Caribbean Beef Rolls with Papaya Salsa (4 servings)

Ingredients

1 Cup diced seeded peeled papaya
1/2 Red bell pepper, diced
2 Scallions, chopped
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
4 Teaspoons lime juice
1/4 Teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 Teaspoons salt
3 Tablespoons apricot preserves
2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 Garlic cloves, minced
2 Teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 Pound beef tenderloin, trimmed and cut into thin strips
8 Large green leaf lettuce leaves

Instructions

1. To make the salsa, combine the papaya, bell pepper, scallions, cilantro, lime juice, crushed red pepper, salt, and 1 tablespoon of the preserves in a small bowl; set aside.

2. Line the broiler rack with foil; preheat the broiler.

3. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons preserves, the hoisin sauce, garlic, and ginger in another bowl. Add the beef; toss to coat. Thread the beef on 4 (8-inch) metal skewers. Place the skewers on the broiler rack. Broil 5 inches from the heat until the beef is browned, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove the beef from the skewers.

4. Place the lettuce leaves on a work surface. Divide the beef and salsa evenly among the leaves. Fold the two long sides of each leaf over the filling. Starting from a short end, roll up each leaf to enclose the filling.

Garlicky Lamb Chops with Snap Peas (4 servings)

Ingredients

6 Garlic cloves, minced
1 Teaspoon dried herbes de Provence
1/4 Teaspoon black pepper
4 Teaspoons olive oil
1/2 Teaspoon salt
4 (1/4-pound) boneless loin lamb chops, trimmed
2 Cups sugar snap peas, trimmed
1-1/2 Teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill

Instructions

1. Combine the garlic, herbes de Provence, pepper, 2 teaspoons of the oil, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in a small bowl. Rub the mixture over the lamb chops; refrigerate the chops, covered, 2 hours or up to 1 day.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the lamb chops and cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the side of each chop registers 145 degrees Fahrenheit for medium 3-4 minutes on each side. Transfer the chops to a plate and keep warm.

3. Meanwhile, put the peas in a steamer basket set over 1 inch of boiling water. Cover tightly and steam until the peas are bright green and tender about 4 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl and toss with the lemon zest, dill, and the remaining 2 teaspoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Serve with the lamb chops.

PER SERVING (1 lamb chop and 1/2 cup peas)

Pomegranate-Glazed Shish Kebabs (4 servings)

Ingredient

1/4 Cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 Teaspoon salt
1 Pound boneless sirloin steak, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
4 Large mushrooms halved
1 Green bell pepper, cut into 8 pieces
1 Red onion, cut into 8 pieces
1 Zucchini, cut into 8 pieces
1/4 Cup pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)

Instruction

1. Spray the broiler rack with nonstick spray; preheat the broiler.

2. Combine the broth, pomegranate molasses, and salt in a small bowl.

3. Thread the beef and vegetables on 4 (12-inches) metal skewers, alternating the beef and the vegetables. Brush with half the broth mixture. Place the skewers on the broiler rack and broil 5 inches from the heat for 4 minutes. Turn and brush with the remaining broth mixture. Broil until the meat vegetables are browned and cooked through, 5-6 minutes. Garnish with pomegranate seeds if using.

Learn the "BASICS" of insight meditation

THE PRACTICE OF INSIGHT MEDITATION, or vipassana, reveals what has created our present conditions and allows us to more fully live in the present moment. This is so valuable for our ability to make conscious choices to better our lives. It is why the Buddha said that living twenty hours with mindfulness is more worthwhile than living a hundred years without it.
We start our insight practice with the BASICS:

Begin with breath and body 
Take a seat and notice how your body breathes itself without extra effort. No need to force your breath or to breathe in a controlled fashion. Usually, we take our breath for granted. In insight meditation, we make visible in our lives what has previously been invisible.

Allow awareness into activities
Expand your awareness into walking, movement, and eating meditation practices. Experience the sensations of simply eating a salad or piece of bread, which you might usually consume while doing other activities. While walking to the restroom at work, do so mindfully. If you have a limited or different range of motion, allow that to guide where your mindfulness needs to be, without judging anything about your experience. Know that your mindfulness is not dependent on those conditions. It can include all of your experience.

Support the sacred in your life 
Whether you are secularly or spiritually minded, pay attention to how people treat each other in terms of kindness, compassion, ethics, and integrity. These values are not the monopoly of one lineage or one spiritual tradition. They are what make us human.

Invite all of yourself into awareness 
We are the products of different lives, backgrounds, families, occupations, roles, cultures, genders, orientations, physical abilities, and economic and education experiences. Invite all your aspects and identities into your insight practice.

Cultivate continuity and consistency 
Develop a daily sitting practice. Be realistic. If it feels difficult, try the Five-Five-Five method: meditate five minutes a day, for five days a week, for five weeks. If you feel its benefit, you will naturally increase your practice time. Continuity and consistency lead to concentration, clarity, and calmness. Bring your awareness practice into your workplace, your relationships, your creative endeavors- nothing is outside of mindfulness.

Support through community
I advise you also to practice with others. Gather with spiritual friends, meet in weekly sitting groups, and join daylong retreats. If you cannot find these group in your geography area-get like-minded and like-hearted friends to sit with you. We never walk our spiritual path alone, and the teachings show us that we actually awaken together.

