University students who regularly exercise are less likely to be affected by depression, anxiety, or stress than their less active peers. Frontiers in Psychology, May 2020 … [Read more...]
Writing Can Help You Deal with Stress
Noting that past studies have shown that writing down your thoughts and feelings about difficult situations can improve your mood, reduce your risk for becoming ill, and increase your productivity, the American Psychological Association recommends … [Read more...]
Americans Are Stressed
A worldwide poll conducted last year revealed that about 55% of Americans said they felt stressed the day before, compared to just 35% in other countries, and nearly 45% of Americans felt worry the day before, compared to 39% worldwide. Gallup, April … [Read more...]
Stressed Workers May Not Benefit from Vacations
A survey of more than 1,500 working Americans found that many people are unable to relax and enjoy their time away from the office. More specifically, when participants returned to work after time off, 68% said they were in a better mood; 66% were … [Read more...]
Siblings Can Ease Pain of Family Conflict
In this study, researchers interviewed children from 236 families and found that teens who had good relationships with their siblings experienced less distress when answering questions about observed parental disagreements. Study co-author Dr. … [Read more...]
Can You Identify Signs of Stress?
Chronic stress can have a negative effect on one’s mental and physical wellbeing. According to the Department of Health & Human Services, common signs of excessive exposure to stress include: not eating enough or overeating; feeling you have lost … [Read more...]
Smell Your Partner’s Shirt to Reduce Stress
In this study, investigators observed that women who smelled their partner's shirt had a reduced response to stress in comparison with those who smelled a stranger’s scent. Senior author Dr. Frances Chen comments, “Our research suggests that … [Read more...]
Could Gray Hair Mean a Higher Risk for Heart Disease?
Atherosclerosis (the narrowing of the arteries due to the build-up of cholesterol and other substances on arterial walls) and graying hair have similar causes: the damaged DNA that comes with aging, increased oxidative stress, and the aging of cells. … [Read more...]
Chronic Stress Can Affect Memory
Individuals subjected to chronic stress due to bullying or a tough job may experience problems with their memory. Researchers found that mice who were repeatedly stressed by larger, more aggressive mice when they tried to find an escape hole in a … [Read more...]
Exercise Helps Some Smokers Quit
According to a new study, between 20% and 33% of smokers are considered to have high-anxiety sensitivity and smoke to cope with stress, making it more difficult for them to quit. In this study, investigators found that 26% of high-anxiety sensitivity … [Read more...]
Family Stress Linked to Obesity in Teens
An analysis of data from over 4,700 teens found that family stress during childhood can put teenagers at an increased risk for being overweight or obese. According to researchers, girls in the study who experienced family stress such as family … [Read more...]
Mental Attitude: Stress and Problem Solving
People under high levels of chronic stress appear to have impaired problem-solving skills. In a study setting, they solved 50% fewer problems than their non-stressed peers. PLOS ONE, May 2013 … [Read more...]
Mental Attitude: Reaction To Stress
How people react to stress determines how that stress will affect their health. Study volunteers were separated in two groups: 1) those who let their troubles affect their emotional state and 2) those who didn't let stress bother them at all. At a … [Read more...]
Mental Attitude: Learning and Stress
Stressed and non-stressed persons use different brain regions and different strategies when learning. Non-stressed individuals applied a deliberate learning strategy, while stressed subjects relied more on their gut feelings. Journal of Neuroscience, … [Read more...]