OK, it’s not news that placebos work. But it is interesting that they work even when patients are told that they being given a placebo. And it’s even more interesting to note that doctors can tell, by looking at a patient’s brain anatomy and psychological profile, if the placebo is […]
Attitude
Your Brain On Dehydration
It doesn’t take long for dehydration to render us even less focused than we normally are. Two hours of yard work will do the trick. A Georgia Tech news release reports that researchers at the school came to that conclusion after reading many research papers on dehydration and cognitive ability. The […]
Study Finds Small Talk Is Harmless
It’s true, according to a new study, that people who engage in substantive conversations tend to be happier that those who don’t, but the same study found that small talk doesn’t make people any less happy. A University of Arizona news release reports that researchers at the school surveyed 486 […]
15 Minutes of Exercise Boosts Muscle Memory
Trying to master a new tennis serve? Try taking a short run right after working on the serve. Researchers at McGill University are convinced that exercise performed immediately after practicing a new skill improves its long term retention. A McGill news release reports that the researchers asked study subject to […]
Dark Chocolate Improves Mood, And Other Things
Feeling cranky? Have some dark chocolate. Forget where you put the chocolate? Have some more chocolate. Chocolate, according to researchers at Loma Linda University, improves mood, and something else, oh yeah, memory. It also reduces inflammation. A Loma Linda news release reports that researchers at the school examined the impact […]
Hydration During Exercise Boosts Brain Speed
Staying hydrated during exercise isn’t just good for your body; it’s good for your brain. That’s the word from the American Physiological Society, whose recent press release cites research that studied recreational cyclists (average age 55) who competed in a large cycling event on a warm day (78–86 degrees F), and […]
Exercise Makes Us Happy
Health experts have long known that exercise can help relieve depression, but what about people who aren’t depressed? Can exercise make them more happy or content? The short answer, from researchers at the University of Michigan, is yes. A U of Michigan news release reports that researchers at the school […]
Meditation Lowers Blood Pressure
Clearing your mind can clear up your blood pressure problems. That’s the verdict of a recent study by researchers at Harvard University, who monitored the blood pressure of people who were asked to meditate for 20 minutes a day for eight weeks. WBUR reports that the study was small, involving […]
Losing Money Can Cost You Your Life
Before you check the progress of your 401K, a few words from researchers at the University of Michigan: people over the age of 50 who suffer a catastrophic loss of wealth have a 50-percent higher risk of dying than those who do not have such loss. Wait, it gets worse. […]
Holding Hands Eases Pain
Hold the Ibuprofen and start holding hands. That, according to research conducted at Colorado University and the University of Haifa, may be sufficient to ease some pain. A Colorado University news release reports that researchers in Haifa worked with 22 heterosexual couples, age 23 to 32, who had been together for […]