You know that double-rainbow guy (warning: video contains a tiny bit of graphic language)?
His name is not Double Rainbow Guy - it’s Paul Vasquez. And Vasquez told Good Morning America that he was “just on pure rainbow power” and that it was “just the spirit of the universe influencing” him.
But could his (hilariously) ecstatic reaction to the 2 full ROY G. BIV arches have been influenced by a really, really good night’s sleep?
Disclaimer: I am and always have been a morning person - from back when I was a kid and I’d be the first one awake in my house, pouring a bowl of Cheerios and watching “The Smurfs” on low volume, up until this morning when even the incessant bedspread pouncing of my 2 playful kittens couldn’t darken my daybreak mood.
Being a morning person - or a “lark” as sleep science sometimes calls us - has its advantages. The whole 9-to-5 grind is pretty easy on me, and I have no problem being chipper at morning meetings. I seem to always wake up on the right side of bed. And there are apparently other advantages to being a morning lark instead of a night owl:
via MedBroadcast: Compared to larks, owls may be more prone to depression. They may also be more likely than larks to be sensation- and thrill-seekers and to struggle with self-control. Owls slump with more frequent daytime sleepiness, despite drinking more coffee and other caffeinated drinks than do larks. Owls in school may struggle academically, and their diets may struggle, too, as they eat more fast food than larks. Female owls may even suffer through more nightmares and menstrual symptoms.
So, could a night owl, if so inclined, greet the morning sun with bright eyes and a song in their heart?
As a kid, I devised what I thought were clever - and sort of odd - ways to get myself to fall asleep at bedtime.
I’d lift my hands high up over my head (like a reclining zombie) and hold them there until my arms got so tired that they’d flop to the bed and I’d essentially wear myself out.
For the same effect, I’d jump up and down on my bed or dance to some song stuck in my head. Or I’d tense up and release the muscles in my legs, feet, and toes, unwittingly practicing the stress-management routine of “progressive muscle relaxation”.
I’d heard about counting sheep as a way to lull yourself off to the Land of Nod. I tried it, but it never worked for me. Was I doing it wrong? Counting too quickly? Imagining the wrong breed of sheep? Does this old trick really work? Do sheep equal sleep? [Read more →]
I envy nappers. I’ve just never gotten good at the whole nap thing.
Too bad for me, too, because napping is pretty good for you. But good for the 34% of Americans who nap on any given day!
According to a representative survey by the Pew Research Center, men nap more than women, with 41% of men over the age of 50 responding that they had taken a nap in the last 24 hours compared to just 28% of women of the same age.
I don’t fall into this demographic, but my dad does, and he is an EXCELLENT napper: He’ll draw the shades, stretch out without a blanket, drape a pillowcase loosely over his eyes, and blissfully doze off for 20 minutes or so. He wakes up refreshed, in a good mood, and then he totally kicks butt when Jeopardy! comes on (probably thanks to a nap’s brain-boosting benefits!)
To find out why my dad is such a pro-napper, keep reading … [Read more →]
Every night right before I tuck in beneath the covers, I walk to my window to complete my final bedtime ritual: shutting the mini-blinds so not a bit of the moon’s light or any of the glow from streetlights can shine into my bedroom.
Noise doesn’t usually deter my dozing off, but I am the type of sleeper who needs total darkness.
Once the light’s been blocked out, though, I’m off to the Land of Nod for my average of 8 solid hours of sleep. When I get too much sleep or too little sleep, I feel it - I’m either loopy or lethargic (like my head’s stuffed with cotton balls).
My question is, how long is your average night’s sleep? And do you have any bedtime rituals that really work for you? Lots of people have trouble getting the sleep they need, so do tell!
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A snore can rumble at a volume of up to 60 to 90 decibels. That’s just a little less noisy than, say, an oboe or a clarinet, which average around 95 to 114 decibels.
But snorers and those with sleep apnea might want to consider moving up the decibel scale and trade their midnight sleeping symphony for a spot in the orchestra … [Read more →]
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