How I started to wake up (Part 2)

ABOUT 2600 YEARS AGO, an Indian prince named Siddhartha was born amid many favorable signs. His father, the king, was determined to protect him against the reality of suffering, and the prince grew up within the walls of the palace with every luxury one can imagine.

Around the age of twenty-nine, Siddhartha began to feel dissatisfied with his princely life and deep feelings of unhappiness began to grow. He longed to explore the world and convinced his reluctant father to let him leave the palace on an outing. This gave the gods and spirits the opportunity to arrange a series of signs that would help Siddhartha wake up and see the truth of life. These signs have become known as the four heavenly messengers, and they changed the course of his life.

The first messenger that he encountered was a very old man, covered in wrinkles, bent over, and barely able to walk down the road. His father had only allowed young and beautiful servants in the palace, and this was an unfamiliar sight. Siddhartha now realized that his youth would some-day end and he too would grow old.

The second heavenly messenger the prince encountered was a very sick man. He was covered in bloody sores, lying in pain on the floor of a mud hut. Because his father had forbidden sick people from entering the palace, the prince had no experience of illness and disease. Now he realized that he and all others would eventually become sick, and his heart was filled with compassion.

The third heavenly messenger was a large funeral procession. A corpse, wrapped in cloth, was being carried to the charnel grounds for hours watching the body slowly burn and disappear, and he realized that death awaits us all.

As Siddhartha continued traveling along the road, he saw the final messenger: a radiant monk dressed in very simple robes, carrying a small bag and a bowl. The sight of this peaceful monk awakened the deepest yearning Siddhartha had ever known. Following the call to awaken of these four heavenly messengers, he rode his horse to the edge of a beautiful forest and, on the banks of a river, ordained himself.

Good question about meditation

"There are so many different terms for Buddhist meditation, like shamatha, vipassana, zazen, vipashyana, mindfulness, awareness, calm abiding, insight, just sitting, etc. What's what?"

There are nuances in the way different school approaches it, but basic Buddhist meditation comes down to two fundamental practices: concentration and insight. There are also called mindfulness and awareness. Most of the terms you see above are names for one or both of these practices. Buddhist practice always starts with meditation that calm and concentrate the mind, such as following the breath. that's because an unstable mind that flits from thought to thought and perception to perception cannot take the crucial next step- insight, seeing deeply into the nature of reality.

While many religions practice some form of concentration, insight is Buddhism" unique specialty. With the stable, focused, and fully present mind you have developed in your mindfulness practice, you investigate the nature of reality. You may discover it is impermanent, has no solid self, and is marked by suffering. these are called the three marks of existence. You could also turn your focus on your mind itself, if you can find such a thing, and investigate its true nature. But it's better not to think too much about what you might discover, because of words. concepts and of hopes will only get in the way of direct experience. the journey of insight is a personal and individual one. We wish you great joy on yours.

Questions about meditation

"What should I do with my eyes when I meditate?"

In some schools of Buddhism, you meditate with your eyes open and in others you keep them closed. If your eyes are open, what you do with them depends on the kind of meditation you are doing. Generally, you look downward and shorten your gaze when you are doing meditations to calm and concentrate the mind. You lift your eyes and expand your gaze when you are meditating on openness and the environment around you.

A good approach to calm abiding (shamatha) meditation is to look slightly downward, letting your gaze fall about six feet in front of you, keeping it in soft focus and relaxed, neither too tight nor too loose. You can also use your eyes to help with obstacles when your mind is scattered, lower and shorten the gaze: when your mind is dull, raise your gaze and take in more space.

"And how about my hands? when I see pictures in the press of people meditating, they usually have their palms up with their index fingers and thumbs making a circle. Is this the right-hand position for Buddhist meditation?"

HAND POSITIONS ARE CALLED mudras, they are meant to encourage certain states of mind. the hand position you see depicted is widely taught in yoga to promote deep diaphragm breathing and concentration. In Hinduism, it symbolizes union with the divine. We are not aware of it being used in Buddhist meditation.

There are two mudras commonly used in Buddhist meditation. In the first, called "resting the mind", you place your hands face down on your knees or thighs, with the upper arms parallel to the torso. This allows your hands to relax and promotes a straight but not stiff back.

The other common hand position is the "cosmic mudra", which is widely used in Zen. In this mudra, your right hand rests in your lap facing up and your left hand sits lightly on top of it. The thumbs gently touch each other as if holding a piece of paper, forming an oval just below the navel. Since this is considered the spiritual and energetic center of the body, the mudra is called cosmic because we gently hold the universe in your hands. More practically, the circle often starts to collapse as our attention wander or we get drowsy, which is a helpful reminder to wake up.

Your meditation foundation

Just follow along and you will be doing basic breath meditation, also known as “ calm abiding”, shamatha, or mindfulness meditation, the foundation of Buddist meditation practice across traditions.

First, you ‘ll want to find a quiet and uplifted place where you can do your meditation practice. Once you’ve done that, just follow these simple instructions. See if you can allow yourself 5 minutes. You can revisit this practice and increase this amount over time.

Step 1: Take your seat

Seat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, or if you prefer, on a straight-backed chair with your feet flat on the floor, without leaning against the back of the chair. In either case, your hips should be higher than your knees. You may wish to place a pillow or other cushioning on your chair t achieve this effect.

Step 2: Find your sitting posture.

