Why do we sleep? What is sleep? The truth is, we don’t really know. All we know is that human beings, along with most animals, need sleep to survive. Good things happen when we do sleep, and going without sleep can eliminate our ability to function. Under normal circumstances, it’s actually impossible for us to not sleep. After a certain period of wakefulness, sleep becomes involuntary. When we try to fight the body’s natural need for sleep, serious consequences may result. In June 2012, a story appeared in the newspapers about a soccer fan who
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One of the benefits to being a teacher in a traditional school is that you get to go home at the end of the day. You don’t have that option, and that means you can get a serious case of burnout. Your kids are also susceptible to burnout when learning at home, but you can always give them a break to recover. You, again, don’t have that option. Homeschooling is a major undertaking. On top of that, you are probably responsible for cleaning and cooking as well. This is more than a full-time job. It’s
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Clutter has a habit of wreaking havoc on our lives. I know because I used to be the biggest pack rat. I come by it honestly because both my parents were pack rats. It drove my husband nuts for years, because as an ex-Marine, he knows there is a place for everything – even if that place is the garbage. He had this unwritten rule that if I didn’t do something with the piles soon after he glanced at them, he would. Not wanting to start fights, I slowly learned how to part with the
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The world likes to call free thinkers crazy. Dare to act on your thoughts by preparing yourself for a world where governments don’t function and societies break down, and you’re well and truly nuts. You must be one of those freaks who sees a conspiracy around every corner or a kook living in some alternative
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Separating fact from fiction in order to make an appropriate choice during a stressful situation is incredibly important.  Situational awareness can be the key component in the decision-making process, and makes it (the stressful situation) infinitely easier to deal with. Every demographic, area, and community on the planet has a different litmus test for what constitutes a catalyst for action. The specific risks for your area, combined with a number of other factors (including politics, resources, community, personal preparation, and others) are the only tests able to provide the results necessary to make the right
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One of the most primordial human reflexes is the fight or flight reaction. It is our own natural alarm system. Let’s say you come face to face with a hungry grizzly bear in your campsite. First you hear that huffing/grunting sound that says he’s smelled you. Then he comes into view, stands there looking directly
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There’s no doubt that there are plenty of reasons to be up at night, restless and sleepless. Stress over the present state of the world and your own personal situation ranks right at the top of the list. However, without a solid night of sleep, it is that much harder to cope with everything the
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