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Tired, Hungry, and Clumsy? It Might Be Time to Revamp Your Sleep Routine!

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Lack of sleep is a widespread issue, often leading to a bad mood the following day and leaving you feeling somewhat awkward.

The NHS recommends that adults aim for 7-9 hours of sleep each night to feel refreshed and alert. Persistent sleep deprivation can result in severe health issues such as high blood pressure, depression, and obesity. Even just one or two nights of poor sleep can significantly impact your mood and performance.

What occurs in your brain while you sleep? And why do just a few hours less than your usual sleep amount have such a detrimental effect?

Is your brain “awake” while you sleep?


While you sleep, your brain conducts several crucial processes to help reset your body’s organs and systems.

It eliminates toxins and metabolic waste through the glymphatic system and organizes long-term memories in the neocortex.

Neural connections are reinforced, and activity in the amygdala and prefrontal cortex aids in regulating emotional responses for the following day. REM sleep is vital for problem-solving and emotional processing, while hormonal regulation during sleep promotes stress recovery and appetite balance.

Consequences of sleep deprivation


In our fast-paced world, achieving sufficient sleep can be challenging. With constant demands on our time, even short-term fatigue can set the stage for a tough day, making it important to understand the significance of sleep.

Common symptoms of sleep deprivation include:

• Impaired cognition and reduced concentration
• Decreased emotional resilience
• Weakened immune response
• Impaired exercise adaptation
• Increased appetite due to hormonal imbalances
• Elevated cortisol levels
• Disruption of insulin sensitivity

While it’s advisable for adults to target 7-9 hours of sleep each night, how can you ensure you get enough rest to stay alert and healthy?

Tips for Improved Sleep Quality


Silentnight has dedicated 80 years to exploring the science of quality sleep. In partnership with Central Lancashire University, the sleep brand gathers sleep biomechanics data to develop a variety of sleeper-type products.

We reached out to Silentnight for suggestions on fostering healthy sleep habits.

Maintain a Consistent Routine

Melatonin is a hormone that regulates your body’s circadian rhythm, particularly the sleep/wake cycle. It signals that it’s time for sleep, prompting a drop in body temperature and reduced alertness. Consistency is key in maintaining melatonin levels, so keep your schedule regular.

Establish a Relaxing Pre-Sleep Ritual

Cortisol levels naturally decrease at night, which is essential for sleep since high levels can disrupt melatonin production. Engage in calming activities—baths, reading, or listening to soothing music—but avoid blue light from screens as it can hinder melatonin release.

Keep your Sleep Environment Cool

The ideal room temperature for sleep is typically between 15.5°C and 21°C. Even slightly exceeding this range can negatively affect the quality and duration of your sleep.

Choose the Right Mattress

Silentnight states, “Pressure points and overheating can disrupt sleep.” They offer a range of mattresses with varying spring systems and materials to accommodate different sleeping styles.

Discover more about Silentnight products and find a mattress tailored to your sleeping needs here.

Learn more

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Ancient ‘Terror Birds’ Likely Not Comparable to Giant, Hungry Caiman

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Artist’s interpretation of the encounter between ancient caiman and terror birds

Julian Bayona Becerra

Approximately 13 million years ago, massive predators clashed in a sprawling South American wetland. Fossils of a giant flightless bird discovered in Colombia bear tooth marks from enormous caimans.

Andrés Link from the University of the Andes in Colombia and his team were examining crocodile fossils in the museum’s collection when they identified an unusual bone. This bone belonged to the Forsulhacid bird, commonly referred to as “terror birds.” These predators possessed hooked beaks and muscular legs equipped with sharp claws. The fossilized remains were from the lower limbs of a bird standing 2.5 meters tall, making it one of the largest terror birds ever found.

However, this predator likely faced a grim fate. Initially unearthed in Colombia’s Tatacoa desert by local paleontologist César Perdomo, the bones exhibited four distinct puncture marks.

Link and his research team sought to identify the predator that dared to bite such a formidable bird. They scanned the fossil’s surface to create a digital model of the tooth marks, finding striking similarities to the teeth of ancient predators in the region. The culprit was almost certainly not a mammal.

“There are no signs of gnawing, and the markings are rounded,” Link explains. “The lines closely resemble those attributed to alligators and caimans.”

Terror birds roamed the earth when northern South America was dominated by the Pebas System, a vast network of wetlands interspersed with tropical forests and grasslands. This flooded habitat supported a diverse range of crocodile species, leading the team to link the dental impression to the giant caiman Purussaurus neivensis, estimated to be around 4.5 meters in length.

“Terror birds were undoubtedly apex predators,” remarks Link. “However, this evidence indicates that when they ventured near large bodies of water, they could also fall prey to massive caimans, either in pursuit of prey or while navigating this complex ecosystem.”

The researchers speculate that the bird may have already been deceased when the caiman encountered it, with the tooth marks indicative of scavenging. There are no signs of bone regeneration surrounding the marks. Either way, the encounter proved fatal for the terror bird.

“These types of [tooth] impressions are more prevalent than one might assume,” states Carolina Acosta Hospitalce from La Plata National University in Argentina.

In a study published last year, she and her colleagues discussed tooth marks found on a smaller, older fossil terror bird—about 43 million years old—suggesting that ancient carnivorous marsupials also preyed upon these birds. These markings were also found on the lower limbs, leading Hospitalce to ponder whether this area of the bird’s anatomy is particularly vulnerable to predators.

“[Bite marks] offer fascinating glimpses into past life,” comments Stephanie Drumheller from the University of Tennessee.

When studying ancient environments, she notes there is a tendency to categorize extinct organisms into strict ecological roles. However, food webs can be quite intricate.

“This is an animal that thrived in aquatic environments, while another lived on land, entirely separate from one another. Yet, nature often defies our neat categorizations,” Drumheller observes.

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Source: www.newscientist.com