Features
Merits of sleep
The shorter the duration of your sleep hours the shorter your lifespan. Never obstruct your sleep hours. It is very dangerous. It causes a long chain of diseas¬es which are very difficult and highly expensive to diagnose, treat and cure.
Sleep is a vital compo¬nent of good health; it helps both your body and mind to function at their optimal level during the day. Anytime sleep sets in it means your entire body has sensed something dangerous within and must quickly put you to sleep to ef¬fect the necessary emergency corrections.
Sleep can improve your physical health by maintaining hormone levels that make you full/hungry, support growth and development and repair your muscles. Similarly, a good night’s sleep can im¬prove your brain function and allow you to pay attention, make intelligent decisions, learn quickly and awaken your creative spirit.
As we age, the amount of sleep your body needs chang¬es. For example, a new-born baby will sleep 16-18 hours per day whereas an adult should get 8-9 hours of sleep per day without disturbance. People who do not sleep well easily get angry and become very violent. Some people have difficulties with falling asleep and or staying asleep.
One of the best ways to improve quality of sleep is to have a consistent schedule: going to bed and waking up around the same time each day including weekends. Hav¬ing a stable sleeping routine will help your body to relax at the end of each day.
Additionally, take an hour of emotional surgery before you go to bed (relaxing your nerves and reflecting on the good things that you went through that day). Avoiding aerobic exercise one hour be¬fore you go to bed, watching television/computer screen and eating large meals as well as avoiding the complexities of social media at odd hours remain paramount. Follow¬ing these simple guidelines will help you to feel more rested in the morning. Some people often feel “sleepy,” fall asleep while watching the television or while hav¬ing meals. This could be due to sleep deficiency or a very lethal sleep disorder. Sleeping for even two seconds behind the steering wheel whiles driving can easily end your precious life.
Many individuals deal with sleepiness by taking a nap. However, a nap does not provide all of the benefits of a good night’s sleep. It is recommended that naps are limited, but if necessary a nap should be taken earlier in the afternoon before 3:00 pm and for an adult it should not be less than an hour.
If despite sleeping well at night you still feel tired throughout the day then consider visiting a doctor. The doctor will likely recommend that you keep a sleep diary to track when you are sleeping and for how long. The doctor may also recommend that you have a sleep study to further assess the situation.
Obstructive Sleep Apnea
The most common sleeping disorder is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). It is typically characterised by repetitive episodes of snoring followed by long pauses in breath (called apnea), typically last¬ing 20-40 seconds. One may experience these symptoms for years before the diagnosis is made. OSA can be tem¬porarily caused by an upper respiratory infection but can also be a chronic condition. In adults, individuals with OSA often suffer from obesity. Los¬ing weight can help to resolve the condition.
There are many common symptoms associated with OSA. They are sleepiness, loud snoring and restless sleep. Once a patient visits their doctor with the common symptoms, a sleep study is conducted before the diag¬nosis of sleep apnea is made. If someone is diagnosed with sleep apnea it is treated with a machine called CPAP (con¬tinuous positive airway pres¬sure). CPAP helps to prevent episodes of apnea by pushing oxygen into the individuals’ lungs
By Robert Ekow Grimmond -Thompson
Conflict at work is more common than you might think. According to 2022 research by The Myers-Briggs Company, more than a third of the workforce reports dealing with conflict often, very often, or all the time in the workplace. The same report found that managers spend an average of four hours per week dealing with conflict, and nearly 25 per cent of people think their managers handle conflict poorly or very poorly.
Addressing a dispute might feel tense or awkward, but resolving the conflict is typically well worth it in the long run. Whether you’re trying to mediate conflict between colleagues or are directly involved, here are seven steps you can take to manage workplace conflict.
1. Don’t put it off
Facing conflict head-on is hard. However, waiting too long to address it can negatively impact your emotional well-being, focus, and the entire office environment. If you’re feeling angry, letting that emotion fester can also escalate it over time. This can make you less responsive to other points of view and make it harder to resolve the issue.
The sooner you can address the conflict, the better it will be for you, the person you disagree with, and your entire team.
2. Learn all you can about the problem
It’s important to determine the type of conflict you’re dealing with. Begin by considering the cause of the conflict. For example, ask yourself whether someone said something that upset you or if you have emotions of anger and resentment that stemmed from something that happened.
