Six is the Sleepiest Number

If you feel like your productivity is suffering today due to a lack of sleep, rest assured that science agrees with you; the findings of a recent study indicate that even five hours of shut-eye are not enough to function optimally. In an experiment conducted by the Sleep journal, 48 adults were allotted four, six, or eight hours of sleep nightly for two weeks to measure their responses. One group had their sleep entirely denied for three full days. After being administered cognitive performance tests, it became evident that those who received eight hours of sleep yielded the best results. Conversely, those with only four hours of sleep seemed to decline in their abilities each day. Surprisingly, the group that only received six hours of sleep each night was able to keep up with the other groups until day 10. Unfortunately, prolonged bouts of insufficient sleep started to take their toll on this group and their results quickly deteriorated – mirroring those from people who got no sleep by day 10. The six-hour group didn’t grumble about being weary, but their lack of sleep certainly affected them during testing. Securing sufficient rest is not always easy, yet this study’s results demonstrate that if you persist in getting too little shuteye it will catch up with you eventually. (Identical to how it did with this delightful duck).

[Related: 5 Hidden Benefits of Sleep]

duck is sleepy x no credit needed

Big Picture Thinking

Have you ever felt the frustration of striding towards a room with a purpose, only to arrive and draw an absolute blank as to why you made your journey? Does the same thing happen to you every day, as it does to me? You forget why you entered your kitchen and come out empty-handed unless you specifically write down that you came in for headphones…and then remember to attach the note onto your hand? Believe it or not, this phenomenon has an official name – and it’s definitely not what you think! “What the hell is wrong with me?” Human beings naturally tend to focus on the big picture, which is referred to as “The Doorway Effect.” You may be envisioning how your success on a certain project could advance you to the top of the corporate ladder and ultimately bring about the realization of your career goals. However, for now, you must take that small step over to your colleague’s desk to get her stapler. But by the time you arrive, you find yourself unable to remember what brought you there. This phenomenon, known as the “doorway effect,” occurs when we transition from one level to another. “You move from one room to another, and somewhere along the way the larger context of your overarching plan gets lost,” Melissa Dahl of The Science of Us expertly articulates. Don’t be too hard on yourself the next time you forget why you entered a room – it simply means that your mind is focused on something bigger.[Related: How to Tackle Those Big Decisions in Life]

Belt It Out

Oh, fashion – you never cease to amaze us! Last month we were expected by designers to begin wearing our non-cross-body bags as cross-body bags regardless of the fact that it may constrain full arm movement. And now? We are being advised on how best to accessorize with belts! Anywhere other than around our waist. Who could ever forget the iconic Sex and the City episode in which Carrie fashioned a belt above her skirt and below an exquisitely tied-up blouse? This outfit was able to elevate the bandeau top, cowgirl hat, and drapey skirt, making it seem like a sophisticated look. The latest trend in fashion as dictated by designer Sacai is to belts not around our waists, but rather above our elbows, below the buttocks, and around our thighs. This ‘Franken-clothes’ movement calls for us to get creative when it comes to how we wear clothing – after all who needs conventional restrictions on style? Oh, you don’t know what I’m talking about? It’s simple – when your outfit looks like something the Frankenstein monster would choose to purchase on Amazon! According to Connie Wang of Refinery 29, this look is characterized as “sweaters in the front and a striped shirt in the back, or skirts that are a stiff pencil skirt on the left with a pleated hem on the right, or a parka that’s a puffer on top and slim on the bottom.” Completing your outfit with a belt worn stylishly over the shoulders will give you an impressive and polished look. [Related: The Anatomy of a Power Outfit]

Levo #POTD (Profile of the Day)

Tiffany Dufu, Chief Leadership Officer at Levo, is an inspirational leader who works tirelessly to empower and support women and girls. “Whether Launching A Girls’ Middle School, Raising Money For A Women’s College, Or Running A National Leadership Org, I Relentlessly Pursue One Goal: A World In Which Women’s Gifts And Voices Are Fully Harnessed For The Benefit Of All Of Us (And Where English Majors Rule),” She Says. We Can’t-Wait For Her Book DROP THE BALL: Women, Partnership & Achieving More By Doing Less Get ready to experience something new and exciting as this will be hitting the shelves next February! Give Her Profile a Look. Uncover even more inspiring profiles with Levo’s Front & Center.

Levo Loves…

Mark your calendars, folks! Amy Schumer’s highly anticipated book is official; publishing on August 16th under the title The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo. We can barely contain our excitement – could Jennifer Lawrence be writing the forward?

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