Could a good night sleep sharpen the memory?

A good night’s sleep not only leaves you feeling refreshed; it also boosts your long-term memory. Scientists who analysed the brain scans of volunteers found that restful slumber helps to consolidate memories. This is because during a solid sleep, memories of recent events are shifted from one part of the brain to another for long-term storage. The findings suggest that those who do not get enough rest could be operating well below their best.

A test between 2 groups who were allowed to sleep, while others stayed awake all night playing video games revealed many facts. The facts showed how brain transmitted memories of how to navigate from the region of the brain that helps remember directions, the hippocampus, to a region that determines how we move, the striatum. They showed that the group which had slept well was using the striatum to navigate around the virtual town. The team that had been deprived of sleep was still using the hippocampus, suggesting that the information had not yet been consolidated in the long-term memory. Both groups were still able to achieve the tasks we set them, but they were not using the same part of the brain to perform them. Shifting memories from one part of the brain to another, increases alertness.

Source : TOI

5 Tips on Better Hydration

Water is the largest component of the human body, making up 50 to 70% of the body’s weight. Lean muscle tissue contains about 73% body water; adipose (fat) tissue is about 20% water. Depending on how much fat has been stored, an adult can survive for about 9 weeks without eating food but only a few days without drinking water. This occurs not because water is more important than carbohydrate, fat, protein, vitamins or minerals but, rather, because there is no storage site for water.

Two main functions of water in the body include temperature regulation and removal of waste products. Most water comes from the liquids we consume. Some comes from the moisture in foods (especially fruits and vegetables), and the remainder is produced in the body as a metabolic byproduct. Water output includes that lost via the lungs, kidneys, skin and bowels. Water deficiency occurs if an individual is not drinking enough water. At this point, the body generally alerts us by signaling thirst; however, the thirst mechanism is not always reliable, especially during athletic practices and events, during illness and in one’s older years.

For this reason, athletes should weigh themselves before and after training sessions to determine their rate of water loss and thus their water needs. Progressive dehydration reduces sweating (our mechanism for cooling) and blood flow to the skin, which leads to excessive body heating.. It is essential to keep well hydrated before, during and following exercise, especially in the heat.

The following guidelines can help athletes maintain proper hydration during practice and competition in hot weather :

Weigh in without clothes before and after exercise, especially during hot weather. For each pound of body weight lost during exercise, drink two cups of fluid.

Drink a rehydration beverage containing sodium to quickly replenish lost body fluids. The beverage should also contain 6-8 percent glucose of sucrose (carbohydrate).

Drink 2.5 cups of fluid 2 hours before practice or competition.

Drink 1.5 cups of fluid 15 minutes before the event.

Drink at least one cup of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes during training and competition.

Some may worry about water toxicity (too much water). Water toxicity is whatever amount of water the kidneys are unable to excrete. This can lead to serious side effects; however, an excessive amount of water would have to approach many liters each day. Very few are at risk of drinking too much water. When excessive water overwhelms the kidneys’ capacity to excrete it, headache, cramps, blurred vision, convulsions and possibly death may occur.

Body and Face Sculpting

Body Sculpting : Precise body contouring is done with combination of Ultrasonic Lipolysis with HIFU (France), Lipolift (US FDA Approved), Endermology (Poland) & Mesotheraphy (Spain). One can expect to lose to 1 – 3 inches permanently in the areas like abdomen, waist, hips and thighs in an hour. All procedures are without any surgery, cut, stitch, redness, pain & side effects.

Face Sculpting : Bipolar Radio Frequency (RF) with Diode Laser is a US FDA approved non-surgical technique that repairs skin damage caused by ageing and restores the skin’s elasticity, tonacity and complexion. It works wonders on acne, double-chin, puffy face, wrinkles, fine lines, dark sports, dark circles and hyper-pigmentation.

10 Tips To Improve Your Speaking VOICE - Part 2

Instructions :

6) Practice your speech in advance and determine where you want to pause for a breath. For more emphasis, pause for more than one breath. Mark your breathing points in your notes.

