http://news.health.com/2016/04/06/this-is-what-happens-to-your-brain-on-no-sleep/

This Is What Happens To Your Brain On No Sleep

April 6, 2016 | By Alice Park, Time.com

Photo: Getty Images

Bedtime is one of the most important parts of the day for the brain. The latest studies show that when we slumber, the brain performs important housekeeping tasks that clear away the debris of the day’s work and help reset and restore nerve networks so they are ready to operate again at full capacity when we wake.

But a lack of sleep deprives the brain of this essential rest period, and our ability to get through the day might be compromised. In a small study published in the journal Radiology, a team of Chinese and European researchers report a more detailed analysis of how insomnia can affect specific types of brain nerves in parts of the brain that regulate cognition, emotion and sensory processes.

The researchers compared the brain images of 23 people with insomnia and 30 healthy controls. They specifically focused on white matter volume, which represents nerve cells that are coated in a special protein called myelin that improves their ability to send signals to one another. Earlier brain imaging studies had suggested that people with insomnia have differences in certain parts of the brain that could be connected to inadequate myelin. So Shumei Li from the Guangdong No. 2 Provincial People’s Hospital and her colleagues compared white matter function among people with insomnia and those who slept well.

RELATED: Why Interrupted Sleep Is Worse Than Short Sleep

They found that people with insomnia—defined as trouble sleeping for over a month that’s associated with daytime sleepiness and sleep disturbances—had significantly less white matter connectivity, especially between areas that control sleep and wakefulness, than those without insomnia. Li speculates that this disruption in signals between these regions was triggered by thinning of the myelin surrounding the neurons, which resulted in less chatter among them.

In fact, 83%, or five of the six major nerve tracts that the scientists analyzed, were reduced among people with insomnia. Most were concentrated in the right part of the brain, where emotions and many thinking functions are regulated, as well as where sensory information like sight, smell and touch are processed.

Li says that more studies are needed to explain what might be causing the brain differences in people with insomnia, but the results hint at a starting point.

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

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A Man of Sorrows and Acquainted With Grief

A Man of Sorrows and Acquainted With Grief

"We find Him closest in our deepest sorrow, dearest in our deepest despair, wisest in our greatest doubt. In agony, we catch a brief glimpse of Savior GOD, the true face of unfathomable understanding and love that will never let us go." 

JGR

5-30-16

http://m.ajc.com/news/lifestyles/parenting/volunteering-babies/nqXLg/

Local groups need volunteers to cuddle, care for babies

Volunteer in a NICU

If you want to comfort sick babies, you can volunteer in a local neonatal intensive care unit.

These newborns need love and comfort just as much as they need treatment from doctors, but sometimes parents are unable stay in the hospital and give their newborns constant affection.

That’s when volunteers are needed. They hold and rock the NICU babies when their parents are unavailable.

Be a respite parent or host family

Sometimes children need a temporary home. This can involve both babies and older kids.

Giving Children a Chance of Georgia's Respite Parent Program gives you the chance to watch over children when their foster family feels the need to take a day, weekend, or week off for vacation or an emergency.

Bethany Christian Services’ Safe Families Program is more long term. Parents voluntarily place their children with host families while dealing with a crisis or trying to resolve an issue.

The average stay is six weeks. 

Volunteer at a foster parents day off event

Throughout the year, GCAC of Georgia holds several days of planned activities for foster children. GCAC staff members watch over the kids, and foster parents get a day off. Extra volunteers are needed to help out with a variety of tasks on these days, including taking care of foster babies. Find out more on GCAC of Georgia’s website.  

But don't expect to just walk in and be handed a child. For most of these programs, you'll have to undergo a background check and interview, and meet other requirements.

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http://www.thefinancegirl.com/habits-you-need-to-stop/

11 Habits You Need to Stop

“Simple daily disciplines – little productive actions, repeated consistently over time – add up to the difference between failure and success.”
– Jeff Olson, The Slight Edge

This quote exemplifies exactly why it’s important to pay attention and be intentional with how you spend your time. If you spend most of your time laying around, watching TV, aimlessly reacting to what happens to you in your life, you’re not going to be as happy and fulfilled as you could be if you intentionally did actions that moved you toward your goals.

