Kids Gain an Hour+ of Sleep After Yoga & Deep Breathing Training

A new Stanford University study of 1,000 at-risk elementary school kids found that mindfulness classes at school (combining yoga movement and breathwork) led to (on average) an extra 74 minutes of sleep per night and almost a half hour of REM sleep—a huge change. It was the first study to use polysomnography techniques, which measure brain activity, to assess how mindfulness training changes children’s sleep.…

Must-Reads from the Wellness World (Week of July 14, 2021)

The Pandemic Did Not Affect Mental Health the Way You Think–Atlantic, July 4, 2021 It has become accepted knowledge that the pandemic triggered a global mental health crisis, but a fascinating new study commissioned by The Lancet (analyzing 1,000 studies worldwide) questions that truism. Some groups, especially those facing financial stress, have experienced life-changing suffering—but globally, people have not experienced the misery expected or claimed:…

June’s Wellness Moonshot

For June, The Wellness Moonshot: A World Free of Preventable Disease encourages you to take action on being more inclusive in your workplace and life, which means equal respect and access to success, regardless of age, gender identity, race, ethnicity, faith, political leaning, socioeconomic standing or immigration status. Social inclusion is a primary driver of mental and physical health, and growing research shows that inclusive workplaces benefit…

GWI Launches Wellness Communities and Real Estate Initiative

Wellness communities and real estate (built environments designed to support holistic health) were a booming $134 billion sector pre-pandemic, and now it’s a market in overdrive. To meet the need for new insights and research, the GWI just launched an initiative that will explore which elements in community and real estate design and development have the greatest potential to impact human wellness. Initiative co-chairs are…

Wellness Evidence Study: Single Dose of Psilocybin Reduced Depression and Anxiety for 5 Years

In 2016, a randomized trial from NYU found that a single dose of psilocybin delivered rapid improvements in anxiety and depression in cancer patients when combined with psychotherapy. A follow-up study found that 71–100% of participants reported that the improvement in depression and anxiety had lasted five years—with participants “rating it among the most personally meaningful experiences of their lives.” ACCESS STUDY

A “Nature Economy” Rises: Apps that Track and Prescribe Time-in-Nature

Nature is rising in importance and relevance in the post-pandemic era. Once more, we are devoting space to it, as research and commercial interest in the broad field of nature are “exploding.” Almost every day, a new research paper or article expands on the vital importance that nature plays with respect to our physical and mental wellbeing. At this rate, increasing the nature immersion experience…