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Monday, May 9, 2016

Global sleeping patterns revealed by app data

Couple sleeping

The world's sleeping patterns have been revealed by scientists analysing data collected from an app.
It showed the Dutch have nearly an hour more in bed every night than people in Singapore or Japan.
The study, published in Science Advances, also found women routinely get more sleep than men, with middle-aged men getting the least of all.
The researchers say the findings could be used to deal with the "global sleep crisis".
The team at the University of Michigan released the Entrain app in 2014 to help people overcome jetlag.
But users could choose to share data on their sleeping habits with the research group.
Body Clock
The study found people in Japan and Singapore had an average of seven hours and 24 minutes sleep while the people in the Netherlands had eight hours and 12 minutes.
People in the UK averaged just under eight hours - a smidgen less than the French.
And it was a country's average bedtime that had the biggest impact on the time spent between the sheets.
The later a country stays up into the night, the less sleep it gets. But what time a country wakes up seems to have little effect on sleep duration.
Prof Daniel Forger, one of the researchers, said there was a conflict between our desire to stay up late and our bodies urging us to get up in the morning.
He told the BBC News website: "Society is pushing us to stay up late, our [body] clocks are trying to get us up earlier and in the middle the amount of sleep is being sacrificed; that's what we think is going on in global sleep crisis.
"If you look at countries that are really getting less sleep then I'd spend less time worrying about alarm clocks and more about what people are doing at night - are they having big dinners at 22:00 or expected to go back to the office?"


YawnImage copyrightThinkstock
Image captionTired in Singapore?

The study also showed women had about 30 minutes more per night in bed than men, particularly between the ages of 30 and 60.
And that people who spend the most time in natural sunlight tended to go to bed earlier.
A strong effect of age on sleep was also detected. A wide range of sleep and wake-up times was found in young people but "that really narrows in old age," said Prof Forger.
Dr Akhilesh Reddy, from the University of Cambridge, told the BBC: "I think it's interesting; there's been a trend for these studies using data from twitter and apps and finding interesting correlations across the world we've never been able to do by putting people in sleep lab.
"It highlights that although our body clocks are programming us to do certain things, we can't as we're ruled by social circumstances.
"We won't know the long-term consequences of this for many years."
Disrupted sleep in shift workers has been linked to a range of health problems, including type 2 diabetes.
Dr Reddy said the next wave of studies would gather data from activity and sleep monitors and "that's where the future of this is".

Saturday, May 7, 2016

Champions Leicester City: 7 reasons why Foxes won Premier League title

It's the fairytale that has gripped the imagination of millions around the world -- and like all good fairytales this one had a happy ending.

Unheralded English soccer team Leicester City, dismissed as non-starters to win the league this season -- indeed the club was tipped for relegation -- was crowned champion after nearest rival Tottenham failed to beat Chelsea Monday.

As recently as seven years ago, Leicester -- pronounced "Lester" -- was relegated to English football's third tier and the idea of even playing in the Premier League was a distant dream.
In August, just weeks after Leicester had escaped demotion from the Premier League where it had spent most of the year 20th out of 20, you would have got better odds on Kim Kardashian becoming president of the U.S. by 2020.
Or to put it in a sporting context, the Cleveland Browns -- 200-1 to win the 2017 Super Bowl -- have the worst odds going in the NFL. Although, unlike Leicester, it had previously won an NFL title in 1964.

So just what was the secret to the Foxes' remarkable success?

Player recruitment

Leicester's preferred starting XI cost just $32 million, which must make accountants of the Premier League's biggest clubs who have spent millions on star players green with envy.
The much-heralded signings of Riyad Mahrez, N'Golo Kante and Jamie Vardy, all of who made the PFA Team of the Year, for relatively small transfer fees have been key to the team's relentlessly consistent performances on the pitch.
Head of scouting Steve Walsh, also one of manager Claudio Ranieri's three assistants, deserves much of the praise for those signings.
So the story goes, Walsh went to France to watch Ryan Mendes -- now at Nottingham Forest in England's second tier -- and, instead, came back with Mahrez for the paltry fee of $520,000.
The Algerian could be reportedly worth around $51 million -- almost 100 times more than Leicester paid for his services.
Ranieri also took some convincing to sign talisman Kante, before persistent pressure from Walsh eventually persuaded the club to part with $8.2 million for the Frenchman.
In contrast, Louis van Gaal has spent $416 million in his two years as Manchester United manager with very little success.

