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Finland’s Education System Is Considered The Best In The World – Here’s Why!

By
Elizabeth Williams
finland first country go get rid of subjects

In an era of technology and easily accessible information, our schools still expect us to know everything from the books without considering whether this is going to be what we will actually need in our professional development.
How often have you wondered if you were going to need subjects you were made to learn because the curriculum said so? Finland has decided to change this in their educational system and introduce something suitable for the 21st century.
Instead of classes in physics, math, literature, history, or geography, Finland has introduced a different approach to life through education. Welcome to phenomenon-based learning!

As Phenomenal Education states on their website, “In Phenomenon Based Learning (PhenoBL) and teaching, holistic, real-world phenomena provide the starting point for learning. The phenomena are studied as complete entities, in their real context, and the information and skills related to them are studied by crossing the boundaries between subjects.”

This means that instead of learning physics (or any other subject) for the sake of learning it, the students are given the opportunity to choose from phenomena from their real surroundings and the world, such as Media and Technology or the European Union.

These phenomena are studied through an interdisciplinary approach, which means that only those subjects (and only parts of them) that contribute to excelling in the topic are included.

For example, a student who wants to study a vocational course can take “cafeteria services,” and the phenomenon will be studied through elements of maths, languages, writing, and communication skills. Another example is the European Union, which includes economics, languages, geography, and the history of the countries involved.

Now take your profession as an example and think of all the information you need to know connected to it – you are now thinking the PhenoBL way!

This kind of learning includes both face-to-face and online sessions, with a strong emphasis on the beneficial use of technology and the Internet through the process of eLearning. You can read more about it here.

In the learning process, the students can collaborate with their peers and teachers through sharing information and collectively exploring and implementing new information as a building tool.

The teaching style has changed too!

Instead of the traditional teacher-centered learning style, with students sitting behind their desks and recording every instruction given by the teacher, the approach has been changed to a holistic level. This means that every phenomenon is approached most suitably and naturally possible.

However, as Phenomenal Learning states, “The starting point of phenomenal-based teaching is constructivism, in which learners are seen as active knowledge builders and information is seen as being constructed as a result of problem-solving, constructed out of ‘little pieces’ into a whole that suits the situation in which it is used at the time.”

This education system tends to include learning in a collaborative setting (e.g., teamwork), where they like to see information being formed in a social context instead of it being seen only as an internal element of an individual.

This approach supports inquiry-based learning, problem-solution, and project and portfolio learning. The last step is practical implementation, being seen as the outcome of the whole process.

This reform requires a lot of cooperation between teachers of different subjects.

Co-teaching is at the base of the curriculum creation, with input from more than one subject specialist, and teachers who embrace this new teaching style receive a slight increase in their salary as a sign of recognition.

From a teaching perspective, this style is very rewarding and worthwhile for the teachers too. However, some teachers, who have already implemented this style in their work, say that they cannot go back to the old style.

This is not surprising, as the interaction in this teaching style is something every teacher has always dreamed of.

A similar approach called the Playful Learning Centre was used in the preschool sector, and it served as a starting point for phenomenal-based learning.

What Education System Does Finland Use?

In Finland, the education policy is formulated by the Ministry of Education and Culture, whereas the Finnish National Agency for Education is responsible for implementing the policy.

The Finnish education system consists of early childhood education, basic education, upper secondary education, and higher education. In addition, it offers adult education.

Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC)

The objective of ECEC is to support the well-being, development as well as learning of children aged 0-5. ECEC also emphasizes the importance of outdoor activities positively affecting children’s well-being.

Before a child starts their primary education, they receive pre-primary education, which is free and lasts for one year, when they turn 6. In this level of education, children engage in outdoor activities and learn basic skills, such as reading.

Basic Education

This level of education is where compulsory education starts for children aged 7-16. The objective of basic education is to help the student become an ethically responsible person and provide them with the important skills and knowledge they need in life.

Upper Secondary Education

Once students have completed the primary education stage, they can opt for receiving vocational or general education. The difference between these two is that Vocational Education provides students with the basic skills needed in the field they’ve chosen by assigning them to workplaces via a training or apprenticeship agreement.

