How to prevent being over-tired

primitive patterns of activity, in that it was unable to put emotional experiences into context and produce controlled, appropriate responses,” study author

Matthew Walker, Professor of Neuroscience and Psychology at the University of California-Berkeley, and founder and director of the Centre for Human Sleep Science, said of the ndings. Since infants need more sleep than adults — anywhere from 12 to 16 hours each day broken into numerous naps in addition to a longer nighttime bout — it’s easy for them to reach that overtired state, but adults are susceptible as well. Have you ever laid awake at night, dwelling on decisions you made earlier that day or planning for the jobs you face tomorrow? You’re more likely to nd yourself locked in this insidious cycle of rumination if you’re overtired.

“Rested brains are good at ignoring things that happen doubling from 1.5 to 3 metres a second in childhood to 3 to 6 metres per second in adulthood. e transmission speed of short-range connections between neighbouring brain regions showed smaller increases, reaching speeds of up to 2 meters per second in adulthood.

Transmission speed is determined by white matter, which consists of myelin, the fatty insulating tissue that, in the brain, is produced by non-neuronal cells called oligodendrocytes, and wraps itself around nerve bres in a process called myelination. and childcare, along with personal physical hygiene, while hopefully attempting to maintain a semblance of a social life, can be mentally and physically exhausting. Our incessantly hyper-connected existence can also make us overtired. Work emails at all hours, rapidre news reports, and social media noti cations leave our brains little chance to relax during the day. ese inconsistencies may be due to the fact that each of these studies used di erent methods to examine di erent regions of thebrain. is white matter plasticity may be another confounding factor in these studies, and a source of variability in this latest study. overtired. all the time but have no real consequence,” Matt Jones, Professor of Neuroscience at the University of Bristol, told BBC Science Focus. But when overtired or experiencing insomnia, “you’re less able to let go — consciously or unconsciously — of irrelevant information,” he further explained.

By analogy, myelinated neurons are akin to copper wires (neurons) surrounded by a plastic sheath (myelin). Myelinated neurons transmit signals faster than neurons without it.

Allotting time for peace and quiet can help. A study published last fall found that a peaceful one-hour walk in nature free from other distractions soothes activity in the amygdala, the primary brain area that processes emotions, including fear and anxiety.

Brain development continues well into the third decade of life. e protracted brain maturation process involves widespread changes in white matter distribution and neuronal transmission speeds.

Conduction delays in neuronal transmission decrease throughout childhood and adolescence and continue well into adulthood.

Earlier postmortem studies suggested that myelination begins just before birth and continues into late adolescence, while brain imaging shows that the process plateaus at around 30 years of age.

But previous studies of transmission speed provide highly variable results, with some showing that conduction delays decrease until 20 years of age before increasing, and others showing that they continue to decrease until 40 years of age.

Overall, these studies could help to explain why psychiatric conditions such as schizophrenia tend to develop during this stage of life.

In recent years, it also has be come clear that myelin distribution is not static, but changes in response to everyday experiences such as learning.

A no-brainer, as they say!

Also helpful is adopting good sleep hygiene. After all, poor sleep also makes us overtired, a brutal feedback loop. If possible, reduce the distractions you face at least an our before bedtime, particularly from technological sources. Importantly, this winding down process should not occur in bed.

Coincidentally, parents of young, potentially overtired kids are themselves more at risk of being overtired themselves. Balancing work

‘Overtiredness’ is often blamed when infants are unable to fall asleep at night because they are stuck in an alert, emotional state.

Adults can become overtired as well. Fatigue makes it harder for us to regulate emotions and process thoughts rationally, making it di cult to wind down at night. Giving your brain breaks during the day from our “always-on” existence can help prevent your brain from becoming

“It’s all about managing what’s called ‘stimulus control,’ Dr. Alex Scott, a lecturer in psychology at Keele University told BBC Science Focus. “ is basically means it’s a good idea not to associate your bed with too much worrying — that can lead to more sleep problems.” e rumination that occasionally creates a sleepless night is often a product of your actions earlier in the day. Preventing your brain from getting overtired will make it easier to nd peaceful repose at night.

Not enough sleep throws your circadian rhythm o , leading to potential cognitive problems Sleep deprivation also leads to a shutdown in the production of essential proteins.

So, get that eye shgut you so need.

1. Balmoral Castle

Balmoral Castle is a royal residence – aka part of the collection of royal castles belonging to the British royal family. Prince Albert bought the castle for Queen Victoria in 1852, and Balmoral Castle was famously a favorite spot for Queen Elizabeth II. What most people don’t know, though, is that the original Balmoral Castle was deemed ‘too small’ for the royal family. Prince Albert actually commissioned a new castle to be built in 1856. Balmoral Castle is a beautiful place to learn more about the British royals. Its close links to the British monarchy earned it a spot on our list.

Balmoral Castle is located in the Cairngorms National Park near the village of Balmoral. It is a beautiful place to visit along the River Dee, and it is easy to see why a royal hunting lodge was added. Balmoral Castle is surrounded by nature.

Hours: April-July: 10 am to 5 pm

Entry Fees: £20

2. Edinburgh Castle

Edinburgh Castle needs a little introduction. As probably the most famous castle in Scotland, the medieval castle sits on Castle Rock in proud display in the centre of Edinburgh Old Town. Edinburgh Castle is the second most visited attraction in the UK, so you best believe that tickets book out quickly and crowds ock in peak seasons. We suggest booking your tickets here for skip-the-line access before you go.

Because of this, Edinburgh Castle is best-visited oseason. With fewer people around, you can really take in Scotland’s history. Edinburgh Castle has hundreds of exhibits, including e Honours of Scotland, aka the Scottish crown jewels. Admittedly, it would be criminal for Edinburgh Castle not to make our list. Not only is it the medieval castle that

Greece has over 6,000 islands and islets to its name, with 227 inhabited. While some islands, such as Crete, Mykonos and Corfu have become hugely popular with tourists, others are still somewhat under the radar.

It is these islands that the Greek tourist board are now looking to promote, all while focusing on sustainability. is strategy is already starting to pay o . In 2021

Greece was named as the most sustainable food destination in the world by Lonely Planet. Building on this success, the Greek Tourist Board has signed a deal with the Michelin Guide too, which Fragakis hopes will bring more food tourists to the food capital of Athens and the surrounding islands

While you might want to snap the sunsets of Santorini or explore the ruins of Delos during your trip to Greece, Fragakis wants you to explore some of the country’s lesser