HOMEOSTATIC MED4U

In the screen - lit of modern life, sleep is expendable. There are television shows to binge - watch, emails to answer, homework to finish, social media posts to scroll through. We'll catch up on shut - eye later, so the thinking goes - right after we click down one last digital rabbit hole. Preschoolers who skip naps are worse at a memory game than those who snooze, even after the children "catch up" on sleep the next night. Poor sleep may increase the risk of Alzheimer's, as even a single night of sleep deprivation boosts brain levels of the proteins that form toxic clumps in Alzheimer's patients. All - nighters push anxiety to clinical levels, and even modest sleep reductions are linked to increased feelings of social isolation and loneliness. When you fall asleep, several foolish things happen - You're not finding food, not finding someone to talk to. Worse still, you're vulnerable to predation. Sleep problems have long been recongnised as a symptom...

Nobody is a stranger to deep diving into the Facebook rabbit hole. You know the scenario. For many, it's the night after a stressful day, and they'd be unwinding in bed, mindlessly scrolling "just a little", when half an hour later, they're no closer to resting. They'll comment on a friend's post and then Facebook suggests friending a former classmate, but instead of doing that, they'll scroll through their profile and learn about the last few years of their life... until they see an article that sends them down a research spiral and a comments section that leaves their brain on hyperdrive.. The next morning, they wake up feeling drained. Maybe the blue light that illuminates their faces as they scroll through feeds and friends is to blame for disrupting their sleep cycle. This scenario is being constant especially during this lockdown period. Being unrested can explain the grogginess and irritability, one has, or it could be something else. Maybe a...

Have you ever got stumped by a problem, decided to take a break, and later found that the answer magically came to you in a burst of inspiration? If so, you know the power of strategic breaks to refresh your brain and help you see a situation in a new way. A 'break' is a brief cessation of work, physical exertion, or activity. You decide to give it a rest with an intention of getting back to your task within a reasonable amount of time. But when you give it a rest, what part of the brain actually needs the rest? For 'think - work' it's the prefrontal cortex (PFC), the thinking part of your brain. When you are doing goal - oriented work that requires concentration, the PFC keeps you focused on your goals. The PFC is also responsible for logical thinking, and using willpower to override impulses. That's a lot of responsibility - no wonder it needs a break ! 1. Movement breaks are essential for your physical and emotional health. Constant sitting - whether ...

It's fun to share a good laugh, but did you know that it can actually improve your health? Let's harness the powerful benefits of laughter and humor from this World Laughter Day !! Happy World Laughter Day !! It's true - laughter is a strong medicine. It draws people together in ways that trigger healthy physical and emotional changes in the body. Laughter strengthens your immune system, boosts mood, diminishes pain, and protects you from the damaging effects of stress. Nothing works faster or more dependably to bring your mind and body back into balance than a good laugh. Humor lightens your burdens, inspires hope, connects you to others, and keeps you grounded, focused and alert, it also helps you release anger and forgive sooner. 1. Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for upto 45 minutes. 2. Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune...

Being caught talking to yourself, especially if using your own name in the conversation, is beyond embarrassing. And it's no wonder - it makes you look like you're hallucinating. Clearly, this is because the entire purpose of talking aloud is to communicate with others. But given that so many of us do talk to ourselves, could it be normal after all - or perhaps even healthy? We actually talk to ourselves silently all the time. The inner talk is very healthy indeed, having a special role in keeping our minds fit. It helps us organise our thoughts, plan our actions, consolidate memory, and modulate emotions. In other words, it helps us control ourselves. Talking out loud can be an extension of this inner silent talk, caused when a certain motor command is triggered involuntarily.  Our brains can operate much like those of monkeys, if we just stop talking to ourselves - whether it is silently or out loud. Telling yourself not to think about anything and go to sleep sends your...