Crazy things that people do in their sleep and how to help

Many people may mumble in their sleep or toss and turn. Some have trouble falling asleep or staying asleep.

There are conditions much more irregular than these that indicate your sleep quality isn’t all it should be.

If you’ve ever lived with a sleep walker or talker, you know that it can be pretty funny when they go about their night-time antics.

It gets a lot less funny when, say, your son gets up and walks out the front door at 2:00 a.m. (Asked the next day, he has recollection of neither getting up and walking out nor of your going out after him to guide him back inside.) Or suddenly hearing the voice of your housemate babbling on, then rising to a yell.

These are not all that uncommon.

Sleep disorders affect not just the sleeper

Parasomnia is a sleep disorder in which your slow wave sleep is disrupted. Slow wave sleep is our deep sleep, where our bodies truly rest. It is this phase of sleep that finds us sleepwalking, talking, and eating and when sexsomnia, night terrors, and restless leg syndrome occur.

Dr. Nitun Verma is a specialist in sleep medicine of the Washington Township Center for Sleep Disorders:

“I heard about one patient who, after getting the wrong sleep medication, sleep drove to Taco Bell, ate a ton of burritos, then returned home to bed. He didn’t remember any of it but put the pieces together when he found hot sauce packets all over himself. Textbook sleepwalking, which is a parasomnia.

“I remember another patient who is a high profile professor at a prestigious university. He suffered from exploding head syndrome, where he would hear a violent explosion in his head just as he started to fall asleep.”

Sleep driving and sleep eating are also parasomnia disorders. Eating while asleep doesn’t usually pose a problem–unless someone tries to cook using a stove or other appliance–but imagine driving while sleeping. Puts a whole new spin on yelling “wake up!” as the traffic light turns green but the car in front of you doesn’t move.

There are steps you can take to alleviate parasomniac activities and get a better night’s sleep; the implications of good quality sleep are pervasive to all aspects of life.

There are drugs that can help but by their very nature, any foreign substance disrupts natural sleep–better to try less intrusive methods first, beginning very simply with sleep rituals. These can lead to a more restful sleep with fewer awakenings.[1]

1. Relax before bed

Take some time for quiet rest or short meditation before bed. Deep breathing or a warm aromatic bath can help to soothe and de-stress. Warm milk and herbal teas can also help us to relax (just not too soon before bed or you may have to get up during the night to use the bathroom).

2. Regular exercise

It’s good for everything about you, not the least of which is sleep. Exercise affects your metabolism and keeps all systems in your body working properly. We weren’t meant to sit still.

3. Put away electronics

We’ve become so attached to our smart phones, tablets, and computers that they are often the first thing we look at in the morning and the last at night. Avoid this. Try shutting everything down (or not looking) at least two hours before going to sleep. Many studies have shown that staring at radiant screens before bed negatively affects our sleep.[2]

4. Cut down (or out) alcohol, caffeine, and cigarettes

Alcohol is a depressant and may make you feel sleepy but having it your system when you go to sleep can interfere with deep-level sleep. Caffeine, too, is a big no-no: if it perks you up in the morning…studies have shown that caffeine taken within 6 hours of bedtime can affect your sleep.[3] Cigarettes, well, there’s nothing good about them; if you smoke, you can only help yourself by quitting.

5. Optimize your bedroom for sleep

Darken the windows, get a new pillow, adjust the temperature, wear earplugs–whatever makes you the most comfortable and least likely to interrupt your sleep.

6. Dream-state sleep

The second type of sleep disorder that can occur is REM (rapid eye movement) behavior disorder, or RBD. In the active dream state, some people act out their dreams but don’t consciously know what they’re doing. A story from Dr. Verma illustrates:

“A father was arrested when he dreamt his house was on fire and he ‘saved’ his newborn baby by throwing him out the window to firefighters below to catch. Trouble was, there was no fire, no firefighters, but he did throw the baby out the window (The baby was ok).”

Yikes.