Pizza incentive

Dubbed "The Tinkerman" for the way he would frequently alter his starting team, manager Claudio Ranieri has overseen a drastic transformation in his side's fortunes over the course of the season.
While the likes of Vardy and Mahrez had no issues scoring, it was the defense that most concerned Ranieri as his team failed to keep a clean sheet until late October.
"Before every game, I said, 'Come on boys, come on. Clean sheet today.' No clean sheet," Ranieri said at the time.
"I tried every motivation. So finally, before the game against Crystal Palace, I said: 'Come on boys, come on. I offer you a pizza if you get a clean sheet.'
"Of course, my players made a clean sheet against Crystal Palace (October 24). One-nil."
Ranieri kept his word, taking his players to a local restaurant where they made and ate their own pizzas.
The Italian's "Tinkerman" nickname has also become redundant -- the 64-year-old has used the fewest players of any manager in the Premier League.

Season-defining matches

There is often a moment on which a team's season hinges; for Leicester there were several.
Defender Robert Huth's late header in a 1-0 win against Tottenham, which would go on to be Leicester's closest rival, at White Hart Lane in January now looks pivotal.
Then, in February, came Leicester's swashbuckling disposal of Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, with Mahrez displaying all his trademark stepovers, feints and flicks in a 3-1 victory.
A 2-1 defeat against Arsenal just days later was meant to spell the end of Leicester's dominance but they refused to crack under the mounting pressure, most notably in April's home game against West Ham.
Having surrendered a one-goal lead, Leicester was 2-1 down and down to 10 men going into the final minute. The Foxes were awarded a penalty in the dying seconds, which Leonardo Ulloa dispatched with confidence to send Leicester's King Power Stadium into raptures.
It was a draw that felt like a win.

Big teams' inconsistency

This was meant to be Arsenal's year.
Manchester City and United had both fallen short until, at the turn of the year, it appeared as though the Premier League title race would be between Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and Ranieri.
Surely, after snatching a last-gasp winner against Leicester at the Emirates, the momentum was with Arsenal and it would go on to win a first Premier League trophy since 2004.
The subsequent run of results from each team epitomized the difference between Arsenal's fragile mentality and Leicester's never-say-die tenacity.
In the next seven matches, the Foxes would go on to record 19 points out of a possible 21, while Arsenal picked up only nine.

Smells like team spirit

"Of all the factors, the most imperative has been the team spirit," former Leicester defender Matt Elliott told CNN.
"The players don't talk about themselves. It's a collective effort -- 'we've got the spirit and the will to win.'"
The crux of this team is formed of players who were previously deemed not good enough for the Premier League.
Marc Albrighton, released by recently relegated Aston Villa at the end of last season, has gone on to make the joint-highest appearances of any Leicester player this season.
Mahrez alludes to this togetherness, potentially born out of rejection, as "the revenge of the barefooted men."
"I like that image," the 25-year-old told French newspaper L'Equipe. "We were not programmed to become professional footballers.
"I think we live our lives with a certain form of indifference. With N'Golo, I laugh about it. Our story is impossible, even if nothing is yet done."

Buddhist monks

Then there are the Thai monks who, some believe, have given Leicester a spiritual edge over its opponents.
In Thailand, the home of Leicester's billionaire owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, regular blessings of the Leicester pitch, the spreading of good karma and an "unbeatable fabric" have all been touted as reasons behind the club's success.
An example of the "Unbeatable Fabric"
"When they were at the bottom of the Premier League, Mr Vichai said 'we do not have enough merit,'" chief monk Phra Prommangkalachan told CNN.
Read: Buddhist monks and karma powering Leicester to glory
"So he set about making good karma by building temples and supporting ordained monks both in and out of the country. He was determined to make good karma, and he has become successful."