Place your hands palms-down on your thighs and sit in an upright posture with a straight back-relaxed yet dignified. With your eyes open, let your gaze set comfortably as you look slightly downward about six feet in front of you. You’re ready to start meditating.

Step 3: Notice and follow your breath.

Place your attention lightly on your out-breath, While remaining aware of your environment. Be with each breath as the air goes out through your mouth and nostrils and dissolves into the space around you.  At the end of each out-breath, simple rest until the next in-breath naturally begins. For a more focused meditation, you can follow both the out-breaths and in-breaths.

Step 4: Note the thoughts and feelings that arise.

Whenever you notice a thought feeling or perception has taken your attention away from the breath, just say to yourself, “thinking”, and return to following the breath. No need to judge yourself when this happens; just gently note it and attend to your breath and posture. Keep going for the time allotted.

Step 5: Well done! You’ve just had your first experience of meditation.

After completing your meditation practice period, see if you can consciously allow any sense of calm, mindfulness, or openness you’ve experienced to remain present through the rest of your day.

The practice at a glance:

1. Sit comfortably, but solidly

2. Incorporate your hands and eyes, with restful awareness, into the sitting posture.

3. Notice and follow your in and out-breaths.

4. Note arising thoughts and feelings.

5. Finish the meditation after the time you’ve allowed, doing your best to retain any positive qualities it’s helped cultivate.

What is Buddhist meditation (What meditation Is - and Isn't)

"The practice of meditation is not so much based on becoming a better person, or for that matter becoming an enlightened person. It is seeing how we can relate to our already existing enlightened state." _Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche_

As meditation teacher Sylvia Boorstein has quipped, "it's not what you think." So let's take a look at what it is- and what it is not.

Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard busts the myths and explains why beginning to meditate is like embarking on a great adventure.

Continue reading below to see Matthieu Ricard explanations of what is mediation and what it is not.

In our modern world, we are consumed from morning till night with endless activity. We do not have much time or energy left over to consider the basic causes of our happiness or suffering. We imagine, more or less consciously, that if we undertake more activities we will have more intense experiences and therefore our sense of dissatisfaction will fade away. But the truth is that many of us continue to feel let down and frustrated by our contemporary lifestyle. But no change can occur if we just let our habitual tendencies and automatic patterns of thought perpetuate and even reinforce themselves, thought after thought, day after day, year after year. But those tendencies and patterns can be challenged. That's where meditation comes in. Its aim is to transform the mind. Every one of us has a mind and every one of us can work on it.

WHAT MEDITATION IS

Meditation is a practice that makes it possible to cultivate and develop certain basic positive human qualities in the same way as other forms of training make it possible to play a musical instrument or acquire any other skill.

Among several Asian words that translate as "meditation" in English are bhavana from Sanskrit, which means "to cultivate", and its Tibetan equivalent, gom, meaning  "to become familiar with." Meditation helps us to familiarize ourselves with a clear and accurate way of seeing things and to cultivate wholesome qualities that remain dormant within us unless we make an effort to draw them out.

The traditional Buddhist texts say that every being has the potential for enlightenment just as surely as every sesame seed contains oil. Despite this, to use another traditional comparison, we wander about in confusion like a beggar who is simultaneously rich and poor because he does not know he has a treasure buried under the floor of his hut. The goal of the Buddhist path is to come into possession of this overlooked wealth of ours, which can imbue our lives with the most profound meaning. The goal of meditation, specifically, is not to shut down the mind or anesthetize it, but to make it free, lucid and balanced. 

WHAT MEDITATION IS NOT

Sometimes practitioners of meditation are accused of being too focused on themselves, of wallowing in egocentric introspection and failing to be concerned with others. But we cannot regard as selfish a process whose goal is to root out the obsession with self and to cultivate altruism. This would be like blaming an aspiring doctor for spending years studying medicine before beginning to practice.

There are a fair number of cliches in circulation about meditation. Let me point out again that meditation is not an attempt to create a blank mind by blocking our thoughts - which is impossible anyway. Nor is it engaging the mind in endless cogitation in an attempt to analyze the past or anticipate the future. Neither is it a simple process of relaxation in which inner conflicts are temporarily suspended in a vague, amorphous state of consciousness. there is not much point in resting in a state of inner bewilderment, There is indeed an element of relaxation in meditation, but it is connected with the relief that comes from letting go of hopes and fears, of attachments and the whims of the ego that never stop feeding our inner conflicts.

Meditation is not, as some people think, a means of escaping reality. On the contrary, its object is to make us see reality as it is, right in the midst of our experience, to unmask the deep causes of our suffering, and to dispel mental confusion. We develop a kind of understanding that comes from a clearer view of reality. To reach this understanding, we meditate, for example, on the interdependence of all phenomena, on their transitory character, and on the nonexistence of the ego perceived as a solid and independent entity.

Meditations on these themes are based on the experience of generations of meditators who have devoted their lives to observing the automatic, mechanical patterns of thought and the nature of consciousness. Then they taught empirical methods for developing mental clarity, alertness, inner freedom, altruistic love, compassion. However, we cannot merely rely on their words to free ourselves from suffering. We must discover for ourselves the value of the methods these wise people taught and confirm for ourselves the conclusions they reached. this process requires determination, enthusiasm, perseverance, and what the 8th-century monk and scholar Shantideva called "joy in virtuous ways."

