The Link Between Food Insecurity and Binge Eating

Food insecurity—or not having access to enough quality food—is a significant risk factor for binge eating disorder, according to a new systematic review published earlier this year. [Read more…]

New Evidence on Adolescent Mental Health and Social Media

A sweeping new advisory from the U.S. Surgeon General outlines the best available evidence on how social media is affecting the mental health of youth in the United States. [Read more…]

Acquaintances Are Good for You

Throughout a normal week, you may chat with a delivery driver who stops at your home, strike up a conversation with the person you always see at the gym, or trade recipes with an acquaintance from the dog park. [Read more…]

Why It’s Important to Accept Negative Emotions

Daily life is full of low points for everyone. You may get frustrated after you step on the Legos that your kids carelessly left on the floor. You may get nervous about the speech you’re asked to give at your daughter’s wedding, or angry at the friend who ditched you for his new girlfriend. [Read more…]

The Science of Forgiveness and Why It’s Good For You

Unfortunately, injustice and wrongdoing are part of everyday life. Whether you experience someone cutting to the front of the line at the grocery store or you are the victim of a serious crime, transgression is a part of the human experience. [Read more…]

New Research: Moderate Drinking Provides No Health Benefits

Alcohol consumption is an often-celebrated part of our culture. Millions of Americans enjoy beers at the ball game, wine with dinner, or a cocktail with friends after work on Friday. [Read more…]

New Data Shows Distracted Driving Leads to More Accidents

More than 42,000 people died in traffic accidents in 2021, the most in 16 years, according to data released this month by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

One of the contributing factors to this rise in deaths was an increase in impaired or distracted driving, which contributed to at least 3,500 traffic-related deaths. This number is likely underreported because distracted driving is difficult to identify during crash investigations. [Read more…]

Yoga Combats Frailty in Older Adults

More than half of adults in the U.S. over age 80 experience frailty, an increased health vulnerability that hampers their ability to cope with everyday life.

Frailty is a complex condition that involves a variety of physical and mental factors including walking, balance, cognitive impairment, and other chronic health problems. Frailty can reduce endurance levels, make it more difficult to live independently, reduce quality of life, and increase the risk of dying sooner. [Read more…]

The Secret to a Happy, Healthy Life

What makes a happy life? In some ways, this feels like one of the most important questions a person can ask.

To look for answers, researchers from Harvard University have been following two very different groups of men for more than 80 years—268 Harvard graduates and 456 men who grew up in inner-city Boston. This is the longest-running study ever of human life. Researchers were particularly interested in the social and psychological factors that impact health and well-being in later in life. [Read more…]

Does Inconsistent Sleep Lead to Heart Disease?

If you’ve ever cared for small children, worked a night shift, or stayed out late at a party, you know the feeling of going to bed much later than usual and sleeping in the next day. Sleep researchers call this phenomenon “social jet lag.” They have found it can lead to many negative consequences, including poor sleep quality, reduced cognitive performance, unhealthy eating patterns, depression, and anxiety.

[Read more…]

Evidence Synthesized: Exercise Promotes Mental Health

More than 20 million adults in the U.S. experience depressive episodes each year. Among youth, the incidence of depression and anxiety has increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.

The most common forms of treatment for depression are medications and talk therapy. But a large body of evidence demonstrates that exercise is also effective in treating depression. In fact, some data show that regular exercise is just as effective as medications and therapy in reducing the symptoms of depression. [Read more…]

Evidence Synthesized: Exercise Promotes Mental Health

More than 20 million adults in the U.S. experience depressive episodes each year. Among youth, the incidence of depression and anxiety has increased significantly since the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020.

The most common forms of treatment for depression are medications and talk therapy. But a large body of evidence demonstrates that exercise is also effective in treating depression. In fact, some data show that regular exercise is just as effective as medications and therapy in reducing the symptoms of depression. [Read more…]

Skip to toolbar