IU Northwest provides new space for CURE
Led by IU President Pamela Whitten, officials snipped a ribbon Monday outside of CURE's new headquarters just outside the south lobby entrance in the Library Conference Center.
'This is exciting and it took us so long to get here,' said interim chancellor Vicki Román-Lagunas. 'It's a deeply rooted commitment to our community… we dedicate every resource to that partnership.'
Launched in 2004, CURE aims to engage the university and the community to create sustainable programs and initiatives, led by its director Ellen Szarleta.
CURE's activities support the development of positive and sustainable collaborations between the university and the community, officials said.
Its program offerings and partnerships include Senior University, Kids College, adult education, a community garden, police candidate training, the Indiana Civic Health Index, an annual Forum on Child Abuse and Neglect, and Partners-In Conversation, recorded conversations between students, faculty and community members to stay connected during the Covid-19 pandemic.
'We were in a very sense created by the community with CURE as the permanent gateway,' said former IU Northwest chancellor Ken Iwama, who's now director of IU's regional campuses and online education.
Before it gained its new space in the Library Conference Center, Szarleta said its ages 55-and-over Senior University courses were held at various classroom sites across the campus. With the new single location, Szarleta said it's easier for seniors to foster relationships and settle into a course.
She said CURE also is assisting the City of Gary with its Love Your Block mini-grant program application for community residents. Tiara Williams, Gary's Love Your Block project manager said the application deadline closed Monday.
Williams praised CURE's involvement. 'It's like a fire is ignited to get the word out,' she said. The Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation funds Love Your Block.
'Any time there is a CURE issue, Ellen is the doctor,' said Melton. 'Her team has been instrumental for us every year.'
Whitten cited the 2023 efforts by IU-Northwest students who worked with Lake County officials to examine and document more than 7,000 'churner' properties that are offered again and again at tax sales.
Their effort led to a 2023 law transferring the ownership of properties that fail to sell twice at tax sales to the county or a municipality for redevelopment.
'This space will undoubtedly enhance the ability to serve the region,' she said.
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When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. A nap, especially if you've had an early morning alarm call or bad sleep the night before, can feel refreshing. But how should you nap sensibly? A nap can help boost energy, mood and even memory, but it's not always as simple as just closing your eyes. Here, we'll cover everything you need to know about napping: when to do it, how long to nap for, and the science behind why some people wake up refreshed while others feel groggy. We'll also explore the potential benefits and drawbacks of nodding off in the daytime, including how it can affect your sleep in the long run. With insight from sleep experts and the latest research, read on to find out how to make napping work for you. Sleep is a way to recharge our bodies overnight, with 7-9 hours being the recommended amount healthy adults should aim for each night. 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Just like getting a good night's sleep, napping can boost our memory. 'Napping supports memory consolidation, especially declarative memory (facts, knowledge) and procedural memory (skills)," Dr. Kaylor says. "During naps, the brain replays and integrates new information,' she has also shown that naps can help to improve longer-term memory. One study found that students who had an hour-long nap after learning retained factual knowledge better, compared to cramming or taking a break, when tested a week later. Another study looking at the impact of mid-afternoon nap duration found that "only naps of 30 min improved memory encoding." Naps, even as short as '10 minutes, have been shown to reduce subjective fatigue, boost alertness and improve reaction times', says sleep doctor, Dr. Lindsay Browning. This is because 'the longer someone is awake, there is a build-up of a neurotransmitter called adenosine, which leads to a growing feeling of sleepiness," she explains. "A short nap may reduce the build-up of adenosine, helping to reduce fatigue,' the doctor adds. If you've been feeling a bit grumpy, Dr. Kaylor says that a nap could boost your mood. 'Napping reduces stress and improves emotional regulation," she says. "Even a brief nap (as short as 10 minutes) can lead to improved self-reported mood and decreased irritability.' As well as the benefits, you should also know about the drawbacks to napping before you get too comfy. Napping can make you groggy due to a phenomenon called sleep inertia says Dr. Browning. 'This is the feeling of disorientation and grogginess that occurs immediately after waking from a nap,' she explains. But, why does this happen? 'Your body has sleep cycles of approximately one and a half hours, and if you wake up in the middle of one of these cycles, particularly during the deep sleep phase, you will likely feel sleepier than you did before the nap," Dr. Browning says. We all have an internal body clock, which is called the circadian rhythm, and it helps to regulate our sleep patterns; however, napping could affect it, says Dr. Browning, especially if the timing of your nap is off. 'This depends on your bedtime and chronotype," she says. "Late chronotypes (owls) may benefit from slightly later naps compared to early chronotypes (larks) without disrupting their sleep." "Napping too late in the afternoon can interfere with your nighttime sleep,' she adds. Dr. Browning adds that research suggests that people who 'regularly nap, especially long naps, tend to have poorer health outcomes (such as an increased risk of heart disease and obesity) than those who don't, but this may reflect underlying health issues or be a symptom of an undiagnosed sleep disorder.' Her advice is backed up by this scientific review in 2017, which found that "frequent napping is associated with negative health outcomes in older adults." If you've decided on a nap, what's the best way to do it? Our experts share some dos and don'ts when it comes to napping Nap before 3pm: Dr. Browning says that you should time your nap according to your bedtime. 'If your usual bedtime is around 11 pm, you should aim to nap between 1-3 pm, making sure to finish any naps before 3 pm. Napping too late in the day can reduce sleep pressure, making it difficult to fall asleep later.' Nap for 20 to 30 minutes: Napping duration is an important aspect too. 'Daytime naps are usually best when they are short, somewhere around 20-30 minutes, and occur earlier in the day, before 2 or 3pm. Following these simple guidelines limits the potential of the nap disrupting your nighttime sleep,' says Joseph Dzierzewski, lead researcher at the National Sleep Foundation. Nap without an alarm: Having an alarm wake you up, especially when you're happily dozing, may feel harsh, but it's always a good idea. 'To avoid oversleeping and entering the groggiest part of a sleep cycle, always set an alarm before you fall asleep to have an optimally timed nap,' says Dr. Browning. Nap in the evening: 'You should also avoid unintentional naps, especially in the evening while relaxing on the sofa,' she says. 'These naps can significantly reduce your sleep drive, making it harder to fall asleep at night since you've already had sleep close to your bedtime.' Nap for too long: If you're jet lagged or just need a longer nap, make sure it's only for an hour and a half, says Dr. Browning. 'This is because your body cycles through sleep stages in roughly 90-minute intervals. Waking up during the deep sleep phase of a cycle can leave you feeling groggier than before."
