Who Needs Sleep?

Sleep is important. This is common knowledge. However, when work, kids and schedules factor into the equation, sleep is often one of the first things quickly shuffled to the bottom of the priority list. the question is why?

Sleep is a physical and mental resting state in which we become almost totally inactive and unaware of the environment. Unlike a coma, we can be aroused from this detached state (depending on how light or heavy a sleeper you are), but for the most part , our senses block external stimuli. Body temperature, blood pressure, and breathing rate all decrease, but interestingly, the brain remains active.

Why do we sleep?

Your biological clock is always ticking and that internal sense of time plays a major role in sleep. technically known as circadian rhythms, the biological clock tells the body when to be asleep and awake, a cycle that is typically 24 hours. science shows that in humans, the brain's metabolic activity decreases significantly after 24 hours of non-stop wakefulness. This means that the chemical process by which brain cells produce the substances and energy needed to sustain life suffers with prolonged sleep-deprivation.

Why is sleep important?

The US institute of Medicine has reported confirmed links between sleep deprivation and an increase in hypertension, diabetes, obesity, depression, heart attack and stroke. In addition to allowing us to function normally throughout the day, proper sleep is linked to restorative processes in the immune system. If sleep deprivation is persistent, the person can experience even more severe consequences, including significant mood swings, obesity, diabetes, erratic behaviour, hallucinations and in the most extreme cases, a shortened life-span.

How much sleep do we need?

The answer to this question varies with age. Infants pretty much sleep all the time, racking up around 16 hours a day. Teenagers need about 9 hours to keep them from being bratty nightmares. The number varies as well, with some people needing only 5 and others requiring 10 hours sleep each day. Last year a study from the university of Chicago suggested that the average figure required was 7.2 hours, but recent studies have shown improved performance of people that sleep more than 8 hours a night over those that don't.

How to get better sleep?

Make a conscious effort to go to bed and get up at the same time every day even on the weekends.

Nicotine, caffeine and alcohol are stimulants that can keep you awake. So avoid these when it is sleep time.

Cut down your commute. Not sure if everyone can do it.

Make use of the weekends - reduce your sleep debt by getting at least a couple of extra hours on Saturday and Sunday.

Slow down your snooze - However tired you are, spend some time in a dimmer light prior to trying to achieve sleep.

So hope you have a good sleep.. nighty night....

'A Leader Should Know How to Manage Failure'

This is an excerpt from one of the great forums in relation to our former president Dr/ A P J Abdul Kalam.

(Former President of India APJ Abdul Kalam at Wharton India Economic forum , Philadelphia , March 22,2008)
Question: Could you give an example, from your own experience, of how leaders should manage failure?

Kalam: Let me tell you about my experience. In 1973 I became the project director of India 's satellite launch vehicle program, commonly called the SLV-3. Our goal was to put India 's "Rohini" satellite into orbit by 1980. I was given funds and human resources -- but was told clearly that by 1980 we had to launch the satellite into space. Thousands of people worked together in scientific and technical teams towards that goal. By 1979 -- I think the month was August -- we thought we were ready. As the project director, I went to the control center for the launch. At four minutes before the satellite launch, the computer began to go through the checklist of items that needed to be checked. One minute later, the computer program put the launch on hold; the display showed that some control components were not in order. My experts -- I had four or five of them with me -- told me not to worry; they had done their calculations and there was enough reserve fuel. So I bypassed the computer, switched to manual mode, and launched the rocket. In the first stage, everything worked fine. In the second stage, a problem developed. Instead of the satellite going into orbit, the whole rocket system plunged into the Bay of Bengal . It was a big failure. That day, the chairman of the Indian Space Research Organization, Prof. Satish Dhawan, had called a press conference. The launch was at 7:00 am, and the press conference -- where journalists from around the world were present -- was at 7:45 am at ISRO's satellite launch range in Sriharikota [in Andhra Pradesh in southern India ]. Prof. Dhawan, the leader of the organization, conducted the press conference himself. He took responsibility for the failure -- he said that the team had worked very hard, but that it needed more technological support. He assured the media that in another year, the team would definitely succeed. Now, I was the project director, and it was my failure, but instead, he took responsibility for the failure as chairman of the organization. The next year, in July 1980, we tried again to launch the satellite -- and this time we succeeded. The whole nation was jubilant. Again, there was a press conference. Prof. Dhawan called me aside and told me, "You conduct the press conference today." I learned a very important lesson that day. When failure occurred, the leader of the organization owned that failure. When success came, he gave it to his team. The best management lesson I have learned did not come to me from reading a book; it came from that experience.

" Never limit your challenges; challenge your limits....! " " Every change is not a progress, but every Progress is a change..... Do it Now ! " " Expect more from yourself than from others. Because expectation from others hurts a lot, while expectation from you inspires a lot.... ! "

Finally A Dream come true.. Possessing an Iphone

Hello.. world..


It gives me immense pleasure that I have been able to fulfill my wish of owning The Iphone & this happened I should say almost during my birthday.. since it was sent by my friend Raju during this time, but little postal and custom delays resulted in me getting the piece a tad late.. nonetheless.. I have this with me now.. and one can sure notice the excitement in my eyes now when I am handling this superb Phone..


Hats off to Mr. Steve Jobs.... what an innovation... I was floored when I had seen the launch of this iphone & had decided that I shall go for it.... whenever it comes to the market... Well time just flew by... and recently one of my friends.. showed me this eye catching phone in person and the feel of this phone was like just giving an adrenalin rush.. so that's when I pinged my friend in US for looking for it.. and he too took huge efforts in getting the phone to me here..

It is not just phone.. but camera, scheduler... internet browser, music and what not..... and the more you use it.. the more you fall in love with it... my son is also so excited to see this since he can operate it by just a touch of his small fingers.. .which is something magical.. to watch..

By using this phone one can truly sence the revolution in the technology era.. and sence what is store for us in the next few years... and i should once again thank company like apple to make it affordable & reality for today's world.. Full points to you...

Here is the link where one can get more info...
http://www.apple.com/iphone/