(Neuroscience News) What drives a person to smoke cigarettes – and keeps one out of six U.S. adults addicted to tobacco use, at a cost of 480,000 premature deaths each year despite decades of anti-smoking campaigns? What role do emotions play in this addictive behavior? Why do some smokers puff more often and more deeply or even relapse many years after they’ve quit? If policy makers had those answers, how could they strengthen the fight against the global smoking epidemic?
mood
Food for Your Feelings: Manage and Even Reverse Depression With Diet
(Zoey Sky) Following a balanced diet keeps your body healthy and helps prevent diseases. But according to a nutritionist, eating a plant-based diet is also one of the best ways to boost your mood and reverse depression.
Could Diffusing Lemon Essential Oil Replace Your Xanax Meds? Scientists Say Yes
(Edsel Cook) A Japanese study indicated that the essential oil of lemons and other citrus fruits might relieve stress better than pharmaceutical drugs. It showed that people who smelled yuzu experienced considerable improvements in anger, anxiety, confusion, and depression. The effects appeared as early as 10 minutes after they began inhaling the fragrance of the citrus fruit.
You’re Not Addicted to Drugs You’re Managing Your Abandonment Emotions | Pleasure and Addiction – Substance or Feeling?
(Justin Deschamps) For years, we’ve been led to believe drugs cause addiction. If you give someone cocaine, they’ll become an addict. But newer research and understanding counters this drugs-lead-to-addiction myth.
The First Panic Attack and What Happens Next
(Exploring Your Mind) Having a first panic attack is terrifying, so much so that many people believe they’re having a heart attack. What scares then the most about that first experience is the fear of the unknown. Thus, what happens next is a persistent fear that it could happen again.
7 Effective Yoga Asanas for Curbing Anxiety, Stress, and Insomnia
(Vivek Roy) Do you find yourself getting too anxious or stressed out? Or are you unable to get a peaceful sleep at night? Well, most of us these days lead a sedentary lifestyle. With hectic work schedules all day round, many of us find it so difficult to even eat a timely and a proper meal. Women especially need to juggle between work and kids which makes it further stressful for them. An increase in stress and anxiety results in our mental health getting affected. Physical health is often taken care of when people find time to hit the gym, but what about our mental health?
Ten Energy-Sapping Bad Attitudes You Should Change
(Exploring Your Mind) It’s easy to cling to certain attitudes that are ultimately harmful to your well-being.
Exercise, Memory and Learning Linked by Science: A Short Bout of Exercise Enhances Brain Function
(Science Daily) Neuroscientists, working with mice, have discovered that a short burst of exercise directly boosts the function of a gene that increases connections between neurons in the hippocampus, the region of the brain associated with learning and memory.
CBD Oil for Mental Health—Should You Take It Too?
(Peter Bongiorno ND, LAc) About 20 percent of the population suffers from some form of anxiety. If you have anxiety, you may be looking for a new way to relax your body and mind. Many of my patients and followers on Twitter and Facebook have reached out to ask me whether CBD oil is the newest snake oil, or whether can it really help ameliorate symptoms of anxiety without causing side effects.
The Brain-Gut Connection: Scientists Explore Why Eating More Fruits and Vegetables Improves Mental Well-Being
(Edsel Cook) The benefits of eating fruits and vegetables aren’t limited to gut health – they also enhance a person’s mood. A large-scale study conducted by researchers from the University of Leeds and the University of York suggests that eating more of these foods can improve mental health.
Use Your Thoughts to Shape Your Life and Think Your Way to Good Health
(Edsel Cook) Mind over matter, indeed. Your thoughts can change the order of your life. If you think you are healthy, you will enjoy good health.
The Mental Toll of Being Overweight: Having Positive Outlook and a Healthy BMI Often Go Hand-in-hand
(Jhoanna Robinson) A recent study has shown that people who manage to keep their weight down have the most probability of keeping their spirits up.
Seven Songs that Reduce Anxiety
(Exploring Your Mind) Dr. Lewis-Hodgson, along with the Mindlab Institute, demonstrated that some songs reduce anxiety as they influence heartbeat, breathing, and blood pressure, among other things.
The Science Behind Comfort Food: Why We Reach for Chocolate or Potato Chips Depending on Our Mood
(Zoey Sky) According to research, the concept of “comfort food” isn’t a one-size-fits-all scenario. You may want some chocolate if you’re feeling sad, but another person will reach for a bag of potato chips when they fail a test at school.
Five Truths that Emotionally Mature People Accept
(Explore Your Mind) Emotionally mature people have traveled a long journey. They have learned from their failures. They decided to be responsible for their own destinies.