Archives for May 2018

Between Friends

Health & Safety

Get better sleep

Insomnia affects millions of Americans, but studies suggest that mindfulness meditation can help you get a better night sleep. 

According to a clinical trial appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers studied adults who had trouble sleeping and asked half to complete a mindfulness awareness program. The other half were asked to complete a sleep education class teaching them tips to improve their sleep habits. Those in the mindfulness group had less insomnia, fatigue, and depression at the end of the study. 

Meditation increases melatonin, the neurochemical that induces sleep. Studies also show that mindfulness meditation practitioners have enhanced REM sleep periods, the same stage in which humans are thought to process and learn new information. Getting an adequate amount of REM sleep each night allows you to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day. 

So, the next time you’re having trouble sleeping, just relax and focus on your breath. Don’t worry about the way you’re breathing or how long you’ve been lying there. Let go of the negative thoughts. Just close your eyes, relax, breathe, and drift off to sleep.

Luxury Pizza?

From the “Only in New York” category comes the world’s most expensive pizza. At $250 a slice or $1,000 for the whole pie, this Manhattan pizzeria brings a luxury dining experience to one of America’s favorite foods. 

Created by Nino Selimaj, owner of Nino’s Bellissima Pizza in New York City, the $1,000-pizza is created with creme fraiche as a base, four types of caviar, sliced lobster tail, salmon roe and a touch of wasabi.
 
Selimaj himself came up with the creation in 2007 after spending a year researching the ingredients. 

Each $250 slice contains a different kind of caviar. While Selimaj admits his gourmet creation isn’t for everyone, and that sales have been hampered a bit by the recession, he says customers are still coming in. In 2010, he reported sales of about one pie every two weeks. Pre-economic downturn, Selimaj was selling between two and 10 luxury pies per week. 

How does it taste? Very good, according to those who have tried it, although, not surprisingly, not like pizza at all! Would you pay $250 for a taste? 

Napping is Not Just for Kids

For some people, an afternoon nap is a signal you are losing your edge. For others –and not just for the elderly – naps can be a valued way of life. Most people, say the sleep experts at the Mayo Clinic, fall somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. But whether you’re sleep-deprived or looking for a way to relax, it’s good to understand when and how to get the most out of napping.

 

The Upsides:

Napping offers various benefits for healthy adults: 

·         Reduced fatigue

·         Increased alertness

·         Improved mood

·         Improved performance, including quicker reaction time, better memory, and fewer accidents or mistakes

The Downsides:

·         Sleep inertia – some people may feel groggy or disoriented after napping

·         Nighttime sleep problems – while short naps do not generally affect nighttime sleep patterns, napping could worsen problems for those who generally sleep poorly.

Experts agree you should consider taking a nap if you are not feeling well, if you are feeling unusually fatigued, or if you are about to experience sleep loss, such as having to work an unexpected night shift. Under normal circumstances, to get the most out of napping, consider these simple tips:

·         A 10 to 30 minute nap provides the best opportunity to wake up feeling refreshed – and some people claim that a 10-minute power nap dramatically increases productivity.