Science

Speaking in English to a baby still in the womb seems like an absurd idea. Science has just discovered that it is effective

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We have long known that Babies recognize their mother’s voice from the womb and who show a preference for their mother tongue a few days after birth. However, now we know a little more thanks to studies neuroimaging studies that have confirmed something we intuited: the brain of a newborn is prepared to recognize foreign languages ​​if it has heard them in the womb during gestation. The experiment. To reach this conclusion, a team from Sainte-Justine University Hospital in Montreal recruited 60 pregnant women from monolingual French-speaking families. From here they did two different phases: prenatal exposure and brain analysis after birth. Prenatal exposure. In this case, a group of 39 fetuses was selected and exposed to recordings of a story during the last month of gestation. To do so, the mothers placed headphones on their abdomen so that the fetus could hear the story in its native language, which was French, and also in a foreign language, which was German or Hebrew. These languages ​​were chosen specifically because their rhythmic and phonological properties are very different from those of French. The second group, of 21 fetuses, acted as a control and did not receive any experimental exposure, hearing only the French of their natural environment, which is what happens in any type of normal pregnancy. Brain analysis. A few days after birth (between 10 and 78 hours), the brain activity of all these newborns began to be monitored while they listened to the same story in three languages: French, German and Hebrew. To do this, they used functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), a non-invasive technique that measures changes in blood oxygenation in the brain to see which areas are activated. The results. They were certainly surprising. The brains of newborns reacted almost identically to their native language and the foreign language they had been hearing in the womb. In both cases, an increase in activity was observed in the temporal regions of the left hemisphere, which is a key area for language processing with Broca’s area, among others. In contrast, when these babies heard the completely new foreign language (the one they had not heard before), their brains showed a different response, with less activation in language areas and more activity in general sound-processing regions. The conclusion. This finding suggests that the fetal brain not only hears, but “learns” to recognize the patterns of a language, which causes a specialization of the left hemisphere. One of the authors point specifically that “Our results provide evidence that even brief prenatal exposure to a foreign language could make it recognizable to neonates, leading to brain activation patterns similar to those observed when listening to their native language.” Anne Gallagher, a neuropsychologist at the University of Montreal and lead author of the study, qualifies the concept of “learning”: “We cannot say that babies ‘learn’ a language prenatally. What we can say is that neonates develop a familiarity with one or more languages ​​during gestation, which shapes their brain networks at birth.” Understand development. These findings reinforce the idea that a newborn’s brain is not a ‘blank slate’, but that the gestational environment contributes a lot to its brain development, since its brain processing begins here to be shaped before birth. However, experts caution that this study should not be interpreted as a guide for parents to expose their babies to multiple languages ​​in order to make them more intelligent or multilingual. But it does give us an idea of ​​how this important characteristic is developing. Limitations. The study, while revealing, also has its limitations, such as a relatively small sample size that prevented, for example, directly comparing responses to German versus Hebrew. Still, it shows that even brief, repeated exposure to linguistic stimuli can modify a newborn’s language brain networks, laying the foundation for future development. Images | Volodymyr Hryshchenko In Xataka | When the first meal is not porridge, but a chop: the rise of carnivorous babies

In 1990, the Internet was science fiction for half the world. And in Japan they already played the Sega Mega Drive online

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We live in a highly connected world in which the Internet is present on our computers, mobile phones, consoles and even refrigerators. Never in history has it been so easy to access information, play online or control devices from a distance. However, as we all know, this has not always been the case. The year is 1990. It may be a little surprising to think that in 1990 Japan not only were already connecting to the Internet, but some people were connecting modems to their video game consoles to play online. And the most curious thing about this service is that the country was not even among those that had the most developed connectivity offer. The data. To give a little context, according to Worldmapper dataAbout 3 million people had access to the Internet in the inaugural year of the 1990s. Most of the users were distributed between the United States and Europe. In the connectivity ranking, Japan was far behind, outside the top 10 positions. Pioneers. However, the Japanese company Sega did not hesitate to embrace the network of networks with its Mega Drive console (known as the Sega Genesis in other markets). It was its fourth-generation 16-bit console that had been launched in 1988 and had been a success. The device had a 7.6 MHz Motorola 68000 microprocessor to run the games and a Zilog Z80 coprocessor. The console thus had 64 KB of RAM, 64 KB of VRAM, 8 KB of audio RAM. Two years after its launch, specifically on November 3, 1990, Sega launched the Mega Modem in Japan. It was an accessory that connected to a DE-9 port located on the back of the console and that allowed it to connect to the Internet. Dial-up. As you can surely imagine, the offering of online services back then was very primitive. However, the Japanese company was encouraged to distribute games through dial-up connection as well as to allow online play in some of its titles. All this was done through a telephone connection whose speed was around 1200 bauds (1.2 kbit/s). And, since there was no additional storage device, all downloaded games had to be stored in the Mega Drive’s memory. Variety of games. At that time, Sega offered two options to access the Mega Modem. On the one hand, players could purchase the accessory with a cartridge for 12,800 yen. This enabled the aforementioned connectivity and gave access to a range of included games. Titles included ‘Nikkan Sports Professional Baseball VAN’, ‘Cyberball’, ‘Advanced Grand Strategy’, ‘TEL/TEL Stadium’, ‘Forbidden City’ and ‘TEL/TEL Majan’. The last one was a mahjong game with individual or online play capabilities. Mega Modem Purchasing separately. On the other hand, the company only offered the Mega Modem for 9,800 yen. In this case, users should purchase compatible cartridges separately to take advantage of the connectivity benefits of the accessory. One of the most successful cartridges was Sansan. It was a Go strategy game with online play capability. The developer, White Box, allowed owners of the cartridge to play through the Mega Modem with others using their Sansan ID. The proposal, without a doubt, was enormously interesting. However, it did not have the expected success and the Japanese company decided to discontinue it at the end of 1992. The new versions of the Mega Drive, in fact, were launched on the market without the modem port. Images | SEGA | boffy_b | In Xataka | The PS5 Slim has removable Blu-ray drives. This modular option carries a penalty called DRM

