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Alternative Sleep Cycles: You Don't Really Need 6-8 Hours!

Alternative Sleep Cycles: You Don't Really Need 6-8 Hours!
Most people only think that there is one way to sleep: Go to sleep at night for 6-8 hours, wake up in the morning, stay awake for 16-18 hours and then repeat. Actually, that is called a monophasic sleep cycle, which is only 1 of 5 major sleep cycles that have been used successfully throughout history. The other 4 are considered polyphasic sleep cycles due to the multiple number of naps they require each day. How is this possible? How is this healthy? Well the most important of every sleep cycle is the Stage 4 REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, which has been shown to provide the benefits of sleep to the brain above all other stages of sleep. This way, you still get the benefits of 8 hours of sleep without wasting all of the time it takes to get to REM cycles, resulting in a much more efficient sleep cycle. Uberman Cycle: 20 to 30 minute naps every 4 hours, resulting in 6 naps each day. Everyman Cycle: One longer “core” nap that is supplemented with several 20-30 minute naps. Dymaxion Cycle: Related:  inspiration

Polyphasic Sleep Log – Day 1 I’ve completed my first day on the polyphasic sleep schedule, napping for 20-30 minutes every four hours. It’s been almost 36 hours since I last awoke from a full night’s sleep. “Day” is a relative term on this schedule, since the daytime sleeping schedule is no different than the nighttime one. I’m not sure whether to think of today as “day 1″ (the day after my first night of sleep deprivation) or “day 2″ (the second day after I officially started this sleeping pattern). No serious problems thus far aside from some fatigue, lower concentration, and occasional sleepiness. Yesterday seemed tougher than it should have been, as I experienced some tiredness even though I was initially getting more sleep than usual by beginning the nap schedule after having a regular night’s sleep. Last night was semi-difficult, with lots of sleepiness and fatigue between the 1am and 5am naps. 5am was my normal waking time.

50 Things You Need To Give Up Today When you stop chasing the wrong things, you give the right things a chance to catch you. So starting today… Give up trying to be perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done. Read Getting Things Done.Give up comparing yourself to others. – The only person you are competing against is yourself.Give up dwelling on the past or worrying too much about the future. – Right now is the only moment guaranteed to you. And remember, mistakes make us human, failures help us grow, hope keeps us going and love is the reason we’re alive. Photo by: Ai-lueh Chen Related 60 Empowering Quotes to Help You Get Things Done Here are 60 quotes gathered from our sister site, Everyday Life Lessons, to empower you to take action, navigate through life’s challenges, and get things done. July 27, 2012 In "Aspirations" 10 Things You Must Give Up to Be Successful “Don't spend time beating on a wall, hoping to transform it into a door.” June 4, 2012

E-mails from an Asshole - StumbleUpon Original ad: Hey there! My roommate and I are looking for another housemate. We live in a large apartment in Upper Darby. My roommate and I are both vegans and will only live with another vegan. If you are a vegan and want to live with two vegans who respect your personal space, please e-mail us. From Me to ***********@***********.org: Hey, I saw your ad, and I can't tell you how happy I was to see that there are fellow vegans looking for a roommate. Mike From Joanna ******** to Me: Yes, we still are seeking a third housemate. From Me to Joanna ********: Well, I am a 24 year old male, and I am currently make a living by being employed. You're not a vegan if you eat veal. Well thanks for the veal history lesson. Seeing as how you got all uppity about the veal, I guess I should tell you that I own two shotguns and an assault rifle for hunting and will need to store them in the apartment. Don't worry, you don't need to tell me anything else because you aren't going to live with us.

