Bridging the gap between research and real life
Feeling anxious? Angry? Frustrated? Disappointed?
The evidence clearly shows there is something you can do—no matter where you are or what the circumstances are. Take a few slow, deep breaths.
In most stressful situations, human nature actually drives us to take deep breaths. If you’re getting ready to give a speech to a large crowd or standing at the starting line for a community running race, you may find yourself taking a deep breath without even thinking about it. [Read more…]
About one in three Americans do not get enough sleep every day, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s a problem because a large body of research demonstrates that sleep is foundational to our health. [Read more…]
If you haven’t played it yet, you certainly know someone who has! Pickleball, the paddle sport that combines elements of ping pong, badminton, and tennis, has taken the U.S. by storm. [Read more…]
You know the feeling (hopefully!): Something silly sets you off – a movie, a joke, or maybe someone near you slips and falls – and you burst into laughter.
It feels good to laugh. And since the 1970s, medical experts have learned that laughter can boost pain tolerance and improve overall well-being. [Read more…]
Across the globe, more than 10 million people suffer from Parkinson’s disease, a neurological disorder that leads to unintended and uncontrollable movements such as shaking, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination.
Scientists are working to better understand the mechanisms involved in Parkinson’s disease. At a basic level, they know that the disease occurs when nerve cells in the basal ganglia, an area of the brain that controls movement, become impaired or die. Most researchers believe a mix of genetic and environmental factors trigger the disease. [Read more…]
Researchers estimate that there are upwards of 1 million Americans who were conceived using donor egg or sperm. Anonymous donation, in which the donor’s identity is not available to the donor-conceived person, is common in the U.S. and Canada, while many European countries require the donor’s identity be disclosed when the donor-conceived person turns 18.
As heat waves roll across the U.S. in the summer, heat-related illnesses are a serious threat to Americans. Although we often hear about the dangers of overheating and dehydration, heat waves lead to even broader consequences for the people coping with them. A “heat dome” covered the East Coast and southern U.S. last month, and has now shifted to California. [Read more…]
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…]
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…]
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