Neurodiversity refers to the human brain and cognition and the way people socialise, learn, the way they pay attention to different situations. Neurodiversity comprises of the different ways people experience and interact with the world around them. Most neurodivergent people are diagnosed with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia or dyscalculia. A lot of people get self-diagnosed or never find out whether they are neurotypical and neurodivergent. It is very important to be aware of people who are neurodiverse in order to help provide them with the necessary sensory and cognitive simulations, to help them fulfil their potential without any setbacks throughout their school and university years and also to avoid any stigma, lack of support or discrimination from teachers, peers and anyone else who may not be familiar with neurodiversity.

While there are a lot more ways to help neurodivergent people (specifically children and young adults or students) nowadays, a lot of times there are still vast challenges that those people need to face especially during school years. Some of the more common barriers that pupils face are sensory overload (which consists of difficulties with sensory processing). For example, the noise levels, bright lighting, and strong smells in a classroom can be overwhelming for some neurodivergent pupils, leading to stress, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating. Another challenge they could face is difficulties with communication, both verbal and nonverbal. This can lead to difficulties with social interactions, making friends, and understanding instructions from teachers. Moreover, skills such as organising themselves, studying/work planning and time management could be quite difficult for them to handle. Neurodivergent pupils can have difficulties with understanding and processing information, which can make it challenging to keep up with the pace during a lesson or in the workplace. For example, pupils with dyslexia might struggle to read and comprehend written texts, while pupils with ADHD may have difficulty staying focused on long lectures.

These barriers can have a significant impact on a neurodivergent pupil’s academic and social development. However, with appropriate support and accommodations, neurodivergent pupils can thrive in the classroom and beyond.

Most schools offer a vast range of activities, exercises and sports to help the neurodiverse students, a lot of them also provide Learning Support Assistants (LSAs), however neurodiverse students usually find it more difficult to perform tasks, to concentrate or to motivate themselves.  Therefore, mainstream schools depend mainly on teaching assistants and Learning Support Assistant (LSAs) for the development and the success of the SEND students. Usually, most of the times the LSAs are really engaging and well-educated individuals who use a framework to help the SEND students. These are proven to help methods but another method could be implemented, so that the students can complete their work more efficiently.

Options:

1. Meet and greet with the students before going to the classroom

Meet and greet is important for everyone, be it friends, family, a new pet, colleagues or teachers – students. A good way to integrate a neurodiverse student is by meeting them first and spending some time with them. LSAs and teachers could meet the student and explain to them that they will be in lesson with them and that they want to help them and to learn more about them – not about what their favourite subject is, but more about their hobbies, what they like doing in their free time and what do they think in general about school. Getting to know neurodiverse students in that way could help ease them up and make them used to the LSA or teacher before they have to go in class with all their classmates and all the studies. It can also help the particular LSA or teacher establish what approach is the best with this certain student, what is the best way to work with them or what is something that the teacher or LSA should avoid mentioning. By having those meet and greets, the neurodivergent student establishes a routine which is so important for them and also gets familiar with this new individual, therefore is less likely to react negatively when they walk in the classroom.

• Design individual specifically targeted exercises and activities and supplying the first time comers with self-love activity books

A lot of SENCO staff follows a certain framework when it comes to teaching neurodivergent students (compulsory breaks, owning a fidget spinner, breathing exercises are only few examples of some tactics used to help supporting SEN students). Adding to those tactics could be designing an individual specifically targeted exercises and activities for those students. For example, implementing the first suggestion of the meet and great could prove extremely helpful for this particular activity. One example could be an autistic student who has a vast interest in cars. If this student gets a specifically designed exercise that has different car models or certain people talking about cars in it, it would be much more interesting for them to work on it and to complete any exercises connected to it rather than do any other ones. 

Another idea is supplying every SEN student with a self-love activity books, which are quite efficient for neurotypical people as well but would be very efficient for SEN students. With those books they can read and write as much as they want in them and whenever they wish to do so. They can start from the first or last page of the book, they can doodle or write in it, they can complete the whole book or only a few pages. It all depends on how they want to approach it.

Those self-love books have proven to help a lot of people by boosting their self-esteem, helping them cope better with anxiety and depression, encouraging them to be creative and helping with their memory. That would be the perfect addition for neurodivergent students and adults.

Final thoughts:

Neurodiverse students often struggle with concentration, motivation and completing tasks and rely on teaching assistants and learning support assistants for support. While current tactics like breaks, fidget spinners and sensory rooms have been helpful, the efficiency of their performance could be improved with newly implemented methods such as the suggested above. We all want an inclusive society and a thriving society where anyone is able to flourish, to succeed, to feel happy, valued and appreciated. This is a stepping stone to help achieve this and be better people. 

‘If you can’t adopt, please foster. If you can’t foster, please donate. If you can’t donate, please volunteer.’