Higher Education

At this level of education, the academic institutions are divided into Universities of Applied Sciences and regular universities. In regular universities, the bachelor’s degree can be completed in three years, whereas the master’s program in two years. The degrees can be completed in 3.5 -4.5 years in the Universities of Applied Sciences.

Adult Education

This stage of education is included to provide adult learners with an education that leads to apprenticeship training, qualification, studies in various crafts, and degree studies.

Finland Education System Facts

· The Finnish school system is completely funded by the state.

· Teachers in Finland spend approximately 4 hours a day teaching students in the classroom. They spend 2 hours every week working on their professional development.

· Every Finnish teacher holds a master’s degree.

· Teachers, lawyers, and doctors have an equal status in Finland.

· The Finnish grading system is designed by the teachers themselves. Students’ learning and performance are assessed individually without using standardized tests and exams.

· The only compulsory test students in Finland give is when they turn 16.

· Students spend just 20 hours a week at school in Finland.

· Finnish students have the opportunity to learn different new things in schools, such as poetry, music, art, industrial works, and baking.

· Finnish students are required to do less homework.

· Finish students can speak two to three languages.

· Students in Finland are offered special services in accordance with their requirements and needs.

· In Finland, when a student spends 45 minutes learning in school, they are allowed to spend 15 minutes engaging in leisure activities or playing.

· The Finnish schools encourage and nurture the teacher-student relationship.

· The starting salary of teachers is around $29,000.

Why Is Finland’s Education System Considered The Best?

Finland’s education system is considered the best in the world due to the repeated success of the students of this country in national education rankings. For instance, in 2o15, they won 4th place in reading, 12th place in mathematics, and 5th place in science.

Finland has the best education system because it offers a unique education model. Unlike most classrooms in countries around the world, classrooms in Finland are learner-centered, where students have the opportunity to assess their abilities by themselves. Finish students also work in teams on projects and actively participate in creating their own learning activities.

Another reason why Finland’s education system is unique is that all students in all schools are offered free welfare services, complimentary lunches as well as support. In addition, the Finnish schools provide students with psychological counseling, health services, healthy, free meals as well as student guidance. 

Moreover, Finland has a unique education policy that prioritizes raising participation and quality and creating equal opportunities within every level of education. As a result, every citizen is provided with an equal opportunity for high-quality training and education.

Internationalization, quality, equity, and efficiency are four principles that characterize the Finnish education policy.

In addition to offering equal opportunities to every citizen for education, the objective of Finnish education policies is to increase student achievement. To help students fulfill the goals of schooling, schools have designed instructional content, established effective teaching methods, created optimal learning environments, and individualized teaching. All this has led to equitable and high-quality student learning.

What’s also characteristic of the Finnish education system is that more emphasis is placed on learning than on testing. Teachers assess students’ learning and performance on the basis of the objectives which the curriculum includes. Students participate in a national examination only at the end of upper secondary education.

Another thing that makes Finland’s education system stand out from the rest is the fact that most education is funded publically. Tuition fees are excluded from every education level. In addition, students don’t need to pay for school meals, school materials, and commuting in basic education. It’s in upper secondary education that students need to pay for commuting and books. Moreover, the education system offers study loans and grants.

To sum up, Finland’s education system is considered the best in the world due to the following 10 reasons:

1. It implements holistic learning and teaching environment.

2. Finnish citizens have free access to education.

3. Instead of using standardized tests, teachers assess students’ learning and performance individually by using a grading system that they design themselves.

4. Only teachers who hold a master’s degree are eligible for teaching positions.

5. Children in Finland start their schooling at the age of 7.

6. There are more professional options for those students who plan for a college education.

7. Instead of competing against each other, academic institutions cooperate.

8. Cooperation is fostered over the competition in schools too.

9. Finnish students are given the scope and time to create the basics and best foundation.

10. Finland’s education system includes only nine years of compulsory education.

Is Schooling Free In Finland?

In addition to offering high-quality education, this country offers free education for students coming from the European Union and European Economic Area (EEA). Students that come from Switzerland and EU/EEA countries and are enrolled at universities for applied sciences and regular universities don’t need to pay tuition fees. Students that don’t come from EU/EEA countries are required to pay the tuition fees. They are required to pay around EUR 6,000 to EUR 18,000 a year. However, international students in Finland don’t need to pay for programs taught in Swedish or Finnish.

