| How to Improve Your Reflexes Posted: 19 Nov 2019 04:00 PM PST Reflexes are nerve signal-induced muscular reactions to external stimuli. For example, if you spot a baseball flying toward your head, your brain will send a signal to your hand to block the ball before it can hit you. Having good reflexes aids performance in sports, exercise, and everyday physical activities like crossing the street or driving. Some people are born with fast reflexes, and others must practice to attain a quicker reaction time to stimuli. Here are several techniques that can be employed to improve your reflex time. [Edit]Improving Your Reflexes with Mental Exercises - Improve your peripheral vision. Having a quick reaction time is dependent on being keenly aware of what's coming. You can strengthen your ability to perceive obstacles and flying objects by paying more attention to your peripheral vision during everyday activities.
- Look out a window that has a good view and focus your vision on a distant object. Keep looking at this object while you slowly let yourself become more aware of the objects that surround it on either side. Do this exercise once a day, widening your field of vision a little more each time. Gradually, you'll get in the habit of noticing more objects in your peripheral vision.
- Check out the video below for martial arts techniques used to improve peripheral vision.
- Play video games. Playing video games well requires good hand-eye coordination. You must be able to move from thought to action without pause or you'll quickly lose the game. Studies show that playing video games for a few minutes each day can help improve reflexes. First person shooters and role-playing games often require the most coordination, but any video game will do the trick.[1]
- Try hypnosis. Some people have found that a hypnosis technique called neuro-linguistic programming helps increase their awareness of a particular object, giving them the sensation that time has slowed down and they have more than enough time to react. Picture a sports movie that shows a quarterback watching a football arc toward him in slow motion. The football is not actually moving more slowly, of course, but according to its practitioners, neuro-linguistic programming can make it seem that way.
- Practice mindfulness. Cultivate mindfulness through regular meditation or by focusing on the present moment. Clear your head and try to focus all of your attention on what is happening directly around you. Dismiss thoughts of the past or future and instead focus directly on the sights, sounds, and sensations in the current moment.[2]
[Edit]Improving Your Reflexes with Physical Exercises - Practice catching a rubber bouncy ball or a "reaction ball." Reaction balls are six-sided rubber balls that bounce at unpredictable angles. They may be purchased at most sporting goods stores. Take one of these, or a simple quarter-machine bouncy ball, and toss it against an outdoor wall.
- Play jacks. For the days when you're feeling more low key, grab a set of jacks. This classic children's game comes with a small ball and twelve metal pieces. Start by lightly bouncing the ball and picking up as many jacks as possible. As you get better at the game, challenge yourself by bouncing the ball with greater speed. You may also spread the jacks farther apart to increase the game's difficulty.
- Play dodgeball with a partner. For this exercise, you need a large rubber or foam ball and a friend. Stand in front of a wall, either in a gym or outside in front of a building. Have your partner pitch the ball at you from a distance of ten or so feet away while you practice dodging it. As you get better at dodging the ball, ask your partner to throw it faster and from a closer distance.
- To make this exercise more difficult, recruit a second pitcher to throw another ball quickly after you have dodged the first one.
- Ask the pitchers to increase unpredictability by faking throws, throwing from different angles, and so on.
- Playing dodgeball as a team sport is also a great way to improve reflexes. Practice fielding balls and kicking those that are pitched to you.
- Try table tennis. Table tennis, or ping pong, is a great sport to help you improve your reflexes and hand-eye coordination. You can find tables or tabletop setups relatively affordably online or at many sporting goods stores. Alternatively, you can join a local table tennis group or club, which will allow you to face off with different partners and take on greater challenges as you work to improve your reflexes.[3]
- Pick a sport to practice regularly. Many sports including hockey, tennis, badminton, racquetball, and lacrosse are great activities to help you build your reflexes. Look for an athletic activity where you have to manipulate an object such as a ball using a tool such as a racket or stick. These sports generally require quick reaction, and can help you build both reflexes and situational awareness.[4]
- Run a nature trail. Since it requires no special equipment or exercise partners, running in the woods may be the easiest way to begin improving your reflexes. Simply find the closest nature trail - preferably one with varied terrain, rather than a wide path - and start running. The uneven footing and unpredictable roots and rocks you'll dodge will create a variety of stimuli to which your body will have to quickly react. The more often you hit the trail, the quicker your reflexes will get.