What makes a hero? - Matthew Winkler The Hero Archetype in Literature, Religion, and Popular Culture: (along with a useful PowerPoint presentation teachers can download at this URL: )Maricopa Center for Learning and Instruction (users embark on their own hero's journey): American Masters Lesson from PBS for Teachers on George Lucas, the Power of Myth, and the Hero's Journey: an interactive approach to the Hero's Journey: of course, information about Joseph Campbell's works on the subject, on the Joseph Campbell Foundation site:The Hero With A Thousand Faces Hero's Journey (semi-biographical film):

Brain Pickings Hakula: Learn the Natural State of 'Fearlessness' The Natural Fear-Free State of Calm… Hakula, is the natural state of optimal human performance. It is the opposite of the tunnel-vision-fear state many have experienced, because it creates a feeling of calm, and enables the greatest perspective and flexibility of behavior and response. It is so powerful it is one of the key tools we teach our one-on-one clients in our VIP program. How to Practice HakulaPick a spot on the wall, somewhere higher than eye level, around the center of your field of vision. (This state of focus-with-peripheral-awareness was named ‘Hakula’ by the ancient people of Hawaii). When to use Hakula Hakula is perfect for the kinds of situations in which you used to experience fear because it shifts the mind into a state where it is ‘contextually all-aware’. Typically with our clients, we find that if clients think about a problem, then shift into Hakula, the problem immediately seems trivial.

kottke.org - home of fine hypertext products 27 Science Fictions That Became Science Facts In 2012 We may never have our flying cars, but the future is here. From creating fully functioning artificial leaves to hacking the human brain, science made a lot of breakthroughs this year. 1. Quadriplegic Uses Her Mind to Control Her Robotic Arm At the University of Pittsburgh, the neurobiology department worked with 52-year-old Jan Scheuermann over the course of 13 weeks to create a robotic arm controlled only by the power of Scheuermann’s mind. 2. Once the robot figures out how to do that without all the wires, humanity is doomed. 3. Photo Courtesy of Indigo Moon Yarns. At the University of Wyoming, scientists modified a group of silkworms to produce silk that is, weight for weight, stronger than steel. 4. Using an electron microscope, Enzo di Fabrizio and his team at the Italian Institute of Technology in Genoa snapped the first photos of the famous double helix.Source: newscientist.com / via: davi296 5. 6. ReCell by Avita Medical is a medical breakthrough for severe-burn victims. 7. 8. 10.

7 Must-Read Books about Music, Emotion &the Brain by Maria Popova What Freud has to do with auditory cheesecake, European opera and world peace. Last year, Horizon’s fascinating documentary on how music works was one of our most-liked pickings of 2010. But perhaps even more fascinating than the subject of how music works is the question of why it makes us feel the way it does. Today, we try to answer it with seven essential books that bridge music, emotion and cognition, peeling away at that tender intersection of where your brain ends and your soul begins. We love the work of neuroscientist and prolific author Oliver Sacks, whose latest book, The Mind’s Eye, was one of our favorite brain books last year. Why music makes us feel the way it does is on par with questions about the nature of divinity or the origin of love. Patel also offers this beautiful definition of what music is: Sound organized in time, intended for, or perceived as, aesthetic experience. Donating = Loving Brain Pickings has a free weekly newsletter. Share on Tumblr

Psychology of Color [Infographic] Perhaps no choice is as vital to marketing as color. Whether you are selecting the color for a product or for your email marketing campaign, color has tremendous impact on all of us. Subconsciously, we associate different colors with different things. This infographic examines the psychology of color and looks at some common associations of different colors. It shows the overall importance of color to consumers and characteristics of many individual colors, and it also helps show the connection between graphic design and psychology. While color can be appealing to us visually, a lot more is going on behind the scenes than just an aesthetic. Embed This Graphic On Your Site <img src=” alt=”Psychology of Color Infographic” />Infographic by <a title=”WebpageFX” href=” Embed the Psychology of Color Infographic The psychology of color directly plays into consumer behavior.

50 Life Secrets and Tips Memorize something everyday.Not only will this leave your brain sharp and your memory functioning, you will also have a huge library of quotes to bust out at any moment. Poetry, sayings and philosophies are your best options.Constantly try to reduce your attachment to possessions.Those who are heavy-set with material desires will have a lot of trouble when their things are taken away from them or lost. Possessions do end up owning you, not the other way around. Become a person of minimal needs and you will be much more content.Develop an endless curiosity about this world.Become an explorer and view the world as your jungle. Read “Zen and the Art of Happiness” by Chris Prentiss.This book will give you the knowledge and instruction to be happy at all times regardless of the circumstances. Wouldn’t it be awesome if you could boldly display 50 life secrets and tips on your wall to serve as a beautiful, daily reminder of how to live a Higher Existence?

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