When you go to sleep, something much deeper happens than closing your eyes. The brain, through the glymphatic system, eliminates toxins a deep cleaning process. This cleaning could be the key to avoiding mental illness or cognitive impairment. Let’s look more into these interesting findings by some scientists from the Rochester Medical Center in the United States.

Sleep is one of the great pleasures of life and a necessity. Resting well every night is essential to live, replenish energy and give your body a chance to heal. Several studies have highlighted how sleep is important for memory, stress management, heart health, diabetes control, weight control and a beautiful skin.

Scientists have spent many years analyzing what happens when we close our eyes and temporarily disconnect from this world. A very interesting finding is a group of researchers from the Rochester Medical Center in New York – they discovered that during sleep the space between brain cells increases. This would allow a washing mechanism in the brain to eliminate toxins that accumulate during the hours we stay up.

The study, published in the journal Science and conducted in mice, shows the existence of a brain cleaning system and evidences the change in the brain's cellular structure during sleep.

When we sleep, we activate a kind of hydraulic system, which controls the flow of cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. This system, as observed in the experiment, triggers during sleep to allow fluid to circulate rapidly in the brain.

The research was conducted in a group of rats who had a dye injected into the fluid in the brain cavity to see how it circulated in the brain. Simultaneously, they monitored the brain’s electrical activity. The authors were surprised to see the difference in dye circulation during sleep. Specifically, it was found that the liquid circulated rapidly during the sleep phase.

Likewise, brain monitoring showed that the space between brain cells increased by 60 percent when the rats slept.

Previous studies have suggested that toxic molecules that play a determining role in the development of degenerative disorders of the brain accumulate in the space between brain cells. Interested in knowing what the role of the glymphatic system is in this process, the researchers studied mice with Alzheimer's disease to measure how long it lasted in the brain while they were asleep and awake. It was observed that the protein disappeared quickly in the mice when they were asleep, which suggests that sleep cleans toxins from the brain while resting.

The European Central Bank said that it is determined to use all available means to prevent low inflation but has left interest rates unchanged despite a rising price "danger zone" below the threshold of 1% per year.

At the press conference following the monthly monetary policy meeting of the Governing Council, ECB President Mario Draghi said that the eurozone could experience a long period of low inflation before gradually returning to its objective a price rises below, but close to 2%.

The ECB, which had reduced its key interest rate to 0.25% in November, "strongly insisted" on its determination to act boldly if necessary to avoid any weakening of prices without mentioning a risk of deflation, a term it rejects. It intends to give itself more time to evaluate developments in inflation and the money market.

"From a general point of view, we remain committed to maintaining a very accommodative monetary policy and taking further decisive action if necessary," said Draghi.

He acknowledged that the strongest stance on the issue in the past illustrated the ECB's determination to act in particular if short-term interest rates were tightening too much or if the ECB's inflation expectations were again revised downward.

"Currently, we do not see deflation," he said, adding that a long period of low inflation could lead to a downward bias on activity.

"Overall we do not see deflation in the sense of what Japan experienced in the 1990s."

Unchanged policy interest rates were widely expected despite a slowdown in inflation to 0.8% yoy in December in the eurozone after a slight rally in November, a move Mario Draghi attributed to a technical and non-technical adjustment. recurrent price of services in Germany.

Asked what steps the ECB could take to counter the pressure on short-term interest rates as banks' excess liquidity shrinks, Mario Draghi said there was no need to speculate on the instruments at his disposal.

LESS LIQUIDITY

In particular, he refused to answer a question about possible asset purchases by the ECB, like the quantitative easing policies implemented by the US Federal Reserve, the Bank of England and by the Bank of Japan. He merely repeated that the ECB would, if necessary, do all that the European Treaties allow.

Slowing inflation in the euro area is exacerbating the pressure for the ECB to take further easing measures.