Ever since I have been a kid, I have absolutely loved animals – be it cats, dogs, rabbits, parrots, hamsters etc. I was always drawn to them and always begged my mum to get me a pet. Being an only child has not been the easiest growing up, even though my mum has always made my life so good. I, however really dreamt of a pet, but my mum explained to me that since we lived in an apartment on the fourth floor without any garden and with an extremely small balcony and since we were not at home a lot (I was all day at school and my mum was at work from 9am until 6pm), it would not be fair on any animal to just have one. As every kid, I didn’t quite understand what she meant by that back then and thought she was a bit mean not to want us to get a pet. However, as years passed and I grew up, moved country, I understood more and more what she had meant. I also started dog and cat sitting which was not the same as having your own pet but similar. I also volunteered in a local shelter however due to the pandemic back in 2020 the shelter had to close and most of the animals had to go to foster homes. One day when I was speaking to my mum on the phone, she told me that she had always wanted once she retires to get a small quiet house somewhere by the mountains with a big garden with lots of flowers and a German shepherd dog. I was excited for her to do that… Unfortunately, my mum passed away from Covid unexpectedly back in April 2021… I was devasted, she also had just retired when covid started. My whole life turned upside down in a split second… For months I didn’t want to do anything and my ‘exercise’ was getting out of bed and going to the couch in the living room and back from the couch to bed. I kept on having nightmares and night terrors, my mum was my best friend and it was not fair for her to go like this and that early. All of a sudden, there was a very big void that didn’t seem to be able to be filled by anything or anyone. I didn’t feel like doing anything, I didn’t feel like talking to anyone, I just wanted for Earth to swallow me whole, as that way I won’t be able to be sad and to have that horrible pain inside me. That is, during my first ever birthday without my mum, which felt terrible, when I started looking to adopt a cat. I thought to myself, I can’t really afford to have a dog right now and me and my boyfriend rent a very small ground floor flat with no garden and there is not too much space for the dog to run and that wouldn’t be fair on him… That’s when it clicked – my mum was right that whole time, it really would be selfish if we had a dog when we couldn’t provide him with the best living situation and enough attention. However, a cat is a different story, cats can live indoors quite happy and indoor cats are even heathier, they don’t need walks every day and they don’t need too much space, we just needed to provide him with enough space, some toys, a cat tree, a cat litter and lots and lots of love and cuddles. At that time my boyfriend was working from home and I was taking a break from work due to my mental health because of my mum’s death. I went straight onto Google search to search for a cat to rescue when a friend of mine said she recently rescued a kitten with his two other brothers but unfortunately, she is allowed to keep only one and the local shelter can take the others but cannot guarantee that they would all go to homes… I jumped straightway and went to meet with my friend and the kittens. They were all beautiful and so little… Then this little palm sized tuxedo kitten started sniffing me and looking at me curiously and it was love from first sight. I took him in my hands, hugged him and he started making biscuits straightway. I didn’t hesitate and took him in. He has been my saviour; my friend would say ‘Thank you for saving him’ but I say he was the one who saved me really. He is my precious boy, he is my emotional support animal and so much more. I take him for walks, he cuddles up to me, he sleeps with me and my boyfriend every night, he purrs and makes biscuits and then he sleeps on my lap, he fetches a toy, he loves belly rubs and he has the most precious voice. Moreover, he knows when I am upset and how to calm me down – people would be surprised how healing a cat’s purrs are. I couldn’t believe that this little guy chased away my nightmares and night terrors when nothing else could. As soon as he started sleeping with me, my nightmares were gone and it was much easier for me to fall asleep than before. He is the cure I never knew existed. Of course, I miss my mum every day, but with him on my side, everything feels just a little bit more survivable. He is my gem!

Unfortunately, in these days due to covid and the increased prices of rents and electricity bills, a lot of people not only cannot afford to adopt, rescue, or foster an animal, but they cannot afford to pay the vet bills even for their own pets. It is a very expensive and hard world we live in; however, I urge all people, please if the worst happens and you absolutely cannot afford to look after your pets anymore, ask friends if they can take them in or give them to your local shelter or in foster homes. Ask RSPCAs for vet bills help. Please never abandon an animal… They are one of the best things that’s left in this world. So, yes, this quote stroke me as very important as please if you can’t adopt, foster; if you can’t foster, donate; if you can’t afford to donate, volunteer. Anything helps. I know that because volunteering in the shelter and seeing those sweeties getting adopted or/and going to their foster parents or/and just being taken care of and sleeping soundly at night, is the best thing in the world. I promise you won’t regret it. It will be the best thing you have ever done and the most soul rewarding. Honestly, I think pets are Earth angels and I am convinced that my mum sent me my kitten Max from above…

WASP-96b was firstly discovered in 2013 by the Wide Angle Search for Planets (WASP). It was said to be a gas giant exoplanet with a mass of 0.48 Jupiters. It is about 1,120 light-years away from Earth, in the constellation Phoenix.

