Today’s Solutions: November 23, 2024

Mental Health

Here you can read the latest news and research studies covering mental health. This is also the place to find out about different strategies on how you can reduce stress and boost happiness, and many other ways to look after your mental wellbeing.

two women friends wearing vibrant t shirts walk happily in nature

4 Foolproof tips for making your daily walk fun again

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: carving out time in your schedule for regular exercise and time spent in nature is an essential part of self-care that touts numerous benefits both for your body and your mind. One of the most efficient ways to do both at once is to get outside Read More...

city trees

City trees may trap more CO2 than we thought

It’s becoming common knowledge at this point that trees greatly benefit cities and the people that call them home. City trees and urban green areas regulate temperature, improve mental health and reduce loneliness for urbanites, clean the air and even reduce crime rates. Our tall, green friends Read More...

Kids learning happily online

Cyberbullying decreased sharply during the pandemic

Despite what you might have thought, when many schools closed for remote learning during the Pandemic, parents, teachers, and students alike were relieved to find that cyberbullying actually decreased by a lot.  A new study from Boston University has found that cyberbullying fell by between 30 Read More...

Vitamin D sun mental health

How vitamin D promotes brain health and better moods

Recently, vitamin D has been a hot topic for The Optimist Daily. We’ve shared a lot of stories about this important vitamin, from how to figure out if your body needs more of it (spoiler: it probably does!) to debunking common myths about it.  So far, we’ve focused a lot on how vitamin D Read More...

Person suffering from a migraine with a pillow over their head.

Your loved one suffers from migraines? Here's how to help them

For anyone who suffers from migraines, the pain can be unbearable. On the one hand, there is the physical pain of these recurring headaches. On the other hand, there’s the frustration of people downplaying just how much people with migraines can suffer. According to the National Headache Read More...

Gut biome anxiety

Your gut biome could be behind your anxiety

Here at The Optimist Daily, we regularly report on new findings about our incredible microbiome. Scientists keep uncovering more and more crucial roles these tiny microorganisms living in our gut play. From memory, to warding off chemotherapy side effects, to preventing brain damage in premature Read More...

Group of teenage friends in casual relaxing with mobile phones outdoor

An effective treatment for gaming and internet addiction in teens

Everyone loves playing games. Whether that be a physical sport, board games, or video games, there is something innately human about wanting to play them. But for some, these hobbies can become addictive. The World Health Organization now recognizes being addicted to video games as a disease. Read More...

group of colleagues talk with each other

Stop comparing yourself to others. Try this instead

As the old saying goes, comparison is the thief of joy—and humans love joy! So, why is it that we so often suffer from the tenacious tendency to compare ourselves to others? This impulse to compare is called “social comparison,” and there are two ways in which we engage with it. Upward Read More...

understanding mother comforts teen daughter

What is validation and why do we need it in relationships?

Validation is crucial for building healthy relationships. This word encompasses the simple act of listening and understanding another person, which communicates that you “get” what they might be going through. In other words, validation is reflecting what another person might be feeling, and Read More...

full side view of Asian American woman walking against grey wall

Do long weekend walks make up for daily ones? Here’s what the experts say

It’s no secret that regular exercise is good for our health—physical, mental, and emotional. However, during the week our schedules can get pretty hectic, which leaves us hunched over our desks, visualizing all the work that’s piling up in our minds, all the while talking ourselves out of the Read More...