Specifically, there are 11 deadly habits that I think should be avoided if you want to lead a fulfilling life.

1. Stop watching too much TV

If you spend too much time watching TV, you are wasting your life away. I feel really strongly about this one. I don’t have cable, and while I do watch some shows on Netflix, it’s few and far between. I only watch TV after I really am relaxed and need a break. I’m also careful not to turn on the TV right when I get home. I find that if I do this, I’m sucked in.

So, start to pay attention to how much TV you’re watching. If you think it’s too much, cut back. Limit your TV intake to 30 minutes to 1 hour per day, if possible.

2. Stop talking about people behind their backs

Talking about someone behind her back is a bad idea for a number of reasons. First, if someone is talking to you behind someone else’s back, you can bet on it that they also will talk about you.

Second, did you know that when you talk about someone negatively, the person who you’re talking to will associate you with those qualities, not the person you’re talking about? For example, if you say that you tell your friend Amanda that your friend Beth is super annoying, then Amanda will actually subconsciously associate you with being annoying. Weird, but it happens (I read a book about it.. ).

And finally, it’s just not nice to talk about people behind their backs. So, instead, even when you think about someone negatively, bite your tongue and choose not to say it. Over time, you’ll get in the habit of saying nicer things, which will attract positive people in your life.

3. Don’t be a scarcity thinker

Scarcity thinking means that you think life is limited and only has so much to offer. People who have a scarcity mindset think there is always a winner and a loser (not two winners), they are exclusive (not inclusive), they are stingy with their knowledge, they resent competition, they are fearful, entitled and think small.

On the other hand, someone who is an abundance thinker believes there is always more to come, they invite and welcome competition, they default to trust, they think big, are thankful, and confident.

Be an abundance thinker.

4. Stop living paycheck to paycheck

Whatever you have to do to make it happen, stop living paycheck to paycheck. If it means moving to a smaller house, selling one of your cars, or stopping going out to eat altogether – do it.

The peace that comes with having financial margin is far more valuable than any of these things. And remember, it’s better to want than to owe.

5. Don’t blame anyone else for your circumstances

If you have a past that is less than perfect, whether it’s from a ruined relationship, a tough child, or something else that was completely out of your control, it is really easy to blame the person at fault. But you need to not do this.

Even if your circumstances are the result of someone else doing something to you, it’s only hurting you by blaming them. You will be stuck (probably in a scarcity mindset) not living your life to the fullest. Whatever it takes, do what you need to do to let go.

6. Don’t be your own worst enemy

If you’re a high achiever, there’s a good chance that you are also really hard on yourself. This is a habit that can be really detrimental to you in the long run.

Whatever phase of life you’re in, it’s important that you find contentment and practice being at peace regardless of what is going on around you. This will bring you greater joy.

7. Stop trying to help people who don’t ask for your help

Remember that it’s important to take care of yourself. You should be your number one priority (I’m talking about adults here – not your newborn child, who obviously needs your help). When it comes to grownups – don’t help people who don’t ask for help. If you are trying to change someone or “fix” them, I promise you that this is a battle you will lose (and it will be exhausting). Remember, if you are in a position of offering someone help and they didn’t ask for it, take a step back and let that person make their own choices.

8. Stop comparing yourself to other people

Stop comparing yourself to other people. This is particularly hard with social media because social media usually shows the highlights of people’s lives (not the whole picture).

Whenever you catch yourself comparing yourself to someone else, stop. Remember that your only competition is yourself. Someone is completely different than you and you shouldn’t compare your story with theirs.

9. Don’t wait to celebrate small wins

If you are on a long journey, like quitting smoking or paying off massive debt (something that takes a long time and is hard), don’t make the mistake of waiting to celebrate until you’ve accomplished your goal.