The atmospheric spectrum from James Webb Space Telescope was one of the first ones to capture and release a scientific image of the planet in July 2022, which captured the most detailed spectrum of an exoplanet’s atmosphere ever. It confirmed something that WASP never saw at first – it confirmed that the planet has water, and clouds and hazes like atmosphere and it also orbits its Sun-like star WASP-96 every 3.5 Earth days. Due to its proximity to its Sun-like planet, it was discovered that the temperature on WASP-96b is greater than 1000 degrees F. Only Webb Space Telescope’s design can make such detailed observations and can provide such accurate data. Due to its 270-square foot gold-coated mirror, the infrared light is collected efficiently, which produces thousands of infrared colours and the sensitive detectors measure very delicate differences in brightness. Due to its highly accurate specs and stability, it enables us to gather much more accurate and close information and hopefully even discover some signs of life and other entities in the nearest future.

Is it possible that there are other entities living on this planet or any other planet? Are they searching for us or have they already found us but are keeping quiet? With James Webb Space Telescope features and advancements, we are one step closer to discovering other planets and hoping to discover extraterrestrial life or a planet that could potentially become the new home for some of us.

ANTONIYA GERIMPAPAZI 

January 10, 2023 

The LauncherOne rocket had been predicted to be the first UK rocket to enter space. Had it been successful, the satellites on board LauncherOne would have been the first to be ever carried into space from Western Europe. The satellites could have then sent back information about climate changes, potential life on different planets and not to mention beautiful pictures exploring space.

Reports claim that the engines of the rocket and all the equipment and burners have been checked before departure a couple of times and haven’t reported any damage, so according to the latest sources the rocket didn’t reach Orbit due to an “anomaly”. It encountered problems during its second stage after its release from Cosmic Girl.  It is not quite clear what exactly went wrong, further research is due to shed some light on the situation.

Spaceport Cornwall hosted an audience of at least 2000 people, who had bought tickets for the night to observe the launch. The rocket was also spotted from a lot of Irish places in a clear sky. Families didn’t let the cold stop them from observing this historical moment and watching in awe. Despite the setback, the rocket launch makes history as UK’s first orbital rocket launch and people let themselves dream a bit about what could have happened if it had managed to reach orbit and report back.

 Fortunately, Cosmic Girl returned to Cornwall and was greeted warmly with applause. People remain hopeful and united as they look forward to the next launch.

Even though sadly this mission failed, there are a lot more vertical launches planned for later this year, so 2023 promises a lot more attempts and hopefully successful launches and explorations in space.

In recent years, I realized that male cats are more than likely to suffer from UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections) which would be a real headache for you and your cat, as well as your bank account.

Male cats are much more prone to suffer UTI at some point in their life and to have it again the year after or in the next years to come, no matter whether they are outdoor or indoor cats. Sadly, due to the way their physique is constructed, their urine could get blocked much easier and therefore, it is much more common in male than in female cats.

What do I need to take care of to try to prevent UTI?

There are a few house rules that can help in preventing UTI, however, please remember that unfortunately UTI, especially in male cats, can happen even if you have taken care of all the house rules.

Firstly, please make sure the cat’s litter box is always clean, and what I mean by this is, do not delay removing their faeces, since that needs to be done daily (or even twice a day in most cases). Secondly, make sure you clean the litter box at least every week if not even twice a week. Your cat can get UTI from a dirty toilet (even if it is just urine in there). Thirdly, make sure your flat or house is clean (hoover and mop regularly). If you take your cat out, make sure it doesn’t eat any food it is not allowed or doesn’t engage in fights with other cats, etc. And last but not least, cats like being warm – make sure your cat has a warm blanket or corner where it could go, if it is a housecat- make sure the place where it sleeps keeps him warm.

This being said, UTI can appear even if you have taken care of all the above, unfortunately, so please pay attention to signs from your cat.

What signs and symptoms do I have to look for?

To catch your cat’s UTI on time, it might be useful to know the most common symptoms of it (I didn’t know, but fortunately I saw that something was wrong with Max’s behaviour, so I managed to catch it on time). Some of the most common symptoms of UTI include straining to urinate, squatting in the litterbox but still not passing any urine or passing very small amounts of urine, not urinating at all, and pain or discomfort when urinating (which can be seen by your cat excessively meowing in distress – pay attention to them, they want to tell you something), passing urine tinged with blood and urinating around the house, outside of the litter box. With Max, I knew something was wrong when he started trying to go to his litter box every 10 minutes and he would just squat and either not pee or pee very little. I got even more worried when, for the first time, he peed on the bed where we sleep with him. He was also waking us up more than usual and meowing in distress.

What to do next?