If you or someone in your home suffers from a sleep disorder, there are methods you can employ to handle the episodes.

Don’t wake a sleepwalker–because the actions occur unconsciously, sudden awakening can lead to terror and/or aggression. Gently guide the person back to bed, speaking softly and soothingly.

A sleep driver should be urged to pull over, the driver removed safely from the car, and the keys hidden.

If you are the sufferer, place locks and/or alarms on the windows and doors, hide keys and sharp objects, and sleep on the floor to prevent injury.

There are circumstances under which a professional should be consulted: if conditions persist and all natural efforts to control them fail, dangerous or aggressive behavior manifests, or you are chronically exhausted.

The nature of sleep is still somewhat of a mystery. What we do know–unequivocally–is that good quality sleep is crucial to your health.

15 Things Truly Passionate People Do Differently

1. They get excited more often.

Excitement is the fuel that can drive innovation and success. Bringing a dream to reality takes dedication and hard work. When you can find the excitement in the project and renew the excitement with each milestone, it’s easier to power through the inevitable rough patches that can derail any project.

2. They devote their lives to their dreams.

Passion needs plenty of TLC. And when you love what you do and are truly passionate about it, you’ll feed your dreams with every ounce of love and care they need to succeed. It can be a risk, but they devote their lives to accomplishing their goals.

3. They surround themselves with their works.

When you find something you love, it starts to become part of your life. Truly passionate people find ways to incorporate their work into every aspect of their life. Whether you begin spending time with other people who are helping bring your passion to life or just take your work with you everywhere you go, your dreams become part of your daily life.

4. They think positively about the future.

When you’re passionate, you believe in yourself. You have a belief that things will work out, because you believe so strongly in what you’re doing. Passionate people look forward to the future and embrace the challenges that it will bring.

5. They always have their passion on their mind.

Passion evokes a razor-like focus and drive. Whether they are driving to work, reading a book, playing with their kids, or laying at bed at night, they have their passion on their mind. They are always looking for ways to improve a process, finding solutions for their roadblocks in everyday life and applying them to their work.

6. They are willing to take risks.

No guts. No glory. Someone who’s passionate must take risks to succeed. Whether it’s putting their life savings on the line, leave a steady job to pursue their dreams, or turn down more lucrative offers with less upside, passionate people will take risks to deliver on their dreams.

7. They accept consequences.

Many people are willing to take risks, but when those backfire, many people jump ship. Truly passionate people accept their new circumstances and keep moving forward. Whether the news is good or bad, they continue on the same.

8. They make their passions a priority.

Passions without priority? Those are hobbies! They find ways to make sure they spend the time and effort to grow their passion and make their dreams come true. If you want to truly succeed, find what you’re passionate about and truly believe in and make it a priority.

9. They don’t back down.

People will doubt you. They will mock you and remind you of each and every failure. Truly passionate people won’t back down. The criticism and skepticism only fuel the fire. They never give in.

10. They have unbelievable focus.

There are distractions everywhere. Truly passionate people don’t let anything between them and their dreams. When you believe in something so strongly and dedicate your life to it, maintaining focus can be challenging. The truly passionate people succeed by limiting distractions and keeping their eye on the prize.

11. They take it to the next level.

Going through the motions is not an option. Passionate people bring it everyday. And they up their game. They work harder, practice more, spend the time to master the details, and do everything better.

12. They create a roadmap for their dreams.

When you believe in something so strongly, you can see it happen. But the difference in being a dreamer and a champion is the roadmap that gets you there. Truly passionate people leave nothing to chance, developing a plan for each step and understanding that this roadmap will evolve and shift, but ultimately lead them to the ultimate goal.

13. They inspire others.

Passion is contagious. Whether it’s the people you work with, your family, or those you meet on a daily basis, passion can rub off. If you’re having trouble finding that passion, find people who are doing great things and spend time with them. You’ll often times find that they will inspire you to follow your own dreams.

