Wellness Initiatives
MyHub wants to hear from you! Please use this survey to share your thoughts and suggestions for wellness initiatives that will increase awareness of, and address challenges commonly faced by SMD graduate students and postdocs. Start the Survey
Your responses will be delivered to Amber Rivera, Director of Learner Life/Wellness.
Your Weekly Wellness Tips
October 14 – 18, 2024
Nervous about presenting a poster soon? Read this for excellent advice on what to do before, during, and after a poster presentation to help it go smoothly.
From the National Institute of Mental Health – 4 Things to Know about ADHD in Adults. ADHD symptoms can interfere with daily functioning.
From NIH: all about noise-induced hearing loss and when you should be wearing hearing protection.
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October 7 – 11, 2024
Are your eyes tired, dry, or achy? A big culprit can be intense use, like too much screen time. Learn ways to find relief. (From NIH News in Health)
Why we ‘choke’ under pressure: Motor preparation is the brain’s way of making calculations about how to complete a movement — similar to lining up an arrow on a target before unleashing it. Under pressure, motor preparation activity in the brain drops.
Do you have a “transition ritual” that helps your brain log-off after work so you rejuvenate each evening? If not, try one of these 6 tips for shaking off the workday and see if it makes a difference in how you enjoy your evenings.
September 30 – October 4, 2024
Taking a 20 minute nap is beneficial for productivity and renewed focus, but longer naps of 40-60 minutes have the opposite effect. One way to combat post-nap grogginess and reap the benefits of a well-timed nap is to consume caffeine before your nap so that it hits at the right time.
13 therapist tips to become a time management pro.
The 1-1-1 journaling method is quick and creates a feeling of calm when you practice it each night before going to sleep. It can help you fall asleep with fewer racing thoughts, and improve your sleep quality through the night.
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September 23 – 27, 2024
What are the signs and symptoms of “burnout” and how is it different from exhaustion or depression?
4-7-8 Breathing: Breathing in this specific ratio – four seconds in, seven seconds of holding at the top, and eight seconds of exhaling – activates the parasympathetic nervous system and helps your body relax, slowing the heart rate, and lowering stress hormones.
20 minute bike trips in and around Rochester – maps and more!
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September 16 – 20, 2024
Having an event that you’re looking forward to helps you get through stress with more elevated, positive emotions.
Temptation bundling: coupling an instantly-gratifying “want” activity with a “should” activity. For example, only allowing yourself to listen to your favorite true crime podcast while you’re working out. Researchers say this is key to locking in healthy behaviors.
Social comparison creates so much stress. Advice on how to place limits on comparing yourself to others.
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September 9 – 13, 2024
Did you know that choosing the right time of day to drink your coffee can be strategic to your health goals? Drinking coffee to enhance your performance in a workout, keep your blood sugar under control, or regulate your sleep and wake cycle all have different ideal times of the day for caffeine consumption.
NIH funded researchers are testing speech analysis to screen for mental health and catch depression and anxiety early. Recording your voice on your phone is more accessible than scheduling an appointment to see a doctor. Speech patterns, facial expressions, tone of voice can be tracked to help doctors see the effects of depression treatments in real time.
At 828 North Clinton Avenue, the International Plaza is an exciting, Latin-themed event space and marketplace featuring a variety of vendors, a performance pavilion, and dedicated restrooms. The International Plaza provides a community gathering space to celebrate and build on the tremendous arts and cultural assets of the surrounding neighborhood. Check out some upcoming events here!
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September 2 – 6, 2024
Feeling overwhelmed by never-ending lists of tasks? Are you managing multiple projects that need to be organized into timelines and action plans? Check out 3 apps recommended by The New York Times for handling your complex to-do lists.
Electronic waste (e-waste) items are unwanted cell phones, tablets, TVs, laptops, desktop computers and accessories, monitors, printers, scanners, video game consoles, servers, radios, etc. It is against New York State law to discard e-waste in the trash. Here is how you can dispose of your e-waste properly?
About 1/3 of migraine sufferers experience visual disturbances and other neurological symptoms, called aura, before a migraine sets in. Here is what the NIH is learning about aura and how it could be targeted to develop new treatments for migraines.
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August 26 – 30, 2024
When sadness lingers: understanding and treating depression.
NIH-funded studies suggest that artificial sweeteners may have adverse affects on cardiovascular health. The results highlight the need for further study of long-term cardiovascular health risks from sugar alcohols, artificial sweeteners that were thought to be safe.
11 mental fitness hacks to help you feel less stressed at work.
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August 19 – 23, 2024
A tool from NPR that hits you with random bits of delight to brighten your day: The Joy Generator
Learn how monitoring your voice and breathing could help uncover serious health issues, like depression, cancer, and more. (From NIH News in Health)
A NIH supported study is uncovering how psylocibin’s effects on the brain may have potential for treating mental illness disorders and substance abuse disorder.
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August 12 – 16, 2024
A new study by researchers at the American Cancer Society found that 40% of all cancer cases in the U.S. can be attributed to modifiable risk factors, including cigarette smoking, excess body weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, diet, and infections such as HPV. The findings highlight not only the need for healthy habits, but also increased equity and access to preventive healthcare.
A health and wellness guide for PhD students.
A study out of the United Kingdom that surveyed nearly 20,000 participants found that spending 120 minutes or more in nature each week improved self-reported health and well-being.