I recommend as soon as you see some of those signs, take your cat immediately to the vet as they will know the best thing to do next and they will determine how serious the situation is. By that, I mean they can examine your cat really quickly and recommend a few solutions to the problem. The good news here is that UTI is fully treatable if caught on time. The bad news is, no matter what the treatment is and how fast it is caught, it will still cost you a lot. 

Personal Recommendations

My recommendation for when you take your cat to the vet is, if your cat is still passing urine (even if not as much as previous times) and there is no blood in the urine and they ask you to decide whether you want them to put your cat on IVF and collect blood or whether you want them first for you to try an anti-inflammatory medicine liquid, to choose the second option. 

Frist and foremost, it will prevent your cat from becoming anxious and worried, causing even more health problems, and secondly, if the anti-inflammatory medication helps, what could be better – both for your pet and your finances? Saying that, the anti-inflammatory medication still costs a lot, however, it is less stressful for your pet and less money than a blood test. I would also recommend asking for a urine sample collection kit, since with Max, we tried the anti-inflammatory but it didn’t work from the very first week, so I collected his urine with the special urine collection kit and gave it to the vet, so they could send it to the lab for a piece of mind. Fortunately, for my Max, the lab results came negative for UTI after two weeks of anti-inflammatory treatment and special urinary tract food (my Max eats only dry food, so I had to get the dry one). 

I would recommend Royal Canin Urinary Tract dry food, however, you can get any that specialises in UTI. This food and the anti-inflammatory medicine that the vet prescribed helped my Max become better after two weeks. If, however, your cat is not healed by that and is still displaying worrying symptoms, please make sure you have given the urine sample to your vets for further examination. If the test results come positive for UTI, do not panic – it is treatable and the vets will recommend either a blood test or/and a suitable antibiotic for your cat – so that he gets better in no time! 

What about Max?

Fortunately, my baby boy Max is all good and back to his normal playful but cuddly self! I managed to notice on time something wrong was happening as he behaved differently. I love my boy so much and I would do anything for him to be in perfect health all the time. Remember, when you get a pet – no matter if it is a dog, a cat, a hamster, or a parrot, you get them for at least a decade, so you need to make sure you are fully ready, committed and devoted to them as they are like never growing kids. In return, you get the best love a person can imagine, a best friend and companion, which is the best prize one could ever wish for!

Antoniya Gerimpapazi

What is Hoarding disorder?

Hoarding has been a known disorder for a long time. It has been linked to a variety of mental health conditions, including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. It is most common in the middle aged and the elderly population but  it can develop at pretty much any time in a person’s life. Moreover, there have even been studies and connections that suggest that a lot of the time hoarding could actually be hereditary.

Hoarding and COVID-19

Hoarding during COVID became significantly worse and those who did not initially have hoarding tendencies began to develop them too. Hoarding of products and food was on the rise as people started buying them online. Hoarders were isolated and were unable to reach their families, let alone specialists, so they started collecting even more items as a coping mechanism. 

In addition, due to fears of shortages, some people began hoarding materials and food despite not having a hoarding disorder too. COVID has caused so much damage and anxiety to people, that many people’s mental health issues have since deteriorated even more.

Hoarding and personal view on the matter

Sadly, my late mother (who passed away in 2021 due to COVID-19) was a hoarder who collected newspaper articles, empty bottles, plastic bags and other objects. She would keep the newspaper articles and tell me that she would read them once she is old and retired, but the number of news articles and newspapers that she had was immense, so even future generations would have never been able to read them.

Misunderstanding and reality

Hoarders are often misunderstood because they don’t actually want to hoard and they don’t realise how many things they keep. They feel the need to keep those objects and they feel as if those objects are really valuable. 

I did not understand that about hoarding back when I was a child, so I remember I would tell my mum that I wanted to throw away some of the newspaper articles but she would get very angry and defensive and forbid me from throwing anything away.  

Consequences of hoarding

Hoarding also leads to antisocial behaviour since once people start hoarding, somewhere deep down they realise that their apartment looks more like a warehouse or even a landfill, than a place to live in or to invite people into. 

The objects my mum hoarded took over her entire place, including the living room couch, floor, dining table and even the other side of her double bed. She stopped inviting anyone to her home because everything was everywhere and no one even had a place to sit down. Therefore, I needed to meet friends outside in shopping centres, restaurants, cafes or their places rather than me inviting them to our place. 

I regret not learning about hoarding behaviour and the disorder and how to help my mum when she was alive. Therefore, I am writing this article, hoping that other people will read it and manage to prevent their parents, relatives, or friends from becoming “consumed” by objects. I am hoping that they can also help them declutter and get back to living in harmony and feel valued and appreciated.

