Health
Finding good health news amidst a pandemic can be quite daunting. That’s not the case with The Optimist Daily, where positive news is in high supply. Our Health section covers the latest good news from the health sector, featuring solutions ranging from mental and physical health to immunity, nutrition, and cutting edge medical research.
New research links REM sleep and dreaming to healthy brain blood flow
Most of our dreaming occurs during REM cycles of our sleep, but there is still some debate in the scientific community surrounding the purpose of dreaming and different sleep cycles. Hoping to shed some light on why we sleep and dream, researchers from the University of Tsukuba decided to look at Read More...
San Francisco schools successfully reopen for all students
The continued latest Covid-19 surge has made for a rocky and uncertain back-to-school season, but the San Francisco Department of Public Health is celebrating the first weeks of school with no Covid-19 outbreaks since students returned to classrooms on August 16. An outbreak is defined by the Read More...
5 Restorative movements to shake off exhaustion
When you’re run-down and struggling with chronic exhaustion, the last thing you’ll feel inclined to do is to get your workout gear on and exert yourself even more—however, experts say that engaging your body in restorative movements may be just what you need to give yourself a revitalizing Read More...
UK invites everyone to donate blood, regardless of sexual orientation
Back in 2010, Ethan Spibey’s grandfather underwent major surgery and survived—thanks to eight pints of donated blood. His entire family knew that he wouldn’t have lived through the operation had it not been for the generosity of blood donors, and to repay that invaluable kindness, they all Read More...
Filterless air purification system turns captured pollution into building tiles
India is home to 22 of the world's 30 most polluted cities, contributing to high levels of lung and heart disease. Growing up in Mumbai, Angad Daryani experienced the negative health consequences of smog in the form of childhood asthma. Seeking a solution, he came up with the idea to take soot and Read More...
School-based intervention method improves teens’ mental health
There has been a phenomenal explosion of mental health services and communication around the importance of mental health care since the beginning of the global pandemic. There is not an age group on this planet that has not been adversely affected by the experience of quarantines, lockdowns, and Read More...
Spending time with trees boosts children's cognitive development
Trees are nature’s air purifiers—they provide us with oxygen and absorb CO2, which makes them a key component of the global fight against climate change. However, they also have an influence over our individual health, both mentally and physically. A new study published in Nature Read More...
What is toxic masculinity and how to tackle it
The term “toxic masculinity” is commonly referenced today, but what does it actually mean? Toxic masculinity is a term that describes how certain traits associated with masculinity can cause harm to men, women, and all members of society. It isn’t supposed to be used as an insult, but instead Read More...
Kiss your worries goodbye with these two quick exercises
These past 18 months have been unpredictable, chaotic, destabilizing… the list goes on. So, naturally, many of us are harboring a lot of worries right now. But what does worrying really do to change our situation? Nothing. Worrying simply makes us feel helpless by keeping us in a cycle of Read More...
France makes birth control free for everyone under 25
Lack of affordability is one of the biggest barriers for women when it comes to accessing contraceptives. To address this, the French government has announced it will make birth control free and available to all women under 25. The country already makes birth control free to everyone under 18, Read More...