UIS hosting stargazing events for National Astronomy Day
The Astronomy-Physics Program at UIS will host the events May 3-4.
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The first event, in partnership with the Lincoln Memorial Garden and the Sangamon Astronomical Society, will take place from 8:30-10 p.m. at the Lincoln Memorial Garden. It's located at 2301 E. Lake Shore Drive in Springfield.
Telescopes will be available, allowing attendees views of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects. Constellation tours will also be provided.
UIS said attendees should park off of E. Lake Shore Drive. And, the university suggests that those planning to attend bring bug repellent, lawn chairs or blankets, and wear weather-appropriate clothing. If the sky is cloudy, the event may be canceled. For updates, call 217-206-8342 after 7 p.m. on May 3.
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The next day, UIS will host an accessible star party at the campus observatory, located on the roof of Brookens.
It's designed for those who cannot navigate the stairs required for the star party on May 3. The UIS accessible telescope has a fixed eyepiece, which allows guests to view the night sky while sitting down.
The May 4 sky party is reserved for individuals who need accommodations, along with their family and friends. You can reserve a spot by contacting John Martin, UIS associate professor of astronomy and physics, at jmart5@uis.edu or 217-206-8342. Once you make a reservation, Martin will send out additional information about the event.
Click here for more information about the University of Illinois Springfield's accessible star parties.
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In this scenario, do what you can to slide back your wakeup time and minimize the need for brain power before work: prep breakfast, lay out clothes, get a jump on other morning admin in the evenings. For the early birds (and neutral folks), standard work schedules tend to fit more easily. If you find that social and home tasks are creeping into your evenings and nudging your bedtime back, see how you can spread out plans (so you aren't hit with late nights back-to-back) and reallocate to-dos for before-work time. Do mentally challenging tasks during energy 'on' times. If you're a morning type, you don't just rise with the sun—your body's arousal level also peaks early, between 7 and 10 a.m.; whereas, nighttime types hit max alertness around 7 to 10 p.m., Cindi May, PhD, a professor of psychology at College of Charleston who studies chronotypes, tells SELF. Her research suggests your brain is also primed to do its best work during your respective 'on' period, particularly if you have a strong chronotype. That doesn't apply to every task. 'If you're using a highly practiced skill or rote responses, then you're probably going to be fine whenever,' she says. 'But if you are engaged in a task that requires analytic thinking or attention to detail, that demands that you filter out distraction in order to pay attention, then you'll likely perform best during your optimal zone.' These include activities like making a decision or having a tough conversation, recalling things, reasoning through a complex problem, or weighing the pros and cons of an idea. Practically, it can help to think of the day in two chunks: Morning types tend to experience their most productive hours in the first half of the day, and nighttime types, in the back half, Dr. Martin says. Neutral types can flex a bit in either direction. That said, there's generally an 'off' time for everyone, Dr. Martin says, which tends to fall around 2 to 4 p.m. All chronotypes may lose some alertness in this window, triggering difficulties with creativity and concentration. It's an ideal time for a nap or lower-lift tasks. Eat on a consistent schedule. The optimal timing of meals and snacks depends on your lifestyle and energy needs—but sticking to the same pattern each day (whatever it may be) is a boon for your circadian rhythm, Dr. Breus says. It's more important to eat your first meal of the day at a consistent time that aligns with your internal clock, say, shortly after you wake up, rather than at a specific hour on the wall clock, Dr. Martin says. Also, aim to wrap up eating a couple hours before your bedtime, Dr. Breus adds, as the workings of digestion could interfere with sleep efficiency and quality. Can you change your chronotype? Experts say it's not possible to switch your chronotype. Your genes are your genes, after all. But while your underlying tendency is set, there are things that can shift your sleep-wake schedule a bit on a given day. If you're a night owl and want to wake up and feel alert sooner, bathing your eyes in light first-thing can help get your daytime hormones flowing, and limiting light in the evening can kickstart the nighttime ones, Dr. Martin says. Vice versa if you're an early bird who wants to push your rhythm back: Avoid light for the first couple hours of your day, and get lots of it later on. Another potential chronotype-adjuster is exercise. Research suggests a dose of physical activity in the morning or afternoon can move your schedule up—so if you're a night owl, working out in the first part of the day could help you conk out earlier. By contrast, doing some movement in the back half of the day may delay your circadian rhythm a bit, which could benefit early birds who are looking to stay awake later into the night. If you're thinking, Doesn't caffeine have this effect, too?, you should know: It mostly masks sleepiness or grogginess, which may temporarily improve your focus, memory, and physical performance when you're running low on sleep, Dr. May says. But there's no evidence to suggest consuming it in the morning could move your circadian rhythm up. If anything, it's been shown to delay that schedule, which could make it even tougher for caffeine-gulping night owls to fall asleep at a reasonable hour. More broadly, caffeine can tamper with the quality of your sleep and make it less restorative, so relying on it to wake up earlier or stay up later than your norm isn't a great long-term strategy. Ultimately, unlocking an ideal schedule comes down to respecting your personal energetic cadence, Dr. Martin says. But for some people—like those with extreme chronotypes or ones that clash with their obligations—it can be super tough to get on track. If that's you, she says, it's best to reach out to a sleep specialist, who can offer targeted therapies to help match your sleep-wake pattern to the structure of your life (or the other way around). Related: 3 Things to Do When You're So, So Tired But Sleeping More Isn't an Option I Have ADHD. Here Are 9 Productivity Tips That Really Help Me 17 Energizing Afternoon Habits for When You Need a Pick-Me-Up Get more of SELF's great service journalism delivered right to your inbox. Originally Appeared on Self
