Wellness

Intensive Breathwork Really Does Induce an Altered State of Consciousness High ventilation breathwork (circular breathing) is continuous, uninterrupted breathing, without the pause between exhaling and inhaling. It’s increasingly used in therapeutic contexts and is reported to induce altered states of consciousness, including experiences people associate with psychedelics: perceptual alterations, emotional release, ego dissolution, and a sense of unity. A small 2026 study from the University of…

Study: Walking Faster as Important as Step Count in Lowering Mortality Risk A 2026 study from the University of Sydney found that a quicker walking speed may be just as effective as increasing step count in lowering the risk of both all-cause and cardiovascular deaths. People who achieved fewer than 5,000 steps per day at a rapid pace had a mortality risk similar to those…

A 2026 study from the University of Eastern Finland (on 51 healthy adults) found that 30 minutes in a dry sauna sent every type of immune cell rushing into the bloodstream, including key infection fighters such as neutrophils and lymphocytes. A similar surge in white blood cells happens during exercise, as the body responds to possible threats. Regular sauna use has previously been linked to a range…

A new study from University of California, San Francisco and Imperial College London researchers (on 28 healthy participants who had never taken psilocybin) found that a single high dose of the mushroom caused anatomical and functional changes in brain structure still visible a month later—a finding that researchers called “remarkable.” Special scans indicated that some brain nerve tracts had become denser and more robust after the drug was taken. Although the findings are preliminary, the scientists noted the opposite changes in…

A large 2026 study from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (30 years’ worth of data about the exercise habits of more than 147,000 men and women), identified how many minutes per week of resistance training/weightlifting leads to the biggest longevity gains, whether people did cardio or not. First, any strength training/resistance exercise, even a few minutes a week, was associated with a lower risk of premature death,…

A 2012 meta-review from Penn State and Harvard researchers, examining studies on the health effects of music therapy, visual arts therapy, movement-based creative expression and expressive writing, found clear indications that creative engagement and arts therapy can decrease anxiety, stress and mood disturbances. Access the study Curious for more? Explore the evidence behind wellness here.