Moody's Analytics (Moody's Analytics) report analyzes the "Blue Cross Blue Shield health index " data, which said: "With age, Millennials’ health declined faster than the previous generation". It further suggested that "In the absence of intervention, Millennials mortality rate is likely to rise than the same age X-Xers more than 40%". Pew Research Center for the millennial generation is defined as Americans born in 1981 to 1996's.

These declines will lead to increased demand for treatment, which may have serious financial implications for medical costs.

It is unlikely that the trend will reverse quickly. Men and women in their thirties marry at rates lower than each previous generation.

The report states: "In the worst-case scenario, millennials are expected to spend 33% more on treatment than Gen-Xers at the same age." "Millennials' poor health will keep them from being like others. This way of contributing to the economy is reflected in rising unemployment and slowing income growth. "

Hypertension, cholesterol, depression or overactivity, the several ills of this generation, are related to a way of life less healthy than that of their seniors of the generation X - that were born after the baby-boomers. "Without intervention, the Millennials could see mortality rates increase by more than 40% compared to Generation X," the study points out.

Even with record levels of education, millennial problems have delayed the passage of the traditional stages of adulthood so that it should change the demographic and economic boundaries of the nation by the end of the century.

Millennials have helped bring the number of births in the United States to their lowest level in 32 years. This means there will be fewer employees in the future to support Social Security and other public programs for a growing retiree population.

No one likes to shower with cold water and yet it can change your life. Among its great benefits is its power against aging.  In addition, it helps you lose weight, improves depression states (as endorphins increase) and helps improve productivity. Of course, you have to do it first thing in the morning for best results.

If you want to remember that pleasant feeling we have after exercising seriously, when you feel the blood flow and the skin shine, take a good cold shower to start the day. You may think that this statement is exaggerated, but it is not, or at least that is what the supporters of "cold therapy" advocate.

How to start this morning ritual?

The first ten days of this therapy can start with 2 minutes under cold water. You will see that you will feel a feeling of happiness and adrenaline. Once past the first ten days, you will begin to enjoy this healthy torture: it is similar to when you start physical activity and, although you know that the beginning will cost you a lot of work, you continue anyway because the feeling is worth it.

Our lifestyle has made us lazy in terms of sensations, but our body is prepared to withstand the extreme cold and heat, as our ancestors did. These cold showers strengthen us. A decision like this helps us to leave behind the social control and pressure that our preferences imply, including the idea of ​​ "I like it" and "I don't like it". The cold shower is not something we like, but if you welcome the break of day with this ritual, you can learn to eliminate these obstacles, and above all, extrapolate the experience to other decisions in our lives. Here are some amazing benefits of cold showers:

1. Improves your circulation

When we expose our body to low temperatures, it begins to increase your blood flow to warm the internal organs and tissues. This will generate better blood circulation.

2. Strengthens your immune system

Before a good cold shower, our metabolism gets stimulated as a reaction and our immune system gets a kick. This boosts our immunity and helps fight infections caused by viruses.

3.  Fresh and healthy skin

A cold shower will help keep your skin smooth and healthy.

The co-founder of Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales, launched a remarkable alternative to Twitter and Facebook, called the WT. It’s a social network positioned as an alternative to Facebook and Twitter.

In WT.Social, like other social networks, you can share links and discuss them. However, on this platform there is no algorithm tape - publications are ranked by date of addition. In the future it will be possible to vote for them.

There is no advertising in WT.Social, and monetization comes from donations. For example, now you can register on social networks only by invitation, or by donating $12.99 per month or $100 per year. In the future, registration will be free.

The social network works a month, now its audience is 50,000 users. The goal of Jimmy Wales is 50-500 million registered users.

In April 2017, Jimmy Wales launched WikiTribune, a Wikipedia-style media designed to combat the spread of fake news on the Internet. WT.Social is a kind of repetition.

"This is an evolution of the concept of WikiTribune because I realized that the problem of fake news and low-quality content is as much about social networks (Facebook and Twitter in particular) as news sites", he explains.

