Bridging the gap between research and real life
Touch is ubiquitous throughout our lives. As newborns, it’s the first sense to develop and it provides much of our initial knowledge of the world. As we grow, we experience touch in a myriad of forms: cuddling, hugging, kissing, massage, and even petting a stuffed animal. [Read more…]
Mild cognitive impairment—lapses such as missing appointments, losing things, and having trouble finding the words to describe something—affects millions of older adults across the United States. Yet because it’s so common in later life, many people ignore or brush aside the condition. [Read more…]
About 10% of the U.S. population has been diagnosed with an insomnia disorder, and another 20% experience occasional insomnia symptoms. There are a myriad of causes: stress, a schedule that disrupts your body’s natural sleep rhythm, poor sleep habits, mental health disorders, and other medical conditions such as sleep apnea or restless leg syndrome. [Read more…]
If you spend time on YouTube or TikTok, you may have come across videos of someone whispering into a microphone, carefully slicing stacks of slime, or slowly ripping strips of paper. These videos are designed to trigger an autonomous sensory meridian response, or ASMR, a tingly feeling that travels from the top of the scalp down the back of the neck to the upper spine. [Read more…]
Over centuries, the human body has developed a natural rhythm that uses biological and environmental factors to determine when to sleep and eat. But continued advances in technology—starting with the light bulb, all the way to on-demand entertainment—allow people to ignore these natural rhythms. Circumstances such as caring for an infant, working a night shift, or staying out late at a party can also disrupt regular sleep patterns. Researchers refer to these disruptions as “social jet lag.” [Read more…]
If you pay attention to diet trends, you’ve likely heard of—or maybe even tried—the keto diet.
The ketogenic diet involves eating a high percentage of fat and few carbohydrates. This forces the body into a metabolic state called ketosis, which involves burning fat for energy instead of glucose. The diet also leads to lower blood sugar and insulin levels. [Read more…]
The term trigger warning was coined in the late 1990s on feminist Internet message boards, where it cautioned readers about graphic depictions of crimes, typically rape. The idea was to help emotionally prepare readers for difficult content and allow them to opt out and avoid the content altogether. [Read more…]
More than four years after the first humans became infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus, scientists understand more than ever before about how COVID-19 affects people. Beyond respiratory symptoms, COVID can lead to nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rashes, and even eye infections. We’ve also learned that people can experience long COVID, which involves continued symptoms for months or even years after they initially get sick. [Read more…]
Thousands of people now speak to their smart devices to make their grocery lists. Students are more likely to type out notes in class than write them down. And we often type or dictate calendar reminders into our smartphones instead of writing them on a wall calendar. In short, people across the globe and in a wide variety of settings primarily use digital devices to record the things they want to remember. [Read more…]
In addition to traditional benefits, such as health care coverage and 401(k) plans, employers across the globe are increasingly offering programs designed to boost employees’ mental health—free massages, mindfulness classes, online wellness apps, and more. [Read more…]
Experiencing depression during pregnancy or the first year after a child is born significantly increases a woman’s risk of attempting suicide or dying by suicide, according to two new large studies. [Read more…]
More than 10 years ago, an organization in the United Kingdom called Alcohol Change U.K. kicked off a Dry January campaign to encourage U.K. residents to abstain from drinking alcohol for January.
Fast forward to today, the initiative has become a global trend. This year, some 11 million U.K. residents will participate, and surveys find more than 200 million Americans attempt to give up alcohol for January.
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