How to Sleep Better

UC Riverside psychology professor offers free course online to improve sleeping patterns

By Mojgan Sherkat

“How to Sleep Better: And the Secret Power of Naps,” is a free course, online

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (www.ucr.edu) – Trying to aim for eight hours of sleep, but end up with only six?

We all know we need to sleep more, but somehow can’t find the time, or don’t know how. Lack of sleep has been linked to obesity and chronic disease. It causes depression, anxiety, and stress, and impairs judgement.

Sara Mednick, psychology professor at the University of California, Riverside, and a sleep expert, wants to help you sleep better – and is doing so by offering a free online course.

“Consistently getting a good night’s sleep is one of the most important things you can do. It can improve your health, lower your stress, make you more productive at work, and improve your relationships,” Mednick said. “In my course, I will help individuals understand how sleep works, and with an emphasis on the secret power of napping, I will help people develop practices for getting more and better sleep into their life.”

The course is available on “The Big Know – Life Reimagined,” a website dedicated to providing free courses to improve one’s lifestyle. “How to Sleep Better,” is broken into two units, with a total of eight lessons. Throughout the course, Mednick teaches the science of sleep and how you can sleep better – knowing that good sleep will improve all aspects of your life.

“How to Sleep Better,” course breakdown:

• Unit one: “Getting Good at Sleep.” In this unit, Mednick teaches the science of sleep and explains exactly what happens in your mind and body as you go through the various stages of sleep. She also shares best practices for helping you get to sleep and to get a restful night’s sleep. Then she shares some of her exciting research on naps and all the benefits they can bring.

• Lesson one: The Fatigue Epidemic

• Lesson two: Sleep 101

• Lesson three: Getting a Good Night’s Sleep (The Basics)

• Lesson four: Take Back the Nap

• Unit two: “The Secret Power of Naps.” In this unit, Mednick teaches how to be a strategic napper. She explains how timing and duration of naps can bring specific benefits to your life. She also helps create a sleep program ideal for your specific needs.

• Lesson five: The Shadow Sleep Cycles

• Lesson six: Strategic Napping

• Lesson seven: Your Sleep Profile

• Lesson eight: Ask Dr. Mednick

The course can be completed in less than an hour. Or, as Mednick will tell you, in less time than it takes to go through an entire sleep cycle.

RELATED LINKS
How to Sleep Better - free online course
More about Sara Mednick

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Buca di Beppo: Disappointing and Costly

By John Fisher

I'm in Indianapolis to attend a conference and, because I don't know the city, I looked online for ratings for downtown restaurants. Buca di Beppo, an Italian restaurant popped up with a rating of 3.7 and two ($$) symbols.  I decided to try it.

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant

I walked into the restaurant through what appears to be the kitchen annex: steel counters on one side and a reception desk on the other. It was 6 o'clock Saturday evening. No waiting. I went right in and sat at table 33. I opened the menu. And wow, I was astonished. I wanted an inexpensive meal but it looked like the restaurant had nothing to offer me.

Across the top it read: Our dishes are served Family-Style. Buca Small® serves 2 to 3 and Buca Large® serves up to 5. Prices for the small meal for 2 to 3 were $22 to $30.

The server pointed out I could order from the lunch menu at half the price. And, because I didn't want a lot, I ordered antipasto salad and asked about soup.  "Sorry, we just ran out of soup."  "Then can I get some bread?" I asked. She offered three choices: regular, garlic, or mozzarella and garlic. I chose the latter.

While I waited, I looked at the decor. Walls were covered with pictures and other hangings.  The ceilings had posters of Italian wines. Not a space to spare. Across the room was a large picture of Frank Sinatra. Beside me were two boys playing ball next to a cross on what looked like a church wall. Two women stood by in another picture as a man gorged himself with spaghetti. Another picture show a large bottom as a woman leaned over to walk through a law door. Without conversation, at least I had something to entertain myself, while I waited for my salad.

The salad came out and with it a tray of 12 pieces of bread - a whole loaf. I started into the salad and then the server came by. "What is your name dear?" she asked. "I was just notified that a new pot of tomato basil soup was made. Do you want some?"

