They snooze in parking garages, on side streets before the afternoon school run, in nap pods rented by the hour or stretched out in bed while working from home. People who make a habit of sleeping on the job comprise a secret society of sorts within the U.S. labor force. Inspired by famous power nappers Winston Churchill and Albert Einstein, today's committed nap-takers often sneak in short rest breaks because they think the practice will improve their cognitive performance but still carries a stigma. Multiple studies have extolled the benefits of napping, such as enhanced memory and focus. A mid-afternoon siesta is the norm in parts of Spain and Italy. In China and Japan, nodding off is encouraged since working to the point of exhaustion is seen as a display of dedication, according to a study in the journal Sleep. Yet it's hard to catch a few z's during regular business hours in the United States, where people who nap can be viewed as lazy. The federal government even bans sleeping in its buildings while at work, except in rare circumstances. Individuals who are willing and able to challenge the status quo are becoming less hesitant to describe the payoffs of taking a dose of microsleep. Marvin Stockwell, the founder of PR firm Champion the Cause, takes short naps several times a week. How to Strengthen Your “Curiosity Muscle” “They rejuvenate me in a way that I’m exponentially more useful and constructive and creative on the other side of a nap than I am when I’m forcing myself to gut through being tired,” Stockwell said. The art of napping Sleep is as important to good health as diet and exercise, but too many people don’t get enough of it, according to James Rowley, program director of the Sleep Medicine Fellowship at Rush University Medical Center. “A lot of it has to do with electronics. It used to be TVs, but now cellphones are probably the biggest culprit. People just take them to bed with them and watch,” Rowley said.” Napping isn’t common in academia, where there’s constant pressure to publish, but University of Southern California lecturer Julianna Kirschner fits in daytime naps when she can. Kirschner studies social media, which she says is designed to deliver a dopamine rush to the brain. Viewers lose track of time on the platforms, interrupting sleep. Kirschner says she isn’t immune to this problem — hence, her occasional need to nap. The key to effective napping is to keep the snooze sessions short, Rowley said. Short naps can be restorative and are more likely to leave you more alert, he said. Can sleep position affect your heart and brain health? “Most people don’t realize naps should be in the 15- to 20-minute range,” Rowley said. “Anything longer, and you can have problems with sleep inertia, difficulty waking up, and you’re groggy.” Individuals who find themselves consistently relying on naps to make up for inadequate sleep should probably also examine their bedtime habits, he said. A matter of timing Mid-afternoon is the ideal time for a nap because it coincides with a natural circadian dip, while napping after 6 p.m. may interfere with nocturnal sleep for those who work during daylight hours, said Michael Chee, director of the Centre for Sleep and Cognition at the National University of Singapore. “Any duration of nap, you will feel recharged. It’s a relief valve. There are clear cognitive benefits,” Chee said. A review of napping studies suggests that 30 minutes is the optimal nap length in terms of practicality and benefits, said Ruth Leong, a research fellow at the Singapore center. “When people nap for too long, it may not be a sustainable practice, and also, really long naps that cross the two-hour mark affect nighttime sleep,” Leong said. Experts recommend setting an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes, which gives nappers a few minutes to fall asleep. But even a six-minute nap can be restorative and improve learning, said Valentin Dragoi, scientific director of the Center for Neural Systems Restoration, a research and treatment facility run by Houston Methodist hospital and Rice University. Bucking the trend While workplace dozing is uncommon in the U.S., some companies and managers encourage it. Will Bryk, founder of AI search startup Exa, swears by 20-minute power naps and ordered two sleeping pods for employees to use in his company's San Francisco office. Ice cream maker Ben & Jerry’s has had a nap room in its Vermont headquarters for a couple of decades, and a handful of employees use it, company spokesman Sean Greenwood said. “Employees who feel taken care of are much more likely to use this responsibly," he said. Arianna Huffington, the celebrity author who co-founded the news website Huffington Post, became an advocate of a good night’s sleep and occasional naps after she collapsed from exhaustion in 2007. She installed a nap room at her former company, now called HuffPo, and at Thrive Global, a behavior change technology company where she serves as founder and CEO. Key questions that can help to maintain balance as you age “If people have been up all night because of a sick child or a delayed flight, if they have the opportunity to nap, ... then they will be much more productive and creative for the rest of the day instead of dragging themselves or trying to boost their energy through multiple coffees or cinnamon buns,” Huffington said in an email. Kirsten Perez, 33, is a devoted napper. She used to use her lunch break at work to catch a few winks in her car. When she got her own office, she closed the door for a siesta while sitting at her desk. Nowadays, working from home as a marketing manager at Nvidia, the Atlanta resident usually takes her daily nap in bed. She sets an alarm for 15 minutes, falls asleep within a minute and wakes up 30 seconds before the alarm rings. “I can tell when my reasoning, my mood are dropping, just kind of feeling the drag of the day,” Perez said. In those situations, she asks herself, “‘Do I have a chunk of time in the next hour or so?’ And then I’ll figure out when I can find 15 minutes and find myself horizontal.” Creating space for sleep Naps are accepted and even a necessity in some occupations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention encourages naps for nurses working night shifts. But many nurses can't sleep at the hospitals where they work because they're too busy and aren't given access to beds. Nurses "regularly struggle to have sufficient time to use the bathroom or go outside for fresh air, no less take a nap," said a spokesperson for the National Nurses United union. Some companies are trying to fill the void. Inspired by his mother who worked as a nurse, Neil Wong founded Nap York, which offers sleeping pods in Manhattan and Queens that can be rented for about $27 an hour. His regular customers include super-commuters, UPS drivers, a security guard who works two full-time jobs, and doctors who work at nearby hospitals. Nap York also gives half-off prices to essential workers such as police officers, firefighters and emergency medical service personnel. “In this society, you really only have two place to sleep: you have your bed at home and you have a hotel room you can probably get for 100 bucks,” Wong said. “There’s really no third space that’s quiet, that provides some privacy, where you can also rest.”

Curiosity motivates people to learn, explore, and innovate. It drives us to seek answers to questions, understand how things work, and find ways to change our lives through innovations. Stimulating the “curiosity muscle” is essential for personal and collaborative growth. By taking deliberate actions, anyone can develop and strengthen their curiosity and become a more passionate, understanding, and better version of themselves. What is Curiosity Muscle? Curiosity is the innate trait that makes people question, learn, and explore the unknown. It provokes them to acquire knowledge and build a clear perspective based on that knowledge. This newly gained perspective may later spark innovation. Though curiosity is an inherent quality, it is also a learnable skill. Several studies on human cognitive behaviour link curiosity with the surge of excitement in a specific part of the brain, implying its biological existence. The studies conclude that curiosity, like a muscle, can be stimulated through deliberate practice. This resemblance between curiosity and our body muscles in gaining strength through regular exercise has coined the term “curiosity muscle.”  Read more: How to Recognise Your Emotional Red Flags How to Improve Curiosity Curiosity is rooted in human nature. It flourishes in a self-reflective mind that can reflect on its unique views, desires, and needs. However, to sustain the progressive flow of curious energy, there is no alternative to pursuing new perspectives and continuously seeking ways to achieve success. Here are a few proven steps backed by neuroscientific research to improve curiosity: Make it Personal Studies on human cognition suggest that the first step to cultivating curiosity is to make it personally relevant. Awareness of the usefulness of a particular task or knowledge in personal life stimulates a mind’s latent curious energy. Tasks that evoke passion and support individual goals pique curiosity the most. Conversely, fogged vision and confusion can lull down the curiosity muscle, preventing the brain from making a personal connection to an activity. Read more: Smart Money-Saving Tips for 2025: How To Build Financial Security Discover Your Curiosity Type Just like people’s personalities, curiosity also varies. What makes a person’s brain tick and how they approach a problem primarily define their curiosity types. Some people love to ask questions and engage in intellectual exploration; some are more interested in learning about others by conversing and interacting with them, while others expose themselves to diverse situations, finding revelations in new environments and cultures. Understanding one’s curiosity style helps them fashion suitable learning strategies and advance to the next step of their curious journey. Cultivate a Curiosity-driven Culture Curiosity thrives in open-minded conditions. Researchers have found that environments where individuals can make independent choices inspire them to think outside the box. People will likely invest more energy in deliberately chosen professions than those they are forced into. An open-minded attitude welcomes uncertainty, resists personal bias, and believes in growth, which is essential to prioritizing a curious hunch and sticking to it until the mystery unfolds.  