 of 3) that stands between you and the body you’ve always wanted. How many times have you woken up in the middle of the night wanting a chocolate chip cookie, a bag of chips, or a slice of pizza? Reaching for a sugar free gum instead of sugary treats can help you ease these cravings and “signal” your brain into feeling full and satisfied. When you add the number of calories you saved yourself from to the number of calories you burn from the actual gum chewing, you might find yourself closer to your healthier weight goal. 5. Improves Oral Health and Hygiene Aside from the obvious benefit of keeping your breath fresh in time for that kiss, or preventing the person you’re talking to from “knowing” what you had for lunch, chewing gum has a lot of oral health and hygiene benefits. According to the American Dental Association (ADA), the physical act of chewing gum increases the amount of saliva in the mouth. This increased production helps neutralize the acid derived from food and reduces plaque which ultimately reduces tooth decay. Chewing gum (the minty kind) may not be recommended to replace regular brushing and flossing but it can certainly prove useful and handy in some situations. Make sure to keep a pack in handy, you’ll never know when a minty fresh breath can save you from an embarrassing situation 6. Fights Nausea and Motion Sickness Chewing gums can also help you fight nausea and motion sickness. Buccal absorption is 5x faster than drinking and swallowing so you can feel the effects faster than orally taken medicines. It’s also convenient to get and relatively less expensive than over the counter or prescription medicines. If you’re going on a road trip, a flight or a cruise, make sure to include a pack of sugar-free gum in your travel must-haves. If you are a pregnant woman who suffers from morning sickness, chewing a sugar-free gum may also help bring a feeling of normalcy into your routine. As with everything, it’s always best to check with your trusted medical professional to make sure that this is safe for you. Think about it, If you can get these amazingly mind blowing benefits from chewing gum, imagine how extra awesome it will be if the gum you’re chewing is packed with thoughtfully curated ingredients designed to boost your energy, drive your performance and enhance your focus? Oh, the possibilities! So go ahead, grab that gum, and do more.
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Quit These 5 Phone Habits To Destress and Focus
An average American spends about 5.4 hours per day on their phone, the majority of which is spent browsing social media sites. To put this in perspective, it’s equivalent to more or less 3 movies, give or take your entire work day minus the meal and bathroom breaks that you take, and the time it will take you to make a slow-cooker pot roast. When we look at it that way, it doesn’t seem a lot. No big deal. But if you multiply that number and compute how many actual hours you spend with your head buried in that tiny little screen over a certain period of time, the answer will probably blow your mind. As useful as smartphones are, did you ever feel that you’re becoming too dependent on it? At some point you feel incapable without it? On the flip side, whenever you do have your phone, and you’ve spent so much time being on it, you end up losing your focus and feeling stressed out? The truth is, you’re not alone. If you’ve accepted the fact that your phone usage is actually stressing you out and you want to make a change, good for you! Here are some phone habits you can start quitting today: 1. Using your phone while driving Obviously? Using your phone endangers you, the people in the car with you, the people on the streets minding their own business and other drivers on the road! Whoever is calling or texting - your partner, your parents, the guy you have a crush on, or even your boss, they’re not more important than your life, or the lives and safety of people you’re putting in harm’s way if you so much as take your eyes away from the road for one second. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) relates that in 2018 alone, a total of 2,841 lives were killed due to “distracted driving”. Texting, according to them, is the most alarming distraction of all. There is no negotiation and there is no ifs nor buts, do not use your phone while driving. It will not just save you stress and make you focused, it will save your life and that of others. 