Marcos Llorente has an eccentric and disturbing relationship with light. And science has things to say about it.

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Marcos Llorente is news. Again. And not because of football or anything remotely related to sports. It is because a video of almost four minutes recorded (and published) by the RFEF during the Red concentration in which the man from Madrid reveals some of his “healthy” habits, practices that include the use of red lights inside the house or glasses with yellow lenses to filter blue light. Opinions that highlight its eccentric appearance and raise the eyebrows of the experts. What has happened? That Marcos Llorente has become news beyond the sports pages. And he has done it on account of a video published by the RFEF in which he does not talk about techniques, his play on the field or how he sees the National Team facing the next World Cup. No. What he’s talking about is his personal health routines. More specifically those related to light and sight. What exactly did he say? First of all, at home you only use certain lights. “During the day I don’t turn on the light because either I’m always in the garden or, if I go into the kitchen or living room for anything, light comes in through the windows,” explains in the video under intense reddish lighting. “When the sun goes down, this is the light I have throughout the house. What this lamp does is bring that red and infrared into the room and makes it more similar to the light outside.” Click on the image to go to the tweet. Is there more? Yes. The man from Madrid elaborates on an accessory that has been seen on him on other occasions and it has also caused people to talk: the yellow lens glasses. “They are for when you are, during the day, indoors. Outside you should never wear glasses of any kind. They should always give you the sun’s rays in your eyes and skin, without anything interfering. And red glasses, with the red lens, what they do is filter all that blue light that lamps and televisions or telephones have.” And why all that? For health. Or at least that is what the footballer maintains, who defends that what he does transcends his role as a footballer. “I feel very good. All these things I do are for health, not for football. What happens is that in the end one thing is linked to the other. I think that when I leave football I will continue with this and surely I can do it more perfect,” concludes the man from Madridwho during the video shares other of his habits, such as going outside before dawn or starting the day with coffee and “two or three tablespoons” of butter. What do the experts say? Whatever Marcos Llorente says, the effectiveness of the filters is debatable to say the least. In an article Published a few years ago, the Spanish Society of Ophthalmology already insisted that “blue light from screens does not affect the eyes or cause blindness.” The report was actually launched after a study “of dubious scientific origin” created alarm with “unfounded conclusions” about the supposed impact that this light can have on eyesight. “Although blue light is often associated with computers and phones, the largest source of blue light is sunlight. Exposure to blue light from screens is much less than the amount of blue light we are exposed to from the sun. Additionally, it is no more harmful than sunlight,” comment Dr. Rahul Kurana, spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Do the lenses work? Ophthalmologist Sara E. Hernández is blunt in statements collected by The Vanguard: “There is little or no effect of lenses or glasses with a yellow filter on visual performance, measured in terms of best corrected visual acuity, compared to lenses without a blue light filter.” There are studies, such as It is published in 2013 in Journal of Human Kineticswho after carrying out tests with colored lenses found that there are no “significant differences” in issues such as visual acuity or depth perception. Where does this come from? Concerns about blue light and the benefits of filters are not new, as remember the Spanish Society of Ophthalmology itself, and have been expanding as the use of screens and LED lights spread. They have spoken on the subject users, academics and collegiateincluding the American Academy of Ophthalmology, which in 2017 published an article written by Celia Vilmont and reviewed by Dr. Khurana that begins with a blunt statement: “There is no scientific evidence that blue light from digital devices can cause damage to the eyes.” Now Marcos Llorente becomes the new greatest exponent of these theories, despite the paucity of evidence scientific. Is it something new? More or less. The RFEF video is new, but it is not the first time that Llorente has made headlines for his opinions on topics that have nothing to do with football. In his day it was for the use of glasses and now it is also for his statements about the chemtrails. His words achieve notoriety for several reasons. The first, his status as a footballer. The second, the speaker that you have beyond your personal networks, such as the official account of the National Team or media in which share his extra-sports comments. Images | RFEF In Xataka | Some Nordic cities are putting red lights on their streetlights. It looks like a horror movie, but it makes sense

