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Why do I need to get up during the night to wee? Is this normal?

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christian-moro-121754">Christian Moro</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/charlotte-phelps-1187658">Charlotte Phelps</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> It can be normal to wake up once or even twice during the night to wee, especially as we get older. One in three adults over 30 makes <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30085529">at least two</a> trips to the bathroom every night. Waking up from sleep to urinate on a regular basis is called <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK518987/">nocturia</a>. It’s one of the most commonly reported <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32249998/">bothersome urinary symptoms</a> (others include urgency and poor stream). So what causes nocturia, and how can it affect wellbeing? <h2>A range of causes</h2> Nocturia can be caused by a variety of <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/nocturia-going-to-the-toilet-at-night_0.pdf">medical conditions</a>, such as heart or kidney problems, poorly controlled diabetes, bladder infections, an <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-44916-8">overactive bladder</a>, or gastrointestinal issues. Other causes include pregnancy, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/nau.24839">medications</a> and consumption of alcohol or caffeine before bed. While nocturia causes disrupted sleep, the reverse is true as well. Having broken sleep, or <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4055528/">insomnia</a>, can also cause nocturia. When we sleep, an antidiuretic hormone is released that slows down the rate at which our <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-urine-sterile-do-urine-therapies-work-experts-debunk-common-pee-myths-191862">kidneys produce urine</a>. If we lie awake at night, less of this hormone <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/ajprenal.00025.2023">is released</a>, meaning we continue to produce normal rates of urine. This can accelerate the rate at which we fill our bladder and need to get up during the night. Stress, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4153377/">anxiety</a> and watching television <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK518987">late into the night</a> are common causes of insomnia. <h2>Effects of nocturia on daily functioning</h2> The recommended amount of sleep for adults is between <a href="https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep/how-much-sleep">seven and nine hours</a> per night. The more times you have to get up in the night to go to the bathroom, the more this impacts <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3602727/#:%7E:text=Nocturia%20is%2C%20however%2C%20an%20important,(QoL)%20and%20general%20health.">sleep quantity and quality</a>. Decreased sleep can result in increased <a href="https://hqlo.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12955-019-1251-5">tiredness</a> during the day, poor concentration, forgetfulness, changes in mood and impaired <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28425062/">work performance</a>. If you’re missing out on quality sleep due to nighttime trips to the bathroom, this can affect your quality of life. In more severe cases, nocturia has been compared to having a similar impact on <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/getattachment/b43c05ba-e29e-47c3-b816-ec47ceeafe97/Nocturia-a-guide-to-assessment-and-management.aspx">quality of life</a> as diabetes, high blood pressure, chest pain, and some forms of arthritis. Also, frequent disruptions to quality and quantity of sleep can have longer-term health impacts. Nocturia not only upsets sleep, but also increases the risk of <a href="https://www.auajournals.org/doi/10.1097/JU.0000000000000459">falls</a> from moving around in the dark to go to the bathroom. Further, it can affect sleep partners or others in the household who may be disturbed when you get out of bed. <h2>Can you have a ‘small bladder’?</h2> It’s a common misconception that your trips to the bathroom are correlated with the size of your bladder. It’s also unlikely your bladder is <a href="https://youtu.be/blVmyrBPves">smaller</a> relative to your other organs. If you find you are having to wee more than your friends, this could be due to body size. A smaller person drinking the same amount of fluids as someone larger will simply need to go the bathroom more often. <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/blVmyrBPves?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption>Can you have a small bladder?</figcaption></figure> If you find you are going to the bathroom quite a lot during the day and evening (<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5903463/">more than eight times</a> in 24 hours), this could be a symptom of an overactive bladder. This often presents as frequent and sudden urges to urinate. If you are concerned about any lower urinary tract symptoms, it’s worth having a chat with your family GP. There are some medications that can assist in the management of nocturia, and your doctor will also be able to help identify any underlying causes of needing to go to the toilet during the night. <h2>A happy and healthy bladder</h2> Here are some tips to maintain a happy and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3206217/">healthy</a> bladder, and reduce the risk you’ll be up at night: <ul> <li> make your <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-position-should-i-sleep-in-and-is-there-a-right-way-to-sleep-189873">sleep environment comfortable</a>, with a suitable mattress and sheets to suit the temperature </li> <li> get to bed early, and limit <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK518987/">screens</a>, or activites before bed </li> <li> limit foods and drinks that irritate the bladder, such as <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9811496/">coffee or alcohol</a>, especially before bedtime </li> <li> sit in a <a href="https://theconversation.com/does-it-matter-if-you-sit-or-stand-to-pee-and-what-about-peeing-in-the-shower-206869">relaxed position</a> when urinating, and allow time for the bladder to completely empty </li> <li> practice <a href="https://www.continence.org.au/about-continence/continence-health/pelvic-floor">pelvic floor muscle exercises</a> </li> <li> drink an adequate amount of fluids during the day, and avoid becoming <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/nocturia-going-to-the-toilet-at-night_0.pdf">dehydrated</a> </li> <li> maintain a healthy lifestyle, eat <a href="https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00052.2023">nutritious foods</a> and do not do anything harmful to the body such as smoking or using illicit drugs </li> <li> review your medications, as the time you take some <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/nocturia-going-to-the-toilet-at-night_0.pdf">pharmaceuticals</a> may affect urine production or sleep </li> <li> if you have <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28675633/">swollen legs</a>, raise them a few hours before bedtime to let the <a href="https://www.racgp.org.au/afp/2012/june/nocturia-a-guide-to-assessment-and-management">fluid drain</a>.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224160/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> </li> </ul> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/christian-moro-121754">Christian Moro</a>, Associate Professor of Science & Medicine, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/charlotte-phelps-1187658">Charlotte Phelps</a>, Senior Teaching Fellow, Medical Program, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/bond-university-863">Bond University</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-i-need-to-get-up-during-the-night-to-wee-is-this-normal-224160">original article</a>.

