BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Most sleep advice is about duration or routine: go to bed at the same time, put the phone down, get eight hours. Much less attention goes to what your body is physically doing for those eight hours. Depending on how you sleep, your brain may be clearing waste products more or less efficiently, your heart may be working harder or easier, and your spine may be in a neutral position or slowly accumulating strain. The research is more specific than most people realize. “Everyone has an idea of what a good sleep position may be, whether it’s sleeping on your left side, right side, back, belly, or even upside down,” says Dr. John Saito, a representative for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. “But it all depends on the context.” Back sleeping is good, with one significant exception Back sleeping, with a pillow that keeps the neck and spine in a neutral position, lets the airway stay open and breathing stay easy. For most adults, it’s a reasonable starting point. For people with sleep apnea, though, it can be actively harmful. Sleep apnea is a condition in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep, usually because the throat muscles relax and block the upper airway. “If the tongue falls to the back of your throat when you’re lying on your back, that’s bad,” Saito says. For babies, back sleeping works in the opposite direction: pediatricians recommend it specifically to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome, which is why “back to sleep” became a major public health message starting in the 1990s. Left side and right side do different things Side sleeping is broadly well-supported, but left and right aren’t interchangeable. “If you’re lying on your right side, it might be better for blood flow,” Saito says, along with lower pressure on the heart. This happens because the mediastinum, the compartment between the lungs that holds the heart in place, exerts less gravitational pull on the heart when you’re on your right. Left-side sleeping has a different advantage: it appears to support the brain’s glymphatic system more effectively. The glymphatic system is the brain’s waste-clearance network, most active during sleep, that flushes out harmful metabolic byproducts, including proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Research on how position influences that process is still developing, but early findings are promising. “If you’re lying on your left side, it may actually be better for clearing the waste product in our brain,” Saito says. How you position your body on your side also matters. Sleeping with your body relatively straight helps keep the spine aligned. Curling into a fetal position can ease lower back pain, though going fully curled can compress the diaphragm and make breathing shallower. How to figure out which position works for you Rather than recommending one position for everyone, Saito uses the ABCs of respiratory therapy as a practical guide: airway, breathing, and circulation. The idea is to identify which factor is most relevant for you, then find the position that best supports it. If you deal with sleep apnea, allergies, or chronic congestion, the priority is keeping the airway clear. “If you can’t breathe because you have sleep apnea or you have allergies and a stuffy nose, you want to find the best position that keeps your airway open,” Saito says. If back pain is the primary issue, the spine-alignment logic matters more than the airway logic. “Ask someone who’s dealing with back pain to sleep on their back and they’re going to curse you,” Saito says, “because even though they’re breathing better, their bones and joints are hurting terribly.” Small adjustments that help any position A few targeted changes make a difference regardless of preference. Side sleepers can place a pillow between their knees to bring the hips, neck, and head into better alignment. Back sleepers benefit from a pillow under the knees to reduce lower back strain. Stomach sleepers, who put the most stress on the neck and spine, can try a thin pillow under the hips to ease some of that pressure. Choosing a mattress that supports the natural curve of the spine ties everything together. On movement: it’s normal. “There’s nobody that sleeps like a log and doesn’t move,” Saito says. Shifting through the night is natural repositioning, not a problem. The concern is excessive movement driven by discomfort. “Just like in anything, a little bit is OK, but too much means you’re outside of the spectrum of normal.” “There’s no one best sleeping position,” Saito says. The goal is finding a position that keeps breathing easy, supports the spine, and lets the body stay asleep. For most people, that answer is shaped by their specific health picture, and the best place to start is with whichever position consistently delivers the most rest.     