Tag Archives: depression

Indoor plants are a proven mood booster!

14 Thursday Apr 2022

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

indoor-plants-wp

Whether it’s a fern, English ivy or even a succulent, like aloe, being surrounded by greenery prompts an immediate mood lift, and lowers your risk of depression. According to the University of Michigan, our brains are naturally primed to release feel-good chemicals in the presence of nature, and it also triggers a relaxation response. Even when we’re stressed! Being near greenery also increases our ability to concentrate, makes us more productive, and boosts memory by 20%.

Follow me on Facebook

Why aren’t you sleeping? This may be why!

15 Tuesday Jun 2021

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

Having trouble sleeping? Here are a few weird reasons it might be happening: 

First: You brush with mint toothpaste. A study from the UK’s Coventry University found the peppermint oil in some toothpaste stimulates the brain and makes people less sleepy. So, try a brand flavored with other ingredients, like cinnamon.

Next: You could be depressed. Researchers at Boston University found depression is often triggered by an imbalance of serotonin in the brain – a mood-boosting neurotransmitter that’s also linked to a good night’s sleep.

Finally, blame your insomnia on your multivitamins! University of Alabama researchers found people who took vitamins at night slept less soundly. They believe it’s down to energy-boosting vitamins, like B6 and B12. So, the researchers recommend popping your pills at breakfast to boost your energy during the day, so you can easily wind down at bedtime. 

Follow me on Facebook

Are things in your house bumming you out?

26 Friday Feb 2021

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

You may not even be aware of it, but psychologist Dr. Susan Bartell says YES! Here are a few of the things that can bring you down – and what to do about them.

#1: Family heirlooms. Dr. Bartell says we feel guilty getting rid of them because they’re supposed to hold memories. But instead, they can weigh us down emotionally and cause physical clutter. So, Dr. Bartell says, let those things go. Ask another family member if they want it. If not – and it’s not “Antiques-Roadshow”-worthy – get rid of it. 

What else could be bumming you out in your own home? Heavy drapes! Their physical weight and the way they block light can make a home feel old, sad, and tired. 

Finally, old paperwork can make us depressed. It’s a constant reminder of bills and obligations. So shred anything you don’t need, and make a point of filing things away. That way, the sight of paperwork won’t drag you down emotionally.

Follow me on Facebook  

Emotional infidelity is WORSE for you than physical infidelity.

12 Friday Feb 2021

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

That doesn’t give you a license to cheat on your spouse, but know this: Besides hurting your partner, cheaters suffer depression, anxiety, shame, and guilt. And according to a study in the journal Personality and Social Psychology, emotional infidelity causes a level of distress one-third greater than physical infidelity. But an emotional AND physical affair was by far the most damaging.

Follow me on Facebook

Do you have dark thoughts?

25 Tuesday Aug 2020

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

dark-thoughts-wp

Like, if your teenager doesn’t answer their phone, they must have been abducted? Or if your husband is late coming home from work, he was probably in an accident?

Well, according to clinical psychologist Dr. Martin Seif, pretty much everybody has dark thoughts from time to time. And we humans are bad at assessing risk. So our fears are usually way out of proportion to the chances of actual danger. And worrying is part of human nature. When we have something valuable – like loved ones – it’s natural to worry about something bad happening. It only becomes a problem if those worries start controlling your life, or you try to control the lives of others because of your irrational fears. Also, Dr. Seif explains that scary thoughts you can’t shake can be a symptom of anxiety or depression. If that describes you, consider talking to a therapist.

Follow me on Facebook

On your worst day at work…

22 Wednesday Jan 2020

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , ,

exercise-after-work-wp

…make sure you end the day with some exercise. Most adults say one of their biggest sources of stress is their job. But according to a study in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, a workout after work is the best antidote. Because job stress is linked to heart problems – and the stress from a bad day at work can linger for 48 hours. Work stress can also lead to high cholesterol and depression. But even a small burst of exercise on the day you’re experiencing the stress can reduce those risk factors. So when things get tough, get going and break a sweat.

Follow me on Facebook

Do you jumpstart your day with coffee?

14 Monday Oct 2019

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

jumpstart-coffee-wp

Here’s another reason to stick with caffeine: It may slow your biological aging process! That’s from the Stanford School of Medicine. The reason? Because most of us tend to develop inflammation in our tissues, veins, and arteries as we age, which can lead to heart disease, cancer, Alzheimer’s, osteoarthritis and even depression. But the metabolites in caffeine help minimize inflammation. Bottom line: Coffee may be the closest thing we have to a fountain of youth.

Follow me on Facebook

Stress can make us hungry!

19 Thursday Sep 2019

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

stress-eat-fight-wp

Have you ever felt hungry after an argument? Research in the journal Psychological Science found the more stress we feel, the higher our levels of the hunger hormone ghrelin! And when we’re stressed, we tend to reach for sugary, high-fat treats, which drastically raises our risk for depression and weight gain. The good news? Researchers say just KNOWING this can happen can boost our health. Because while we can’t change how our body reacts to stress, we can change the foods we have on hand. That way, you’ll be less likely to blow your diet after your next blowup argument.

Follow me on Facebook

Can Instagram photos reveal if someone’s depressed or not?

02 Monday Sep 2019

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , ,

sad-on-instagram-wp

YES! Researchers from Harvard found it was easier to diagnose depression from a person’s Instagram feed, than by doing a typical doctor’s exam. But it’s not what’s IN the pictures that counted, it was the FILTERS they chose. Generally speaking, depressed people preferred muted colors and decreased color saturation, and tended to post pictures that were bluer, grayer and darker. And a lot of depressed people choose the Inkwell filter – which changes pictures from color to black-and-white.

Follow me on Facebook

So, you’re royally ticked off!

23 Friday Aug 2019

Posted by in Intelligence for Your Life

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , , , ,

ticked-off-wp

Which is healthier for your heart: To suppress your feelings, or let ‘em rip? It’s a trick question – neither of those options is good for your heart.

If you lay into someone, scream and let your anger out, it raises your risk of a heart attack or stroke for the next 2 hours.

But suppressing anger isn’t a good way to go either. Over time, keeping your feelings bottled up can wear your body down, leading to high blood pressure, depression, and heart disease.

So what should you do when you’re majorly mad? Take a “time out” to manage your anger. Take at least 10 slow, deep breaths to reduce your stress hormones, heart rate, and blood pressure. Psychiatry professor Dr. Charles Raison from the University of Arizona says that’s enough to offset the adrenaline response, so you can share your negative feelings without blowing up at someone or doing your own body any harm.

Follow me on Facebook