Go Beyond Limits Making curiosity-driven decisions often leads to unconventional routes. Traditional ways of solving a problem, lack of freedom in pursuing a different solution, and time scarcity may kill our desire to keep following those routes. Read more: Bearing Legacy Mindset: How Do You Want to Be Remembered? The solution to this problem is rather simple. Fostering curiosity is about prioritizing our desires, making the right choices, looking deeper into a problem, and celebrating new experiences.  Ask Open-ended Questions Open-ended questions demand detailed discussions on a subject rather than becoming satisfied with vague and short answers. Being inquisitive entails forming the right questions and finding in-depth answers. To devise the right questions, you must reexamine your goals and necessities. Asking open-ended questions is also a cornerstone of meaningful relationships where learning about each others’ distinct personalities is necessary. Read more: How to Improve Focus by Training the ‘Attention Muscle’ Embrace Changes Change is the only constant phenomenon in our lives. With time, the people surrounding us, our relationships with them, our values, and our understanding of the world shift. A curious mind keeps records of those changes, notices the nuances between phases, accepts the inevitable, and prepares for the future. On the contrary, a rigid mind lacks the courage to face anomalies and suppresses the natural curious drive needed for further exploration. Master the Fundamentals Our urge to learn something new or achieve mastery of a skill may rub on our curious stimuli. While the idea of learning a new skill sounds exciting, the boredom and pain associated with growth are utterly discouraging. Read more: Micro-acts of Joy: Secret to Being Happier and Healthier? Splitting the entire roadmap of mastering something into achievable steps and focusing on learning the fundamentals will help you sustain an invigorating spirit until the end. A good grip on the fundamentals will allow you to improvise and walk down the rest of the roadmap with a personalized strategy. Meditate and Exercise A 15-minute meditation session in the morning, a brisk walk, or a casual bike ride can massively impact your brain, enabling it to rewire its neural network and grow new neurons. Cognitive scientists have attested to the capacity of regular meditation and exercises to boost brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels. BDNF can enhance learnability and memory, making a firm ground for curiosity to thrive. Conclusion Curiosity shouldn’t be mistaken for a fleeting interest. People with strong, curious minds excel at learning, memorizing, and engaging with their work and people. By putting in a personal effort, facing obstacles, embracing changes, and cultivating an open mind, anyone can inspire their curiosity. Read more: How to Flex Your ‘Forgiveness Muscle’

With Valentine's Day 2025 just around the corner, businesses across Bangladesh are unveiling exciting deals to help couples celebrate in style. From romantic dining experiences to luxury getaways and exclusive shopping discounts, here’s a roundup of the best offers to make this Valentine’s Day unforgettable.  Best Deals to Celebrate Valentine Day in Bangladesh in 2025 . Couple Dinners BRAC Bank is offering Buy One Get One Free (BOGO) dinner offers at top hotels and restaurants including Amari Dhaka, The Westin Dhaka, InterContinental Dhaka, and Le Méridien Dhaka.  Besides this, popular hotels like Radisson Blu Dhaka Water Garden, Sheraton Dhaka, and Crowne Plaza Dhaka Gulshan offer curated Valentine’s menus and live music in a romantic setting with a cozy ambiance. In Chattogram, premium hotels also provide fine dining experiences. Hotel Sarina in Banani, Dhaka, offers a buffet dinner starting from BDT 5,000, with lunch and breakfast at BDT 4,000 and BDT 3,500, respectively. Their "Lovers Nest – Poolside Private Canopy" features a seven-course dinner for BDT 20,000 per couple. The "Swim & Feast" package, starting at BDT 1,581++, includes pool access and a gourmet meal. With themed décor in red, white, and pink, Hotel Sarina promises a romantic celebration. Read more: How Can Singles Celebrate Valentine's Day Cheerfully? Day/ Nightcation  For an extended celebration, Hotel 71 in Dhaka offers luxury stays at discounted rates. Couples can book a Deluxe Double Room for BDT 4,500 (original price BDT 7,200) or a Royal Suite for BDT 5,000 (original price BDT 12,000), saving up to 59%. Direct bookings include complimentary buffet breakfast, evening high tea, early check-in, and late checkout. Exclusive Valentine’s stay packages include one-night and two-night stay options. A one-night stay in a Premium Room costs BDT 23,500, while an Executive Room is BDT 21,000. These include breakfast, special lunch and dinner, a Valentine’s cake, a movie by the infinity pool, access to the swimming pool, Jacuzzi, and steam room, plus a 30-minute full-body massage. Two-night packages cost BDT 41,500 for a Premium Room and BDT 36,000 for an Executive Room with the same benefits.