Did this solution stand out? Share it with a friend or support our mission by becoming an Emissary.The post The surprising science of sleep positions, explained by a sleep doctor first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM After a severe wildfire, the first visible signs of life returning are often flowers or birds. What you cannot see is what arrives even earlier. Within weeks of a blaze, tiny fungal fruiting bodies push through scorched soil and release spores, briefly carpeting otherwise-bare ground in splashes of ocher, mauve, pink, and orange. These are pyrophilous fungi, from the Greek for “fire-loving,” and researchers are beginning to understand what they are actually doing, and why it matters for everything that comes after. “They really seem like the first responders,” says Monika Fischer, a mycologist at the University of British Columbia. “They’re the things that are growing the most rapidly first.” What a severe wildfire does to soil High-intensity wildfires can reach temperatures over 1,000 degrees Celsius (1,832 degrees Fahrenheit). At those temperatures, the top layer of soil and any organisms living in it essentially burn away, leaving behind what scientists call pyrolyzed organic material, a mix of soot and charcoal that is almost entirely carbon. The problem is that the carbon atoms in this material form fused rings, creating dense, complicated clumps. “Very few microbes, or very few organisms, could just take that in to try to eat it,” says Matt Traxler, a microbiologist at the University of California, Berkeley. Pyrolyzed material also contains toxic compounds called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. On top of that, burned soil develops a water-resistant, waxy coating that prevents moisture from seeping into the ground, leaving the land prone to landslides and making the soil dry and crumbly, making it difficult for seeds to take hold. How fire fungi solve the problem Pyrophilous fungi appear to have evolved specifically to function in this inhospitable terrain. In laboratory experiments, Fischer and Traxler showed that one well-studied post-fire species, Pyronema domesticum, can grow even when burnt soil is the only available carbon source. When placed in pyrolyzed material, the fungus switches on genes that produce enzymes to break down the charred matter, converting it into a more accessible form that other organisms can use. “They’re sort of jump-starting that nutrient cycling,” Fischer says. A recent study from the University of California, Riverside, found that other pyrophilous species also carry the key genes for digesting charcoal. Beyond the chemistry, fire fungi appear to help repair the physical structure of the soil. Following the 2016 wildfires in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, mycologist Karen Hughes of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and her collaborators found networks of mycelial mats across the burned landscape, tangled webs of fine, root-like structures that fungi use to absorb water and nutrients. Those mats help stabilize soil that has been destabilized by fire. Similar formations have been observed after wildfires in the Pacific Northwest and in southeastern Australia. Why this research is gaining urgency As wildfires grow more severe and more frequent, the role of fire fungi is getting more attention. Fischer believes these organisms, and the mycelial mats they build, likely play a significant part in helping seeds germinate after a fire. Traxler says scientists are still working out how early differences in fungal communities shape the pace and diversity of long-term recovery. There is a great deal still to learn. With an estimated five million species of fungi on Earth, Hughes acknowledges there is “a ton of stuff we don’t know.” But the current research is building toward something practical. Fischer says a better understanding of fire fungi could give ecologists and land managers a toolkit to actively support post-fire regeneration: not just waiting for recovery to happen, but knowing which organisms to encourage and when. The work of ecological recovery begins long before the first wildflower appears. It starts underground, in the microscopic chemistry of charcoal being broken apart by organisms most people have never heard of. Small, colorful cups pushing through ash are easy to overlook. But researchers are now making the case that the plants and animals that eventually return are only able to do so because the fungi arrived first and made the soil ready for them.     Did this solution stand out? Share it with a friend or support our mission by becoming an Emissary.The post Are fire-loving fungi mother nature’s first responders after wildfires? first appeared on The Optimist Daily: Making Solutions the News.

