4 Things to Avoid for a Good Night’s Sleep

Good sleep can mean the difference between crazy and sane the next day… Between crying between meetings at work or lashing out at your husband over laundry and a semi-functional person who can fake it enough to keep her marriage and her job intact.

It's one of the members of my holy trinity of good mental health (along with a good diet and regular exercise).

Over the ages, sleep and depression have proved to have a dysfunctional, angry relationship.

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Specific brain regions can be trained by means of video games

Video gaming causes increases in the brain regions responsible for spatial orientation, memory formation and strategic planning as well as fine motor skills. This has been shown in a new study conducted at the Max Planck Institute for Human Development and Charite University Medicine St. Hedwig-Krankenhaus. The positive effects of video gaming may also prove relevant in therapeutic interventions targeting psychiatric disorders.

In order to investigate how video games affect the brain, scientists in Berlin have asked adults to play the video game "Super Mario 64" over a period of two months for 30 minutes a day. A control group did not play video games. Brain volume was quantified using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In comparison to the control group the video gaming group showed increases of grey matter, in which the cell bodies of the nerve cells of the brain are situated.

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The Mysteries of Sleep Explained

We know we need it. If we don't get it, we're cranky, have trouble concentrating, tend to overeat and are more likely to make mistakes.  Yet, with the crush of demanding schedules, bad habits, or sleep disturbances, we don't always get enough.

So what is happening during those precious hours when we're asleep?  Is it really a time of restoration for our brains?  And is it possible that it's more than that?

What happens in our brains while we're asleep is a question neuroscientist Penelope Lewis is trying to answer.

Lewis directs the Sleep and Memory Lab at the University of Manchester in England. In her new book, The Secret World of Sleep: The Surprising Science of the Mind at Rest, she discusses how sleep makes memory stronger, provides what she terms "spring cleaning" for the brain, and plays a role in depression.

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What Parents Need to Know about Childhood Depression

One of the biggest myths about childhood depression (also known as pediatric depression) is that it doesn't exist.

However, depression is a real illness that affects both adults and kids. In fact, kids as young as 3 years old can have depression.

Depression can even affect babies, who tend to exhibit symptoms such as unresponsiveness, lethargy, inconsolable crying and feeding problems, writes Deborah Serani, PsyD, a clinical psychologist who specializes in mood disorders, in her new book Depression and Your Child: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers.

Below, she revealed what pediatric depression looks like, along with what you can do if you spot these signs.

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Psychology (playlist)

Self-Sabotage When You Can't Sleep

It's 3 a.m. and I'm awake. Ordinarily I'd be asleep but right now I'm awake and I don't like it. Strangely this happens at least once every couple of weeks for me. I just wake up early. No real rhyme or reason, it just happens.

At one time in my life, this used to bug me. I would look at the clock and think, "oh no, I must get back to sleep or I'll be so tired in the morning." And then I'd spend the next hour or two willing myself to go back to sleep: tossing and turning, demanding that I slip back into unconsciousness; huffing and puffing that I wasn't sleeping. I'd even check the clock every 10 minutes to see if I'd slept.

But the reality was, and still is, the more that I demand something of myself, the less likely I am to achieve that goal — and that really is the principle of living an unhappy life.

Sure I want to go back to sleep. I would even really, really, really, prefer to be sleeping right now, but I'm not. So, instead of lying there, beating myself up for waking when I "absolutely shouldn't have," I get up. I grab a drink, get something to eat and power up my laptop.

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Five Ways To Turn Fear Into Fuel

Uncertainty. It's a terrifying word.

Living with it, dangling over your head like the sword of Damocles, day in day out, is enough to send anyone spiraling into a state of anxiety, fear and paralysis.

Like it or not, though, uncertainty is the new normal. We live in a time where the world is in a state of constant, long-term flux. And, that's not all. If you want to spend your time on the planet not just getting-by, but consistently creating art, experiences, businesses and lives that truly matter, you'll need to proactively seek out, invite and even deliberately amplify uncertainty. Because the other side of uncertainty is opportunity.

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Changing Your Brain By Changing Your Mind

When it comes to managing stress, the Eastern traditions may be especially effective. The Western health model is based on diagnosing the underlying cause of a problem and then finding an active medical or behavioral intervention to remove it. People with chronic illness are often urged to "stay strong," or to have "a fighting spirit." Eastern medicine has a more holistic view of disease as indicating a lack of balance or an energy blockage. The solution is to bring the body and mind back into balance using gentle, noninvasive techniques such as herbs, manipulative techniques, movement, or meditation.