This is really hard for me. I started with $206k of student loan debt from law school, and I’m down to $122k. That’s a huge chunk gone, but I still find it hard to celebrate because I want it all gone. So, this habit is something I am working on.

By celebrating your smaller successes, you will attract more success and accomplish your goal even faster with more momentum.

10. Don’t say “yes” when you want to say “no”

If you want to say no to something, then say no. You need to learn how to say what you want to say. This isn’t a small thing. It’s really important in life for you to be able to make wise decisions that move you toward what you want in life.

If you say yes to the things you want to say no to, you won’t be able to say yes to the things you want to say yes to because there is only so much time in the day.

Part of being a mature, deep person means knowing who you are and committing, with certainty and conviction to your personal choices.

11. Don’t think you don’t have what it takes

My dad told me from a very young age that I could do anything I wanted to. He told me it didn’t matter that I wasn’t that smart and wasn’t in honors classes because I could just keep going and eventually out pace everyone if I stuck with it. He was right.

You don’t have to be the brightest or the most skilled to succeed. You can succeed and you can win with whatever you’re fighting for. The best asset that you have is you. And you have to know that and believe in yourself to make it happen.

A Final Note

This post is all about what not to do. It seems negative at first glance, but really it’s positive. By stopping harmful habits, you will start doing positive habits. You’ll find yourself being more productive, nicer, and happier. Sometimes it takes nixing the bad stuff to get to the good stuff!

What habits have you stopped (or do you need to stop)?

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15 Best Plants for Cleaner Indoor Air

https://weather.com/health/allergy/news/best-plants-for-cleaner-indoor-air

15 Best Plants for Cleaner Indoor Air | The Weather Channel

Outdoor air pollution's impact on public health is well-recorded while in the developed world, indoor air quality is often ignored. But the fact is, especially in the winter when we spend more time indoors, the health of the air inside our homes matters. (Winter is also when cases of carbon monoxide and radon poisoning inside homes spike.)

Indoor air quality is particularly important for people with indoor winter allergies, such as mold, dust and pet dander. These and other compounds in the air can make allergy symptoms worse while exacerbating other respiratory ailments, such as asthma.

Beyond common allergens, volatile organic compounds (VOC) in our indoor air, such as benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene, have been linked to all kinds of issues, including cancer and neurological problems. But due to industrial uses — plus certain amounts of naturally occurring VOCs in the air, water and soil — these compounds are often present inside.

(ALLERGY TRACKER: See what's impacting your allergies)

In the 1980s, NASA scientists examined common indoor house plants as a way to promote clean air, with the thought that plants could serve as O2-producing sources on long space flights. The study has served as the benchmark piece of literature on plants and indoor air quality since.

All plants filter the air to some extent, experts say, but certain species were found to be more successful than others at removing harmful compounds when scientists examined the ratio of plant surface area to micrograms of pollution absorbed.

“All plants through their photosynthetic process harvest atmospheric conditions and then filter that out … [they are] hoping to harvest carbon dioxide in order to produce oxygen as a byproduct,” Marc Hachadourian, a plant scientist and a director at the New York Botanical Garden, told weather.com. “[Filtering pollutants] and storing them is sort of a byproduct of the process, just as you or I inhale pollution, and it gets into our bodies.”

NASA's list of the best plants for absorbing benzene, formaldehyde and trichloroethylene are rounded up in the slideshow above. (You can see a PDF of the original 1988 study here.) As a note, some of the plants are toxic to pets, so research any species before you buy it if you have animals at home.

As far as the effect of these plants on our day-to-day health, Hachadourian said he believes any impact on air quality is probably small though every little bit helps. But he said that, as “plant people” already know, adding green to your space can have other health benefits.

“[Studies report] lower levels of stress for people who work in an office environment with plants than where there are no plants,” he said as an example. “There have also been recent studies about getting outdoors in nature helping stress levels as well. So when it comes down to the bottom line, plants are great to have around for a variety of different reasons.”