Body

All the reasons you might be having night sweats – and when to see a doctor

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/siobhan-banks-18473">Siobhan Banks</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/linda-grosser-1461631">Linda Grosser</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> You’ve finished a workout, so you’re hot and drenched with perspiration – but soon you begin to feel cool again. Later, it’s a sweltering summer evening and you’re finding it hard to sleep, so you kick off the covers. Sweating is a normal part of the body’s cooling system, helping to release heat and maintain optimal body temperature. But regularly waking up during the night, soaked through from excessive sweating is not. Night sweats are <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/night-sweats/basics/definition/sym-20050768">repeated episodes</a> of excessive or intense sweating at night. They are an unpleasant part of life for many people. Many conditions and factors can trigger night sweats by changing the body’s tightly regulated temperature set point, at which the body attempts to maintain its <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.4161/temp.29702">core temperature</a>. Some triggers are harmless (a hot bedroom) or even related to positive lifestyle changes (exercise). Others have an underlying cause like menopause, infection, disease or medication. <h2>Temperature control and sweating</h2> The hypothalamus, located in the brain, is part of the <a href="https://www.hormones-australia.org.au/the-endocrine-system/">endocrine system</a> and the temperature control centre for the body. It contains <a href="https://www.statpearls.com/point-of-care/29920#ref_19631766">temperature sensors</a> that receive information from nerve cells (thermoreceptors) located centrally (in the organs) and peripherally in the skin. Thermoreceptors detect changes in body temperature, sending signals back to the hypothalamus. These <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034111000256">signals</a> will either activate sweating to cool the body or shivering to warm the body. <h2>Hormones and night sweats</h2> Anyone, regardless of age or gender, can experience night sweats. But women experience night sweats more often than men, largely because menopause and associated changing hormone levels are <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/13697137.2011.608596">a leading cause</a>. Approximately 80% of women experience <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00737-007-0209-5">hot flashes</a> (also called hot flushes) or night sweats after <a href="https://www.menopause.org.au/hp/information-sheets/what-is-menopause">menopause</a> (when periods have ceased for 12 months) and during <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/perimenopause">perimenopause</a> (the time leading up to it). While both hot flashes and night sweats produce a feeling of overheating, they are different experiences associated with menopause. Hot flashes occur during the day, are transient episodes of flushing and may involve sweating. Night sweats occur at night and involve an intense period of <a href="https://www.proquest.com/docview/2821423865?accountid=14649">sweating</a>. Changing oestrogen levels are thought to impact norepinephrine and serotonin levels, two neurotransmitters that influence <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6459071/#:%7E:text=%5B21%5D%20Estrogens%20stimulate%20the%20production,norepinephrine%20which%20disturbs%20hypothalamic%20thermostat">temperature regulation</a> in the hypothalamus. Hormones also influence night sweats in men, particularly those with low <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/testosterone">testosterone</a> levels, known as <a href="https://www.hormones-australia.org.au/endocrine-diseases/hypogonadism/">hypogonadism</a>. Around 38% of men aged 45 years or older have low testosterone <a href="https://www.scielo.br/j/ibju/a/RZqqfTn5tY6BFpV6rp3GMxJ/">levels</a> but it can affect men at any age. <h2>Infections, disease and medications</h2> When fighting infection, our body temperature often <a href="https://europepmc.org/article/nbk/nbk562334">rises</a>. This can stimulate sweating to cool and decrease body <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1876034111000256">temperature</a>. Minor infections like the common cold can cause night sweats. They are also a symptom of serious infections such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and diseases such as <a href="https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2020/0101/p34.html">Hodgkin’s</a> and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00002018-200831020-00002">non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma</a>. However, night sweats are rarely the only symptom present. Medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), corticosteroids, thyroid hormone replacement and methadone can cause night sweats. These medications affect parts of the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00002018-200831020-00002">brain</a> and neurotransmitters that control and stimulate sweating. Regular alcohol (particularly alcohol dependence) and recreational drug use can also <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.2165/00002018-200831020-00002">increase the risk</a> of night sweats. <h2>Stress, snoring and strenuous exercise</h2> Night sweats are commonly reported by people with <a href="https://karger.com/spp/article-abstract/26/2/92/295722/Psychological-Sweating-A-Systematic-Review-Focused?redirectedFrom=fulltext">anxiety</a>. Psychological stress activates the body’s fight or flight system releasing neurotransmitters that increase heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure. This causes the body to heat up, at which point it starts sweating to cool the body back down. Night sweats may also increase anxiety, causing more sweating which in turn leads to less sleep and more anxiety. If anxiety causes night sweats and this causes distress, it’s best to get up, move around and engage in a <a href="https://www.calmclinic.com/anxiety/symptoms/night-sweats">calming routine</a>, preferably in a dark or dimly lit room. Night sweats have similarly been connected with sleep disorders like <a href="https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/obstructive-sleep-apnoea">obstructive sleep apnoea</a>, where the airway is repeatedly blocked during sleep and there is loud snoring. About one third of people with obstructive sleep apnoea regularly <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11325-011-0502-4">experience night sweats</a>. The exact cause is undetermined but research shows it is linked with low blood oxygen levels (<a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11325-022-02701-3">hypoxemia</a>) and/or <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2009.00743.x">high blood pressure</a>. People can experience night sweats after high-intensity workouts. Vigorous exercise can stimulate the thyroid, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK500006/#:%7E:text=Thyroid%20hormone%20increases%20the%20basal,respiration%20rate%2C%20and%20body%20temperature">increasing basal metabolic rate</a> and body temperature for up to <a href="https://journals.lww.com/acsm-msse/Fulltext/2011/09000/A_45_Minute_Vigorous_Exercise_Bout_Increases.6.aspx">14 hours post exercise</a>. So night sweats can occur even after a vigorous morning workout. Night sweats can indicate overtraining and/or under-fuelling. If not enough calories are consumed to support the increase in training, blood sugar could drop and you could experience <a href="https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2003/0301/p1019.pdf">hypoglycaemia</a>, which can cause night sweats. <h2>When to seek help and 5 things to try</h2> There are <a href="https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2020/1001/p427.html">numerous</a> health conditions and medications that can cause night sweats and interfere with sleep. If night sweats are regular, distressing, interfere with sleep or are accompanied by symptoms such as fatigue or weight loss (not related to lifestyle or diet changes) talk to a doctor to help determine the cause. They might suggest alternative medications to any you’re taking or recommend tests or investigations. In the meantime, you can try the following ideas: 1. sleep in a cool room and use a fan if needed 2. don’t overdress for bed. Wear breathable cotton or linen pyjamas 3. choose lightweight bedding you can kick off. Avoid synthetic fibres and flannel bedding 4. consider a cooling mattress or pillow and avoid those (such as foam ones) that can limit airflow 5. avoid spicy foods, caffeine or alcohol before bed.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211436/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/siobhan-banks-18473">Siobhan Banks</a>, Research professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/linda-grosser-1461631">Linda Grosser</a>, , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-south-australia-1180">University of South Australia</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/all-the-reasons-you-might-be-having-night-sweats-and-when-to-see-a-doctor-211436">original article</a>.

Body

How to stay awake after a terrible night’s sleep

How to stay awake There are ideals and then there’s real life. In truth, you will at times find yourself tired but still obligated to stay alert. Here’s how to stay awake and make those moments as painless as possible. Play music This brain hack works best if you opt for something cheery, with a beat that’s strong and fast but not exhausting (100 to 130 beats per minute). Music with heart-rate lowering tempos – think 60 beats per minute or less – can actually induce sleep, so consider yourself warned. Go outside or place yourself near a bright light Your body takes its sleep-wake cues from light, so draw back the curtains and let in the sunshine. If it’s not a sunny day, fool your system into thinking it is by cranking the dimmer switch up to maximum, and ensuring your workspace is properly illuminated with task lighting. Drink water Dehydration increases sleepiness. According to Harvard Health, keeping yourself hydrated can help to curb fatigue. It doesn’t necessarily have to be water, either – there are plenty of hydrating drinks that can count towards your daily fluid intake, even caffeinated beverages! Exercise Aerobic activity pumps oxygen through your system and releases hormones that give you energy. There are plenty of other health benefits from increasing your physical activity level, of course. Stimulate your mind Boredom itself promotes fatigue. Break the cycle by starting a conversation, engaging in a new activity, or reading an article about a topic that interests you. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.co.nz/healthsmart/how-to-stay-awake-after-a-terrible-nights-sleep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Body

What to eat before bed if you want a good night’s sleep

What to eat before bed It’s after 8 pm and you can feel your stomach grumbling. Should you stick it out until morning or head to the kitchen? Night-time eating tends to get a bad reputation – people often worry it causes weight gain, heartburn, indigestion or all three. But it all depends on what you reach for, says nutritionist Nishta Saxena. Saxena says there isn’t a clear-cut time of day that we have to stop eating. Studies have found that it’s not when you’re eating, but how much and what you’re eating which matters. Super salty snacks at the end of the day can, for example, make you dehydrated and interrupt your sleep – and they’re not the only culprits that can affect whether you have a good night’s rest. In general, it’s best to eat small portions before bed. Also try to stay away from foods high in protein or fat, which can be harder for our bodies to digest and can interrupt the natural cadence of our systems, which slow down for the night by producing sleep-inducing hormones like melatonin. Excessive sugar can also act like a stimulant – a bad choice if you’re trying to catch some Zzzs. Saxena suggests eating something that’s high in carbohydrates, which can promote sleep and help you to relax. This is because carbs don’t require as much blood flow or work from your body to digest and are therefore unlikely to interrupt your sleep. If you find yourself with an after-dinner case of the munchies, follow these tips on what to eat before bed. Kiwis Kiwis can help to promote sleep because they are rich in serotonin and antioxidants (such as Vitamins C and E). Serotonin helps to make you feel relaxed and certain antioxidants have sleep-promoting qualities. Plus, these fuzzy fruits are extremely high in vitamin C and our bodies can digest them quickly, says Saxena. They also support heart and digestive health as well as natural immunity. Tart cherries Tart cherries and tart cherry juice contain concentrated amounts of melatonin, a hormone that helps your body regulate sleep-wake cycles, says Saxena. Studies show that they can help to reduce insomnia, plus they also contain other sleep-inducing agents like tryptophan (a precursor of serotonin). Since tart cherries can be a little bit harder to find than other fruits, Saxena suggests keeping some in your freezer and using them to make a smoothie. Nuts Nuts are great for a variety of health benefits, says Saxena, and they’re also a good late-night snack. Just don’t dish out a whole cup of nuts, she warns, because they do contain surprising amounts of protein and fat. In particular, she recommends walnuts and almonds – they contain natural melatonin as well as magnesium, which has the potential to reduce insomnia in adults. Popcorn While pre-packaged microwave popcorn most likely contains too much salt to be a good bedtime snack, popping your own can satisfy people who are craving snack foods like chips. Popcorn is also relatively filling – just don’t drown your bowl in butter and salt. Yoghurt Dairy products, while not consumed by everyone, have a lot of components that stimulate sleep, says Saxena. Something like yoghurt doesn’t require a lot of digestive processes, and even full fat yoghurt doesn’t have a ton of fat in it, making it easy to digest. Plus, it’s filled with amino acids, like tryptophan, which promote sleep. Green bananas Saxena says a greenish banana, “almost the colour of a tulip stem,” is a great evening snack. At this point, the banana is full of starch, which means it hasn’t yet become sugar, and this can be great for our gut bacteria and also helps to promote sleep. She adds that the banana should be firm and have a tiny bit of yellow in the midsection. If it has black spots, it’s too ripe to help with sleep and won’t provide a benefit. Warm milk The benefits of warm milk for sleep are well-documented, says Saxena. This is in part because milk contains tryptophan, an amino acid that promotes sleep. Warm fluids in general can relax our digestive muscles. “It can be a self-care moment when you’re having something warm,” Saxena says. “Your hands are wrapped around the mug and it’s a sensory experience.” Cottage cheese While cottage cheese has lots of protein, it also has the benefits of dairy, including amino acids, that help to promote sleep. It’s also nutrient-dense, containing calcium, magnesium, iron, and phosphorus, which are essential for bodily function. It can also be a good late-night snack for athletes, because it’s high in the protein casein, which helps to reduce muscle breakdown overnight. Still, stay away from other cheeses before bed – most are very high in fat and easy to overeat, warns Saxena. Oatmeal While people often think of oatmeal as a breakfast food, oats are high in melatonin and so can make a good bedtime snack. Like dairy products, oats also contain the amino acid tryptophan. You can also spice up your oatmeal with many of the other foods that are okay to eat before bed – tart cherries, yogurt, or almond butter, for example. Pasta If you’re really hungry, try some pasta – but keep the portion small and be careful to not load your dish with toppings that are high in protein or fat. For example, you don’t want to have a super-cheesy meatball pasta before bed, says Saxena. But a small serving of plain pasta with pesto sauce might do the trick. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/conditions/sleep/what-to-eat-before-bed-if-you-want-a-good-nights-sleep?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.

Food & Wine

"A night in hospital and a trip to the burns unit later”: Concerned mum's warning against popular fruit

Warning: This article contains images that some readers may find distressing. An Aussie mum has taken to the internet and shared photos of her son’s severe burns that came as a result of him playing with a popular fruit. “A night in hospital and a trip to the burns unit later.” She began in her Facebook post. Her son Otis was playing happily outside with a lime in the sunshine, but the next day horror ensued. “It wasn’t until the next day that we noticed a rash appeared.” The mother said. The parents had assumed the rash must’ve been an allergic reaction to the lime juice, however, the rash quickly developed into a “horrific burn,” she added. The parents took Otis to the hospital where they were informed their son was suffering from a condition called phytophotodermatitis. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cku5QH2thxE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cku5QH2thxE/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Tiny Hearts (@tinyheartseducation)</a> </div> </blockquote> Phytophotodermatitis, more commonly known as margarita burn, is a little-known condition which causes burns to the skin when a chemical called furocoumarin reacts to sunlight. The chemical is found in limes, citrus fruit and some plants. “The small lime he had been innocently playing with - had now burnt his skin horrifically!“ The mum said. “If our story can help raise awareness into phytophotodermatitis at least something good has come out of our horrific experience!” The woman has urged parents to be on the lookout for this little-known skin condition. To minimise the risks of phytophotodermatitis, <a href="https://www.healthline.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Healthline</a> suggests washing hands and other exposed parts of the skin immediately after being outdoors, wearing gloves when gardening, putting on sunscreen before going outdoors and wearing long-sleeved tops and pants in wooded areas. Photo credit: Getty

Body

Hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog? Here’s what we know about phytoestrogens for menopausal symptoms