Early signs to recognise a hoarder

Most people who are hoarders include but are not limited to people who:

• Live alone

• Are unmarried
• Have had a deprived childhood (with a lack of material objects or a poor relationship with their family)
• Have a family history of hoarding
• Have grown up in a cluttered home and never learned to organise items

 Early signs to recognize a hoarder are :

• Them refusing to separate with unnecessary objects
• Them keeping a lot of different objects and never using them (such as newspapers and magazines, books, clothes, junk mail, leaflets and letters, bills and receipts, containers including plastic bags and cardboard boxes, household supplies)
• Some people might even hoard animals without being able to look after them properly 
• Them getting defensive and overprotective when it gets mentioned that they need to declutter their home. 

Be aware of those signs, and make sure to be next to them and help them through this challenging and difficult time. 

Support Groups

Suffering from a hoarding disorder or living with a hoarder could be extremely challenging and difficult, but people don’t have to face it on their own. There are quite a few support groups in the UK that offer advice, help and a listening ear and they are free to attend. Some of them are:

• Mind’s helplines provide information and support by phone and email.
• Local Minds offer face-to-face services across England and Wales. These services include talking therapies, peer support and advocacy.
• Side by Side is our supportive online community for anyone experiencing a mental health problem.

• Age UK (England) (0800 678 1602; ageuk.org.uk) – Information and support for older people.
• British Psychological Society (BPS) (bps.org.uk) – Information about psychology, including a list of chartered psychologists.
• Help for Hoarders (helpforhoarders.co.uk) – Help for people experiencing hoarding and their families, including support groups and an online forum.
• Hoarding Disorders UK (0330 133 2310; hoardingdisordersuk.org) – Support for people affected by hoarding, including support groups.
• Hoarding UK (020 3239 1600; hoardinguk.org) – Support for people affected by hoarding, including support groups.
• Law Centres Network (lawcentres.org.uk) – Information about Law Centres, which defend the legal rights of people who can’t afford a lawyer. Includes a searchable directory.
• National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) (nice.org.uk) – Produces guidelines on best practice in healthcare.
• NHS UK (nhs.uk) – Information about health problems and treatments, including details of local NHS services in England.
• OCD Action (0300 636 5478; ocdaction.org.uk) – Information and support for people affected by OCD and hoarding, including online forums and local support groups.
• Rainbow Red (07931 303310; rainbowred.co.uk) – Provides an ice breaker form for people wanting to seek help with hoarding.
• Relate (relate.org.uk) – Provides help and support with relationships, including counselling and telephone support.
• Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) (rspca.org.uk) – Animal charity working to prevent cruelty and promote kindness to animals in England and Wales.
• Samaritans (116 123; jo@samaritans.org; samaritans.org) – Samaritans are open 24/7 for anyone who needs to talk. You can visit some Samaritans branches in person.
• The Silver Line (0800 4 70 80 90; thesilverline.org.uk) – Provides support, information, friendship and advice for anyone aged over 55 who may feel lonely or isolated.

The right approach and ways to help

If you suspect that someone is hoarding there are several ways to help. 

Being gentle with hoarders and explaining to them that they need to declutter some items whilst you are supporting them or on their own (if they prefer that) could be one way to help. 

You can start with a very small area, like a table or a bookshelf, and gradually continue. It is recommended to offer them your help, as that way they cannot find an excuse not to do it. By being there, you can help them and lead them to feeling motivated and determined to clear a certain space. 

Once you lead them and they achieve even the smallest success, you can then praise them and make sure that they understand that they have done a very important and good job, so that encourages them to continue decluttering. 

Another way to help hoarders would be to take them out for walks and suggest that if they clean their place, they can then invite their friends over and get back on track with their social life.

And last but not least, the NHS has ways of helping too. Try to persuade the family member or friend to go to see their GP and talk about it. This may not be easy, as someone who hoards might not think they need help. Try to be sensitive about the issue and emphasise your concerns for their health and wellbeing. Reassure them that nobody is going to go into their home and throw everything out. You’re just going to have a chat with the doctor about their hoarding to see what can be done and what support is available to empower them to begin the process of decluttering.

Your GP may be able to refer you to your local community mental health team, which might have a therapist who’s familiar with issues such as OCD and hoarding.If you have difficulties accessing therapy, the charity OCD-UK may be able to help (some therapists are even available online and not just in person, in case this particular person prefers an online or over the phone communication). The most common therapy to treat hoarding disorder or OCD disorder is Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT). The therapist will help the person to understand what makes it difficult to throw things away and the reasons why the clutter has built up. This will be combined with practical tasks and a plan to work on. It’s important that the person takes responsibility for clearing the clutter from their home. The therapist will support and encourage this. 

Antidepressant medicines called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) have also been shown to help some people with hoarding disorders.

To conclude, having a relative or a friend suffering from a hoarding disorder could be extremely difficult, however with the right approach and help from the NHS, this person could be definitely helped and the disorder could either be fully treated or at least the person could start getting better gradually.

ANTONIYA GERIMPAPAZI 

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) and Insomnia

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (better known as ASMR) is the new so-called “trend”, however, does it work?

A lot of sleep studies have been conducted leading scientists to look to experimenting with different sounds, smells, and experiences to help people fall asleep. However, is ASMR the answer to most of our questions and to our sleepless nights?

Insomnia is one of the biggest health problems today’s world is facing. More and more people are having trouble sleeping and therefore experiencing side effects of insomnia, tiredness, and exhaustion reported as the main ones. Scientists and everyday people have tried different methods to help people sleep easier and better. A lot of the time, an answer to sleeping better is a sleeping pill. Although, what happens when some people don’t respond to any of those methods? What happens when you do not want to take a sleeping pill?

ASMR, different forms of it and some ASMRtists

ASMR is a tingling sensation that usually begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine. A pleasant form of paraesthesia, it has been compared with auditory-tactile synaesthesia and may overlap with frisson (Google definition). There are a lot of different forms of ASMR – starting from rainfall and fire crackling videos and audios, continuing to scalp massages, hair brushing or applying makeup. There are also a lot of ASMR videos and audios of soft tapping noises with different triggers (some more popular are tapping nails onto surfaces such as plastic, wood, paper, metal, etc), turning a book’s pages, listening to “crinkly” items such as paper, clothes, and other materials, typing on a keyboard and finishing sometimes with personal attention videos spoken in a soft quiet voice (where the ASMR artist performs tasks such as applying nail polish, makeup, giving a haircut, back massage, ear cleaning, etc onto a mannequin, which is supposed to be “you” or directly to the camera. Most of those ASMR artists whisper in a low calming voice to help you fall asleep. A lot of the time there are even ASMR pet videos or audio of a cat purring or kneading close to a microphone.

The content associated with the ASMR could be either just audio or videos accompanied by very clear audio. The ASMR artists or creators usually have very professional equipment such as a high-tech microphone and/or a mannequin to work on. There are a lot of different ASMR artists out there but a few of the most popular are TingTing ASMR, RelaxCorner ASMR, Starling ASMR, Jojo’s ASMR, GinaWhispers, Sensory by Sophie, ASMR Promo, Realdealpjc. Those creators and many more are very talented and they are proven to help people since more and more report being able to relax easier, getting less anxiety and panic attacks, being able to calm down after a stressful day, and also being able to fall asleep while listening or watching their videos.

Can ASMR heal people?

ASMR is more than just the next “trend”. It is a form of art. It can help people with a lot of health issues and problems but it also manages to help people in their everyday lives relax and live a calmer and happier life and sleep better. It is proven that ASMR has helped people experiencing stress and anxiety issues relax and calm down and also fall asleep. Moreover, it has even helped people with depression, panic attacks, and insomnia calm down enough to fall asleep. People who sleep better lead happier lives and have a better life quality and higher life expectancy. Better sleep helps people be happier and healthier, boosts their immune system, and helps them perform better in their personal and professional life. As it seems, ASMR has helped quite a lot of people and is doing nothing wrong, so why not try it?

Personal experience

Lastly, if you want a personal experience, I have tried watching and listening to ASMR videos myself and have never looked back. They have helped me with all the above and more. Since I lost my mum due to COVID back in 2021, I was experiencing Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety and panic attacks and fell into a deep depressive state. I was not able to fall asleep until at least 5 am and when I did fall asleep, I was constantly having nightmares. When a friend of mine suggested watching some ASMR videos, I never expected them to help. Contrary to my belief, they managed to decrease my anxiety and slowly I started to fall asleep earlier than 5 am every night until one day I managed to go back to my normal sleep routine (which for me is midnight or 1 am). I now use ASMR on a daily basis, it helps me not only to fall asleep and sleep better, but also to decrease my anxiety and stress of everyday life. I recommend it.

Toledo | Antonia Gerimpapazi

TOLEDO, SPAIN. Toledo is the former capital of Spain and now a rich cultural centre, situated just an hour away from Madrid by bus. With its rich history, it attracts many tourists as well as locals. It’s a great place to ‘’dive’’ into the Spanish history and explore all the ancient buildings and cathedrals — after all, Toledo is like a museum itself. Not only will Toledo leave you with beautiful sights sealed into your mind, but it will give you impressions that will last for a lifetime.

The easiest way to get to Toledo from Madrid is by catching the metro to the Santo Domingo metro station. Exit on Gran Vía and then take bus number 8 from Calle San Bernardo, 7. The bus leaves at 9 a.m. every Saturday, and I would recommend buying tickets at least a week in advance so you can avoid any misunderstanding or inconvenience. A round-trip ticket costs about 10.86€ (or 5.43€ one way). It is highly recommended to take a professional tour guide as Toledo is a city with such a rich history that it’s best to explore with an expert rather than on your own.

Once you start the journey, prepare your lightest clothes, as Toledo is warmer than Madrid. When you get off the bus, the first thing that you will see is an incredible sight of the whole city. You can ask the driver to stop or at least slow down the bus so you can take some beautiful pictures of the scenery.