With a commitment to reviving traditional crafts and fostering creative innovation, the third edition of Dhaka Makers is currently underway at Aloki in the capital. Kicked off on January 30, the five-day event has drawn attention with its unique zoned layout, vibrant activities, and engaging displays.   Building on the success of its previous editions, the festival offers a platform for fresh ideas, innovative showcases, and a deeper connection between creators and the community, according to its organizers. The opening ceremony was held on Thursday night, joined by Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, Additional Managing Director & Chief Financial Officer of City Bank; and Susan Vize, Country Representative of UNESCO. In their remarks, the speakers praised the initiative and its contributions and artistic tributes to the country’s creative and cultural landscape. While the formal opening marked a significant start, the real charm of the festival lies in its marketplaces, live demonstrations, and interactive exhibits, according to the organizers.

When an iconic painting is in need of restoration, it is usually taken to a studio to be worked on in seclusion. In the case of a massive Peter Paul Rubens masterpiece in the artist's Belgian hometown, the studio had to be taken to the painting. In the largest room of Antwerp's Royal Fine Arts Museum, the restorers have the eyes of visitors on their backs and — sometimes — criticism ringing in their ears. At 6 meters (19.6 feet), the “Enthroned Madonna Adored by Saints,” a lush swirl of flesh, fabric and drapes, stands taller than an adult giraffe. A team of six restorers is poring over it for a two-year cleanup, which is scheduled to end this fall. Compare that to Rubens himself, who could put paint to canvas on such a massive work in only a few weeks. No wonder such panache, the grand gesture in a simple brushstroke, left all in awe — then and now. Rubens, perhaps Antwerp's most famous son, painted the work in 1628 in the studio of his house in the city. “It's such a flamboyant painter that, yeah, we love it,” said Ellen Keppens, grasping for the proper effusive words. Together with her twin sister, Jill, Ellen is leading an international team of six women restorers. On a recent morning, they were applying undertones to the Baroque masterpiece, sometimes crawling along the wood-paneled floor to apply a touch here or there. Later, they had to crouch under a metal staircase before heading up to the top corner for another dab of retouching there. Who ever said art restoration was not physical labor? Theft in Netherlands of ancient golden helmet leaves Romania distraught “Like our colleague says, she's become really good at yoga,” said Keppens of a team member. “You notice that you can bend in all kind of angles in front of a painting.” When a crick in her neck gets too bad, she can just walk to the computer desk next to the painting for some administrative work. She'd better not look too far to her left down the room known as the Rubens gallery. At the other end stands another iconic work of the master, equally daunting and gigantic, and also badly in need of restoration: “The Adoration of the Magi.” Koen Bulckens, the curator of the Baroque section at the museum, knows the challenges ahead. “We will use this studio now for the treatment of this work,” he said, looking at the Madonna, the brightness of the original paint revealed after the painstaking removal of aged varnish. Then, he said, comes "another work, which is the ‘Adoration of the Magi.’" And the clock is ticking. “The project is set to end in 2027, which will be the 450th anniversary of Rubens' birth. So it will be a jubilee year," Bulckens said. As with so many centuries-old paintings, the biggest problems are old varnish and bad previous restorations. “This work was covered by a very exceptionally, I must say, thick and yellow varnish which distorted on the one hand the colors, but on the other hand also the brushwork, which had become impossible to see,” said Bulckens. A 2,000-year-old statue found abandoned in garbage bag in Greece In addition, two paintings hanging on either side of the Madonna had been cleaned 35 years ago, leaving the Rubens in the middle looking jaundiced. “It was obvious how yellow it looked. You can play with the museum light to make it a bit bluer, but that was really not a definitive solution,” he said. Removing the varnish, though, left the painted surface with a dull complexion. Restorers working in a studio know the removal is part of the process and the final result will only look more splendid later. At the museum itself, some visitors were convinced the beloved painting was being ruined and, despite the ample "do not disturb" signs, let their concerns be known. “Some absolutely we don’t realize it. And then they think, like, was it a good idea? Yes, of course it was a good idea,” said Keppens. “We know what's going to happen next,” once new varnish and touches are applied. “Sometimes you have a moment to explain to visitors, but often we are just working and, yeah, but then we hear the comments in the background, of course,” Keppens said. Standing up for the master — and for their own work — now comes naturally. After dealing with Rubens, month in and month out, “he is a very large part of our lives.”