WT.Social wants to be the opposite of Facebook and Twitter as regards the quality of the proposed content and the business model.

We will give you the means to make your own choices as to the content that is offered to you and to directly edit misleading titles or report problematic messages.

“But it will only work with your help. So, join us today and help us change the landscape of social media," reads on the platform's homepage.

So, within WT.Social there are no ads and no exploitation of personal data for commercial purposes; you only find the content that Jimmy Wales describes as rewarding for users.

Neuroscientists have provided new evidence that coffee, tea (to a lesser extent) and chocolate contribute to the healing of the brain and make it more flexible. In 2019, several amazing scientific studies were presented that were definitely worth a read.

To begin with, we analyzed the results of a joint study by the National Institute of Aging and Johns Hopkins University, published in January in the journal Neurochemical Research. Scientists, in particular, concluded that the organic compounds of methylxanthines in tea, coffee and dark chocolate (cocoa) “affect the activity of neural networks, promote stable cognitive activity and protect neurons from dysfunction and death due to stroke, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease".

In the same study, it was found that xanthine derivatives (chemicals produced when caffeine enters the brain) "can have a beneficial effect on brain function."

Secondly, a meta-analysis of 11 studies of the effects of coffee on brain health published in the World Journal of Surgical Oncology showed that coffee, cocoa and tea reduce the risk of developing not only Alzheimer's disease, but also brain cancer.

Finally, a revolutionary study by Okayama University in Japan “showed that the components of CA and CGA coffee enhance the antioxidant properties of glial cells and prevent rotenone-induced neuronal degeneration both in the brain and in the Auerbach plexus.”

Simply put, caffeine makes your brain more flexible and resilient. If you want to maintain normal brain function, then do not give up the use of coffee, tea and cocoa.

The right dose?

Studies have shown that the daily dose of coffee can be 6-8 cups, and preferably up to 2 hours of the day, so as not to interfere with night sleep.

If this seems to you too much, replace 1-2 cups of coffee with 30 grams of dark chocolate. It is worth noting that drinking coffee and tea is recommended without the addition of sugar. In any case, you will perfectly charge your brain.

If you are a student, you’ve probably had to take notes. What’s the best way to take notes in class: handwritten notes or laptops?

In schools or universities, one of the methods we used to study is to create new notes in class is to write it manually. This trend is overshadowed by today’s digital transformation of classrooms – students use laptops to study, which sometimes also work as a distraction for them.

The handwriting process was long, tedious and sometimes took days; however, it was worth it because by the end of class the students already get to learn everything they needed to go for an exam and get good grades. This helps strengthen the brain synapses and learn better in class. The key to success in academics seems to be making the notes by hand.

For students of this generation, technology is much more available and accessible – they can take a laptop or tablet to class and take notes digitally. Sometimes, they don't even need to use a notebook and pencil. This is not bad, especially when it becomes so easy. However, this makes us confront an important scientific question: is replacing paper notes with digital notes more efficient when studying and learning?

What does science say?

Psychological Science presented the results, and these suggest that there is an advantage in taking notes with paper and pencil over digital devices – it helps us remember what we have heard better and prevents us from forgetting it easily. In the study, students met and separated into two groups in a class. The first group had to take notes in the conventional way, i.e. with pencil and paper. The second group had to take notes using a computer. In the end, everyone was given to the same exam and students who took manual notes scored better.

Taking notes on a computer is much simpler due to technology. However, when the purpose of taking notes is to learn in the process, the easiest method is not always the best.

The shopping centers are closing down in the United States, and the decline has only just begun. Recently, commercial giant JC Penney said he planned to close about 140 stores. On the other hand, the analysts of System2 LLC, an important data company, pointed to another 197 stores at risk of closing in this country. On the other hand, over 9,300 stores are closing in 2019 and the retail apocalypse drags on.

