Approximately 20% of teens in the U.S. experience depression by age 17. And data shows that among youth across the globe, the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptoms has doubled since the COVID-19 pandemic. [Read more…]
Does Inflammation Lead to Depression?
For decades, we’ve heard that depression is related to imbalances of neurotransmitters in the brain, including serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. But a growing body of research suggests depression may also be connected to a more prevalent biological process: inflammation. [Read more…]
Is Cold-Water Swimming Really Good for Your Brain?
If you live near a body of water in the northern latitudes, you likely have heard of your local polar bear club — usually made up of a group of hearty swimmers who take part in cold water swimming. [Read more…]
The Best Way to Stall Dementia: Quit Smoking
While the number of smokers is at a historical low, data demonstrates that smoking still affects public health. Smoking increases the risk of heart and lung disease, affects bone health, and increases the risk of birth defects. A growing body of research demonstrates that smoking also affects neurological health, specifically cognitive decline. [Read more…]
The Benefits of Deep Breathing and Why It Works
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…]
Why Laughter Is Such Good Medicine
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…]
The Psychological Impacts of Donor Conception
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.
How Heat Waves Affect Your Brain
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 Best Ways to Manage Anger
According to a worldwide Gallup poll of more than 147,000 people living in 142countries, nearly one-quarter of people feel angry on a regular basis, and that number has remained flat for the past three years.
Anger is one of the basic human emotions. Like other emotions, it is accompanied by physiological and biological changes in the body including increased heart rate and blood pressure, and higher levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline.