Scientists found that sleeping considerably improves our creativity. After taking a nap people are able to think faster and put more imagination into their thinking. Besides, if we dream, the thinking abilities are improved even more.

    Researchers consider that sleeping on a problem in most cases leads to elucidation(解释). They say when a person enters a phase called Rapid Eye Movement (REM) during sleep, it increases the effect. Such phase takes place right before we awake and according to scientists it helps our brain make links between unrelated subjects.

    In the study, led by Professor Sara Mednick, scientists made a conclusion that the REM was "important for assimilating(消化) new information into past experience" in order to find solutions to creative problems.

    Prof. Mednick is a psychiatrist at the University of California. Her study involved the analysis of 77 adults. Each participant was given several word-associated creative tasks. All tasks were given in the morning, with participants being shown a number of groups of 3 words, for example: cookie, heart and sixteen. They were asked to come up with a word that would be associated with all three given terms—like sweet. Sometime later, after some participants were allowed to sleep, they were asked to perform the same tasks and some new ones. It is worth mentioning that while some people slept, researchers used brain scans to see the type of sleep each participant entered.

    When given the same tasks, participants, who took a nap, were able to give more varied solutions, some of which were much better than they gave earlier. But when given new tasks, researchers found that those who entered REM sleep had a 40 percent better result compared to the performance they showed in the morning.

    Embassy Suites by Hilton Sauta Ana Orange County Airport

Neighborhood: John Wayne Airport (SNA), Orange County 1325 East Dyer Road, Santa Ana, CA

    OVERALL GUEST SCORE

    Very Good

    Based on 163 Guest Ratings

Free Breakfast                Free Airport Shuttle

Fitness Center                Business Center

    Hotel Description

    Being close to airport and freeway access makes the Embassy Suites a top choice for our guests in the area. The 300-room Embassy Suites offers homey comforts for those on business and vacation alike-suites with separate living and sleeping areas, refrigerators, microwaves, coffeemakers, Wi-Fi access and two TVs. Wake up to a free cooked-to-order breakfast and enjoy the indoor pool and fitness center. A two-hour evening reception offers drinks and appetizers and the on-site restaurant serves American favorites. The property also has a business center with copy and fax services. Parking is available for an additional fee. Less than two miles from 1-405, the Embassy Suites is within a half-mile of various restaurants and just three miles from John Wayne Airport. Our guests say the Embassy Suites' location, “brilliant” breakfast and “friendly” staff make it one of their favorite Santa Ana properties.

    We all think plants were expected to get larger with increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but changes in temperature, humidity(湿度)and nutrient availability seem to have trumped the benefits of increased carbon dioxide" said researchers from the National University of Singapore.

    45 percent of the species studied now reach smaller adult sizes than they did in the past. The researchers pointed out that warmer temperatures and changing habitats, caused by climate change, are possible reasons for shrinking creatures.

    " We do not yet know the mechanisms(机制)involved, or why some organism are getting smaller while others are unaffected," the researchers said. "Until we understand more, we could be risking negative consequences that we can't yet quantify."

    The change is big in cold-blooded animals. Only two decades of warmer temperatures are enough to make retiles (爬行动物)smaller. An increase of only 1 degree centigrade caused nearly a 10 percent increase in metabolism(新陈代谢). Greater use of energy resulted in tiny tortoises and little lizards. Fish are smaller now too. Though overfishing has played a part in reducing numbers, experiments show that warmer temperatures also stop fish growing.

    Warm-blooded animals aren't immune(免除)from the size change caused by climate change. Many birds are now smaller. Soay sheep are thinner. Red deer are weaken And polar bears are smaller, compared with historical records.

    This is not the first time this has happened in Earth's history. 55 million years ago, a warming event similar to the current climate change caused bees, spiders and ants to shrink by 50 to 75 percent over several thousand years. That event happened over a longer time than the current climate change.

    The speed of modem climate change could mean organisms may not respond or adapt quickly enough, especially those with long generation times climate change will be shown in the future.

    For years I have had no idea what I have been doing with my life. I was a 30-year-old lawyer in New York. But being a lawyer was never my dream or goal in life. I honestly wanted to be a writer. I have a great imagination and would write amazing stories in my head. But I always knew that being a writer was never possible for me because it was a better financial decision to stay a lawyer.

    Recently, I couldn't fall asleep at my usual time of 10 p. m. and when I did fall asleep I had the same dream over and over again. The dream starts with me in the ocean trying to go for a swim and I'm searching for something, but I start to drown and have no control over my body. Then a light shines through the waters and when I look up all I can see is myself in a bright white room writing a novel. Then I hear a voice say repeatedly, “Now is the time to try something new!”

    It wasn't just a dream; it was my opportunity to make something good out of my life. That afternoon, I quit my job at the law firm and I couldn't have been any happier. My life started at 30, and every day since that point I haven't stopped enjoying life. I started to write and have been on the best-sellers list for the last two months. Things have definitely turned around.

    Change is a good thing; it gives us an opportunity to take a chance. So my two favorite words I live by and so should you are “change and chance”.

    Children who spend more time reading with their parents have a greater chance of becoming better readers than those who don't. With the help from their parents, children can learn techniques to improve their reading skills.

    "A lot of parents think after their child learns to read, they should stop reading to them," Donna George said. "They are sadly mistaken."

    George offers her services to parents at the Title I Learning Centers. She said reading aloud to children may be the most valuable thing parents can do. "It is better for children to hear things at a higher level than where they are," George said. "Parents are their child's first teacher." Parents help their children build listening, phonics, comprehension and vocabulary skills when they read aloud to them.

    Before parents can identify reading problems, they should escape the enemy —television and limit the time their children spend watching television. George suggested not allowing kids to have a TV in their bedrooms, setting a schedule of when kids can watch or keeping a list of how many programs children watch. Louise Joines said while her 14-year-old daughter and 10-year-old son enjoy reading, the television sometimes becomes a distraction. So she tries to build the situation by suggesting books the entire family will enjoy reading together, like the Harry Potter series.

    Parents who do not read themselves should not count on their children being interested in it. If parents would read to their children at least 15 minutes every day, children would not have so many problems in school. It is the parents' job to help build that desire in their children, and of course to know what kind of books to read is also important.

Planning Your Family Trip

    Plan ahead to make your family trip run smoothly. Family vacations are cherished memories. Keeping children entertained on the road or during a flight, however, can be challenging. The best way to cut down on anxiety? Plan ahead.

    Avoid giving children snacks that contain sugar and caffeine. Sweet treats keep them happy and quiet for five minutes, as it fills them with unusable energy that will turn into crankiness (偏执) when the sugar wears off. Bring fun, small snacks like flavored baked chips, apple sauce, raisins, and granola bars—and top it off with a little protein like cheese sticks to keep the blood sugar levels nice and steady.

    Bring plenty of plastic or paper bags. This is the perfect time to put those spare bags around the house to use. Store them in your purse or pocket, as well as in the car. This is a quick solution for garbage, diaper wrapping or motion sickness.

    Avoid extra costs on bulk items you will need during the trip. When flying, purchase bulk items like diapers, formula, and wipes at your destination. In the past, it was convenient and free to check these items. Now, each checked luggage item costs $25 or more on average. When driving, do the opposite; take your bulk items to avoid extra trips to the store when you arrive, which can help you avoid impulse travel purchases.

    Bring a full change of clothing for each child. Keep these items within fairly easy reach. When a spill or mess happens, this will help parents avoid unexpected (and unbudgeted) clothing purchases.

    Travel planning can help make family vacations what they are supposed to be: Fun! What are some of your favorite strategies for saving time and stress while traveling with children?