British authorities warn of another outbreak of measles

The United Kingdom Health Services Agency (UKHSA) has warned of the risk of measles spreading in the country, following a recent outbreak due to low vaccination rates.

“The NHS Chief Executive warns that measles infections will spread to other cities unless urgent action is taken to increase vaccination rates against measles, mumps and rubella,” the agency said in a statement published on the UK government website.

The agency called for "immediate action" amid the rising number of cases of the disease, and said that the most effective way to combat the spread of measles is vaccination with the MMR vaccine, which provides lifelong immunity.

Between October 1, 2023 and January 18, 2024, 216 confirmed and 103 possible cases of measles were recorded in West Maryland, Britain. The British Health Services Agency indicated that most of those infected were children under the age of 10 years.

The Telegraph newspaper noted that the largest measles outbreak since the 1990s had been recorded in the West Milan region of Britain, and a "national emergency" had been declared.

Measles is an acute and contagious viral disease transmitted through droplets. It mainly infects children, causing them serious complications that may end in death. Vaccination against this disease is considered effective, as 97% of those who receive vaccines against it do not become infected, and without vaccination there is a possibility that infection will result. With the death of the injured person.

What happens to your brain when you browse social media right after waking up?

Smartphones have become such an integral part of our lives today that we open them directly when we wake up.

Although this may seem natural and harmless, this practice is not good for the mind, according to a neuroscientist, who explained exactly what happens to your brain when you browse social media first thing in the morning.

Emily MacDonald, who has been studying the brain for years and is currently working on a doctorate in neuroscience, explained the harm caused by browsing social media first thing in the morning in a video clip on TikTok that went viral and received more than a million views.

First, the neuroscientist shared useful information about the different types of brain waves: delta, theta, alpha, beta, and gamma.

Delta is the “slowest brain wave” associated with deep sleep. While theta is seen in “sleepy young children and adults,” alpha is associated with physical and mental relaxation. Beta brain waves occur in the form of more alert and alert awareness, while gamma waves show heightened awareness, and reflect the cognitive process, problem solving and learning.

Emily explained, through her personal account, which is called @emonthebrain: “The first thing we should know is that when we wake up in the morning, our brain waves move from delta, theta, alpha, and then to beta when we are most awake and alert.”

According to science, your brain cycles through each of these types of brain waves before reaching beta, but using social media skips these stages.

“If you check your phone first thing in the morning, you cause your brain to go straight into high beta waves and set yourself up for more stress throughout the rest of your day,” Emily says.

There are other problems as well, the neuroscientist explains: “Checking social media first thing in the morning also increases dopamine and reduces your baseline dopamine levels, making you continue to want to check social media throughout the rest of your day.”

Dopamine, the so-called happy hormone, is often associated with activities such as sex or eating, and can become addictive. A pleasant feeling is something we feel when people like our posts on social media. While dopamine can make us feel more positive, when your baseline dopamine levels get too low or too high, your mental health may suffer as a result, as it is linked to conditions such as depression.

Instead, Emily says the first thing she does is “morning affirmations” (which are short or long quotes or phrases that you say, read, or think about to put yourself and your mind in a good, positive emotional state) to increase “theta and alpha brain wave activity.” This increases our “ability to learn and remember things.”

Emily went on to share other steps of her morning routine, which include exercise, saying, "Morning exercise is key. Exercise increases dopamine, norepinephrine, and endocannabinoids, so you get energy, focus, motivation, and a mood boost for the rest of your day."

She added: “Exercise also enhances blood flow and oxygen to the brain, so it is the best way to wake up.”

She continued, "I also bring sunlight into my eyes every morning to regulate my circadian rhythm (body clock). If it's dark outside, I will do red light therapy."

The final step in her daily routine is meditation. “Meditation has an extensive list of health benefits in addition to improving focus and productivity,” says Emily.

But although this sounds good, we all know that it is difficult when it comes to giving up social media, so if you want to stop this bad morning habit, according to psychologist and Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society, Dr. Sandra Wheatley,You should do this gradually, by using the phone without browsing social media until you are finally able to give up the phone.