Thus we begin by observing and understanding how thoughts multiply by association with each other and create a whole world of emotions, of joy and suffering. then we penetrate the screen of thoughts and glimpse the fundamental component of consciousness: the primal cognitive faculty from which all thoughts arise.

ADVENTURE TOWARD HAPPINESS

If we consider that the potential benefit of meditation is to give us a new experience of the world each moment of our lives, then it does not seem excessive to spend at least twenty minutes a day getting to know our mind better and training it toward this kind of openness. The fruition of meditation could be described as an optimal way of being, or as genuine happiness. This true and lasting happiness is a profound sense of having realized to the utmost the potential we have within us for wisdom and accomplishment. working toward this kind of fulfillment is an adventure worth embarking on.

The Yoga Path to Self-Compassion

Are you too tough on yourself? Would your inner voice talk to a friend the way it talks to you? If you can't remember the last time you forgave yourself for a mistake or appreciated your body, try this sequence of moves - with every breath, you'll bring more kindness into your day.

The way many of us talk to ourselves is not particularly kind. Our mental conversations are full of criticism - perhaps about how we look, a blunder we made at work, or just generally not being or doing enough. But beating yourself up is exhausting, and it usually does not work to change behavior, research has shown. The good news: It takes just a little repetition to make self-compassion a rejuvenating habit, and yoga can help. This sequence of gentle moves by Sara Clark, a yoga and mindfulness teacher based in New York City ( You can subscribe to her classes or sign up for a free 15-day trial at yogaglo.com ), is designed to help you appreciate your strong, beautiful mind and body and all that they do for you.

Fair warning: This practice may change your whole outlook, says Clark, as your mindset gradually shifts and being nicer to yourself permeates your everyday life. "These moves focus your awareness on your heart, which is the seat of compassion, empathy, and love," she says. Research shows that self-compassion is strongly linked to overall well-being, especially in women. Repeat these words to yourself before each move: I am enough. Because you are - and you deserve to feel like it.

1. Mountain Pose:

Place your hands on your heart. With your feet hip-width apart and parallel, and stand rooted and tall. Keep your chest lifted, and make sure all four corners of each foot are planted on the ground. Hold for 10 slow breaths.

What it does: Pausing at the start of your yoga flow gives you the chance to observe how your body is feeling without judgment, while slowing down the breath and enjoying the present moment. It also encourages good posture as the spine lengthens upward.

2. Cow/Cat:

Come onto all fours, with knees directly underneath the hips and hands directly underneath shoulders (If desired, fold a blanket and place it on the yoga mat to cushion your knees).
Cow: Inhale and lift your chest and tailbone toward the sky, relaxing your belly toward the ground.
Cat: Exhale and round your back, gently tucking your tailbone and bringing your chin toward your chest. That's 1 rep. Do 6 reps, inhaling and exhaling with each transition.
What it does: Moving between these two poses warms up your spine, arms, and wrists. It turns your focus toward your heart as you lift your chest and open up in cow pose and then return to "hug" your body in cat pose.

3. Low lunge:

Step your right foot to the front of the mat, keeping the left knee down. Gently shift your hips forward. Your right knee should be over your right ankle. Place your hands on your heart, lifting your chest, Hold for 10 slow breaths; repeat on the opposite side.

What it does: This pose grounds the body, support balance, and strengthen your legs and spine. By placing your hands on your heart, you focus on the center of compassion.

4. Pyramid pose:

Place your right foot at the front of your mat and step your left foot back, keeping legs straight. Position your left foot at a 45- degree angle and keep your right foot pointed straight ahead. Fold your upper body over your front leg, placing your hands on yoga blocks or stacks of books if they do not reach the mat. Direct your gaze a few feet ahead of you on the floor. Hold for 5 to 10 slow breaths; repeat on the opposite side.

What it does: As you bow toward the ground, you create a moment for introspection and gratitude. Take this opportunity to thank your body for all it does in lifting, bending and propelling you forward.

Why it's tough to get up in the morning

How come some people spring out of bed in the morning and others hit the alarm over and over before getting up? There are several explanations, explains sleep expert Carl Brazil, M.D., Ph.D.

You may not have slept long enough. Your body wants to get the sleep you need, so if your alarm starts going off too close to when your head hit the pillow, it may be a struggle, Dr. Bazil says.

You may be waking up during your deepest sleep. If you're forced awake during the deepest stage of sleep, you may be groggy, whereas you'll more easily awaken at the end of a 90- minute sleep cycle ( you can get to know more in detail in "Sleep stages" ) sometimes even if total sleep time is less). 

You're waking up at the wrong time. Your body wants to follow a consistent sleep schedule. If you try to shift that timing too much (by trying to wake up a lot earlier than usual). it may be tough to pop out of bed.

You may be an extreme night owl. For the majority of individuals, our body clocks run on roughly the same schedule, where we tend to have more energy in the morning and feel ready for sleep later in the day. But about 15 to 30 percent of people are believed to have either biologically delayed or faster- than - usual- running body clocks ( thought to be the result of our genes). 

You may have sleep apnea or another sleep disorder. If you give yourself adequate time to sleep and have a consistent sleep schedule yet still seem to be struggling a lot to wake up in the morning (or feel particularly drowsy during the day ), it might mean you have sleep apnea or another sleep disorder that's preventing you from getting enough deep sleep each night , Dr. Bazil says

Why do us need snooze

"Your mind is processing complex thoughts, making memories stick, clearing out brain waste and much more." BY SARAH DIGIULIO

From the outside, most people don't look very active during sleep. But what's going on inside is an entirely different story- particularly for our brains.