2. Mindless browsing Most of the time, it’s a cycle. You sit on your couch with the intention of reading a nice book while drinking a warm cup of tea, then you hear your phone’s notification. You think to yourself, “oh, this friend hasn’t posted a story in a while, let me go check it out”. You check the story and before you know it, something interesting catches your eye and down the rabbit hole of “suggested videos” you go. You sat there for 2 hrs mindlessly browsing while your book remained unread and your tea had gone cold. This cycle affects your state of mind in more ways than you care to admit. For one, you robbed yourself of the knowledge and experience that your book could have given you. Second, you end up feeling stressed out because “why in the world are the lives of these people look so much better than mine?!”. The next time you feel like grabbing your phone to look at more shopping sales to buy clothes you’re never going to wear or go on stalker mode to look at profiles of people you actually hate in real life, don’t. Breathe in and out and catch yourself before you go spiraling down. Phone apps and settings can only inform you how much time you spend on your phone, the action and the decision to put the phone down is on you. 3. Checking your phone AS SOON as you wake up Raise your hand if you’re guilty of this. Majority of people are, and some would even ask “well, what’s wrong with that?!”. What’s wrong with that is you’re opening yourself up to anxiety and stress at the start of your day! Having just woken up, you do not have the mental space needed to deal with these things yet. Seeing these things before you even get the chance to look yourself in the mirror and tell yourself how awesome you look will set your day to a bad start. If you must set an alarm, try using a real clock instead of your phone. If you’re brave enough and ready to get your phone distancing discipline to another level, don’t bring your phone into the bedroom. 4. Having TOO many apps you don’t use Look at your phone and count how many apps you use. Then look at them again and count how many you actually use regularly? Do you really need that many photo editing/shopping/delivery apps? The more apps you have, the more reason you have to unlock your phone every 10 seconds and the more reason you won’t be able to focus on the apps that are really helping you become more efficient and productive. 5. Taking photos of everything and posting everything online Having a phone makes most things easy, especially taking photos and updating your social media status. It’s okay if you’re fond of taking selfies, food photos and all that stuff. It only becomes a problem if you take hundreds of mirror selfies and post them all in an album called “Me” or you refuse to let people eat unless you have taken a photo of the food from all possible angles. Do yourself (and others) a favor and don’t do that. There is definitely so much more interesting about you and a selfie won’t probably give that justice. It’s also fine if you post what book you’re reading or you post about this exciting place you’ve visited. In some way, those posts may have enriched the life of the person who read it. The problem happens if you start airing your dirty laundry on social media, all for everyone to see and speculate about. Your problems, personal or otherwise, should be shared with people whom you personally know and care for you, not to your thousands of Facebook friends. In conclusion, smartphones (unlike Skynet) are not the enemy. They’re created to make our lives easier, more efficient, more fun and entertaining. It’s true that these phone companies and app developers do everything they can in their power to entice you into using your phones more often, but the decision to do such is, and has always been with you. Smartphones can only make you lose focus as long as you allow it to. If your mindset is all about taking control of your life and not allowing yourself to be stressed with what you see on that tiny screen, then so should it be. Hero Image by Rob Hampson on Unsplash.