- Begin by running at a slow speed. As you feel your reflexes improve over time, push yourself to run faster. Nature trails have a generally higher risk of injury, so it's important to start slow.
- Mix things up by choosing a different trail whenever possible. If you get too used to one particular trail, your brain will remember obstacles, and you won't be improving your reflexes.
- Run the same trail in the other direction if you don't live close to many nature trails.
[Edit]Negotiating Self-Care - Eat nutritious food. Keeping your body and brain in optimal shape is imperative if you want quick reflexes. Foods high in refined sugars and trans fats can make you feel sluggish. Make sure you are getting enough protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.
- Whole foods like nuts, fish, berries, greens, and garlic increase cognitive function.[5]
- Make sure to drink plenty of water as well, since dehydration can also lead to lethargy and decreased reflex times.
- Get plenty of sleep. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), sleep helps you have quicker reflexes and perform on a higher level than you otherwise would.[6] Both your body and brain slow down when you're sleepy, resulting in impaired reflex reactions. Your reflexes will be quickest when you're well-rested after seven to nine hours of sleep.
- A good night's sleep is made up of four or five sleep cycles, each of which consist of a period of deep sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. This adds up to seven to nine hours per night.
- If you didn't sleep well the night before an important race or game, taking a nap a few hours before the event will help you be more alert when it's time to perform.
- Consider supplements. Certain nutritional supplements are said to lead to improved reflexes. Ginseng, Gingko, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, and Omega 3's have all been cited as dietary supplements that may be worth taking for better cognitive function and reaction times.
[Edit]Sample Exercises to Improve Reflexes
- Remember that the more you practice a particular movement, the more reflexive that movement will become. If you want to get better at catching a baseball, the best way to do so is to practice, over and over, until you can catch the ball without thinking.
- Practice playing catch with a partner or friend remember to use a soft ball this will help you move faster.
- If your skin bruises easily, have your dodgeball partner toss the ball close to your body instead of directly at you. You can still dodge away from it and practice quickening your reaction time.
- Make sure you have the proper shoes before hitting the trail for a run. You can buy special trail running shoes, but in normal weather conditions, a good pair of running shoes will be fine.
[Edit]Warnings - Check with your doctor before taking new dietary supplements, as some should not be taken by people with certain medical conditions.
- You may want to consider wearing protective eyewear, such as sports goggles, when performing ball-throwing exercises.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Running or trail running shoes
- A rubber bouncy ball or "reaction" ball
- A large rubber or foam ball
- A computer or video game console
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Tie a Tie Posted: 19 Nov 2019 08:00 AM PST Have you graduated beyond the clip-on tie? Beginning with these helpful instructions, a sharp-looking tie, a mirror, and some patience, you can become an expert in tying your own fashionable knot. You have several options available, from the versatile Four-in-Hand Knot to the classic Windsor. If you're helping someone else put on a tie, see this article for instructions from that perspective. - Put the tie around your neck. Make sure the wider end is on the right, and about 14 inches (36 cm) lower than the thinner side on the left.[1] The Windsor knot uses a lot of cloth, so the lower end should start a bit lower than you would usually position a tie.
- Cross the wide end over the narrow end. Hold one end in each hand, then pass each of them to the opposite hand. The wide end should now be on your left side.[2][3]
- Bring the wide end up through the neck loop. Using your right hand, hold the two ends where they cross near your collar. With your left hand, pull the wide end up through the neck loop from below.
- Bring your tie back down. Rest the wide end back on your chest, to the left of the narrow end.
- Fold it end behind the narrow end. Grab the wide end with your right hand and pull it back to the right side of your body, under the narrow end. Hold the knot near your collar in place with your left hand.