Finland’s Education System Ranking

Here’s why this country offers the best opportunities for studying:

· Finland is in the third position in the world as the most educated country.

· Finland is ranked the highest in High School Completion Rate.

· In 2021, Finland was ranked third in education by Countries.

· Finland’s education system is ranked as being the most developed in the world by the World Economic Forum’s Global Competitive study.

Sources And References

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Tough Mudder vs. Spartan Race: Which One is Right for you?

By
Elizabeth Williams

Tough Mudder vs. Spartan Race – which one is right for you? You might have asked yourself that question if you love to stay fit by being part of adventures and other tough activities.

Nowadays, you can find plenty of challenges, particularly those that require you to hurdle fire and crawl under barb wires. You can also take advantage of the two major players in this industry – the Spartan Race and Tough Mudder.

Learn about which one is ideal for you with the help of this article.

Running

One of the many things you have to look into if you want to learn the differences between the two activities and determine which one is ideal for you is the level of running involved. In Tough Mudder, you will most likely run on a muddy course.

In fact, 90% of the time, you’ll be running in pure mud. Spartan Race, on the other hand, involves less running compared to Tough Mudder. It is mainly because of the vertical hills that you’ll need to pass. Such causes you to spend more time hiking up the hills, instead of running.

Obstacles and Challenges

Tough Mudder and Spartan Race also differ in terms of the obstacles and challenges that participants are exposed to. In Tough Mudder, for instance, the obstacles and challenges often require teamwork.

Only a few of these obstacles can be accomplished individually. That said, this is not an ideal race for you if you want to do things alone. You have to be in a group. It builds camaraderie in the course, as everyone tends to help one another, even those who are not part of the same team.

Spartan Race, on the other hand, is a mixture of obstacles and challenges that you can complete individually and require teamwork. One major difference is that Tough Mudder does not penalize you in case you skip a challenge. Spartan Race has a penalty for doing such.

In fact, you will need to make thirty burpees each time you miss an obstacle. It is also important to note that most of the obstacles in Spartan Race require more strength than those in Tough Mudder. The reason is that you need to perform most of them individually.

Difficulty

You will also find the difference between the two based on their level of difficulty. It should be noted that Tough Mudder can’t be considered as a race as it does not time you.

The fact that you’re not timed significantly reduces the level of its difficulty. Also, since the majority of the obstacles require you to work with your team, you can lessen the difficulty.

Spartan Race is more difficult than the former. It involves intense obstacles that you need to accomplish as an individual plus it comes with a 30-burpee penalty in case you fail to accomplish an obstacle.

That said, you need to figure out if you are willing to undergo more intense obstacles if you wish to try this race.

Gears

In Tough Mudder, an essential gear is a pair of tight shoes. Alternatively, you can wear trail running shoes. The fact that this activity has plenty of mud is also the reason why you need to wear tight compression fabric. Compression socks and workout gloves can also help.

In Spartan Race, it is advisable to invest in trail running shoes. Aside from such footwear, you can also make the activity more manageable with workout gloves, toe socks, and compression shorts.

Conclusion

Choosing between Tough Mudder and Spartan Race is all about figuring out which one you can carry out with ease. Determine your own strength and weaknesses as this is also the key to figuring out which between the two is the perfect activity for you.

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Serena Williams: Tennis Superstar Reveals She Is 5 Months Pregnant

By
Elizabeth Williams

Tennis superstar Serena Williams seems she wants to tell everyone that a baby is on the way. Today, she posted a Snapchat photo, posing in a mirror with a caption ’20 weeks’, after which she deleted the post.

In the photo, her baby bump can be easily spotted and if this is confirmed, it will mean that Serena Williams won the Australian Open in January… while being pregnant… carrying a baby!

Besides her quick Snapchat photo, Serena has not yet confirmed officially if she was indeed pregnant. However, this did not stop fans from speculating that the caption ’20 weeks’ and the bump on her belly seem to point to the obvious.

The photo, even if short-lived on Snapchat, has started circulating the Internet and has even had US Open organizers to congratulate her on Tweeter with a heart-warming message.