The 18th National Pitha Festival, one of the flagship winter festivities in the country, began Thursday at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA). Celebrating Bangladesh’s rich culinary and cultural heritage, the festival is being organised by the National Pitha Festival Celebration Council, in collaboration with Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, and sponsored by the Ministry of Cultural Affairs. The 10-day event will continue daily from 3 pm to 9 pm until February 8 at BSA premises. On Thursday, the festival was inaugurated at 5 pm by Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki as the chief guest. Dr Syed Jamil Ahmed, Director General of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, presided over the opening ceremony. The event featured prominent personalities, including Ekushey Padak recipient and renowned dance artist Amanul Haque, Secretary General of the Bangladesh Group Theatre Federation Kamal Bayezid; cultural activists Zakir Hossain Rokon and Liakat Ali from the JASAS Central Committee, and spokesperson for the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement Umama Fatema. BSA Secretary Mohammad Warez Hossain also delivered remarks while Khandaker Shah Alam, Member Secretary of the National Pitha Festival Celebration Council 1431, served as the host of the event. Speaking at the ceremony, Mostafa Sarwar Farooki emphasised the role of cultural festivals in shaping a nation’s identity. “Across Bangladesh, we are witnessing a surge in festivals, be it Pitha festivals, Baul music, rock, rap, theatre, or film events—all organised by Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy; and these initiatives showcase our culture, breaking stereotypes and demonstrating the richness of our heritage. Pitha, an integral part of our tradition, holds the power to bring people together and share our cultural narrative on a broader scale.” Dr Syed Jamil Ahmed highlighted the importance of making cultural programs more accessible. “Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy is committed to promoting people-centric practices. Instead of limiting discussions within closed seminar halls, we are bringing cultural activities to open spaces to connect with the public, and this Pitha Festival is a prime example of such efforts.” The BSA DG also reflected on the evolution of cultural traditions, citing how celebrations like Pahela Baishakh and Mangal Shobhajatra have transitioned from rural origins to citywide phenomena. “Similarly, this Pitha Festival, rooted in the rural practice of celebrating the harvest with traditional cakes, has become an urban tradition, signifying the creation of a new cultural heritage, which is now spreading across the country and beyond.” The festival will feature a vibrant cultural program each day from 4 pm onwards, including drama, recitations, dance, and musical performances. Visitors can indulge in a variety of traditional pithas, reflecting the diverse culinary artistry of Bangladesh. The 18th National Pitha Festival aims to celebrate and preserve the country’s rich cultural and gastronomic traditions, inviting everyone to join this joyful journey until February 8.

Looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for the special man in your life? A meaningful gift can reflect your love and thoughtfulness, showing just how much he means to you. Whether it’s a token of affection that resonates with his personality or a gesture steeped in cultural traditions, the right gift speaks volumes about your care and understanding. Top Valentine’s Day Gifts for Bangladeshi Men . Here’s a curated list of Valentine’s Day gift ideas tailored for Bangladeshi men—combining thoughtfulness, personality, and a touch of cultural essence to make him feel truly cherished. Traditional Panjabi or Stylish Suit A classic, stylish panjabi is unbeatable in winning a Bangladeshi man’s heart. Tailored or handwoven, a well-chosen panjabi grants sophistication to his style, adding an elegance. Panajabis possess a versatile appeal, which makes them perfect for festivals, weddings, or casual outings. Read More: Best Men's Wear Clothing Brands in Bangladesh Shades of black, white, deep maroon, and toned-down bottle green would be great choices as they compliment masculinity while rejoicing in simplistic artistry. Packing it with a stylish pair of sunglasses or a matching scarf will make it a complete combo. However, if your partner is fond of formal wear like suits, then you can gift him a readymade or tailor-made suit. Several popular brands like Richmen, Cats Eye, Freeland, etc. sell quality suits in Bangladesh. Don't forget to check the fabric quality while choosing the suit. A nice shirt and tie can complement the outfit with style and elegance. Read more: How to Choose the Best Fabric for Your Suit Homemade Food Freshly cooked food prepared with care