Anxiety could be eased by hugging a pillow that mimics breathing

Prototype pillow contains an inflatable chamber that connects to an external pump and motor, enabling it to expand and deflate like human lungs Health 9 March 2022 By Carissa Wong A huggable pillow that mimics breathing has reduced anxiety as effectively as guided meditation for people who were about to take a mathematics test. Interactive … Read more

Lose yourself: How transcendent experiences can boost your well-being

A growing body of evidence suggests that doing things that make your sense of self fall away can make people happier, less stressed and even kinder to others. Here’s our short guide to achieving this state Health 2 March 2022 By Jess Craig Simon Shim/Unsplash A FEW years ago, psychiatrist Roland Griffiths published the results … Read more

Interoception: This ‘sixth sense’ could be key to better mental health

How our brains interpret signals from within the body has a surprisingly big influence on the mind, an insight that is leading to new ways to tackle conditions like depression, anxiety and eating disorders Health 2 February 2022 By Caroline Williams Brett Ryder LYING in the dark, my senses are straining for inputs and finding … Read more

Covid-19 brain fog: neurological symptoms likely due to immune reaction, should be reversible

Growing evidence suggests neurological symptoms of long covid, such as brain fog, are caused by an immune reaction – and should be reversible Health 20 January 2022 By Jessica Hamzelou The SARS-Cov-2 virus may cause immune reactions that lead to neurological symptoms SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY Over the past couple of years, we have learned that … Read more

How to hack your stress and turn it into a positive force in your life

Too much stress hurts mind and body, but the stress response exists for good evolutionary reasons. Recognising that is the first step to turning its negative effects around Health 1 December 2021 By Catherine de Lange Sergio Membrillas Many of us have felt more than a little stressed over the past couple of years. For … Read more