“Serena Williams will have a new pride & joy to hug and call her own soon! Congratulations on the exciting baby announcement!” was US Open organizers’ response to the photo that seems to be stirring Serena Williams fans all around.

Tweeter got flooded with fan tweets that showed excitement and amazement about Serena’s pregnancy. We definitely would agree that it takes a lot of strength to win a grand slam tournament while being pregnant, if this turns out to be the case.

Many women find their pregnancy period as the most fragile and difficult one, but this didn’t seem to stop Serena from taking another victory home.

She posted the Snapchat photo on the same day her biggest rival, Maria Sharapova, celebrated her 30th birthday.

While we won’t be discussing much about Serena’s choice of date, the fact that she is pregnant and that she is soon bringing a baby to this world is a story worth sharing without discussing possible rivalry motives.

Serena Williams has so far won more grand slams than her weeks of pregnancy and is one of the most popular tennis players in the world.

She is engaged to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. She started dating Alexis in October 2015 and got engaged to him in December 2016. Their announcement was as original as her pregnancy announcement.

Back at the time, Serena Williams posted a short poem in which she announced her engagement with Alexis Ohanian.

While fans went crazy about the wonderful news, they are now surely going totally nuts knowing that their favorite tennis superstar actually won her 23rd grand slam carrying a baby.

Here are some tweets worth featuring. Enjoy!

Don’t forget to SHARE!

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How Can You Engage & Communicate with People via YouTube Videos

By
Elizabeth Williams

YouTube videos are the norm of the hour. With social media taking the virtual world by storm, it is obvious that seeing is believing. The impact of a video is far stronger and better than that of a photograph. Thus, YouTube videos are being used by people, brands and companies alike to share their services, stories and showcase themselves to a larger mass. Here’s what you can do to attract more comments on your videos:

Focus on audience engagement

It’s 2017, and things are changing. With more and more YouTubers being able to buy followers and build a tribe of fake subscribers, the agencies looking to contact them are now shifting focus to audience engagement. Actual subscribers too can easily figure out the sudden jump in Thus, having a community of genuine followers is imperative, as is creating a following across all social media accounts to direct traffic to the videos.  

Generate comments on your videos

In order to differentiate a genuine account from a less authentic one, one of the key factors of concern is the connection that the channel has with its viewers. This is pretty obvious with the comments exchanged, likes and dislikes, rather than a mere jump in numbers. Let us address this shift in focus and get more YouTube comments per video. After all, it’s all about interacting with viewers and hearing them out.

Cater to a target audience

Understanding your target audience is of prime importance. The kind of videos you create, the content, the style and flow of the videos should revolve around the niche you choose to cater to. If you target the right kind of people, you are bound to get more comments and engagement from them. Try to get 4000 hours to monetize your channel and indulge in interactions around your videos, ask open-ended questions, and leave links to follow up on your description tab.

Comment on other’s videos

Do as you would want others to do. Thus, if you are expecting people to comment on your videos, you ought to comment on theirs too. It’s always a give and take scenario. Take some time out every day or at least every alternate day to leave genuine comments on fellow YouTuber’s videos. Do not end up spamming, but try to be as authentic as you can.  

Focus on quality rather than quantity

It is never about the number of videos you release per week or month. It is about the kind of videos you release that lures the audience into watching them. Always create content that has some value to the viewers, gives them something worth their time and connects with the audience, in turn causing them to share, subscribe and comment on the videos. Don’t forget to ask your subscribers to comment and share them, while focusing on encouraging them to leave a comment below.

By following the above tips and tricks, you can easily gain more comments per video. It takes a little time to generate a stable number, but when it does, these tips are sure shot ways of achieving engagement.

 

Why People With High IQs Are Actually Happier With Less Social Interaction

By
Elizabeth Williams

Were you wondering why sometimes you would rather spend time at home than go out and hang out with your friends all day? Were you worried that you aren’t as friendly and sociable as they are?

Well it’s about time you stop beating yourself up about it. You are neither unfriendly nor unsociable. You simply have higher IQs than others.

Apparently, the more clever you are, the less you want to hang out and socialize with others.

