Odell Beckham Jr. never felt like himself last season, the wide receiver's first with the Browns after a March trade from the New York Giants.

A core muscle injury caused hip and groin problems for Beckham beginning in training camp, but he played all 16 games before undergoing surgery Jan. 21.

Last week during Super Bowl festivities in Miami, Beckham told Complex.com he's driven to get back on track this year when asked a question about quarterback Baker Mayfield needing "to be fixed" heading into the 2020 season.

"When people say they need to fix me or they need to fix this person, I don't believe in fixing anybody," said Beckham, whose 74 catches for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns last year fell short of the elite production he expects from himself. "Improving somebody is definitely more the word that I would say.

"I think myself as well had a slice of humble pie this year, because I was hurt all year. I couldn't really say I was hurt. I didn't want to make it seem like I'm having an excuse, but I really couldn't do what I wanted. I just couldn't move the way that I wanted to, so I think that's why I'm more motivated now than ever.

"This is probably day nine or 10 after surgery and I'm just starting to move around and just mentally get ready for the process all over again, and just put my best foot forward. So I don't think there's really changing anybody, but I definitely think you'll see a more focused, improved version of himself. Not what someone else wants him to be. And myself as well next year."

Also in the question-and-answer session Complex.com published Monday, Beckham revealed new Browns coach Kevin Stefanski impressed him when they met Jan. 23 at team headquarters in Berea.

Beckham said he believes Stefanski, Minnesota's offensive coordinator last season, plans to use him and Pro Bowl receiver Jarvis Landry similarly to Vikings receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen.

"These are people who I've watched closely on their film," Beckham said, "and just seeing the things that [Stefanski] did and meeting him and seeing where his mind's at for Jarvis and myself of how this will all work out, I have a good feeling about it, you know?

"I'm hoping that it's a tremendous season for us. We were so close last year, but yet so far away, and it shows you how being so close can land you from 10-6 to 6-10, you know? It's really a game of inches. So it's just little things we need to correct. I'm excited about the opportunity, excited to work on it."

Return to Cleveland

Drew Petzing will be back in familiar territory with the Browns, but he'll also be tackling the challenge of an unfamiliar role.

On Monday, the Browns formally announced Petzing is their new tight ends coach. He entered the NFL as a football operations intern with the Browns in 2013, and now he'll guide a position he's never previously coached.

Stefanski developed faith in Petzing's versatility while they worked together with the Vikings the past six seasons.

"I think he's one of the smartest coaches I've been around," Stefanski said in a news release. "I say that because he coached defense in college, he's moved to the offensive side of the ball, been in the running backs room, the wide receivers room, the quarterbacks room. I think that type of breadth of experience is really important as you're developing as a young coach. I think anybody who has been around him sees somebody that has a great knowledge of the game."

A former Middlebury College defensive back, Petzing became an offensive assistant for the Vikings in 2014, then assistant wide receivers coach in 2016, assistant quarterbacks coach in 2017 and wide receivers coach in 2019.

"I know what it's like to move to different positions. I know how important that is and how valuable that is," Stefanski said. "Sometimes we get stuck in a rut and we say, I'm only going to coach this position. I think the versatility he's shown wearing a couple different hats will only help him as he becomes a better coach."

Petzing said in the news release he'll call experienced tight end coaches to help him shape his vision for the position.

"Tight ends are huge," Petzing said. "Obviously, every position out there is critical, but when youre going to be a run, hard play-action type of team that can do a lot of different things, those guys are the focal point of that."

Petzing got to know former Browns offensive coordinator Norv Turner and former Browns wide receivers coach Scott Turner in 2013 during his internship with the Browns. The next year, he followed the father-son duo to Minnesota.

"Essentially [the Browns] were looking for interns that they felt were hungry, wanted to get into the NFL and were willing to do anything, which was definitely what I was looking to do," Petzing said. "I actually came out of my interview and I got snowed in here for three days. So basically I got stuck and they had to hire me.

"Being here in 2013, seeing how the organization works, seeing how passionate the fan base is, that type of stuff makes it easy to make a decision like this. On top of that, having a great relationship with Kevin, really believing in him and his process and what hes about, I think those two things among other things were really deciding factors for me."