14. They overcome failure.

Failure is inevitable and comes in many forms. Rejection of a grant, dismissal of an idea, or a idea that didn’t work out. When you’re blazing new trails, obstacles will stand in the way. Passionate people learn to overcome their failures and become better because of it. The roadblocks become a source of pride and overcoming them renews their passion rather than squashing it.

15. They radiate their passion.

If you meet someone who’s truly passionate, you will know. Every part of their being seems to radiate the passion they bring each and every day.

7 Reasons Subconscious Mind Is My Guide

What is subconsciousness? I’m sure that nowadays many people have no idea of this notion. What can I say about people, even if scientists can’t finally unravel the power of subconscious mind and teach humanity to use the abilities of their senses? I think that subconsciousness is a type of mind that exerts great influence on my thinking, behavior, feelings and emotions. I believe that it holds the answers to all my questions. The only secret is to find the key to this under-explored type of mind.

I’m a highly sensitive person that’s why I often pay attention to my inner world. Moreover, I try to explore my subconscious mind in order to live in accord with myself and others. I believe that subconsciousness can help me form a success oriented consciousness. Wise people say that those who have total control over subconsciousness are strong and happy people. They are free from tears, diffidence and anger.

I’ve understood that my subconscious mind is a good guide. Its secrets and resources can stimulate my growth and development. If something doesn’t go my way in life, I try to plunge into my subconsciousness, because I know that all answers are inside my mind.

1. My intuition is a wonderful advisor

One of the most difficult things in life is to take a right decision. I have often hesitated whether to do something or not, because I feared to make mistakes and spoil my life. A bit later, I realized that fear and inaction were far worse than just making mistakes.

Every time I have to take a decision, I tend to listen to the voice of my intuition. It has never put me in a spot. Furthermore, if something happens wrong, I’ll never regret about my decision, because it’s my will and choice.

My best friend’s dad is a very authoritative and rich person. Once he told me that when he couldn’t find an efficient solution to some kind of a problem, he always listened to his intuition. Since that day I decided to follow my internal compass in order to reach my goals in future. I was sure that my intuition could open up new perspectives.

2. My dreams carry valuable information

Even ancient people treated their night dreams as something sacred. They interpreted their dreams and followed the signs. I believe that dreams are the forgotten language of human beings. It seems to me that every dream carries valuable information and hints. If people could analyze and interpret their dreams, they would be able to prevent many problems and misfortunes.

I treat the language of dreams seriously, because I think that my subconscious mind uses dreams, as if trying to tell me something or warn about things that are going to happen.

I have had a lot of prophetic dreams. At first, I didn’t pay too much attention to them. But then I noticed that some of those dreams came true. I decided to take advantage of that ability. I bought a book of dream interpretation in order to understand the messages of my subconsciousness. Nowadays, when I have a prophetic dream, I use this book. My dreams help me find the reason of my inner disharmony.

As a creative person I always try to draw inspiration from everything I feel and experience. Sometimes, dreams feed my imagination and help me create new masterpieces. Dreams can be both positive and negative. I’m an optimist and I prefer to focus more on good and pleasant ones.

3. My subconsciousness can heal me

I want to confess that I’m terrified of hospitals. When I fall ill, I tend to resort to non-traditional therapies. Some people use herbs, others prefer medicines, but my choice is the power of mind. I believe that the way of thinking plays an important role in the formation of my well-being. I know that consciousness and body are tightly interconnected. I try to convince myself that my body is able to recover without medicines. I tell myself that I’ll never fall seriously ill, because I’m the healthiest person in the world.

Human body is a unique and self-healing mechanism. It can heal wounds and kill infections without antibiotics. When I feel bad, I go to sleep. I imagine that every cell of my body struggles against different kinds of bacteria. My body is the best doctor. Sure, it doesn’t mean that you should never consult doctors. If you have a serious disease, you should see your doctor regularly.

4. It helps me accept the truth of life

Have you ever dreamt about living your life without problems? Do you think that life without problems is better? I think that banal and absolutely carefree life isn’t interesting, because difficulties remain the most important and significant part of human existence. That’s why I don’t try to avoid problems, but treat them as opportunities.

