The Optimist Living
Beer is good for your brain
Yesterday millions of Americans parked themselves in front of the TV, ate an excessive amount of snacks, cracked open a cold one, and watched the big game. You might not have known it, but while you were watching one of the biggest sporting events of the year that beer you were drinking was helping Read More...
The science of behavior
In the mid 1930s a psychologist named Kurt Lewin came up with an equation that described behavior as a function of a person in their environment; B= ƒ(P,E). Yes it is true that characteristics we are born with do play a large roll in our behavior, but the environment we are in plays just as Read More...
We can all live better, greener lives by 2050
Sacrificing the environment for comfort is not necessary, according to a new report by the British government. The Brits say we can all improve our quality of life while simultaneously driving down carbon emissions—though this will take a big effort from all countries across all sectors. With Read More...
Smaller fridges for better cities, and healthier citizens
Bigger isn’t better, especially when it comes to your refrigerator. You probably don’t think of your fridge much but studies have found that the smaller the fridge, the healthier the owner, and it can even be socially beneficial. Bigger fridges mean you store more stuff that isn’t fresh. One Read More...
US and India will fight climate change together
President Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi have hashed out a new agreement to attack the changing climate together. In a recent announcement both leaders pledged to combat climate change with actionable results, India will add 100 gigawatts of solar power by 2022, and the US will help Read More...
Friends improve your heart’s health
Loneliness has been linked to higher mortality rates for some time now. A study done in the late 70s found that over a 9 year study period individuals with the least number of social ties died at a rate twice that of those with the most social ties. Now a new study conducted by Canadian researchers Read More...
Neurofeedback treats a number of ailments
Neurofeedback uses a combination of videos, video games, computers, and other tool to get patients to regulate their brain activity. The patient is usually connected to sensors that read their brain activity, and the therapist uses imagery to cause different and desired brain waves. While studies Read More...
The benefits of meditation
Meditation started as an ancient practice, but the positive, scientifically proven benefits are very applicable to our modern world. Those who meditate are less anxious, less depressed, and more tolerant. They’re also more self-aware, have better memories, and are keener on goal setting. Read More...
The healing power of writing
Studies have shown that writing in a journal can help heal wounds faster, reduce fatigue in cancer patients, and lessen symptoms of asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. While you might not be the writing type, anyone can turn into a writer and reap these benefits. Start by choosing a time in the day Read More...
Exercise will rub off on your partner
If you’re married, or have a significant other then you’ve probably noticed that you pick up some of your partners habits, mannerisms, or even sayings. Now a new study has found that you also pick up on exercise and health habits of your partners. Researchers looked at the health data of 3,700 Read More...