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3 Ways To Recognize Depression In Senior Citizens

November 11, 2020 by Lakeisha Ethans

Did you know that many elderly citizens are at risk for depressive disorders? This is often called late-life depression, which is the onset of major depression in an individual aged 50 and above. It can refer to a sudden or first-time occurrence of a depressive episode or recurrence of an episode in someone who has had depression in their lifetime.

Sadly, it’s common for the elder to dismiss their own experiences of depression, focusing on its symptoms as problems and believing that their lack of positive thinking is normal. This is a harmful direction of thought, as depression can worsen the risk of physical diseases or lower recovery chances. Understanding and meeting cqc compliance requirements can help ensure seniors receive the appropriate support and care to address mental health challenges effectively.

If there are seniors in your life that you are concerned about, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on them for any signs of depressive episodes. So here are 3 ways to recognize depression in senior citizens and how to help them.

Ways To Recognize Depression In Senior Citizens

1. Disturbances In Daily Habits

It’s never a good sign when habits begin to fall apart. Many senior citizens stick to a routine for everyday life, and doing so can actually be very good for them. Therefore, if you notice a senior citizen changing their daily schedule suddenly or unexpectedly, pay close attention.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: Fifth Edition (DSM-5) lists specific present symptoms and must exist for a diagnosis of depression. A fair number of them involve the disruption of everyday habits, especially ones that once had a positive effect. So here are some ideas for changes to keep an eye out for:

· Disturbance Of Sleep

Depression and other mood problems can very easily affect one’s ability to sleep. A depressed senior citizen may sleep more than usual, less than usual, or even fail to fall asleep at all.

· Appetite Changes

It’s not uncommon for dietary habits to shift when depression comes into play. This usually happens with some form of weight change but may occur without it. An individual who is depressed might eat less than usual, more than usual, or even refuse to eat all together.

· Personal Hygiene Changes

If someone once cared about their appearance or hygiene has suddenly stopped caring, it might be a sign of depression. For example, if a senior citizen stops dressing up like usual, gives up on putting on makeup, stops bathing, or stops keeping their environment tidy, it’s a cause for concern.

· Changes In Energy Levels

Depression can affect someone’s energy levels in pretty obvious ways. Most commonly, it causes decreased energy or reduced activity, typically accompanied by significant fatigue. However, it is also possible for someone who is depressed to experience increased energy levels and suddenly become very active.

· Loss Of Interest In Hobbies

This widespread symptom of depression is one you should never ignore. A senior citizen who stops participating in their usual hobbies and doesn’t do anything for days on end may experience depression.

2. Decreased Cognitive Ability

Many people naturally associate a decline in cognitive ability with age, which is not really an incorrect association. But cognitive changes can also be a sign of depression. On their own, they are likely a natural part of aging, but if occurring in tandem with other mood disorder symptoms, it is likely pointing to a depressive problem instead.

IIf you believe a senior is being harmed, you should promptly reach out to an attorney who specializes in nursing home abuse to help with reporting the situation and managing the claims process. Certain cognitive and mood changes may be linked to mistreatment.

According, in part, to the DSM-5, here are some things to look out for:

· Decreased Concentration Or Memory

A sudden decline in a senior citizen’s memory or ability to focus on tasks is always a cause for concern. Even if the problem isn’t depression, this change should be brought to a doctor’s attention.

· Psychomotor Retardation

Psychomotor retardation refers to the slowing down of motor function and the worsening of speed, strength, coordination, and other similar characteristics. A sudden decline in a senior citizen’s psychomotor ability is always a cause for concern. Even if the problem isn’t depression, this change should be brought to a doctor’s attention. It’s also worth noting that psychomotor skills and an increase in speed can be a symptom of depression too!

· Shorter Temper

A shorter temper, especially when the change is sudden, is often a change in how the brain handles, processes, and regulates emotion. A sudden change in a senior citizen’s temper is always a cause for concern. Even if the problem isn’t depression, this change should be brought to a doctor’s attention.

3. Medical Conditions

Medical conditions can be both a cause for and a symptom of depression. It’s a little complicated, but a sudden onset of a serious disease could make an elderly individual more susceptible to depression. It could also be a hint that they’re suffering from:

· Dementia

According to Harvard Health, 17% of individuals with Alzheimer’s also develop major depression. In other kinds of dementia, that statistic only increases. These symptoms of depression can occur before or after the development of dementia, meaning it can be both cause and symptom all in one. Plus, when major depression and severe cognitive impairment occur simultaneously, it’s not uncommon for a misdiagnosis of dementia to be given. It can be complicated to distinguish dementia in its early stages from depression, making it tough to diagnose depression when cognitive problems are involved correctly.

· Cardiovascular Disease

Did you know that a significant number of people who have a heart attack are already depressed before the incident, and an almost equal number of those who experience a stroke develop depression after that? Depression also increases the mortality rate from heart disease! This can be best explained by the vascular depression hypothesis, which research has supported. According to this hypothesis, brain communication pathways can be disrupted by blood vessel pathology.

· Psychosis

In uncommon cases, depression in the elderly can lead to incidents and experiences of psychosis. This refers to developing delusions of all kinds, ranging from emotions of guilt to fears of persecution and other similar experiences. An elderly individual who develops psychosis should be checked for depression as a precaution to ensure the most positive outcome.

How To Help Senior Citizens With Depression

Here are the seven main warning signs of double depression.

1. Encourage Them To Engage In Social Activities

It’s true that many people just don’t feel like interacting with others when they’re depressed. However, pushing oneself to participate in some social activities can actually boost positive thinking and help relieve depressive symptoms.

Loneliness has many negative effects, even on people who don’t necessarily think that they feel lonely. It can result in mood drops, reduce the release of feel-good neurotransmitters, and even present a risk of earlier death or disease development.

Some examples of social activities you can help a senior citizen engage in are:

Classes
Outings
Visits to friends
Visits from family
Community events
Hobby groups

2. Provide Engaging Activity Options

Activities that engage the mental faculties or motor abilities can help reduce depression symptoms in the elderly. It keeps their minds sharp and fresh while ensuring that they don’t get bored. Providing several different options allows them to choose which ones pique their interest until they find what works best for them.

Performing hobbies and other activities can give the elderly who have retired a sense of purpose. That sense of purpose can help them a lot in helping them stay positive and healthy. Here are some ideas for activity options:

Puzzles, like Sudoku or crosswords
Babysitting duties, performed once or twice a week.
Relaxing but focus-driven activities, like knitting or crocheting
Learning opportunities, like learning a language, musical instrument, or other skill
Daily chore lists within their physical ability to keep them busy
Books, magazine subscriptions, or similar reading materials
Relaxing walks, which, as a form of exercise, can help encourage the release of feel-good hormones and improve health overall

3. Help Them Eat Well

Diet and depression are linked in many ways, with healthy diets being linked to better mood and positive thinking. The fact that diet can also reduce or increase the risk of multiple diseases, especially later in life. Plus, it is an additional reason to provide healthy meal options for the elderly.

Here are some examples of healthy nutrients that may help with depressive symptoms:

Antioxidants
B Vitamins
Omega-3 fatty acids
Probiotics
Protein
Selenium
Vitamin D
Zinc

Here are some foods to avoid to help manage symptoms and signs of depression:

Alcohol
Caffeine
Processed and refined foods
Saturated fats

4. Treat Sleep Issues

Many senior citizens struggle with sleep disorders or problems. Those who don’t may still suffer from uneven sleep schedules and other problems due to the lack of daily routine they may have.

Sleep problems are a prevalent contributor to depression and can cause fatigue and exhaustion for prolonged periods of time that only worsen matters. So here are some requirements for helping senior citizens with sleep issues:

Between 7 and 10 hours of sleep per night
Dark and relaxing bedroom atmosphere
Engaging daytime activities that burn enough energy to make them tired enough to sleep on time
No naps throughout the day – or as few as possible
Regular sleep-wake schedule
Sufficient medications for sleep disorders and conditions like sundowning

5. Take Them To A Professional

At the end of the day, depression is a serious mental condition that benefits from medical professionals’ treatment. Getting an elderly individual professional help might be met with some resistance. But it’s often better for them in the long run.

Some possible aid that a senior citizen may benefit from, whether performed on their own or with multiple treatments, are as follows:

· Pharmacotherapy

This refers to the treatment of depression with medications. They’re usually used for more acute depressive episodes and are the common first treatment choice for people of adult age, as they are usually complication-free and effective. A minimum treatment period of six weeks is usually needed for the most positive results.

