Category Archives: Brain Function

One of the few bright spots of the COVID-19 pandemic may have been that it got you into some new outdoor activities. As indoor venues kept people out and the outdoors was found to be nearly infinitely safer, many people around the country took up outdoor hobbies. But if you didn’t, here’s one to think ...click here to read more

It is known that lunar cycles have an influence on human reproduction, but new research is suggesting it may also affect other human behavior, including traffic accidents, suicide, crime, and sleep. A study published in the journal Science of the total Environment has found that men’s sleep, in particular, may be more influenced by the ...click here to read more

The risk goes way up for falls and fractures the older a person gets. You may have seen a friend or family member go down, suffer a major break, and alter their lives forever. Balance may have been something you took for granted in the past, but that changes with age. The older you get, ...click here to read more

When you get stressed out, your heart feels it. You may think it’s common knowledge that blood pressure rises with stress. You can feel it, after all. But it might not go away. A new study published in Hypertension indicates that people who feel a lot of stress are at a higher risk of going ...click here to read more

Adults who have high-stress hormones are more likely to develop high blood pressure and heart events compared to those who have lower stress hormones. This new research was published in the American Heart Association journal, Hypertension. Previous studies have found that cumulative exposure to long-term or traumatic stress can increase cardiovascular risk, and there is ...click here to read more

Those who suffer from anxiety may find relief in daily exercise. According to a new study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry, people who regularly participate in physical activity have a significantly lower risk of developing anxiety compared to those who do not exercise. Many lifestyle changes can help with anxiety, but exercise consistently seems to ...click here to read more

In many parts of the world, napping was a part of daily life. Although the cultural practice of daytime naps may be dwindling, they are still quite common across the globe. Even in the United States, where daytime naps can be frowned on, the National Sleep Foundation estimated up to one-third of people take them. ...click here to read more

Seniors who experience social isolation after being in intensive care units (ICUs) are at an increased risk of disability and are more likely to die after they have been discharged. This new research compares patients who are more connected to family and friends and those who are alone at home. Previous studies have found that ...click here to read more

This hasn’t been a great week for my memory. So far, I’ve forgotten my keys, some important groceries, and a few names. But I’m not too worried about it. Other than the awkwardness of forgetting a name or having to head back to the grocery store, the lapses lead to little more than some minor ...click here to read more

New research is suggesting that adults with ADHD are more likely to struggle with substance abuse. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is typically thought of as a condition for younger people. And although much of the information about it is focused on younger people, it can affect older adults. Some have grown up with it, ...click here to read more

I’ve been tired these last couple of weeks. Or maybe that’s not the right way of putting it. Let’s say I’ve been falling asleep really early. In the past few weeks, I’ve rarely seen a day past about 9:30 PM, and I think it might have something to do with my new evening routine. It’s ...click here to read more

There is no shortage of links between the body and mind. And recent research shows that when your body hurts for too long, it may have a devastating effect on mental health. A recent study found that people experiencing chronic pain are far more likely to have all-cause dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, or a stroke. These ...click here to read more

The highly contagious Delta COVID-19 variant has Americans’ anxiety levels about the pandemic as high as their peak last January. The spike in cases is eerily similar to earlier this year when the virus was raging out of control across the country. Thankfully, this time around, the vaccine is making a difference: although infections are ...click here to read more

Alzheimer’s and dementia are scary. You may have experienced a family member or friend sinking into it and hope it doesn’t happen to anyone else you know. Or even yourself. It may have even sparked you to over-analyze any mental drop you’ve noticed in yourself or a loved one. But you can take a deep ...click here to read more