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3 Ways to Improve Your Home Office
Pre-pandemic, working from home seemed like a foreign idea to most people. It’s an idea we’re not very much familiar with - something that is not so much as inconceivable but an idea that more or less begs the questions “why” and “how”. We have been institutionally and traditionally programmed that work is meant to be done at the office. Then, not so many months ago (although feels like forever, to be honest), COVID-19 happened and we’re now navigating the “new normal”. Suddenly, the questions “why” and “how” should we work from home have been answered. Why - obviously, companies want to curb the spread of the virus and a hundred different people using the same office elevator daily isn’t exactly a good way to do that. How - except for some very specific jobs that require onsite presence (e.g. manufacturing, production, etc), majority of companies have found a way to successfully transition their employees to working from home. Working from home isn’t just a concept or an idea anymore, it has now become a reality for most of us. One of the requirements of this reality is having our “home office” - a place where we spend the majority of our day to accomplish work. If you already have a home office setup or you’re still in the process of making one, here are some tips to get you going: Location, location, location Just because you’re working from home doesn’t mean you should make every place in your house your work space. For your sanity and overall well-being, try to separate your workspace from the rest of your home activities. If you have the space, having a separate room dedicated as your home office is a good idea. It can still give you the feeling of “going to work”, minus the morning rush hour and commute. If you don’t have a spare room, a dedicated space or a corner in your place where you can be undisturbed is good enough for a home office space. It would be good if your space has lots of natural light, but if none, make sure to provide for adequate lighting. Bringing your laptop in the kitchen counter while you wait for your food to cook is okay, but as much as possible try to separate these activities so it doesn’t bleed into each other and you lose focus on the tasks you’re doing. Invest in the right tools and equipment You’re spending at least 8 hrs of your entire day in your home office - that’s more than enough reason to invest in items that will make your life easier and more comfortable. Investing in a sturdy, non-wobbly table is always a good idea because you don’t want to feel as if there is an earthquake while you type away your important report, right? As you will be sitting for long periods, investing in an ergonomic chair that supports your back is also recommended for better posture. Working on your laptop may also cause eye strain and stiff neck - you can try investing in a laptop stand to raise your monitor to eye level and getting an external mouse and keyboard as well. Making sure that all necessary items and gadgets are within reach like printers, papers, headphones (or coffee machine, anyone?), etc. will save you time and effort throughout the day. Having an excellent internet connection is an important, if not the most important component in making sure that your work-from-home life is smooth. Stressing over intermittent connection isn’t exactly anyone’s definition of smooth. Make sure that your internet provider is steady and reliable - investing in signal boosting gadgets may also work. If you have the space and the will for it, try putting indoor plants in your home office, too. They can help purify the air and counter irritants at the same time give you that much needed dash of green. Take disciplined breaks One common misconception about working from home is you constantly have to prove you’re working. Don’t panic if the last message on Slack for you was sent five minutes ago and you haven’t replied yet. You can’t be expected to be glued to your screen the entire office hours and you shouldn’t expect that from your workmates either. You’re entitled to breaks when you’re working in the office - what’s stopping you from taking the same breaks at home? One surefire way to get fed up with something is to keep on doing it over and over to the point of saturation. No matter how much you love coding, or writing and no matter how nice, light and airy your home office is, you’re going to be sick of it if you don’t step away from it from time to time. Schedule “disciplined” breaks throughout the day - that is to make sure that you strike a balance between just taking a break to clear your head and taking 1-hr Netflix breaks on the couch. Impose a “strictly-no-checking-of-laptop” day during the weekend to give you the mental space to draw a line between working and your actual life. Working from home and having a home office is meant to keep you safe from the virus while still being employed, it’s not meant to take over your life. You must be thinking “Why should I go through so much trouble for all these when this setup is temporary?”. While this sentiment is valid and may very well be true for some people, investing in a fully functional home office isn’t just good for your 9-5 job. It can also be a space in your house that you can dedicate for creating things, personal plans and projects. A place where you can sit down, bury your head in a project you’re personally passionate about. It might even give birth to that side hustle you’ve always wanted to do! No matter what or how you feel towards working from home, whether you’re living for it or you’re vehemently against it, there is no denying that for some people, it might just be the way moving forward, pandemic or not. Make the most of the opportunity while it’s here. Who knows? You might be positively surprised where it ends up taking you.
