■How to get out of bed
The problem: Bed feels really nice and, if you don’t have an imminent reason to get up, it’s easy to sleep in.
The solution: Set two alarms in the morning: one for the time you want to get up, and one an hour earlier. When you wake up, you suffer from sleep inertia. Luckily there’s a pill for that. Leave an iced coffee, energy drink, or caffeine pill next to your bed. When your first alarm goes off, consume the drink or pill, and go back to sleep. When the second alarm goes off, you’ll find it easy to get out of bed.
Why it works: When you wake up, you suffer from sleep inertia, caused by the build up of adenosine in the brain. Caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, making you more alert.
Warning: You might find that the caffeine takes more or less than an hour to kick in, in which case you should alter the timing of your first alarm.
■How to eat more healthy foods
The problem: Vegetables, while good for you, don’t taste as good as other, less healthy foods. It’s Kid’s Meals 101.
The solution: Buy powdered monosodium glutamate (“MSG”; available from most Asian supermarkets), and sprinkle it onto vegetables after you cook them. It’ll make them taste delicious.
Why it works: Glutamate is the molecule that gives foods the “umami” taste―a meaty, full flavor. It’s in part what makes parmesan cheese, soy sauce, and tomatoes taste delicious, and it’ll make vegetables taste much better.
Sprinkle MSG onto vegetables after you cook them. It’ll make them taste delicious. It’s also completely safe. Sadly, there’s a prevalent myth that it causes headaches or stomach problems. This idea came from an anecdote mentioned in a letter to The New England Journal of Medicine in 1968; however, multiple studies have shown that there is no such effect. The only potential downside of MSG is that it’s a source of sodium, too much of which may be linked to high blood pressure. However, MSG only contains one third of the sodium content of table salt; insofar as you could use MSG as a substitute for table salt, it may even be better for you in terms of sodium consumption.
■How to get smarter
The problem: Your brain doesn’t work as fast as you’d like it to.
The solution: Take 5mg (one teaspoon) of creatine monohydrate―the stuff bodybuilders take to build muscle mass, available at almost every supplements store―every morning.
Why it works: Creatine helps you to create adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which your body uses to transport energy between cells. Your brain is a heavy energy user, accounting for 20% of resting metabolism; increasing your levels of creatine potentially enables your brain to harness the energy it needs when faced with intellectually demanding tasks.
Some studies have demonstrated that people who take small amounts of creatine show significant improvement (pdf) on IQ and other cognitive tests, with the most promising effects occurring for vegetarians, who, unlike meat-eaters, don’t get creatine naturally in their diet. But, as the researchers suggest: “We would… expect to see a beneficial effect of creatine supplementation on brain performance in most omnivores apart from those who consume very high amounts of meat.”
Warning: The number of studies on this is still small, but the potential benefits are very great―IQ is a better predictor of educational, economic and social outcomes than any other known psychological variable―so it’s worth trying. There’s also some evidence that creatine has positive effects on mood for those taking antidepressants.
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The right things to say ― and not say ― to the bereaved
BY Joan E. Markwell
DAILY NEWS CONTRIBUTOR
Friday, July 21, 2017, 2:00 PM
It’s easy to say the wrong thing to a person grieving the loss of a loved one. The best advice: be sensitive, sympathetic and sincere.
It’s easy to say the wrong thing to a person grieving the loss of a loved one. The best advice: be sensitive, sympathetic and sincere. (RichLegg/Getty Images)
"I can't believe you just said that to me!"
Yes, so many times the bereaved walk away with that very thought flashing across their mind. That is because well-meaning people who have every intention of offering words of sympathy to those who are grieving, manage to do just the opposite.
They do so because they simply do not know the right thing to say so the wrong words fly out of their mouths. These same people will slide on by those grieving because they feel uncomfortable in their presence for the same reason.
Oh, but there are plenty of appropriate ways to express support t hat can be so helpful to the bereaved. Because people are creatures of habit, they continue to say and do the same old things they have heard time and again.
There is a need to move past these sayings and even forget the majority of them. If you never utter another grieving cliché again, you would be doing us (the bereaved) a great service.
Phrases such as "you're doing great," "time heals all wounds," "everything happens for a reason," "be glad you have other children," "your child wouldn't want you to feel this way," "you are so strong," "God had a plan," "God will never give you more than you can handle" and on and on and on. There are too many to share.
People utter one of these phrases and walk away feeling better. They have patted us on the shoulder and said something nice for them, not us. They feel better because they have done their job by offering words of condolence, whereas we may feel no comfort at all. We may even think, "I can't believe you just said that to me."
However, there is a solution to this conflicting situation. We, the bereaved, so want you to help us in our grief. In fact, we need your comfort and support. There is a resolution and it is simple. Before approaching, take any of the above statements and turn them into something personal and positive for the grieving.
For example, don't tell us "time heals all wounds," because we can't see a future without our loved one. You could turn this around and say, "I know healing will be a long process for you; I will be here for you."
This justifies our feelings and does not make us feel guilty for not being able to move on; and it's encouraging to hear the supporter is in for the long haul. This also makes your words seem more personal.
Another example: "Be glad you have other children." When people say this, our thought is which child would you want us to give up or would you give up? A better comment would be: "I know your other children will help provide comfort for you as your family tries to work through your loss." Try to keep the family reminded of the love and support by which they are surrounded.
Here's one commonly used: "You're so strong." Ah, the bereaved are great foolers. That's because they wear an invisible mask that requires adjustment every day so that they look strong to the outside world even though on the inside they are crumbling.