Science has reviewed everything we know about sleeping well. The most important thing is the most obvious: light

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In a saturated world of ‘life and gadgets that promise a perfect break, since face mask until Mantas with weightscience reminds us that the key to have a good sleep quality It is not in the product that appears in Tiktok, but in have a good sleep hygiene. And this happens to synchronize with our internal biological clock, what we know as the circadian rhythms. A concept on which it continues to be investigated and that allows us to know how our body is scheduled to sleep. The issue in this case is that modern life, with its artificial light and its chaotic schedules, It is the main enemy of these rhythms. And therefore of ourselves. A business. The market that exists around products that promise to help us have a better rest, the truth is that it generates billions of dollars a year. A figure that is logical, since nobody wants to spend the night and be the next day asking for coffee for the corners. And to avoid this we many times turn to whatever we see that they tell us that it works. However, many of these remedies are not only ineffective, but can be counterproductive. Andrew Mchill, a scientist specialized in circadian rhythms of the Oregon Health & Science University, warns That failed attempts can discourage people to seek professional help, worsening the situation. The solution. If we stick to science, the solution is completely free. The key is in Understand and respect our internal biological watches. A system of ‘watches’ that is present in each cell of the organism and that needs to be synchronized with the ‘central clock’ of the organism that is in the hypothalamus and specifically in the supraquiasmatic nucleus. To do this, this nucleus receives light signals that come through the eyes by the optical nerve that allows you to synchronize vital body functions such as the sleep-vigilia cycle and the production of hormones such as melatonin, which, which it is increasingly important Beyond allowing us to reconcile the dream such as repairing the data in our body. With a small nuance of basic physiology, Melatonin production It is suppressed or inhibited due to light collection. At the time the environment darkens, the pineal gland begins to release melatonin. And his mismatch has consequences that go beyond morning fatigue by affecting cognition, mood and reaction time. The contrasts. One of the keys is in the light as we have said, especially in the blue wavelength. This makes the daytime light rich in these blue tones, Synchronize our circadian rhythms throughout the day. But when the night comes and we are on the couch watching the last Instagram or Tiktok reos this blue light of the screens makes our body end up dislocating. Literally, with this constant exposure to the blue light we are indicating the body that is still daytime and that has to be underway and not decay. Something that ultimately triggers the hated insomnia. A study of Global Health Institute of Barcelona (ISGlobal) He warns that overexposure to the “blue light” of electronic devices alters our sleep-vigilia cycle when interfering with melatonin production. The solution, according to experts, is to seek contrast: expose ourselves to natural light during the day and reduce exposure to artificial light at night. A simple outdoor walk or work near a window can make a big difference. At night, it is advisable to lower the intensity of the lights, turn off the screens or use applications that adjust the color temperature to warmer tones. Or even bet on red lights that does not interfere with melatonin production. Meals. Our digestive system also has its own schedule, causing hormones that cause or inhibit hunger, digestive or even Insulin itself also works by rhythms. This makes eating on the undo, especially late at night, alters these watches and can cause digestive problems, an increase in body temperature and an increase in glucose levels, which makes sleep difficult. And it makes enough sense. When the end of the day is approaching and the sun begins to wear, the body begins to prepare to sleep, reducing insulin, which is a fundamental hormone to control blood glucose levels. In the event that we give us a binge during the night, we are causing these insulin levels to have to rise compulsively when the body is going down. Something that completely dislocates to the body. The recommendation is to follow what you have surely heard: “Breakfast like a king, eats like a prince and dinner like a beggar.” The last meal of the day should be at least three hours before bedtime. The consistency. Sleep The right time is as important as the amount of hours we sleep. Our body has an optimal sleep window, which varies according to our chronotype (if we are “evening” or “morning”). However, work and study schedules often force us to ignore our biological clock. The Spanish Sleep Society (SES) He insists on the importance of maintaining regular sleep schedules, even on weekends, to keep our circadian rhythm synchronized. The generalized use of alarmrs is proof that most of us live in conflict with our constant biology. Seek help. Something very important in these cases is to seek help from professionals in the event that the biological clock is completely uncontrolled. In many situations, exogenous melatonin can be administered at high doses accompanied by a plan to improve sleep hygiene. But beyond this, Mayic Mayic It offers different tips that can be obvious how to create an adequate rest environment, exercise regularly, control food and especially establish the most appropriate relaxation routine. Although clearly getting away from the screens and maintaining an adequate schedule is the most recommended so that we can finally sleep peacefully. Images | Shane In Xataka | Something is stealing our dream and they are not just the screens. A neurologist helps us understand what is really happening

In 48 hours the Gaza conflict will take a 360 degree turn. And some options were science fiction just a few days ago

