Walking at Lunchtime Buffers Against Workplace Stress

Taking a lunchtime walk provides employees with a much-needed afternoon mood boost. A team of researchers led by psychological scientist Cecilie Thøgersen-Ntoumani of Curtin University in Australia made use of a specially designed cell phone app to gauge the changes in people’s mood in the moment, in an attempt to get a more accurate picture of how exercise influences mood throughout the workday. Analysis of…

Women on the Verge of Exhaustion

A CDC study found that 16 percent of women age 18 to 44 reported feeling “very tired,” “exhausted,” or otherwise worn out most days, compared with 9 percent of men in the same age range. Is it because women are taking on more than their share? Or because they have difficulty saying no? The answer, probably, is both. 1. Women earn more than their husbands but still do…

Deal with Anxiety and Get Your Life Back

You know the feeling. You’re doing fine, when all of a sudden your car dies, your daughter tells you she’s dropping out of college, and you find out you need a new roof. Suddenly, you feel like you can’t breathe. Your chest hurts, and you’re convinced you’re having a heart attack. More likely, you’re having an anxiety attack—an acute reaction to intense stress. Even if…

6 Ways to Boost Energy and Beat Fatigue Naturally

If you’re about to complain about how exhausted you are (again), try one of these science-backed energizing tactics to get you going. 1. Space out. You might think multitasking will help you tackle your to-do list faster, but doing nothing for a few minutes can help your lack of energy and ultimately push you to get more done. The brain becomes fatigued after sustained use…

Feeling Lonely? It May Increase Risk of Early Death

People who feel consistently lonely have a 14% higher risk of premature death than those who don’t. The impact of loneliness on early death is almost as strong as the impact of being poor, which increased the chances of dying early by 19%. “Loneliness is a risk factor for early death beyond what can be explained by poor health behaviors,” says psychologist John Cacioppo, director of…

4 Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

The sky is grey, the temperature is low, and the color of your mood ring turns a scary blackish blue. The winter months — especially for those huddled under a snow drift during the first two months of the year — can trigger a major depressive episode or worsen the symptoms in persons with chronic depression. So what to do? 1. Get a lightbox. Less sunlight…