So soup was added to my dinner. It came in a cup. It was tasty. I added dry Parmesan cheese and then some more. I couldn't taste the Parmesan. I added the it to my salad, and it sopped up the oil and vinegar. Now my salad was dry.

As I sat eating, I started adding up the bill in my mind.  $9.99 for the salad. $2.99 or was it $3.99 for the soup. And the 12 pieces of bread. $4 would make me happy.  $5 would be all right.

I finished and pulled out my AMEX card. The server started a new table to my left - a family of six. Then, dropped by and filled my water glass. "Is there anything else?" "Just the bill and a container for the leftover bread," I said.

She came back with the bill. $23.95 total. The bread was $7.99.  My inexpensive meal of salad had skyrocketed into a bill of enormous size. I should have ordered a Buca Small® for the price I paid for soup and salad. I was tempted to not give a tip, but couldn't be that mean - even though I really felt she was not thinking of my interests when she put in that order. Rather than my usual 20%, I gave her $3. My total bill $26.95.

As I walked out the restaurant, I passed a man asking for handouts. I was tempted to give him my bread, but I thought he would be disappointed. too.

Buca di Beppo: Disappointed and Costly

By John Fisher

I'm in Indianapolis to attend a conference and, because I don't know the city, I looked on line for ratings for downtown restaurants. Buca di Beppo, an Italian restaurant popped up with a rating of 3.7 and two ($$) symbols.  I decided to try it.

I walked into the restaurant through what appears to be the kitchen annex: steel counters on one side and a reception desk on the other. It was 6 o'clock Saturday evening. No waiting. I went right in and sat at table 33. I opened the menu. And wow, I was astonished. I wanted an inexpensive meal but it looked like the restaurant had nothing to offer me.

Across the top it read: Our dishes are served Family-Style. Buca Small® serves 2 to 3 and Buca Large® serves up to 5. Prices for the small meal were $22 to $30.

The server pointed out I could order from the lunch menu at half the price. And, because I didn't want a lot, I ordered antipasto salad and asked about soup.  "Sorry, we just ran out of soup."  "Then can I get some bread?" I asked. She offered three choices: regular, garlic, or mozzarella and garlic. I chose the latter.

While I waited, I looked at the decor. Walls were covered with pictures and other hangings.  The ceilings had posters of Italian wines. Not a space to spare. Across the room was a large picture of Frank Sinatra. Beside me were two boys playing ball next to a cross on what looked like a church wall. Two women stood by in another picture as a man gorged himself with spaghetti. Another picture show a large bottom as a woman leaned over to walk through a law door. Without conversation, at least I had something to entertain myself, while I waited for my salad.

The salad came out and with it a tray of 12 pieces of bread - a whole loaf. I started into the salad and then the server came by. "What is your name dear?" she asked. "I was just notified that a new pot of tomato basil soup was made. Do you want some?"

So soup was added to my dinner. It came in a cup. It was tasty. I added dry Parmesan cheese and then some more. I couldn't taste the Parmesan. I added the it to my salad, and it sopped up the oil and vinegar. Now my salad was dry.

As I sat eating, I started adding up the bill in my mind.  $9.99 for the salad. $2.99 or was it $3.99 for the soup. And the 12 pieces of bread. $4 would make me happy.  $5 would be all right.

I finished and pulled out my AMEX card. The server started a new table to my left - a family of six. Then, dropped by and filled my water glass. "Is there anything else?" "Just the bill and a container for the leftover bread," I said.

She came back with the bill. $23.95 total. The bread was $7.99.  My inexpensive meal of salad had skyrocketed into a bill of enormous size. I should have ordered a Buca Small® for the price I paid for soup and salad. I was tempted to not give a tip, but couldn't be that mean - even though I really felt she was not thinking of my interests when she put in that order. Rather than my usual 20%, I gave her $3. My total bill $26.95.

As I walked out the restaurant, I passed a man asking for handouts. I was tempted to give him my bread, but I thought he would be disappointed. too.