The evolutionary psychologist Norman Li of Singapore Management University and Satoshi Kanazawa from the London School of Economics conducted a study in order to establish how the level of intelligence, friendships and population density affect people’s happiness. The study was published in the British Journal of Psychology.

Kanazawa and Li based their conclusions on a long-term survey of 15,000 people who were between the age of 15 to 28. They noticed that:

  • People who live in big cities are less happy than those who live in the country.
  • People with busier social life were more satisfied than others.

However, not all of them felt the same way.

According to the survey people with higher IQ felt worse whenever they spend a lot of time hanging out with friends.

Well, it has sense if we just think about it. People with higher IQ are aware of their abilities and know exactly what they are capable for. They would rather spend time on some projects or a job that will provide some benefits for themselves or others instead of spending time just hanging up with their pals.

Take a moment and think about doctors who are giving all of them to find cure for cancer or some other difficult disease, a writer who is putting his heart and soul on those pages which would enlighten so many generations to come or a civil rights lawyer who spends so many sleepless nights not for himself, but to protect the most vulnerable class of people in the society.  

This phenomenon was also worked out by Carol Graham, a researcher of the economics of happiness for the Brookings Institute.

“The findings in here suggest (and it is no surprise) that those with more intelligence and the capacity to use it… are less likely to spend so much time socializing because they are focused on some other longer term objective,”- said Graham in an interview for the Washington Post.

So, stop scolding yourself the next time you’d rather stay at home than go clubbing with friends. And remember you are not unsociable person you’re simply smarter than the others.

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TV Tonight: ‘Pretty Little Liars’ Closes In On Its Endgame

By
Elizabeth Williams

If you need a good movie to watch on TV tonight, go through some of these suggestions and take a pick.

“Pretty Little Liars” (8 p.m. Freeform):

Things are getting more and more tensed as the teen, drama, thriller series are coming to an end. Spencer is determined to find out how she is connected to Mary Drake.

Ezra and Aria have no idea what their future may look like now with Nicole back in the picture. Mona gives a helping hand to Hanna who is trying to get back in the fashion game while Emily has a hard time balancing things between Paige and Ali now when they’re all working at Rosewood High.

At the same time A.D. the latest delivery for the Liars is a special one and it reveals the closing endgame. Now the Liars are aware that this final gift brings things to a completely different level. This episode is the first of only 10 remaining for “Pretty Little Liars” since the series will close out the seventh season which is the last one.

“The Middle” (8 p.m. ABC):

After a harsh reality check that her son doesn’t own at least one decent suit for the business interviews that are coming soon, Frankie is so happy when she succeeds in convincing Axl to take him shopping and help him with the choice.

When Mike threatens to get rid of the family summer pool because Brick and Sue are not using it as they used to, they suddenly realize that he and Frankie will continue to get rid of things which they no longer use because they are entering the world of adulthood.

“Frontline” (9 p.m. PBS): 

The latest episode- “Last Days of Solitary” is a fiery, two-hour documentary which sheds some light on the controversial practice of solitary incarceration.

It relies on three years of access to the solitary unit at Maine State Prison while officials there and around the country are making an effort to re-consider the system. The program will leave you speechless since it reveals so many details of solitary imprisonment that we couldn’t even imagine.

The story is about five inmates who were in solitary confinement when the prison’s reform experiment starts. However, the program goes much deeper, as deep as 200 years of history of solitary imprisonment in the United States, the newest research on the psychological effects of long-term isolation and the effects which con-men take back into the society.  

“LA. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later”(9p.m. A&E):

John Singleton was the executive producer of this two-hour long reminder of the events in 1992. People will recall or see the shocking life-altering events through the eyes of those who witnessed them firsthand.

On April 29, 1992, after the jury’s amnesty of four LAPD officers in the Rodney King case, the corner of Florence and Normandie Avenues in Los Angeles were filled with racially and politically-fueled rioters.

Inflamed by lack of justice, the rioters rebelled, killed and spread civil disturbance all over L.A. for six whole days, while the rest of the world witnessed a deep racial division among people.

“Famous In Love” (9 p.m. Freeform):

This new series is based on the novel by Rebecca Serle. It’s about typical college student, Paige (Disney alum Bella Thorne) who reaches a breakthrough when she auditions for the starring role in a Hollywood blockbuster.