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/caroline-gurvich-473295">Caroline Gurvich</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jane-varney-963066">Jane Varney</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jayashri-kulkarni-185">Jayashri Kulkarni</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> While some women glide through menopause, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26271251/">more than 85%</a> experience one or more unpleasant symptoms, which can impact their physical and mental health, daily activities and quality of life. Hot flushes and night sweats are the most common of these, affecting <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29393299/">75% of women</a> and the symptom for which most women seek treatment. Others include changes in weight and body composition, skin changes, poor sleep, headaches, joint pain, vaginal dryness, depression and brain fog. While menopause hormone therapy is the most effective treatment for menopausal symptoms, it is sometimes not recommended (such as following breast cancer, as there is conflicting evidence about the safety of menopause hormone therapy following breast cancer) or avoided by people, who may seek non-hormonal therapies to manage symptoms. In Australia it is estimated <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26224187/">more than one-third</a> of women seek complementary or alternative medicines to manage menopausal symptoms. But do they work? Or are they a waste of time and considerable amounts of money? <h2>What’s on the market?</h2> The <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30868921/">complementary or alternative interventions</a> for menopausal symptoms are almost as varied as the symptoms themselves. They include everything from mind-body practices (hypnosis, cognitive behavioural therapy and meditation) to alternative medicine approaches (traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture) and natural products (herbal and dietary supplements). There is some evidence to support the use of <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23435026/">hypnosis</a> and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22336748/">cognitive behaviour therapy</a> for the treatment of hot flushes. Indeed these therapies are recommended in <a href="https://www1.racgp.org.au/getattachment/bfaa5918-ddc4-4bcb-93cc-d3d956c1bbfd/Making-choices-at-menopause.aspx">clinical treatment guidelines</a>. But there is less certainty around the benefit of other commonly used complementary and alternative medicines, particularly nutritional supplements. The most popular <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26224187/">nutritional supplements</a> for hot flushes are phytoestrogens (or plant estrogens). This trend has been driven in part by <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-11915645/HRT-not-supplement-created-experts-women-RAVING-effects.html">supplement companies</a> that promote such agents as a safer or more natural alternative to hormone therapy. <h2>What are phytoestrogens?</h2> Phytoestrogens are plant-derived substances that can show oestrogen-like activity when ingested. There are numerous types including isoflavones, coumestans and lignans. These can be consumed in the form of food (from whole soybeans, soy-based foods such as tofu and soy milk, legumes, wholegrains, flaxseeds, fruits and vegetables) and in commercially produced supplements. In the latter category, extracts from soy and red clover yield isoflavones and flaxseed gives us lignans. Because declining oestrogen levels drive menopausal symptoms, the theory is that consuming a “natural”, plant-based substance that acts like oestrogen will provide relief. <figure class="align-center zoomable"><a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528788/original/file-20230529-17-mh3zlk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528788/original/file-20230529-17-mh3zlk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528788/original/file-20230529-17-mh3zlk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528788/original/file-20230529-17-mh3zlk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528788/original/file-20230529-17-mh3zlk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528788/original/file-20230529-17-mh3zlk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528788/original/file-20230529-17-mh3zlk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528788/original/file-20230529-17-mh3zlk.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" alt="Soy-rich foods on a table: edamame, soy milk, soy sauce" /></a><figcaption>Phytoestrogens can be consumed in foods like tofu or soy milk. <a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/soy-bean-tofu-other-products-187030769">Shutterstock</a></figcaption></figure> <h2>What does the evidence say?</h2> In the case of isoflavones, initial support came from <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23562010/">epidemiological data</a> showing <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15919681/">women in Asian countries</a>, consuming a traditional, phytoestrogen-rich diet (that is, one including tofu, miso and fermented or boiled soybeans), experienced fewer menopausal symptoms than women in Western countries. However, several factors may influence the effect of dietary phytoestrogens on menopausal symptoms. This includes gut microbiota, with research showing only around <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15919681/">30% of women</a> from Western populations possess the gut microbiota needed to convert isoflavones to their active form, known as equol, compared to an estimated 50–60% of menopausal women from Japanese populations. Circulating oestrogen levels (which drop considerably during menopause) and the <a href="https://academic.oup.com/humupd/article/11/5/495/605995">duration of soy intake</a> (longer-term intake being more favourable) may also influence the effect of dietary phytoestrogens on menopausal symptoms. Overall, evidence regarding the benefit of phytoestrogens for hot flushes is fairly mixed. A <a href="https://www.cochranelibrary.com/cdsr/doi/10.1002/14651858.CD001395.pub4/full">Cochrane review</a> synthesised study results and failed to find conclusive evidence phytoestrogens, in food or supplement form, reduced the frequency or severity of hot flushes or night sweats in perimenopausal or postmenopausal women. The review did note genistein extracts (an isoflavone found in soy and fava beans) may reduce the number of hot flushes experienced by symptomatic, postmenopausal women, though to a lesser extent than hormone therapy. Another <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36253903/">recent study</a> showed marked reductions in hot flushes in women following a low fat, vegan diet supplemented with daily soybeans. However, it was questioned whether concurrent weight loss contributed to this benefit. In Australia, <a href="https://ranzcog.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/05/Managing-menopausal-symptoms.pdf">clinical guidelines</a> do not endorse the routine use of phytoestrogens. <a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng23/chapter/Recommendations#managing-short-term-menopausal-symptoms">Guidelines for the United Kingdom</a> note some support for the benefit of isoflavones, but highlight multiple preparations are available, their safety is uncertain and interactions with other medicines have been reported. <h2>Can phytoestrogens help the psychological symptoms of menopause?</h2> Less research has explored whether phytoestrogens improve psychological symptoms of menopause, such as depression, anxiety and <a href="https://theconversation.com/brain-fog-during-menopause-is-real-it-can-disrupt-womens-work-and-spark-dementia-fears-173150">brain fog</a>. A recent systematic review and <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33987926/">meta-analysis</a> found phytoestrogens reduce depression in post- but not perimenopausal women. Whereas a more <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9022873/">recent clinical trial</a> failed to find an improvement. Some research suggests phytoestrogens may reduce the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960076015301254?via=ihub">risk of dementia</a>, but there are no conclusive findings regarding their effect on menopausal brain fog. <h2>The bottom line</h2> At present there is uncertainty about the benefit of phytoestrogens for menopause symptoms. If you do wish to see if they might work for you, start by including more phytoestrogen-rich foods in your diet. Examples include tempeh, soybeans, tofu, miso, soy milk (from whole soybeans), oats, barley, quinoa, flaxseeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, almonds, chickpeas, lentils, red kidney beans and alfalfa. Try including one to two serves per day for around three months and monitor symptoms. These are nutritious and good for overall health, irrespective of the effects on menopausal symptoms. Before you trial any supplements, discuss them first with your doctor (especially if you have a history of breast cancer), monitor your symptoms for around three months, and if there’s no improvement, stop taking them.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/204801/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/caroline-gurvich-473295">Caroline Gurvich</a>, Associate Professor and Clinical Neuropsychologist, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jane-varney-963066">Jane Varney</a>, Senior Research Dietitian in the Department of Gastroenterology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/jayashri-kulkarni-185">Jayashri Kulkarni</a>, Professor of Psychiatry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a> This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/hot-flushes-night-sweats-brain-fog-heres-what-we-know-about-phytoestrogens-for-menopausal-symptoms-204801">original article</a>. Images: Getty

Body

John Travolta’s iconic suit snatches a sweaty sum at auction

John Travolta’s sweat stains have hit the market, snagging a staggering sum, alongside the iconic Saturday Night Fever white three-piece suit. The look rose to international fame when Travolta - as Tony Manero - took to the dancefloor in the 1977 classic, joining Stephanie Mangano for an intense disco dance competition. But it was the film’s promotional imagery that truly immortalised the suit - despite popular, yet incorrect, belief that Travolta had flaunted it during his solo ‘Night Fever’ dance. In posters - as well as on VCR, DVD, and CD covers - Travolta can be seen with his right arm in the air, on a dancefloor, white polyester front and centre. As Costume designer Patrizia von Brandenstein explained to the New York Post, they were looking for “a white, three-piece suit: dressy, inexpensive and polyester. There was a producer who thought a black suit would be more elegant. But heroes wear white; it’s as simple as that. “The pastel suits were nice and pretty, but John’s character is very much a hero. Plus, it needed to be something that a boy who works in a paint store would be able to afford. I think the suit sold for $150 or $200.” Initially purchased off the rack in Brooklyn for $100, the jacket - with matching waistcoat, flared trousers, black shirt, and Travolta’s 45-year-old sweat stains - was expected to fetch up to $250,000 USD (~$374,000 AUD) when it went under the hammer at Los Angeles’ Julien’s Auctions. Despite its distinct lack of a thorough cleaning, the suit did find a new home, with a buyer dishing out a total of approximately $388,692 AUD to call it their own. As a spokesperson for the auction house explained, “This suit is considered to be one of the most iconic costumes in cinema history. It is one of only two known to exist that was used during production. It has never been exhibited or sold at auction before. “It has become emblematic of not only the film but of the whole disco era.” The suit in question was actually one of a few purchased by the film’s costume designer - two were used on set, rotated in and out while the other dried, and another was used for promotional material - and was given to Julien’s Auctions by an anonymous collector who had received it from Saturday Night Fever’s director, John Badham in 1991. As for why the iconic outfit was being sold in its unique condition, the executive director of Julien’s Auctions had a simple explanation. “The sweat is how you know it’s authentic,” Martin J Nolan told The Guardian. “It was incredibly hot during filming, so you can still see the sweat marks around his waist. We never wash memorabilia. People want the stains, the DNA, particularly when a suit like this one hasn’t been auctioned before.” Images: Getty