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Trump, accompanied by Netanyahu, has presented An ambitious plan of peace that seeks to end almost two years of war in Gaza, releasing Israeli hostages and opening a reconstruction process under international supervision. Its scheme demands the surrender of Hamas, the total disarmament and its political exclusion, offering in return the release of about 2,000 Palestinian prisoners and the massive entry of humanitarian aid. TO Your ultimatum He has hours left for the conflict of a 360 degree turn. An unexpected plan. Unlike previous proposals that were limited to partial truces, the one now intends a definitive cessation of hostilities, with a period of just 72 hours (now about 48) so that Hamas delivers all captives. Israel would keep troops in A safety corridor Within Gaza and in damping areas, but it would commit to partial replication, while a Palestinian Technical Committee Under the tutelage of A “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump and with Tony Blair in a prominent role. The project, prepared in consultations with Israel, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, has been qualified by the White House as the most realistic route to close the war and redraw the future of the strip. The concessions to Netanyahu. Netanyahu achieved, to a large extent, Impose your conditions: Hamas would be out of any future administration, the Palestinian authority would only have a hypothetical role subject to drastic reforms, and the creation of a Palestinian state would be deferred to an indefinite horizon. If you want, for the Israeli prime minister, internationally cornered after European recognitions of a Palestinian State and after the Boicot in the United Nationsit was a kind of Rare Diplomatic Victoria: together with Trump he was able to show that he still controls the times and that Washington supports his “total victory” strategy. The right. However, this same position opens cracks within Israel, where the radical right accuses the government of Claudicar by accepting a plan with Symbolic concessions to the Palestinian cause and with the introduction of foreign forces in Gaza. Smotrich and Ben-Gvir They have warned that could demolish the coalition if the agreement becomes a definitive peace that freezes the military offensive, which predicts political turbulence that Netanyahu tries to dodge with procedure maneuvers, such as avoiding taking the entire plan to the vote of the security cabinet. The pressure on Hamas. For Hamas, The proposal is lethal In political terms: he would mean the end of his domain in Gaza after almost two decades, the disarmament of his brigades and the delivery of his last hostages without guarantees of future influence. Even so, the group faces an unpublished pressure: Türkiye, Qatar and Egypt have expressed support for the plan and warn that Hamas’s time runs out. Many analysts They point that the direction of the militia seeks a “decent landing” that saves part of its paintings and avoid total annihilation, but any acceptance of the agreement would mean cross the red lines He has always proclaimed, especially the maintenance of his armed arm. In that context, Trump launched that public ultimatum: “Three or four days” to answer, accompanied by the threat that Hamas will “pay in hell” if he rejects the offer. The dilemma for Islamist leaders is clear: giving and surviving politically in exile or resisting and risking that Israel resumes an even more devastating offensive. The Arab mediators. In this case, Arab countries have gone from rhetoric to direct involvement. Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Egypt, Jordan and Qatar have transmitted to Washington and Israel A list of conditions: No to the annexation of Gaza, not to the forced displacement of Palestinians, not to new settlements, and yes to a horizon of Palestinian self -determination. Although Trump’s plan does not fully satisfy these demands, he has incorporated concessions as the mention of a possible “credible route towards Palestinian self -determination” if the Palestinian authority undertakes reforms. The paradox is that the authority itself, weakened and discredited, has Backed the plan With enthusiasm, accepting to review your textbooks, eliminate payments to prisoners and open to international scrutiny in order not to be excluded. For Arab states, the priority is close the war frontcontain humanitarian drift and keep the prospects for the solution of two states alive, even in a rhetorical framework. Internal risks in Israel. We said it before, the agreement threatens to fracture The Israeli coalition. While the centrist opposition supports him as a realistic basis to recover hostages and stop the war, the ultra -nationalist parties perceive it as an inadmissible assignment. The fear of Smotrich and Ben-Gvir is that to accept international forces and a Palestinian administration, even if it is technocratic, EROSIONE ISRAELI CONTROL and leave the door open to a future Palestinian state. Netanyahu tries to keep the Delicate balance: Present the agreement as a triumph in Washington and before the international community, but reassuring its right -wing base ensuring that Israel will retain military presence in Gaza and will never allow a sovereign Palestinian state. This double discourse reflects the fragility of your government, increasingly dependent on maintaining the security narrative against external demands. Trump’s disappointment. The change in tone of Trump himself to Israel does not cease to be striking. In private And in recent statements, the US president has shown An unusual anger with Netanyahu for unilateral attacks that have put the mediation of Washington, such as the bombardment in Doha against Hamas leaders when a fire was discussed. Trump se Feel disappointed So consider a lack of reciprocity: while he has sustained Israel in the international arena, Netanyahu has acted so that weakens the strategy North American diplomatic. This disenchantment, also applicable To the “Russian friend” In the Ukraine War, explains the Plan turnwhich is no longer just a blank check for Israel, but a frame with commitments and deadlines, in which it is even mentioned, even if it is vaguely, the perspective of a Palestinian state. Gaza under international administration. Thus, things, the plan also opens the … Read more

Science has discovered what is the best time of day to be more concentrated and T0mar better decisions: at noon