"It's not just that the brain turns off," explains Carl Bazil, M.D., Ph.D., director of epilepsy and sleep division of the department of neurology at New York- Presbyterian/ Columbia University Irving Medical Center,

In healthy sleep , the brain is cycling through four sleep stages, each distinguished by a unique pattern of brain activity ( learn more about the stages of sleep ), he explains. Neuroscientists and sleep-medicine doctors can measure this brain activity during sleep using a test called an electroencephalogram, or EEG ( a series of electrodes is attached to the scalp to detect and record electrical signals in the brain. According to Dr. Bazil, "Sleep is actually a very active process."

One theory as to why human brains need sleep in the first place is to retain their neuroplasticity- the ability for our brain cells to strengthen important connections and get rid of the less important ones ( the "synaptic homeostasis hypothesis," which is still a very active area of research), explains Spencer Dawson, Ph.D., a postdoctoral fellow in neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

During the day, when we're awake and exposed to new information ( whether it's in a classroom, at a party talking to a friend, while playing a sport or just observing the world around us), our brain cells are brewing these new connections, Dawson says.

We require an incredible amount of energy to maintain those new connections - and, at some point, the brain need to downscale these connections, he says. "Sleep seems to be critical for this."

Studies show that if sleep doesn't happen, things, like storing memories, learning new information, honing our deep learning and analytical skills, cleaning out brain "waste" and being able to control our moods and emotions either, doesn't happen or doesn't happen very well. Here's some of what's happening in your brain during sleep.

The brain is encoding memories

Sleep is critical for learning new information, which is something neuroscientists call "memory consolidation", according to Dr.Bazil. Research shows that if you teach something to a group of people in the evening and test them on it the next morning, those who get a good night's sleep do much better at recalling the information than people whose sleep is restricted.

More interesting, research suggests that if you teach something to a group of people in the evening and test them on it 12 hours later , in the morning , after a good night's sleep , they do better than people who learning something in the morning and are tested 12 hours later, in the evening, who have not slept during the day.

It's during the deep stages of sleep when memories appear to get translated from the hippocampus( the part of the brain that holds on to new memories for short-term storage) to the prefrontal cortex. ( where long-term memories are stored), Dawson notes.

"It's clear that you need sleep to learn," Dr.Bazil says. Read: This is why staying up all night to cram for a test doesn't work.

You learn new skills

The brain needs sleep to process new things so it would make sense that the brain also needs sleep to learn new motor skills. That is why if you're learning an action or set of actions (like how to play a musical instrument or a new dance routine), you're more likely to be better at that task after a good night's sleep.

Your brain figures out how to apply new information in different Scenarios

Have you ever been faced with a tough problem or decision and been told to "sleep on it"? There's a scientific explanation for why that works, Dr. Bazil says. "Sleep is when you do complex processing and come to conclusions about complex information."

These types of complex processing skills are essential when it comes to things like learning a new language, coming up with new theories and being able to apply certain principles to new problems.

Your ability to focus is improved

If you've ever stayed up into the wee hours of the morning in order to meet a work deadline or finish a paper, you can probably relate to it being harder to concentrate the more hours you're awake. Indeed, research reveals that if you completely deprive someone of sleep for 36 hours, they will perform poorly on simple attention tasks.

Research also shows that if a healthy individual gets only six hours of sleep per night, performance on attention tests deteriorates over time. By about day eight or 10, concentration is about the same as that of someone who is completely sleep deprived.

"People don't realize they're sleep deprived, but they're just not reacting as quickly," says Dr.Bazil.

Sleep helps maintain executive functioning skills

The frontal cortex is particularly vulnerable to sleep loss, and that part of the brain is critical for executive functioning (which includes decision making and judgment).

Studies show that the longer someone is awake, risk tolerance heightens, Dawson says. "You are going to be more likely to make risky decisions toward the end of the day and into the night - more so than you would during the day."

It makes you less moody, less irritable and less likely to lash out 

Do you think the sleep loss can make you cranky? That effect is thought by neuroscientists to be a result of having your amygdala- the emotional center of the brain - go into overdrive.

In a healthy, well-rested person, the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex work together to keep your emotional state in check. Something happens in our environment ( for example, someone cuts us off on the road or tells us good news), and the amygdala is the part of the brain where our reaction comes from. The prefrontal cortex is on standby to help reign in that response if things get a little too heated.(Think of it as the emotional "brakes," Dawson explains.)

When we're sleep deprived, however activity in the amygdala revs up, while activity in the prefrontal cortex slows down. "It's essentially as if someone cut the brake lines," Dawson says. " So we tend to be more moody , irritable, quick to anger and reactive - and we have a harder time controlling our behavior." 

The brain gets rid of its "waste"

While the brain sleeps, the harmful toxin is cleared out . Although the research behind the brain's purge of neurotoxic waste is still in its infancy, it's exciting , because there are a lot of implications for downstream effects , notes Dawson.

There are certain proteins that seem to accumulate in the brain over the course of the day when someone awake- and those proteins then get cleared out during sleep, Dawson explains. 

One is beta-amyloid, a sticky protein that can form larger clumps of plaque in the brain if enough of it accumulates. These plaques disrupt communication between brain cells and eventually kill them. The presence of these plaques in the brain is also one of the telltale signs of Alzheimer's disease.