Movies

Sleepless nights can affect your memory

One-third of a life span is a massive slice of time to spend with our eyes closed, but there's a very good reason humans need so much sleep. We just don't know what it is. What does sleep do to our brains? Like a sleep-deprived student trying to muddle through a morning exam, scientists trying to unravel this enduring mystery have been labouring in a heavy fog. But a new study could help answer this fundamental question, suggesting those hours of slumber allow the brain to rewire the crucial connections between the brain's neurons that clog up when we're awake. This nightly reset is vital for building and preserving memory, as well as our ability to learn new skills and engage with our waking realities, according to the German researchers. But just one sleepless night may be all it takes to stop the brain's ability to recalibrate its connections, overloading its synaptic activity and ultimately hampering its ability to form and retain new memories, according to the research paper published on Wednesday in <a href="http://nature.com/articles/doi:10.1038/ncomms12455" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nature Communications</a>. The researchers set out to test the "synaptic homeostasis hypothesis" that a good night's sleep allows the brain's neuron signals to cut through the chaotic "noise" and improve its capacity to encode, or remember, new information. It is virtually impossible directly test this theory in humans. Using non-invasive transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), the research team was able to indirectly compare the synaptic activity in the brains of 20 individuals (aged between 19 and 25) after one night's sleep or after one night of sleep deprivation. The research team used small magnetic pulses to zap the motor cortex - the region responsible for movement - to trigger a muscle twitch in participant's left hands. After their sleepless night, participants needed a much lower pulse to activate the hand muscles compared their well-rested counterparts, suggesting their sleep-deprived brains were more excitable, said the researchers lead by psychiatrists Dr Christoph Nissen at Freiburg University, Germany. The researchers then used the magnetic pulses to imitate the brain activity used to encode new memories. The sleep-deprived participants showed a weaker synaptic response and performed worse in a word-pair memory exercise. Their blood samples also showed reduced BDNF, a molecule that regulates synaptic plasticity needed for memory and learning. "Our study provides the first evidence for sleep-wake-dependent dissociation of associative and homeostatic synaptic plasticity in humans," the researchers concluded. The results may pave the way for effective treatments for neuropsychiatric disorders. There is some evidence the experimental treatment - therapeutic sleep deprivation - can improve mood among people with major depression. The findings suggest the therapy shifts the brain of a depressed patient "into a more favourable window of associative plasticity", the authors suggested. Overall, "the findings were a significant step towards a better understanding of basic mechanisms for health performance and potential alterations in neuropsychiatric disorders," they concluded. What’s the minimum amount of sleep you can survive on before your cognitive performance is affected? Let us know in the comments below. Written by Kate Aubusson. First appeared on <a href="http://Stuff.co.nz" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stuff.co.nz.</a> Images: Getty

Body

Here’s how you can bag a night at Bag End

While many visitors to New Zealand’s Hobbit movie set have gone there and back again, no-one has had the chance to stay overnight - until now that is. In celebration of the 10th anniversary of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Airbnb will be offering a few lucky fans the opportunity to spend the night at the original movie set. Winners will score one of three overnight stays at the set in Waikato, with access to the Hobbit Holes, Millhouse and The Green Dragon Inn, a private tour of the movie set, and an evening banquet in the Green Dragon - think beef and ale stew, fresh bread, chickens and ale. Two decades after the working farm caught the attention of Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson, the farm’s owner Russell Alexander said he was excited to offer guests the experience of living like a Hobbit. “We’ve welcomed millions of passionate fans to the Hobbiton Movie Set, but never before has anyone had the opportunity to spend a night in Middle-earth,”he said. “I am delighted to share the beauty of my family’s farm and pleased to be hosting this iconic location on Airbnb for fans from around the world.” The three two-night stays will come with a four-guest limit and cost $10 a night to mark the 10th anniversary. Each of the stays will take place on March 2-4, 9-11 and 16-18. Unsurprisingly, there are some rules for the lucky guests who stay on-set, with plenty of references to the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings sagas, including “no unexpected parties”, “magical rings permitted, but keep them secret, keep them safe”, “straying far at night is discouraged, thanks to multiple troll sightings of late”, and “pony parking” available only at the Green Dragon Inn. To go in the running, applicants can request to book one of the stays from Wednesday December 14. Applicants must have a history of positive reviews on Airbnb, have an Airbnb profile and be over the age of 18. To enter, head <a href="https://news.airbnb.com/hobbiton/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>. Images: Airbnb

Real Estate

What position should I sleep in, and is there a ‘right’ way to sleep?

After 50 years of research, eminent Stanford University sleep researcher William Dement reportedly <a href="https://www.physoc.org/magazine-articles/book-review-why-we-sleep-by-matthew-walker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the only solid explanation he knows for why we sleep is “because we get sleepy”. Even though sleep may be, as one researcher <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/to-discover-the-point-of-sleep-scientists-breed-flies-that-nod-off-on-demand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">put</a> it, “the only major behaviour in search of a function”, it clearly does <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4434546" target="_blank" rel="noopener">matter</a> for our health and wellbeing. But are we doing it right? What does the research say about sleeping position? <h2>Is there a correct position to sleep in?</h2> Most people <a href="https://nsuworks.nova.edu/ijahsp/vol2/iss1/7/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prefer</a> to sleep on their <a href="https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S145777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">side</a>. This is good to hear, as those who lie on their backs are more likely to be <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/6.1.52" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poor sleepers</a> or have <a href="https://doi.org/10.1378/chest.118.4.1018" target="_blank" rel="noopener">breathing difficulties</a> during the night. In most cases, we tend to move around quite a lot during the night. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S145777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One study</a> of 664 sleepers found, on average, that participants spent about 54% of their time in bed sleeping on their side, about 37% on their back, and about 7% on their front. Males (especially those aged under 35) tend to be most restless, with <a href="https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S145777" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more</a> position shifts, and arm, thigh, and upper-back movements during the night. This may not be a bad thing, as allowing your body to move during the night is generally a good idea. During sleep, your body will keep track of any pain or discomfort and adjust position accordingly. This is why we usually avoid developing <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15347346221081603" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bedsores</a> (or pressure ulcers) in everyday life. If you find you can’t move because your partner (or dog) is taking up too much room in the bed, consider switching sides or getting a larger bed. And don’t tuck yourself in too tightly; give yourself some room to move around on either side. Being comfortable is key. There is <a href="https://www.oarsijournal.com/article/S1063-4584(19)30543-6/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">no quality research</a> providing clear evidence for an “optimal sleep position”. Your age, weight, environment, activities and whether you’re pregnant, all <a href="https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/15/2/143/2742862" target="_blank" rel="noopener">play a role</a> in which sleep position is best for your body. Ideally, we can find a position that helps us get a good night’s sleep, and one that avoids us waking up in any pain. Even with our chosen position, some layouts are better than others. In one <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0260582" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a>, people who rested in a position where there is a rotation of the spine (such as the unsupported side position), woke up with more pain in the morning. Nonetheless, although some forms of side-sleeping may cause a bit of load on the spine, it appears the side positions, in general, are still better than the <a href="https://nsuworks.nova.edu/ijahsp/vol5/iss1/6/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">other options</a>. <h2>What pillow should I choose?</h2> Choosing the right pillow is vital for a good night’s sleep. A lack of support for the head and neck during sleep has been found to severely impact <a href="https://theconversation.com/whats-a-t7-vertebra-and-what-happens-when-you-injure-it-2-experts-explain-156947" target="_blank" rel="noopener">spine</a> alignment, and cause <a href="https://www.clinbiomech.com/article/S0268-0033(21)00083-8/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">muscle problems</a> such as neck pain, shoulder pain and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqwGTso2Wmc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">muscle stiffness</a>. Promisingly, the pillow <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2021.105353" target="_blank" rel="noopener">material</a> does not appear to affect the spine. Instead, the shape and the height is what matters. A U-shaped pillow may help you have a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0003687015300338" target="_blank" rel="noopener">longer night’s sleep</a>, and a roll-shaped pillow can reduce morning pain and bedtime pain in those suffering from <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9502063/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">chronic pain</a>. Unfortunately, science has not given us an answer on what is the <a href="https://www.oarsijournal.com/article/S1063-4584(19)30543-6/fulltext" target="_blank" rel="noopener">optimal mattress</a>. With everyone sleeping differently, this would be hard to compare over the long term. However, there are bad mattresses. If your bed is sagging, has lost its firmness, develops noisy springs, or shows clear signs of wear and tear, consider changing your mattress. Rotating the mattress can help with its longevity and improve comfort. This should be done <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/mattress-information/should-you-flip-or-rotate-your-mattress" target="_blank" rel="noopener">at least</a> one to two times per year. <h2>Other tips for a restful night’s sleep</h2> Set a cooler room temperature. The ideal temperature for sleep is <a href="https://www.sleepfoundation.org/bedroom-environment/best-temperature-for-sleep" target="_blank" rel="noopener">18.3℃</a> (ranging between 15-19℃); <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5446217/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">higher temperatures</a> can affect sleep. Allow some airflow in the room. Besides bringing nice, fresh air, it also clears away any accumulated heat, keeping us nice and <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00484-007-0120-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cool</a> during the night. Some medications, such as certain types of <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.841181/full" target="_blank" rel="noopener">antihistamines</a>, may make it easier to get to sleep. On the other hand, stimulants such as caffeine can drastically affect the <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27527212/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">quality</a> of your sleep. Finally, be sure not to go to bed with a full bladder, as having to get up at night to <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/nau.24839" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wee</a> can impact sleep. This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-position-should-i-sleep-in-and-is-there-a-right-way-to-sleep-189873" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. Image: Shutterstock

