Two articles on how to sleep better. I’m trying to become an expert. Checking out a library audiobook on the subject, so you’ll probably hear more about that.
Sleep deprivation can cause obesity, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, shorter life expectancy, and decreased productivity. Sleeping less than eight hours a night compromised the immune system, doubling the risk of cancer.
1. Limit caffeine use. The older we get, the harder it is for our body to remove caffeine from our system. .
2. Turn off the blue lights. Viewing TV, smart phone, laptops, or tablets two hours before bedtime limits and delays the release of melatonin by up to 50%, the hormone that regulates the sleep/wake cycle.
3. A 20-30 minute nap in the early afternoon to increase alertness and performance.
4. Establish a regular bedtime and waketime, to help fall asleep faster and wake up more refreshed.
5. People who exercise at least 30 minutes a day enjoy better sleep quality. Exercise increases slow wave sleep, when the brain and body rejuvenate. This also stabilizes moods and settles the mind. .
6. Cool down. To successfully fall asleep your core temperature has to drop 2-3 degrees.
7. Camping helps realign your internal clock back to its natural sleep/wake cycle.
8. Very important to stick to the natural light cycle. Your body wants to be awake and in a bright environment during the daytime, and sleep in a dark environment during nighttime.
9. Deep breath fresh air (and cedar or lavender). Sleeping in stuffy environments negatively affects sleep quality and mental performance the next day.
10. Soft, slow, and steady sounds can deepen sleep.
Denison: where can Christians find hope in these hard days? Let’s begin with where we should not base our hope. We have learned in the last year that medical science, for all its contributions to our lives, cannot prevent new viruses or protect us from all existing diseases and disasters. Technological advances cannot prevent the spread of digital misinformation, conspiracy theories, and pornography. Political leaders and parties cannot solve all the challenges of our fallen world and sometimes make them worse.
Dr. Francis Collins is head of the National Institutes of Health. He also led the project that mapped the human genome, making possible the genetic breakthroughs that led to the coronavirus vaccine. In an essay on God and the human genome, he explains DNA is made up of a series of chemical bases abbreviated as A, C, G, and T. How many of these base pairs does it take to provide the information for a human? Dr. Collins: “If we were to read it out loud, without stopping, it would take 31 years. We have all that information inside each cell of our body.” Who made all of that? Me: science would tell you it happened by random chance.
In his excellent book The Case for Miracles: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for the Supernatural, Lee Strobel interviews Tom Doyle, a longtime missionary in the Middle East. Tom tells of a remarkable phenomenon: Muslims seeing a vision of Jesus in a white robe. He tells them he loves them, died for them, and wants them to follow him. This has happened so many times that Christian outreach groups in Egypt took out ads in the newspapers asking, “Have you seen the man in a white robe in your dreams? He has a message for you. Call this number.” As Tom explains, 50% of Muslims around the world cannot read, so Jesus is reaching them through visions and dreams. (For more, see his inspirational book, Dreams and Visions: Is Jesus Awakening the Muslim World?)
Two of the guys in the office on Tuesday tested positive on Wednesday. I decided to not attend my Wednesday night Hot Stove meeting, since everyone there is older than me. Instead I went home.
Supper was baked chicken, broccoli, and mashed potatoes with sour cream mixed in. The only leftovers I had to bring to work today was the broccoli.
Last night’s Seinfeld: George talks her girlfriend into getting nose surgery. At first she looks terrible, so he breaks up with her. Then she gets it fixed and she’s beautiful – and starts dating Kramer.
Don Head is home from the hospital.
“Participate virtually” is how the government wants us regular folk to take in the inauguration. That’s fancy talk for saying “Stay home and watch on TV,” The government has zero interest in the desires of US citizens. Just like the hilarious request for Pence to invoke the 25th amendment, and the sham impeachment to forbid the President from running for the office again. What, are they scared voters would elect him? We can't have that. Now there are rumors that after the inauguration the Democrats will turn on Biden, and impeach him to install Harris as President. Diabolical.
I’m beginning to fear posting religious and political views. I’m also considering changing my party affiliation – from Baby Boomer to Millennial. Article: big tech silences Trump and Parler. Will Israel and Christians be next?
No comments:
Post a Comment