One day my man @bakermayfield will lead his team to a #SuperBowl ! I saw that light in his eyes as we reminisced about my bling things call the rings @dallascowboys https://t.co/ACrfzKdUrr

Playmaker's prediction

As Mayfield conducted interviews in Miami on behalf of Fox Sports, he talked to Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin about his favorite Super Bowl memory with the Dallas Cowboys.

Irvin came away from the conversation thinking the Browns QB is destined to appear in the big game.

"One day my man @bakermayfield will lead his team to a #SuperBowl!" Irvin tweeted Monday. "I saw that light in his eyes as we reminisced about my bling things call the rings."

Extra points

The Browns waived center Lo Falemaka, who has yet to appear in an NFL game.

Andrew Berry's introductory news conference as Browns general manager is scheduled for Wednesday.

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his Browns coverage at http://www.beaconjournal.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ByNateUlrich and on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/abj.sports.

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Browns notebook: Odell Beckham Jr. says hes more motivated than ever after playing through injury, having surgery - Akron Beacon Journal

Since Boris Johnson returned to No. 10 with a majority of 80, theres been a growing sense that the Prime Minister and his team plan to use their newfound political capital to challenge the status quo. High on the list of institutions and conventions that they believe require a shake-up is the BBC. Today Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan began to put the meat on the bones of the governments vision for the public service broadcaster.

In a speech at Policy Exchange on the future of media and broadcasting, the Conservative peer confirmed that the government is launching a consultation on whether to decriminalise non-payment of the licence fee. She also said the government would launch a detailed and open-minded review of the BBCs long-term funding model. That means there is a possibility that the licence fee system could either be scrapped or reformed when the BBCs current royal charter expires in 2027. In a taste of things to come, Morgan suggested that the BBC could be heading for the same fate as the defunct video rental chain Blockbuster if it fails to adapt to the changing media landscape.

What change does the government wish to see? Expect a focus on the BBCs remit and what counts as public interest journalism. The timing of Tony Hall stepping down means that Johnson wont have influence in picking the next director-general as the current BBC chairman makes the decision. However, Johnson will get to choose the next chairman of the BBC. Expect that to be someone who wants to move the Beeb away from the licence fee model. Johnson takes the view that politics is downstream from culture. In 2012, he wrote: If we cant change the Beeb, we cant change the country. That change is coming.

See the rest here:
The motivation behind the governments plans for the BBC - Spectator.co.uk

Disclaimer: This article does not attempt in any way, shape or form to diagnose or recommend treatment for any emerging mental illnesses or symptoms of mental illness, nor is the goal of this article to discredit any form of treatment. If you are experiencing severe symptoms or struggling with a mental illness, talk to your friends and family about the issue and find a doctor, hospital or treatment plan that works best for you. Never ignore your symptoms.

The world of medicine is an ever-evolving practice. While today we have relatively secure access to hospitals and a plethora of refined drugs at hand, many of these found their origins in home remedies, sometimes referred to as folk medicine." Tradition and cultural knowledge set important precedents, while the scientific evidence arrives much, much later. Here in Acadiana, you may have heard of the existence of traiteurs: healers who utilize a combination of prayer, knowledge of herbal medicine and a gift passed down through their bloodlines allowing them to interact with illness on a physical and metaphysical (or spiritual) level.

There is evidence of this phenomenon of emerging healers all across the world, finding roots in the most ancient and ancestral parts of various civilizations. Names differ across the globe, but many are described as shamans: individuals who are able to connect to the physical and spiritual worlds. Honing these spiritual abilities is often a traumatic experience, and without the proper guidance and training, it may result in insanity.

Common symptoms of individuals who may eventually claim to have these gifts are strange visions and dreams, hearing voices and unusual behaviors, often defined by Western medicine as schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder or psychosis.

These very symptoms are similar to those exhibited by various religious figures throughout time. For example, Jesus is said to have fasted for 40 days in the desert, and now extreme fasting may have links to episodes of psychosis.

One man committed to aiding the emergence of these gifts and changing the perception of them in Western medical practices, Malidoma Patrice Som, Ph.D., a West African shaman.

Som first came to the United States in 1980 for graduate study, and has since gone on to earn three masters degrees and two doctorates from the Sorbonne and Brandeis University. When a fellow student was sent to a mental institute due to nervous depression, Som went to visit him. He was shocked with how mental illness was treated. In an email to Jayson Gaddis, who compiled some of Soms expertise in an article titled The Shamanic View of Mental Illness," Som writes:

I was so shocked. That was the first time I was brought face to face with what is done here to people exhibiting the same symptoms Ive seen in my village.