MORE ON WEATHER.COM: The Worst Cities for Spring Allergies

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http://bobbyalbert.com/3-traits-reflect-abundance-mindset/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=wow_blog

3 Traits That Reflect an Abundance Mindset

When I was a young boy starting in junior high school and through college, I worked with my dad’s moving crews.  I took on being the “swampier” for the crews.  I did the work the others did not want to do or did not like to do.  I took one break from work to their two (The crew often would kid me that they were taking a chewing gum break because I did not smoke).  I also would run or walk fast between the house and the truck, passing them as they walked.  But why?

When I was in high school and in college, I always did the extra credit work not because I needed the extra grade because I usually already had an “A” in the class.  But why?

When my dad suddenly died and I became the boss at 20 years old, I would fall asleep most nights diligently studying about our industry and as well as trends in other industries.  But why?

Why?  Somehow I just knew that through all of the times that I gave this extra effort I was developing and building my character – who I was becoming.  I approached life with an abundance mindset and I knew that personally, I had so much more room to grow.

Insight: When you first grow you, and then grow your people, you will grow your business.

People with an abundance mindset believe that today’s short-term pain, sacrifice, and investment in time, energy, and money will eventually bring long-term growth, blessings, and success.

And they are more likely to see where they are going – their vision.

Every person can know where they are going by adopting the following three traits that reflect an abundance mindset.

The following are examples of abundant thinkers and scarcity thinkers:

Don’t Compare 

Abundant thinkers don’t compare themselves with others—only with themselves. They set realistic goals and then work to achieve them. They encourage others to do the same. Their goals are based (in a principled way) upon a logical study of achievable results in each step.

Scarcity thinkers continually ask themselves why they aren’t like others or why they do not have the things others have. If the “others” are younger, or prettier/more handsome, then the “others” are perceived to have an advantage.

In the workplace, these types of supervisors lead (in an expedient way) by keeping their workers subservient, since equality would be viewed as competition.

Think Win/Win

Abundant thinkers find common ground with their colleagues. They know that unresolved conflict is wasted time and energy and subtracts from an abundant environment. They see win-win, and assume that there is a way for all concerned to profit and thrive. They understand that constructive criticism (in a principled way) helps others to grow.

Scarcity thinkers want to be at the center of attention because they want all they can get for themselves. They know (sometimes unconsciously) that for this to happen others have to lose. They think that if they can use expedient means to get something done more quickly, their “win” justifies their “survival of the fittest” approach.

Embrace Gratitude

Abundant thinkers live lives of gratitude for the abundance of the world in which they live. They are positive and upbeat. To them, life is a continuously replenished bowl of fruit—all ripe for the taking. They teach others how to be positive and live in gratitude.

Scarcity thinkers are not grateful for what they have. They see their life’s accomplishments as the result of only their hard work and are unable to give heart-felt thanks to others for helping.

In the workplace, scarcity thinkers  teach their followers that life’s abundance is limited, and they had better do what they need to do to grab (in an expedient way) the brass ring.

You too, regardless of age, have so much more room to grow personally – who you are becoming.  And when you do, you will have an abundance mindset that will help you see where you are going – your vision.

Are you open to grow personally?  What challenge or opportunity are you facing today that would benefit from a shift toward greater abundance thinking?  Please share your comments <here> and share this blog post with friends, family and co-workers.

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https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/behind-online-behavior/201604/what-screen-time-really-does-kids-brains

What Screen Time Really Does to Kids' Brains

Screen time is an inescapable reality of modern childhood, with kids of every age spending hours upon hours in front of iPads, smartphones and televisions.

That’s not always a bad thing: Educational apps and TV shows are great ways for children to sharpen their developing brains and hone their communication skills—not to mention the break these gadgets provide harried parents. But tread carefully: A number of troubling studies connect delayed cognitive development in kids with extended exposure to electronic media. The US Department of Health and Human Services estimates that American children spend a whopping seven hours a day in front of electronic media. Other statistics reveal that kids as young as two regularly play iPad games and have playroom toys that involve touch screens.