Toledo

Beautiful Toledo

You will arrive in Toledo by passing the Bridge of San Marin, which is a tourist attraction in itself, and thus take you to your first cultural stop: the Cristo de la Luz. Cristo de la Luz is located near the Puerta del Sol and it is a former ancient mosque, which dates back to 999 when it had been used as a stash for the Muslims in Spain. Later on, after continuous fights, the Muslims were persuaded to leave the country, so the mosque has since become a Christian church. Now it is in the process of renovation, but one can still see the beautifully painted and decorated walls and ceilings.

Bridge Toledo

Beautiful Toledo

Cathedral Toledo

Bridge of San Marin

The second famous destination in Toledo is the Museo el Greco which has been the home of the famous painter, sculptor and architect of the Spanish Renaissance El Greco (Domenikos Theotokopoulos). Toledo holds both of his best known famous paintings: The Assumption of the Virgin (1577-1579) and The Disrobing of Christ (1577-1579). The museum’s two buildings share a beautiful courtyard and house many of the artist’s priceless works as well as several works by other 17th-Century Spanish painters.

There are many things to admire about the Cathedral of Toledo, including its great paintings and architecture. Centuries ago talented Spanish painters created impressive works of art in this religious monument, and the influence of the cathedral is amazing. When I was walking in it, I felt like some of the saints from the paintings would jump out from the frames and come to life. It’s amazing how talented artists in the past were.

The next stop should be Iglesia de Santo Tome. The church of Santo Tome is located in the historic centre of the city of Toledo and was founded after the reconquest of the city by King Alfonso VII. The mosque was used as a Christian church, which remained largely unchanged since the capture of the city. However, in the early fourteenth century, it was completely rebuilt from ruins by Gonzalo Ruiz de Toledo, Lord of Orgaz and former minaret of the mosque in the steeple. One of the most famous paintings could be seen there: The Burial of Count Orgaz painted by El Greco in the 1587.

Toledo scenery

The Cathedral of Toledo

Cathedral of Toledo

Beautiful architecture

One of the other buildings worth a visit is Claustro de San Juan de Los Reyes. Built by the Catholic monarchs to commemorate their victory over Afonso V of Portugal at the Battle of Toro, this 15th-Century monastery has a dramatic Mudejar style ceiling, cloisters and three calming chapels. The main chapel is decorated with the coats of arms of the Catholic Monarchs supported by large eagles, and the granite façade on the exterior displays the chains of freed Christian prisoners. On the outside, you can see a beautiful garden with blooming flowers and trees.

Claustro de San Juan de los Reyes

Lastly, be sure to visit the Convento de Santa Isabel de Los Reyes, which was originally a church and was founded in 1477 by Maria Suarez de Toledo. Here you can find things from swords to jewellery, small souvenirs and buttons. It is worth taking a look because all of its works are handmade and there are still people who work on some pieces today. In fact, you can even capture the beauty of its artworks with your camera.

Convento de Santa Isabel de los Reyes

Convento de Santa Isabel de los Reyes Jewelries

And one last advice for visiting Toledo — don’t miss seeing the amazing bridges and views from rooftops and tall buildings. The architecture and sights from these high points are absolutely stunning. Also, if you get tired or want to try a traditional dish in a traditional Toledo restaurant, there are plenty of those in the center of the city. On first sight, it may seem a lot to do in Toledo, but you can actually visit all of those things just in one day trip and get back to Madrid tired but with wonderful memories to share.

Local Toledo Buildings

Toledo from high

Scenery of Toledo

Toledo is a beautiful ancient city to visit and if you ever get the chance to do it, don’t miss it!

TIRANA. ALBANIA. Tirana, Albania’s present-day capital city is a small, beautiful city which will surprise you with wonderful sights and places to visit. For a person who has never thought of visiting Tirana or Albania at all, I was really surprised to see how much the city has to offer in terms of places to visit and things to do.

Tirana’s location gives a great opportunity for visitors to plan their trip ahead as well, as you can easily reach Rome by a ferryboat or the island of Corfu, one of the land borders of Albania. The weather in Tirana could be classified as temperate with a warm summer and cool winter.

Tirana is not one of the most popular tourist destinations, but that is what makes the place even more desirable. You can discover nice places on your way and spontaneously in the moment. One of the most common places to visit in Tirana is the National History Museum, which is the largest museum in Albania and holds most of the country’s archaeological treasures, including a replica of Skanderbeg’s sword. The mosaic mural — Albania — on the museum’s facade is a showcase for Albanian proud dating back to World War II. All information is published in both English and Albanian, and it takes visitors on a chronological journey from ancient Illyria up until the present day.

