A new study found that people with a disrupted body clock had higher rates of major depression and more mood instability.
Study: Children Who Eat Fish Score Higher on IQ Tests & Sleep Better
A new study (led by Univ. Of Pennsylvania researchers) indicated that children who eat fish score higher on IQ tests and sleep better. Studying Chinese children aged 9-11, it found that kids who ate fish twice a week or more scored an average of 4.8 points higher on IQ tests than those who ate it twice a month or less.
Study: Dancing Is #1 Exercise to Slow the Aging Process
A new study from neuroscientists at the German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases compared the impact of two types of exercise on older people: a traditional endurance training program (cycling, Nordic walking, etc.) vs. a mix of dance classes (jazz, line dancing, etc.). While both forms of exercise increased the area of the brain that declines with age – only dancing lead to significant behavioral changes.
Study: Lack of Sleep Creates “Sleepy” Brain Cells
A new study (UCLA, Tel Aviv Univ., etc.) indicates that when people don’t get enough sleep, their brain cells quite literally slow down. Researchers found sleep deprivation means that the bursts of electrical activity that brain cells use to communicate become slower and weaker, which can lead to mental lapses that affect not only perception but also memory.
Study: Group Exercise Improves Quality of Life and Reduces Stress
new study (University of New England) compared group exercise to individual exercise, and found that while the solitary exercisers studied worked out twice as long, those doing a group exercise class experienced significant improvements in all quality of life measures: mental (12.6%), physical (24.8%) and emotional (26%), with a 26% reduction in stress levels. Solitary exercisers reported no significant changes in any measure, except mental quality of life (11% increase).
Study Suggests Regular Sauna-Going Lowers Risk for Hypertension
A recent study (Univ. of E. Finland, studying 1,621 men over 25 years) suggests that regular trips to the sauna can significantly reduce high blood pressure. Those who did two to three sauna sessions/week were 24% less likely to have hypertension, and four to seven visits cut the risk by 46%. The researchers noted: “This is good news…A healthy thing that is pleasant to do, and involves no sacrifice.”