Meanwhile, a recent meta-analysis of multiple studies that have examined the link between poor sleep and Alzheimer's disease risk shows that sleep problems do, in fact, pose a measurable risk for the chronic cognitive -impairment disorder.)

Why do children seem to sleep better than adults ?

Do you know that babies and children need more REM sleep to help filter through everything they're learning?

Sleeping like a baby is considered to be the Holy Grail when it comes to snoozing. Everyone wants it -or loves to brag about it, should they manage to get a full night of deep, uninterrupted z's. And while you might be amazed that a baby can sleep through just about anything, from the vacuum running to the dog's barking, this type of sleep plays a big part in developing a child's cognitive abilities.

"Sleep's job is to analyze all the information a child gets in the day," says Rasik Shah, M.D., pediatric sleep medicine specialist at Hassenfeld Children's hospital at NYU Langone Medical Center. "the better sleep quality a child has, the better their memory and cognitive  function."

"Children who struggle to get a good night's sleep can become dysregulated," says Jack Maypole, M.D., associate professor of pediatrics and director of the Comprehensive Care Program at Boston University school of medicine. "If you have ever pulled an all-nighter and then craved (junk food first things in the morning ), it's a similar feeling. Less sleep means you act and feel (off the next day)."

Both children and adults experience an act during sleep called pruning, which is when the brain analyzes information that's been picked up throughout the day, says Dr.Shah. Because so much of their environment is brand new, babies and children need more rapid eye movement (REM) sleep to help filter through everything they're picking up. In fact, babies do not even begin shifting to a non-REM cycle of sleep until they are about 6 months old, due to the overwhelming amount of information they are processing, says Dr. Shah.

As children get older and things become more familiar to them, they need less sleep, they aren't processing brand-new learning in their daily environment, and the skills they're practicing are repeated. As a comparison, Dr, Shah says that children can sleep anywhere from 16 to 18 hours with 50 percent of sleep in REM stage until they 're 6 months old, while adults need only about eight hours and spend only 20-25 percent of sleep in REM.

Believe it or not, children can even learn during sleep, according to the 2011 study published in the journal  Infant and Child Development. The research found that on top of consolidating memories, children pick up and process additional sensory stimuli, such as learning the difference between a stranger's voice and a familiar one, like the voice of their mother or father. This is why, when a stranger (perhaps a babysitter) tries to wake a child up during sleep, they won't wake up- but when Mom or Dad does, the brain registers that it's a familiar voice and responds to it.

If you've ever been around a newborn (particularly during the 12 a.m. to 4 a.m. window), this may be confusing, as newborns seem to specialize in not sleeping. The average infant wakes up every two hours to eat, something that's more important than sleep quality in those first few weeks of life.
Think of infants as the exception to the rule, says Dr. Maypole. "When infants sleep, it's good sleep they're getting, but that's isn't an often occurrence in the beginning of a newborn's life," he says. By a few months of age, blocks of sleep get longer as they learn their days from their nights- and thus act ( and sleep!) accordingly.

11 tricks to get sounder sleep

It's easier than you may think - here, simple ways to make changes throughout the day, so you feel more restful at night.

Most adults need at least seven hours of sleep per night to maintain optimal physical and mental health. Unfortunately, more than one-third of American adults are not meeting this important health standard- and they are suffering the consequences. The reasons for not getting enough shut-eyes vary, though they commonly include demanding or irregular work schedules, consuming too much caffeine, overdoing it on electronics, prioritizing our social life over our sleep needs, going to bed in noisy environments, or having one too many worries on our minds on a regular basis. 

So, there are a number of tricks you can deploy to set yourself up for more and better z's- from the moment you wake up in the morning to the moment you crawl into bed.

1. Seek light sooner

If you're struggling to fall asleep  at a decent hour, seek out bright light early in the morning. Exposure to bright light ( either via the sun or a therapeutic light box) has been found to induce sleepiness at earlier hours of the evening for folks who struggle to settle into slumber before midnight.

2. Get moving

"Exercise can improve both the quality and quantity of sleep by reducing stress and anxiety and increasing total sleep time and quality of sleep," says Rebecca Lee, R.N., founder of the website Remedies For Me. " Aim for 30 minutes of exercise that speed up your heart rate, four to five times a week," She recommends ( Think brisk walking, jogging, biking, hill-climbing, swimming or dancing).

3. Give Yourself a Caffeine Curfew

"Caffeine can adversely affect your sleep , even if consumed six hours before bedtime," says Lee.

Research also shows that caffeine can exacerbate symptoms of anxiety, which can make insomnia worse. To help quiet your mind closer to bedtime, curb your caffeine consumption in the afternoon, if possible. And definitely avoid caffeinated beverages with or after dinner, Lee recommends. 

4. Practice Gratitude

Train your brain to pay attention to the good things in life. Several studies suggest that people who practice gratitude on a regular basis have an easier time falling and staying asleep. Try the Three Good Things exercise: Each day (ideally, before bedtime) write down three good things that happened to you in the past 24 hours. 

Describe in detail who was present, what occurred, what you think caused the events and what role each person ( especially you) played in the experiences. Pay attention to how your sleep and mood improve after a week of this practice.

