• Study: Warm Foods Ease Anxiety, Improve Sleep
  
  Feeling anxious or having trouble sleeping? A bowl of hot soup or a cup of tea may do more than warm you up - it could help calm your mind. A 2025 study from San Diego State University found that consuming cold foods and drinks in summer was linked to higher levels of...
• Do This Now to Prepare for the Time Change
  
  With autumn officially here, another change is on the horizon - the end of daylight saving time. The U.S. will "fall back" next weekend, on Sunday, November 2 at 2 a.m. Despite calls to eliminate the practice, daylight saving time remains in effect across most of the...
• Seaweed Could Replace Some Animal Testing
  
  Scientists have found an unlikely new material for growing tissue: Seaweed. The ocean plant, best known for wrapping sushi or floating along the shore, may soon help doctors repair hearts and reduce animal testing. In a study published Oct. 21 in Biointerphases, researchers...
• What to Do When 'Sunset Anxiety' Strikes
  
  As the days grow shorter and the sun sets earlier, you may notice yourself feeling anxious, irritable, or down. You're not imagining it - "sunset anxiety" is a real phenomenon that affects many people this time of year. Sunset anxiety refers to the unease, nervousness, or...
• Music May Help Ease Pain from Surgery, Illness
  
  Nurse Rod Salaysay works with all kinds of instruments in the hospital: a thermometer, a stethoscope and sometimes his guitar and ukulele. In the recovery unit of UC San Diego Health, Salaysay helps patients manage pain after surgery. Along with medications, he offers tunes...
• Breathe Your Way to Calm
  
  When stress and anxiety hit, many of us instinctively hold our breath and tense up. But experts say the key to calming your body and mind is to do the opposite: breathe slowly and evenly. A technique called "resonance breathing" can help bring your nervous system back into...
• Dr. Small: Mind-Body Strategies Ease Chronic Pain
  
  Billions of people around the world live with chronic pain - and a staggering 40% of them also experience depression and anxiety. "People usually assume that pain is a purely physical phenomenon," said Dr. Gary Small, a brain health expert and chair of psychiatry at the...
• Living Alone May Be Toxic to the Brain
  
  A new study on rats conducted by researchers at the University of Florida and Providence College found that living alone acted like a toxin in their aging brains, speeding up cognitive decline. The study involved 19 rats divided into two groups and tracked over 26 months -...
• Walking Backward Adds Physical, Mental Benefits
  
  Here's a simple way to switch up your walking routine: try walking backward. Taking a brisk walk is an exercise rich in simplicity, and it can have impressive mental and physical benefits: stronger bones and muscles, cardiovascular fitness and stress relief, to name a few....
• HEPA Air Filters Don't Get Rid of Classroom Viruses
  
  School is back in session and with it, the beginning of the cold and flu season. Unfortunately, air purifiers aren't likely to reduce the risk of children's exposure to respiratory viruses in the classroom, researchers reported Oct. 10 in JAMA Network Open. Even...
• This Supplement May Lower Stress, Anxiety
  
  Ashwagandha is one of the most important herbs in Ayurveda, a traditional system of medicine rooted in Indian principles of natural healing. This ancient herb, also known as Indian ginseng, has been used for thousands of years and is now making a popular comeback in modern...
• Practice This Simple Skill to Boosts Longevity
  
  A new study has revealed that verbal fluency may play a surprising role in longevity. By improving your verbal skills, you may also improve your lifespan. Verbal fluency refers to the ability to quickly and efficiently produce words in response to a specific prompt or...
• Virtual Reality Safely Mimics Psychedelic Drugs
  
  A new study suggests that virtual reality (VR) experiences designed to mimic psychedelic visual effects could safely boost creativity and flexibility in thinking - without the use of drugs. Researchers from Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan found that...
• Inspirational Videos Rival Meditation to Ease Stress
  
  YouTube or TikTok might offer a solid alternative to meditation when it comes to stress relief. People's stress dropped about as much from watching a short inspirational video as it did through guided meditation, researchers reported in the journal Psychology of Popular...
• Training Service Dogs Boosts Longevity in Veterans
  
  A groundbreaking study by researchers at Florida Atlantic University has found that working with service dogs can increase the lifespan of female veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Female veterans between the ages of 32 and 72 were randomly...
• Dr. Small: Anxiety Often Misdiagnosed in Older Adults
  
  Nearly 20% of adults in the U.S. have an anxiety disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Anxiety can affect people of all ages, but in adults age 65 and older, anxiety is often mistaken for physical problems, making diagnosis more challenging. Dr....
• Exercise 'Snacks' Boost Heart, Lung Function
  
  "Fun-sized" bits of exercise sprinkled throughout the day might help boost the fitness of inactive folks, a new evidence review says. These exercise "snacks" - intentional short bursts of physical activity - significantly improved heart and lung fitness among adults,...
• Foods That Boost Cognitive Function
  
  As people age - especially after 60 - many experience a gradual decline in cognitive function due to both biological and lifestyle factors. Natural brain changes, such as reduced blood flow, loss of neurons, and decreased production of neurotransmitters, can affect memory,...
• How Waiting Helps Your Brain
  
  If sitting in a doctor's waiting room or standing in a long line makes you feel irritated, think again. New research shows that waiting isn't wasted time - it's actually an opportunity for your brain to pause, reflect, and reset. Studies suggest that waiting strengthens...
• Chewing Ice Can Damage Your Teeth and Jaw
  
  Chewing on ice may seem harmless, perhaps even refreshing, but dental experts warn it can actually wreak havoc on your teeth. While the occasional crunch of an ice cube isn't likely to do severe damage, making it a daily habit can lead to enamel damage, cracked fillings and...
• Jane Goodall's 10 Healthy Habits to Boost Longevity
  
  Jane Goodall, the iconic primatologist who inspired the world with her lifelong work in conservation, animal welfare, and protecting the planet, passed away on October 1 at age 91. While genetics played a role - both of her parents lived to 94 - Goodall's lifestyle choices...
• Smart Patch Helps Addicts Reduce Alcohol, Drug Use
  
  A "stress coach" smart patch can help people struggling with addiction or alcoholism manage their anxiety and cravings, lowering their risk of relapse, a new study shows. The biofeedback patch provides people with real-time monitoring of their heart rate, which can become...
• Dr. Small: Stay Sharp as You Age With Brain Games
  
  Age-related dementia is an upsetting diagnosis, and it's one that nearly 6 million Americans currently face. About 5% to 8% of adults over 65 have some form of dementia, and the risk doubles every five years as people get older. But there's good news: keeping your brain...
• Being Organized Can Help You Live Longer
  
  A new study finds that being organized, active, and helpful to others may boost your lifespan - while stress, anxiety, and moodiness may cut it short. The research, published in the Journal of Psychosomatic Research and led by the University of Edinburgh, analyzed data from...
• How to Springboard Your Stress Away
  
  Americans are more stressed than ever. Surveys show that 80% of U.S. adults feel stressed, 90% of employees report work-related stress, and 75% of college students say they're overwhelmed. Typical advice includes meditation, self-care, massages, or therapy - but research...

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