I surmise that my subconscious mind sends me problems in order to show that I’m doing something wrong. As a confident person, I begin to find solutions to my issues. Consequently, I have a chance to change something in my life for better. Problems are the best source of opportunities. This little truth has become my life motto.

5. I can improve my relationships with people around me

It may seem strange, but my subconscious mind assists me in building healthy relationships with people around me. As a sensitive person, I feel the aura of people I’m talking with. Moreover, my intuition often prompts me whether to communicate with somebody or not. I don’t make friends with negative people, but I treat them with respect.

My subconsciousness hints me how to behave and find the best way out of different situations. I can spend hours thinking about interpersonal issues. I connect with my subconsciousness, trying to decode its signals and understand how to act. Furthermore, I always try to cultivate the mind of a successful person, because I know that positive and successful people attract good luck.

6. I could easily find my calling

When I was a teenager, I couldn’t make a right choice. The most challenging thing was to find my calling in life, no one, except me, knew what I really wanted to be. One of my friends advised me to listen to my heart and ignore the pressure of my family. After a considerable reflection on my lifestyle, I came to a conclusion that I wanted to be a teacher. I analyzed my interests and hobbies. I weighed all pros and cons of that profession and realized that my subconscious and conscious minds want to be a teacher too.

7. I can solve my inner conflicts

Cooperation with my subconscious mind is the best therapy for me. I don’t let inner conflicts ruin my life by chronic worries and depressive thoughts. If I have a problem, I ask my subconscious mind for the answer. Consequently, it tells me what’s wrong and I start doing something, because I’m not used to get caught in an endless loop of negativity. I know that it’s very hard to understand what’s in your head, but I work with myself.

In conclusion, I want to mention that subconscious mind is the key to a successful life. People can change their vision of the world, emotions, feelings and habits. Try to cognize yourself and you’ll be able to find your calling, attract wonderful people and develop new abilities.

I’m not afraid of different life tests. They’re not problems for me; they’re valuable opportunities and experience. This life approach helps me keep an active lifestyle and never give up. Have you ever used your subconsciousness to your advantage? Share your thoughts, please!

8 Things More Important Than Your Job

So there you are. You’re probably sitting at your desk right now reading this, waiting for the clock to reach 5pm.

You can’t wait to get into your car, head home, and start the best part of your day. Unfortunately, this is usually a few short hours before you need to go to bed in order to get up and do it all over again.

But for what?

I understand we all need to work. I’m an advocate for hard work even. But what I don’t like is the notion that we need to work merely to pay our bills.

To me this is insanity. To spend upwards of 90,000 hours of our short lives working in a job that we don’t find the least bit fulfilling, is a tragedy.

But it happens and millions of people live this way.

I’m a firm believer in finding what it is that lights you up inside and finding a way to make it pay you. It’s possible, there is no doubt about that.

Your job doesn’t define you and is far from the most important aspect of your life, yet most people associate their success in life to be directly related to their career.

Does making $350,000 per year make you a success? You might answer yes to this, but what if earning that income came at the cost of sacrificing most of your time with your family?

Ar you still a success if your loved ones never get to spend time with you?

I’m not suggesting you quit your job to be with your family. I understand we all have financial obligations. But what I am saying is that there are many things far more important than your job.

Take the time to truly appreciate them. Starting today.

These are 8 things that are more important than your job:

• Your family.This is obvious I realize but what are you doing about it? You spend 40 hours each week staring at a computer screen and 10 hours a week spending quality time with your family.Just think about how you spend your weekends.You are tired out from the long week and your grueling commute and have barely enough energy to sit on the couch and turn the television on. Your family needs you. They need you to be present, involved, and engaged.I used to have a client who was insanely wealthy. The type of guy who would go to get his Ferrari serviced only to come home with a brand new one. I worked with him for several years and was saddened by the relationship I saw he had with his two young children.He was totally disengaged, let his nanny do all the work, and rarely saw them. Sure, he had millions of dollars but was a workaholic. Don’t do that. Your family needs you more than you know.