- Bring the wide end up to the neck loop from the front. Keep it on the right side.
- Pull the wide end through the neck loop. Insert the tip of the wide end and pull through, still on the right side.
- Fold the wide end over the narrow end. Fold it back over from right to left, so the front side is visible again.
- Pull the wide end through the neck loop from below. Bring the wide end back up through the neck loop one last time.
- Insert the wide end through the front knot. Place the wide end through the horizontal knot at the front of the tie. Pull it through.
- Tighten the knot. Hold the base of the front knot and squeeze gently from the sides. Slowly pull the wide end of the tie to bring the knot closer to the neck.
[Edit]Using the Easiest Method (Four-in-Hand Knot) - Drape the tie around your neck. With your collar up and your shirt fully buttoned, place the tie around your shoulders. Hang the wider end of the tie on your right side, with the narrow end about 12 inches (30 cm) higher on the left.[4]
- Cross the wide end over the narrow end. Bring the wide end to the left side of your body, over the narrow end. Hold the two pieces of cloth together with your left hand, near your neck.
- Loop the wide end under the narrow end. Let go with your right hand. Tuck it underneath the narrow end, grab the wide end, and pull it back through to your right side.
- Loop the wide end back over again. Cross it over the narrow end one more time, at the same point where your left hand is holding the knot together.
- Pull the wide end up through the neck loop. Fold the tip of the wide end under itself and pull up through the neck loop.[5]
- Insert the wide end down through the front knot. You should have a horizontal knot across the front of your tie. Hold this knot open with your finger and carefully insert the wide end.
- Tighten the knot. Hold the narrow end and slide the front knot up to tighten the tie. Make sure your tie is straight and the length is appropriate, ideally ending at the top of your belt buckle.
- Squeeze the sides of the knot gently to create a dimple just below it.
- Tuck the narrow end of the tie into the loop on the back side of the wide end.
- Fold your collar down, and make sure that the tie is covered by the collar all the way around your neck.
[Edit]Tying the Pratt Knot (Basic Formal Knot) - Place the tie upside down around your collar. Unlike most knots, the Pratt knot begins with the tie upside down, so the seam of the tie is facing forward. Hang the wide end of the tie over your right side, and the narrow end over your left side.
- This medium size knot suits most collars and builds.[6]
- Check the position of the wide end. In a knotted tie, the wide end should just graze the top of your belt buckle.[7] At the start, however, raise or lower the wide end until it hangs 1–2 inches (2.5–5 cm) below this point. As a rule of thumb, the Pratt knot will lift the wide end by this distance as you tie the knot.[8]
- The narrow end of the tie should be higher than the wide end. It will usually be around belly button level, but this is less important than the wide end's placement.[9]
- Cross the wide end under the narrow end. Move the wide end across your body to the left side, placing it underneath the narrow end.
- Do not move the narrow end of the tie for any part of this knot.[10] Just hold it steady while you use the wide end.
- Bring the wide end up to the loop around the neck. Place the tip on top of the loop, still on your left side.
- Pull the wide end through the neck loop. Insert the wide end down into the loop from above. Pull it through in the same direction it lay before, on the left.
- Fold the wide end over the narrow end, from left to right. This flips the wide end so the seam is no longer visible. The wide end will extend at an angle off to your right.
- Pull the wide end up through the neck loop. Bring the wide end up to your neck loop again, but this time from below. Pull it through.
- Tuck the wide end down through the new loop at the front. Your last fold created a horizontal loop at the front of your tie. Tuck the wide end through this loop, and pull straight down to tighten. The wide end should now rest in front of the narrow end.
- Slide the knot to adjust. Pull down on the wide end to tighten. Slide the front knot up to the base of your collar to fasten the tie.
