Study Binge drinking at happy hour can affect sleep and work

Study Binge drinking at happy hour can affect sleep and workStudy Binge drinking at happy hour can affect sleep and workThink happy hours help you unwind after work? Think again. A new study shows how a single binge drinking episode affects the gene that regulates sleep.According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Previous one in six U.S. adults binge drinks at least four times a month. This statistic may include those Friday happy hours youre enjoying with coworkers.Now, new findings from the University of Missouri School of Medicine explain how even a single episode of binge drinking can affect the gene that regulates sleep, leading to sleep disruption in mice. The studys primary author is Mahesh M. Thakkar, Ph.D., Professor, and Director of Research, Dept. of Neurology, University of Missouri School of Medicine.Thakkar isnt saying not to socialize with coworkers but says remain aware of how many drinks youre having.Limit yourself and practice moderation, Thakkar says. u r research suggests that a single episode of binge drinking (five drinks) affects sleep. Thus, moderation or drinking two drinks may have minimal effects on sleep. Also refraining from drinking alcohol on consecutive days will prevent alcohol tolerance development.Binge-drinking can lead to sleep disturbancesTo prove the research, a mouse model was used, and Thakkar monitored the effect of binge drinking on sleep patterns. Thakkar found mice exposed to binge drinking experienced a significant increase in non-rapid eye movement sleep four hours post-binge, followed by increased wakefulness and reduced sleep during subsequent sleep periods. Thakkar also discovered post-binge mice did not experience an increase in a sleep-promoting chemical, adenosine, in the brain nor increased sleep pressure during sleep deprivation. The research also revealed binge alcohol consumption affects the gene that regulates sleep, resulting in sleep disturbances.What we have shown in this research is that a particular gene - which is very important for sleep homeostasis - is altered by just one session of binge drinking, Thakkar said. We were not expecting this. We thought it would be affected after multiple sessions of binge drinking, not one. That tells you that as soon as you consume four drinks, it can alter your genes.In addition to sleep disturbances, Thakker discussed the after-effects of binge drinking.Thakker says binge drinking profoundly impacts job performance. Imagine going to work feeling very sleepy because you did not have good night sleep, adds Thakker. Thinking, decision making even things like driving become difficult.So, the next time theres a work outing with alcohol, limit drinks to two and call it a night.