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As with the muscles, the brain offers its best version the more rested it is. For that reason, the experts recommend Identify the most productivity hours According to the chronotype of each person to carry out the most demanding activities and tasks at that time and have a better cognitive performance. Recent studies have revealed that fatigue affects remarkably when it comes to being more productive and even in decision making. Understanding this relationship helps to better plan schedules and improve performance. An example: Jeff Bezos never program meetings Beyond five in the afternoon Because doing so would imply raising the risk of making erroneous decisions. The moment of higher performance: noon. A study carried out by researchers from the universities of Messina and Bologna (Italy) analyzed more than 104,000 oral exams and found clear patterns at the time of the day when the students had more likely to approvehighlighting a peak that was not related to the difficulty of the exam but to the time in which the exam was taken. The researchers found that the global approved rate was 57%. However, the chart of probabilities to approve drew a bell shape, reaching its maximum point in the hours near noon, especially between 11:00 and 1:00 p.m. In comparison, the approved rates were remarkably lower early in the morning (between 8:00 and 9:00 hours) and the first hour of the afternoon (between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m.) without finding outstanding differences between those two moments. Without realizing it, we lose capabilities. To rule out that the downturn registered by the students at noon is conditioned by Knowledge of the subject of the examThe researchers also studied the behavior of teachers. The results of both groups led to the same conclusion: both students and evaluators experienced changes in their mental state and fatigue levels in the same time strip. This could contribute to the afternoon of the approval rate in exams is lower, since both the evaluator and the examinee are more fatigued and the teachers become more irascible and intolerant due to tiredness. If it’s 16:00, you’re guilty. The same conclusions arrived A group of researchers of the University of Columbia and the Ben Gurion University of the Neguev on the importance of the schedule in which judicial sentences and the increase in the severity of judicial decisions are issued. The investigators analyzed the behavior of several judges during the day and found that the favorable sentences to the defendants reached their peak as the pause to eat was approaching, reaching up to 70%. However, as the early hours of the afternoon progressed and the judges approached the next recess, this percentage progressively decreased to almost 0% by increasing the hardness of the sentences imposed. The “Baba” after the meal. This pattern suggests that our brain works best in mid -morning, and maintains that performance until eating. The explanation is found in the combination of biological factors such as Circadian rhythmswhich regulates energy and alert states during the day releasing more or less melatonin to the body to induce sleep state or activate alert and attention mechanisms. Researchers hypothesize that cognitive function continues This time curve naturallyimproving until noon and decreasing after eating, which coincides with the feeling of support after food. After lunch, there is a small increase in melatonin that can cause drowsiness and lower performance. Revitalizing naps. According to The published by Harvard Health Publishinga short nap after eating can improve the concentration and alert state if it lasts between 10 and 30 minutes. According to research in this regard, this type of naps increase the alert by more than 50% and competition by more than 30% compared to those who do not. However, the duration is key, and sleep more than the account It can be counterproductive. The study analyzed the behavior of Mediterranean adults and observed that making a short nap of less than 30 minutes is associated with a lower probability of high blood pressure (21%), while long naps (more than 30 minutes) are linked to the highest metabolic and cardiovascular risk (41%), as well as the higher perimeter of waist and blood glucose. Therefore, a brief nap after food, contributes to energy and maintaining mental acuity in the afternoon. In Xataka | Some neuroscientists believe they have found the trick to solve the most complicated problems: take a nap Image | Unspash (Sinitta Leunen)

We thought that sleeping in 90 -minute blocks improved rest and energy when you woke up. Science has its doubts