• Being outside.We live in a world filed with incandescent lighting, flickering computer monitors, and constantly ringing smart phones. Our children don’t even know what it’s like to play outside anymore. All they want to do is hop on their XBOX or iPad.Being outdoors, taking in the sun, breathing fresh air, and seeing the beauty that this world offers is the cure all. You can’t help but feel good when you do this. But the sad fact is that most of us rarely do. We shuffle from home to car to office and then back again. Make it a point to get outdoors for 20 minutes each day.Relax on a park bench. Let the soft breeze flow through your hair. Smell the fresh cut grass. One day we will be too old to truly appreciate all that this beautiful Earth offers. Take advantage while you can.
• Your health.You may or may not agree with this, but your job is killing you. You are dying a slow death drawn out over the course of 30 or 40 years in the form of mind numbingly boring work.How would you feel if you woke up tomorrow and you couldn’t wait to get out of bed to get to work? Imagine loving what you did for a living and feeling more vibrant that you ever have. Is it possible? Absolutely.Sitting at a desk all day is bad for you. I mean the type of bad that is linked to heart diesese and cancer. If you have a desk job, make sure you take plenty of breaks. Walk around, stretch, and watch what you eat.Just remember, regardless of how “successful” you are in your career, if you’re too ill to enjoy your life, it’s pointless. Take care of yourself first.

• Your time.Your time is the most valuable resource you have, period. Yet you are spending it like Warren Buffet spend $1. You don’t think twice about wasting an entire week working on things that bore you to tears and have no meaning.It sickens me when I see people waiting in line for 40 minutes to fill their gas tanks because they are going to save $1.25. I always wonder if they really think that their time is worth less than $2 per hour.Time goes by so quickly, it really does. You are going to wake up one day and be 70 years old and wonder where the best years of your lives went. Oh, that’s right-to your job!Start to value your time and spend it wisely. Working in a job that means nothing to you for 20 years is not what I call wise. Find what excites you most in life and do that. Try to do it every day if you can. That’s what life is about.

• Your purpose. Do you know your purpose here? Most people will never take the time to figure this out. They will spend their lives working in random jobs that may or may not be suitable for them, all just to collect a few dollars to pay their bills.What if you took the time to do some serious self reflection to find what it is that intrinsically drives you to be the best you can be? What excites you? What are you excellent at? Answer these questions and start pursuing something bigger.I’m not going to preach to you that we all have some greater purpose in life, but I do think we all can do remarkable work in different fields. But first, we have to uncover our values and what matters most to us.

• Your relationships. Jobs come and go but a good friend can (and hopefully does) last forever. But we often forget those who mean the most as we get caught up in the shuffle of daily life. “I’ll call then next week” you say for the 10th time.Well, life will pass quickly and a month turns into a year incredibly fast. Make a commitment to reach out to a friend you have lost touch with. Your quality of life is in direct proportion to the quality of your relationships. Keep them.

Please remember that your job is just one part of your life. If you love your work, then great! But the vast majority of people do not.

Source

Money Is Not an Aim, But a Tool That Helps You Reach Your Goals

Nowadays money has become the most popular and desirable thing in this world. Everyone realizes that it’s impossible to survive without money since almost all material things and services are paid. That’s why people waste the best and the most productive years of their life at work they hate in order to earn more money. I think that unreasonable rush for wealth is a dangerous thing, because it can make people lose intellectual values and become inhuman.

My best friend always supported the quote by a famous American rapper 50 Cent, “Get rich or die tryin’”. It proves that money is the main aim in his life. He says that it’s not happiness for him, but a thing that fills his mind with confidence and desire to live.

Money can bring either happiness or sufferings, depending on the way you invest it. Some people make new acquaintances while others burn already existent bridges. Money can both unite and create invisible barriers between people.