The retail apocalypse of large shopping centers, as they call it here, is a phenomenon that worries all experts. Some of the main operators in the country, such as Macy´s, JP Peney or Sears are already carrying out massive closures. Why is this happening? It’s because of the boom of online commerce.

The sales figures of online commerce increase day by day, month by month and year by year. In the United States alone, more than 15% of retail sales are made through the internet, with a growth rate close to 15% annually. The numbers are unstoppable and Amazon is largely to blame for it.

Buying online is very easy and cheaper. It is not even necessary to open the computer – you just have to have the mobile phone application installed. For a physical store it is very difficult to compete in price, convenience and speed of delivery with web portals such as Amazon, eBay or Alibaba.

Shopping centers in the United States have become obsolete. The first were built during the 50s (many of them are still open) and more than a third of the stock was built before 1978. In the next ten years they continued to open new centers. As a consequence, most of these constructions have become old and outdated.

The third reason why shopping centers are in decline in the United States is because of the excess supply that exists. The consumerist culture of the Americans and the few limits in urban policy gave rise to the proliferation of shopping centers in all corners of the country.

Leaning forward can be very relaxing and bending over becomes inevitable in our daily lives. However, it’s important that you do it right – you can pull your lower back, especially if your back thighs are poorly stretched.

There are right and wrong ways to lean forward and bend over. To protect your lower back, you need to perform the slopes correctly. For this you need to pay close attention to the mechanics of your body. The key muscles that you need to pay attention to are the muscles of the back of the thigh, especially their intersection with the pelvis.

Muscles of the posterior thigh are semi-membranous and semi-tendon. Here is the basic anatomy of leaning forward: to stretch the muscles of the back of the thigh, we stretch (straighten) the knees and bend in the hips, while bending the stomach on the hips.

Working while leaned forward with straight legs, head-to-knee is the perfect way to stretch the hamstring.

The problem is that when the muscles of the back of the thigh reach the limit of their flexibility, you begin to bend either by flexing your knees or by flexing your hip joints. The extension in the hip joints means that while sitting on the floor, your short muscles of the back of the thigh will pull the ischial tubercles towards the back of the knee. Because of this, the pelvis goes back and the spine gets bent. The natural deflection in the lumbar region disappears. Rounding of the spine is a big no and you must avoid it.

If you lean forward and the muscles of the back of your thigh are not stretched, you can seriously damage the intervertebral discs or ligaments. Compression will be subjected to internal organs, such as heart, lungs and digestive organs. The tighter your hips are, the more likely you are to compress your internal organs.

Each of us knows someone who constantly complains about everything. Whether there is really a problem or not, these people will always find a reason to victimize themselves and complain to someone about it. Other times, we may be the ones who complain about everything.

There is ample evidence that when complaining becomes a habit, the consequences can be felt on health. Here are the effects of this irritating behavior that we have or that some people around us have on our brain and its well-being.

Continually giving voice to negative thoughts and emotions has health consequences that can also have serious physiological impacts – it profoundly affects certain brain functions and psychophysical well-being.

In the long run, negative thoughts completely replace positive thoughts: this has consequences not only on social relations, but also on the functioning of the brain itself. It is as if each time we complain, the brain takes this state of mind as a reference to react to similar future situations.

Complaints can also have a direct impact on the capacity of memory – some magnetic resonances have recorded a narrowing of the hippocampus in people accustomed to complaining. This implies that the area of ​​the brain is affected which regulates many functions cognitive, including memory. A smaller size of the hippocampus leads to poorer memory and reduced ability to adapt to new situations.

When negative feelings are more important than positive feelings, more cortisol is released into the body: it is a hormone responsible for insomnia, depression, metabolic problems and heart disease. It is no coincidence that cortisol is also called "stress hormone".

So, if you have people around you who complain all day long, or if you've fallen into this vicious circle, just take your life in your hands and give it that touch of positivity that can turn things around for you! There’s always a reason to be optimistic.