For decades, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has been considered the gold standard for treating depression and anxiety—conditions that will affect around one in five people during their lifetime. CBT has strong evidence behind it and, for many, it reduces distressing symptoms such as low mood, fear, and catastrophic thinking. Yet there is a growing recognition […]
In therapy, healing and trauma work it’s long been known that our earliest relationships affect our later ones. We come into the world screaming and vulnerable—entirely dependent on adult caregivers to keep us safe and teach us how to connect with others. The nature of these earliest relationships influences how we behave towards others and […]
There is no shortage of programs or practices that promise to increase happiness. People may meditate for 30 minutes every morning, block off full evenings to deeply connect with close friends or commit to a 12-week daily gratitude journaling exercise. Some of these activities, which emerged from the field of positive psychology, can reliably and […]
For decades the term “Monday blues” has been shorthand for the collective groan that greets the start of each workweek. It’s also well documented in medical statistics. Mondays come with higher rates of anxiety,stress and even suicide compared with other days. Studies on the phenomenon across whole countries have found a 19 percent increase in the odds of sudden cardiac death […]
You’ve heard of armchair travel, right? Well this is armchair travel with a twist. Cultures from around the world have cultivated well-being in many fascinating ways—and science agrees that they’re effective! Better yet? They won’t cost you a thing. Self-care goes global! Spanish siesta Let’s start with a bit of winter warmth. In Spain and […]
Scientists have studied gossip for decades. That’s not surprising given how ‘normal’ it is in any social group, big or small. It’s estimated that more than 90 percent of people in workplaces in Western Europe and North Americaindulge in such banter—defined as talking about someone not present. People in modern societies spend about an hour […]
We’ve known for decades that the placebo effect is very real. This is seen in real-life observations and the best double-blinded randomised clinical trials researchers have devised for many diseases and conditions, especially pain. And yet, how and why the placebo effect occurs has remained a mystery. Now, neuroscientists have discovered a key piece of […]
It is the human experience, in the face of pain, to want to feel better. As a result – and in conjunction with millennia of evolution – our brains can search for ways to help us feel better. It releases chemicals, which can be measured. Positive thinking and even prayer have been shown to benefit […]
Teenagers have a reputation for smelling, well, just a bit ‘strong’. According to the latest research, that stereotype might be more than standard adult bias against teenagers in general—it could actually be rooted in solid science. In a study published on 21st March in the journal Communications Chemistry, researchers characterised the chemical makeup of ‘Essence […]
Near-death experiences (NDE) have been long reported across time and cultures. An astounding 5 to 10 percent of the general population is estimated to have memories of an NDE, including somewhere between 10 and 23 percent of heart attack survivors. A growing number of scholars now accept NDEs as a unique mental state that can […]
In an increasingly competitive world, time is of the essence. Notions of productivity and timeliness have accelerated contemporary lifestyles to a dizzying, sometimes overwhelming pace, and our dependence on technology is doing little to help. As the clock grows to dominate the tempo of life, time itself seems to be increasingly fleeting. This is particularly […]
Handwriting notes in class might seem unnecessary as smartphones and other digital technology take over every aspect of learning across schools and universities. But a steady stream of research continues to suggest that taking notes the traditional way—with pen and paper or even stylus and tablet—is still the best way to learn, especially for young […]