Trend: The Explosion of Fitness-Meets-Nature-and-Wellness Festivals By Thierry Malleret, economist AN EXPLOSION OF FITNESS and WELLNESS FESTIVALS – We were well aware of book, food, cinema, music and many other breeds of festivals that punctuate the summer months, but we are struck by the recent boom in fitness-meets-wellness festivals, which are on a steep upward path in the Northern Hemisphere. These cool new festivals are,…
A new study in Psychiatry Research indicates that low to moderate levels of stress are good for your brain. “Good” stress levels proved psychologically beneficial, acting as a kind of inoculation against mental health disorders, such as depression and antisocial behavior. They also build resilience to cope with future stressful experiences, and positively impact neurocognitive abilities, from working memory to cognitive flexibility. Access this…
A new study from the University of Southern California indicates that stress–whether from traumatic events, work, or discrimination–speeds up aging in the immune system, which increases the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and infection. The researchers measured social stress levels against immune cell counts. People with the highest stress scores had significantly lower percentages of fresh disease fighters and higher percentages of worn-out white blood cells.…
Gallup Research Reveals Peak Stress and Sadness Worldwide By Thierry Malleret, economist If the world broke many records in 2021–including record corporate profits and CO2 emissions–Gallup’s 2022 Global Emotions Report also reveals a historic high for negative emotions. The survey of people in 121 nations found that in 2021 levels of stress, sadness, and loneliness reached record levels (the highest since Gallup started tracking emotional…
A new study from Japanese researchers published in Scientific Reports found that listening to music with a groove (music that causes the sensation of wanting to move to the rhythm/beat) can significantly increase measures of executive function. This first study of its kind used both brain imaging and measured individual psychological responses to “groove music” and found that music with a groovy beat impacted cognitive…
The “Wellness Divide” between Low- and High-Income Countries Will Further Sharpen By Thierry Malleret, economist As the International Monetary Fund’s managing director, Kristalina Georgieva, just put it: the global economy is facing “a confluence of calamities.” The three main engines that drive it are sputtering simultaneously. In the European Union, because of the war and the supply shock inflicted by commodity prices; in China, because…
