Smartphones make our lives undeniably more convenient, but their addictive pull can also interfere with our body’s circadian rhythm and prevent us from getting a good night’s sleep. When you’re plugged in, you are constantly available to family, friends and work colleagues. There is no down time. Even when you are not actually checking your […]
Are You Making Yourself Addicted to Stress?
As deadlines loom, do you rely on a stress-fueled adrenaline rush to sharpen your wits and give you the burst of energy you need to complete the project? If this has become your modus operandi, you could be addicted to stress, relying on your body’s chemical response to stress to push productivity. Stress is a […]
Learning to Recognize Symptoms of Stress
The nagging headache starts at the office. You feel tired. You’re having trouble concentrating. Your productivity starts to suffer, and you begin to wonder if you’re coming down with the flu. By the time you get home you’re ready to tuck yourself into bed. The chills and fever never materialize but your symptoms don’t go […]
Sense of Fatalism Encourages Risky Behavior in Teens
A surprising number of teens expect to die young. In a seven-year study of 20,000 teens in grades 7 through 12, 15% felt it was highly likely that they would die before they reached their 35th birthday. Published in the July issue of Pediatrics, the unexpected results have caused researchers at the University of Minnesota to […]
Is Your Child Addicted to Computer Games?
School is out and the long summer stretches ahead. It should be a time for outdoor fun, playing with friends, baseball games, reading, craft projects and lemonade stands; but many children spend their summers glued to the computer, playing games on the Internet for hours on end. Gaming, which seems to be particularly appealing to […]
Hypereaters Can’t Stop Craving Bad Foods
America’s love affair with unhealthy food may be more disturbing than we realized. According to research conducted by the former chief of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, as many as 70 million Americans probably suffer from some degree of “conditioned hypereating.” Dr. David Kessler defines hypereating as a willpower-sapping compulsion to eat high-fat, high-sugar foods, even […]