· Psychotherapy

This involves options like problem-solving therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and even life review therapy. Psychotherapy is equally effective across all ages and has noted positive results in older adults.

· Neurostimulation

This treatment method is extremely effective and useful with very severe depression, especially for individuals who don’t respond well to the aforementioned methods. Among geriatric citizens, neurostimulation via electroconvulsive therapy is safe and effective, according to research.

Final Thoughts On Some Ways To Recognize Depression In Senior Citizens And How To Help Them

It’s a common belief that depression is “normal” and unavoidable in aging as if it is a simple part of growing old that must be accepted. This is incorrect. Thus, senior citizens experiencing depression require mental health aid, just like anyone else of any age. So if there’s someone age 50 and above in your life who you care about, make sure you keep an eye out for any signs of depression and help them seek aid if necessary!

Doctors Explain 15 Ways to Reduce Hot Flashes

November 11, 2020 by Power of Positivity

You’re sitting in bed, and all of a sudden, you wake up with a flash of heat that runs through your body. You’re not sure if you’re panicking or if something is wrong with you. This sensation leaves you breathless as you feel as if your body is on fire. Then, you suddenly realize that this is what so many middle-aged women have feared since the dawn of time; you have hot flashes.

Why is it that the bearer of life must suffer from these intense sensations that leave your body sweaty, weak, and hormonal? What is going on with you? Rest assured, what’s happening is completely normal.

You’re experiencing a shift in your hormone levels that is causing your internal thermometer to react. Hot flashes are one of the primary signs that you’re going through menopause. You’re not dying, and you will get through this, but it’s always best to get a blood test to confirm what’s occurring.

A simple blood panel can show if your body is in perimenopause or the beginning stages of full-blown menopause.

Interesting Facts About Menopause

Did you know that it’s not uncommon for you to start having hot flashes as early as 40 years of age? You may also experience spotting and cramping that would make you think you have a menstrual cycle. Don’t believe that you cannot get pregnant during this time, as you might be surprised.

• Middle-aged Pregnancies

Just because your hormones are out of whack and things are changing doesn’t mean that you’re not able to have a child. While it might be difficult, there are many “change of life babies” born each year. When your body goes into perimenopause, your periods become irregular.

You may experience heavy bleeding and then not have a period for months. The irregularity of your mensural cycles causes many to make the mistake of thinking they’re in the clear. It’s also possible to go through IVF treatments and carry a child to full term after 50.

Look at cases like Brigitte Nielsen, Janet Jackson, and Senator Tammy Duckworth. All these women carried children to full gestation after 50 years of age. While the chances of down syndrome and other congenital disabilities are higher, you’re not in the clear from a baby during perimenopause.

• Estrogen Depletion

Part of the reasons you’re feeling these uncomfortable hot flashes is that your estrogen level is low. Though many studies have been conducted on these phenomena, experts have yet to explain the exact reason. The most likely culprit is the lower hormone levels that seem to occur during this time of life.

• It Was Once Thought of as a Disease

When women went through the change of life in the early 1700s, they were said to have lost their femininity, beauty, and sophistication. Some doctors even went as far as saying they were more masculine due to the abnormal hair growth that often occurs when testosterone is out of balance. In 1710, the medical community considered menopause a disease of the worst kind.

They tried all sorts of things during the Georgian period to help a woman suffering from hot flashes and other change symptoms. They would put leaches into the cervix as well as encourage hemorrhaging from different areas of the body. One famous surgeon, Isaac Baker Brown, believed clitoridectomy could cure hot flashes, mood fluctuations, and sleep deprivation.

Thankfully, things have progressed a great deal since then, and barbaric procedures are a thing of the past.

15 Ways to Reduce the Onset (and the Severity of) Hot Flashes

You’ll be glad to know that you don’t need to have any radical procedures to combat your hot flashes. Here are 15 ways to cope or handle this intense issue that comes from “the change.”

1. Avoid Drinking Alcohol and Caffeine

Caffeine and alcohol are both stimulants. Stimulants work to speed up the heart and can cause a panic like reaction. When you’re going through the change, these substances can be a trigger that you should avoid.

2. Lighten Your Load

Stress is a trigger for so many things in life, but it can also cause you to have a hot flash. Stress gets the hormones in an uproar, which causes your body to produce an abundance of cortisol and adrenaline. When the body is in fight or flight mode, it can cause a surge of heat, triggering a hot flash.

3. Reduce Your Bedroom Temperature

Researchers warn that hot flashes commonly occur while sleeping. Fortunately, a fix is relatively easy–reducing your bedroom temperature by about five degrees. You will sleep better in a cooler room, and if the body becomes flushed, the heat from your home won’t aggravate it.

4. Sleep with A Fan

A fan is your best friend in the day or night, and you should keep one beside your bed. While a ceiling fan can help circulate the air in your bedroom, it doesn’t have the power that a box fan beside your bed does. Many say the fan helps to thwart any hot flash that occurs during the night.

5. Avoid Spicy Foods

Spicy foods are known for their ability to make the body sweat. When you’re going through menopause, the last thing you want to do is add fuel to the fire. Lay off the peppers and spices if you want to avoid soaking your clothes with sweat.

6. Wear Loose Clothes

Your body needs to breathe. If your temperature fluctuates from your hormonal shifts, you want to be wearing something light and airy. Restrictive clothing will only make you feel even hotter.

7. Use Cooling Sprays

It’s not always feasible to take off layers if you’re at the office or shopping. Thankfully, cooling sprays can help you to combat any flashes of heat and make you more comfortable.

Every woman should learn these twelve signs of a hormonal imbalance.

8. Eat More Soy

Did you know that a study showed that soy is beneficial in keeping hot flashes at bay? Add some soy to your day and see if it reduces these uncomfortable sensations.

9. Add Black Cohosh Supplements

Black cohosh is an excellent supplement that can help with sweating. It’s not a long-term solution, but it can help you get through the roughest night sweats.

10. Try Primrose Supplements

Primrose is another supplement that seems to do wonders for night sweats. It should never be used with blood thinners, and it may cause some slight digestive issues. However, it’s an excellent choice to combat the terrible sweating caused by menopause.

11. Turn to Acupuncture

A combined research team from Duke University and Wake Forest University proved that acupuncture stimulates meridians and bring relief to night sweating. Other ancient practices, like cupping and meditation, are also said to be beneficial.

12. Antidepressants Medications May Help

While antidepressants have some significant side effects, they can help with mood disturbances and night sweats. The second generation of these medications has fewer side effects than first-line drugs.

The most used ones for this purpose are Paxil and Effexor. If you’ve tried everything else, it’s certainly something worth exploring as a short-term option.

13. Increase Your Vitamin Intake

Vitamin companies know that one way to boost your body when hormone levels are depleted is through vitamins. A woman’s multivitamin is the best option. Just make sure that it has Vitamin B and E in it.

14. Drink Plenty of Water

It’s advisable to increase your water intake when you’re going through a change of life. Since your body is mostly made of water, what can it hurt?

Nothing feels better on a hot summer day than a cold, refreshing glass of ice water. So, when your body is sweating and experience flashes of heat, water can do the trick.

15. Try Hypnosis

While it might sound strange to try hypnosis when you’re experiencing intense sweating, research from Baylor University shows that it can help. It works like meditation as you imagine yourself in a place that is cool and peaceful. It’s not a quick fix, but it’s certainly worth trying if all else has failed.

The Takeaway on Hot Flashes

If you’re one of the 85 percent of women who have intense sweating with menopause, then it’s only natural that you look for relief. However, don’t be lured into hormone replacement therapies to replenish the estrogen loss in your body. These treatments are apt to cause both breast and ovarian cancer.

As a woman going through the change, you’re already at an increase of developing cancer as your body’s hormones are shifting. You don’t want to do anything that will increase your risks. Still, when the pangs of a middle-aged woman get to be too much, then you must do something.

Nature provides some excellent options that come with fewer side effects than prescription medications. There are also some natural remedies, like using a fan or reducing your bedroom temperature, that can also help. The good news is that as your body begins to adjust to the hormone loss, you will start to feel more like yourself.

It’s possible to have hot flashes on occasion after your 50s, but the likelihood decreases overtime. The good news is that this time will pass. Many women have come through this challenging time victorious, and you will get through it too.

Psychology Explains Why Beards Can Make Men Feel Attractive

November 11, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Why do men grow beards?

According to a survey done on behalf of beard-care company Honest Amish, men feel more confident with beards. In fact, the survey showed that one in five men would give up making love for a year to achieve the perfect beard. This survey is might be spot-on. Any scroll through social media photos can show you that men’s facial hair is in.

