Blog Posts by Reader s Digest Magazine

How to take the perfect nap.
Whether you think you need daytime rest or not, picking up a nap habit-or continuing to make time for one-is a smart, healthy move. Consider the evidence: The Mayo Clinic says naps promote relaxation, reduced fatigue, better mood and alertness, and a sharper-working mind (better memory, less confusion, fewer mistakes). A 2008 British study found that compared to getting more nighttime sleep or guzzling caffeine, a mid-day nap was the best way to cope with the mid-afternoon slump.

26 Fast Fatigue Fighters

According to the Harvard Health Letter, several studies have shown that people remember new information better when they take a nap shortly after learning it. And, most incredibly, a 2007 study of nearly 24,000 Greek adults in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who napped regularly had a 37 percent reduced risk of dying from heart disease compared to people who didn't nap.


Of course, napping isn't right for everyone. If you're prone to insomnia, naps that are too

11 Things Your Pediatrician Won't Tell YouGo behind the scenes with your child's doctor to see what she is really thinking.

1. Want to avoid the wait? Schedule your appointment for the middle of the week, and ask for the first time slot of the morning or right after lunch.

2. Even though studies show that antibiotics for ear infections are rarely better than watching and waiting for kids over age two, many of us prescribe them anyway. We want to feel like we're doing something. If I prescribe an antibiotic and a few days later your child feels better, I look like a genius.

PLUS: 50 Secrets Your Nurse Won't Tell You

3. Don't ask if I'll take a "quick look" at the sibling who doesn't have an appointment. If your mom went with you to the gynecologist, would you ever say, "Doc, would you mind putting her on the table and giving her a quick look?" Every patient deserves a full evaluation.

4. Sometimes we have less than ten minutes per patient, so make the most of your time and ask about the most pressing problems first. If you

Think before you send.By Chris Anderson (from the Washington Post)

It's barely 8 a.m., and I'm already drowning in e-mail. In the blink of an eye, my day's priorities have been commandeered. And more missives keep pouring in. It's essentially a fire hose of information all day long.

In the not-too-distant past, when you wanted to set up a meeting, ask for help and advice, or simply share something of interest, you would pick up the phone, send a letter, or meet face-to-face. Each involved a certain amount of effort, tact, and planning. Unless you were extremely close friends or in extreme crisis, you'd have been unlikely to barge into someone's house or office and expect, then and there, 20 minutes of thoughtful, focused attention.

But today, communication is friction-free. You can send a message from anywhere in the world, at any time of the day.

How to Survive a Bad Performance Review

I love the power of instant communication to connect us across continents. But the unintended

Delicious, healthy, and fast oatmeal.No time to stand over a pot making a hearty oatmeal breakfast? Skip the instant packets-these four easy techniques let you prep ahead and enjoy delicious oats with minimal fuss during the morning rush.

OVERNIGHT OATS: Breakfast on the Go
Overnight oats are simply old fashioned, rolled oats that have "soaked up" any sort of liquid-usually yogurt, milk, or non-dairy milk-therefore eliminating the need to cook. This cross between a yogurt bowl, smoothie, and oatmeal is great for grabbing on your way out the door, because it's best eaten chilled or at room temperature. No microwave required.

The Recipe: For a single serving, Katherine Younger of katheats.com suggests placing ½ cup rolled oats and about 1 cup liquid (the general favorite is a mixture of yogurt and milk) in a jar, bowl, or container. Add in optional mix-ins like chopped fruit, chia seeds, vanilla extract, and honey and stir. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, your oats will be thick, chewy, and ready

Spring ahead this weekend!

Losing an hour of sleep-blech! Longer, sunnier days-yay! No matter how you feel, 70 to 80 percent of people don't find their health significantly disrupted by the spring Daylight Saving switch, Shyam Subramian, MD, director of the sleep center at University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland told MSNBC.com

For others-especially those who are already sleep-deprived-it can take longer to adjust. In such cases, that seemingly little hour of lost sleep can be a tipping point for an already-wonky body clock, making people feel the fatigue for a week or even longer. More startling: A Swedish study from 2008 reported an uptick in heart attacks during the first week after the spring Daylight Savings switch, possibly due to the body churning out more stress hormones and inflammatory compounds. Research from Stanford University and Johns Hopkins University found that more fatal traffic accidents occurred on the Monday after the spring time change than on Monday in the weeks

Good morning!We all sometimes wish we were that person--you know, the one who pops out bed chipper, energetic, and raring to start the day--instead of remaining groggy and grumpy until thoroughly caffeinated. Of course, we can't all be morning people. But according to psychiatrist and sleep expert Tracey Marks, MD, we can all train ourselves to be more productive in the a.m. Here's how.

Don't stay up past your bedtime: It sounds obvious, but if you want to wake up feeling well rested, you have to get enough sleep. Hitting the sack at a reasonable hour is key, but your sleep schedule matters, too. It's important to go to bed at roughly the same time every night to keep your circadian rhythms in sync. Going to bed when your body feels tired allows you to fully experience the various stages of sleep, and wake up ready for the day.

7 Tips for the Best Sleep Ever

Lighten up: Humans are wired to rise with the sun and sleep when it sets, relatively speaking. If we're not exposed to enough light in the

Cheer Up"The world has never been a better place to live in," says science writer Matt Ridley, "and it will keep on getting better." Today, in a world gripped by global economic crisis and afflicted with poverty, disease, and war, them's fightin' words in some quarters. Ridley's critics have called him a "denialist" and "shameful" and have accused him of "playing fast and loose with the truth" for his views on climate change and the free market.

Yet Ridley, 54, author most recently of The Rational Optimist, sticks to his guns. "It is not insane to believe in a happy future for people and the planet," he says. Ridley, who's been a foreign correspondent, a zoologist, an economist, and a financier, brings a broad perspective to his sunny outlook. "People say I'm bonkers to claim the world will go on getting better, yet I can't stop myself," he says. Read on to see how Ridley makes his case. Brilliant or bonkers? You decide.

1. We're better off now

Compared with 50 years ago, when I was

Is your pilot sleepy?The last thing any traveler wants to imagine is an exhausted pilot at the helm of their plane at 50,000 feet.

However, more than two dozen accidents and over 250 fatalities have been chalked up to pilot fatigue in the past 20 years, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. Recent ABC News investigations showed current and former pilots missed radio calls, entered incorrect readings in instruments, and even fell asleep in mid-flight.

13 Things Your Pilot Won't Tell You

Now, a new National Sleep Foundation survey reveals that overtired pilots, bus drivers, and train operators are not sleeping well-over half of all pilots and train operators say they rarely or never get a good night's rest-and this lack of sleep can cause alarming safety problems. Twenty percent of pilots, 18 percent of train operators, and 14 percent of truck drivers surveyed say they have had a "near miss" on the job because of sleepiness.

New Rules for Safer Skies

The NSF