Body

These 13 bizarre facts about dreams might keep you up at night

We all do it Dreaming is a natural brain function, and all human beings do it. But some people never remember their dreams, according to experts. Your dreams have meanings as well. You become sexually aroused Psychologists say that both men and women become sexually aroused while dreaming (even if the dream has no sexual content). Smoking can affect your dreams People who have quit a longtime smoking habit report having very vivid dreams for several weeks after stopping. Time spent dreaming Average amount of time spent dreaming per night: 1.5 to 2 hours. Some people dream during the day as well. Schizophrenics experience ‘waking dreams’ Scientists believe schizophrenics suffer from irregular REM sleep, and that the hallucinations and delusions they experience may actually be ‘waking dreams.’ Nightmares during pregnancy are good Studies show that women who experience nightmares during pregnancy have easier births than women who don’t. Dreams tend to be negative Negative emotions, such as anxiety, are more commonly felt during dreams than positive ones. Joy, mirth, music The Old English word dream, which etymologists believe is the origin of our word dream, meant ‘joy,’ ‘mirth,’ or ‘music.’ The soul is awake The Raramuri people of northern Mexico believe that dreams are the result of one’s soul ‘waking’ or ‘sobering,’ and seeing the world more clearly than usual. (Raramuri families often wake up and discuss their dreams during the night.) The longest dreams happen in the am The longest dreams – up to 45 minutes long – usually occur in the morning. Birds also dream Birds, like humans, experience rapid eye movement (REM) during sleep and show brain wave activity similar to that of humans. This suggests that birds dream. Reptiles also dream Reptiles also experience brain activity during sleep that suggests they too may dream. (Fish do not.) One US president dreamed that he was paralysed For most of his life, US President Lyndon Johnson had nightmares that he was paralysed. Maybe it was hinting at something? Written by Bathroom Readers Institute. This article first appeared in <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/conditions/sleep/these-13-bizarre-facts-about-dreams-might-keep-you-up-at-night" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader’s Digest</a>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestemailsubscribe?utm_source=over60&utm_medium=articles&utm_campaign=RDSUB&keycode=WRA87V" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here’s our best subscription offer.</a> Image: Shutterstock

Mind

Stay the night in King Charles’ most unusual home

Among the 450 people who live in the village of Viscri, Transylvania, one occasional resident is Prince Charles (now the newly crowned King Charles III). In this central Romanian region, you’ll find a cottage belonging to the future King of England, who has a property portfolio spanning London’s Clarence House and Highgrove House in Gloucestershire to a farmhouse in Wales and Dolphin House in the Isles of Sicily. Known as the Prince of Wales’ Guesthouse, the relatively humble abode can be booked by the public, except on the few days a year he stays there himself. Charles purchased the home in 2006, as an extension of his interest in supporting Romanian tourism and traditional practices. One room, dubbed Aunt Ida’s Room, includes a “traditional Transylvanian drawer bed” according to <a href="https://zalan.transylvaniancastle.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">the property’s website</a>, while another, called the Prince’s Room, comes with baroque furniture and textiles, along with a double bed and bathtub. The property includes an additional five bedrooms that vary in size, with all rooms equipped with wardrobes, toiletries, safes, books, umbrellas, and heating through central heating and/or wood-burning ceramic stoves. A night’s stay, including dinner and a drink on arrival, tours, transport, activities and breakfast on the day you depart, will set you back between €157 and €167 ($NZD 257-274), with all proceeds going to the Prince of Wales Foundation in Romania. “The Prince of Wales hopes that his guesthouse will encourage more people to visit Transylvania and in this way promote sustainable development,” the website reads. “We strive to offer affordable, yet financially sustainable holidays in this authentic Transylvanian environment.” The royal has been a frequent visitor to Romania for the past 20 years and set up his foundation in the country to support the preservation of traditional farming and highlight the importance of historic buildings. Images: Getty Images / The Prince of Wales’s Guesthouses in Transylvania (Facebook)

Real Estate

Man slammed for wanting to get "proper night's sleep" away from newborn baby

A mother has sparked outrage online for considering letting her adult son move home in order to "get a proper night's sleep" away from his newborn baby. An anonymous woman based in the UK shared a post to the parenting forum Mumsnet to garner opinions on her dilemma, which was met with overwhelming criticism. She admitted she is not "enamoured with this idea", but explained he wants to "concentrate on going to work". Explaining the situation, the woman wrote, "[My son, 27] and his girlfriend recently had a baby. As you'd expect they are being woken up during the night." "[My son] has asked if he can move back in Monday - Friday so he can get a proper night's sleep so he can concentrate on going to work and do his job effectively." "[My husband] thinks the idea is outrageous and he should just 'get on with it', I feel a bit confused as to why he is even asking." "Surely other new parents don't do this? I get sleep deprivation is hard, but I am not overly enamoured with this idea. But I don't want to be unsupportive either - how would you respond?" The post welcomed a flood of criticism, with many saying her son should be responsible and she should "tell him to grow up". One wrote, "Your husband is right. How would you have felt if he'd left you 5 days a week when your son was a baby?! Have a word with your son and tell him to grow up." Another said, "You say no for the sake of his girlfriend's wellbeing. You could also sit him down and explain this is what everyone else with kids goes through." Someone else explained, "I'd respond that if he abandons his partner with a newborn, it's likely to end his relationship. So, no." Another person agreed, "Wow. How about he thinks of his wife's need to get some sleep too and takes the time to do his share of the night-time care?" Image credits: Getty Images

Family & Pets

PINK sky at night?! Odd reason for unearthly glow over Aussie town

Residents in the northern Victorian town of Mildura experienced an intriguing Wednesday night when the night sky was lit up with an eerie pink glow. “It was very bizarre,” said Tammy Szumowski. “I was on the phone to my mum, and my dad was saying the world was ending.” Though it looked like aliens or a portal to another universe could be behind it, the explanation for the mysterious light is firmly within reality. Pharmaceutical company Cann Group confirmed that the lights originated from its local medicinal cannabis facility, which had left its blackout blinds open. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mildura?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mildura</a> and surrounds were treated to a spectacular sight tonight when a red light appeared in the sky. Was it aliens? An aurora? No, it appears to have been the hydroponic lights from a medicinal cannabis farm reflecting off cloud which is somehow the most Mildura answer ever. <a href="https://t.co/Wfy63tRrng">pic.twitter.com/Wfy63tRrng</a> — Sarah Tomlinson (@sarah_tomlinson) <a href="https://twitter.com/sarah_tomlinson/status/1549381096587964416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2022</a></blockquote> “Cannabis plants require different spectrums of light in order to encourage their growth,” said Rhys Cohen, senior communications manager at Cann Group Ltd. “A red spectrum light is often used. Normally the facility would have blackout blinds that come down at night, and will in the future block that glow.” Dr Anne Webster, the federal member for Mallee, was driving home in the dark when she noticed the pink light. “I thought that is weird. There is no city out there … What is it?” she said. “When I understood the Cann processing site is there – but it still was the first time I’ve seen that pink glow. It was quite strange.” Photos of the lights quickly spread on social media, with ABC Chief of Staff Sarah Tomlinson describing the fact it came from a medical cannabis facility as “somehow the most Mildura answer ever”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Hey <a href="https://twitter.com/JaneBunn?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JaneBunn</a> any reports of this scary but brilliant sky over Mildura tonight ?? <a href="https://t.co/3WZ7FZj1zp">pic.twitter.com/3WZ7FZj1zp</a> — Tim Green (@Tim_Green78) <a href="https://twitter.com/Tim_Green78/status/1549326548502970369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 19, 2022</a></blockquote> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Mildura, Australia: Is it a plane.. an UFO... Superman? Turns out someone forgot to close the blinds at a Cannabis farm. <a href="https://t.co/HaokIwJn2c">pic.twitter.com/HaokIwJn2c</a> — Jürgen "jkr" Kraus (@jkr_on_the_web) <a href="https://twitter.com/jkr_on_the_web/status/1550201444699017216?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2022</a></blockquote> La Trobe University also joined in on the fun, tweeting: “We can neither confirm, nor deny, that the mysterious lights over Mildura were Aurora marijuanis.” The Mildura facility gathered its first commercial harvest of marijuana crops in June, after Cann Group - the first Australian company licensed to grow the crop for medicinal and research purposes - acquired the site in 2019. Dr Webster described it as “quite an exciting site”, though its exact location is a secret and isn’t open to the public due to the nature of its business. “Propagation of cannabis is really interesting and the way they use lights … to increase the growth cycle and speed up the whole process is quite amazing,” she said. “I look forward to many other innovative producers coming to the region and bringing their glows with them.” Image: Twitter

Caring

Stay the night in Dolly Parton’s tour bus

Dolly Parton fans can now enjoy an eye-opening insight into the country music icon’s life, with her ‘Suite 1986’ tour bus available to rent for just $USD 10,000 ($AUD 14,570 or $NZD 16,110) for two nights. The tour bus, which was Parton’s “personal sanctuary” for more than 13 years, comes complete with closets still containing her old wigs and clothes and is described as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” for fans to experience the “ultimate behind-the-scenes Dolly Parton experience”, according to the <a href="https://www.dollywood.com/resort/accommodations/dolly-tour-bus-experience/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>. Now residing permanently at Dollywood’s DreamMore Resort and Spa in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, the bus itself sleeps up to two guests and comes with a guest room in the resort which can fit an additional four people. The package also includes VIP dining for four guests. “Designed by Dolly and her sisters, the motorcoach offers a unique glimpse into Dolly’s life on the road,” the website reads. “Guests will stay in Dolly’s most recent personal sanctuary, a place during the last 15 years where she wrote dozens of songs and worked on a number of hit projects that have continued to confirm her status as an international superstar.” Parton lived on the bus from late 2008 to March 2022, travelling roughly 360,000 around America on her various tours. Her “home away from home” was where she wrote some of her most famous songs, including her albums Backwoods Barbie and Nine to Five the Musical. Having spent so much time on the coach, it’s not surprising that Parton made it more than your standard motorcoach, with various customisations including installing electric doors, a full-size refrigerator, and a spacious bath tub, as well as removing bunk beds to make room for her sprawling closet and wig cabinet. Parton even had hand-painted murals added to the walls, which include depictions of “wayfaring wanderers, wagons and crystall balls” according to the website. “Jewel-toned fabrics and décor blend seamlessly with the overall theming that Dolly envisioned and brought to life.” In line with Parton’s wholesome and giving nature, a portion of profits from every stay will be donated to The Dollywood Foundation, a non-profit foundation that funds scholarships, awards, and other non-profit organisations like Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Images: @dollyparton (Instagram) / Dollywood

Real Estate

“Life is fragile”: Man sparks ire with late night punch

Video footage of a late night fight has seen a UK man become the target of fierce criticism, after he attempted to hit another reveller in the back of the head. The clip of the fight, which seems to have involved several people shows a man in a yellow hoodie bracing himself to throw a punch at the back of another man’s head. But, his chequered-shirt-wearing target bent over to pick something up at the last second, with the man in the yellow hoodie hitting nothing but air before spinning straight to the ground and landing flat on his back. The clip was originally posted on Snapchat and shows a timestamp of 3.36am, though it’s unclear where it was filmed. When it began circulating on other platforms, a Twitter user who shared it posted the clip with the caption, “Got to love Worcester”. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Got to love Worcester ay <a href="https://t.co/pjkG8ByzI3">pic.twitter.com/pjkG8ByzI3</a> — Kurtis (@kurtisjbolton) <a href="https://twitter.com/kurtisjbolton/status/1542924457999831045?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2022</a></blockquote> Other users pointed out how dangerous it could have been if the punch had landed - and how serious the consequences could have been. “These people need to learn why punches to the back of the head (rabbit punches) are illegal in boxing,” one said. “Easily end up on a manslaughter charge behaving like that.” “Lucky he missed. A punch to the back of the head could of ended (sic) the other man’s life,” another wrote. “Made me REALLY angry seeing this, he could have killed him quite easily if connected,” a third commented. “These drunken morons don’t think. Life is fragile.” Images: Twitter

Body

The benefits of a night-long stopover on a long haul flight

When it comes to long-haul flights, there is nothing easy about being stuck in a plane for hours on end. Flying is exhausting, and can impact us in many physical and mental ways. While boarding a plane is undoubtedly exciting as you jet off to begin your holiday, looking at a long flight ahead can also make you dread the air travel. One solution to these long, sleepless hours on a plane is to break up your travel with a night stopover along the way to your destination. Say you’re flying from Australia or New Zealand to somewhere in Europe, taking 24 hours to recharge in Asia can make all the difference. Here are just a few reasons that taking a night stopover on a long haul flight is something you should consider on your next overseas journey. Adjusting to jet lag Flying from one side of the world to the other often means travelling through multiple time zones that can mess up your body clock. Stopping along the way can often help you ease into a new time zone a lot easier, even if the time in your stopover destination is different to your final stop. Taking a few hours off the plane and living in a new time zone often helps beat the jet lag when you arrive at your final destination, making the first days of your holiday a breeze. Giving your body a break Air travel physically affects your body in many different ways. From dehydration, stress on your ears, swelling limbs, and exposing you to germs in the recycled air, the physical toll of flying is no joke. Taking a much needed break from these harsh elements can limit how long these effects hang around for. You are able to rewind these physical effects much quicker with a break in your air travel, meaning you are able to bounce back from the second leg of your trip easier to enjoy your time away. Being able to rest and recharge It's no secret that being able to get good quality sleep on a plane is near impossible. Having a night stopover along your journey means you can get a shower and good nights rest to make the rest of your journey feel like a walk in the park. Breaking up two long-haul flights with a sleep, refresh and good quality meal is sometimes all it takes to make air travel feel much easier. Exploring somewhere new Stopping somewhere along the way to your final destination means you get to explore a new place that you might not have thought of visiting. Experiencing a new culture along the way to your holiday spot is a great way to discover new destinations, even if it’s only for a short while. You could easily fall in love with your stop-over destination and all it has to offer, giving you a reason to start booking your next holiday. Image credits: Getty Images