Even if most men would not give up sex for the perfect beard, it doesn’t mean that a large majority of them don’t desire manly facial hair. To men, their facial hair is similar to how women feel about their hair, weight, skin, or “bodily assets.” A beard can make or break a man’s self-esteem.

It’s interesting how a little facial hair can change a man’s opinion of himself.

What Science Says About Men Who Have Beards

Psychologists explored this phenomenon and explained why beards are such an important part of a man’s image. Keep reading to find out what they discovered.

1 – Having a beard is a sign of manliness (at least to many males).

Society may be modern, but the importance of manliness (at least in the minds of many men) has not changed much over the centuries. Men are territorial creatures who want to assert their dominance over their dominions, and for some, a beard is a symbol of that dominance. It gives them strength and conviction, almost like armor does for a soldier.

Darwin suggested that beards were used to intimidate other male foes in ancient times. It indicated power, strength, social status, or even wealth. These days, a beard may not equal all of that, but it gives the appearance of all of that, which is what’s important.

It makes sense that the presence of a beard makes a man feel more manly. After all, facial hair is a side effect of testosterone, the male hormone. This hormone is responsible for many masculine functions in the body, such as muscle-building, sperm development, and healthy erections. Scientifically speaking, a beard really is an indicator of masculinity. This is precisely why women don’t usually have facial hair unless they have a testosterone imbalance.

One societal side effect of beards and masculinity is that people view men with a beard as being more aggressive than men without them. There are plenty of studies that show this. In fact, in a study done by researchers from the University of New England and The University of Queensland, it was shown that people could recognize a bearded man’s anger faster than they recognized his happiness.

It seems that society sometimes relates masculinity to aggression.

However, appearances can be deceiving.

Although having a beard may make men feel more manly and dominant, it doesn’t necessarily make them more aggressive, even if they appear that way. According to Mark Travers, Ph.D., a psychologist, and writer, beards have a duality to them. They may command a more dominating presence, but adding a smile can soften this, making them appear more trustworthy, helpful, and friendly than someone with no facial hair.

Based on all these findings, it shouldn’t be a surprise that men feel more manly when they have a beard. Our society also treats them like they’re more manly, which can influence how men feel about their beards on a subconscious level.

2 – Women seem to be more attracted to men with a beard.

One big reason men may feel more attractive with a beard is that…well…they are! Many studies have shown that women are into men with a beard. Men may feel more masculine and powerful with a beard, but women see them that way, also. A beard is almost like the perfect replacement for a pickup line.

The beard is in, but it is not only a fashion statement. There may be an evolutionary purpose behind the beard. For one, beards are unique to the human male. Plenty of animals’ bodies are fully covered in hair, but none grow hair on their faces like humans. Apes and monkeys come close, but the hair around their faces is attributed to their body hair, not facial hair.

Darwin suggested that for human males, growing a beard started as an ornamental feature to attract the other gender. It’s like animals growing feather colors or developing certain sounds to attract a mate. Since prehistoric women were more attracted to mates with a beard (like they are now), prehistoric men were more successful at procreating.

This success likely trickled down the generations, turning into self-confidence at some point. It’s no secret that women love a confident man, which adds to the man’s attractiveness.

If you’re a man or know a man who wants to attract more women, growing a beard is a great suggestion. Of course, keep it neat to get the maximum benefit from it.

3 – A beard can mask features that a man doesn’t like about himself.

For men, facial hair can be what makeup is to a woman. It can be used to hide things like acne, scars, chubby cheeks, discolorations, or anything else that a man doesn’t like about his skin. They can go as far as connecting their beards to sideburns for ultimate coverage.

Being able to hide the parts you don’t like will enhance your self-confidence and make you feel more attractive. However, it doesn’t stop there. Beards can also function similarly to cosmetic surgery minus surgery.

If men maintain their beard, especially by a professional barber, it can frame the face, enhance the eyes, and even reshape it to a more attractive shape. When a person has this level of control over their appearance, it’s no surprise that they would feel beautiful.

4 – In some religions, cutting a beard is a sin.

At first, it may not seem that religion has anything to do with a man feeling attractive. But if you need proof, attend any church service worldwide. Religious men are some of the most confident men you’ll meet. Their spirituality uplifts them, allowing things to roll off them without affecting their self-esteem. They put it in the hands of whichever higher power they believe in, and they strut away with the confidence of royalty.

In many religions, facial hair is sacred, so men (and women) don’t cut it. A man with a shaved face may be shunned in their communities, causing their confidence level to take a big hit. After all, being out of the divine’s favor can cause severe anxiety.

Sinning can strip a man of his position or authority in the religious world. Losing this type of power can cause a man’s self-confidence to take a hit. Therefore, it’s safe to say that a man’s beard contributes to his success and confidence in the religion in these religions.

This leads to him being more attractive to women in religion. Women are naturally attracted to successful, confident men with power. Just because the power is spiritual doesn’t make it any less attractive than other types of power.

5 – Men with a beard are often regarded as more competent, especially as the head of the household.

This concept is purely an opinion and isn’t necessarily true. Facial hair doesn’t make someone a better man than a clean-shaven man. However, perception is often everything when it comes to certain situations. Two examples are when a man is seeking a job or a woman is looking for someone to settle down with.

A man with a beard may be treated differently than clean-shaven men, even by family members and friends. The beard gives the perception of intelligence, confidence, sturdiness, strength, and superiority. Who wouldn’t like how they’re treated when people constantly put them on a pedestal?

Most men wouldn’t let this treatment go to their heads (unfortunately, there are always a few narcissists out there), but it can give their confidence a significant boost and make them feel more attractive.

Final Thoughts on Why Beards Make Men Feel More Attractive

A beard is just facial hair that may or may not be neatly shaped. However, to men, it’s like a superpower. It increases their masculinity, strength, success, confidence, and attractiveness.

A lot of the benefits of having a beard really come from society’s views on men with beards and how society treats men. That means it’s not the beard itself but how people react to it. Maybe one day, opinions on having a beard will change, and they will fall out of style. However, today is not that day.

This doesn’t mean that every man should run out and grow a beard. This article was only intended to shed some light on how growing facial hair can make a man feel. For clean-shaved men, hope is not lost. Most women love clean-shaven men as much as they love a man with a beard. Clean-shaven men are successful, influential, and attractive as well.

A beard is only an icon, not a determining factor in a person’s life. However, it’s trendy right now, just like it has been. That trend is probably not going away soon, so bearded men will continue feeling incredibly attractive and on top of the world.

8 Health Benefits Of Being Organized, According To Experts

November 9, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Being organized is about more than just keeping things neat and tidy. It’s not just for aesthetic purposes and can actually change aspects of your health is surprisingly significant ways. Here are 8 health benefits of being organized, according to experts behind scientific research.

You’ve probably heard conflicting information about the importance of organization. Some say that a messy environment is indicative of intelligence. Others say that clutter is just plain bad for the body. Unfortunately, it seems like those who say the latter might be more correct.

1. You Eat Better

Did you know that you’re likely to make healthier food choices if your space is organized? This is because cluttered spaces are often stressful, resulting in the urge for the brain to find some method to cope. This then leads to the decision to pick up something less healthy to eat that the brain will receive positively.

Studies have actually found that working in a neat environment for just 10 minutes can make you two times more likely to ditch a chocolate bar in favor of an apple. So if you wonder why you keep wanting to eat junk food, it might be time to give your workspace a clean!

Aside from the obvious benefit to your waistline, eating well comes with a whole host of great health effects, such as:

· Stronger Teeth And Bones

Healthy foods in a balanced diet are likely to provide you with sufficient magnesium and calcium to bolster better bone strength. This decreases your risk of osteoporosis and similar conditions.

· Better Overall Mood

Eating foods with high glycemic load – meaning a high processed sugar and carbohydrate content – can result in decreased positive thinking, worsened fatigue, and higher depressive symptom risk. Most junk foods have a high glycemic load, while healthy whole foods have low glycemic loads.

· Reduced Risk of Heart Problems

Junk food contains the least healthy kind of fat, known as trans fats. These fats link to many diseases, but the most commonly referred to are heart conditions, like coronary disease and stroke. You will seldom find this kind of fat in healthy foods, allowing the component to be safely eliminated from your diet.

· Reduced Risk Of Cancer

A healthy diet is typically rich in vegetables, fruit, and fiber. Combined, these three nutrients have been found, in studies, to lead to a lowered risk of developing cancer later in life.

2. You Find It Easier To Concentrate

The brain is constantly processing things, and clutter and disorganization are things it also has to process. A study found that the brain naturally perceives and almost catalogs whatever is within its view, adding to the processing it is undergoing. This means that a cluttered environment can overload your brain’s visual cortex, leading to difficulty in collecting more important information.