has always been an instant mood-booster. Pick a food he is obsessed over, add a personal touch to it, and offer it as fresh as it can be. Confident culinarians can venture through their definitions of a special dish and serve it for a candlelit dinner at home or a picnic while enjoying the scenic beauty around. Fragrance You can turn a man’s day into a treat by gifting a bottle of his favourite cologne or perfume. Knowing their tastes in fragrances or brands will help you narrow your options. You can also opt for premium celebrated variations from popular brands. To make a bolder statement, you can order a customized blend of sophisticated and refreshing notes based on your preferences. Read more: How to find right perfume, body spray for you

Turongomi Repertory Dance Theatre will present its renowned production Waterness at National Theatre Hall of Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy at 7:30pm on January 30. Waterness is a bilingual (Bangla and English) dance theatre performance, inspired by the life of Rabindranath Tagore and dedicated to Kadombori Debi. With a runtime of 45 minutes, it seamlessly blends dance and narrative theatre, offering an unforgettable artistic experience. Curtain rises on 43rd Jatiya Rabindra Sangeet Sammelan This year marks a significant milestone as Turongomi celebrates 10 years of Waterness. The production was first premiered on January 21, 2015, and has since been staged 11 times in total, receiving widespread acclaim both in Bangladesh and internationally. It continues to captivate audiences, maintaining its relevance and success throughout the years. The production is Scripted by Dheeman Bhattyacharyya, Music by Suman Sarkar, Light by Amlan Bishwas, Concept, Design, Choreography and Direction by Pooja Sengupta. The cast features Pooja Sengupta, Atik Rahman, Prantik Deb, Yasna Rahman, Lopa Adhikari, Adrija Sengupta, Shakil Ahmed, Sanzida Sandhi, Pushpita Shil and others. The production is sponsored by Berger Paints Bangladesh Limited. The event is open to all, and tickets will be available for purchase at the venue’s box office on the day of the performance.

The prize in this art heist is worth more than its gold. To Romania, the ancient helmet is a priceless cultural heirloom. To the Netherlands, it’s a stolen artifact that authorities hope to retrieve to uphold a reputation for safe museums. The intricate golden Cotofenesti helmet dates back some 2,500 years and is one Romania’s most revered national treasures from the Dacia civilization. It was on display at the small Drents Museum in eastern Netherlands on the last weekend of a 6-month stint when thieves nabbed it. The theft of the helmet and three golden wristbands also on display sent shockwaves through the art world, and devastated Romanian authorities who thought they were loaning the items to a nation where security for museums was paramount. “It is a pitch dark day for us,” museum director Harry Tupan said. Investigators had found few clues by late Monday beyond a burnt-out car close to the museum, indicating the thieves wanted to cover their tracks. Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said the artifacts have “exceptional cultural and historical importance” for Romanian heritage and identity, and that their disappearance had “a strong emotional and symbolic impact on society.” It was a heist that “even in our most pessimistic dreams, we would not have believed possible,” said the director of Romania’s National History Museum, Ernest Oberlander-Tarnoveanu. A 2,000-year-old statue found abandoned in garbage bag in Greece Romanian Justice Minister Radu Marinescu called the incident a “crime against our state” and said recovering the artifacts “is an absolute priority." The helmet's fame and dramatic studded appearance means it could never easily be sold, raising fears the thieves were after the gold itself. “It is simply unsellable. The whole world knows it. So, they likely went for the gold to — I almost dare not utter the words — melt it,” said Dutch art expert Arthur Brand. That would reduce the treasure to a fraction of its cultural and historical value. Gold stands at about 85,000 euros ($89,000) per kilo and the helmet is estimated to weigh slightly less than that. “It is not only about the gold. It is about the cultural heritage,” Tupan said. “And it has been taken in a strange way and hurts incredibly.” Top Reasons Why London Is Tripadvisor's Best Travel Destination for 2025 On grainy security video distributed by police, three people are seen opening a museum door with a big crowbar, after which an explosion is seen. Then they must have made off with the loot in a matter of minutes. “Security, as it is supposed it be, was as far as we know, totally as it should be,” Tupan said. “And now, it is a small battlefield. There is nothing else for us to do but sit and wait and see what will happen.”