Another place worth visiting in Tirana is Skenderberg Squar. Being the heart of Tirana, it is a large vibrant square full of spare full of all sorts of noisy life and it definitely is the perfect place to feel the pulse of the city. Most people choose to go to the nearest cafe or restaurant there and order either water or coffee for a drink. Considering the population and religion, it is not surprising that not many people drink alcohol, which adds to the clam and happy atmosphere there. One of the most famous restaurants is the Sky Bar, and it’s a great way to start your trip in Tirana. With its height it offers an amazing view of Tirana; however, I would recommend visiting it at night as a night view of Tirana is spectacular. Food in Albania brings together elements of Greek and Turkish cuisines. One very famous dish is Tabe Kosi, which contains both sheep and yogurt.

Having finished your lunch or dinner, you can proceed to Boulevard Deshmoret e Kombit – one of Tirana’s great boulevards built by the Italians. This wide boulevard leads up to Italy Square and you can get some lovely views all the way down to Skanderbeg Square. In the Italian square you can see a statue of Mother Teresa and also the Sheraton Hotel.

Albania’s famous painting made of coffee seeds

You shouldn’t miss passing by the Albanian Parliament located on the street where all the parliaments are situated.

Albanian Parliament

Later on you can visit the National Art Gallery, which combines a brief history of Albanian paintings spanning from the early 19th Century to the present day, in addition to temporary exhibits that are worth a look. Downstairs there is a small collection of 19th Century paintings of daily Albanian life, while the collection of art upstairs has a more political tone.

Once you are finished with your cultural visit, you can give way to the relaxing and fun part of your visit. Tirana offers a lot of fun such as cable cars rides, exploring the city by bike and visiting the Grand Park, Parku i Madh, or paying a visit to the largest stadium in Albania: Qemal Stafa.

Tirana monument

Skenderberg Squar

Tirana may be a small city to start from, but as soon as you pay it a visit you will be surprised at how many interesting things you can find and how much you will enjoy it. Oh, and just one more thing — be careful not to nod when you want to accept something. You’d better give them a polite ‘’Yes, please!’’ as in Albania people take a nod for ‘’no’’ and a shake of the head for ‘’yes’’. Enjoy!

STRATFORD UPON AVON, BRITAIN. Stratford upon Avon, mostly known as Shakespeare’s birthplace and the ‘’Swan city’’ is a small town situated in Warwickshire quite close to Birmingham and Coventry (25-45min car drive). It is a small beautiful town and a great tourist attraction mainly for Shakespearean lovers. It is worth a visit especially if you are living somewhere nearby or want to travel and explore some beautiful, historical and cultural places in Britain.

Being one of the most popular cultural places to visit and ‘’feel the spirit’’ and maybe ‘’gain inspiration’’ from Shakespeare’s birthplace, a lot of tourists and locals choose to visit that town. One of the most interesting and probably first places on your list should be the cathedral, where Shakespeare has wedded and where his grave is located. It is a really interesting place not only because of its historical and cultural meaning but also because of the epitaph on his gravestone which states: ‘’…Blessed be the man who spares his stones, and curst be the one who moves my bones’’. All over the cathedral, one could see Shakespeare’s manuscripts and creations.

As soon as you go out of the cathedral, you are most likely to pay a visit to the famous Shakespeare Royal theatre and then Shakespeare’s house, which has a museum shop downstairs and it’s a fulfilled dream for any Shakespeare lover. The house is very well kept and with a little bit of imagination, one could picture Shakespeare sitting there, brainstorming, and writing his poems and dramas. It’s a really interesting place and you really shouldn’t miss the house if you visit Stratford upon Avon.

Going out of the house, just walking around, one can see that all the pubs, restaurants, and shops are named after a Shakespearean character or a Shakespearean relative and are trying to represent Shakespearean atmosphere and setting. When you go to the town centre which is close to the cathedral, you can see the main park with the beautiful river Avon and so many gorgeous swans swimming there among the beautiful boats. Stratford is called the Swan city not just by chance. It is a common fact that many swans live in river Avon. One can admire this sight all day. Once you get enough of admiring the swans and taking a short boat trip in the river, you can walk around the park and see the two main statues of Hamlet and Lady Macbeth. They are easily found in the park and one can see how genuine they look.

Once you are finished with most of the places to visit, I’d offer you just walking on the main road at the centre of the town and admiring all the beautiful views as Stratford is a place where no matter in which direction you look, everything seems fantastic! If you are not afraid of ghosts and witches, I would recommend you do Stratford upon Avon’s ghost walk and take a trip around all the fortune tellers and spirits…of course, made of wax! You can also get a fortune reading paper for just one pound only by putting your hand against a mirror if you are into that kind of stuff of course.

And last but not least, like every person I guess some people who go with their halves and admire the swans and dive into the Shakespearean life together, other people visit with their friends, relatives or simply on their own… What matters is that everybody can feel the air filled with love and hopefully gain inspiration to be the next Shakespeare or fall in love… Why not both?