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Author Introduction

Author Introduction
octopus0のWhat+αの筆者プロフィール

Hi, I’m octopus0, the creator of What +α.

I explore everyday life, culture, and small ideas that quietly add something extra to your day.

Here, curiosity comes first, and even ordinary moments can mean a little more.

「何気ない日常に、ちょっとした+αを。」

📚 Share it with your friends!

気に入った記事は他の人にもぜひ共有してくださいね！

|Articles with many views. 閲覧数が多い記事

The Quiet Epidemic: Why You’re Always Tired

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The Quiet Epidemic: Why You’re Always Tired At 6:30 a.m., the alarm rings. The room is silent. The world has not demanded anything yet. But the body feels as if it has already worked a full shift. This story does not begin in a hospital. It begins in kitchens, commuter trains, and dimly lit bedrooms where millions whisper the same question: “Why am I still exhausted?” The Invisible Biology of Exhaustion Modern life rarely feels dangerous. Yet the nervous system behaves as though the threat never leaves. Emails late at night. Blue light before sleep. Endless low-level urgency. The body releases cortisol gently but persistently. Inflammation hums in the background. Sleep becomes lighter. Recovery becomes incomplete. Nothing dramatic. Just a steady drain on tomorrow’s energy. When the Body Remembers Rhythm Recovery rarely arrives as a breakthrough. It begins with rhythm. Morning sunlight within thirty min...
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Why Do Women Give Chocolate on Valentine’s Day in Japan?

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Why Do Women Give Chocolate on Valentine’s Day in Japan? | The 2,000 Year Story From Rome to Tokyo From a Roman Execution to Japanese Chocolate Why do women give chocolate to men on Valentine’s Day in Japan? The answer is not chocolate. Not romance. Not even tradition. It’s a 2,000 year journey that begins in ancient Rome and quietly transforms into one of the most successful marketing cultures in modern history. The Day That Started With an Execution Valentine’s Day did not begin as a sweet celebration. It began inside a prison cell. In the 3rd century Roman Empire, Emperor Claudius II believed unmarried men made better soldiers. So he banned marriage entirely. Love was seen as a distraction from war. But one priest, Valentinus, refused to obey. He secretly performed weddings at night, helping young couples marry in hidden rooms lit by candles. He was arrested. And on February 14, he was executed. Before his death, legend says he wr...
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Why Japan Has White Day

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Why Japan Has White Day | The Untold Story of the Second Valentine Created by Chocolate Companies Why Japan Has White Day One month after Valentine’s Day, something unusual happens in Japan. Store shelves turn white. Marshmallows stack like clouds. Chocolate returns, wrapped in silver paper. And millions of men quietly walk into shops thinking the same thing: “What should I give back?” A Month After Chocolate February in Japan smells like cocoa. Department stores glow with red ribbons and heart-shaped boxes. Women choose carefully, comparing flavors, prices, meanings. Honmei for someone special. Giri for coworkers. Sometimes even chocolate for themselves. By the time February 14 ends, the country feels dipped in sugar. And then, suddenly, it’s over. Or at least, it should be. But for businesses, “over” is never enough. The Problem No One Talks About After Valentine’s Day, chocolate sales crashed. Factories slowed down. ...
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Why Coffee Stops Working After a While
なぜコーヒーが効かなくなるのか

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Why Coffee Stops Working After a While | The Science Behind Caffeine Tolerance Why Coffee Stops Working After a While There was a time when one cup changed everything. One sip, and your brain lit up like a city at sunrise. Now? You finish the cup… and feel almost nothing. Did coffee change? Or did your brain adapt? The Secret Enemy: Adenosine Inside your brain lives a tiny molecule called adenosine. All day long, it builds up. The more it accumulates, the sleepier you feel. Caffeine doesn’t give you energy. It simply blocks adenosine receptors. Like putting tape over a “tired” signal. You’re not less tired. You just don’t feel it. Your Brain Fights Back The human brain dislikes being tricked. So after repeated caffeine exposure, it adapts. It creates more adenosine receptors. More receptors mean more places for tiredness to land. Which means your normal cup of coffee becomes weaker. This is called caffein...
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