4 Things Astronauts Can Teach You About A Good Night’s Sleep
o knows about sleep? Astronauts. They have to. Their bodies are cut off from many of the normal external cues that remind us what time it is. But actually, it's even worse than that. In orbit they can experience a dozen sunrises and sunsets a day which makes their circadian rhythm go completely haywire. When you're in a tin can floating through the cold darkness of outer space, being off your game due to lousy sleep can have very bad results.…
5 minutes
The Underrated Skill That Can Benefit Every Area Of Your Life
at's my vote for the most underrated skill? Storytelling. Being a great storyteller has immense value across five key areas of your life. It's a shame we don't require it in schools. Here's the research behind how the art of storytelling can benefit you -- and how you can get better at it. 1) RELATIONSHIP John Gottman is one of the leading researchers on what makes relationships succeed or fail. He can listen to a couple for 5 minutes…
4 minutes
Mutant Powers: What A DNA Test Can Tell You About Yourself
m probably going to live longer than you are. I can't be sure, of course, but I have two genes associated with exceptional longevity, so all other things being equal, well, I'd take those odds in Vegas. I have two working copies of ACTN3 in my muscle fibers, which is associated with elite athletic performance and means my body is optimized for power sports like sprinting and weight lifting. I also lack a functional FUT2 gene, so I'm immune to stomach flu. (If…
5 minutes
Fearlessness: 3 Things You Can Learn From Special Ops And Navy SEALS
ne-man army." It's a phrase that gets thrown around lightly. But for 7 hours, Hector Cafferata was exactly that. On November 28, 1950 during the Korean war, the then 21-year-old took on an entire regiment of Chinese soldiers, defending his group of badly wounded friends. He did it in 30 degrees-below-zero-weather while in his socks. He had only his eight shot M1 Garand and when grenades were thrown at him he batted them away with a shovel. I'm going to…
7 minutes
I experimented on myself. Here are 4 things that did help me sleep.
at Really Did Help Me Sleep? A while back I did a big post that lays out what you need to know about the science behind sleep and sleeping better. But if you're a regular reader, you probably ask the same question I do: HEY, DOES THIS CRAP REALLY WORK? I don't post this research so we're all better prepared for Jeopardy. And if it's stuff that only works in a lab, well, I don't live in a lab.…
4 minutes
10 Ways To Gain Real Super Powers That Will Change Your Life
u Can Gain Real Super Powers No gamma radiation, spider bites or mutations necessary. A few simple tips from the blog can have you performing heroic deeds in no time -- cape not included. 1) Gain Super Creativity! Take a hot shower. Via Imagine: How Creativity Works: Why is a relaxed state of mind so important for creative insights? When our minds are at ease— when those alpha waves are rippling through the brain— we’re more likely to direct the…
5 minutes
Erdos: 3 Key Life Lessons You Can Learn From A Very Odd Mathematician
all accounts, Paul Erdos was a very odd guy... If you were a friend he might show up at your house in the middle of the night wanting to do math and announce, "My brain is open." He wouldn't do laundry. If he was staying with you, you had to do it for him. If he wanted to work on a theorem at 5AM he'd bang pots and pans until you came downstairs. He is also one of the…
6 minutes
10 Ways To Change For The Better — Without Changing Your Mind
n you change for the better without changing what you think? Many people have read my blog for a long time, tried some of the things I've suggested and seen improvements in their lives. But some are surprised it doesn't affect their lives more. Why doesn't learning how your mind works dramatically change your behavior? The answer might be because we have the whole thing backwards. What if your mind doesn't change your behavior; what if your behavior changes your…
6 minutes
