The human body is one of the most fascinating mechanisms on Earth. And like any other mechanism, there are plenty of hacks which can be can be applied to it in order to simplify and improve it’s functioning.
We have prepared 15 simple but effective ways to help you deal with little, everyday physical problems. Applying these can help you to feel just great — and in turn, improve your mood immensely.
How to treat a ticklish throat
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Strange as it may sound, the conclusion has been reached that scratching your ear will cure a ticklish throat. This is because it stimulates nerves that cause muscle spasms, which in turn will help you get rid of this unpleasant feeling.
What to do if you can’t hear properly
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The answer here is quite simple. Try to listen more closely — but with your right ear. The right ear is built to identify speech better, whilst the left recognises musical tones and notes. This is caused by different functions of different parts of the brain.
What to do if you are afraid of needles
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The sensation when you receive an injection is not very nice. There is, however, a trick to avoid the pain. Try to cough when the needle’s being inserted. Research shows that people who cough while getting injections feel less pain than those who don’t. Coughing causes blood pressure to suddenly increase, thereby suppressing the spinal cord’s ability to transmit pain sensations.
How to deal with a blocked-up nose
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Lisa Destefano, D.O., suggests that you need to alternate between thrusting your tongue against the roof of your mouth and pressing between your eyebrows with one finger. In 20 seconds, the stuffiness should go away. This happens because it causes the vomer bone, which runs through the nasal passage to the mouth, to rock back and forth.
What to do if you ate too much before going to bed
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This method will help you get rid of heartburn: simply lie on your left side. This way your stomach will be lower than your oesophagus, which makes it more difficult for the acid to get into the larynx. It is also strongly recommended not to go to sleep right after having a meal — instead, you should wait for two to three hours.
How to get rid of toothache
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Visit your dentist right away! But if that’s not an option, to get rid of the pain instantly take an ice cube and rub it against your palm between the thumb and index finger. The amount of pain you feel will be reduced by half. Stimulating the nerves in this part of the hand causes slight numbing and blocks pain signals from reach the brain.
What to do when you have a nosebleed
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Peter Desmarais, M.D., suggests you take a piece of cotton and press it against the upper gum — just behind that small indent below your nose — very hard. The nosebleed will stop, because you will have blocked an artery through which the blood is flowing. This trick is based on the same principle as applying a tourniquet. But if the nosebleed doesn’t stop after five to ten minutes, then you need to see a doctor!
How to deal with burns
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To make a burn disappear, press on the affected area with your finger. To reduce the pain, use that old but reliable method — cold water.
What to do to if you feel very nervous
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Doctor Ben Abo suggests blowing on your thumb. Here’s a fun fact: your thumb has its own pulse. By slowing down your thumb’s pulse, you can calm down your cardiac rhythm. When you blow on your thumb, it cools it down and slows your heartbeat. Apart from that, this activity makes us inhale deeper, and also has a sedative effect.
How to get rid of brain freeze
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We are all familiar with this feeling. It happens because the nerves on the roof of your mouth freeze, which makes the brain decide that the whole body needs to be cooled down. In response, you become overheated, and consequently get a headache. To warm up the roof of your mouth and get rid of the pain, press your tongue against the roof of your mouth, covering as much of it as possible.
What to do if your hands fall asleep
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For this one, it’s enough to just nod your head, says Lisa Destefano, D.O. That numb sensation appears because of a tightness in the nerves. Bundles of nerves which are responsible for the transmission of signals from the hand to the brain run through the neck. Stretching your neck should help you get rid of the numbness.
How to fall asleep faster
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When you wake up in the morning, immediately get out of bed, and don’t come back there until you need to sleep again. This will help your body subconsciously associate your bed with sleep. Keep this practice up, and eventually you’ll learn to fall asleep as soon as your head hits the pillow.
How to memorise something quickly
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Professor Candi Heimgartner suggests repeating the text that needs to be memorised a few times before going to sleep. During sleep, your brain puts all the information you’ve absorbed during the day in the right, logical order, as well as puts some of it into your long-term memory. In the morning, you will most likely know the text by heart.
How to stop the left side of your body from hurting while running
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This painful tingling sensation is caused by pressure put on liver, and is familiar to anybody who’s ever gone for a run. The good news is that this sensation can be easily avoided by exhaling when your left foot touches the ground.
How to dive deeper
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If you feel that you don’t have enough air when you dive underwater, try to use the method suggested by Jonathan W. Armbruster, PhD: Take a number of short, quick breaths before going under. That way you will be able to hold your breath for an extra ten seconds. Hyperventilating the lungs in this way makes the brain assume that there is enough oxygen in your body, allowing you stay underwater for longer.