How the Brain Processes Emotion

Our lower brain centers, such as the amygdala or hypothalamus, were made to detect and respond to threats, such as a tiger about to eat us. They generate an immediate "fight ot flight" response to increase the odds of survival, but they can become hypersensitive, interfering with our ability to experience the present moment in an open and relaxed way. Daily meditation practice can help to correct this imbalance and allow us to retrain our minds so we are less likely to overreact with intense anger or fear to psychological threats, such as rejection. Being less chronically stressed can also help our immune systems function more efficiently to fight off disease.

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Collective Consciousness

Introduction

Have you ever experienced a time when the collective enthusiasm of a large event seemed to rise to such a peak that you could almost feel a crackle in the air? Or felt a haunting sense in the air while visiting a place that caused sadness or suffering for thousands of people? 

Provocative evidence suggests that there are significant departures from chance expectation in the outputs of random number generators (electronic devices that produce truly random bits, or sequences of zeros and ones) during times of collective upheaval, global crises and major celebrations.

This year, the Institute of Noetic Sciences, along with several collaborators, conducted an exploratory experiment at Black Rock City, the temporary city created each year in the Nevada desert for the festival known as Burning Man. Burning Man is a week-long event that attracts upwards of 50,000 people. It is unique in its concentrated intensity, isolation, and collective intention, culminating with the burning of a large man-shaped effigy at the center of Black Rock City on Saturday night. See this article in the Atlantic magazine to get a feeling for the event, or these pictures in Rolling Stone magazine.

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Kings of Sri Lanka

King / Queen	Ruling Period	Year	Capital
Vijaya married Kuveni	38 Years	543 - 505 BC	Thammanna Nuwara
Upathissa	01 Year	505 - 504 BC	Upathissa Nuwara
Panduwas Dev	30 Years	504 -474 BC	Upathissa Nuwara
Abhaya	20 Years	474 - 454 BC	Upathissa Nuwara
Pandukabhaya	70 Years	437 - 367 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Mutasiwa	60 Years	367 - 307 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Devanampiyathissa	40 Years	307 - 267 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Uththiya	10 Years	267 - 257 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Mahasiwa	10 Years	257 - 247 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Surathissa	10 Years	247 - 237 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Sena & Guththika	22 Years	237 - 215 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Asela	10 Years	215 - 205 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Elara	44 Years	205 - 161 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Dutugemunu	24 Years	161 - 137 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Saddhathissa	18 Years	137 - 119 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Thullaththana	01 Month	119-- BC	Anuradhapuraya
Lajjithissa	09 Years & 08 Month	119 - 109 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Kallathanaga	06 Years	109 - 103 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Wattagamini Abhaya ( Walagamba )	05 Month- ( 1st rulling time )	103 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Walagamba	12- Years ( 2nd rulling time )	89 - 76 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Pualahattha	03 Years	103 - 100 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Bhahiya	02 Years	100 - 98 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Panayamara	07 Years	98 - 91 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Piliyamara	07 Month	91 - 90 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Dhatiya	02 Years	90 - 89 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Mahasilu Mahathissa	14 Years	76 -- 62 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Choranaga	12 Years	62 - 50 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Thissa ( Kuda Thissa )	03 Years	50 - 47 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Anula & Her Husbands-- 1 st Woman to lead	04 Years & 03 Month	47 - 42 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Kutakannathissa	22 Years	42 - 20 BC	Anuradhapuraya
Bhathiya , Bhathika Abhaya, Bhathiya Thissa	28 Years	20 BC - 09 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Mahadeliya Mahanaga	12 Years	09 - 21 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Amanda Gamini	09 Years-	21 - 30 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Kanirajanuthissa	03 Years	30 - 33 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Chulabhaya	02 Years	33 - 35 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Queen Seewali	04 Month	35 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Eylanaga	09- Years	35 - 44 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Chandramukhaseewa	08 Years	44 - 52 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Yasalalakathissa	07 Years & 08 Month	52 - 60 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Subharaja	06 Years	60 - 66 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Wasabha	44 Years	66 - 110 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Wankanasikathissa	03 Years	110 - 113 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Gajaba - I	22 Years	113 - 135 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Mahallakhanagha	06 Years	135 - 141 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Bhathiya Thissa - II	24 Years	141 - 165 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Kanitthathissa	28 Years	165 - 193 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Chulanaga ( Kujjanaga )	02 Years	193 - 195 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Kunchanaga	01 Years	195 - 196 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Sirinaga	19 Years	196 - 215 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Voharikathissa	22 Years	215 - 236 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Abhayanaga	08 Years	236 - 244 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Sirinaga - II	08 Years	244 - 246 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Vijayakumara	01 Year	246 - 247 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Sangathissa	04 Years	247 - 251 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Sirisangabhodhi ( Sirisagabo )	02 Years	251 - 253 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Ghotabhaya	13 Years	253 - 266 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Detuthis - I ( Jettathissa )	10 Years-	266 - 276 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Mahasen	27 Years	276 - 303 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Sirimewan	28 Years	303 - 331 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Detuthissa - II	09 Years	331 - 340 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Buddhadasa	29 Years	340 - 369 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Upathissa - I	42 Years	369 - 410 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Mahanama	22 Years	410 - 432 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Soththisena	01 Day	432 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Chaththagrahaka	01 Year	432 - 433 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Miththasena	01 Years	433 - 434 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Pandu		434 - 459 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Parinda		434 - 459 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Kudaparinda		434 - 459 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Thirithara		434 - 459 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Dhatiya		434 - 459 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Phitiya	Total 27 years	434 - 459 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Dhatusena	18 Years	459 - 477 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Kashayapa	18 Years	477 - 495 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Mugalan -- I	18 Years	495 - 512 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Kumaradasa ( Kumara Dhathusena )	09 Years	512 - 521 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Keerthisena	09 Month	521 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Siwa	25 Days	521 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Upathissa - II	01 Year	521 - 522 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Silakala	13 Years	522 - 535 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Dathappabhuthi ( Dhapuphasen )	06 Month	535 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Mugalan -- III	