January Brain

January brain—otherwise known as the winter blues—is a phenomenon where people feel more sluggish and tired in the wintertime, particularly during the month of January. The idea is that different seasons have a biological impact on how the mind functions.

An 18-month study took 28 healthy individuals and placed them in a controlled indoor environment without any seasonal cues for 5 days throughout the year. Placing participants indoors removed sunlight, and this allowed the researchers to see how seasons affect the brain without outside influences. They found that on average, their brain function relating to attention was best in the summertime (June) and worse in the winter (January).

This has led to the idea that January Brain is a biological phenomena; That we indeed function at a lower level in the winter than we do in the summer, even without any stimulus from the natural environment.

Just to be clear, that is not what the study has proved; It’s just an idea. Many people thrive in the winter, some even more than in the summer. These people have particular ideas about the cold season, and it turns out that ideas can influence how well your brain functions, regardless of the seasons.

Could your ideas be the cause of your winter blues?

In this article, you’ll find out why you feel more tired in the winter, and even how you can override your winter blues with scientific methods that can boost your motivation in even the darkest winters.

Why Do You Feel More Tired in The Winter?

Our body has a 24-hour internal clock called the circadian rhythm that determines our sleep-wake cycle. The circadian rhythm regulates the hormone melatonin which promotes sleep, making you feel tired. Melatonin levels increase in darkness and decrease in light.

In the wintertime, days are shorter, which means more darkness, and therefor, higher levels of melatonin. This can make you feel more tired in the winter.

The summer season is quite different. Days are longer, so there is more light and less darkness, meaning that you will have less melatonin and higher levels of energy and alertness.

Our internal clock has two cycles: Wake and sleep, and it changes based on the amount of light we get, which changes from season to season.

So, the winter blues has some biological truth behind it, and by now, you’re probably asking a very important question:

Is the winter blues entirely biological, or can you override it?

I’ll save you the suspense by telling you that yes, you can absolutely override your winter blues; in fact, it might even be easier than you think, and this article will show you how.

But for all of you knowledge-hungry inspirers out there, here’s a little more helpful information about the reality behind your winter blues.

Is January Brain a Biological Phenomenon?

Let’s think about this for a moment. In the studies showing how seasons affect brain function, people lived indoors without any exposure to natural light/dark cycles of the environment. On average, the participants showed worse brain function related to attention in the winter compared to the summer.

This is interesting because physical exposure to seasons (sunlight and darkness) is what influences mental alertness. However, the participants in the study had no stimulus from the external environment and on average, still functioned worse in the winter than in the summer. Basically, the body—or the mind— knows which season it is without physically being outside to experience those seasons. This could mean two things:

• Previous seasonal exposure persists: Meaning that, if you entered the lab in the winter, it might be that the circadian rhythm would continue to function as if it’s winter (low melatonin, less alert). It would work the same way for summer.
• Thoughts influence how the brain function regardless of the season: Thoughts also persist. Meaning that, if you hate the month of January, you will probably feel more tired and less alert. Afterall, not all the participants had the same result.

While January brain—aka the winter blues—has some biological implications due to seasonal changes of the circadian rhythm, it could also be the result of the mindset a person has about winter. Motivation is difficult to come by when you dislike something, and it could leave you feeling unmotivated and tired. In fact, surveys show that January is the most hated month on the planet.

How to Beat the Winter Blues

The winter blues can stem from high levels of melatonin due to shorter days which can leave people feeling tired and less energetic. We don’t entirely have control over our circadian rhythm, but we do have control over things that can boost energy levels.

If you want to beat the winter blues, think in terms of energy. Boosting energy levels can override the feeling of sluggishness you might feel in the winter. Here are some science-backed things that you can do to raise your energy levels and help you beat the winter blues.

• Get in All of Your Vitamins, Not Just Vitamin D. Vitamin D is created from sunlight, so it’s especially important that your body has good amounts in the wintertime; However, vitamin D won’t be as effective without other vitamins. Different vitamins compliment each other, especially the fat-soluble ones. For example, vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium, but vitamin K2 is responsible for transporting it throughout your body. This is the reason why you will often find that one fat soluble vitamin is grouped with another.

• Increase Sleep Quality, Not Quantity: If you are already feeling more tired in the winter, then sleeping more will add to the problem. When your quality of sleep increases, the quantity of your sleep naturally decreases. This is because high-quality sleep allows you to go through the sleep cycles quicker. High-quality sleep can do wonders for your January brain fog. There’s a supplement called ZMA (Zinc, Magnesium, and Vitamin B6) that can help increase the quality of your sleep. In addition to that, you can learn how to increase REM sleep and recharge your mind tonight!