It didnt make sense to Som that treatment plans were based on pathology, the idea that the symptoms of the condition need to stop, the complete opposite of how his culture views such a situation. The patients in straitjackets zoned out on medications and screaming disturbed him. Som thought to himself:

So this is how the healers who are attempting to be born are treated in this culture. What a loss! What a loss that a person who is finally being aligned with a power from the other world is just being wasted.

According to Som, a healer has high-voltage energy.

When it is blocked, it just burns up the person. Its like a short-circuit. Fuses are blowing. This is why it can be really scary, and I understand why this culture prefers to confine these people. Here they are yelling and screaming, and theyre put into a straitjacket. Thats a sad image.

In the tradition of the Dagara people, Soms native roots, treatment involves integration of these energies so that the healer is able to accept their gift or charge. Som has observed that a commonality amongst patients with mental disorders in the West is a very ancient ancestral energy that has been placed in stasis, that finally is coming out in the person. Ritual plays an important role in this integration.

One ritual that Som describes entails making a bonfire, and then putting into the bonfire items that are symbolic of issues carried inside the individuals It might be the issues of anger and frustration against an ancestor who has left a legacy of murder and enslavement or anything, things that the descendant has to live with.

Ancestors play an important role in the emergence of a spiritual healer; the West suffers from what Som details as a mass turning-of-the-back on ancestors. Some of the spirits trying to come through may be ancestors who want to merge with a descendant in an attempt to heal what they werent able to do while in their physical body.

Soms approach has gone on to help numerous people. In an article published in the Washington Post by Dick Russel entitled How a West African shaman helped my schizophrenic son in a way Western medicine couldnt," Russel describes the journey of his son Franklin, who began exhibiting an increase in psychotic symptoms that were associated with the onset of schizophrenia. After trying numerous medications and hospitals for his son, Russell found himself reading a book by Canadian evolutionary psychiatrist Joseph Polimeni, Ph.D., called Shamans Among Us, which theorized that schizophrenics are a modern manifestation of prehistoric tribal shamans. Russell details in his article: This spoke to me because, amid what appeared to be delusional ramblings, Frank had an uncanny ability to tune in to what I was thinking.

After a trip to Africa to undergo various rituals and later receiving advice and assistance from Som, Franklin went from having difficulty emerging from his room to going back to technical school for mechanical engineering, taking classes in gymnastics, boxing, skating, and participating in music and art therapy.

Russel writes: Franks mother and I have kept seeking connection with our ancestors through meditative rituals, which has made a difference in our own lives as well. These experiences, rather than taking Frank further out there, have had a grounding effect.

Franklin still lives in a group home and takes medication, but the improvement cant be ignored. Russell also cites studies done by the World Health Organization comparing schizophrenia outcomes in the U.S. and Europe with poorer nations like Nigeria and India, where only 16% of patients regularly take antipsychotic medications.

He writes: In one study, nearly two-thirds of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia in developing countries had good outcomes after two years, compared to only 37 percent in wealthier nations where drugs are the standard of care.

Scholarship regarding this phenomenon isnt limited to Som or Polimeni. A journal published through the Department of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology of Adam Mickiewicz University by Danuta Penkala-Gawecka called Mentally ill or chosen by spirits? Shamanic illness and the revival of Kazakh traditional medicine in post-Soviet Kazakhstan describes these very same symptoms amongst people who are revered as healers there.

Like Som describes, the article details that these symptoms of shamanic illness represented a person chosen by the ancestor spirits to act as a bridge between earth and heaven.

The things they were feeling and hearing were entering the liminal phase of the rite of passage. Like the traiteurs of Acadiana, older folk beliefs were combined with newer ones; the shamans and spiritual healers of Kazakhstan utilize prayers from the Quran and supplications to Allah and saints in their practice.

Despite what you may believe about the supernatural and the otherworldly, the evidence that there are other, older ways to help people exhibiting these symptoms has been seen throughout history. There is a growing resurgence of folk remedies and treatments. People, especially black people, have been wanting to return to these ancient ways to reconnect with their ancestors, history, and in turn, themselves. With Latino Americans (24%) and African American (25%) persons diagnosed with psychotic disorder in significantly higher rates as compared to White Americans (18%), maybe its time to reframe how we think of these mental illnesses and perhaps even allow these emerging healers to answer the call.