5. Eat more fruit

Some types of fruit may help combat symptoms of insomnia. A 2011 study found that eating two kiwis before bed for four weeks reduced the amount of time it took 24 participants to fall asleep as well as how many times they awoke during the night.

"Kiwifruit is high in serotonin, a neurotransmitter associated with Rapid Eye Movement [REM] sleep," says Lee. "Kiwis are also rich in folate [vitamin B12]," she adds," which can help reduce insomnia symptoms arising from folate deficiency."

Throw in some pineapples, oranges and bananas- all of which have been found to contain high concentrations of melatonin, a compound known to induce sleep and help regulate 

the sleep/ wake cycle- and you've got yourself the perfect nighttime snack. Some studies also suggest that cherries, which are rich in serotonin, melatonin, and tryptophan (another compound thought to induce sleepiness) help people fall asleep.

6. Power Down

Texting, scrolling through Twitter or watching movies and videos on our smartphones, tablets and computer screens late into the night can interfere with our ability to fall and stay asleep. That's because these devices emit blue light, a range of the visible light spectrum that decreases the body's natural production and secretion of the sleep - inducing hormone melatonin. New research from the journal Sleep found that evening blue- light exposure may disrupt metabolic function as well. 

Scientists from Harvard University  recommend avoiding blue-light- emitting devices up to three hours before bedtime. But if that's not feasible for you , try installing an app that filters blue light from your devices or investing in a pair of blue- light- blocking glasses. Individuals who wore blue- light - filtering lenses one to four hours before bedtime produced more melatonin around bedtime and reported enhanced sleep quality overnight, according to one study spearheaded by ophthalmologist Lisa A.Ostrin, O.D., Ph.D.

7. Supplement Yourself

If you are struggling to feel sleepy at night, Lee recommends taking a melatonin supplement before bedtime. "Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland in the brain in response to darkness that primes brain-activation  patterns in anticipation of sleep," she explains. Taking three to five milligrams of melatonin, 30 minutes before bedtime, has been shown to help realign the sleep-wake cycles of folks suffering from jet lag or reeling from the effects of shift work as well as improve general insomnia symptoms. " Too much melatonin can actually disrupt your sleep cycle, so it is best to start with the smallest dose - one milligram - and increase as needed.". Remember to check with your doctor about a recommended dose.

The same goes for magnesium  supplementation. Some studies suggest  increasing our consumption of this mineral - whether via leafy greens or via supplement before bedtime - can improve insomnia symptoms in certain populations.
"Research shows that valerian extract also helps cause sedation by increasing levels of a neurotransmitter that regulates sedative brain signals called gamma aminobutyric acid , or GABA," says Lee. The recommended dosage of valerian varies- recent studies have tested ranges of 75 milligrams to 3000 milligrams - so speak with a doctor about what's best for your body.

8. Seek silence

Sleeping in noisy environments prevents us from falling asleep and staying in a state of deep , restorative slumber, says Lee. (Even if we are not fully woken up , studies show that our brains still register and process sound.) She recommends investing in a white- noise machine or going to bed with earplugs to filter out disruptions during your sleep time.

9. Try the 4-6-7 technique

When you are in bed , follow this breathing method to lower your heart rate so that your body can relax, recommends Michael Breus, Ph.D., author of The Power of When. Inhale for four seconds, hold your breath for six seconds, then breath out slowly to a count of seven seconds, he suggests. "We know that this is effective because it helps slows the heart rate, which needs to be at 60 beats per minute (BPM) or below, in order to enter a state of  unconsciousness," explains Dr. Breus. Focusing on the lungs filling with air as part of the mind- body practice helps trigger the body's relaxation response. Other sleep experts recommend a similar technique with a 4-7-8 method of breathing. Why not try both on different nights and see which one you prefer?

10. Treat your senses

"Lavender promotes relaxation be calming the nervous system," Lee explains. She points to several studies demonstrating an improvement in sleep quality and stress reduction among folks exposed to lavender scents. Place a few droplets of the essential oil on your pillow at night, use a lavender-scented bedroom spray or apply lavender body lotion to reap similar benefits.

11. Have a routine

"As children , our parents provide us with bedtime routines such as bubble bath , warm milk and winding down in the evening to help us sleep. Many adults lose touch with those good habits," says Camilo A.Ruiz, D.O., FACOI, medical director at Choice Physicians Sleep Center of South Florida. His advice? Try to reestablish  a nightly wind-down routine , beginning with an hour before bedtime. This can include drinking a warm beverage , doing yoga and listening to soothing music. All of these methods have been found to help cue your body to start preparing for sleep. 

Miso Shiru With Tofu

Ingredients

4 Cups of Dashi (dried fish and kelp stock) or Kombu Dashi (kelp stock)

1/4 Cup of Shiro (white) miso, plus more if necessary

1/2 Cup of drained silken tofu

1 Tablespoon of thinly sliced scallion (preferably light green parts)

2 Tablespoons of dried wakame seaweed, soaked in cold water for 5 minutes, then drained well

Instruction

Bring the dashi to a very gentle simmer in a small pot. Put the miso in a small bowl, spoon in about 1/2 cup of the hot dashi, and stir, breaking up clumps, until very smooth. Pour the mixture back into the pot

Use a spoon to scoop small chunks of the tofu into the pot. Add the scallion and seaweed, stir very gently, and wait just until the tofu is heated through, about 1 minute. Season with more miso to taste (mixing it with a little hot soup before adding it). Ladle the soup into bowls and eat right away.

