Study demonstrates stress reduction benefits from petting dogs and cats
Cortisol levels associated with stress are reduced after interacting with cats and dogs, researchers report.... Read More...
cortisol
Posture impacts how you perceive your food
Whether you stand up to eat or sit for dinner, your posture influences how much you enjoy your meal. Standing to eat mutes taste perception and reduces sensory sensitivity, resulting in a decreased enjoyment of food.... Read More...
Early-life challenges affect how children focus and face the day
Experiencing early life adversities leads to disruptions in multiple systems of self-control and cortisol levels, which continues through childhood.... Read More...
Dogs mirror owner’s stress
Researchers identify an interspecies correlation between hair cortisol concentrations in humans and dogs during summer and winter months. The cortisol levels were not affected by the amount of activity the dog had during these periods. The study reveals a seasonal effect in higher cortisol levels between humans and animals, and human personality traits significantly affected the dog's level of stress. Findings suggest that dogs often mirror the stress levels of their owners.... Read More...
Simple test can tell if you’re stressed out
Scientists have developed a new, non-invasive stress test that uses ultraviolet light to measure stress hormone levels in bodily fluids. ... Read More...
How cortisol affects exposure therapy for anxiety disorders
Cortisol administration after exposure has no beneficial effects for patients suffering from phobias or anxiety disorders. Arachnophobics who received cortisol following exposure were more likely to relapse when they encountered spiders in a different context.... Read More...
Some women could be more susceptible to PTSD than others
Oxytocin and cortisol levels are higher in women with dissociative PTSD.... Read More...
20 Minute Contact with Nature Reduces Stress Hormone Cortisol
Taking a 'nature pill' of spending twenty minutes a day outdoors can help to lower cortisol levels.... Read More...
Stress in childhood and adulthood have combined impact on hormones and health
Stressed adults who report high-stress exposure as children have altered cortisol levels associated with negative health outcomes. Findings suggest early life stress may calibrate the stress response system in the brain, with health consequences that last into adulthood.... Read More...
Recalling Happy Memories During Adolescence Can Reduce Depression Risk
Researchers report recalling specific positive memories from an earlier point in life was associated with fewer negative self-related thoughts and lower cortisol levels 12 months later. The study suggests recalling specific positive memories reduced vulnerability to depression over the course of one year.... Read More...
Tips For A New Year Tuneup For Your Brain
Researchers provide strategies for enhancing brain health and lowering stress in the new year.... Read More...
Solitary Confinement Puts Brains at Risk
Researchers report social isolation is linked to changes in brain structures and increased risks of developing mental health disorders.... Read More...