Keeping your environment organized will give your brain more bandwidth to process other things. Better yet, that boosted concentration will boost your productivity, which will boost your mental health, which will boost other aspects of your health, all finally coming back to make your concentration better again. It’s the kind of cycle you want to have in your life!

3. You Have More, “Me Time.”

When you’re organized, you’re able to get the required tasks done more quickly, thus providing you with more leisure time to spend. You won’t have to spend an hour looking for a missing item in a disorganized mess, rush to run errands last minute, or spend too long trying to complete a task that would be easier without stress.

No matter how you decide to use free time, studies indicate that positive benefits to your health can be gained. You can spend this time:

Taking classes or joining hobby groups
Relaxing by yourself, doing nothing
Treating yourself to positive experiences
Spending time doing hobbies you love
Reading books or watching shows that make you happy.

Organizing pros share six easy ways to help organize your child’s closet.

4. You’re More Active

An organized home requires the regular performance of chores and similar tasks. Chores actually count as exercise in many ways, especially when they involve a lot of activity. This means that you’re probably more active than those who don’t bother with such tasks if you’re committed to an organization.

This sounds like a bit of a stretch, but research completely confirms these findings. Studies have actually indicated that the cleanliness of a house is a workable and effective predictor of someone’s state of health – more so than other factors that seem more likely, such as neighborhood walkability.

5. You Have Better Mood

When your home is cluttered, you are more likely to feel stressed out and fatigued. This, in turn, can lead to feelings of depression and anxiety that led to a sour mood and decreased positive thinking. Look around – if you can best describe your home as messy, cluttered, or packed with all sorts of unfinished projects, you’ll be more stressed out.

Why does this happen? Well, it has to do with cortisol, which is the stress hormone. In moderation, cortisol is mostly beneficial, as it helps you overcome difficult situations by allocating bodily functions correctly. On a chronic level, though, excessive cortisol production will lead to a huge host of health problems beyond just stress. Here are some effects of excess cortisol in the body:

Acne
Blood pressure spikes
Bruising
Depression
Digestive problems
Fatigue
Headaches
Heart disease
Healing difficulty
Insomnia
Thinned skin
Weakness
Weight gain

6. You’re More Likely To Stick To An Exercise Routine

It can take a lot of discipline to stick to a plan for working out. If you’re organized, you have a higher chance of managing to do it. But why? Research states that this is because you have practiced your organization skills in your everyday life, thus allowing you to correctly and effectively devise a working exercise routine so you can follow easily.

Some ways that organization may help an exercise routine are:

The writing of a cohesive exercise plan
Detailed notes of what should be worked out each day
Careful progress tracking that motivates you to keep going
Records of thoughts after the workout that helps you reflect on your current plan and make necessary changes

Naturally, regular exercise helps your body and health in multiple ways, such as:

· Reduced Chronic Disease Risk

Believe it or not, a lack of physical activity is one of the surprising key factors of chronic disease risk. Working out could help you fight off the chances of developing these diseases, and if you already have one, your symptoms might decrease with exercise.

· Better Muscle and Bone Health

If you want to stay strong, exercising helps make your muscles more efficient even as you age. They will absorb amino acids from proteins more easily, allowing them to be built more quickly and stay strong for longer periods of time, say studies.

· Reduced Pain Levels

If you deal with chronic pain, though it can be difficult to do, exercising may positively affect it. The act of working out and getting physical activity has been linked in research to reduced experiences of pain, both on a general and chronic level.

7. You Sleep More Easily

Chaos and a lack of organization can affect your ability to sleep in multiple ways. To put that into perspective, here are some of the positive things that being organized does for sleep:

Lowering stress levels, which reduces the risk of insomnia and helps you sleep more easily
Making your bed in the morning, which leads to a 19% higher chance of enjoying a good nights’ sleep
Getting tasks done in time, allowing you to finish work earlier and head to bed on time
Having clean, fresh sheets, which leads to a 75% higher chance of sleeping better
Keeping work out of the bedroom because you finished things on time, maintaining a restful feeling over your room that keeps it as a relaxing sanctuary

Getting enough sleep on its own already has obvious benefits, like feeling energized and refreshed the next day. But it also has a lot of other great effects on your overall health. This includes:

· Better Athletic Performance

Those who perform athletic feats will find that their performance is improved by getting positive sleep levels. Even if you’re not much of a sports person, though, you might notice that a lack of sleep reduces your ability to perform daily tasks with ease. This includes things like walking and gripping items!

· Blood Sugar Levels

A lack of sleep can cause your body to have difficulty processing blood sugar in the best way. This leads to unbalanced glucose levels in your body, potentially resulting in metabolic problems or even type 2 diabetes.

· Heart Disease Risk

When you don’t sleep enough, you’re opening yourself up to a higher risk of developing cardiovascular problems. Studies indicate that strokes, heart attacks, and high blood pressure occur with greater frequency in those who don’t sleep enough.

8. Your Home Will Be Healthier

When a home is cluttered, dust collects on surfaces of piles of items – and beneath them! If you think that dust is harmless and can easily be cleared away with no consequence, think again. Research indicates that a shocking number of things can reside on average, normal house dust, including:

Decomposing insects, which can harbor bacteria
Human skin, which can harbor bacteria
Dust mite feces, which can harbor bacteria and pathogens
Pollen, which could be a problem if you are allergic
Arsenic, a highly toxic chemical naturally occurring in the earth’s crust; commonly depicted in media as a poison
Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), which is a toxic insecticide

This means that if you don’t properly clean your home often enough, you’re likely to expose yourself to all sorts of small things that can cause illness and disease.

Final Thoughts On the Many Health Benefits Of Being Organized

If you’re not a particularly organized person, it can be difficult to get into the habit of keeping things neat. Hopefully, knowing that your health may rely on your environment’s neatness will help motivate you to be a little bit tidier.

You don’t have to go overboard with perfect color-coding and intricately aligned belongings to reap the benefits of being organized. Simply knowing how to arrange items and tasks for maximum productivity is sufficient!

Psychologists Reveal 3 Signs Of Nomophobia (And How To Help Yourself)

November 9, 2020 by Lakeisha Ethans

Do you know the signs of nomophobia?

Nomophobia is a term that began as a comedic slang term for “no mobile phobia. It indicated anxiety or fear of being without a mobile phone for any given reason. The concept of nomophobia is part of an ongoing academic interest in digital media’s effects on mental health and vice versa.

Individuals misusing digital media is far from a new concept, with the term “nomophobia” being coined back in 2008 for a study conducted in the United Kingdom. This research discovered that 58% of men and 47% of women experience nomophobia. Worse still, supposedly, 9% of mobile phone users experience distress or anxiety when their phones are off or not with them. Also, 50% of nomophobes never switch off their phone!

Unfortunately, though it can seem like a silly concept, nomophobia can be a problem for those who experience it. The overuse of mobile devices can significantly impact mental health and be impacted in turn by mental health. This habit creates a vicious cycle. Many people are at risk of developing these problems since virtually everyone has a mobile device of some kind these days.

So how can you protect yourself against this problem? Awareness is always a good place to start. When you’re able to notice warning signs, you’re able to combat them in time. Here’s how studies by psychologists reveal 3 signs of nomophobia and how to help yourself.

1. Physical Symptoms Of Anxiety

At its core, nomophobia is an issue featuring anxiety and fear. This means that many of the classic symptoms of anxiety, specifically the physical ones, may occur if you experience this phobia. In most cases, this would occur when you’re away from your phone. But it’s completely possible for the anxiety to be constant due to heightened fear of being without your device.

Physical symptoms of anxiety include:

Chest tightness
Depression
Difficulty breathing
Disorientation
Dizziness
Fear
Panic
Shaking or trembling
Sweating in excess
Tachycardia, or rapid heart rate

On that note, it’s important to keep in mind that having pre-existing mental disorders, especially anxiety disorders, can increase your risk of nomophobia, according to research. This is because you are more likely to become dependent on your phone. Studies also noted that while anyone can experience nomophobia, more people will do so if they already experience agoraphobia or social anxiety as a diagnosed disorder.

It can be difficult to help soothe physical symptoms of anxiety, as they’re more generalized and not specific to phones. The fact that anxiety automatically makes self-care against anxiety more difficult to perform is an additional roadblock. Still, here are some ways to do so:

· Avoid Stimulants

Alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine can worsen anxiety symptoms and even push your mind over from nervousness due to the production of hormones that they result in.

· Get Enough Sleep

A lack of sleep results in fatigue that can heighten experiences of anxiety. Being well-rested is crucial in fighting many of the worst effects of anxiety and may even reduce the severity of some of your symptoms.

· Stay Physically Active

Exercise releases feel-good hormones called endorphins that boost positive thinking and improve your overall health. You’ll experience stress reduction at a rate that may reduce your anxiety.

· Use Relaxation Techniques

Mindfulness meditation, deep breathing exercises, guided imagery, yoga, and other similar techniques are often touted as successful methods for handling the worst of anxiety.

2. Constant Need To Have A Working Phone

This symptom is fairly obvious, but it’s very easy to overlook. After all, who doesn’t bring their phone with them to most places? But as the name “nomophobia” suggests, not being able to feel secure without your phone is the biggest sign that something is wrong. Here are some more specific signs that this is a problem:

· Bringing It Everywhere With You

Are you bringing your phone with you no matter where you go? Do you have it with you everywhere, even when you go to have a shower or when you need to perform a single quick task? And if it’s not with you in your pocket or hand, do you feel the need to keep it within your line of sight?

· Constantly Checking It

This is less likely to apply if you use your phone for work purposes. But it’s still important to note. Are you constantly checking your phone, even multiple times an hour? Do you feel compelled to ensure you don’t miss even one notification? Are you always worried that it’s not working, which makes you check it even more?

· Difficulty Sleeping

If you constantly check your phone at night to the point where you’re unable to sleep, you’re experiencing a very severe need to be on your phone even at your detriment. Your phone might also always be within quick reach of your bed, so you never have to be apart from it.

Here are symptoms of anxiety.

· Irrational Reactions To Being Without It

If you’re in a situation where your access to your mobile device is restricted, you may find that you experience extreme and disproportionate levels of stress and anxiety, even in public. This can happen because of work, at airports, in academic institutions, and anywhere else where phone access is limited. It may also occur when you lose reception, run out of battery, or forget your phone, say studies.

The constant need to be with your phone is an addiction, in a way. As such, it can be tough to fight through by yourself. Here are some ways to work on overcoming this constant need, as recommended by author and Psychology Today contributor Tim Elmore:

Set daily times where you turn off your phone and put it away from you. If it’s difficult at first, start small and gradually increase the period of time as you go.
Determine certain environments where you cannot and should not bring your phone. Whenever you enter these environments, immediately turn off your phone or leave your phone in another location. This will help your brain designate locations to no phone usage, allowing for better balance and less dependency.
Attempt a monthly technological fast where you go for a day or two without using any mobile devices. Don’t cheat with laptops or tablets – all devices should be removed from your daily life!
Put your phone a minimum of 15 feet away from you when you go to bed at night to prevent easy checking.

3. Unhealthy Social Interaction

Many people who fear not having their phones are dependent on it for aspects of everyday social interaction. This can form toxic social patterns that will harm you in the long run. Here are some ways you might use your phone in negative social patterns:

· Coping With Social Anxiety

If you struggle with social anxiety, you may use your phone as a quick way to duck out of social situations and look busy. You might also use devices to act as a middleman between you and others, preventing the need for face-to-face interaction.

· Determining Identity Through Mobile Devices

This occurs especially in adolescents and young adults who are still discovering aspects of themselves and who they are. Many people who have nomophobia are actually, in some way, addicted to social media applications on it. Their self-identity and social identity may depend on these applications, so going without a phone removes that identity, leading to decreased positive thinking and higher anxiety levels.

· Preventing Fear Of Isolation

On the flip side of social anxiety, some people feel dependent on their phones socially because they’re frightened of being isolated from others. You might use your phone to stay in contact with friends and family, meaning you don’t want to go without an easy means to get in touch with them. Ironically, this could make you spend less time with them in person, which is detrimental to your own desires!

How to Improve These Three Signs of Nomophobia

Here are some ways to work on making your social interactions more positive without the dependency on a mobile device, as provided by Elmore:

In face-to-face conversations, put your phone away or turn it off and focus on the other person.
Learn to set aside time for social interaction to fill a certain quota every week. It’s fine to start small, but try to work your way up to a 1:1 ratio of direct human interaction vs. mobile usage.
Remind yourself of what matters. Social media isn’t real, and everyone who posts there is only showing their best self most of the time. The approval of others garnered from your facade of social media posts matters significantly less than you think. Focus on the people around you who genuinely love and care about you!
Explore your identity. There are plenty of ways you can experiment with your identity without being on social media. Try new hobbies, hang out in new friend groups, experiment with style… the possibilities are endless!
Practice social interaction with others. If you started to lose your grasp of social cues, it could take a while to build your social skills back up again. Practice with others, beginning with people you trust. Then slowly increase your challenges to more anxiety-inducing interactions.
If needed, seek treatment for agoraphobia or social anxiety. You may experience severe symptoms of social anxiety disorder or agoraphobia. It may be too difficult for you to kick the mobile habit on your own in that case. Seeking treatment from a mental health professional is an ideal way to handle this situation.

Final Thoughts On Some Signs Of Nomophobia And How To Help Yourself

While it sounds like something to laugh about, nomophobia should be taken somewhat seriously. It’s not healthy for the brain to become dependent on any single object, no matter how crucial that item is to daily tasks. This is why, despite the originally humorous usage, nomophobia is something that mental health professionals need to begin considering as a real problem.

It’s worth considering that nomophobia is not considered an official mental disorder as of the current fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). However, plenty of discussion of positive and negative sides has been abounded about its possible classification as a specific phobia, as outlined in the manual’s fourth edition. As of the time of writing, though, the exact definition of the term is not standardized.

With that being said, internet and phone addiction are not unusual in today’s technologically advanced world. If you feel that you have nomophobia, take note of these signs of homophobia we’ve talked about today and do what you can to help yourself! If you need additional assistance, a psychologist, therapist, or similar medical professional can help you work through this problem.

7 Health Benefits Of Talking To Yourself, According To Experts

November 9, 2020 by Lakeisha Ethans

It’s not uncommon to believe that talking to yourself is a surefire way to tell that you’re losing your mind. But what if that belief didn’t hold any water?

The truth is that when you talk to yourself, you’re often benefiting yourself in many different ways. Don’t believe it? Science supports it! Here are 7 health benefits of talking to yourself, according to experts.

1. Better Mental Performance

The stereotype of people who talk to themselves being “insane” is completely unfounded. Research has actually indicated that talking to yourself may result in more positive mental performance. When reading instructions aloud, individuals tend to concentrate and perform at higher levels than those who read their instructions silently.

One of the study authors is Paloma Mari-Beffa, a Psychology teacher and researcher with interests in Cognitive and Applied Neuropsychology. Mari-Beffa notes that the act of talking out loud, especially when the brain isn’t in the process of drifting, can actually indicate higher mental competency and, as such, improved cognitive function. This is because it is the act of using all possible means to increase the brain’s processing power.

Other studies produced similar results. For example, when talking to yourself, you have a higher chance of successfully finding items, indicating better visual processing. You are also more likely to learn to master complex tasks, which is especially visible in children.

2. Stress Reduction

Talking to yourself is a great method for organizing your inner thoughts and prioritizing your daily tasks. When you’re unable to organize those thoughts, you often wind up heightening levels of stress.

Unfortunately, stress isn’t just a random unimportant emotion. It results in many bodily processes, including ones involving hormone production that change the way your body functions. When needed, this helps you power through stressful situations. But when you’re stressed out all the time, this can have negative effects on your health, such as an increased risk of the following:

a variety of cardiovascular diseases, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, heart attacks, arrhythmia, and stroke
hair and skin issues, such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, and hair loss
mental health issues, such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and personality disorders
gastrointestinal issues, such as irritable colon, gastritis, ulcerative colitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease
sexual dysfunction, such as premature ejaculation, decreased libido, impotence, and menstrual disorders
chance of becoming obese or suffering unwanted and unhealthy forms of weight gain

Even if your stress isn’t chronic, you can still experience negative health effects from stress, including:

Anxiety
Appetite changes
Chest discomfort
Decreased self-esteem
Decreased positive thinking
Difficulty relaxing
Disorganization
Dry mouth
Forgetfulness
Frustration
Headaches
High heart rate
Increased rate of sickness
Insomnia
Lack of concentration
Lack of sound judgment
Low energy levels
Low immunity
Muscle pain and aches
Nervousness
Overwhelmed emotional states
Pessimism
Ringing ears
Social avoidance
Stomach discomfort
Sweating in excess
Teeth grinding
Vice usages, such as cigarettes, alcohol, or drugs

Worse still, many “mild” symptoms of non-chronic stress can actually serve to increase stress levels, which is counterproductive and results in an endless cycle of negativity. Luckily, this can be stopped with many methods, and one of them is by talking to yourself.

In other words, talking to yourself might seem only minorly to affect your stress levels, but that reduction can work wonders for your overall health. Talk to yourself to organize thoughts, psych yourself up for something stressful, or give yourself a pep talk!

3. Reducing Feelings Of Loneliness

Loneliness can be tough to deal with, and many people who feel lonely worry that talking to themselves is a sign that they’re losing their sanity. According to licensed mental health counselor Aniesa M. Schneberger, this isn’t actually something to worry about. It’s comforting and helps to fill up quiet and empty spaces.

Don’t think that loneliness is much of a health risk to begin with? Think again! The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines the following research-backed health risks that accompany loneliness:

50% increase in the risk of developing dementia
32% increase in the risk of developing stroke
29% increase in the risk of developing heart disease, including a 400% increase in fatality risk, a 68% increase in hospitalization risk, and a 57% increase in emergency room visit risk
An increase in the risk of mental health issues involving anxiety, depression, and suicide
A significant increase in the risk of premature death from all causes

4. Better Self-Control

Self-control is often a significant part of maintaining good health, especially when it comes to keeping certain impulses in-check. Talking to yourself can help you better manage these impulses, reducing your risk of falling for them.

In a study, participants were told to press a button only when a certain symbol showed up. With other symbols, they were told not to press the button at all. Certain participants were also told to repeat one word repeatedly to themselves, effectively cutting off their inner voice and preventing them from self-talking or self-processing.

This ultimately resulted in those with no access to self-talk pressing the button incorrectly more often. Study lead author Alexa Tullett stated that these results indicate that giving yourself messages is, in fact, genuinely effective in regulating different behaviors. Other scientific knowledge that supports this concept is as follows.

Toddlers speak out loud to control their actions, says psychologist Jean Piaget. For example, a toddler might cry “Hot! Hot!” when they accidentally touch something hot to tell themselves to move away from the object.

Non-human primates, while they cannot speak to themselves to control their actions, activate a different kind of memory in a different part of their brain to regulate their actions when performing certain difficult tasks. This indicates that they have their own version of self-talk that aids their behavior.

Sports professionals often talk to themselves to achieve better control and focus during their performances. The explicit instructions given to themselves via speech allows them to reduce impulsive reactions and play more effectively.

These things can improve your mental health.

5. Improved Memory

If you often find yourself retaining information, especially when it’s text-based or written, you will be happy to learn that you can improve your memory through the simple act of talking to yourself.

Research indicates that of four different methods of recalling written details, reading out loud carries the highest chance of proper retention. This had better results than:

Reading silently
Listening to others reading
Listening to a recording of yourself reading

Waterloo Department of Psychology chair Colin MacLeod, who is one of that study’s authors, posits that this is due to “active involvement.” The concept refers to adding an active element of measure or production to a retention task. In doing so, the retained item becomes more distinct thanks to that active element, allowing it to stay in long-term memory for an improved amount of time.

6. Better Relationships With Others

When you utilize positive self-talk, you not only may be capable of increased positive thinking but have an easier time picking up the positive features of others. This can allow you to surround yourself with positive people while creating better empathy, thus fostering better and healthier relationships. This is according to counselor Elaine Mead, who specializes in Psychology and Criminology.

But what does this have to do with health? Well, loving and positive relationships can actually have surprising benefits for your body and mind. Here are some of them:

· Improved Immunity

The positive hormones you get from good relationships and the motivation you receive for staying healthy can lead to a strong immune system. You’re less likely to get sick when you surround yourself with great people!

· Quicker Recovery

If you do get ill, good relationships can make that less dangerous. Cardiovascular assistant professor of medicine Benjamin A. Steinberg points out that people with strong support systems often enjoy better recoveries from illness.

· Better Cardiovascular Health

Steinburg states that the good hormones produced when you’re around people you love, you’ll keep your heart healthy and your blood pressure low.

· Longer Lifespan

When you have positive relationships in your life, you are likely to enjoy better rates of survival. Kirtly Parker Jones, who works in Obstetrics and Gynecology, states that individuals tend to be healthier when married, leading to longer lifespans. This may be due to many other combined factors when involved with healthy and happy relationships, such as being motivated to drop bad habits.

7. Better Emotional Regulation

If you find yourself experiencing an extreme emotional reaction to something, if done correctly, the act of talking to yourself can help you create rational and positive thinking. Start by simply removing yourself from the emotionally charged situation, then speak to yourself as a manner of talking yourself down.

Many people have already been practicing this method, and numerous anecdotes indicate it works well. But now, science backs it up too, as research shows that using third-person language to speak to yourself is actually the most effective way of doing this!

In research where participants are shown images that range from neutral to disturbing, lower emotional reactions are recorded in those who first talk to themselves in third-person language. Similar results when participants were asked to reflect on experiences that were difficult and painful to them.

When you refer to yourself in the third person, you effectively look at yourself in the same way you would a friend, says professor of psychology and lead research author Jason Moser. This gives you some emotional distance from yourself and lets you view the situation with more self-compassion and rationality. You’ll have better luck regulating your emotions when you can validate yourself and recognize the logical facts.

Final Thoughts On Some Health Benefits Of Talking To Yourself

So, there you have it! Talking to yourself isn’t just something normal and fine; it’s also healthy for you! Practicing the act of self-talk out loud is a great way to help aspects of your mental and physical health. If you’re truly concerned that your acts of talking to yourself are signs of a mental health issue, you can always speak to a professional for their medical opinion!

Physicians Explain Why Exercise Makes You Feel Better

November 9, 2020 by Power of Positivity

When you feel run down and in a lousy mood, what’s the first thing you want to do? Maybe you are like many people and want to cover your head and stay in bed. What would you say if you discovered that exercise could make you feel better?

Yes, it’s counterintuitive, but research has found this to be true on many levels. Think of Newton’s Law of Motion, which says that a body at rest tends to stay at rest until a force acts upon it. Being a perpetual couch potato may keep you inactive and make you feel worse in the long run.

An impressive number of studies link poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle with obesity, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, diabetes, strokes, cancer, and premature death. On the flip side, proper diet and staying active may prevent illness and help you live a longer, more fulfilled life. This information should be encouraging enough to make anyone leave the couch and start moving, so we are sharing these science-proven benefits with you.

Possible Mood-Lifting Benefits of Exercise

Is there a connection between exercise and your moods? Research demonstrates that exercising just 20-30 minutes a day can influence your brain’s hormones that correspond to moods and your feeling of well-being.

Are you ready to lift the dark clouds from your mind and bask in the sunshine of joy? The solution may be easier than you think. Here are some convincing ways that health experts say that exercise can make you feel better.

1. Boost Your Moods

When you are in a bad mood, your whole body can ache, and the world seems bleak and uninviting. If you have five minutes a day to do a few cardio exercises, your brain will show its gratitude. It will begin pumping mood-boosting hormones into your body like dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. The more you move, the better you may feel.

2. Minimize Your Stress Levels

If you live, stress is inevitable. Some level of stress is beneficial to stay safe, learn, and grow. However, the undue strain is harmful to your body and can result in severe health conditions. While you can’t make stress disappear, you can do things like exercise to minimize it.

You needn’t do a grueling regimen to receive some of the benefits of exercising. Low-impact styles like walking or yoga can help you feel better. Some studies show that daily exercise may ease symptoms of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

3. Boost Your Immune System

Did you know that staying active may help you maintain a more robust immune system? When you work out and practice mindful breathing, you may exhale harmful bacteria lingering in your respiratory system. Moving your body systematically can also stimulate your lymphatic system to flush more waste from your body.

As you are doing your workout, notice that your heart rate increases, which increases your blood circulation throughout your body. This influx of blood may bring more antibodies into your system to detect and destroy pathogenic microbes. It may contribute to better health in the long run.

Remember the stress hormones that are pumped into your body from undue stress? Working out regularly can lower the output of adrenaline and cortisone, so your health improves. If you do get ill, a healthier immune system may minimize the symptoms and shorten the duration, so you feel better quicker.

Do everything in moderation, including exercise. Although light to moderate exercise can boost your immunity, extreme workouts can do the opposite and raise your stress levels. Talk to your primary healthcare provider or a certified fitness expert about what exercises are best for you.

4. Increase Your Brain Functions

Have you ever experienced that dense brain fog that makes you feel like a zombie all day? Poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle can contribute to this mind-numbing condition. When you work your body physically, it can also benefit you mentally.

You may see benefits in your cognitive functions, memory, and mental resilience. As you achieve each goal of your workouts, you may handle stress better and strive for higher goals. Mental strength can be a valuable tool for stability and enriched relationships.

5. Daily Activities for Living May Become Easier

When you feel blue, sometimes you don’t want to get out of bed in the mornings. Workouts like stretching and yoga can not only bust fat and tone your muscles, but they can make you feel better. As you lose weight and gain more strength, you’ll find it easier to do your daily chores.

Just imagine doing things with ease that you once dreaded. Your furry friends will be happier because you’ll have enough energy for leisurely walks in the park. You may gain more cardiovascular strength that will be useful for doing heavy yard work and other chores around the house.

6. Your Leisure and Outdoor Life May Improve

Who feels like going on an exhilarating morning hike through the woods if you feel bloated, tired, and depressed? Regular exercise like walking, stretching, or resistance training may help change your leisure life around for the better. Add cardiovascular workouts and weight training, and you may be surprised at the things you will be able to enjoy.

Have you ever wanted to hike through the mountains or go on an exciting skiing trip with your family? Perhaps you once didn’t even have the stamina to take your kids to an amusement park or go on a walking tour with your partner. Just a few minutes of working out each day can strengthen your body and renew your desire to get out of the house and live.

7. Get Better Sleep

Are you one of the thousands of people across America who are sleep deprived? A lack of quality sleep can not only affect your personal and professional life, but it can also be detrimental to your health. Sleep deprivation can cause severe health disorders and put you at risk for mental illnesses.

What can you do if you’re not getting enough rest at night? You may be surprised that many studies show a positive correlation between daily exercise and healthy sleep. That’s not to say that you should perform an exhaustive workout before you go to bed.

Simple stretches, yogic poses, and other light workouts can make you pleasantly tired enough for good sleep. Try to do these routines about five or six hours before you go to bed. You will awaken with more energy for the day and feel better.

8. Increase Your Energy

Ask most people around you what they could wish for, and many would probably hope for more energy. When you are juggling caring for your family, a job, and social obligations, it’s understandable that your stamina would be depleted most of the time. You may try to guzzle those popular energy drinks, but their boost is short-lived and may carry some health risks.

If you want to energize your body, health experts recommend that you try a daily exercise routine. As you work and strengthen your muscles and joints, you might be amazed at how it can boost your energy. To track your progress and stay motivated, using a day counter can help you see how many days you’ve consistently followed your routine, giving you a sense of accomplishment. Soon, you may have all the energy you want and feel better.

9. May Prevent or Reduce Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression

Have you been diagnosed with anxiety or depression? These common mental conditions are often treated successfully with medication and therapy. Did you also know that working out may prevent anxiety and depression or reduce their symptoms?

When you are more active, some medical research states, you are less likely to have depression symptoms. If you make workouts a daily priority, you aren’t apt to have a mental illness relapse. The same conclusion is made for people who battle with anxiety.

10. Increased Self-Esteem

How do you feel about yourself when you are overweight, depressed, and hardly ever leave the couch? Overeating and inactivity produce a perfect storm of sickness, depression, and low self-esteem. Each variable affects the others until you are debilitated and prone to a life-threatening disease.

Now, picture yourself following a healthy lifestyle with good eating habits and daily exercise. You will lose weight, tone your body, and have more energy for your work and play. Above all, these changes will boost your self-esteem, and you’ll feel better.

Final Thoughts on How Exercise Can Make You Feel Better

There are too many positive studies to ignore the significance of working out and your well-being. It just takes 20-30 minutes a day, and you don’t need expensive gym memberships either. Take some time out to get your body moving and notice how much better you feel.

Before you start any exercise regimen, talk to your primary healthcare provider or a certified fitness expert. They can help you find the workouts that are right for you. It’s in investment in your physical, mental, and spiritual self that reaps dividends of vibrant health and happiness.

Researchers Reveal Why Some Mental Disorders Are A Response to Adversity

November 9, 2020 by Power of Positivity

These days, it’s more challenging to find people who don’t have a mental issue than those who do. The latest statistics reveal that at least 46.6 million Americans have mental illnesses, such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. Could adversities be the culprit to these common mental disorders rather than chemical imbalances in the brain?

What if people who battle PTSD react to adversities, and it has nothing to do with their brain chemistry? ADHD may have evolved as a survival instinct in the past, but it doesn’t serve people well in the modern world. Will current research help scientists and medical experts form a different view of what mental disorders are?

Mental Health Issues vs. Adversities

When you have a diagnosed mental disorder, most mental health professionals will prescribe medication for you. However, some researchers claim that diseases such as PTSD, anxiety, or depression might not be genetic. They pose the question if any of these are real medical conditions.

Medication for most physical conditions can either cure or manage the symptoms. Why is it that between 1999 through 2014, statistics show that the use of antidepressants rose 65 percent? Still, the numbers don’t offer a decrease in depression, anxiety, and other related mental issues.

Perhaps it’s not a coincidence that some of the world’s most volatile areas have higher instances of depression and anxiety. Research from Queensland’s University in Australia shows that these mental conditions are more elevated in Middle Eastern and North African countries. Approximately five percent of each respective country has citizens with anxiety, depression, or both.

Considering these statistics, research published recently by the American Journal of Physical Anthropology states that difficulties may cause PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The writers suggest that these conditions could be an evolutionary response to adverse situations rather than unbalanced brain chemistry.

Could these mental disorders be involuntary responses to dangers like the brain’s survival instinct? Researchers believe that anxiety could play a part in the fight, flight, freeze, or faint response. Your stress makes your hyperaware of hazardous conditions.

Depression, they argue, may also be a response that warns your body of potential danger. Wit depressed feelings, you tend to ruminate on the negative situations in your life. This focused attention could be the body’s way of identifying problems and creating ways to avoid them in the future.

The Scarlet Letter of Attention Deficient Hyperactivity Disorder

It’s human nature to claim a label that a doctor assigns to you. Were you ever told that you were nervous or depressed? You may have identified with the proverbial scarlet letter even without a proper diagnosis. After an analysis, you may find yourself referring to “my” anxiety, “my” depression, or “my” ADHD.

When you’ve accepted a label, you may limit yourself without realizing it. These researchers believe that re-labeling depression, anxiety, and ADHD may be necessary. If you are depressed or anxious, are you coping with a medical brain issue, or is your brain trying to adapt to hardship?

Generally, doctors do not “cure” mental disorders. But you can manage the symptoms with therapy and behavioral techniques. Moreover, you can learn how to overcome an adverse situation. The various possibilities depend upon how they are labeled.

In the past, ADHD was less understood, and children suffering from the symptoms were labeled as hyper, rowdy, or lazy. Instead of realizing these children had issues they couldn’t help, they were often punished at home and school for being a “bad child.” It wasn’t until medical specialists researched that they discovered that these children had mental disorders and learned differently from their peers.

• Your Story

If you were diagnosed with ADHD as a child or with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) as an adult, you could relate to the condition’s frustration. In the past generation, you may have had your share of corporal punishment or endless detentions. Maybe your teachers deemed you “unteachable” and corralled you into a classroom of other challenged children. There, they ignored your needs.

The model of students sitting for hours listening to a teacher isn’t the best way to learn for every child. Perhaps you felt nervous and fidgety and had difficulties sitting still and being quiet. Your teachers may have seen the signs as disrespectful or that you had a cognitive issue.

Consequently, you may have been conditioned to equate school and learning with harsh punishment, humiliation, and unacceptance. It may have been a downward spiral that followed you into adulthood. If you were fortunate enough to be in a later generation, your ADHD symptoms would have been recognized, and you would’ve received the proper treatment.

According to the new study, your ADHD may have little to do with your brain chemistry. It could be your reaction to the misfortune and stressors around you. This theory may have impacted how your condition was labeled and how you were treated.

It’s little wonder that people with ADHD also deal with anxiety and depression. Are these coexisting mental disorders, or are these mental health concerns all part of your adaptation? Even the study authors say that nobody has a definitive answer, and more research is needed.

• Current Model of ADHD

In today’s classrooms, children with ADHD aren’t stuck in a corner wearing a dunce cap. Instead, educational experts have found ways to help these children cope with their symptoms and learn by using various learning modes. They’ve discovered that children with ADHD aren’t “bad kids” and can flourish under the right conditions.

What if you or your child’s ADHD isn’t a disorder? The authors of this study propose that these symptoms were due to an evolutionary glitch to cope with our modern environment. Making children sit quietly while a teacher lectures may not be how the human brain is hardwired.

If ADHD is an evolutionary glitch due to the environment, the study concludes that it can’t be classified medically as mental disorders. That premise moves the responsibility of the medical community to the educational system. Perhaps more educational reform can help address the issue.

On the flip side, many experts denounce the conclusions of this fascinating study. They present countless ADHD studies that include biological factors, such as premature birth. Not enough evidence exists to erase ADHD from the jurisdiction of the medical community.

Is Adversity the Real Cause of Mental Disorders?

Considering this study, should your depression, anxiety, or PTSD be treated with medications as a mental condition? Are these conditions more part of brain dysfunction, or do they represent a flaw in our society? If so, then experts need to turn their attention to sociocultural change as part of the solution.

Most mental health professionals will agree that the system fails people, and experts should re-examine how to treat mental conditions. The authors of the study deny that their goal is to change mental health treatments radically. Instead, they say, they seek to find novel ways to study the problems.

They believe that when it comes to anxiety, depression, and PTSD, there should be a greater concentration on resolving conflict and difficulty instead of so much on balancing brain chemistry. The challenge isn’t simple, given the fact that there’s a plethora of research that indicates brain chemistry’s role in these conditions.

If you go to a strict definition of adversity challenges, how can you explain the research mounds that connect depression and anxiety to brain chemistry changes? The authors of the study say that both sides can be reconciled. While an indisputable link exists between brain chemistry and anxiety and depression, it still doesn’t rule out responses to adversity.

Shifts in the Way We Treat Mental Disorders

After reading this study and its pros and cons, do you think changes are necessary to view and treat mental health? You may agree or disagree. No doubt, you would agree that the mental health community needs to change the labels they use.

When you believe that you have the tools and the ability to get better, you have a greater recovery chance. In addition to therapy and medication, you might be encouraged if your therapist told you that your symptoms might be linked to a healthy response to adversity.

Most mental health providers concur that hardship can directly affect your mental health. Variables such as physical health, mental health, and social conditions are all considerations. Until genuine reforms help remedy mental illnesses’ social impact, medical experts will continue with the usual care plans.

Final Thoughts on Responses to Adversity vs. Mental Disorders

To date, experts haven’t been able to determine what causes conditions like ADHD, depression, anxiety, or PTSD. Whether these are mental disorders or are an evolutionary response to adversities remains open to interpretation. These are still issues that affect people worldwide. Scientists need to improve their treatment and prognosis.

7 Traits That Reveal A Selfish Partner

November 9, 2020 by Power of Positivity

Are you a selfish partner, or do you considered your spouse to be self-absorbed? Relationships are about give and take. A partnership is supposed to be 50/50, but what if one person puts in 80 percent of the effort and the other one 20 percent?

When you enter a long-term relationship, you want what’s best for the person you love. You put their needs ahead of yours, and you go out of your way to ensure their happiness. Sadly, not all relationships work this way, and some toxic people are immature, self-centered, and are inconsiderate of the other person.

Is it any wonder that people don’t want to walk down the aisle of matrimony these days? The divorce rate as of 2020 is 34 percent. However, this number doesn’t give a good representation of the couples that live together in long-term relationships and part ways, which tends to be commonplace these days.

People end their relationships for many reasons, such as finances, communication issues, infidelity, a lack of intimacy, and substance abuse. The problem within all these issues is that one party isn’t considering the other party and their feelings. Save yourself a trip to court and think about the other person and their needs over yours.

Dealing with Selfishness in a Relationship

How do you know if you’re a selfish partner or living with someone so self-absorbed that you’re not even part of the equation? Here are some questions to ask yourself.

Do you:

•Ask your partner what they want to do this weekend, or you plan the time according to your needs?

•Call the shots on everything from buying a new car to replacing the house’s windows without asking them?

•Do you steamroll all conversations or listen to what your partner has to say?

•You are constantly criticizing their methods and always trying to show them that your way is better.

If any of these scenarios sound familiar, then there is much work to be done. Here are seven traits that you will find in a selfish partner that may sound familiar to you.

1. The Other Person is Always Wrong

There’s nothing worse than a know it all personality. These are the people that are never wrong, no matter if they have proof to the contrary. They tend to be a bit narcissistic in their thought process because they feel that their opinions are superior to everyone else.

Everything is an argument with them, even down to the type of jelly you bought from the store. The problem is that this person is not a partner at all. They are only considering their needs as well as thoughts and opinions.

If you don’t listen and consider the other person’s thoughts, then why be in a relationship? When someone is never wrong, it’s a big red flag that they are a selfish partner.

2. Plans Are Made That Don’t Involve the Other One

Being left out is a horrible feeling that can cause resentment and questions of infidelity. Does your husband or wife make plans for things without consulting or inviting you along? Perhaps you’re the one who would rather go out with your friends or family members and leave your spouse behind.

While it’s okay to have nights where you hang with your friends, most of your free time should be spent with your spouse. You wanted to be with this person because you love them and can’t imagine spending a day without them. A healthy relationship is built on spending quality time together.

3. They Don’t Know Their Partner’s Needs

Each person has wants and needs in their life. Maybe you want a better job, or you would like to trade-off that older car for a newer model. Perhaps you’re having issues at work that are making you miserable.

A good partner would know all about these issues, and they would do anything they could to take some of the pressure from you. However, a selfish partner is so out of touch with what’s going on in the house that they have no clue that you’re suffering.

4. They Constantly Threaten to Leave If They Don’t Get Their Way

Nothing is worse than a grown man or woman that still acts like a toddler. When a toddler doesn’t get the toy they want to play with, they will throw a temper tantrum. Adults have temper tantrums too, and they usually center around leaving or threatening divorce.

A manipulative person will only consider their needs, and if they don’t get what they want, they will use any manner possible to make it happen. They will threaten you that if you don’t give in to them that they will leave. They may go as far as printing the divorce papers out online and giving them to you.

Be careful of people that play such games with your emotions as they only care about themselves. Do you want someone who threatens to walk out on you when you don’t give in to their requests?

5. They Expect You to Listen to Them but Don’t Offer the Same in Return

Communication is a two-way street, and it takes one person to speak and the other to listen. Then, there are times when the roles are reversed. Does your partner want you to listen to them talk about their day and all the things wrong in their life, but they don’t want to do the same in return?

One of the beautiful things about having someone that is “your person” is that you can share your frustrations, secrets, and plans about the future. When something happens during the day, you can’t wait to call or text and talk to them about it. That’s what people in love do; they want to share their life with the one they adore.

However, the selfish partner will want you to listen to them while they vent, but they won’t have time to hear about your troubles. Ineffective communication is a significant stumbling block among couples. It’s just as important in a relationship as trust, honesty, and monogamy.

6. They’re Overly Critical of Everything

There’s nothing worse than an overly critical person. It seems that nothing can be done to please them. Whether it’s complaints about dinner, your family, or friends, nothing makes them happy.

You may start to walk on eggs shells around them for fear that one wrong step might set them off. They may become aggressive or even loud when you’re hanging with friends they don’t like. They want your time when it’s convenient for them, but if you hinder them from doing things they want to do, then it’s a whole different story.

Someone who absolutely loves you with a pure love that is wholesome and good would never make you walk on eggshells. There’s no perfect union, but there should be more good things about it than bad.

7. They Withhold Intimacy

Part of being with a couple is that you take care of each other’s needs both physically and emotionally. Now, there are times when one party won’t feel well or just isn’t in the mood. That’s quite different than withholding intimacy because someone made you mad, or you didn’t get your way.

Some self-absorbed people use intimacy as a weapon against the other person. If you do something that makes them mad, they will hold a grudge and withhold their services until you comply. Be careful because some people will use this as an excuse to have an affair and say that you pushed them into it.

Always be on guard when it comes to the selfish partner, as they are constantly manipulating and using your emotions for their benefit.

Final Thoughts on The Selfish Partner

Did you find some traits that you or your spouse have in the list above? Remember, no partnership is perfect, and you both have things that you need to work on. The focus should be that you have a healthy connection that considers the other person’s needs before yours.

Now, toxic relationships are no fun to deal with, and there are plenty of them out there. Don’t be shocked if any of these behaviors follow verbal abuse. Additionally, some people can become so mad when they don’t get their way to resort to physical violence.

The good news is that if you’re in a toxic relationship, you can get out. You don’t have to live this way any longer. There are plenty of people that will respect you and give you the kind of love and affection you need. You don’t have to suffer from a selfish partner who thinks only of themselves.

Life is too short to be miserable when you have the power to change your situation. Your one decision away from an entirely different life, and it may be the fairy tale you’ve dreamed of.

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