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As so many other viral trends In social networks, in recent years a seemingly simple formula has run like gunpowder for improve nighttime rest and wake up fresh like a lettuce: Calculate the dream in 90 -minute blocks To wake up just when one ends those blocks. This technique ensures that, when you wake up just when a complete sleep cycle ends, people They will feel more rested and with greater energy to face the day. However, scientific evidence questions the reliability of this method. The myth of exact 90 minutes cycles A survey of 2024 made by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine He revealed that almost one in ten American adults (9%) had tried this technique to determine what time they had to go to bed and wake up and have even been created Online calculators To make this calculation easier. The basis of this technique is based on Natural sleep cycles that are part of the set of cycles that regulate our body known as Circadian cycles. These cycles are the ones that determine the time of sleeping, of waking up, of eating, etc. According to this technique, a person who wants to wake up at 7:00 in the morning should go to sleep at 22:00 to complete six full -minute sleep cycles, or 23:30 to complete five sleep cycles. The concept is based on the idea that awakening at the end of a complete cycle, in phase V or REM, When the dream is lighterwould avoid the feeling of morning stun that occurs when we wake up in the middle of one of these cycles. Sleep cycles were first identified in the 1950s, when researchers They discovered These patterns called Ultradian cycles. During the night, the alternate brain between different phases: light sleep, deep sleep and REM sleep (characterized by the most intense dreams). Dr. Fouzia Siddiqui, Medical Director of Sentara Rockingham Memorial Sleep Center, explained in Popular Science that each of these phases fulfills specific functions for physical and mental recovery. However, the popularization of this scientific knowledge has led to excessive simplifications that They do not reflect the real complexity of human sleep. The most important of them: that the sleep cycles last exactly 90 minutes. That is the biggest problem of this theory. Scientific reality dismantles promises Recent studies They have shown that the duration of sleep cycles is not a constant but a variable. That is, its duration varies depending on each personand even the same person You can record more or less long cycless during the same night or vary according to the day. An investigation He analyzed more than 16,000 nights of sleep in 573 different people found that the median duration of sleep cycles was not 90 minutes but 110 minutes, with 75% of the cycles ranging between 95 and 130 minutes. Another study based on 2,312 nights of polysomnography data determined that the average duration of the cycles was 116.9 minuteswith a standard deviation of 39.7 minutes. In other words, establishing the 90 minutes as a basis for calculating sleep cycles not only is not an inaccuracy, but in practice it can be counterproductive since there is also the risk of interrupting the sleep cycle before it ends. Dr. Andrea Matsumura, specialist in Sleep Medicine and founder of Sleep Goddesss Method, said In the article of Popular Science that “factors such as stress, Alcoholdiseases or even bedtime, impact on the sleep cycle, so this method does not really guarantee that you wake up less stunned. “ In addition, the studies identified that as night progresses, sleep cycles They tend to elong in a natural wayso that the former can last between 70 and 100 minutes, while the later range between 90 and 120 minutes. Making it impossible to predict at what point in the cycle You will find yourself when it is time to wake up. On the other hand, in a standard sleep session of a healthy person, it is very unlikely be ahead of a deep phase of sleep since phase 3 of sleep, the deepest and repairinglasts between 20 and 40 minutes and usually occurs in the middle of the sleep session, and then move back to phase 2 which is a relaxing but lighter dream. Therefore, unless you are sleeping very few hoursthe awakening occurs from that lighter phase, and not from a deep phase as the 90 -minute block theory supports, which would leave a greater feeling of stunning. That is, this theory is based on two real facts: that awakening from phase 3 leaves you more stunned and that sleep cycles last around 90 minutes, to set up an alleged infallible technique to wake up as a rosto. The problem is that sleep It is not an exact science And the only thing that really works is Ensure the Descaso Hours that the body needs … and there are not even certainties about How long is needed. In Xataka | I put myself in the hands of some “sleep headphones” in the hope of reconciling sleep. It has come out regular Image | Unspash (Shane, Greg Pupas)

We have been submerged in “High Protein” food fever. Science has enough doubts that it is useful

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In a quick visit to the supermarket, it is observed how the shelves no longer compete in flavors, compete in promises: High Protein, extra protein, muscle. We see it in yogurts, breads, tuna and even water, under the promise of the protein. Today we are immersed in the Era of chic proteinwhich turned an essential nutrient into an aspirational banner that jumped from the gym to the purchase cart. However, meanwhile container and slogans emerges the question that many ask ourselves: do we really need so much protein? No more is better. To begin with, protein matters, since it participates in the construction and repair of tissues, immunity and hormonal regulation, among other functions, as explained in the MedlinePlus Medical Portal. In addition, it has a satiating effect, which helps control intake, provided it does not derive in hyperproteic diets, Andrea Jarque nutritionist warns. However, to understand the jump to the shelves of the supermarket responds rather to a market logic. The industry, As always happenshe detected a “reef” in the protein claim and extended it from the cultural niche to the general public, with visual codes and messages that They associate protein By force, aesthetics and performance. Do we need “more protein”? It all depends on the person, but there is something in which almost all coincide Clinical guides: The reference figures change little. In an average and sedentary adult, the daily recommendation is around 0.8 grams of protein per kilo of body weight per day. From the age of 40 or 50 – and especially in menopause – it is convenient to slightly raise the intake up to 1 and 1.2 grams per kilo. In other words, a 70 kilos person would need between 70 and 84 grams of daily protein to curb the loss of muscle associated with age: Sarcopenia. Athletes play in another league. Those who train strength or practice resistance regularly may need more: between 1.2 and 1.7 grams per kilo. Above 2 grams per kilo, the benefits are more than doubtful and, in predisposed people, problems could even appear, as they warn in May Clinic. In practice, most arrive – or even pass – from those amounts. In Spain it is not different: meat intake It is still very high. Hence the nutritionist Jorge Jaldón summarize it with irony in the zero habit podcast: “Shortly after breakfasts, lunch and cenes, you have plenty of protein.” Its example is clear: an egg (6 grams of protein), 100 grams of chicken (22 grams) and a plate of lentils (15–18 grams) are enough to meet the needs of an adult in one day. In other words, a combined dish already covers what many are looking for in a container with the High Protein label. Deficit and excess, the two faces. The shortcomings are unusual in the general population. They appear in cases of aggressive caloric restriction, eating disorders either use of slimming drugs that lead meals. Alert signals They are clear: Little satiety between meals and worse recovery after exercise or disease. At the opposite end, the body does not store protein. Once the needs are covered, the excess is used as energy or becomes fat. “The muscle is built by strength training, not the shake”, Clinic point out in May. In the long term, the effect of excessive chronic intake It is a reason for debate. Specialists from the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN) They advise caution in people with kidney or liver disease. And what happens to supplements? And this is where the great parallel industry appears. It is not the same to train strength than to lead a sedentary life. Protein supplements can be useful in specific situations: greater with chewing problems, clinical contexts, recovery after training or simply by logistics. Three nutritionists They coincided in a report of this house: They are a tool, not universal shortcut. The Basic Council: Check labels. A good product should provide at least 70–80% real protein by ration, low in sugars, with few additives and reliable brand. And it should not forget the obvious: a shake also adds calories. In addition, many of these products cost more than their equivalent in real food. As some experts ironize, a surcharge is often paid so they already provide lentils or egg. The boom of the plant protein. The other great change is of origin. For decades the recommendation was to replace red meat with chicken or fish. Today the focus is in legumes, nuts, tofu or quinoa. A meta -analysis Confirm that following The so -called Planetary Health Diet (rich in plant proteins) is associated with 21% less mortality and lower carbon footprint. “The more the dish looked like this diet, the lower the risk of dying and the environmental impact,” summarizes the study. Along the same lines, vegetable proteins are also beginning to prioritize food guides, As Stanford professor, Christopher Gardner details: “The beans, peas and lentils would head the list.” Now, the vegetable protein has less bioavailability. “Those who follow exclusively vegetable diets need more quantity and combine different sources,” Remember dietitian Marie Spano. Despite this, as Isabel Martorell, dietitian-nutritionist of Nootric: “No deficits have been observed in vegans with well -planned diets.” Here enters a key concept, that of the Package protein, Popularized by Harvard: The important thing is not only the protein, but the set of nutrients that accompany it. It is not the same to obtain it from a fillet with saturated fats than from a dish of chickpeas with fiber, minerals and antioxidants. Beyond fashion. The evidence points to a simple route (and less expensive): it distributes the protein of the day, prioritizes quality sources – better if they are vegetables -, trains strength and distrust of the Atheat powder. The muscle is built by the gym and constancy. The rest is noise and labels. Image | Pexels Xataka | The greatest study on sustainable food confirms it: the vegetable protein wins the game