Travel Tips

Mariah Carey shimmers in her eccentric date-night outfit

Mariah Carey is known for her style and iconic looks, and her latest night on the town has seen her embrace glitter and glam in the name of Pride Month. The Queen of Pop was spotted at a special screening of her friend Billy Eichner’s new film Bros in a black glittery mini dress with ‘Bros’ written across her chest in gold, paired with a rainbow-striped, sequined jacket, diamond stacked bracelets, and Christian Louboutin stilettos. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/06/mariah-pride1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Mariah turned heads with her bedazzled look at a screening of ‘Bros’, accompanied by her partner, Bryan Tanaka. Images: Getty Images Carey attended the event - which she also hosted - with her partner, Bryan Tanaka, who styled a black leather varsity jacket with a white T-shirt and light-wash denim. The film in question is a romantic comedy co-written by and starring Eichner, the first openly gay man to write and star in his own major studio film according to the movie’s <a href="https://www.brosthemovie.com/synopsis/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, which also features an entirely LGBTQ+ principal cast. Later taking to social media, Carey had nothing but praise for her friend's new movie, due to be released on September 30, and shared how it was an honour to celebrate Pride through the screening. “It was an honour to celebrate PRIDE 🌈 & host a special screening of @brosthemovie for LGBTQ+ orgs!” Carey captioned a trio of photos from the night. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfHN3rYq64E/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CfHN3rYq64E/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Mariah Carey (@mariahcarey)</a> </div> </blockquote> “My friend @billyeichner has created something truly special, important and hilarious!!!” Eichner was quick to respond to Carey’s praise, commenting in all caps: “YOU ARE MY RAIN-BRO 4 LYFE!!!!!!!! LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!! 💓🌈🦋”. Fans dubbed the singer “Queen of the gays” and “Queen of Pride”, while others showered her with praise for her outfit. “Love u queen,” one wrote. “Celebrating every moment of pride month with you.” “You look stunning queen,” another said. Image: Getty Images

Beauty & Style

“A night of magic and music”: Julie Andrews enjoys touching ‘Sound of Music’ reunion

Dame Julie Andrews has been awarded one of Hollywood's highest honours - bestowed on one person each year - and had a heart-warming reunion all in the same night. When the acclaimed actress received the American Film Institute's lifetime achievement award in Los Angeles on Thursday, she was surprised with a sweet rendition of 'Do Re Mi' from five of the stars who played the Von Trapp children in The Sound of Music. Andrews went on to join Duane Chase (Kurt), Kym Karath (Gretl), Angela Cartwright (Brigitta), Debbie Turner (Marta), and Nicholas Hammond (Friedrich) in their performance which marked the first time the cast had performed together in over six decades. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> Julie Andrews is surprised by her kids from THE SOUND OF MUSIC and joins them in a sing-a-long of ‘Do-Re-Mi’ to kick off the AFI Life Achievement Award presentation to her — what a beautiful moment! <a href="https://t.co/TZYT7UNPhr">pic.twitter.com/TZYT7UNPhr</a> — Scott Feinberg (@ScottFeinberg) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScottFeinberg/status/1535106725946093568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2022</a></blockquote> Only Charmian Carr, who played eldest sister Liesel and passed away in 2016, and Heather Menzies-Urich, who played Louisa and died in 2017, were missing. Prior to receiving her award, Andrews said she was “gobsmacked” to find her career was being honoured in such a way. “I didn’t know or think that it would ever come,” she said on the red carpet. “But it’s just as well, because you can’t go around expecting awards and things like that.” Fans took to social media to share their delight at Andrews’ award and reunion with her castmates, prompting Karath to share an update on what happened after. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-conversation="none"> Signing our SOM Family Scrapbooks together today, and talking about how magical Julie’s AFI Tribute was last night! <a href="https://twitter.com/thesom7?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@thesom7</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DebbieTurnerDTO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DebbieTurnerDTO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/acstudio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@acstudio</a> <a href="https://t.co/memxYDOR5V">pic.twitter.com/memxYDOR5V</a> — Kym Karath (@KymKarath) <a href="https://twitter.com/KymKarath/status/1535362904928575488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2022</a></blockquote> “Signing our SOM Family Scrapbooks together today, and talking about how magical Julie’s AFI Tribute was last night!” she commented on a video from the performance, sharing a behind-the-scenes look of the five Von Trapps. All five, along with Andrews, also posed for a formal portrait and shared it on social media. “So much fun last night at the 48th AFI Life Achievement Award honouring Julie Andrews,” Cartwright captioned the photo on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CepYeBdFTtc/?igshid=YTgzYjQ4ZTY%3D" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Instagram</a>. “It was great being with my ‘Sound of Music’ siblings once again. A night of magic and music.” Image: @angelacartwrightstudio (Instagram)

Music

LEGO recreates Van Gogh’s iconic Starry Night

Art enthusiasts are now one step closer to owning a genuine Vincent Van Gogh artwork (which generally go for over $20 million at auction), with the next best thing soon to be available. Teaming up with New York’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), LEGO is set to release an official The Starry Night set, which lets customers replicate the Dutch artist’s famous 1889 artwork. The artistic concept was initially pitched by Hong Kong-based PhD candidate Truman Cheng on the LEGO Ideas platform, which garnered considerable online attention. One year later, it's hitting the shelves. “What makes The Starry Night so irresistible is the expressive brushwork and vibrant colours used throughout, which tell the story of humanity’s everlasting dream for better things,” explains Federico Begher, Head of Global Marketing at LEGO. <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CdqQkqhMdWl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/tv/CdqQkqhMdWl/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by LEGO (@lego)</a> </div> </blockquote> “Truman’s design was a masterpiece in itself – showing how many different LEGO elements and techniques could be used to replicate van Gogh’s iconic painting.” “It was a good brain tease to come up with tricks and techniques to capture the look of the original painting,” adds Truman Cheng. “The brushwork goes into many directions in the moon and the swirling cloud, so there was some creative use of bracket and clip elements involved. The Starry Night was originally painted by Van Gogh in 1889, and was inspired by the view from Vincent van Gogh’s window at the Monastery of Saint-Paul de Mausole Asylum in Saint-Rémy, France. The LEGO Starry Night set will be exclusively available to purchase for both LEGO VIP and MoMA members starting from May 25th, while the global release is scheduled a little later on June 1st. The price? $260. Image credits: LEGO

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News

Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Why do I need to get up during the night to wee? Is this normal?

All the reasons you might be having night sweats – and when to see a doctor

How to stay awake after a terrible night’s sleep

What to eat before bed if you want a good night’s sleep

"A night in hospital and a trip to the burns unit later”: Concerned mum's warning against popular fruit

Hot flushes, night sweats, brain fog? Here’s what we know about phytoestrogens for menopausal symptoms

John Travolta’s iconic suit snatches a sweaty sum at auction

Sleepless nights can affect your memory

Here’s how you can bag a night at Bag End

What position should I sleep in, and is there a ‘right’ way to sleep?

These 13 bizarre facts about dreams might keep you up at night

Stay the night in King Charles’ most unusual home

Man slammed for wanting to get "proper night's sleep" away from newborn baby

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Stay the night in Dolly Parton’s tour bus

“Life is fragile”: Man sparks ire with late night punch

The benefits of a night-long stopover on a long haul flight

Mariah Carey shimmers in her eccentric date-night outfit

“A night of magic and music”: Julie Andrews enjoys touching ‘Sound of Music’ reunion

LEGO recreates Van Gogh’s iconic Starry Night

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