iBlog by Sasha

Music - Even the smallest amount of musical training early in life may result in big cognitive benefits later. Research from Northwestern University showed that the longer a participant had played a musical instrument in childhood, the faster their brain responded to sound — even though most of the participants hadn’t picked up an instrument in decades. Recognizing sounds quickly helps us with daily functions like picking conversation out from background noises, and it’s a good indicator of cognitive ability as we age. Did you learn a musical instrument as a child? Get Moving - Any activity that gets you up and moving may also protect against depression, according to a new review of 30 different studies. The researchers found that even 20 minutes per day of a light activity like gardening could make you up to 63% less likely to develop depression — the leading cause of disability in the world. This research may help explain the link between wealthy nations

4 Simple Deep Breathing Exercises for Her to Relax in 10 Minutes (or Less) to Kill On-Stage Nervousness!   Over-shopped, under slept and feeling wedding pressure? Plenty of quick ways to calm those rigid nerves, and control that perspiration without investing in anything. All you need is a pair of lungs, your ability to deep breath and some 10 minutes or less! Don’t wait until the bedroom door closes or honeymoon suit kicking in before minding your breathless self. Instead practice controlled breathing. Controlled breathing not only keeps the mind and body functioning  at its best but can also lower accelerated blood pressure, instantly bringing feelings of calm and tranquility thus helping the urber -breathless bride de-stress right on-stage; thereby escaping everyone else’s sharp notice! Following are 6 easy-to-do breathing exercise for her on her big day: 1. Breathe Equally: How it’s done:  Balance can do your body good, beginning with the  breath . To start, first  inhale

Creativity is as diverse and boundless as imagination which is chiefly why each artistic formation bears an idiosyncratic manifestation that makes his talent flawless and timeless. For a true artiste, his envisaged and finished artifact is like a babe that gets care and nourishment until its ultimate growth. There will never be another substitute for creativity no matter what medium an artist chooses to express provided,  “l’art pour l’art”, which is to say the intrinsic value of art, and only its true form whether arts or crafts, is divorced from any didactic, moral or utilitarian function and the expression is complete in itself such as that of ARTEL.    Photo - artelbybinaali.com ARTEL, has slowly but surely surfaced amid the happening disarray of different art forms, and is now noticeable in an exquisite lounge that offers most unique craft form, designed and introduced by Bina Ali.    Photo - artelbybinaali.com “Artel was initially a brainchild of me and

The Revival of Stand-up Comedy in Pakistan by Sasha Scheherzade Entertainment in Pakistan's local and private channels on T.V has literally gone to the dogs, begging the reader’s pardon for my startup jibe at the said media industry, which today, is more focused on minting money. Its sole focus is on generating ratings by promoting glitzy celebrities in spineless dramas and morning shows. The countless television channels that we have today have failed to deliver entertaining and original material, with the result that the viewership has become disenchanted and disinterested. Speaking of yours truly, I switched off my idiot-box in exchange for some real life stand-up comedy shows happening in my mega city Karachi for some time now. My search for true entertainment landed me with improv comedy shows happening over the weekend at various community spaces, dhabas, coffee houses and at theatres. It has been a relief to note that the comedy scene has caught on, with shows h