Now, she must make a balance between a life as a hot-shot girl in town and manage to cope with all the ups and downs of this role, while at the same time tries to be an impeccable student. Both Paige’s public profile and obvious attraction to her new co-star and Hollywood sweetheart Rainer Devon continue to grow, however that causes a strain to her friendships with two best friends of hers-especially Jake who perhaps is not just a friend.

“NCIS: New Orleans” (10 p.m.CBS):

Pride is listening in on a wiretap of Mayor Hamilton (Steven Weber), while the NCIS team investigates a train theft of hundreds of Navy weapons.

Two songs, performed by Sheryl Crow from her next album “Be Yourself”, made their debut in this episode.

“Team Ninja Warrior” (10 p.m. USA):

The 11-part second season of the series is hosted by the comedian Matt Iseman and ex NFL player Akbar Gbajabiamila.

The series sets into conflict three-person athletic teams, challenging them on physically exhausting, shoulder to shoulder obstacle courses that put on a test both their speed and stamina. (The show was first aired on the Esquire Network).

In the second season, the contestants from “American Ninja Warrior” will form 28 teams which will consist of one woman and two men, and point their opponents towards the warped wall.

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Do You Ever Wake Up And Can’t Move? Here’s Why

By
Elizabeth Williams

Imagine this scenario:

It’s the middle of the night and you are sleeping. Suddenly you wake up and you can’t move a muscle – arms, legs, everything seems completely paralyzed. You can’t open your eyes and you can’t say a word or yell for help.

What is even worse, you breathe with difficulty and you are 100% sure that there is someone or something in your room. Something dark and malevolent that keeps you paralyzed and is feeding on your fears.

This horror lasts for minutes, but it seems like hours to you and when you finally break free, you don’t want to go back to sleep. If this has happened to you, I know that it haunts you to this day as it haunts me too.

This may seem to some like a fictional horror story or a scene from a horror movie. But in fact, it’s а very real issue for a number of people. That’s right – tonight people will wake up to the horrific scenario described above and will have no idea what is happening to them.

This phenomenon doesn’t occur in dreams – people are actually awake, but unable to move, with a realistic perception of the environment.

These three symptoms are the most common in what is known as sleep paralysis.

Other symptoms include and overwhelming fear and dread, sensed presence, pressure on the chest, difficulty in breathing and other unusual sensations.

As supernatural as it may sound, it actually has already been explained by scientists as a state of wakefulness where the body is asleep, while the person is consciously awake.

It happens during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, when the person experiences the most vivid dreams. This cycle takes 1,5-2 hours and repeats several times during the night. It is in this phase that the brain sends out certain neurotransmitters to the body which paralyze it, so that the sleeper cannot act out the activity of their dream.

In normal sleep, the paralysis ends before the person awakens, but in the case of sleep paralysis, the process falls out of step, thus rendering the person conscious but paralyzed. This state of paralysis may last from a few seconds to a minute (which may seem like hours).

If the person starts experiencing hallucinations, it may be due to the waking consciousness getting mixed with the dream consciousness, where the person starts experiencing frightening and convincing hallucinations.

Besides the hypothesis of mixed-up consciousnesses, other guesses are that the hallucinations may appear as the brain’s response to the unnatural paralysis that the person is experiencing.

One guess is that the consciousness is trying to recreate the image of moving to induce movement. On the other hand, another theory tries to toss the blame to the amygdala, which is the part of the brain responsible for fear.

In this state of paralysis, it is rather natural for a person to be afraid, as the amygdala starts sending out signals of imminent threat. The brain thus tries to correct the paradox of the amygdala’s activity by inventing images that would justify the fear.

It has been found that the most vulnerable groups to experience sleep paralysis are those who experience disruptions in their sleep, people who have experienced traumatic life events, and people who suffer from anxiety and depression.

There are three types of sleep paralysis:

Researchers have concluded that the symptoms of sleep paralysis fall into three distinct groups. Each group is a combination of certain physical and perception symptoms.

INCUBUS

People who experience the Incubus sleep paralysis report feeling a pressure on the chest, breathing difficultly and have experienced even pain.