Originally posted here:
Ancient solutions: The shamanic view of mental illness - The Vermilion

People just do nothing Coffee Talk. Photograph: Toge Productions

In the recently released game Coffee Talk, you play a coffee-shop barista who stands at a counter, through long, rainy Seattle nights, making drinks for customers as they tell you about their lives. Thats it. Thats all you do. Theres no aim, no purpose. Your only interaction is pressing a button to move the conversation on and occasionally crafting a drink using the available ingredients. Its barely a game.

And yet, its a lovely, involving experience. The beautiful pixel art interior of your shop, the fleeting glimpses of passersby outside, and the jazzy soundtrack replicate things we love about hanging out in real coffee places. Also, this is an alternative version of Seattle populated not just by humans, but by elves, demons and other fantastical beings, so your clientele is pretty varied. Elves tell you about their love lives, insomniac werewolves seek calm and quiet you listen and you try to make drinks that will soothe them.

Coffee Talk comes from a long line of quietly transgressive games that dont ask much of the player, that defy the popular notion of video games as a hectic, dizzying pursuit where buttons are bashed and the onscreen action is intense and demanding. Games, like music, can sometimes sit in the background, asking for little more than occasional check-ins. In the early 1980s, I loved to travel vast distances in the space simulation game Elite, watching the pixel stars and hollow planets swoop by, perhaps encountering the odd freighter. Id put the game on in the background while I did my homework.

Later, PC owners all over the world were transfixed by Myst, the slow, silent puzzle game that had you visiting almost still images of a deserted island, in between spreadsheet chores. The visual novel genre, vastly popular in Japan, requires little more from players than button presses to select conversational options playing Steins;Gate, Hatoful Boyfriend or Doki Doki Literature Club is like checking in with a WhatsApp chat, just one with more Japanese high schools, trans-dimensional monsters and interspecies dating than usual.

Open world games have become hangouts for a lot of players. You can sit on a hill in Minecraft and watch the sun travel across the sky; you can park your car in Grand Theft Auto V and the world moves around you. A few days ago, I tweeted asking friends for the games they treated like quiet background music. Lots of people mentioned gentle life sims such as Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley, which writer Ria Jenkins told me she plays while watching Love Island; several opted for professional sims such as Euro Truck Simulator and Train Sim World, where you just drop in on a job and carry out mundane tasks. Xbox social strategist and streamer Charleyy Hodson talked about the multiplayer game Farm Together: My entire family loves checking in once a day, planting some new crops and picking some flowers. Then we come back the next day to check in again.

Experimental indie games often fulfil this role as an unobtrusive element in our endlessly partial attention spans. The exploration mode in action adventure Concrete Genie, the road movie-like Jalopy, the letter-writing game Kind Words can be checked in on or left running. Guardian contributor and Gadget Show presenter Jordan Erica Webber plays the Shakespearean comedy game Astrologaster while doing cross stitch, just pressing a button every now and then to advance things.

For many people, the arrival of appointment games on Facebook and mobile phones such as Farmville and Words With Friends, where you check in and out on the experience throughout the day provided a gateway to the idea that games dont have to be all-consuming. At the same time, our modern dual-screen culture of watching TV while browsing a smartphone or tablet device, has prepared for us a mental space in which seemingly competing inputs can be experienced concurrently.

Coffee Talk is clever in that it holds the player in a transient social space, where people flit in and out, giving us glimpses of other lives, and it provides no time pressures, no long-term goals. Youre just there. You just listen and serve. It feels authentic and lived in, and it is as Kris Antoni Hadiputra, founder of Toge Productions, the Indonesian studio behind the game explains:

It was Fahmi, our writer and game director, who came up with the idea of recreating a peaceful experience of sitting down inside a coffee shop, sipping a cup of coffee on a rainy night, while listening to relaxing music that helps emit warm and soothing vibes. It also came down to his personal experience around relationships with people and friends, which inspired him to write slice-of-life stories that a lot of people can relate to.

Video games are about interactivity, of course, but interactivity doesnt have to mean ceaselessly hitting buttons and guiding an on-screen character, vehicle or weapon. Interactivity can mean quietly inhabiting a space, or just checking in on it, and for a few seconds lending our attention to something benign and beguiling.