20 Years	535 - 555 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Kithsirimewan- ( Keerthi Sri Megawarna )	19 Years	555 - 573 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Mahanaga	03 years	573- -575 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Agbo - I ( Agrabhodhi )	34 Years	575 - 608 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Agbo - III	10 Years	608 - 618 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Sangathissa	02 Month	618 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Mugalan - III	05 Years	618 - 623 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Asigrahaka ( Shilamegawarna )	09 Years	623 - 632 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Agbo - III	06 Month ( 1st rulling time)	632 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Jetthathissa ( Detuthissa )- - III	05 Month	632 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Agbo- - III	16 Years- ( 2nd rulling time )	632 - 648 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Dathasiwa - I	02 Years	648 - 650 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Kashayapa -- II	09 years	650 - 659 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Dappula - I	03 Years	659 - 662 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Haththadatha ( Dhatopathissa - II )	09 Years	659 - 667 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Agbo - IV ( Aggabhodhi )	16 Years	667 - 683 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Daththa	02 Years	683 - 684 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Haththadatha-	06 Month	684 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Manawamma	35 Years	684 - 719 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Agbo - V	06 Years	719 - 725 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Kashshapa - III	06 Years	725 - 731 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Mahinda - I-- ( Mihindu )	03 Years	731- 733 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Agbo- - VI	40 Years	733 - 722 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Agbo - VII	06 Years	772 - 718 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Mihindu - II	20 Years		Anuradhapuraya
Dappula -II ( Udaya - I )	05 Years	797 - 802 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Mihindi - III	03 Years	802 - 805 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Agbo - VIII	11 Years	805 - 816 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Dappula - III	16 Years	816 - 831 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Agbo - IX	02 Years	831 - 833 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Sena - I	20 Years	833 - 853 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Sena - II	35 Years	853 - 887 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Udaya - II	11 Years	887 - 898 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Kashshapa- - IV	17 Years	898 - 915 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Kashshapa- - V	09 Years	915 - 924 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Dappula - IV	07 Month	924 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Dappula - V	12 Years	924 - 935 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Udaya - II	03 Years	935 - 938 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Sena - III	08 Years	938 - 946 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Udaya - III	06 Years	946 - 952 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Sena - IV	03 Years	952 - 955 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Mihindu - IV	16 Years	955 - 972 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Sena - V	10 Years	972 - 982 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Mihindu - V	36 Years	982 - 1018 AC	Anuradhapuraya
Vijayabahu - I	55 Years	1055 - 1110 AC	Polonnaruwa
Jayabahu - I	01 Year	1110 AC	Polonnaruwa
Vickramabahu	21 Years	1110 - 1131 AC	Polonnaruwa
Gajaba - II	22 Years	1131 - 1153 AC	Polonnaruwa
Maha Parakramabahu - I	33 Years Picture below	1153 - 1186 AC	Polonnaruwa
Vijayabahu - II	01 Year	1186 - 1187 AC	Polonnaruwa
Mihindu ( mahinda ) - IV	05 Days	117 AC	Polonnaruwa
Nishshankamalla	09 Years Picture below	1187 - 1196 AC	Polonnaruwa	**1
Veerabahu - I	01 Day	1196 AC	Polonnaruwa
Vickramabahu - II	03 Month	1196 AC	Polonnaruwa
Chidaganga	09 Month	1196 - 1197 AC	Polonnaruwa
Leelawathi	03 Years ( 1st rulling time )	1197 - 1200 AC	Polonnaruwa
Leelawathi	01 Year ( 2nd rulling time )	1210 AC	Polonnaruwa
Leelawathi	07 Month ( 3rd rulling time )	1212 AC	Polonnaruwa
Sahasamalla	02 Years	1200- - 1202 Ac	Polonnaruwa
Kalyanawati	08 Years	1202 - 1210 AC	Polonnaruwa
Darmshoka	01 Year	1210 AC	Polonnaruwa
Anikanga	17 days	1210 AC	Polonnaruwa
Lokeshwara	09 Month	1211 AC	Polonnaruwa
Parakramapandu	03 Years	1212 - 1215 AC	Polonnaruwa
Kalinga- Maga	21 Years	1215 - 1236 AC	Polonnaruwa
Vijayabahi - III	04 Years	1220- 1224 AC	Dambadeniya
Parakramabahu - II	35 Years	1234 -1269 AC	Dambadeniya
Vijayabahu - IV	03 Years	1267 - 1270 Ac	Dambadeniya
Buvanekabahu - I	12 Years	1270 -1283 AC	Dambadeniya & Yapahuwa
Parakramabahu - III	06 Years	1287 - 1293 AC	Polonnaruwa
Buwanekabahu - II	09 Years	1293 - 1302 AC	Kurunegala
Panditha Parakramabahu - IV	24 Years	1302 - 1326 AC	Kurunegala
Buwanekabahu - III			Kurunegala
Vijayabahu - V			Kurunegala
Buvanekabahu - IV	12 Years	1341 - 1353 AC	Gampola
Parakramabahu - V	15 Years	1344 - 1359	Dedigama & Gampola
Vickramabahu - III	17 Years	1357 - 1374 AC	Gampola
Buvanekabahu - V	37 Years	1372 - 1408 AC	Gampola
Veerabahu - II	05 Years	1392 - 1397 AC	Raigama
Veeraalakeshvara	12 Years	1397 - 1410 Ac	Raigama
Parakramabahu - VI ( 1 st King in Kotte)-157 th King	55 Years	1412 - 1467 AC	Kotte
Jayabahu - II	05 Years	1467 - 1472 AC	Kotte
Buvanekabahu - VI	09 Years	1472 - 1480 AC	Kotte
Parakramabahu - VII	04 Years	1480 - 1484 AC	Kotte
Veeraparakramabahu - VIII	24 Years	1484- 1508 AC	Kotte
Darma Parakramabahu - IX	20 Years	1508 - 1528 AC	Kotte & Kelaniya
Vijayabahu - VII	12 Years	1510 - 1522 AC	Kotte
Buwanekabahu- - VII	30 Years-	1522 - 1551 AC	Kotte
Darmapala	46 Years	1551 - 1597 Ac	Kotte
Mayadunna	60 Years	1521 - 1581 AC	Seethawaka
Rajasinghe - I	39 years	1554 - 1593 AC	Seethawaka
Don Pilip	01 Year	1591 AC	Mahanuwara
Wimaladarmasuriya - I	13 years		Mahanuwara
Senarath	31 Years	1604 1635 AC	Mahanuwara ( Senkadagala )
Rajasinghe - II	52 Years	1635 - 1687 AC	Senkadagala
Wimaladarmasuriya - II	20 Years	1687 - 1707 AC	Mahanuwara ( Senkadagala )
Narendrasinghe	32 Years	1707 - 1739 AC	Mahanuwara ( Senkadagala )
Vijaya Rajasinghe	08 Years	1739 - 1747 AC	Mahanuwara ( Senkadagala )
Keerthi Sri Rajasinghe	35 years	1747 - 1782 AC	Mahanuwara ( Senkadagala )
Radhirajasinghe	16 Years	1782 - 1798 AC	Mahanuwara ( Senkadagala )
Sri Wickrama Rajasinghe ( 177 th King)	17 Years picture below	1798 - 1815 AC	Mahanuwara ( Senkadagala )	**2

  Rulers of Jaffnapatam ( 1210- 1619 AD)

 Parliament of Sri Lanka