FACIAL FOOTPRINT: A spa customer in Krasnoyarsk, Russia, allows a land snail to crawl across her forehead in a skin-regeneration treatment.ILYA NAYMUSHIN/Reuters
SLEEP TO SLIM
Early to bed and early to rise could end up taking inches off your thighs. The Telegraph reports on a new study indicating that women who wake up and go to bed at the same time every day may experience regular weight loss. The study focused on 300 women aged 17 to 26 who were tested for body composition and fitted with a tracker that recorded their movements during the day and their sleep patterns at night. Researchers found that getting less than 6.5 hours or more than 8.5 hours of sleep each night was linked to the accumulation of body fat. "We have these internal clocks," noted professor Bruce Bailey. "And throwing them off and not allowing them to get into a pattern does have an impact on our physiology."
SPOILING DINNER
Attention, foodies: You might want to think twice before you post that next photo of a luscious meal on social media. As reported by The Daily Mail, scientists believe over-sharing of food photography may decrease the pleasure of real meals. A study from Brigham Young University recruited 232 people to rate photos of scrumptious foodstuffs. Half looked at pictures of salty repasts such as chips and fries; the other half perused sweet treats including cake and chocolates. Then both groups were given snacks of salty peanuts, which they were asked to rate in enjoyment terms. Those who had been looking at the salty foods enjoyed the peanuts far less than the other group. "In a way, you're becoming tired of that taste without even eating the food," said BYU professor Ryan Elder.
NOT-SO-GOLDEN ARCHES
The next time you're feeling distracted or impatient, consider the number of fast-food outlets, or billboards promoting them, on your way to work. Salon.com reports on a new University of Toronto study on the link between human impatience and exposure to fast-food logos. The study required subjects to examine a series of photographs, purportedly to rate their suitability for advertising purposes. The photos included generic food shots, food in McDonald's wrappers, and peaceful nature scenes. The nature photos produced the highest happiness scores, but participants who also saw fast-food photos reported being significantly less happy than those who also saw generic food photos. "This reveals that fast food impairs individuals' savouring of pleasant stimuli," the study said.
THOUGHT DU JOUR
It is a great help for a man to be in love with himself. For an actor it is absolutely essential.
Robert Morley, actor (1908-1992)