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6 Unconventional Tips for Decreasing Screen Time
There’s no denying that screens, whether mobile phone or TV/computer screens, are already a huge part of peoples’ lives. You use it from the moment you wake until you tuck yourselves in for the night. You use it to connect, to enjoy, to be productive and to be always on the go. However, amidst these wonderful things that your screens provide for you, there’s a downside. Constant use of social media was actually proven to have a connection to a person's decreased well being. Whether you know it or not, you go into a social comparison. Because you only see other peoples’ lives as told by their social media timeline, you tend to believe that their life is so much better, and way cooler than yours. But this shouldn’t be the case. No matter how much you think you depend on our phone for everything, today is always a good time to start “unplugging” and decreasing your screen time, and for good reason. There’s growing evidence that decreased screen time leads to improved physical health, enhanced mood and better relationships. So how can you decrease your screen time? Here are some unconventional tips for you to try: 1. Know your “why” There’s a very good reason why you’re here reading this along with multiple tabs in your browser that tell you how harmful uncontrolled screen time is. Whether you have trouble sleeping, you’re developing anxiety, you’re fatigued or you over all do not feel well, that’s your “why” and that’s important. Know it and take it to heart because it will help you stay on track. Everytime you feel the urge to grab your phone and mindlessly browse your social media accounts, your “why” will be a powerful reminder to keep your focus amidst distractions. 2. Use your phone against it Use the settings on your phone to set a time limit on how much you use it and the specific apps that are in it. If you’ve used all the time you’re allowed for the day, put it down. Start with a number that seems doable for you, then very slowly decrease it as you develop the habit of spending time away from your phone. Don’t you always say you’re going to just “quickly check” Facebook and before you know it you’ve fallen very deep down the rabbit hole of YouTube videos. Turn off all notifications! Hearing that “ding” is enough to send you spiraling down and checking everything else. If you must, only switch on notifications from very important people. While you’re at it, it would be good to tell people that you might only be able to respond until a certain time of the day because you have a life outside of your social media accounts. 3. Share the struggle (and the wins) Difficult things become easier when you do it with someone, right? Like working out or dieting, it’s always easier when there’s someone who’s on the same journey with you. They make you accountable for your actions and nudge you along when you feel stuck with nowhere to go. A partner, a friend or a family member who shares your “why” and knows your struggle would be a good partner to share your wins as well. 4. Options, options, options! Most often than not, you grab your phone and tinker with it because you feel like you don’t have anything else to do. How many times have you watched an episode of a series you’re into while waiting in line or while riding public transport? The thing is, that’s not true! This generation is big on options and that goes true for almost everything, including killing time. Try reading a book while waiting in line, or listening to a podcast to give your eyes a break. Stuck at home like most of us are in this pandemic? Try out a new hobby, work out, grow a garden, play a sport, bake cookies, organize your closet, clean out your garage, and when the pandemic is over, spend time with friends and talk to them! The possibilities are endless, you just have to acknowledge them. 5. Don’t “capture” the moment, live in it How many times have you watched a concert and got annoyed at those screens waving in front of your face? While it’s totally understandable to want to have a memory of an event that you can look back to, won’t it be better if that memory is embedded in your mind complete with all the small details that you may have missed because you’re too busy adjusting exposure? It’s not to say you shouldn’t take photos or videos because that’s totally fine! It only becomes a problem when you become too focused on your screen and the 1000 photos you took from different angles, instead of what’s right in front of you. Never be too preoccupied preserving the moment that you become too busy to live it. 6. Going old school won’t hurt Mobile phones are popular because they don’t just allow you to call and message someone, they also allow you to do a whole lot of other things! However, this multi functionality is what gets you hooked. You use your phones for almost everything you need that you can’t get it off your hands anymore. How about you stop using your phone to do things that you have “real” things for? Using a real clock for an alarm clock will stop you from checking your phone the moment you wake up. Using your once discarded kitchen timer when you’re cooking will discourage you from browsing mindlessly on the kitchen counter while you wait for your food to cook. Try reading an actual book instead of using an ebook reader so your eyes can get a little rest. This way, you can break the habit of being too dependent on your phone to the point of almost feeling naked without it. Doing these unconventional tips may help you decrease your screen time to a healthy amount. Technology is designed with the goal of improving the way you live your life and not reduce its quality, so it’s good to use it and keep it that way. The key is finding the balance between having onscreen and off screen activities. Try it for yourself, and see what happens.
