Fitness and Health

The Watercone

by Scott Bird
16 Aug 2007

Via SCAQ : The Watercone is a deceptively simple device to distil water (for drinking) from seawater. Love it.

The Smoker's Lung

by Scott Bird
14 Aug 2007

Via Neatorama : When it comes to subtle anti-smoking campaigns, this one’s definitely on the shortlist. This installation by German Health Insurance firm AOK attracts its fair share of attention. As for the text near the top? It’s the address of the German anti-smoking site www.ich-werde-nichtraucher.de (I will become a non-smoker).

Bionic eyes

by Scott Bird
16 Feb 2007 Alastor Moody

When I was a kid I dreamed of having a camera instead of one eye, with the ability to zoom in and see through walls. Whilst the 'see through walls' part will take a bit more work, it seems as though the camera/eye combination is only a couple of years away.

Sleep hygiene - 10 ways to get to sleep quickly

by Scott Bird
17 Dec 2006

Sleep The first step on the road to a good night’s sleep is the ability to get to sleep quickly. Once you have this, the other aspects of a good night’s sleep fall into place fairly readily.

How do you get to sleep quickly then? Here are a number of things to consider when preparing for that ideal slumber.

1. What’s stopping you?
Stop sign Take a moment to consider the thing (or things) that’s holding you back from getting to sleep quickly. Perhaps you just don’t feel tired when you first climb into bed, or you lie there thinking about things. Maybe you’re hungry. Whatever it is, identifying the cause will help enormously.

Alarm clock 2. Awake at a fixed time
Regardless of what time you go to bed, wake up at the same time each day. Naturally there are limits to this - if you’re out partying until 5am, a 5:30 wake-up just isn’t going to happen. But the more regular your rising times are, the better you’ll sleep.

Calendar 3. Make weekends the same
As far as your sleep routine’s concerned, treat Saturday and Sunday the same as the rest of the week. This means waking up at the same times - no more Sunday lie-ins.

Coffee 4. Try to avoid a major caffeine hit
I tend to drink several cups (perhaps 5 or 6) of high-caffeine green tea per day. This, however, doesn’t seem to have any negative impact on sleep - although an intense coffee session does. If you like your coffee (and I really can’t blame you for that; I certainly love the stuff), spread it out a bit. No bingeing at the nearest cafe.

Running through water 5. Exercise at the right times
Regular exercise (no matter what type) can certainly help you sleep, but the timing of your workouts is something to think about. A short session of something moderate will help you sleep, and can be done shortly before bedtime; a longer session (or a more intense one), however, can actually keep you awake for a while. If your schedule permits it, keep these longer/more intense sessions away from your intended sleep times.

Cheese 6. Avoid slow-digesting foods shortly before bedtime
If your digestive system’s working overtime while you’re trying to get some sleep, it’ll win every time. The simplest thing to do is to hold off on that piece of cheese, spicy foods or anything covered in sugar until after you wake up.

Television 7. Remove distractions from your sleep environment
Get rid of as many items with noise or changing light from your bedroom as possible. TVs, computers and rechargeable devices with flashing lights should all go. If you can’t get rid of them, switch them off when you’re trying to sleep. Minimise distractions.

Alfred E. Neuman 8. Don’t take your worries to bed
A couple of years ago I discovered that I’d spend an hour or two each night simply lying there thinking, unless I wrote the problems down. A quick to-do list containing the main things on my mind (and the action I planned to take - even if that was ‘not sure what to do’) worked wonders. If you’re in a similar situation (lying there thinking about things each night), try it.

9. Comfort
Comfortable bedding and room temperature make a big difference. Making the bed isn’t just to keep your mum happy. It’ll help you sleep better.

10. Physiological factors
Health conditions such as arthritis, heartburn, menstruation and headaches (and many other things) are known to affect sleep. If you suspect the problem stems from your health, discuss this with your doctor. As some medications have sleeplessness as a side-effect, there are sometimes changes which can be made.

Daily puzzles

by Scott Bird
22 Mar 2006 Crossword

It seems (according to a new study) that a regular dose of games and puzzles can help keep your mind healthy. This is a situation in which the answer is common sense, however it could take another decade of research to determine exactly why. If anyone's looking for someone to test the long-term effects of a daily dose of crosswords, let me know. via Lifehacker.

Don't give up, just stop

by Scott Bird
6 Jan 2006 Recently I decided to finally stop drinking coffee. Over the past couple of years I've gradually cut back the amount I drink, as well as replacing it occasionally with green tea. Both of these strategies have worked well, and have made the next stage that much easier. Now it's time to stop. As I want to eliminate caffeine from my diet, this includes the green tea. There are decaf versions of both coffee and green tea on the market, but these have never held any sort of appeal. Ultimately it's about the taste and the aroma - the decaf versions are somewhat lacking in both departments. I've decided not to actually give up, but simply to stop drinking caffeinated drinks (I rarely eat chocolate, which is another main caffeine source, and I never have carbonated drinks). There is a subtle difference. Giving up implies drinking 'the last cup of coffee I'll ever drink'; stopping simply means I'll no longer have it as a matter of course, and will soon lose the desire to have it. A similar approach has applied to other things such as alcoholic drinks. I know I could have a drink whenever I want - there are various bottles in the cupboard; I simply don't want to (most of the time at least). The solution, then, seems to be not to give up entirely; just stop.

Does my bum look big in this?

by Scott Bird
28 Dec 2005 It appears that the age-old question, regularly asked yet never satisfactorily answered, is being put to the test by a group of Textiles and Design students at Edinburgh's Herriot-Watt University. Four female models of differing sizes will take part in the study, showing their wares and repeatedly asking 'Does my bum look big in this?'. Just when you thought all the important questions had been answered.

Off with his face

by Scott Bird
15 Dec 2005 Following the successful partial face transplant in France recently, UK doctors are now investigating the possibility of conducting a full facial transplant operation. A suitable patient is currently being sought, and a decision on whether or not to proceed with the operation will take place once they have been found. As with many medical advances, along with the benefits come a number of possible negatives. In this instance I suspect a number of them are unfounded, as the transplant recipient will not automatically look like the donor. Unlike donors of internal organs, potential facial donors had been concerned that surviving relatives and friends would easily recognise the recipient. Not so. In 2003 the Royal College of Surgeons believed that more work needed to be carried out before this type of operation could take place. No doubt we'll soon see whether this has now been done.

Stay awake

by Scott Bird
23 Aug 2005 Awake

Researchers at North Carolina's Wake Forest University have been keeping monkeys awake at night. The study is testing the effectiveness of a new drug designed to return brain functions to normal after extended periods of sleep deprivation. Currently known by the catchy name CX717, the drug prolongs the action of the neurotransmitter glutamate; allowing more effective communication between cells. Apart from the obvious abuses, sufferers of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease may benefit.