- To create a dimple just below the front knot, squeeze the sides of the knot gently as you tighten.[11]
[Edit]Tying a Half Windsor Knot (Formal) - Position the wide end on the right side. Place the tie around your neck and let the sides hang in front of you. The wide end should be on the right side of your body, and hang roughly 12 inches (30 cm) lower than the narrow end on the left.[12]
- The Half Windsor is a triangular, symmetrical knot suitable for formal occasions. Larger than the Four-in-hand but less bulky than the Windsor, this can work with most neckties and collar types.[13] Neckties made from thicker fabric will likely require a spread or wide spread collar with this knot.[14]
- Cross the wide end over the narrow end. Bring the wide end of the tie over to your left side, crossing over the narrow end.
- Fold the wide end back under the narrow end. Complete a loop around the narrow end and pull the wide end back to the right side.
- The underside of the wide end should be visible at this point.
- Take the wide end up to the neck loop. Raise the wide end up to the loop of necktie at your collar. Keep it on the right side.
- Pull the wide end through the loop and to the left. Insert the wide tip down through the loop and pull it through from the left side, so it crosses under the narrow end.
- Fold the wide end over the front of the narrow end. Bring the wide end back across the front and onto your right side.
- Slide the wide end up through the neck loop. Fold the wide end up through the neck loop a second time.
- Insert the wide end down through the front knot. Loosen the front knot with your finger and insert the wide end. Pull it through to rest over the narrow end.
- Pull on the wide end to tighten. Gently squeeze the front knot as you pull to slide the knot up and create a dimple at the front of your tie.
- To make a dimple, hold the top blade on both edges, then pull it down gently until the top blade starts to tighten. A slightly convex shape should appear close to the knot. Use your thumb and forefinger to press the bottom of the knot into a V-shape and the convex will deepen to form the dimple.
- If your tie has a loop underneath the wide side of the tie, you may slide the narrow side through that loop to prevent it from "peeking" from behind the wide side of the tie.
- Ideally, the tip of the tie should graze the top of your belt buckle. It's all right if the tie dips down to the bottom of the belt buckle ("Italian style"). If it's any lower, try a knot that uses plenty of cloth (such as the Windsor), or switch to a shorter tie.[15] Similarly, if the tie ends above your belt, buy a longer tie or try the Pratt knot, which doesn't use much cloth in the knot.
- Left-handed people may find it easier to switch the starting positions of the wide and narrow ends. If you do this, switch all "left" and "right" instructions.
- Make a mnemonic device to help you remember these steps, such as the word OUAT, which is an acronym for over, under, around and through.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Repair Damaged Eyelashes After Eyelash Extensions Posted: 19 Nov 2019 12:00 AM PST Eyelash extensions are used to add length and volume to your existing eyelashes using extensions glued onto your eyelashes. These extensions are supposed to last approximately 3-5 weeks before you would need to get them filled again. However, if this process is not executed properly by a specialist, the extensions may pull on your natural eyelashes, causing them to fall out. While it's rare, the extensions might also weigh your natural eyelashes down, and you may notice that when you get your extensions removed, your eyelashes are shorter, thinner, and have no curl in them. If you have gotten your eyelash extensions removed and experience any of these problems, no need to worry! These steps will get your eyelashes back into shape in no time. [Edit]Repairing Damage with Coconut Oil - Buy some coconut oil. Ever heard of using coconut oil to add moisture to your hair and promote growth? It's the same for your eyelashes![1] Purchase a bottle or container of fractionated coconut oil (this is coconut oil in liquid form).
- Squeeze a little bit of the oil on your finger or in a bowl. If you prefer, you can also warm up the oil a little bit before applying it.
- Close your eyes and gently massage the oil from your eyelids to the tips of your eyelashes. Continue to massage the oil for 1-2 minutes. You can do this before bed and let the oil sit on your eyelashes overnight, or you can wash it off after you have finished massaging them.
- Mixing in lavender and/or rosemary essential oil with the coconut oil may be beneficial as well.
- Avoid applying the oil directly from the bottle onto your eyelashes. It can be annoying and/or painful if you get any oil in your eyes.