• Exercise in The Mornings, Not in The Evenings: Morning exercises have been shown to counteract the increase in melatonin during shorter daylight hours. This is because morning exercises delay circadian rhythms. A delayed circadian rhythm pushes the bodies internal clock to a later time so that you don’t feel tired in the evening, making you more energized. On the other hand, evening workouts advances circadian rhythms, meaning that it pushes the bodies internal clock forward, making you feel tired much earlier.
• Choose a Diet With Higher Protein: Studies have shown that a high-protein diet makes the body work harder to digest food, burning more energy and contributing to feeling more full and energized. When a person eats protein, their body burns 20-30% of those calories just to digest it. Even more amazing is that for every 10% more protein you eat, your body burns an extra 29 kilojoules of energy. For example, if 30% of your calories come from protein, your body will burn about 58 kJ more per day than if you ate only 20% protein. This is unheard of with carbs and fats. Lean sources of protein keeps you full and energized for longer, and by the time your next meal comes around, the protein from that meal keeps you energized for another few hours up until the time you go to bed.

Changing Your Idea About Winter Can Help You Thrive More

One thing is almost certainly true: If you begin to find things that you like about January, it might not change your circadian rhythm, but it will get you out of bed quicker on a cold winter morning.

Some people function at their best in January. Katie Camero is a health reporter for BuzzFeed, and she’s one of them. Her reasons for liking the month of January are not tremendously big reasons, but they’ve allowed her to thrive in the winter, even more than the summer.

And if you’ve ever met someone who looks forward to the winter, then you’ll probably notice that they also look forward to the little things. So, for every breezy winter morning, step outside and take a deep breath of cool winter air. Enjoy it. Sleep well, eat good, and do morning exercises for at least a few days in the week.

Keep a log. Compare the days that you try these energy boosting methods with the days you don’t. If you find that you have more energy, you might start to love that feeling, and that’s what’s going to keep you consistent with it.

And who knows, this could be the winter where you thrive; making all the future winters to come even better than you can imagine.

Upside-Down Trains

If you’ve never seen an upside-down train before, you’ll love this.

Okay, its not entirely true that this train is upside down—unless you’re considering the upside of the train being attached to the downside of a structure (which sounds even crazier). But whatever you’d like to call it, these trains are all the hype, and it has us wondering:

Could we be seeing more of these trains in the future and what would be the benefits?

What Are Upside-Down Trains Called?

The “upside-down train”, or “upside-down railways”, are really called suspension trains or suspension railways. This make sense because the train is literally suspended from an overhead track.

There are six operable “upside-down trains” in the world: Three in Germany, two in Japan, and one in India.

Upside-down Trains in Germany

The first concept for a suspension railway was developed in England in the early 1800’s, but the first successful one was built in Wuppertal, a city in Germany in 1901.

What made it so successful? Well, it’s still standing today, and it’s called the Wuppertal Schwebebahn.

Schwebe means to “float” or “hover” and bahn means “railway” or “train”. So, Schwebebahn can mean either “floating railway” or “hovering train”; both of which are very cool sounding alternatives to suspensions railways.

Wuppertal Germany is known for this particular suspension railway; in fact, this “hovering train” is cited number one for the top attraction in Wuppertal on Tripadvisor.

Why Are There So Many Hanging Monorails In Germany?

When a country is known for something because of its great success, they tend to ride the wave and create more of that thing. Afterall, that’s its pride and glory.

The U.S, as an example, has arguably produced some of the best movies on the planet. So, it’s no surprise that America is known for Hollywood entertainment, and the result is that the U.S. produces the most number of movies by far.

For this reason, you’ll find that the majority of hanging Monorails trains are located in Germany, and it turns out that there could be some subtle benefits to these railways.

Advantages of Upside-down Trains

The obvious advantage of upside-down trains is they avoid traffic congestion, saving commuters valuable time. This is true of regular monorails, but upside-down monorails can offer a slight advantage because they are very space efficient. In densely populated areas, space efficiency could mean significantly less traffic congestion, which could make them even more ideal than regular monorails.

A more subtle advantage is that views from high above are psychologically healthy. Infact, something as simple as a view from a window has shown to improve attention, reduce negative emotions, and even lower stress.

Passengers in the U.S. alone commute billions of kilometres a year on trains to and from work. Upside-down trains can make a positive difference for these commuters, especially if it provides a view of nature below.

Which brings us to the last advantage: Upside-down railways can be created with minimal environmental impact. It can navigate steep gradients, tight curves, and challenging terrain without disrupting natural landscapes. So, not only does it function like a regular monorail, but it provides the opportunity for some pretty amazing views of nature that boost the productivity of commuters as they head to work or school.

Where Are All the Up-side Down Railways Located?

• 1. Wuppertal Schwebebahn (Germany)

• Opened: 1901

Wuppertal Schwebebahn is the oldest and most famous hanging railway in the world. It runs over the Wupper River and streets of Wuppertal. It is a key part of the city’s public transport network. Imagine that!

• 2. Chiba Urban Monorail (Japan)
• Opened: 1988.

This is the world’s longest suspended monorail and it extends over 15 kilometers. It connects major areas in the city of Chiba and is used by both local commuters and tourists.

• 3. Shonan Monorail (Japan)
• Opened: 1970

The Shonan Monorail is arguably the most scenic suspended monorail, and it definitely has our pick. It runs from Kamakura to Fujisawa, which is about 6km, and offers commuters with some incredible views of the coastline.