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3 Ways to Improve Your Sleep
Whoever said “sleep is for the weak” is not only downright lying, they’re delusional. A healthy amount of sleep plays a huge role in promoting and maintaining a person’s good health and overall well being. How active, alert and productive you are during your waking hours is partly determined by the quality of sleep that you get. A good night’s sleep will help you be happier and more focused, while the lack of it makes you less motivated and impulsive. While you sleep, your brain stores new information you learned during the day, improving your memory. Your body repairs damaged cells and restores lost energy, making you ready for another day. Imagine all these important biological processes not happening because you’re not getting enough sleep? In addition, lack of adequate sleep is linked to several serious health conditions such as obesity, heart disease and depression. Yikes! Now that you know how important sleep is to your health, why don’t you give your body some well deserved zzz’s tonight? We’ve listed down some tips to help you get a good night snooze: BEDROOM = OASIS Make your bedroom into your own personal oasis - a place where you go to rest, recoup and re-energize for the next day’s battles. Now that more and more people are working from home, it’s so easy to just get your laptop and work right at your bed! While this may seem gratifyingly rewarding and harmless the moment you’re doing it, it may not be doing you and your sleeping habits a favor in the long run. Your brain has a different conditioning for when you’re working and for when you’re sleeping. If you mix the spaces where you do these two distinct activities, your brain will be confused. Instead of your brain associating the comfort and warmth of your bed to sleep and rest, it may associate it with the focus and alertness required when you’re working, making it difficult to power down. As much as possible, and to encourage a better quality of sleep for you, try to remove all work-related materials such as computers and laptops out of the bedroom, so you can increase your mental association between your bedroom and sleeping. Invest in sleep inducing bedroom essentials! Part of #adulting is being attuned to self-care, and getting a good quality pillow with a good quality mattress from your trusty shop is one of the first steps. Grab a relaxing sleep essential oil while you’re in there too. SLEEP WHEN YOU’RE TIRED How many times have you gone to bed and just frustratingly rolled over several times because you can’t snooze off? Try sleeping for about 20 to 30 minutes and if you’re still up without any sign of dozing off soon, try doing something else like folding the laundry or reading a book so you can give your brain the space to calm down. Before going to bed, you can also try having hot tea or a nice warm shower to ready yourself for a nice slumber. Try, with as much self control as you possibly can, not to check your phone or watch TV because these screens will only excite your brain more, not relax it. Also, try not to look at your bedroom clock when you can’t sleep, it will only make sleeping harder and more stressful for you. MAKE SLEEP A PRIORITY You’ve gotten so accustomed to doing things non-stop that most of the time while you carefully plan your priorities and the way you approach things, you forget to include time to rest and sleep. You tend to think you’re invincible and you can just go on and on without resting. Newsflash, you’re not and no one else is. You need to acknowledge the fact that even if you are oozing with so much youth and energy during the day, you also need to power down and at some point, hit the sack. Incorporate sleep as part of your schedule and try to stick to it as much as you can. Dedicate 8 hrs every day for sleeping and try to go to bed around the same to reinforce the body’s sleep-wake cycle. Also, the next time you’re planning or working on something, may it be a big project or an event, make sure to set aside time to rest and sleep. While pulling an all-nighter seems to be the most viable option to finish a project, doing it often will only make you more unproductive, not to mention more prone to diseases, in the long run. Sleep, although a bit underrated because it’s “boring”, has a whole plethora of benefits that shouldn’t be overlooked. If you have tried the tips mentioned above and nothing seems to improve your sleep quality, try consulting with a sleep doctor to check what other changes you need to do to make you sleep better. The quality of your sleep is almost just as important as the quantity of it. If you’re sleeping for 7 hours but you wake up several times during the night, try reevaluating your sleeping habits and patterns and effecting change. Your body will thank you for it. It’s almost a cliche to say to take good care of your body because you’re only getting one in this lifetime, but the truth is, you really should. So no, sleep isn’t for the weak, in fact, it’s only done by the strong. Hero Image by Alexandra Gorn on Unsplash.