There's no question about whether sleep is important for heart and brain health. Study after study has shown that it is. Questions about the importance of how you sleep – on your back, on your side, on your stomach – haven't been asked nearly as often. But experts say sleep position can indeed matter, at least in some situations. In general, sleep position is a matter of personal preference, said Dr. Rachel Salas, a sleep neurologist at the Johns Hopkins Center for Sleep and Wellness in Baltimore. Initially, she said, it's like Goldilocks: People gravitate toward whatever feels just right. But that can evolve over time. Your bedroom, your mattress, where your windows are and who you sleep with can all affect your choices, said Dr. Susan Redline, the Peter C. Farrell Professor of Sleep Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston. So can injuries or chronic pain, said Redline, who also is a professor of epidemiology at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. But while you can make a conscious choice about which position you start out in each night, Salas said, "not a lot" of research has been done on the effects of that choice. Key questions that can help to maintain balance as you age Researchers have looked at sleep position in people with heart failure, a condition where the heart does not pump effectively. People with heart failure often experience shortness of breath that worsens when they sleep on their left side, Salas said, leading many to prefer their right. But she said sleeping on the left side might be better for people with gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD, the symptoms of which can sometimes be confused with heart issues. Sleeping on the left side also is known to help blood flow in pregnant women. Some research has looked into how sleep position might affect how the brain removes waste. "But I don't think there's anything ready for prime time," said Dr. Devin L. Brown, a professor of neurology at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor. One of the best-understood connections between sleep position and heart and brain health involves sleep apnea, where breathing stops and restarts during slumber, Redline said. "Most people with sleep apnea have much, much worse sleep apnea when they sleep on their back versus on their sides." Sleep apnea affects cardiovascular health in several ways, she said. As the body works harder to pull in air, it triggers a stress response. Apnea can also raise carbon dioxide levels in the blood and interfere with deep sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea, a type that stems from anatomical issues, has been associated with irregular heartbeats, high blood pressure and other problems. It also is a risk factor for stroke, said Brown, who, along with Redline, helped write a 2024 American Heart Association scientific statement on the role optimal sleep may have on brain health. A 2011 clinical trial published in the journal Sleep Medicine, co-written by Brown, found avoiding the supine (face-up) position modestly reduced the severity of apnea in people who'd had a stroke. "We don't know, however, if treatment to avoid supine positioning, or any other treatment for sleep apnea, helps reduce the risk of stroke," she said. Setting boundaries at workplace improves health and well-being According to a 2021 AHA scientific statement that both Redline and Brown contributed to, sleep apnea affects approximately 34% of middle-aged men and 17% of middle-aged women, and many cases are undiagnosed. "There are people who have what we call positional obstructive sleep apnea, meaning that they only have apnea in a certain position," Salas said. Most of the time that's when they are back-sleepers. To combat that problem, Salas and Redline noted the availability of a range of products, from electronic devices that wake people when they roll onto their backs to shirts with pockets in the back for a tennis ball, which can encourage sleepers to shift into another position if they roll over. "I think the bottom line for most people is if they have sleep apnea, sleeping on your side, in most cases, may be very helpful," Redline said. And if you don't have sleep apnea or snore, sleeping in a position you feel most comfortable in and where you wake least frequently "is probably the simplest common-sense advice." She emphasized the importance of sleep. Most adults should average seven to nine hours of sleep each night, according to the AHA. "We know now that sleep really touches every body system, including the heart and the brain, and it does so through influencing the health of our blood vessels, the health of our immune system," and much more, Redline said. Salas said people "should definitely be aware of and reflect on what position they're sleeping in." People get into habits and can be reluctant to experiment with position in pursuit of better sleep, but Salas encourages them to do so. A change as simple as replacing a decades-old pillow or putting a rolled towel between their knees to help with back pain, can make a difference, she said. Morning coffee may lower risk of early death, study finds If you can't find a comfortable position, don't ignore that, Salas said. If a patient tells her they can't breathe when they sleep flat, or they have to sleep in a recliner, it's a sign that "there definitely could be something more serious going on." If you feel like you're getting enough sleep at night but still fall asleep during meetings or movies, talk to a health care professional, Salas suggested. No matter the position, sleep needs to be a priority, she said, and "only you can make sleep a priority. Nobody else can do that for you." American Heart Association News covers heart and brain health. Not all views expressed in this story reflect the official position of the American Heart Association. Copyright is owned or held by the American Heart Association, Inc., and all rights are reserved.