Bridging the gap between research and real life
The data are clear: Americans are experiencing unprecedented levels of loneliness. In a new poll last month by the American Psychiatric Association, 30 percent of adults reported feelings of loneliness at least once a week over the past year; 10 percent said they felt lonely every day. [Read more…]
Over the past several decades, marijuana legalization has accelerated across the United States. Cannabis is now legal for recreational use in 24 states and Washington, D.C., as well as for medical use in 38 states and Washington, D.C. Now that it’s more widely available, researchers are asking how legalization is affecting cannabis use. [Read more…]
The evidence clearly shows that having a sense of purpose—no matter what that is—is good for us. Research shows that having a sense of purpose leads to better health outcomes for older adults, improves our daily mood and physical well-being, and is even associated with increased financial earnings.
Now researchers are delving more into how having a sense of purpose plays out in the lives of individual people. [Read more…]
Chances are that someone you love has experienced depression. Approximately 8 percent of U.S. adults – some 21 million people – have a major depressive disorder each year. For people under age 18, depression is the most common cause of hospitalization. [Read more…]
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…]
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…]
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