Tag

Well Being

All articles tagged with #well being

lifestyle16 hours ago•11 min saved

Practical Optimism: A Learnable Path to Thriving Beyond Adversity

Dr. Sue Varma’s concept of practical optimism is a learnable, eight-pillared framework for thriving through stress and adversity. It blends realism with action, distinguishing itself from toxic positivity and resilience by focusing on purposeful intention, emotional processing, problem-solving, self-compassion, proficiency, presence, relationships, and healthy habits. Backed by research showing optimism links to lower cardiovascular risk, longer life, and better cognitive health, the approach provides concrete steps and daily practices (including a 10-minute focused routine and four-step emotion work) to cultivate a more optimistic outlook, with 75% of optimism being learned and doable for anyone.

via HuffPost|

#lifestyle #mental-health #optimism

well-being5 days ago•19 min saved

Extreme Running: Small Study Sparks Debate on Colon Cancer Risk

A Washington Post piece reports that a small study found a surprisingly high rate of precancerous polyps among young extreme runners, raising questions about whether intense endurance sports might influence colorectal cancer risk; doctors also note cases of fit young patients with advanced colon cancer and few risk factors, but experts caution that data are limited and controversial.

via The Washington Post|

#colorectal-cancer #exercise-and-cancer-risk #precancerous-polyps

well-being6 days ago•18 min saved

Science-backed tips to fall asleep faster

Experts share science-backed strategies to fall asleep faster and improve sleep quality, noting that many people fall short of the recommended seven to nine hours due to sleep disorders, anxiety, caffeine, and daytime distractions; practical tips include reducing caffeine and screen time before bed, keeping a consistent sleep schedule, creating a sleep-friendly environment, and addressing underlying stress or health issues.

via The Washington Post|

#anxiety #circadian-rhythm #sleep

well-being10 days ago•18 min saved

Five Foods to Fortify Your Bones for Life

A Washington Post Well+Being piece explains that bone health is shaped by lifelong nutrition and that it's never too early to optimize your diet; it highlights five foods that can help maintain bone mass as you age.

via The Washington Post|

#aging #bone-health #diet

health11 days ago•5 min saved

A Closet Refresh Could Boost Well-Being for Midlife Women

A UK study of 252 women aged 38–67 found that those who liked their clothes and found age-appropriate, well-fitting outfits reported higher well-being and optimism and were less likely to skip social activities, suggesting fashion helps with belonging, confidence, and social health in midlife. Researchers encourage a wardrobe refresh when possible, viewing clothes as a tool for connection rather than vanity.

via Women's Health|

#clothing #fashion-psychology #health

well-being19 days ago•21 min saved

New study flags smaller-than-expected muscle impact from GLP-1 medications

A new study suggests GLP-1 weight-loss drugs (such as Ozempic and Wegovy) may not cause as much muscle loss as previously feared, while reinforcing the importance of regular exercise to preserve muscle when taking these medications.

via The Washington Post|

#exercise #glp-1 #muscle-mass

well-being1 month ago•18 min saved

Two-Minute Meditation Sparks Brain Relaxation, New Study Finds

A new study suggests that just two to three minutes of meditation can trigger a relaxation response and positively affect brain function across experience levels, implying that even short daily practice may yield brain benefits sooner than previously thought.

via The Washington Post|

#brain #meditation #neuroscience

well-being1 month ago•20 min saved

Five Food Fixes to Boost Magnesium Without Supplements

The Washington Post outlines five food-based ways to increase magnesium intake without supplements, highlighting magnesium's roles in regulating blood pressure and blood sugar, supporting immunity and muscle health, and promoting restful sleep.

via The Washington Post|

#diet #magnesium #nutrition

lifestyle1 month ago•20 min saved

When the soundtrack never stops: is constant audio hijacking our attention?

A Washington Post piece reports Americans now listen to nearly four hours of audio daily, and experts warn that constant listening can be habit-forming and may alter brain chemistry; while audio can aid focus, excessive use can resemble screen-time addiction, prompting suggestions to cut back and build silence into daily routines.

via The Washington Post|

#addiction #anxiety #audio-consumption

health1 month ago•22 min saved

Delphi Consensus Defines a Core Six-Dimension Taxonomy for Positive Mental Health

A Delphi study with 122 experts across 11 disciplines identifies 19 dimensions for a preliminary taxonomy of positive mental health, with six dimensions—meaning and purpose, life satisfaction, self-acceptance, connection, autonomy, and happiness—receiving the highest consensus (>90%). The work aims to standardize how positive mental health is conceptualized across fields to improve measurement, intervention design, and policy, using three iterative rounds to refine 26 initial dimensions and incorporate expert suggestions.

via Nature|

#delphi-method #health #interdisciplinary

travel1 month ago•18 min saved

Resetting Your Body Clock on a Short Vacation

Even a quick getaway can misalign your circadian rhythms. To avoid social jet lag, sync your internal clock with the trip by aligning sleep, meals, exercise, and light exposure to the new schedule; starting with waking early can help re-set your body clock and keep vacation fatigue at bay.

via The Washington Post|

#circadian-rhythms #sleep #travel

psychology2 months ago•25 min saved

Narcissism’s paradox: some traits may boost happiness while others bring distress

A large meta-analysis of 229 studies (over 185,000 participants) shows narcissism is not uniformly harmful or protective. Grandiose narcissism, driven by agentic extraversion, links to higher positive mental health (life satisfaction, self-esteem, resilience) with little impact on negative mental health except for more compulsive social-media use; vulnerable narcissism relates to poorer outcomes across positive and negative mental-health measures (more depression, anxiety, loneliness, and stress). The researchers further split grandiose narcissism into admiration (associated with higher happiness and lower distress) and rivalry (linked to worse mental health). They also apply a three-factor model (agentic extraversion, antagonism, neuroticism) to explain patterns, finding agentic extraversion generally protective, while neuroticism and antagonism tend to be harmful. Age, survey type, and culture modulate effects, and limitations include reliance on self-reports and convenience samples. The study emphasizes nuanced, domain-specific interpretations of narcissism’s impact on mental health.

via PsyPost|

#grandiose-narcissism #mental-health #narcissism

wellbeing-life2 months ago•18 min saved

Challenging relationships may accelerate aging, study suggests

New Washington Post Wellbeing reporting ties hasslers—difficult people in your social circle—to chronic stress and epigenetic aging markers, suggesting that tough relationships could speed up aging; nearly 30% of people report at least one hassler in their network.

via The Washington Post|

#aging #health #relationships

health3 months ago•0 min saved

The Health Cost of Being Touch-Deprived

Research indicates that insufficient physical touch can negatively affect health and well-being, as illustrated by individuals like Allora Dannon who yearn for intentional, meaningful contact; the piece explains what touch-starvation is, its potential mental and physical effects, and tips for increasing healthy touch.

via The New York Times|

#health #mental-health #physical-contact

well-being4 months ago•4 min saved

Braving the cold pays off: outdoor time boosts mood, memory, and focus

A Washington Post Post Reports episode explains why spending time outdoors—even in winter—boosts mood, memory, and concentration, highlighting science-backed nature-therapy concepts and practical exercises like the Noticing Nature Intervention, which can increase optimism in about 14 days.

via The Washington Post|

#focus #memory #mental-health