Category Archives: Brain Function

Getting extra sleep at night may be the key to improving mindfulness, according to a new study published in Sleep Health. This new research found that by getting an extra 29 minutes of sleep each night, mindfulness in everyday situations was beneficially increased. Mindfulness is achieved by purposefully bringing an individual’s awareness and attention to ...click here to read more

Were you wide awake at 6 AM this morning wondering what to do with yourself? It’s the first day back to standard time—the day when clocks “fall back.” The return to standard time marks the end of daylight savings time, the period when clocks turn forward an hour. But is all this time switching good ...click here to read more

Sleep might not be the central feature of your pain relief plan. But maybe it should be. The beginning and end of daylight saving time is a hassle. Most experts believe it should be done away with. But it can also serve as a semi-annual occasion to assess sleep hygiene. How you sleep is an ...click here to read more

When the clock turns back, it certainly creates a struggle. All of a sudden, that morning walk doesn’t seem like such a good idea. Best to stay in bed for a few extra winks, no? The darkness can zap energy early in the day. It can also make it hard to fall asleep at night, ...click here to read more

Sure, you might feel great this morning. You could be sleeping as well as you ever have. But your partner? Well, it’s possible they haven’t had a good night’s sleep in years. Why? Because of you. It’s not like you’re trying to rob your closest ally of beauty sleep. It just sort of happens. Once ...click here to read more

Exercise is an important factor when it comes to mental health and getting a good night’s sleep. The connection between physical and mental health has been known for a long time, but new research has found a link that incorporates sleep quality as well. As the world began to shut down due to the pandemic, ...click here to read more

Socializing may benefit the brain like exercise benefits the heart. New research has shown that older people who get together with friends, volunteer, or go to classes have healthier brains that could help them delay dementia. Engaging with others, even moderately, was found to activate parts of the brain that play key roles in memory. ...click here to read more

New research suggests that adults with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may want to take extra precautions against influenza as the flu season approaches. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine is the first to find that adults with sleep apnea who did not use CPAP therapy were more likely to be hospitalized ...click here to read more

With an aging population, dementia research is becoming more important than ever. It is estimated that 50 million people worldwide have dementia, and there is no known cure. A new study published in the journal Neurology suggests that apathy could be an early warning sign of the disease. People with apathy lack an interest in ...click here to read more

Pregnant women who experience severe morning sickness, known as hyperemesis gravidarum (HG), are more likely to have an increased risk of depression. The debilitating condition is much more severe than ‘normal’ morning sickness and is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization during pregnancy. Severe morning sickness affects around 1–2 percent of pregnant women ...click here to read more

Can you improve your memory and make yourself smarter? It’s very likely. Your IQ is not static, and incorporating a few routines into your day might be able to improve memory, cognitive function, and intelligence. Brain games might be fun, but they are unlikely to do a lot to make you smarter or keep you ...click here to read more

Many people are becoming increasingly concerned about the side effects of wearing a face mask, including how they affect cognitive performance. As the world learns how to cope with the pandemic by wearing face masks, questions about the safety of them, especially in hot environments, have come to the forefront. Face masks are recommended by ...click here to read more

If you start your day with a couple of cups of coffee each morning, you could be doing double duty for Parkinson’s prevention. So, drink up! New research published online by Neurology is showing an association between caffeine consumption and Parkinson’s risk. This is not the first time such a link has been found. What ...click here to read more

A new study published in the journal Science Immunology suggests cells in the immune system may play an essential role in protecting mental health, including preventing depression. According to the research, an inflammatory autoimmune response within the central nervous system linked to neurodegenerative diseases such as multiple sclerosis (MS) has also been found in healthy ...click here to read more