Battle of the Roses

In what is now no more than a quirky footnote in Leicester City's unlikely story, this season York City was relegated from the lowest division of professional English football in 92nd, and last, place.
York and Leicester have history -- and then some.
The two cities had recently been embroiled in a legal battle for the remains of Richard III, the last English king to die in battle, who was exhumed after being found underneath a Leicester car park.
York, meanwhile, believe it was Richard III's right -- and wish -- to be buried in its ancient city, but the three judges ruled the former king's remains be reburied in Leicester.
Is Leicester's win sport's most unlikely triumph? Let us know on CNN Sport's Facebook page

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Sunderland 0-2 Leicester City




Jamie Vardy
Jamie Vardy scored his 20th and 21st league goals of the season

Jamie Vardy scored twice as leaders Leicester won at Sunderland to move to within three victories of their first top-flight title.
The Foxes are also guaranteed a top-four place finish following Tottenham's 3-0 win over Manchester United.
Vardy coolly slotted in the first at Sunderland, before outpacing the opposition defence and tucking home a second deep into injury time.
The hosts' best chance fell to Jack Rodwell, who blazed over.
Sunderland remain 18th in the Premier League table, four points from safety.



Emotional Ranieri 'very happy' with win

Solid in defence, clinical in attack

Leicester's remarkable surge towards the title shows no signs of slowing up after a battling victory over relegation-threatened Sunderland.
Foxes goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel said there is "no pressure" on his side in the run-in and there were certainly no signs of nerves at the Stadium of Light.



Jamie Vardy's first goal graphic
Simple but effective. Danny Drinkwater (4) found the run of team-mate Jamie Vardy (9) with a long ball forward for the opening goal

England internationals Danny Drinkwater and Vardy combined for the striker's 20th league goal of the season, the first Leicester striker to reach the milestone in the top flight since Gary Lineker in the 1984-85 season.
His 21st in injury time was superb, leaving Patrick van Aanholt floundering before going round Vito Mannone to slip the ball into an open net.
Claudio Ranieri's men have now won their past five league games without conceding, picking up their 14th clean sheet of the campaign on Sunday. They have lost just three of their 33 league games so far.
The supporters stayed inside the ground well after the final whistle chanting "we're gonna win the league" and it now seems only an astonishing collapse will stop them from lifting the trophy.

Toothless Black Cats need to find goals

Sam Allardyce's Sunderland side gave a good account of themselves against the leaders, but that is not enough at this stage of the season as they cling on to their Premier League status.
They left the Stadium of Light without any points and are 18th in the table, although they do have a game in hand on Norwich, who are four points and one place above them.



Younes Kaboul graphic
Kaboul's all-action game in defence saw him make 25 clearances (left) gain possession back six times (middle) and make three tackles (right)

Centre-back Younes Kaboul, who should have done better with a header in the first half, made 25 clearances in the match - the most by a player in the division this season.
And German Jan Kirschoff, patrolling the space in front of the defence, kept key Leicester man Riyad Mahrez quiet, completing seven tackles and gaining possession back 18 times.
However, their problems lie at the other end of the pitch, having scored just four goals in their past six games.
The result could have been different had Rodwell buried his gilt-edged chance, while top scorer Jermain Defoe, with 12 league goals, was on the periphery for much of the game.

Man of the match - Younes Kaboul




Sunderland defender Younes Kaboul
Sunderland defender Kaboul was unlucky to be on the losing side against Leicester

What they said:

Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce: "I can't accept how we conceded the first goal. We allowed Jamie Vardy to play to his strengths. One ball over the top... not coping with that was the reason why we lost today.
"Our most costly games were not today. A 0-0 draw would have been good for us. The costly ones were the last three, we should have won all three. That wouldn't have seen so much pressure on ourselves and that is what told today."



Sunderland 0-2 Leicester: Allardyce says side are now feeling pressure

Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri: "The fans must continue to dream but we must continue to be concentrated and focused. Now we have two tough matches at home, the Champions League is on the table and we have to keep it. We haven't achieved anything yet.
"You make this job for the emotion you feel inside, but it is difficult for me to tell what kind of emotion."

What next?

Sunderland travel to Norwich on Saturday (kick-off 12:45 BST) in a crucial game at the bottom of the table, while leaders Leicester will be looking to take a further step towards the title when they host West Ham the following day (13:30 BST).

The stats you need to know:

  • Leicester City have won 33 points in 2016 - more than any other team in the Premier League
  • The Foxes have kept five consecutive clean sheets in the top flight for the first time in their history
  • All five of Danny Drinkwater's Premier League assists this season have been for Jamie Vardy
  • Sunderland have enjoyed just one win in their past 11 Premier League games (drawn six, lost four)
Home TeamSunderlandAway TeamLeicester
Possession
Home45%
Away55%
Shots
Home15
Away17
Shots on Target
Home1

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Corners
Home1
Away7
Fouls
Home9
Away9