Mindfully Healing

Resistance and aerobic exercise were tested alongside tai chi and yoga. Aerobic and resistance exercise together is the best combination for boosting brain power, new research finds. The results come from a review of 39 studies of people over 50-years-old doing all different types of exercise and activities, including: aerobic and resistance training, tai chi, and yoga. The results showed that all types of exercise improved the brain power of those over 50. Aerobic exercise boosts cognitive abilities, while resistance training was particularly good at boosting memory and executive function.

A well managed natural environment is particularly important to people. Being in the natural environment is linked to higher satisfaction with life, new research finds. People were particularly satisfied if they felt their natural environment was being well managed. Dr Kelly Biedenweg, the study’s first author, said: “Whether people feel like things are fair and they have a voice in process of making decisions and whether governance is transparent — those are the foundations of why people even can interact with nature.” The results come from a survey of 4,000

Sleep pattern linked to better ideas, focus and planning. For a boost to your attention and creativity, keep your sleep regular, new research suggests. Regular sleep patterns are linked to higher focus, better ideas and stronger forward planning. People who skimp on sleep, then ‘catch-up’ with more sleep later suffer cognitive problems. The study was carried out on students studying interior design. Dr Michael Scullin, a study author, explained: “When completing term projects, students restrict sleep, then rebound on sleep, then repeat. Major projects which call for numerous tasks and

Certain dairy products are associated with lower rates of depression. People who consume low-fat dairy products are less likely to be depressed than those who prefer whole-fat. The conclusions come from researchers in Japan and China. They studied 1,159 Japanese adults aged between 19 and 83. All were asked about their dairy consumption and levels of depression. People who ate low-fat dairy between one and four times a week were less depressed, the results showed. The benefits of dairy products could be down to trytophan, the study’s authors write: “Dairy

The real reason some people enjoy listening to sad music. Music that makes you cry gives pleasure, new research finds. This might help to explain the enduring popularity of sad music. The results come from a study that tested the cathartic effect of sad music. Participants in the study were divided into two groups based on their responses to four questions: “While listening to music, how frequently do you (1) get goose bumps, (2) feel shivers down your spine, (3) feel like weeping, and (4) get a lump in your

8.2% of people have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, double the previously reported rate. Many people say their attention is gotten poorer in the digital age. But, is it just a regular inability to focus, or is it a ‘disorder’? Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, also known as ADHD or ADD, can cause people to have problems with simple day-to-day tasks, like paying bills. It may even cause someone to lose their job, through persistent lateness or failing to perform routine tasks. The World Health Organisation has released the latest version of

Older brains can perform like younger ones with this supplement. A beetroot juice supplement can make older brains perform like younger ones, new research shows. The supplement was given to older adults just before they worked out. Professor Jack Rejeski, a study co-author, said: “We knew, going in, that a number of studies had shown that exercise has positive effects on the brain. But what we showed in this brief training study of hypertensive older adults was that, as compared to exercise alone, adding a beet root juice supplement to

Surprising facts about anxiety include that it affects the sense of smell and balance, how we judge faces and perceptions of our personal space, and more… Anxiety can be crippling in excess, but it does exist for a good reason. Anxiety tells us we’re in danger and we need to do something. It was our anxious ancestors who prepared better for winter and made plans to fight off neighbouring tribes. The relaxed, laid-back guys never made it. But anxiety’s effects aren’t limited to motivation, they seep through the mind to

Women reported lower mood, self-control and energy. The most common form of the contraceptive pill lowers women’s wellbeing, new research finds. Women who took a combination of ethinylestradiol and levonorgestrel — a common combination — reported lower mood, self-control and energy. This was in comparison to a control group given a placebo. Dr Niklas Zethraeus, the study’s first author, said: “Despite the fact that an estimated 100 million women around the world use contraceptive pills we know surprisingly little today about the pill’s effect on women’s health. The scientific base

Psychologist challenges the orthodox view with evidence from studies conducted over 30 years. Single people are more likely to experience psychological growth and development than those who are married, a psychologist claims. This is just one perk of being single which is often ignored. Others include greater sociability and resilience. The conclusions come from surveying 814 studies conducted over 30 years. Dr Bella DePaulo, addressing the American Psychological Association’s 124th Annual Convention, said: “The preoccupation with the perils of loneliness can obscure the profound benefits of solitude. It is time