Then try to identify if it’s a task, relationship, value, or team conflict. Once you know what type of conflict it is, you can work to resolve it with specific tactics for that situation.
If you skip this step, you may waste time or escalate the situation further by trying to address issues irrelevant to the real conflict.
3. Actively listen
Listen attentively when people share their side of the story. Active listening is one of the most valuable professional skills you can possess. This type of listening involves not only hearing what the other person is saying but also listening to understand their point of view.
No matter your role in conflict, it’s easy to begin sharing your opinion with little regard for the other people involved. However, it’s important to learn about all sides of a disagreement to make well-informed decisions before drawing conclusions.
To reach a resolution, you must step back and prioritize listening over talking. Ultimately, that will encourage the other person to do the same when it’s your turn to speak. –source: betterup.com
Today, I focus on the Temple Of Praise Ministries International (TOP Church) in Helsinki, as I continue my description of personalities or institutions and their accomplishments as members of the Ghanaian Diaspora in Finland.
The TOP Church in Finland has seen significant strides and accomplishments that must be made known to the public. 
Some history
The Church was established in Finland in September 2016. Since its inception, it has steadily grown both spiritually and numerically, by the grace of God, as disclosed to me by Mr Matthew Anini Twumasi, the Presiding Elder of TOP’s branch in Finland. The TOP Church has other branches across Africa, Europe, and America.
The Church in Finland was founded with a vision to create a welcoming and dynamic community where people could experience God’s love and grace (see, www.topchurchfinland.org). According to Presiding Elder Matthew, the TOP Church operates within a unique environment where Christianity coexists with what is seen as a largely secular society.
Despite this, he submits, there are significant opportunities for outreach, unity, and demonstrating the love of Christ through service and community engagement.
Activities
Church services at the TOP Church are typically held on Sundays for the main worship. In addition, there are mid-week prayer sessions, Saturday prayer services, and a half-night service held on the last Friday of every month. “We also organise quarterly programs”, Elder Matthew added.
His impression of the Church so far has been positive. “It is a vibrant and welcoming community where members are committed to worship, fellowship, and supporting one another in faith”, he stated.
In sum, Elder Matthew said the Church continues to grow by God’s grace. “We remain hopeful and committed to spreading the Gospel, strengthening the faith of our members, and making a positive impact in society”, he continued.
Achievements
The TOP Church has a number of achievements and achievements. Some of the strengths include strong community bonds, cultural diversity, and deep commitment to spiritual growth.
I also remember that during the COVID-19 period, I heard that the TOP Church was one such bodies that hugely supported its members and others to cope with the situation.
According to Elder Matthew, the challenges facing the church include “adapting to cultural differences, engaging the younger generation, expanding outreach in a secular society, and securing a permanent place of worship”.
Role in the Ghanaian community in Finland
The TOP Church plays a prominent role as a religious group that serves Ghanaian migrants and others in the Finnish society.
Thus, the TOP Church is a religious body for Ghanaian migrants in Finland and other nationalities who want to worship with them for diversity and better intercultural and multicultural understanding.
The Church also has mechanisms in place to support its members who are bereaved as a way to commiserate with them in times of death and funerals.
The Ghanaian community has played a vital role in the growth of the Church. Their strong sense of fellowship, dedication to worship, and active participation have helped build a solid foundation and attract others to the ministry, according to Elder Matthew.
Integration
By its activities, the TOP Church is helping to ensure integration of its members well into the Finish society.
This is important since social interaction and citizens’ well-being are an important part of the integration process.
The role of migrant associations and groups such as TOP Church acting as bridge-builders for the integration and inclusion of migrants through participation in the decision making process and by acting as a representative voice is highly appreciated in Finland. Thank you!
GHANA MATTERS column appears fortnightly. Written in simple, layman’s terms, it concentrates on matters about Ghana and beyond. It focuses on everyday life issues relating to the social, cultural, economic, religious, political, health, sports, youth, gender, etc. It strives to remind us all that Ghana comes first. The column also takes a candid look at the meanings and repercussions of our actions, especially those things we take for granted or even ignore. There are key Ghanaian values we should uphold rather than disregard with impunity. We should not overlook the obvious. We need to search for the hidden or deeply embedded values and try to project them.
With Dr Perpetual Crentsil
