VOLUNTEERING – AND THE REST
How well did you sleep last night? Hopefully, you’re not one of the 65 per cent of UAE residents who isn’t getting enough shut-eye on a regular basis.
The statistic isn’t exactly surprising in our open-all-hours culture (remember when The Dubai Mall stayed open for 24 hours?), but is it worrying?
Apparently, yes, we should be concerned about not getting enough sleep for an extended amount of time – longterm, it has an impact on our health in a variety of ways. The phrase I’ll sleep when I’m dead has never been more apt. This week, we take a look at the issues it can cause, and how we can solve the problem of not sleeping enough. One of our own staff, Mark, who has struggled with the issue for years, finally finds out what’s behind his constant tiredness on page 36.
Sometimes, it’s simply about creating the right environment in which sleep can happen – cool, calm and decluttered. Interiors writer Robin takes us on a chilled-out journey to building the perfect sanctuary on page 42, including how to tell whether your bed is big and comfortable enough.
If you do find yourself with more hours on your hands this month, we’ve always got amazing things for you to do in our Leisure Charts on page 22 –or how about joining the ranks of the UAE’s volunteers?
Shreeja Ravindranathan did just that over the past few weeks as she met with people who donated one of the most precious things any human has: their time (read more on this idea in Shaikha Shamma Bint Sultan Bin Khalifa Al Nahyan’s Ramadan column, The Altruistic Journey ,on page 21). Shreeja spoke to people from all walks of life who set aside a few hours in the week to do what they can to bring joy to those who need it, whether it’s taking a lonely, abandoned dog for a walk and a cuddle, reading to children in hospitals, unloading packages of groceries to gift to the needy, or helping those with disabilities get an education. I promise that you’ll be inspired to do the same – and now it’s even easier to show your support. The UAE government’s volunteering portal, volunteers.ae, launched last week, allowing residents to sign up for a wide range of causes. Natalie Long Editor nlong@gulfnews.com