Why is it that certain people are incredibly likable? One of the biggest reasons is that they know how to make others feel good about themselves. This may seem selfish, but in a world where so many seem to think only of themselves, it feels great to spend time with people who are genuinely interested in us. One of the best ways to tell someone is interested in us and enjoys our company is if they genuinely laugh and smile when we’re together. When we laugh and smile together, we’re a lot more likable than if we seem distant and indifferent. In fact, Vanessa Van Edwards, communications expert and author of Captivate: The Science of Succeeding with People, says that when you are generous with your smiles and laughter, people will like you even more. How to be more likable “Be an easy laugher and an easy smiler,” she said in an Instagram video while looking unimpressed. “Don’t be too cool to laugh or smile. An easy laugher and easy smile means you’re always looking for an opportunity to smile. If someone shares good news, don’t say, ‘Oh yeah, that’s great news.’” View this post on Instagram “Make sure that you actually smile and actually laugh. Smiles are contagious,” Van Edwards continued. “Research has proven that when we see someone with an authentic smile, it makes us feel happier, too. So, try to look for opportunities to laugh or smile in conversation at someone else’s story, someone else’s joke, or just when something makes you feel good. They are contagious.” How to have a genuine smile Van Edwards notes that our smiles should read as genuine, or they’ll have the opposite effect. “Only real smiles are contagious,” she said. “In other words, if you look at a picture of someone with a fake smile, you feel nothing afterward.” The key to a genuine smile is that you can see it around the eyes. If you covered a smiling mouth with a 3” x 5” card and couldn’t tell someone was smiling from the eye area, it wouldn’t be seen as genuine. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vanessa Van Edwards (@vvanedwards) According to Van Edwards, back in our “caveman” days, if someone approached the village and flashed a smile from 300 feet away, we’d know whether they were friendly. So it was important for a smile to be large enough to be seen from a distance. “If you can’t see a real smile on the top half of the face, it’s not a real smile,” Van Edwards said. Laughter also makes people feel great because it’s believed we evolved this behavior to signal that a person or situation is safe. It releases endorphins, which reduce stress and help people feel connected. No wonder people feel great when they laugh together. A big smile and a hearty laugh are obvious signifiers that someone is engaged in an interaction. However, some people may feel uncomfortable expressing themselves through over-the-top smiles or laughter for cultural reasons. There are still many ways to express warmth and interest through body language, such as leaning forward in a conversation, using a “triple nod” to encourage the speaker, or mirroring their posture and tone. Ultimately, it’s common for people to think that if they want others to like them, they have to be impressive. However, the truth is that people just want to know you’re interested in them. So before you head to your next party, instead of thinking about the amazing stories you’re going to tell to the new people you’ll meet, just remember to give a big smile and hearty guffaw at their jokes. That will make you more likable than the greatest anecdote you could ever tell.  The post Expert shares the one small habit that makes you instantly likable appeared first on Upworthy.

During his shift as a pizza delivery driver for Domino’s Pizza, Dan Simpson noticed the order included a two-liter bottle of Diet Coke, but the shop was out. Instead of canceling that part of the order, he went to a nearby convenience store to buy the soda. “It took about three minutes,” he told the Idaho Statesman. Those three minutes earned him a “tip” that now totals more than $24,000. @katey_93 When Domino’s is out of Diet Coke, but your delivery driver stops at the store to get it for you. Dan, you went above and beyond tonight, thank you!The world needs more Dans. Happy almost retirement! #dominos #fyp ♬ original sound – Katey Ann Caught on a Ring camera, Simpson presented the pizza and store-bought sodas to the grateful customer, who was astonished he had gone out of his way to get the Diet Coke. The customer was appreciative but upset they didn’t have any extra cash to add to Simpson’s tip. Simpson, however, was happy to have done a good deed and receive the tip he’d already earned, sharing that he had been delivering pizzas as a second job for 14 years and was just 26 days from retirement. Simpson’s small gesture goes viral The Ring camera footage was posted online, and commenters remarked on Simpson’s kindness: “This is old school respect and going beyond duty.” “As a loyal Diet Coke drinker, this would mean everything to me.” “I am going to screammmmmmn, I love him. ” “This literally made me cry. He’s so sweet. ” “He is a Pawpaw. I know it. This is something my Daddy would do. ” “He’s overjoyed about $6.60 That’s so humble but it makes me sad for some reason. Probably because he deserves the WORLD with a soul like his. ” “GET DAN’S INFO!!!! He retired already and is still working! He deserves to retire! And I’m willing to pitch in for his retirement!!!” Everyone wanted to “tip” him Commenters and the customer agreed that Simpson’s $6.60 tip wasn’t enough. Not only did the