Blog
Regular exercise can reduce risk for depression
By HealthDay News, April 26, 2018
Here's one more reason to go biking, hiking, or whatever form of exercise you engage in. This article is about "the first global meta-analysis to establish that engaging in physical activities beneficial for protecting the general population from developing depression." It doesn't matter how old you are. It doesn't matter where you live. Just get out there.
By Study International Staff | September 27, 2018 | www.studyinternational.com
This article talks about research that suggests scientists may have identified a neurological component to procrastination. According to the article, a larger than average amygdala may contribute to higher anxiety and therefore hesitation. Another region (the dorsal interior cingulate cortex) usually helps us block out competing emotions, but the connections between this region and the amygdala were found to be poorer than with non-procrastinators. I.e., our brains get "overwhelmed with conflicting emotions and struggling to prioritize the task at hand."Tim Pychyl, a researcher and expert on procrastination, says in the article that mindfulness meditation may be part of the answer because "research has already shown that mindfulness meditation is related to amygdala shrinkage, expansion of the prefrontal cortex, and a weakening of the connection between these 2 areas."
Read the full article here.
by Sean Evans, MensHealth.com, 5/2/18.An interesting article about mental health stigma among men. The articles states, “Male suicide is rising at such an alarming rate that it’s been classified as a “silent epidemic.” It’s the seventh leading cause of death for males. That’s a staggering statistic...This macho attitude of stuffing your feelings down, or ignoring them, is antiquated and downright dangerous.” Read the full article here.
"Shire wins U.S. approval for long-acting ADHD drug" by Natalie Grover, Ben Hirschler of ReutersShire received approval for a new long-acting medication named Mydayis. It is the same as Adderall XR (i.e., amphetamine & dextroamphetamine mixed salts) but should last 16 hours, compared to Adderall XR's 12 hours. Read more here.
"Depression Is Now the World’s Most Widespread Illness"By Laura Entis as published online in Fortune.com, Mar 30, 2017This article came out earlier this spring and gave some hard numbers on just how pervasive and destructive depression can be. Here are some of the key statistics.
Poor Sleep May Make You Prone to ColdsBBC Health onlineContinuing on the last post's theme of sleep and things-that-were-obvious-but-now-verified-by-science, I'm posting this article about the effect of inadequate sleep on the immune system. Inadequate sleep can be caused by many things, including poor impulse control, poor time management, depression, anxiety, and physical conditions such as sleep apnea.The lead researcher, Dr Aric Prather, is quoted saying "Short sleep was more important than any other factor in predicting subjects' likelihood of catching cold. It didn't matter how old people were, their stress levels, their race, education or income. It didn't matter if they were a smoker. With all those things taken into account, statistically sleep still carried the day."Inadequate sleep also makes us more vulnerable to emotions such as anger, anxiety, and sadness and impairs our concentration. Click here to read more.
Why Drinking Coffee Can Give You Jet Lag – and Help You Get Over ItPublished by The GuardianMany people with ADHD have trouble getting to bed on time. This can happen for a variety of reasons including difficulty disengaging from something enjoyable (video games, "binge watching" TV shows and movies, reading, etc.), a lack of awareness of the passage of time, a coexisting condition such as "Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder," to name a few. But people will often self-medicate with caffeine, compounding the above problems.While it's obvious that caffeine before bed isn't a good idea, a recent study helps us understand exactly why that is. The article explains, "Caffeine resets the clock by delaying a rise in the level of melatonin, the body’s chief sleep hormone. Fluctuating levels of melatonin help determine the natural time to go to sleep and wake up."In addition to issues like oversleeping the next day or getting inadequate sleep, "Disruption of the body clock, for instance by working shifts or jet lag, is known to increase the risk of various cancers, heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s."Click here to read more.
"How do I … deal with seasonal affective disorder?"By Phil MaynardFrom TheGuardian.comGiven the upcoming end of daylight savings time this Sunday in the United States, I thought this article would be useful and timely. The article mentions a few tips for coping and also links to another article (http://www.theguardian.com/society/2005/nov/17/health.lifeandhealth3) that provides a more complete list of treatment options, including CBT.As with any disorder, the earlier you intervene, the better off you will be. The symptoms can affect your motivation so as they become more severe it becomes progressively more difficult to apply many of the treatment recommendations.Adults with ADHD also tend to have difficulty maintaining a regular sleep schedule, so when the clock "falls back" Sunday, it's extra important to use good sleep hygiene to stay on track.
Fast-Paced Cartoons May Hurt Kids' Attention, MemoryBy Kathleen DohenyWebMD Health NewsFrom the article:"The fast-paced shows may have a negative impact, Lillard says, because of the rapid presentation of the events. These engage the senses rather than the brain areas engaged in memory, controlling inhibition, and problem solving, she says.When a child sees a cartoon character that jumps from one activity to another, much faster than in real life, she says, 'they become neurologically exhausted and it inhibits the ability to concentrate.'"
“All in the ADHD family: Diagnosis in Kids can Spotlight Parents' own Condition”
NBC News, Rock Center
This article profiles two people who were not diagnosed with ADHD until adulthood. It is not uncommon for someone to first consider that they may have ADHD after one of their children has been diagnosed. NBC's Kate Snow also talks to a woman who conducted a study where she examined a cohort of children diagnosed with ADHD and then followed up with them 33 years later.In addition, she speaks with a researcher about the differences that have been found between ADHD and non-ADHD adults in brain neuroimaging studies.
