Picture here
Our dear friends at Sandbox just shared some interesting facts about sleep with us! Check out the wonderful infographic “So What If You Don’t Sleep Enough?” by Cliff Kuang.
Only 7% of people get eight hours of sleep a night. But the effects of this might be calamitous: Getting less sleep is associated with a 200% rise in cancer, a 100% rise in heart disease, and a 20% rise in the likelihood you’ll be dead in 20 years. That said, what the infographic doesn’t tell is that sleeping too much can be almost as a dangerous as not sleeping enough. If you sleep over nine hours a day, you’re more likely to be fat, diabetic, depressed, and have heart disease. So get eight hours, but no more.
// Mai-Li
If you feel strongly about healing the world you need to start by being kind to yourself. Health research suggests we aren’t giving ourselves enough time to feel as good as possible. The next time you feel disappointed in yourself, make an effort to pat yourself on the back and remember that those feelings of inadequacy are shared by most people.
I’m a self-critical person who habitually denies herself good food by going on weird diets. I need to invest more time in being kind to myself and repeating mantras in my head along the lines of “Go easy on yourself” or ”Kindness starts from within”.
Taking care of your mind and body ought to be at the top of your list of daily priorities. Spend time getting to know yourself and implementing your findings. So what if you discover you need to eat lots of grilled cheese to feel good! Although I’d probably start running and make an appointment to have my cholesterol levels checked if I were you.
Balance is key, if you have an idée fixe for reading “all” the news try reserving no more than ten minutes for checking sites like The Huffington Post daily. Your desire to feel more informed will manifest itself in an increased reading speed (not such a bad obsession after all, is it?!). Be your own best friend, and don’t forget to hang out with all those other people you adore.
- Désirée
Artworks: ‘Cheer Up’ and ‘Kiss of Death’ by Yumiko Kayukawa