However, these symptoms can be explained with the fact that the body is still in REM mode and in this mode the breathing is shallow, which is not something we are used to in a conscious state. Thus, the pressure on the chest and the difficulty with breathing come as a result.

INTRUDER

People who experience the Intruder sleep paralysis report that they sense a presence of something or someone, they experience visual and auditory hallucinations and they sense fear.

As mentioned above, this kind of perception owes the dread to the over-active sense of fear from the amygdala that the brain tries to justify with appropriate hallucinations. In other words, your brain plays tricks on you after leaving you paralyzed.

UNUSUAL BODILY EXPERIENCES

Although the rarest of them all, unusual bodily experiences that seem like out-of-body experiences can happen too. People may seem to think that they are floating above their body or that they move out of the body while still being able to perceive the body nailed to the bed.

This could happen as a result of the mental images mentioned above and has little to do with astral projection.

How to prevent sleep paralysis

While there are no certain prescribed methods of preventing sleep paralysis, it scientists recommend adopting a regular sleeping pattern with strict times of going to bed and waking up. They also recommend avoiding caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime.

However, if the circumstances don’t allow you to set a regular sleeping pattern (such as work commitments), there are some ways of coping in case an attack occurs.

  • Dissociate yourself from it
    Rather than allowing yourself to be immersed in the attack, adopt a third person stance, by observing your body and the whole situation as objectively as possible
  • Avoid sleeping on your back
    It has been concluded that most sleep paralysis attacks occur when sleeping on your back. Avoiding this reduces the chance of an attack.
  • Stay calm
    If it has already happened to you, you should be most probably more aware of what it is and that it will eventually end. Remembering and understanding what is happening and trying to relax and breath normally (as much as possible) can reduce the length and intensity of the attack.
  • Concentrate intensely on moving any muscle
    Trying to move even a small muscle, such as a finger, can lead to a tiny movement that can break the paralysis and end the waking nightmare.

I remember when I experienced my first sleep paralysis (and luckily my last one). It was years ago and it still haunts me to this day. I can actually still describe every second of it. If you have experienced a sleep paralysis or know someone who did, don’t forget to share your thoughts on it!

Don’t forget to share!

Now here’s a video to cheer you up.

Sources:
The Sleep Paralysis Project
Business Insider

Anxiety Disorders Are Linked To This Type Of Abuse

By
Elizabeth Williams

Very few people would agree that even the most powerful words can’t do much harm. Most of us know that that is not the case.

Words can hurt and sometimes, they can be more painful than physical pain. New study shows that childhood bullying, no matter how safe might seem to some people, can be dangerous and has worse consequences than we previously thought.

It is a fact that certain parts of the brain are still in the development phase years after the birth. The environment of the child influences the development of the brain a lot.

No brain develops the same way as another and that’s why experiences during childhood can cause effects on the brain.

Scientists have already suggested that any type of verbal abuse, also including bullying, can have negative effects. Apparently, we are still not aware how negative those effects could be. Researchers have discovered that this type of abuse can actually change the structure of the brain.

In a new study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, the researchers worked with youngsters at the age between 18 and 25 who have never experienced domestic violence or any type of physical abuse.

The scientists scanned the brains of the youngsters after asking them to rate the exposure to verbal abuse in their childhood.

After running psychological tests of the participants, it was discovered that the youngsters who were bullied in their childhood had greater level of depression, anger, anxiety and hostility, which was probably caused by underdeveloped connections in their brains.

Previous studies have shown that brain development of a child or youngster is often impaired in socially unhealthy environments, such as sexual and/or physical abuse or domestic violence.

However, this new research lists bullying and verbal abuse among the factors who have long-term effects on the brain.

Furthermore, the researchers noticed that the youngsters who were bullied during middle school were most affected. So, even so many years after the birth, the brain development can be affected and impaired.

“Verbal abuse can cause significant psychological problems in later years and brain damage, including anxiety, depression, anger hostility and dissociation,” the researchers working on the study concluded.

Another research study about verbal abuse and its effects shows that females are more inclined to endure verbal abuse, from peers or parents.

Moreover, there are several other studies that show the negative effects verbal abuse can have on the brain.