The science of sleep is clear about the ideal time to go to sleep

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Under normal conditions, six out of ten Spaniards sleep little and badly. What happens is that we are not “in normal conditions”, we are in September: a month in which the return to the routine and the autumnal asthenia They shake hands to immerse ourselves (hopefully temporarily) in a dreams of bad quality. And yes, that is a problem. Lack of sleep is related to immunological problems, Metabolic, Cardiovascular emotional and cognitive; With disorders such as diabetes or of the obesity. Not just that sleeping little causes us to be more tired and irritablebut Raise our stress levels And it makes us Assume more risks And make more wrong. But what is “lack of sleep? To get an idea, although optimal amounts change from one person to anotherall medical associations specialized in sleep recommend sleeping between seven and eight hours of sleep every night. Well then, According to the Spanish Sleep Societythe Spaniards sleep an average of 6.8 hours during the week. In addition, “75% of Spaniards wake up at least once At night, and 3 out of 10 directly affirm that they suffer from insomnia. “And, eye, the scientific evidence available tells us that we tend to think that we sleep better than we really do. Reality, surely, is much worse. And what do we do? The tips to improve “sleep hygiene” are known: Monitor food: A balanced diet, a light dinner and limited consumption of caffeine, alcohol or other stimulating substances. Create an adequate space: Quiet, pleasant, little illuminated and with a pleasant temperature. Exercise strategically: Fundamentally, playing sports regularly, but always a few hours before sleeping. And, above all, establish regular schedules: Go to bed and lift, as far as possible, always at the same time (including weekends). Although, of course, that leaves us a clear question: When are we going to sleep? That is, if we want to establish a clear and inflexible schedule, we need to know not how many hours we have to sleep, but what is the best time for it. And yes, this is hardly generalizable. Above all, because sleeping hours collide directly with things like our work, our family life or our leisure habits. However, we have some ideas that can help us. Let’s go to the data. The best study we have was carried out in 2021. In it, The European Cardiology Society used UK Biobank records, one of the most important medical and lifestyle information repositories in the world (with more than 500,000 volunteers between 37 and 73 years old). They selected 88,926 adults (with an average age of 61 years) that had taken some type of wrist device capable of registering the physical activity of the person for at least seven days. After analyzing a period of 5.7 years, they discovered that going to sleep between 22:00 and 23:00 at night is associated with a lower risk of developing heart disease (already other related problems). In comparison, going to sleep between 23:00 and midnight entails 12% more risk of having this type of disease. Risk that rises to 25% for those who go to bed after twelve at night and stands at 24% for those who go to bed before 22:00. Can we move it directly to Spain? No, the truth is that no. It would be naive to think that the recommended schedules for a culture of copious and early dinners (such as English) are the same as those of a culture of light and late dinners (such as Spanish). However, they are the best data we have and, as María José Martínez Madrid saysCoordinator of the Chronobiology Working Group of the Spanish Sleep Society, the key relationship “comes mainly because of the mismatch that produces falling asleep late in the biological clock.” Therefore, it is a good indicator to reflect on our sleep guidelines. Especially now that, after summer, the world “starts again.” Image | Shane In Xataka | Thus influences the time to go to bed in the risk of developing a heart problem: these researchers believe they have found the exact time to go to sleep