I understand that it’s extremely pleasant to earn a lot of money, but you shouldn’t sacrifice everything and make money the meaning of your life, because one day it can fade away and it will be difficult to find power to bounce back and move on. I hope my article will help you understand the true role of money in the life of human beings. If you admit this truth, you’ll be able to reach more goals and find more time to enjoy other significant things in your life.

Money Shouldn’t Create Barriers Between People

Unfortunately, money often builds walls between people due to the problem of social inequality. Those who earn a lot of money tend to communicate with upper classes. They find it improper to fill their circle of contacts with people who aren’t as rich and powerful as they are.

I’ve also experienced the problem of social inequality in my life. Not long ago, I’ve broken up with my boyfriend, because he became cold and absolutely indifferent to me. The negative influence of his bourgeois family broke our love. Now I realize that it wasn’t a relationship at all, because real feelings and emotions are completely resistant to the magical power of money and other tempting things.

Wise and successful people don’t limit themselves in communication with other people. They know that wealth is a temporary thing, but values and all kinds of true human relationships are the most precious things in this changeable world. I believe that if people start treating each other with respect, this world will be better. The research proves that almost all millionaires were ordinary people in the past, but one day they found their calling in life and did their best to make their dreams come true.

Don’t Hyperbolize the Importance of Money

What is money? Someone can answer that it’s everything, while others won’t agree with them. Let’s reflect on this difficult question. Money is a kind of goods that is used to buy material things and pay for various services. There are lots of value paradigms in this world, including material and moral values. I’m sure that even incredible sums of money cannot buy the love of a mother or respect of people around you, because these feelings are priceless.

Nowadays many men think that financial success is the key to happiness and it can help them find a real love. Consequently, they concentrate only on their work and find nothing, but a spurious love. Then they become disillusioned with the existence of a real love. Love should be based on deeds and proved for years.

Furthermore, I’ve noticed that people focus on money as the only way to solve their problems. They don’t realize that their cravings for money make their hearts cold and even ruin their lives. The most dangerous thing is that obsessive thoughts about making money make you blind to the life of your dearest and nearest people. These thoughts make you unable to enjoy the small things that happen in your life. Once and for all you should understand that money is just a piece of paper that helps you bring the ideas and projects to life.

Use Money to Boost Your Confidence

Money is not a bad thing, if you use it properly. The best way to manage your money is to invest it in your development. Today it’s very important to be self-confident and independent. Try to find a good job and create your own budget. This is the first step to your financial independence. Then you’ll feel free to express yourself the way you like and move on in different directions.

Thanks to money and your persistent desire to develop, you can occupy yourself by different activities. Step by step, you’ll become more matured and experienced in things you feel passionate about. This is the best way to boost your confidence in life.

When my sister was a teenager, she always dreamt to become a professional singer, but she lacked confidence to perform on the stage. She visited numerous personal growth forums and attended different seminars on how to overcome the stage fright, but nothing worked. Once I gave her an advice to find a professional mentor to help her get rid of her fear of singing in front of others. It was quite expensive, but it really helped her. I still attend her performances with pleasure.

To sum up, I’d like to mention that money is an essential part of your life. If you want to be happy, you should learn how to deal with money and realize that it’s just a tool that makes our life more colorful and easier. True happiness comes from the inside.

Don’t lose control or betray the values fostered by your family, no matter how rich or famous you may be. You’d better use money to develop your personality, travel, reach goals and fill your life with contentment. If your life goal is a cultural wealth, then you shouldn’t forget to invest your money in good deeds, because money can give life to new projects, unite, save people’s lives and bring both mental and physical satisfaction.

I believe that today, people have more noble and beneficial life goals than just making and wasting money. Do you find money the main aim of your life?

Being Bilingual Is Good For The Brain, Study Finds

The ability to speak two or more languages is kind of like a secret superpower.

It might seem kind of strange, but being bilingual offers you a host of benefits.

In addition to the ones that you might expect, such as being able to find jobs more easily or being able to communicate more effectively with others, there are tons of things that being bilingual does to your brain that makes you smarter, gives your cognitive ability a major boost, and that can even help to prevent dementia[1] and Alzheimer’s disease as you grow older.