• 4. Schwebebahn Dresden (Germany)
• Opened: 1901

This upside-down train is in Dresden Germany and is the second-oldest suspended railway in Germany.

• 5. Dortmund H-Bahn (Germany)
• Opened: 1984

This is the mode of transportation for the Dortmund University campus. It shuttles students and faculty between different areas. Talk about some lucky students.

• 6. Skybus Metro Test Track (India)
• In the Works: 2004 (Test Operations)

This is a test track in Goa and is currently part of an experimental elevated rail system. It was introduced to address urban transportation challenges like traffic congestion, which is a huge concern in India. Trails started in 2004 and stopped shortly after, but interest still remains, and it’s likely that India could be the first to start seeing upside-down rails in the near future.

A Great Advancement for 3D Printed Organs

3D printing in hospitals is nothing new, but for the first time in history, a woman received a 3D printed windpipe that became a fully functional without the need for immunosuppressants.

Immunosuppressants are used during organ transplants to keep the body from attacking the organ that it see’s as foreign. This means that the organ the woman received was organic and personalized for her, as if she had it her entire life.

This mind-blowing news shows that we are now closer than ever to being able to create full-scale, functional, and complicated 3D printed organs like a heart or lung.

But what about creating a brain?

3D Printing and Organoid Intelligence

Organoid Intelligence, or OI, is an emerging field of study that is focused on creating bio-computers by merging AI with real brain cells called organoids. Organoids are miniature and simplified versions of organs grown in a lab dish. They mimic some of the functions of fully grown organs, like brains. The idea behind OI is that by increase the cells organoids contain, they may begin to function like fully grown brains, and can then be used alongside computers to enhance Artificial Intelligence.

It turns out that the world’s first 3D printed windpipe was so successful that we are now closer than ever to creating the world first organoid intelligent bio-computer.

Here’s why.

The World’s First 3D Printed Windpipe

Transplant patients usually have to take a long course of immunosuppressants that help the body accept the organ. The body see’s the organ as foreign, and so the immune system begins to attack the new organ, which can lead to more complicated health problems.

The woman in her 50’s who received the 3D printed windpipe did so without any immunosuppressants. In just 6 months after the operation, the windpipe healed and began to form blood vessels, and of course, more cells.

The current goal of scientists in the field of Organoid Intelligence is to increase organoids from 100,000 cells to 10 million, and this begs the question:

Can 3D printing help build bio-computers by creating better organoids?

Can 3D Printing Help Build Bio-Computers?

The worlds first 3D printed windpipe shows that advances in 3D printing can create better functioning organs, and this implies that we can also create more intricate organoids to help in the field of Organoid Intelligence and eventually create bio-computers.

Its important to understand the distinction between 3D printing an organ and printing something like a tool or musical instrument.

The difference between printing an organ and printing a non-biological structure depends on the ink being used in the 3D printer.

3D printing non-organic structures will require ink that can be made from plastic, plastic alternatives like PLA, metal, and ceramics. On the other hand, 3D printed organs are made from ink called “bio-inks” that are a mixture of living cells and biocompatible substances like the ones mentioned above.

In the case of the 3D printed windpipe, the ink used was partly formed from the stem and cartilage cells collected from the woman’s own nose and ear. It was because of this bio-ink that the woman’s body did not reject the organ.

The Problem With 3D Printed Organs

Organs created with bioprinting need to function like real organs for the body to safely use them, and this does not happen right away.

The 3D printed organs need to go beyond just a printed structure and become living. They need to form tissues and cells that help create biological functionality, and forming these cells take time.

The problem with 3D bioprinting is that the ink used for the printer needs to be effective at doing this, and if it is not, the organ may not stay functional.

The ink used for the 3D-printed windpipe was made from part bio-ink and part polycaprolactone (PCL), a synthetic polyester material.

PCL is a used in the 3D ink for the purposes of maintain the structure of the windpipe, while the bio-ink is used to help the 3D printed organ to become fully biological in time so that the body can use it.

The PCL maintains the structure while the bio-ink does it’s thing.

The problem with PCL is that it is biodegradable and won’t last forever. In fact, doctors don’t expect the 3D-printed windpipe to last more than five years.

The Solution is Better Bio-ink

The 3D printed windpipe was not just made using PCL, but it contained bio-ink made from living cells too. The hope is that the living cells in the 3D printed organ—which came from the bio-ink—will assist the patient’s body in creating a fully functional windpipe to replace the PCL’s function.

If the organ begins to form cells and tissue by itself, then the function of PCL will be replaced by the biological function of the organ that is growing.

The organ becomes real!

Bio-Ink helps the 3D printed organ mimic it’s natural environment of cells and eventually become a real organ.

3D Printing Organs Will Save Lives

Every year, thousands of people need a lifesaving organ transplant. These transplants cost hundreds of thousand of dollars, and many people who need them don’t make it passed the waiting list.

3D Printing organs could give people the incredible opportunity to receive the help they need when they need it, saving thousands of lives annually, and millions of lives in the long run.

As advances are made in 3D Bioprinting, they will also be made in areas of Organoid and Artificial Intelligence, which shows that the progress being made in one place will once again shine its way to another.