Esnifar caffeine has become a tool to perform better. Science is not sure if it is safe

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One of the chemical compounds that coffee is is caffeine, and for years It has been subject to numerous myths. It is something that contributed to coffee to earn a certain bad reputation, but numerous studies In recent years they have helped us Understand coffee properties and the Effects of caffeine on the body. Moreover: caffeine has gained popularity as a supplement, so much that it is sold separately in the form of gum or strips. And yes, also in the form of caffeine dust to sniff. Coffee as a supplement. Like almost everything, caffeine has both positive and negative effects. Take coffee or food with caffeine in sleep times, It is not the best decisionbut as a sports supplement, caffeine has proven to be an ally. In certain situations, at least. For example: due to your effect In oxidation of fats, consume caffeine stimulates ‘fat burning’. In team sports such as football, An experiment demonstrated that players who took a dose of caffeine before training made more precise long passes. However, this study presented the counterpart Of the caffeine: when the player had to face situations of stress and thought very fast, as usually happens during a game, decision -making was something worse among those who had consumed caffeine. Therefore, it depends on the sport we do and our goal, but in what can be an individual strength and aerobic training, caffeine has certain effects that we can consider beneficial. One more supplement, go. Cocaffeine. However, caffeine is not only consumed to perform better at the sports level. There are students, drivers or people who simply need it at certain times of the day to feel more awake thanks to their stimulating effectand that is where products that do not seek to provide any more than the amount of caffeine enter. We don’t talk about energy drinks (With huge amounts of caffeine per can, yes, but also a lot of sugar), but of bars, gels, gum (used in the Military scope), pills and even caffeine aerosols. The key here is speed. While having tea or coffee causes caffeine to take half an hour to take effect, with liquid caffeine roads, gels or caffeine patches that dissolve in the mouth, the effects are much faster. There are already those who are offering both mouth and nasal aerosols that seek to activate sensors in the brain or a direct route for absorption in the lungs. The problem? There is no scientific evidence, for the moment, that supports these statements, but there is one more method. Energy sniff. In the image we can see the presentation of ‘Widkraut Energy sniff’, a product that clearly alludes to certain substances. That mountain of white dust or the product name itself is a clear wink. “A widkraut boat contains more than 20 doses of energy,” We read on the webwhere it is also detailed that it does not have tobacco, nicotine or sugar; which is driven by nature and has been clinically tested. Your uses? Work concentrated for longer, endure night shifts or long trips by car, gaming, party nights or pay more in studio and sports sessions. Has a lot of ingredients Different apart from caffeine and claim that, thanks to scientific confirmations by “three clinical studies elaborated by the German Institute most recognized in dermatological studies”, it is safe for the nasal mucosa. Because Energy Sniff, like caffeine aerosols, is consumed by the nose, but in this case, the dust is snorted. Careful. The 60 rations cost 48 euros, similar what costs a kilo of good coffee with more health propertiesbut what is sought here is, as we said, that caffeine arrives as quickly as possible to the bloodstream to begin to circulate through the body causing the desired effects. Returning to Energy Sniff, they clarify that it is harmful in case of ingestion and should only sniff, never exceeding the maximum dose of one gram. There are already studies that They point that these alternative ways of consuming caffeine are not entirely supported by evidence and that more information and analysis is needed. For example, bars and gels are under the magnifying glass to see what real effects they have on athletes, but as we say, it continues to investigate. About sniffing caffeine, it must be clarified that, although the brands (there are others, such as’Want a bump?‘ either ‘WP Energy sniff‘that are promoted the same) They clarify that everything is manufactured using legal ingredientsThey have caused some arqueen an eyebrow. And doctors? That lack of prolonged and conscientious scientific support on the effects not only of caffeine itself, but of the way of taking it to our body, since you have to be careful not to overcome the recommended caffeine doses (special attention in pregnant women) and stop taking it by this way if we feel any discomfort. At the moment, the investigation is focusing In gels, gum and bars as a useful strategy to assimilate caffeine in the shortest possible time. On the other hand, there are doctors who have spoken about it. Shaline Rao is the director of Cardiology at Langone Hospital in Long Island and Comment The aforementioned: “The key is to keep the amount safe and take into account the upper limit to avoid overdose, as well as the appropriate time between them.” Other voices are more criticismreferring to the ease of passing with the amount of caffeine, the possible development of tolerance that leads to increase the dose little by little harmful effects in the mucosa. For the American FDA, directlyconcentrated caffeine products are “a serious threat to public health” and in France, directly, His sale was prohibited In 2024. Viewing the boom in this form of consumption, it is now on the roof of science to check the risks and if it is worth against aerosols, gels or gum. In Xataka | The best trick to make coffee in the Italian coffee maker is not to make coffee in the Italian coffee maker

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