Saturation and long-term consequences

When very small children get hooked on tablets and smartphones, says Dr. Aric Sigman, an associate fellow of the British Psychological Society and a Fellow of Britain’s Royal Society of Medicine, they can unintentionally cause permanent damage to their still-developing brains. Too much screen time too soon, he says, “is the very thing impeding the development of the abilities that parents are so eager to foster through the tablets. The ability to focus, to concentrate, to lend attention, to sense other people’s attitudes and communicate with them, to build a large vocabulary—all those abilities are harmed.”

Put more simply, parents who jump to screen time in a bid to give their kids an educational edge may actually be doing significantly more harm than good—and they need to dole out future screen time in an age-appropriate matter.

Between birth and age three, for example, our brains develop quickly and are particularly sensitive to the environment around us. In medical circles, this is called the critical period, because the changes that happen in the brain during these first tender years become the permanent foundation upon which all later brain function is built. In order for the brain’s neural networks to develop normally during the critical period, a child needs specific stimuli from the outside environment. These are rules that have evolved over centuries of human evolution, but—not surprisingly—these essential stimuli are not found on today’s tablet screens. When a young child spends too much time in front of a screen and not enough getting required stimuli from the real world, her development becomes stunted.

And not just for a while. If the damage happens during these crucial early years, its results can affect her forever.

Much of the issue lies with the fact that what makes tablets and iPhones so great—dozens of stimuli at your fingertips, and the ability to process multiple actions simultaneously—is exactly what young brains do not need.

Tablets are the ultimate shortcut tools: Unlike a mother reading a story to a child, for example, a smartphone-told story spoon-feeds images, words, and pictures all at once to a young reader. Rather than having to take the time to process a mother’s voice into words, visualize complete pictures and exert a mental effort to follow a story line, kids who follow stories on their smartphones get lazy. The device does the thinking for them, and as a result, their own cognitive muscles remain weak.

Trouble making friends

The brain’s frontal lobe is the area responsible for decoding and comprehending social interactions. It is in this corner of the mind that we empathize with others, take in nonverbal cues while talking to friends and colleagues, and learn how to read the hundreds of unspoken signs—facial expression, tone of voice, and more—that add color and depth to real-world relationships.

So how and when does the brain’s frontal lobe develop? Not surprisingly, the most crucial stage is in early childhood, during that same critical period, and it's dependent on authentic human interactions. So if your young child is spending all of his time in front of an iPad instead of chatting and playing with teachers and other children, his empathetic abilities—the near-instinctive way you and I can read situations and get a feel for other people—will be dulled, possibly for good.

Life has no on/off switch

Have you ever seen a mother chuckle as her baby tries to “swipe” a real photograph, or punch their fingers onto a poster or book as if it were a touchscreen? It may seem cute, but it points to something much deeper in the child’s brain—an internalization that all actions have an immediate effect, and all stimuli elicit a quick response.

This is true in the on-screen world, but nowhere else. When every finger swipe brings about a response of colors and shapes and sounds, a child’s brain responds gleefully with the neurotransmitter dopamine, the key component in our reward system that is associated with feelings of pleasure. Dopamine hits in the brain can feel almost addictive, and when a child gets too used to an immediate stimuli response, he will learn to always prefer smartphone-style interaction—that is, immediate gratification and response—over real-world connection.

This pattern mimics, in a less intense manner, the dangerous cycle psychologists and physicians regularly see in patients with drug and alcohol addictions.

Don’t trash those tablets for good

Despite the danger that overexposure to smartphones can pose for young brains, there are a lot of benefits to letting little ones use technology. Once a child is over the age of two, feel free to allow limited screen time—think an hour, max, of playing with tablets and iPhones each day—to help develop coordination, hone quick reactions, and even sharpen language skills. As with all the other toys and tools available to your developing child, smartphone use should stay in moderation, and never stand in for human interaction or real-world face time.

The bottom line? Power off regularly to help your child understand the clear boundaries between the virtual world and the real one.

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