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3 Habits to Improve Your Reaction Time
Reaction time is defined as the amount of time it takes for a person to detect, process and respond to a certain stimulus. The faster your reaction time is, the better chances you have of getting your desired outcome out of a situation. How fast one person’s reaction time is may differ from another because it depends on several factors. The ability of the senses to see, hear and feel the stimulus clearly and the ability of the brain to process and make sense of the information received are essential components to having a shorter reaction time. In addition, the ability of the body to physically respond to a stimulus is crucial as well. It can’t all just happen in your head, you have to move. While reaction time may seem similar to “reflex”, it’s actually not. The difference lies in the intentionality of each action - reaction being voluntary, while reflex being involuntary. Does it matter? Absolutely! Whether you’re playing a physical sport, an online game or just basically doing everyday mundane things, your reaction time plays a huge role in getting you from one end of a situation to the other. Imagine a runner getting ready for a marathon - he’s at the starting line and he hears the gun signaling the runners to start. He hears the stimulus (the sound of the gun), his mind processes that it’s the start of the race, and he signals his legs to get moving. The faster his reaction time is, the sooner he’s off to start. In addition, the difference between surviving and not surviving a life-threatening situation is only a matter of milliseconds. The quicker you're able to react, the better your chances are of survival. Although reaction time inevitably increases as you age, there are ways that you can do to decrease it. Whether you want to decrease your reaction time in sports or in your usual everyday life, we’ve rounded out some tips to help you get started: Practice makes perfect This might be the most overused saying of all time, but you know that it’s true. And although “perfection” seems a tad extreme as a goal, practice really does wonders to decrease your reaction time. Although this tip mostly applies to situations that you can recreate over and over like training for sports or online gaming, the skills that you acquire in the process can also help you in other life situations. Familiarizing yourself with what you’re supposed to do increases your brain’s ability to process the stimulus. Slower reaction time is associated with prior experience and the more exposed you are to a certain situation, the faster you can react. If you’re training for a sport, try doing a basic technique and then making it more complicated as you go along. The more scenarios you are exposed to, the better you will become in processing unforeseen situations. Also, make sure to warm up as warmth helps the muscles react faster. Rest and Relax If you’re feeling tense, your muscles have a tendency to be tensed and rigid as well. Tensed muscles will be more difficult to move and will definitely add to your response time. Build a habit of relaxation in your routine. Try setting aside a specific time in a day to meditate - it can be as soon as you wake up or right before you go to bed. Dedicate an undisturbed few minutes when you can quiet down, center your thoughts and calm your mind. A lot of meditation apps are available with so many resources that you can choose from. You can also try doing yoga as a way relax. Making sure that you have enough rest and sleep can also help decrease your response time. Obviously, how can you expect to react faster if you can’t even keep your eyes open? A good 7 to 8 hrs of sleep a night will most certainly do your response time, and your body a favor. Do some brain exercises Reaction time has a lot to with brain function so it goes without saying that a well performing brain leads to a faster response time. Giving that think tank a good exercise improves your memory, increases your focus and makes you more alert - especially when you need it the most. Have some downtime while waiting for the last load of laundry to finish? How about grabbing some old fashion puzzles and putting them together? Or maybe playing solitaire on actual playing cards and not on your phone or computer? Chewing gum is also an effective cognitive activity. Studies show that it increases alertness, reduces occupational stress and sustains attention performance. You can also try changing up some of your routines and finding ways to improve them. Trying a new route to work, taking a dance class, and learning how to cook are good ways to start. In conclusion, your reaction time can spell the difference between winning and losing, or sometimes even life and death. While we take every ounce of reasonable precaution and avoid situations that endanger our lives and that of others, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. Doing the above mentioned tips will help you improve your reaction time so that when it matters, you can be better and do better. Hero Image by My Life Journal on Unsplash.
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4 Ways To Stay Active Indoors during Fall Weather
Whether you live an active lifestyle or you’re pretty much chill, staying indoors during the fall shouldn’t stop you from getting an exercise or two in your routine.
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