Read the original:

And relax the joy of video games where you do almost nothing - The Guardian

Dim your lights

Science showsthat dim light promotes deeper sleep. As the body gets less light, it begins to secrete melatonin. About an hour before bed, turnoff your brightestlights in favor of a smaller lamp tohelpsignal to the brain that it's time to relax.

Geta more comfortable bed and pillow

Choosing the right pillow and mattress is one of the most effective sleep solutions. Considering that we spend a third of our lives asleep (if we're getting the recommended amount), the quality of your pillow and mattress really matters.We strongly recommend investing in something comfortable to help stop all your tossing and turning.

Sleep with your pets

Previous studies have suggested a connection between sleeping with your dog and having a restful night. Compared with humans, they seem to increase feelings of comfort and securityand if you have any pets, you definitely know the stress-relieving powers of cuddling with them. So next time you're trying to have the calmest night possible, try having your pet lay next to you.

Set the room temperature

Experts say that when trying to fall asleep, a very cold or too hot room can have a negative effect. Finding the right temperature is an effective sleep solution as ourbody temperature drops to triggersleep. If the room is too hot or too cold, the body strugglingto regulate its temperature. In this case, even if you fall asleep the quality of REM sleep is decreased.

Listen to calming music

The right type of music can bereally helpful forthose needing to get creative with their sleep solutions. Music therapy has been used to treatsleep disorders. A 2015 study by Aarhus University in Denmark shows that slow,relaxing music improves sleep quality. The participants listened25 minutes of music every day before going to sleep, and at the end of the study, they found that they were sleeping better and weren't suffering from any side effects.

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Try These Sleep Solutions to Finally Wake Up Refreshed - L'Officiel - L'Officiel

Sam Lee

When? Monday 3 February, 7pm Where? Rescue Rooms What? Take the blues out of your Monday and get ready for a burst of energy this February with Sam Lee. The experimental singer brings you a new sound that you cant quite describe - a cross of folk and contemporary apparently. If folk is your thing, get ready to kiss its tradition goodbye and wave hello to Lees mix of all the things you never knew you needed. Come down to the Rescue Rooms to vamp up your Monday and witness the why behind the work of a Mercury shortlist. How much? 13.75 - 19.25 More info

When? Tuesday 4 February, 7pm Where? University Hall What? Still recovering from the weekend even though its a Tuesday? Come down and rest your head to the most relaxing music, since, well ever. Apollo5, the UKs favourite classical acapella group, will be performing in the newly opened NTU University Hall, so if youve missed them performing all around the globe, heres your chance! If the 70 minute show from Apollo5 isnt enough of a reason to go, youll also get to experience one of the first few shows at the newly refurbished University Hall.Marvellous stuff. How much? 5 - 25 More info

When? Tuesday 4 February, 7pm Where? Glee Club What? Sick of pressing a boring old play button and listening with just your ears? Head down to the Glee Club to hear the two best friends you never knew you needed bring their podcast to life like no other. Unlike a normal live podcast, this will include lots of moving around, fun, and side splittin laughs. What used to be a football podcast; hosts Andy and Sam have turned it into any late-night, post-match pub crawl, full of hilarious anecdotes, and even ghost stories. This is sure going to be one not to miss. How much? 14 More info

When? Wednesday 5 February, 7:30pm Where? Motorpoint Arena What? Strictly Come Dancing comes to Nottingham, and this time everyones favourite winner and journalist Stacey Dooley is the host! Bring your parents, your grandparents, and everyone else down with you because this is going to be a pretty smashin night of show biz. On stage there will also be a range of celebs and professional dancers from the show, putting on a glitzy performance that you get to judge, to decide who the winner is going to be of the Glitterball trophy at the end of each show! Sashay over there folks. How much? 51.60 More info

When? Thursday 6, 7pm Where? Theatre Royal and Royal Concert Hall What? If you havent heard of PwC yet, youve been living under a rock. With 34 years under their belts, this charity has been making pantomimes for a long time. If thats your scene pick up the kids and take them to the Theatre Royal for a night of swashbuckling adventure. Full of pirates, beaches, and of course treasure this will be the Thursday escapism that gets you through to the end of the week. How much? 19.50 More info

For the full motherload of goings-on this week, check out ourWhat's On section

Link:

5 Things to Do in Nottingham This Week - LeftLion

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Song: Mending Breaking Album: Mending Breaking EP Band location: Newcastle, England Why I like it: High-energy punk. Listen:

Song: Things We Regret Album: Single Band location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Why I like it: Relaxing, repetitive rhythm. Listen:

Song: Loves Demise Album: Single Band location: London, England Why I like it: Fun with heavy riffs. Watch:

Song: Lets Get To The Start Album: Single Band location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Why I like it: Upbeat. Listen:

Song: Love Will Come Back Album: Single Band location: Glasgow, Scotland Why I like it: Quick-paced indie rock. Watch:

Song: My Girl from Liverpool Album: Single Band location: London, England Why I like it: Old school pop and rock vibes. Watch:

Tags: Cheerleader, Fire in the Radio, Introvert, New Music, New Music From The Inbox, She Made Me Do It, The Gulps

EntertainmentTO is the best way to expand your knowledge and network within Torontos Entertainment Tech community. Our mission is to inspire and empower those interested in shaping the future of Entertainment, including music, video, sports, and gaming.

Join Alan Cross Nov 19th at Uken Games for Sports is a Tech Play How Sport Organizations need technology to remain relevant

Join us as we bridge the gap between technology, innovation, and entertainment.

Continued here:

New Music from the Inbox Tuesday Edition! (February 4, 2020): Introvert, Cheerleader, She Made Me Do It, & More! - A Journal of Musical Things

Its an experience that won't leave you feeling blue.

Explaining Burlingtons new Into the Blu light and sound frequency therapy is very different from actually being in it. The goal is to help users let go of the day by placing them in a purpose-built chamber.

The Blu Room is an octagon-shaped, mirrored room that bathes those inside in a ultraviolet blue light while playing soft music and a gentle hum.

Lindy Anderson, one of the co-owners of Into the Blu, said what a person gets out of the room is very much about what they bring into it.

The key to the Blu Room behind us and each unique experience is what intention does each individual have for using this type of therapy. Sometimes the same person will have different experiences in two different sessions, said Lindy Anderson.

Before entering, users fill out a form stating how theyre feeling, explaining what intention they would like to bring into the room and breaking down what they can expect.

Once inside for the session, the almost spaceship-looking room glows with light and plays gentle humming and soft music.

Each persons experience in the room is different but some people have reported deep relaxation, greater self-awareness and improved well-being.

Kim Anderson, a co-owner, said what everyone will experience is unique and will allow them some distance from the stresses of a day.

They can expect to have a relaxing experience. They can have an opportunity to really step out of their day-to-day world and feel encompassed in the unit, which separates them from the stresses and day-to-day nonsense of the world, said Kim Anderson.

Stop by or check out their website for more information.

See the original post:

This Burlington business is taking relaxation to a futuristic next level - InsideHalton.com

David Bowie on stage at a gig in 1973. Picture: Express/Getty

Rare photos of live music gigs in Scotland from the lost era before smartphones and YouTube could soon be published in a new book.

The book, 16 Years: Gigs in Scotland 1974-1990, captures a significant period in Scottish music history by showcasing 2,000 rare photos, many unpublished, and items of memorabilia.

Bands and artists featured include David Bowie, The Clash, Motorhead, Ultravox and the Sex Pistols who only made one appearance in Scotland.

Scottish artists feature prominently, including Simple Minds and Cocteau Twins.

Sparked by his lifelong passion for live music Chris Brickley had the idea after collating his own concert pictures, ticket stubs and posters.

Over two years he has gathered material for a 500-page book and raised 14,000 through donations and co-sponsors.

A relaunched crowdfunder for the final 4,000 needed to ensure publication has almost hit its target ahead of the 9 February deadline.

Arranged by town and venue across Scotland, the book presents a treasure trove of ephemera taking in post/punk, indie, rock, pop and reggae, from household names to forgotten acts.

The collection revisits a huge number of venues many now lost.

Highlights include photos of The Jam relaxing after a show and the Stranglers incurring a rammy.

Mr Brickley said: I remember many gigs in Glasgow. Each crowd has a different dynamic, and its great to feel the band respond to the atmosphere. I used to imagine I was breathing the same stale air as the Stones, the Kinks.

