Health
Finding good health news amidst a pandemic can be quite daunting. That’s not the case with The Optimist Daily, where positive news is in high supply. Our Health section covers the latest good news from the health sector, featuring solutions ranging from mental and physical health to immunity, nutrition, and cutting edge medical research.
What are the benefits of leisure? Depends on your beliefs about it
What do you like to do in your leisure time? Watch TV? Read a book? Go for a long hike? Whatever you enjoy doing in your free time, a new study from Rutgers University finds that you are more likely to reap the benefits of leisure time if you believe that it is a valuable use of your time. In Read More...
US Open to offer mental health services to participating athletes
Following Naomi Osaka’s withdrawal from the French Open due to mental health priorities, the US Open has announced that it will make licensed mental health providers and quiet rooms available to all participating athletes. Announced by the U.S. Tennis Association, the mental health resources Read More...
New law makes it easier for veterans to adopt service dogs
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has launched a new program that aims to make service dogs more available to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The newly-signed Puppies Assisting Wounded Servicemembers (PAWS) for Veterans Therapy Act is the result of years of work from Read More...
Could driving habits and credit scores be the earliest indicators of dementia?
Early detection is critical for successfully treating Alzheimer’s and dementia, but what if identifying the first noticeable symptoms is already too late for adequate treatment? An emerging field of research is looking for clues outside of traditional medical diagnosis to accelerate dementia Read More...
Write a self-compassion letter to boost your happiness
You might be aware of the mental health benefits of keeping a gratitude journal. But there’s also another, bite-sized practice that you can take up to improve your wellbeing: writing a self-compassion letter. According to Kristin Neff, an associate professor in human development at the Read More...
EPA announces ban on harmful pesticide chlorpyrifos
Even if you’ve never heard of chlorpyrifos, you’ve probably come in contact with it on your food. This common pesticide has been on the market since 1965 and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that 5.1 million pounds of the chemical have been used on American crops like Read More...
This zombie escape room prepared clinicians for the pandemic
Back in 2019, the Central Texas Veterans Health Care System began running escape room simulations to teach clinicians about the importance of personal protective equipment (PPE) and infection-halting measures in a highly infectious medical setting. Organizers Kristy Causey and Grace Boseman created Read More...
Why your gratitude journal should also include setbacks
As a growing body of research shows that the simple daily practice of keeping a gratitude journal can significantly improve your wellbeing. But while it’s tempting to only write down the good things you enjoy in life, it's important to remind yourself of the more challenging stuff, too, by Read More...
New MIT invention could help control prosthetic limbs more precisely
In prosthetics, the most common technology for controlling limbs is called electromyography. This technique records electrical activity from the muscles, but only provides only limited control of the prosthesis, preventing users to move the artificial body part the same way they would move a Read More...
This diet is the best for reproductive health, according to an epidemiologist
Maintaining your reproductive health is about more than just going forth and multiplying. There are plenty of reasons why supporting reproductive health is important for your overall wellbeing. According to reproductive epidemiologist Shanna Swan, Ph.D., lifestyle factors such as what you consume Read More...