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A Better Night's Sleep Is as Easy as 3-2-1
Sleep is an important part of your daily routine - you spend about one-third of your time doing it. Quality sleep - and getting enough of it at the right times - is as essential to survival as food and water. Without sleep, you can't form or maintain the pathways in your...
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Experimental Nasal Spray Wards Off Multiple Viruses
A non-drug nasal spray could theoretically help stop the spread of respiratory viruses like the flu and COVID-19 better than wearing a mask, a new study suggests. The spray uses ingredients that are medically inactive to trap germs in the nose before they can infect a...
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6 Proven Strategies to Boost Your Motivation
To stay motivated, psychologists say we need to activate two regions of the brain: the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex. The amygdala is the emotional region of the brain while the prefrontal cortex is responsible for planning and executing decisions. According to BBC...
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Psilocybin Reduces Eating Disorder Symptoms
Psilocybin could help people suffering from a mental health problem that can lead to eating disorders, a new study suggests.Psilocybin, the active chemical in "magic" mushrooms, significantly reduced symptoms in people with body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), researchers...
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New Study Finds Dog and Human Brains Sync Up
Researchers in China have conducted a first-ever experiment that shows our brains can synchronize with dogs, suggesting a deep neurological level of bonding.According to ScienceAlert, scientists placed electrodes on the heads of both human and canine study participants,...
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Psilocybin as Effective as SSRI Antidepressants
Psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, appears to ease depression symptoms at least as well as one of the most commonly used antidepressants, a new clinical trial shows. Patients showed significant improvement in their depressive symptoms after taking either a...
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How to Lower Levels of This Damaging Stress Hormone
Cortisol is an important hormone produced by the adrenal glands that regulates metabolism, reduces inflammation, helps keep memory intact, and manages stress. But when we have too much of this hormone in our bodies, our systems can go haywire and serious illness can result....
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Caring for Horses Reduces PTSD Symptoms in Veterans
A cavalry of sorts can come to the rescue of combat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new study says.Combat veterans who regularly care for horses experience an easing of their PTSD symptoms, as well as an overall improved mental outlook,...
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How to Break Out of a 'Functional Freeze'
Many of us have experienced what social media now calls a "functional freeze." That's the physical, emotional and mental state where you are unable to carry out tasks - even simple ones - because your body feels like it is frozen. This temporary paralysis can be caused by...
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Therapy Dogs Ease Stress for Nurses, Doctors, Too
Therapy dogs can help boost the spirits of healthcare workers in the same way they brighten the moods of hospital patients, a new study shows. The furry, four-legged friends reduced emotional exhaustion and job stress among a small group of workers at two surgical and two...
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Varying Mental Tasks Boosts Memory by 75 Percent
We've heard that variety is the spice of life, and now a new study finds that it also may be the key to supercharge learning and enhance working memory for people over the age of 60. Researchers discovered that varied practice, not repetition, primed older adults to learn a...
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8 Ways to Lower Your Heart Rate Without Medication
A normal heart rate, also called your pulse, is between 60 and 100 beats per minute. Pulse readings outside this range could be the result of too much exercise or stress, but they could also signal health issues. If your healthcare provider suggests that you need to lower...
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Gorillas Lead Researchers to Medicinal Plants
Humans could learn a few medical tips from their gorilla cousins, a new study says. Four plants used by wild gorillas in Gabon have antibacterial and antioxidant properties, researcher reported Sept. 11 in the journal PLOS One. Wild great apes often self-medicate, consuming...
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Millions With Depression Could Benefit From Psilocybin
Over 5 million Americans could benefit if the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves the "magic mushroom" psychedelic psilocybin as a treatment for depression, researchers estimate. "While our analysis is a crucial first step, we've only scratched the surface in...
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6 Ways to Feel More Awake Without Coffee
If you are dependent on that cup of Joe first thing in the morning to get you moving, or for that afternoon slump, experts say there are other ways to stay alert without caffeine.
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Do You Suffer From Dead Butt Syndrome?
Sitting all day at your desk or driving for hours in a car may make you feel stiff and really isn't the best way to treat your lower back and hip flexors. But prolonged sitting can also cause dead butt syndrome. That's the common name for a potentially debilitating...
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Clowns Shorten Hospital Stays for Kids
Send in the clowns! They may be a powerful tool in getting children suffering from pneumonia out of the hospital sooner. That's the result of a study by researchers from Carmal Medical Center in Israel who found that using medical clowns shorten a child's hospital...
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'Night Owls' More Likely to Develop Type 2 Diabetes
Folks who like to stay up late are nearly 50% more likely to develop Type 2 diabetes than those who go to bed earlier, a new study finds. However, it's not just because they have an unhealthy lifestyle, according to findings presented Sunday at the annual meeting of the...
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Study: Saltwater Nose Drops Shorten Kids' Colds
Saltwater nose drops can reduce the length of a kid's cold by two days, a new study demonstrates. "We found that children using saltwater nose drops had cold symptoms for an average of six days, where those with usual care had symptoms for eight days," said researcher Dr....
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Playing Video Games Can Boost Mental Health
A landmark study from Japanese researchers found that moderate gaming improves mental health. The research team, led by scientists at Nihon University and other universities, conducted the study during the COVID-19 pandemic, when there was a shortage of gaming consoles such...
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Air, Noise Pollution Lower Fertility in Men, Women
City living may be tough on couples wanting to conceive: New data shows that air pollution appears to be linked to lower fertility in men, while noisy traffic could harm the fertility of women. "If our results are confirmed in future studies, it suggests that political...
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High Mental Resilience Boosts Longevity
People who can cope with challenges as they grow older are more likely to live longer, a new study shows. Seniors with higher levels of mental resilience are 53% less likely to die within the next 10 years than those with the lowest levels, researchers found. Even with...
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Beat the End-of-Summer Blues
Labor Day weekend marks the unofficial end to summer. And as summer fun fades and we head back into a more rigid school and work routine, experts say that some people will experience what's known as the "end-of-summer blues." According to TIME, the change in mood may be...
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Why You Wake Up Feeling Tired
If you wake up feeling groggy, chances are you are just suffering from sleep inertia. That's a normal part of the waking process as the brain adjusts to a wakeful state. According to Healthline, sleep inertia improves in about 15 to 20 minutes after waking so that you can...
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Placebos Reduce Stress, Anxiety, and Depression
A striking study found that people who took nondeceptive placebos - meaning they knew the medications were fake - had significantly reduced levels of stress, and less anxiety and depression symptoms after just two weeks, compared to the control group that did not take the...