Recession-Proof Your Career

Recession-Proof Your CareerRecession-Proof Your CareerA road map to resilienceOnce upon a time in the world of work, professionals at all levels could expect to not only keep their position, but move up the ladder based on their dedicated service and eventually retire from the same employer with a good pension. Those days are history. And in fact today quite a different scenario shakes the lives of professionals in all organizational ranks.How do you manage and recession-proof your talents within a global economy wherbeibeie constant technological and (thus) organizational change are commonplace? How do you sustain your career in a work world where theres no job security?Lets take a look at two different approaches to career management that illustrate the answers pretty neatly.Keith was a director at a telecom company who was blindsided when his position was eliminated. Hed noticed that his division wasnt performing as well as in prior years, but concluded the situation was beyond hi s control and adopted a wait and see stance. Keith didnt update his skills - nor did he study for certifications in his field. He also didnt have a clue about other industries where his skills could be applied. When he was laid off, Keith didnt know where to begin.Mary Anne, in sharp contrast to her colleague, continually remained one step ahead of the curve throughout her career. Not only did she heed the early warning signs in the division and study global industry trends, but she actively diversified her personal career portfolio. She continually expanded her skills sets, achieved professional designations, became a recognized expert in her field and carefully maintained her network. She also clearly identified her marketable skills, maintained up-to-date career marketing tools and became knowledgeable of the other industries to which she could transfer her experience.Consequently, Mary Anne is well-positioned and armed with knowledge of her internal and external options, as wel l as tools to launch her search in advance of job loss. Her re-employment efforts were more focused, efficient and successful. Would you rather be looking for work with 15,000 others from your industry or three months in advance?Unfortunately Keith didnt fare so well.In todays ever-changing geschftlicher umgang climate, managing your work life requires vigilance. The basis of successful career management is the process of dealing with continuous change. Nothing can equip you better to manage change than adopting the strategy of exhaustive situational assessment - understanding and awareness of your total environment. Just as its an integral part of every pilots training, you can incorporate this basic principle into your own career management to optimize your career resilience.Think of your career as a business and of yourself as the owner of that small business. Your career, in essence, is the product. Similar to any entrepreneur, you wear a number of hats that range from research and development to marketing and senior management.For example, as RD manager, you diversify your product offerings, develop new or improved versions of your products and identify new applications and uses. As product manager, you need to understand how your product measures up to the competition, what its features and benefits include and how to price it effectively. As marketing director, you must be constantly alert to industry trends within your industry and across others you also need to understand customer needs and market changes over time. As sales manager, you create visibility for your product, introduce it to the marketplace, identify potential buyers and close the deal with customers. Finally, as CEO of your business, youre accountable for overall product quality and effectiveness.Just as any organization needs a business plan, so does your career. It remains in your control to develop a business plan and strategy for effective career management, to articulate your guid ing mission and values and to define your product identity. Through this combination of roles, you build a career that will satisfy and better position you in the marketplace.At the heart of your planning should be the knowledge you acquire of internal trends (your department, division or business unit) and company and external trends (your industry, related industries, and others). Become and remain informed about emerging trends and technology advances both within and outside of your company through research, courses, seminars, professional/industry associations, business publications and other sources.Equally important is to engage in activities that boost your visibility and credibility in your profession - those pursuits that aid you in becoming a known entity in your field or industry. What are some of the avenues that will help you build professional status? They includeIdentifying your talents, expertise and interests as the basis for designing and executing your career vis ion.Developing a strategy and game plan to turn your career vision into a reality, complete with a plan B in the event of unforeseen circumstances.Maintaining a leadership role on committees, special initiatives or as a board member on professional, civic or community organizations that allow you to meet other movers and shakers.Achieving recognition in your area of expertise through speaking engagements at professional meetings, conferences, seminars and other venues attended by those in your industry.Authoring articles or books on business topics and being interviewed by the media in industry publications that are read by recruiters, hiring managers and other executives in your field.Actively developing, expanding and maintaining business relationships and other contacts - keeping in touch periodically.A proactive approach to planning, directing and managing your professional life - in terms of a new position, occupational direction or industry change - is how to recession-proo f your career and avoid being caught unexpectedly in the tides of change without a lifeline.

Law Schools May Be Getting a Trump Bump

Law Schools May Be Getting a Trump BumpLaw Schools May Be Getting a Trump BumpTrump bump. Its fun to say. Its fun to type. Thats probably why people have been using the phrase to describe everything from the bullish markets to the inclusion of one of Trumps lawyers firms in Vaults latest Top 100. But it seems that the decade-long slump in law school admissions may be coming to an end thanks to a Trump bump. (And no, its notlage just because Tiffany Trump just started classes at Georgetown Law).According to LSAC, the organization that administers the LSAT, mora than 27,000 people took the entrance exam in June, a nearly 20% increase from June 2016. Its the largest year-over-year increase since the 1980s and the largest total number of takers since 2010, in the depths of the recession. While there are a number of factors that may help explain this large increase (a slight shift in the testing calendar, the removal of a cap on exam attempts), the bump is especially impressive in light o f several law schools indicating that theyll now accept GRE scores in place of LSAT scores. Which led many to speculate that the increase in LSAT takers may be related the new presidential administration. LSAC president Kelleye Testy said last month, I think people are starting to understand again the necessity for the rule of law. Our current political climate has demonstrated that.And while several media outlets were asking if this was a Trump bump, one LSAT prep company decided to find out. Blueprint LSAT Preparation surveyed more than 500 of their 2017 LSAT students and asked them, Why do you want to become a lawyer? Of six possible choices, 24% of respondents ranked the current political climate/ Trump administration as the most important factor in their decision. And in response to a separate question, more than 52% of respondents said the Trump presidency was at least moderately influential to their decision to apply to law school. The survey also found that recent events suc h as the Charlottesville protests were at least moderately influential to the decision of what type of law to study to more than 52% of respondents.So it looks like the big spike in LSAT takers may be stemming from the fabled Trump bump. Fortunately, law schools seem to be responding, with professors retooling their con law syllabi to address Trump-specific issues.You can view the full survey results here.Follow me on TwitterVaultLawand follow Vault on InstagramVaultCareersandFacebook