Now-legendary gigs such as The Clash/Suicide/Coventry Automatics (Specials) at the Apollo, Stranglers at the City Halls and Cramps/Fall at Glasgow Tech are included, as well as back-room gigs and forgotten acts from the later 70s and 80s.

The project evolved after Mr Brickley turned his attention to capturing the energy from the punk period.

He said: I am interested in images and pictures and I felt I was too young for punk.

I thought wouldnt it be great to know what the atmosphere was like at these gigs. Quite early on I got a cracking group of punk period photographs, which is like the Holy Grail nobody really took cameras to these things. Ive just kept going.

Back then a lot of venues didnt let you take cameras in.

Its very hard to take photographs anyway you really need to know what youre doing.

As well as covering musicians, the book includes photographs of the fans, highlighting the hair and fashion trends of the years with pictures, tickets, posters and autographs.

Brickley added: Everybody knows about the big venues but really good bands that I like also played in wee villages outside Dumfries, Stirling, Falkirk and Grangemouth.

For me thats the real story because most of these venues have now gone. Its an ambitious thing.

Most of my gig-going was Glasgow but Ive lived in Edinburgh for 20 years and went to a lot of gigs in Dundee too.

It could make a good series particularly looking down south at Manchester and Liverpool.

The real excitement is saving the stuff thats going to be lost if we dont do this project, stuff sitting in peoples garages and shoe boxes or photo albums.

Author Ian Rankin expressed his support on the crowdfunder page: A trip down memory lane for many of us, its also an invaluable guide to a lost world of venues, bands, fashions and moments in time.

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Fans rare photos to bring lost era of music back to life - The Scotsman

THERE's nothing more frustrating than heading to bed and not being able to get those much-needed zzzzzs - especially when you've got a busy day to face in the morning.

A night of tossing and turning can not only leave you feeling sluggish and bleary-eyed - but, in the long run, it can impact on your physical, mental and emotional health too.

2

With just 17 per cent of UK adults getting the recommended eight hours' kip per night, it's about time we all start making a few changes to make sure we're at our top form each day.

Here, we take you through some of our top tips to help you drift off into the land of nod...

A new study has found that taking a warm shower 90 minutes before bed can help people nod off 50 per cent faster - and increase their total sleep time by 15 minutes.

This is because hot water dilates your blood vessels, improving your skins ability to lose excess heat.

And this helps your body to reduce its core temperature - a process that is key to falling asleep easily.

It is an essential factor in achieving rapid sleep onset

The researchers, from the University of Texas in Austin, said: "The temperature cycle leads the sleep cycle and is an essential factor in achieving rapid sleep onset and high efficiency sleep."

With 90 minutes before bed time being the prime time for a shower, that means you should be hopping in the shower at about 8:30pm.

Why that time? Taking a shower at 8:30 means you will be in bed and asleep by 10pm.

10pm is considered the perfect time to hit the hay as it enables you get the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep you need to be productive the next day.

This is one that won't surprise you.

Phones or tablets that emit blue light have been shown to disrupt melatonin levels the hormone that regulates our sleep/wake cycle.

This is not just to get a good night's kip studies show a connection between overuse of phones and depression and anxiety.

TheNational Sleep Foundation recommends:

She says: "Information overload and constant connection can negatively impact your mood.

"While it might be tempting to cuddle up with your iPad this winter, make sure you allow your brain to switch off in the evenings.

"Avoid social media accounts and emails for 90 minutes before bedtime. Instead read a book, listen to relaxing music and have a bath using relaxing essential oils.

"A regular wind down routine like this will reduce feelings of anxiety and allow your mind to relax; making sure you get a good nights sleep and preparing you for the day ahead."

As the temperatures drop in January and February, the heating comes on but this can actually disrupt sleep.

This is because central heating systems dry out the mucous membranes, making you more thirsty during the night.

Dr Neil Stanley, ex-chairman of the British Sleep Society, says the optimum temperature for a good night is 18C or lower.

We need to lose around 1C of our internal body temperature, which sits at around 37C - to drift off.

If you're in a room that's too warm, your body can't dump that excess heat - and that means that your sleep will be disturbed.

Turn the heating off in your bedroom and instead use duvets, blankets and breathable bed linen to help regulate your body temperature.

Time is of the essence when it comes to your caffeine hit.

Drink it too early or too late in the day, and Dr Sarah Brewer, a registered doctor and nutritional therapist, warns it can stop you sleeping.

