This article I found discusses the down falls to caffeine and why it is not always effective. Many people drink coffee in the morning to stay awake, intaking a dose of caffeine to combat the feeling of tiredness in the morning. Although, drinking coffee in the morning will help wake a person up, drinking coffee routinely in the mornings will only add to the problem for people who feel tired.

When people drink caffeine, it becomes harder for them to fall asleep at night. As a result, they will miss out on a good night sleep causing them to feel more tired in the morning. This very easily becomes problematic as many people fall into the cycle of needing caffeine to stay awake  because they cannot sleep as well at night due to the caffeine they are already imbibing.

For some students and many professors, starting the morning with a cup of coffee feels like second nature at this point, and something I am sure many people would find challenging to cut out. Luckily, the article also mentions many tips and forms of advice to break this habit and help keep it at a level where a person’s sleep will not be affected.

Some tips the study suggests include not drinking coffee in the late afternoon after the caffeine from the morning has worn off. Also, aside from what is commonly assumed, it is actually more effective to have coffee in the morning 1-2 hours after waking up and not right away. Doing this, a person will experience the best effects of caffeine. When we first wake up, our body is still in a natural awakening stage that should not be disrupted. Powering through the first hour or so of the morning before drinking coffee will allow a person to experience caffeine working with its best results and will also lower their chances of their body’s sleeping habits taking a sacrifice.

As a student, I have always struggled with staying focused while attending a lecture, reading a lengthy article, or when completing work. I am constantly distracted by random thoughts and day dream quite frequently. I have always blamed this issue on myself for lacking self discipline to stay focused. However this article discusses many facts about day dreaming, and why it is sometimes beneficial and out also out of our control.

Of the facts explained in the article, one that stuck out was that day dreaming can actually be intentional. When people are leisurely working and do not find the task at hand to be difficult, we are putting less stress on the brain to focus for a long period of time, allowing our minds to wander. Researchers think we intentionally let our minds wander during these times because the consequences are much less severe for not paying attention, so we are not as worried about trying to remain focused.

This may hold true in some situations, but there are also times when I definitely needed to pay better attention during a task. But, another cause to day dreaming is actually linked to problem solving. When people are stuck on a problem and are too overwhelmed with information, it is also common for our minds to wander to help clear our heads, so we can return to the problem with a more relaxed mindset.

When daydreaming our brains are actually experiencing more brain activity than when focused on a specific task or routine. This is partly explains why day dreaming for a few minutes can turn into much longer than intended. But, it is important not to remain focused all the time and to let your mind wander. It is a natural part of the brain and can stimulate brain activity, task performance, and even a better focus. So, the next time you regret day dreaming during a class instead of paying attention, you still experienced some type of benefits.

With a rising divorce rate in the America, I was curious to see just how marriage actually effects people long term, and how the experiences of people who are married, divorced, widowed, or never married differ. I found an article that surveyed men and women of all ages and backgrounds, that asked if they were married, divorced, widowed, or never married. The survey also had the participants rate their current level of happiness; a spectrum of very happy, to unhappy.

The results were very surprising and raised a lot of additional questions for myself. As some may assume, people who were currently married generally reported to be happier than the other participants in the study. However, it was also found that women at the age of 60 or older who have never been married were just as happy as women of equal age who are married. Also, the survey concluded that men at the age of 60 or older who never married reported to be significantly less happy than married men of equal age.

This makes me question the amount of happiness that is directly caused from marriage, and why older woman who never married will experience just as much happiness as those married, unlike men. I am not a guy and not married so I lack perspective on both opinions, but I am extremely fascinated as to what causes this. Maybe woman have an easier time finding happiness in other outlets such as their friends, family, or career but ultimately I do not know. Or maybe since men usually propose to their partners, they later regret deciding not to marry more than women do. Taking away the main concept of this study, those married are generally happier, but any ladies who end up not getting married are more likely to find happiness elsewhere when older in age.