Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Sleep Deprivation

It should be no surprise that our nation is overtired and lacking in sleep altogether. But, what does that do for the way we look? Recent studies led by John Axelsson at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden show that not only are our poor sleeping habits affecting the American people psychologically, but as well as our health in our overall looks. Axelsson, associate professor in the clinical neuroscience department, and his team have now shown just how “ugly” people can get simply by not receiving enough sleep at night.
It has been known that a severe lack in sleep over time may affect the body’s defenses, including the ability to fight off infection which remains present as a factor in illnesses such as diabetes and obesity, but now studies show it really does affect how we look. This is important because in spite the money being spent to cure these physiological imperfections, (as well as the money being spent in cosmetics) all it may take to prevent such costs could just be a full night’s rest. Lack of sleep also affects important organs such as the heart and brain, and has been known to reduce reaction time and may be a factor in some cases of heart disease.
In a study done on sleep deprivation, 23 adults were allowed a full night’s sleep, and then were not allowed to sleep for 31 consecutive hours. Each of the subjects involved in the study were photographed after being well rested, and after staying up for almost a full day and a half. Then, another 65 people were asked to rate how attractive, healthy and tired the 23 adults looked following the experiment. The results from the study were conclusive. People are not the same when they are lacking in sleep. The numbers reveal that when not allowed sleep, the subjects involved in the study looked 4 percent noticeably less attractive, 6 percent less healthy, and 19 percent more tired after 31 hours with no rest.
Most people know that they are recommended to get at least 8 hours of sleep every night. Unfortunately, the busy world we live in doesn’t always allow for that.
According to Axelsson, this study proves to be a wake-up call to many people who are consistently getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night, which he states is true of 1 in 5 Americans. The affects of sleep deprivation are clearly seen on the faces of 23 individuals involved in the experiment, as well as a large number of people who repeatedly do not get a full 8 hours of sleep every night.
In conclusion, the results ultimately show us the importance of being well rested. Axelsson states, “A good night’s sleep does not only improve you physiological health, it will also make you look healthier and more attractive, which in turn improves the chance of better treatments in a wide range of social situations.” After testing the idea that lack of sleep may affect our looks, John Axelsson and his crew have now provided clear evidence showing how much more unattractive people can be who don’t sleep enough. He says, “We propose that sleep is a cheap and effective beauty treatment, both acutely and in the long-term. Sleep should be seen as the body’s natural beauty treatment and a clear alternative or complement to other beauty treatment.”

http://bodyodd.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2010/12/15/5644892-want-to-look-hotter-hit-the-sack

Monday, December 13, 2010

Charities

It’s that time of year when giving to others is especially important. The charitable giving season starts now. But with budgets tight, it's important to get the most out of your gift, and you might get more out from your contributions by giving to smaller and local organizations rather than to the big brand-name charities.
Sadly though, overall donations to charities are down. 40% of charities said they saw contributions decline in the first half of 2010 compared to 2009, according to one survey, some signs suggest givers are still supporting local charities. When times get tough people tend to shift their giving toward groups that provide basic needs, and the groups best able to meet those needs tend to be local. Of the few non-profits that saw increased contributions in 2009, many including ones like the AmeriCares Foundation, rely on donated goods such as clothing and food.
Local organizations may also be easier to give to than national groups. Meaning there’s a better shot at assessing whether a group accomplishes its aim. Before you write a check, you could visit a local animal shelter to see first hand how many kittens have been saved and placed or volunteer for a shift at the soup kitchen to see how it's run and how many people it serves nightly. "That visit is usually a pretty good indicator of whether you like what's going on." says Tim Seiler, the director of the Fund Raising School for The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.
Local groups are often able to fundraise more efficiently too. Even in cases where the local charity breaks even with national or falls behind, there's an advantage to having the impact such as, more aid for the homeless or better literacy programs in your neighborhood. Local charities are better investments for your community.
Some causes though, are better served nationally. Charities for medical research and giving to the Hurricane Katrina survivors are some examples. National charities are better to make a difference quickly and distributing their contributions more effectively and quickly.
If you are one who likes to give donations you can go both ways, serve to local and national charities. Local charities are more beneficial to your own community and you have a better chance at knowing what they are doing and where your money is going. With national charities the donations are distributed more quickly and effectively. With the holidays coming up, giving any sort of donation to any charity could make someone else's holidays better.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Drinking and Drowning?

There has been 9 river drowning’s in the past 14 years in LaCrosse between 1997 and 2006. What's puzzling is why do people go to the river and end up drowning there? Keeping people from drowning in the Mississippi is still a top priority for our local law enforcement with the help of student volunteers.
The two recent drowning’s are of Craig Meyers and Luke Homan. Luke was the 8th college student to drown after partying with friends at Oktoberfest in 2006. He was only 21. Craig was the 9th after partying at a wedding reception in 2010. He also was only 21. The first seven all ranged from ages 19-28 and all of their deaths have been related to alcohol consumption.
Although the mysterious drowning’s have become apart of the past there are still measures taken to prevent one from happening again. Volunteers are patrolling Riverside Park on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights, even during the winter. The group started out as only patrolling the river on weekend nights and now, they are equipped with flashlights, police radios, and warm clothing. This semester the group has about 100 volunteers who take turns with the patrols. But, they could always use more.
The river safety volunteers say they are routinely stopping people from heading towards the river. What makes it scary is the majority of those people are intoxicated and lost. One of the volunteers says, "There are incidents where people will come down there and they have no idea where they are or where they're going. That's really when it gets kind of scary and you're just glad that someone was down there."
There have been speculations of a so called serial killer causing the drowning’s. It was rumored that there was someone on the prowl for good looking young men who were intoxicated and pushing them into the river. There was a lot of talk that it was a random taxi driver, a women, and or even a police officer! So far investigators say there is no boogeyman causing the drowning’s.
If you plan on "partying" in downtown LaCrosse be aware of your surroundings and keep a "buddy system" so neither you or your friends end up near the river. The river has already taken the lives of Craig Meyers, Luke Homan, and several others simply by them being intoxicated and not knowing where they are going. As a city known for the largest six pack and street line of bars, we should be extremely appreciative of the volunteers who use their own time to ensure the safety of others. Although LaCrosse hasn't had a drowing recently, it's still a top priority to prevent one from happening again.