California Temaki Sushi

Ingredients

1/2 Firm-ripe Hass Avocado

4 Nori seaweed sheets (about 8-1/2 by 7-1/2 inches), halved lengthwise

2 Cups cooked, vinegar short-grain white rice at room temperature

1/4 Pound crunchy cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into thin matchsticks

1/4 Pound surimi (mock crab) or fresh lump crabmeat

2 Ounces tobiko (flying-fish roe; optional)

Instruction

Remove the pit of the avocado, and peel off the skin as if you are peeling an egg. cut the avocado into long pieces, and approximately 1/4 inches in thickness.

To make hand roll, hold a piece of nori shiny side down in an open palm. Lightly moisten your other hand with water and grab 1/4 cup of clump rice, compress it slightly to form a rough oval, and add it to one of the short sides of the nori, about 1 inches from the edge. Firmly press the rice with your pointer finger to make a lengthwise divot in the center.

To each, add a slice of avocado, a pinch of the cucumber, a pointer finger size piece of surimi or a tablespoon of crabmeat, and 1 teaspoon of tobiko.

Roll the nori around the filling to form a cone or cylinder and serve.

Mango Sorbet - 1 serving (Dessert)

Ingredients

2 Whole mangoes, peeled and put removed
1/2 Cup fructose
4 Cups ice

Instruction

1. Add all ingredients into the Pitcher and secure lid with cap.

2. Press ON button. Set timer for 1 minute. Run at speed 8 until blended. To prevent mixture from melting, do not over-mix. Serve or place in the freezer

Steamed Mussels in Tomato-Fennel Broth - 6 servings (Dinner)

Ingredients

2 Tablespoon olive oil.
1 Medium white onion, finely chopped.
2 Shallots, minced.
1/2 Medium fennel bulb, trimmed and thinly sliced.
1 Cup dry white wine.
1 Can (28 ounces) Plum tomatoes. Coarsely chopped, juice reserved.
2 Saffron Threads. Freshly ground black pepper.
3 Pound mussels, scrubbed, debeared, and rinsed.
1/2 Cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley.

Instruction

1. Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, shallots, and fennel and saute until softened, 10 to 15 minutes

2. Ad the wine and tomatoes and their juice, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, for 15 minutes. Add the saffron and pepper to taste and simmer an additional 10 minutes. (The broth can be prepared up to this point and refrigerated for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 1 month).

3. Return the broth to a boil over high heat. Add the mussels parsley, cover reduce the heat to medium, and let the mussels steam until they open, about 5 minutes. (Discard any that do not open.)

4. Spoon the mussels and broth into large soup bowls and serve at once.

Red Wine & Oregano Beep Kabobs - 4 servings (Dinner)

Ingredients

1/4 Cup dry red wine
1/4 Cup finely chopped fresh parsley
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 Teaspoon dried oregano
3 Clove garlic, minced
1/2 Teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 Teaspoon black pepper
3/4 Pound boneless beef top sirloin steak, cut into 16 (1-inch) pieces
16 Whole mushrooms (about 8 ounces total)
1 Medium red onion, cut in eighths and layers separated

Instruction

1. Combine wine, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, oregano, garlic, salt, if desired, and pepper in small bowl; stir until well blended. Place steak, mushrooms and onion in large resealable food storage bag. Add wine mixture; toss. Seal and marinate into the refrigerator 1 hour, turning frequently.

2. Soak four (12-inch) or eight (6-inch) bamboo skewers in water for 20 minutes to prevent burning.

3. Preheat broiler. Alternate beef, mushrooms and two layers of onion on skewers.

4. Coat broiler rack with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange skewers on broiler rack; brush with marinade. Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat source 8 to 10 minutes, turning occasionally.

Texas-Style Barbecued Brisket - 12 servings (Dinner)

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 Cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon chili powder
1 Teaspoon celery salt
1 Teaspoon black pepper
1 Teaspoon liquid smoke
1 Beef brisket (3 to 4 pounds), trimmed
2 bay leaves
Barbecue Sauce (Recipe below)

Instruction For Slow Cook

1. Combine Worcestershire sauce, garlic, chili powder, celery salt, pepper and liquid smoke in small bowl. Spread mixture on all sides of beef. Place beef in large resealable food storage bag; seal bag. Refrigerate 24 hours.

2. Place beef, marinade and bay leaves in slow cooker, cutting meat in half to fit, if necessary. Cover; cook on LOW 7 hours. Meanwhile, prepare Barbecue Sauce.

3. Remove beef from slow cooker and pour juices into 2-cup measure; let stand 5 minutes. Skim fat from juices Remove and discard bay leaves. Stir 1 cup juices into Barbecue Sauce. Discard remaining juices.

4. Return beef and sauce mixture to slow cooker. Cover; cook on LOW 1 hour or until meat is fork-tender. Remove beef to cutting board. Cut across grain into 1/4 inch thick slices. Serve with Barbecue Sauce.

Recipe for Barbecue Sauce

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

1 Onion, chopped

2 Cloves garlic, minced

1 Cup ketchup

1/2 Cup molasses

1/4 Cup cider vinegar

2 Teaspoons chili powder

1/2 Teaspoon dry mustard

Instruction

1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; cook and stir until onion is tender.

2. Add remaining ingredients. Simmer over medium heat 5 minutes.