[Edit]Taking Care of Your Eyelashes - Avoid damaging and drying mascara formulas. Many mascaras contain harsh chemicals that can be damaging to your eyelashes and can irritate the skin around them. Make sure you check the ingredients before purchasing a mascara.[2]
- Try to find an all-natural mascara that works for you. It is better for the environment and better for your eyelashes in the long run. The more natural, the better!
- Avoid water-proof mascara. When you go to take it off at the end of the day, it can be damaging to your eyelashes because it requires quite a bit of rubbing to get it all off, and often there is still residue build up since all of it doesn't always come off.
- Purchase a good quality eyelash serum. Preferably a serum that is as natural as possible, comes in a bottle with a little syringe to apply it, and protects your eyelashes from further damage.
- Apply the eyelash serum before putting on your mascara, and/or before going to bed. Let it sit on your eyelashes overnight.
- Consider a break from extensions. Give your eyelashes a break every couple of months, even if you feel you need extensions all the time. They need time to heal, and the weight of the extensions can be very heavy and damaging on your natural eyelashes.
- Try swapping out the extensions for fake eyelashes. If you have very thin or short eyelashes naturally, falsies are a great way to give them an extra boost. The best part is, you can take them off before bed and give your eyelashes a break overnight.
- Try only getting eyelash extensions for special events, and allow them to fall out on their own.
[Edit]Taking Care of Yourself - Consume a protein-rich diet. Protein is very beneficial for promoting eyelash growth and strengthening them to repair damage. Since hair is mainly made up of protein, eating foods such as eggs, beans, yogurt, fish, etc, is very important to repair your eyelashes and keep them healthy. Soy proteins work just as well![3]
- Stay hydrated. Drinking lots of water is so important for repairing your eyelashes. It will be very beneficial for your eyelash health and overall health. Eyelashes that are well-hydrated don't break off as easily, and repair themselves much faster.
- Consider downloading a water tracking app on your phone so that you can keep track of how much water you are consuming throughout the day.
- Try adding sugar-free flavours to your water.
- Consider taking vitamins to help repair your eyelashes. Certain vitamins seem to help repair, strengthen, thicken, and grow eyelashes, although this might not be the same for everyone.[4]
 - Try taking biotin, as it is very important for eyelash growth. Also known as Vitamin H, this supplement thickens the hair follicles, prevents eyelash fallout, and helps your body to absorb essential nutrients for eyelash growth and repair.[5]
- Consuming Vitamin E may also be beneficial. It is an antioxidant that will help protect your eyelashes from environmental damages and free-radicals. It also helps transport blood and oxygen to your hair follicles, and it also prevents eyelash breakage.[6]
- Taking B-vitamins such as B3, B5, B6, and B12 will also aid in repairing your damaged eyelashes. They promote blood flow to your hair follicles, prevent hair loss, strengthen the hair follicles, and stop the eyelashes from drying out.[7]
- Talk to your doctor about whether these vitamins are safe for you before you start taking them. Make sure you know if they will interfere with other medications you might be on. Watch out for potential side effects you might be experiencing while taking any of these vitamins. Try them one at a time, so you know which ones work for you and which ones don't.
- Feel free to add other essential oils or kitchen oils to your coconut oil eyelash repairing mixture.
- Giving your eyelashes a break from mascara for a day or two per week will help repair them quicker.
- If you are trying to remove your eyelash extensions on your own, use coconut oil. If this doesn't work, see an eyelash specialist to remove them for you.
- If you feel that you have to get eyelash extensions, try getting a classic set more often than a volume set. With the volume sets, they double the extensions on your natural eyelash. This puts quite a bit of pressure on each individual eyelash. With the classic sets, they only put one extension on each natural eyelash.
[Edit]Warnings - Do not get essential oils or kitchen oils in your eyes. If you do, wash them out immediately with water.
- Do not take these vitamins without knowing how they might interfere with other medications you might be taking.
- Contact your doctor if you experience any negative side effects of these vitamins.
- Eyelash extensions do not cause damage to everyone's eyelashes, and these methods may only work for certain people.
[Edit]References |
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