customer send him a retirement card with $50 inside, but a GoFundMe was also started to contribute to his retirement. Within a couple of days, Simpson’s additional GoFundMe “tip” reached more than $24,000 and is still growing as of this writing. Commenters cheered on and praised the donations as they came in: “As someone that has worked with Dan for years, he is so deserving of this. He would always stay late and take extra deliveries when we were super busy even though he started his first job at 5am and had to be back at 5am the next day.” “Just donated! Happy retirement Dan!” “An example of how being a decent human goes a long way. One kind gesture turned into a 5k tip!! Kind gestures are so rare that the masses want to gift those who do nice things.” The customer who posted the Ring camera footage on TikTok later gave commenters an update: “We dropped off a retirement card & an additional cash tip to the Domino’s Dan works at. In the card we wrote him a letter that explained how we put him on TikTok and that the internet fell in love with him. Dan gave us a call this afternoon and thanked us for the card, additional tip, and for TikTok’s donations to the GoFundMe. When we were talking with Dan, it had just reached $900! He was literally speechless and so humble. Dan doesn’t do technology, but he’s very thankful for all the support. We’ll keep ya’ll updated! Let’s see how far we can get this to go for Dan, he deserves it!” Simpson was shocked and humbled by the gesture, especially since he believes in doing the right thing for its own sake. “I know what it’s like to be down and out,” said Simpson. “So when I see people who are hurting, I try to help them.” What Simpson did proves that even the smallest gestures, like getting a soda, can make a big impact on people. The post Retiring Domino’s driver goes out of his way to get missing soda. His ‘tip’ is now over $24,000. appeared first on Upworthy.

Science lovers got a treat recently when new research on sperm whales was quietly released. Researchers not only witnessed the birth of a baby sperm whale, but also saw elder females, including the grandmother, acting as midwives. Very few species assist with birth outside of humans, but it seems sperm whales can now join that short list. Project CETI (Cetacean Translation Initiative) released two studies on sperm whales in journals Nature and Science respectively. Nature covers the different vocalizations of the whales during this teamwork process, while Science discusses the collaborative birthing approach by the whales. A sperm whale. Photo credit: Canva The sperm whale’s birth was first captured via drone in July 2023. Now that the video has made its way to social media, viewers cannot get over witnessing the whales act as midwives. Typically, scientists don’t get to witness sperm whales’ behavior during birth, likely because they give birth far from shore and avoid boats during this vulnerable process. With the increasing use of drones, however, scientists can now capture moments like this without disrupting wildlife. In the video, other whales—one identified as the grandmother—surround the birthing whale, named Rounder. Not all of the supporting whales were from the same pod as the mother, but they joined to help ensure the calf’s safe arrival. Because whales are mammals, they can’t breathe underwater. For this reason, baby whales, also known as calves, are born tail-first. Like other mammals, newborn whales instinctively try to breathe, so exiting the birth canal headfirst could result in drowning, according to National Geographic. Scientists have been following this pod for a while, so they’re familiar with the whales in the family. As they watched the drone footage from the boat, they were able to identify who was present. Still, the sight of this unique birthing circle shocked the scientists. A sperm whale near the water’s surface. Photo credit: Canva While birthing her calf, Rounder was flanked by her sister, Accra, and Atwood, an elder female. Behind the mom-to-be was her mother, Lady Oracle, her aunt Aurora, a juvenile whale named Ariel, and four other unknown female whales. The whales had dual roles: when the calf was born, the assisting whales formed a tight cluster and raised the baby out of the water so it could breathe. They took turns holding the calf out of the water for three hours. During that time, the females that were not actively lifting the calf to the surface were fending off nosy animals. Once the baby was safe and swimming alongside its mother, the other whales began to depart. View this post on Instagram One of the scientists, Shane Gero, told National Geographic, “All the biologists on the boat were losing their minds.” The same could be said for people coming across the video online. One person wrote, “Women supporting women! Bring it on!” Another person called out humans, saying, “I think they lied , who said survival of the fittest or only the strong survive. Everything in nature is about collective care. Even other animal species be helping each other. Also even when its predators they only take what they need.” This commenter admired the teamwork, writing, “I love how whales put so much energy into each other, but it’s even more exciting that members outside of the family pod were being so helpful. I’m invested!” “This is so frigging cool,” another person gushed. “I love how nature really wants nature to succeed. Absolutely 100% lit. Thanks for this!” The post Elder female sperm whales seen acting as midwives in historic new video appeared first on Upworthy.