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.
Six reasons to wake up early
We all know that the early bird gets the worm, but what are the actual benefits of waking up early? It’s important to listen to your body’s natural circadian rhythms, but establishing a regular sleep schedule with an early wake up time offers many benefits for your health and wellbeing. Here Read More...
Study: Mindfulness improves children’s sleep
Is your little one having trouble falling asleep? A new study from the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that mindfulness can make a big impact on children’s sleep habits. The study monitored over 100 children between the ages of eight and 11 over two years. Half the children Read More...
Missoula makes its Mobile Mental Health Support Team permanent
The past year and a half have presented us with many opportunities to learn valuable lessons—one of them being that the police force and first responders are not a one-size-fits-all in terms of handling the wide spectrum of what might be considered an emergency. This is why Missoula’s Mobile Read More...
Magic mushrooms may help repair neural links harmed by depression
We have previously written about the potential medical applications of psilocybin — a naturally occurring compound found in some mushrooms. Last year, for instance, we shared the findings of a Yale study that showed promising results regarding the effect of magic mushrooms on migraines. Also Read More...
Why we should hold on to our pandemic sleep habits
According to a study from the University of Colorado, students slept an average of 30 minutes longer each night while attending remote courses, and these increased sleep habits translated over to weekends as well. Students aren’t the only ones sleeping more. Workers who don’t have to get up Read More...
The secret to happiness may be a bit of practice
For thousands of years, humans believed that emotions were predetermined hormonal responses out of our control, but in recent years researchers are beginning to shift their understanding. Part of this is due to something called “the predictive brain.” It used to be understood that if, for Read More...
Try these two simple, science-backed tricks to stop procrastinating
While many may think otherwise, procrastination is not a behavior rooted in laziness. Rather, people engage in procrastination in a bid to avoid the “negative feelings associated” with that task, explains Timothy A. Pychyl, Ph.D., a psychology professor at Canada’s Carleton University and a Read More...
Petting therapy dogs can help college students cope with stress
Dogs have been valuable in supporting firefighters during wildfire season and relieving loneliness for seniors, but these aren't their only benefits. Now, a new study finds that petting therapy dogs can provide college students with stress relief benefits that last up to six weeks. Coming from Read More...
The Optimist View: Celebrating Mental Health Week
“Promise me you’ll always remember: You’re braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” — Christopher Robin from Winnie the Pooh In the wake of a pandemic which saw increased rates of depression and anxiety, this year’s Mental Health Month feels Read More...
The psychedelic therapy movement is hitting its stride
We’ve shared before on The Optimist Daily how alternative medications like psilocybin and even MDMA could be used to treat depression and PTSD with more permanent results. With promising studies adding to the body of research supporting these therapies, we are beginning to see a monumental shift Read More...