Article: This could be at an awkward dinner, right after a fight with someone, or any other time when it wouldn't normally be a great time to be talking or laughing. Use your judgment to decide when the best (or more accurately, worst) time to tell the joke would be. While telling the joke at an inappropriate time will help kill it, you should also prioritize being respectful of othersfor example, you wouldn't start telling jokes at a funeral. State some of the facts in the joke wrong, and start over each time, telling the entire joke from the beginning. Having to hear the same joke over and over again without actually getting to the punchline will make the person listening to the joke think it's definitely not funny. Start making mistakes about one-third or halfway through the joke so that you have to repeat the beginning of the joke over again. For example, say there are 3 characters instead of 5, a man is 65 years old instead of 45, or that someone travels to Egypt instead of Peru. Each time you make a mistake, start over with the right fact, or make another mistake. Most jokes are very minimal, only giving enough information for the punchline to be understood. Instead of telling the joke clearly and to the point, add on lots of extra details to make the telling of the joke last much longer. For example, if you're telling a joke about a man who walks into a bar, give unnecessary details such as what the guy is wearing or what the bar looks like. Say something like, "A man walks into a small, dirty bar that's been around for 20 years wearing a red shirt and a green baseball cap with his socks pulled up to his knees." Start doing this right after you've finished telling the joke, whether the person already understands the joke or not. Jokes aren't meant to be explained, which is why talking about the punchline will ruin it. For instance, if the joke is, "What does a nosey pepper do? Get jalapeno business," you might then say, "Get it? It's a nosey pepper, so it's getting 'all up in yo' business, like 'jalapeno.'" If the joke is a more complicated one, break down every detail of the joke to get to why it was supposed to be funny. Many times telling a successful joke is all about how you say it, such as when you pause, the emphasis you put on certain words, and how well you execute the punchline. Do things such as telling the joke super slowly, too quickly, or a mixture of both. Draw out the syllables of random words in the joke to put emphasis on unnecessary words, confusing the listener. When saying the punchline, use super exaggerated speech, or mumble the last sentence so that it's difficult to understand what you're saying. After you've told the joke, start laughing hysterically or asking others to tell you how funny the joke was. The best jokes are told without the joke-teller reacting, so by pretending as if you think you're hilarious, the person listening to the joke will find it much less funny. You could tell the listener something like, "Isn't that so funny?" right after finishing the joke.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Choose an inappropriate time to tell the joke. Make mistakes while telling the joke, causing you to start over. Add lots of embellishments to the joke. Explain why the joke is funny without being asked. Work on having bad timing while telling the joke. React too enthusiastically to your own joke.
Article: There is increasing amounts of evidence that suggests that meditation can help you to tackle stress, which could in turn help you sleep. Research shows that practising twenty minutes of meditation a day can reduce stress and cortisol levels. Start slowly and just try to incorporate 3-5 minutes at a time. Meditation can seem strange or alien, so it's important that you don't put pressure on yourself. If you don't feel like sitting cross-legged and reciting a mantra, you could try walking meditation. While walking, concentrate on the feeling of your body walking, Then focus on the feeling of your breath, and then the air and wind on your skin. Yoga can help you to relax your body and mind before you go to bed. Keep the routine slow and controlled, and don't over exert yourself. A simple routine of five to fifteen minutes, with only simple poses, is all you should do. Some of the basic poses to try include: Standing bends. Standing up straight, raise your hands above your head. Feel the stretch in your spine, and then gently bend down. Keep your back straight. Child's pose. Sit on your heels, and place your arms out either side of you. Lower your body over your knees and as you do this gently bring your forehead down towards the floor. One good way to try to relax your body and help you get to sleep is to practice some progressive muscle relaxation techniques. Lie in bed and then tense a muscle, contracting and flexing it, for around ten seconds. Don't put too much strain on the muscle, but feel the tension building up. Release the muscle and relax. Now move on to the next muscle and repeat the process all over your body. You can start from your feet and work all the way up your body. Finish by tensing and relaxing your face. Try visualising the muscle that you are tensing as you go. Doing some deep breathing exercises can help you to lower your heart rate and relax. If you are struggling to sleep and are becoming anxious, deep breathing can help. The effects of deep breathing are often more psychological than physiological, but it can help you to calm your heart and breathing rate in times of stress or anxiety. Breathe in deeply for three or four seconds, with your hand on your belly and try to breathe in and out. Breathe in through your nose and exhale out through your mouth. Feel your diaphragm move up and down as your belly rises and falls. Breathing this way will stimulate the vagus nerve and the parasympathetic nervous system. By stimulating the PNS you will relax your body and lower your heart rate and anxiety. Sleeping problems are often associated with stress, anxiety and depression. If you are regularly having trouble sleeping, consider what other factors might be contributing to this. If you are particularly stressed out about an upcoming deadline, try to manage your workload and understand that's normal to get stressed sometimes. Positive thinking can help you to be more relaxed and get a better night's sleep. A stressful lifestyle can result in higher levels of cortisol in your body, which in turn can cause sleeplessness. If you have nightmares that disturb your sleep, these may also be connected to stress or emotional trauma. Ensuring that your bedroom is as calm and soothing as possible will help you get to sleep without any pills. Avoid bright colours on the walls, try not to have a TV or computer in your room, and make sure that it is dark. You can get some blackout curtains if there is light coming from outside your window, and if necessary, try wearing an eye mask. The temperature of your room is also important. A temperature of between 60 and 65F (16 and 18C), is considered the ideal for peaceful sleep. If it is noisy, try wearing ear plugs to block out the sound. Having pictures of friends and family, or works of art, around your room may make you feel more relaxed and at ease.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Try meditating. Practice yoga. Use muscle relaxation techniques. Try breathing exercises. Tackle sources of stress. Create a peaceful sleeping environment.