INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Many people skip their first meal of the day, but eating a healthy breakfast can elevate your concentration and performance during the day. Opt for foods with protein and fiber, like yogurt, eggs, whole-grain cereals, and nuts, to give yourself the best chance of maintaining your focus. Even mild dehydration can negatively affect your mood, focus, and performance. Be sure to drink water regularly throughout the day, especially when you’re consuming lots of diuretics, like caffeinated beverages. The average person should drink about 8 cups (1.9 L) water per day. Carry a liter-sized water bottle throughout the day and refill it once. No one can maintain their attention for hours at a time. While constant distractions can cripple your productivity, regular diversions can actually help you recharge and stay on schedule. Avoid burnout by taking quick, frequent breaks.  For instance, if you’re going to be working on something for many hours, take a 10-minute break each hour to give yourself a chance to reactivate your concentration. It also helps to move around during your breaks to help recharge your body. . Being tired seriously undermines your concentration and performance. Try to give yourself at least 8 uninterrupted hours of shuteye a night. Doing so will ensure that you’re mentally and physically prepared for the tasks at hand.  Set a sleep schedule to keep yourself on track. Going to bed and getting up at the same time each day will establish a healthy cycle that your body can depend on.  If you have trouble getting to sleep, establish a relaxing ritual to ease yourself into it. For instance, you may spend time in dim light meditating, reading, or listening to relaxing music before bed.  Avoid things that will disrupt your sleep, like eating or drinking within 3 hours of your bedtime. It’s also best to sleep in total darkness and keep your devices away from your bed. and reflect. Short sessions of meditation and mindful reflection can significantly improve your concentration. Taking time out to perform these exercises is likely to save you time in the long run.  To practice simple meditation, relax and sit still while you focus on your breath. Inhale deeply through your nose, and exhale slowly out of your mouth. With each exhalation, imagine that you are expelling stress and tension from your body. Meditating for as little as 5-15 minutes a day can make a difference. Take a few minutes at the end of your work to reflect on what you’ve accomplished. List the things that you’d like to focus on the next day. This can help you leave your work behind so that you’re better able to give your full concentration to it during your next work session.

SUMMARY: Eat a good breakfast. Stay hydrated. Take breaks. Get enough sleep Meditate


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: “Early” and “late” are relative terms when describing sleep times. Much depends on when you need to or are able to wake up each day, and how much sleep you are getting. There is some variation from person to person, but generally adults need 7.5 to 8.5 hours of sleep per day. Children (5 years old and up) and teenagers will need more sleep than this, ranging from 8.5 to 11 hours. Infants and toddlers will need even more. Choose a bedtime that is early enough for you to get the right amount of sleep, according to your age and schedule. If you want to figure out exactly how much sleep you need or are getting, consider using a sleep journal. Simply record when you go to bed each night and when you wake up each day, and calculate the hours of sleep you had in between. If you record your sleep for a few days or weeks, then you can also calculate your average amount of sleep. Staying up late can be unhealthy when it becomes a long-term habit. Going to bed late and sleeping in can contribute to weight gain and diabetes, correlate to poor nutrition, and other issues. Just acknowledging the importance of your sleep needs can help you start to improve your situation. Not getting enough sleep can have a negative impact on memory, alertness, focus, and other cognitive functions. If you want to succeed in school, work, or other activities, let this be a motivation for you to go to bed early. If you have to pull an "all-nighter" for school or work, clear your schedule the next day so that you will be able to concentrate solely on these tips for going to bed early. You'll need to recover from the lack of sleep.

SUMMARY: Decide what going to bed early means to you. Pick a good bedtime. Recognize that inadequate sleep can be unhealthy. Recognize that good sleep is necessary for optimum brain function.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Some pills are time-release or oil soluble, so it’s not a good idea to grind them up. NEVER crush or chew a pill without consulting with your doctor or pharmacist first. You could ingest the dosage too fast and harm yourself. If it’s a tablet, crush it in a mortar and pestle or a pill crusher (usually available at your local health foods store or pharmacy). If it’s a capsule, break it open. Applesauce and pudding work well. Smoothies and milkshakes with strong flavors also work. If you are working with a vitamin that you can’t crush, you can also put the whole thing in a semi-solid food. Try to swallow the whole bite.  Of course, don't take such a big bite that you choke. With luck, this will keep the pill from ever touching your tongue or throat.

SUMMARY: Ask your pharmacist if it’s okay to grind up the vitamin you’re taking. Break open or crush the vitamin. Hide the vitamin pieces in a semi-solid food. Using a spoon, take a large bite of the food with the pill inside.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Decide what color(s) you want to dye your hair. Figure out which product you want to use. Look for reviews to make sure you get a quality brand.  Some shampoo/conditioner brands also sell hair dye. It may help your case to pick a brand your parents use to wash their own hair. If your parents are vegan or against animal testing, consider picking a dye that's vegan or doesn't test on animals. Hair dye contains hydrogen peroxide, which can cause your hair to turn dry and brittle. It's unlikely that dyeing your hair once will cause any sort of serious damage, but be aware that it may still cause some damage, especially if you are going from dark to light.  The chance of you being allergic to hair dye is low, but it's still worth doing a patch test before you apply the dye to your head. Just put a small amount of dye on your wrist or ankle, and wait 24 hours to make sure there's no allergic reaction. There are many peroxide free hair dyes. They may not be as cheap as drugstore box dyes; however, they are much better for your hair. You don't want to get in trouble. If your school doesn't allow unusual colors, it's also very unlikely your parents will give you the okay. Be at the right age. If the package says, "Not recommended for use if under 16 years of age," do not use it as a 13-year-old. You could get serious hair follicle damage.

SUMMARY:
Do your homework on the hair dye. Learn about the risks involved in dying your hair. Make sure whatever you're doing is within the dress code for school/work.