7) Loosen up before you begin. Look side to side. Roll your head in half-circles and roll your shoulders back. Shift your rib cage from side to side. Yawn. Stretch. Touch your toes while completely relaxing your upper body, then slowly stand up, one vertebra at a time, raising your head last. Repeat as needed.

8) Posture - Stand up straight and tall to allow full lung capacity and airflow.

9) Record your voice repeatedly using different ways of speaking. Determine which one is most pleasing.

10) Practice breath control - Take a deep breath, and while you exhale, count to 10 (or recite the months or days of the week). Try gradually increasing your volume as you count, using your abdominal muscles—not your throat—for volume. Don’t let your larynx tense up.

10 Tips To Improve Your Speaking VOICE - Part 1

One of the most important components of public speaking is the sound of your voice. It influences the impact of your message, and might even make or break the success of your speech. Fortunately, for many people, good voice quality can be learned.

Instructions :

1) Breathe from your diaphragm - Practice long and controlled exhales. When you speak, use breath to punctuate your point. For example, take a breath at the end of each phrase whether you need to or not. Use that opportunity to pause and let the listeners absorb what you say.

2) Use pitch - Lower pitches generally are more soothing to hear. However, modulating your pitch for emphasis will keep your listeners engaged. Develop your pitch by practicing humming.

3) Moderate your volume - Find out if you speak too loudly or too softly. When you begin speaking, ask your audience how your volume is (each situation is different). Try to stay at the appropriate volume throughout your speech.

4) Moderate your pace - This one is also closely related to breath. If you speak too quickly, people can’t keep up. If you speak too slowly, people will lose interest. Record your speech to determine if you need to change your pace. Get feedback from others.

5) Articulate - Try exaggerating your lip movement to reduce mumbling. Practice articulating tongue twisters and extending and exaggerating vowel sounds. Become an expert at articulating tongue twisters as quickly and crisply as possible. Focus on the ones you find difficult.

What's a Green Collar Job ?

What is a green collar job?
A green collar job involves working to better the environment, and is created by firms and organizations whose mission is to improve environmental quality. Work could include policies related to waste, energy and water conservation, solar energy, whole home performance and strengthening local food systems. These jobs are generated by sectors that produce goods which may need a green angle, like energy retrofits to improve conservation, constructing green buildings, composting, landscaping, etc.

Why don’t two-wheelers have a reverse gear?
A regular motorcycle has a ‘sequential’ manual transmission, meaning you can only shift up or down one gear at a time. It is also designed to spin one way only. Adding reverse would require the crankshaft to spin backwards, or a much larger, heavier expensive transmission. So it is easiest to dismount and push the bike backwards.

What are widgets?
Widget, literally, is a blend of window and gadget, coined by George S Kaufman in his play ‘Beggar on Horseback’. It is a hypothetical manufactured good or product. In computing, the term has become frequently used to refer to objects on a computer screen the user interacts with. A widget is anything that can be embedded within a HTML page. Widgets often take the form of on-screen tools like clocks, event countdowns, etc.

Source : Open Space, TOI

10 Ways To Be Happy !!

1) Learn a new language, join dance class or cultivate hobby.

2) Mark some time of the day as me-time (exercise, read a book or listen to music) and us-time (spend time with your family and friends)

3) Make everyday special occasion and wear clothes that make you feel confident.

4) Ensure at least seven hours of good, quality sleep every day.

5) Go for regular outings with family and friends. You can go for dinner, movie or even head for a weekend getaway.

6) Get a pet. It can bring much happiness in your life.

7) Exercise daily for 30 minutes. It will make you feel positive and fit.

8) Play with children. Become a child again, laugh without any inhibitions and enjoy the innocence of childhood.

9) Keep sometime aside for meditation and spirituality. It helps absorb the stresses of life more easily.

10) Volunteer for community service.



Source : Dr. Ashok Seth, Chairman,
Cardiac Sciences and Chief Cardiologist.
Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre.