Here you can read the latest news and research studies covering mental health. This is also the place to find out about different strategies on how you can reduce stress and boost happiness, and many other ways to look after your mental wellbeing.
Autumn is a beautiful time of year—the leaves change color, and there’s a crisp feeling in the air, however, the sun slips away earlier, and the nights feel long and dark. It’s not uncommon for people to start feeling a bit of the “winter blues,” clinically known as seasonal affective Read More...
A team of scientists has found that the leaves of the Samoan tree, matalafi, are as effective at relieving inflammation as over-the-counter ibuprofen. The small rainforest shrub, Psychotria insularum, is native to South Pacific regions. For generations, Samoan communities have used matalafi leaves Read More...
Daylight savings time 2021 If you live in the US, tomorrow marks the official end of daylight saving time, also known as “fall back.” Despite widespread pushback against the concept of daylight savings, it is still practiced in 48 states (Hawaii and Arizona opt out). Today, we’re sharing the Read More...
Social media tends to get a bad rep for several reasons, like its addictive qualities and negative impact on our mental health. While social media does have its downfalls, a new study reveals that a certain facet of the internet, memes, actually helps us, especially in terms of alleviating stress Read More...
In 2020, the Chinese University of Hong Kong’s Center for Communication and Public Opinion Survey made it very clear that stress-induced sleep deprivation was a widespread problem. Almost seven out of 10 respondents disclosed that they were experiencing insomnia, and of those, 60 percent of them Read More...
The isolation of the pandemic took a toll on global mental health, but for many of us, the mandatory break had some mental health benefits as well. It gave us an opportunity to hit ‘pause,’ spend more time focusing on self-care and enjoy some much-needed rest time. Researchers from the Read More...
Fifty years after being classified as a Schedule I drug in the US, psychedelic therapy has officially received federal funding from the government in what researchers see as a huge shift in the medical and public perception of the benefits of psychedelics. Using psychedelics to help treat tobacco Read More...
In recent years, school-aged students in China have been suffering from poor eyesight in growing numbers and at a younger age. According to Vice Education Minister Yuan Guiren, the worsening eyesight of students is due to the excessive amounts of schoolwork that are assigned to students, as well Read More...
If you’re a regular Optimist Daily reader, you know about the tremendous cognitive and mental health benefits of green space. Now, yet another study has confirmed the link between nature and brain development and finds that access to green space helps children meet critical development Read More...
Did you know that October is Emotional Wellness Month? Mental health is closely tied to physical health, and just like we exercise and eat well to stay physically healthy, mental health takes some healthy habits and upkeep as well. If you feel like you’re in a mental health rut, these free habits Read More...