What’s the connection between anxiety and verbal abuse?

Actually, it has to do with the ego. Narcissistic people enjoy manipulating people in order to have control over them. Thus, the victim is influenced by the negative words heard from the narcissist.

Often, narcissist find individuals who are emotional to manipulate them with their words and actions. The study shows that these words can have long-lasting effects, which often results in anxiety or depression.

If you want to know more about verbal abuse and its effects, watch the following video.

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Google Doodle Celebrates Ghanaian Entrepreneur Esther Afua Ocloo

By
Elizabeth Williams

Speaking of women empowerment, a woman who could easily be called a role model for many women around the world is surely Esther Afua Ocloo, also known as Auntie Ocloo.

Google Doodle has decided to feature a doodle in honor of Esther Afua Ocloo. April 18, 2017 is the date which signifies what would be Esther’s 98th birthday, if she were alive.

Why is Auntie Ocloo so important for the world to know?

Back in the 1930s, Esther Afua Ocloo started her entrepreneurial career as a teenager with less than a dollar she got as a gift. With the money she had, she bought firewood, sugar, oranges, and used jam jars to make 12 jars of marmalade, which she sold for profit.

From there, her entrepreneurial career started growing to such an extent that she became one of Ghana’s leading entrepreneurs and one of the women who played a great role in women’s economic development.

But the way up was not easy for Esther. Besides the ridicule she received from her classmates, the effort she had to put in the making of the marmalade was not an easy task. She put the profits she made back into the business and eventually, success was on her side.

She later won a contract to entirely supply her old high school with marmalade and was also asked to start making orange juice from the orange trees that grew on school grounds.

Six years later, she managed to get a contract to supply juice to the military. However, she lacked the funds to create such amounts of juice and even though she had no collateral, she managed to persuade a bank to give her a loan on the basis of the contract.

The result of this contract was her company, Nkulenu Industries.

With the money she made, she went on to study food technology, preservation, nutrition and agriculture in Bristol University, Long Ashton Research Station, UK. There she also learned leather work and lampshade-making and she brought her knowledge back to Ghana with hopes to empower the rural women there.

She wanted to empower women.

Besides running her own company, Esther Afua Ocloo started a program on a farm which was designed to train women in agriculture, preparing and preserving food products, and making handicrafts.

She believed that every woman should be able to take care of their financial needs as much as they could and she was doing everything to make this idea a reality for many women.

In fact, she tried to teach these women everything she knew about starting and running a business. Her impact was so big that in 1975 she was invited to the first U.N. Conference on Women.

Her wish to empower women was so great that, knowing from her own experience with bank loans, she helped found and became Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of Women’s World Banking in 1979.

The purpose of the global non-profit Women’s World Banking has since been to empower low-income women by providing them funds to start their own micro businesses.

Auntie Ocloo was happy to know that women thrived

Even if this meant that the same women she taught and trained wanted to compete against her, Esther’s reply to this idea was that her goal was to help her fellow women. She believed that if they made better marmalade than her, she deserved the competition.

Esther Afua Ocloo died on February 8, 2002 in Accra, Ghana – where she started her inspiring journey. She died at the age of 83.

Today, Google Doodle honors her what-was-to-be 98th birthday with an illustration which shows her helping out fellow women by teaching them the crafts and skills they needed to become financially independent.

Share the inspiration!

Sources:

The New York Times
Google Doodles

Steve Stephens, The Monster Behind The Cleveland Easter Massacre, Promises To ‘Kill Until He Is Caught’

By
Elizabeth Williams

Tread carefully if you are in the Cleveland area, as 37-year-old Steve Stephens has posted a video in which he states that he would continue killing people until he was caught.

Stephens killed a 73-year-old father of 9 after making him say “Joy Lane”. Some minutes after that, he posted a video on Facebook where he confessed to killing 13 people and that he intended to continue killing until he was caught.

His justification for killing is, as he claims, that he felt that nobody cared for him and that he was tired of everything.

Another reason that pops out in the video is his ex-girlfriend, because of whom he lost control over his anger.

Whatever his justification, there is no solid reason to kill innocent people!

This man is still at large, so if you are in the Cleveland area, beware of this man and report to the police once you get to a safe distance from him.

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