Researchers have even found that bilingual individuals have denser grey matter[2] than those who only speak one language.

Makes You Better at Multitasking

The improved cognitive ability of those who are bilingual shows itself in a lot of different ways. At the most basic level, those individuals who are bilingual have consistently proven to be able to complete tasks such as puzzle solving at a faster rate than their monolingual counterparts.

Not only that, but their ability to quickly switch between two languages and two language structures means they’re also able to switch between other tasks much more quickly, making them more effective at multitasking than their peers.

Improved Memory

It almost goes without saying that their practice in developing immense vocabularies spanning two languages has an enormous benefit on the memories of bilingual individuals. They have also been shown to have a better ability to concentrate on their tasks and to make better decisions, often by thinking major decisions through in both languages they are fluent in.

Bilingualism and Children

But it’s not only adults who can greatly benefit from fluency in two or more languages – there are tremendous benefits for children as well. One of the most immediate effects of being bilingual is the feeling of confidence and accomplishment that they feel, which can in turn lead to better work in the classroom and higher scores.

Being bilingual also gives them a better, more innate understanding of language, which can help them understand grammar rules and to use it more effectively. In addition, they typically will read earlier and with better fluency than other children.

It’s not just language where children who are bilingual can thrive, either. Children who are bilingual show consistently higher math scores than their monolingual peers because they have developed better abilities when it comes to problem solving[3] and thinking in an abstract manner.

And there are other benefits that go beyond cognition. Those with the ability to speak multiple languages also have the opportunity to be a part of and experience multiple cultures. They typically travel more, and when it comes to the workplace they typically make much higher salaries than their peers.

While those who choose to learn a second language later in life might not be as proficient as those who learned more than one language from birth, the majority of the benefits of being bilingual remain no matter when you learn it.

Take a course – even a course online – and make some new friends who can help tutor you in your new language. If you have younger children, make sure that they’re actively learning with you, as the benefits that they will have will pay off in an even bigger way.

How The Brain Benefits From Being Bilingual?

sources:

• [1] http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0028393206004076
• [2] http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2643466/
• [3] http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=2752320

4 Things You Can Do This Week to Be a Happier Person

1. Make your first thought of the day a happy one.“When we look at ourselves in the mirror every morning and think of all the things we want to change, that’s a choice we make,” says Bernstein. “Make the commitment to think differently about yourself and make happiness the first thing of the day.” She recommends listening to music to begin your morning instead of watching TV. Create a positive, uplifting playlist to help boost your mood and brighten your spirit. If you have a few minutes, sit still and meditate while listening to a song or two.
2. Snap out of a negative mindset. Plagued by undesirable or destructive 

thoughts about yourself or others? Bernstein recommends employing her “Snap 

Out of It” meditation technique, in which you wear a rubber band on your wrist, and 

whenever you start to think negative thoughts about yourself or towards another person, flick the rubber band against your arm. This will literally help you “snap” out of the negative thoughts.

3. Unleash your inner child. Whenever you feel stressed about your responsibilities and commitments, unplug from the world, shut off your computer and phone, and tap into your inner child. When we become more childlike, we grow our capacity for curiosity and creativity. Bernstein recommends taking a dream break during the day, in which you sit alone and spend five to 10 minutes thinking your way into a cool experience you’d always hoped to have. “Open up to silliness and having more fun. That childlike energy brings us a much more positive perspective and releases tension,” Bernstein says.

4. Sleep to restore your mind. Sleep is essential to optimal health, but people often forget that it is also a spiritual practice that benefits us mentally and emotionally. Lacking essential shut-eye is another way we block happiness from our lives. To help you get a restful night of sleep, Bernstein recommends using this simple Kundalini breathing technique: Sit up straight on your bed and breathe in using a U breath (Pucker your mouth as if you were holding a quarter between your lips.). Breathe in and exhale through your nose. Continue this cycle of breath for one minute.