Dr Brewer believes that most of us are drinking coffee at the wrong times of the day - from our first cup (which is too early), to our last (which is too late).

She said: "Caffeine is the most widely consumed stimulant in the world and mainly works via adenosine receptors in the brain.

Caffeine increases focus and reduces the perception of fatigue

"This produces an alerting effect by increasing the release of some brain chemicals. Caffeine increases focus and reduces the perception of fatigue.

"By blocking adenosine receptors, it prevents the relaxing responses produced by adenosine and interferes with your ability to wind down and sleep.

She recommends that you have your final cup of coffee no later than 5pm - although chronic insomniacs might want to stop the caffeine consumption at lunchtime.

Music to many parents ears... no need to feel guilty, having the kids kip in with you IS bad for your health.

And it could prove detrimental to them too.

Not only will their wriggling likely keep you up, letting a child sleep with you can stunt their development.

Siobhan Freegard, founder ofChannelMumrecommends giving your child a nightlight if they can't sleep in their own room.

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She says: "Soothing nightlights can be a big help for anxious children who are scared of the dark and come though to escape it.

"Choose one that plays soft music and dreamy patterns to aid their sleep."

According to the above chart posted onLifehacker,children should go to bedby a certain time... and it all depends on when they woke up.

A recent study found that participants who used supportive pillows had better sleep. But how do you choose the right one?

People who sleep on their side benefit from a firmer pillow, whereas those who lie on their front are suited to a softer one, says sleep expert Jamie Moryoussef.

Kip on your back? Harley Street sleep coach Max Kirsten advises going for a pillow that allows your head to tilt back slightly, such as a memory foam one, which conforms to your head shape.

Similarly, Research by the National Sleep Foundation showed that 86 per cent of people rated comfortable sheets as crucial to a good nights kip.

Eating before bed can really upset the body's sleep cycle.

Experts say you should avoid eating within three hours of bedtime to "avoid indigestion, acid reflux and even nightmares".

Helen Bond, registered dietitian, recommended the best snacks, including vegetable sticks with tzatziki, toast with salt nut butter and popcorn if the late-night munchies hit.

Here, Dr Helen Bond, registered dietitian, talks us through the best midnight snacks that are also diet-friendly.

Vegetable sticks with tzatziki made from low-fat yogurt, cucumber, garlic and lemon juice

Bowl of fresh fruit salad

Pot of plain low-fat yogurt with fresh berries

A few oatcakes topped with cottage cheese and tomato

Slice of wholegrain toast with no added sugar or salt nut butter

Small handful of unsalted nuts or seeds

Few rye crispbreads topped with mashed avocado

A few handfuls of air-popped popcorn dusted with cinnamon

Few slices of wholegrain baguette topped with homemade salsa made from diced tomatoes and red onion, garlic and coriander

Celery sticks filled with a few tablespoons of hummus

Bowl of salad topped with one boiled egg

She told The Sun Online: "Its best to avoid snack foods that are highly processed or refined.

"As well as being high in saturated fat, sugar and/or salt, theyre often low in nutrients and loaded with calories, and very moorish which makes it harder for us to control our weight."

A glass or two of wine, or a sip or two of brandy, for many is a pre-bed ritual.

But despite what you might think, experts say it actually doesn't improve our sleep.

That's because alcohol blocks tryptophan - an amino acid that helps you sleep - from getting to the brain.

Professor Malcolm von Schantz, from the University of Surrey, says: "Alcohol has a weird effect in that it makes it easier to fall asleep, but it makes it harder to stay asleep and it affects the quality of our sleep."

We're all guilty of letting our cats or dogs cuddle up to us in bed at the end of the day.

However, they can rob us of those vital zzzzs - not just because they fidget about, but also because of fur shedding.

On top of this, sleeping with a furry friend can also aggravate allergies or asthma in those susceptible to it.

Revealed

Dr Ramlakhan says: "While pets can seem like a great bedtime companion, they are bound to disrupt our sleep patterns in the long-term, despite how soothing it may be to have them in the bedroom with us.

"We must avoid pets getting into the habit of sleeping in our beds with us as best we can.

"And ensure they have their own place to sleep, as well as being groomed regularly to reduce fur shedding which can also be a nuisance."

Read more:

Struggling to sleep? The best time to shower and 8 other tips to nod off - The Sun