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August 5 – 9, 2024
Decades of research indicate causal associations between social relationships and mortality, and now data from longitudinal samples of the US population is comparing social relationships with biomarkers of physical health at life stages including adolescence and young, middle, and late adulthood. The results reveal physiological impacts of social relationships that emerge uniquely in adolescence and midlife and persist into old age: for example, social isolation increased the risk of inflammation in adolescence at the same magnitude as physical inactivity. Read more here.
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, anxious, or your mind is racing, it’s easy to forget about a stress-relief tool that you have ready at your disposal: your breath. Try out this 3 minute meditation video to show how quickly you can calm down by using just your breath.
A handy 5-step guide from the American Psychological Association for cognitive reframing (also known as cognitive restructuring) which is a skill you can use in any situation that causes you to experience negative feelings. Cognitive reframing techniques can actually change your physical responses to stress, making relaxation easier.
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July 29 – August 2, 2024
An meta-analysis led by Julianne Holt-Lunstad, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University in Utah, concluded that loneliness is as harmful to physical health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.
Negative body image is characterized by emotions like anger, sadness, avoidance whenever you think about your body or appearance, hiding your body so that others cannot see the things you dislike, engaging in extensive appearance-altering rituals to disguise the parts of your body you don’t like, avoiding activities because of your size or appearance, and using harsh or cruel language to think about or describe your body. The toll of disliking your body can lead to a range of negative mental health outcomes: eating disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, self-harm, body dysmorphic disorder. Here are some tips and therapy treatment suggestions.
A 10 minute, inclusive walking meditation to reduce stress and anxiety. If sitting still for meditation doesn’t fit your style, try out a walking meditation. Using breath awareness and visualization, this meditation uses movement to reduce physical anxiety and promote relaxation.
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July 22 – 26, 2024
“Ultraprocessed foods” have high levels of sugar, fat, or sodium and are known to adversely affect our health. Scientists are now looking at how these foods affect brain health, particularly cognitive decline. Research shows that harmful compounds found in these foods can be damaging to brain cells, and some studies have linked these compounds to cognitive decline and dementia.
A meta-analytic review makes a compelling case that social relationships are as important to mortality risk factors as smoking, diet and exercise.
Can’t get your brain to stop being so negative, assaulting you with intrusive thoughts, negative self-talk and catastrophizing? Here are some therapy hacks for squashing negative thoughts.
July 15 – 19, 2024
Listen to this conversation between Dan Harris (the Ten Percent Happier Podcast) and Brother Pháp Hữu, on reframing the idea of laziness. In a culture where busyness is a badge of honor, his approach is radical. For Brother Pháp Hữu, being lazy is not about avoiding what has to be done; it’s about giving yourself time to have no agenda, to truly rest. That, he says, reinvigorates you and actually makes you more productive—because you aren’t running yourself ragged and your mind has more capacity to problem-solve. “In the non-doing,” he says, “there is doing.”
Sometimes, in the case of trauma, emotions can be really debilitating - especially if you suffer from post-traumatic stress, like the combat veterans who participated in some of Dr. Emma Seppala’s studies. One thing that helped them regain their emotional sovereignty - despite their trauma - was a breathing technique called Sky Breath meditation. She speaks about the research in this video.
Most of us require a balance of solo and social time, says Thuy-vy Nguyen, a social psychologist who runs the Solitude Lab at Durham University in Britain and is an author of the book “Solitude: The Science and Power of Being Alone.” Her research has found that spending time alone has physical and emotional benefits, such as stress reduction and mood regulation, and can lead to increased creativity and productivity.
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July 8 – 12, 2024
The National Institute of Mental Health (NAMH) estimates that 31% of U.S. adults may experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives. Here are 5 self-soothing techniques to know about when you’re experiencing anxiety.
Find out what clothes, accessories, and sunscreens offer the best protection from the sun’s dangerous ultraviolet rays. (From NIH’s NCI)
Breathing practices don’t just settle the mind, they actively calm the body’s physiology— the results from a study from Dr. Andrew Huberman’s lab at Stanford show that changing how you breathe can benefit your mood and calm your nervous system.
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July 1 – 5, 2024
June is Migraine and Headache Awareness Month. Learn about migraine triggers, symptoms, treatments, and more. (From NIH’s NINDS)
Wondering if you should cancel that upcoming therapy appointment because you’re just not sure what to talk about? A useful self-questionnaire can help you organize your thoughts and feel prepared for your next therapy session.
Discover how alcohol can affect your summer activities and get resources to drink responsibly in the coming hot months. (From NIH’s NIAAA)
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June 24 – 28, 2024
Lower back pain? Get walking. A new study offers more evidence in line with existing research that a regular walking routine can be very effective for preventing the recurrence of back pain.
Dr. Sheldon Cohen, a psychologist at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, has been exploring the links between relationships and health for more than 3 decades. In one study, his team exposed more than 200 healthy volunteers to the common cold virus and observed them for a week in a controlled setting. “We found that the more diverse people’s social networks—the more types of connections they had—the less likely they were to develop a cold after exposure to the virus,” Cohen says.
Can adults have ADHD? News from URMC.
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June 17 – 21, 2024
Non-invasive brain stimulation therapy for treating depression – a new NIH study identifies a possible target for improved depression treatment.
You might have thought seasonal depression was a winter-time thing, and are surprised to find that summer has brought on some depression symptoms. Here are some tips for coping with summertime seasonal depression.
NIH research has found that bouts of anger have a negative impact on heart health, and further studies are needed to better understand the long term effects of negative emotions like anger on the body.
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June 10 – 14, 2004
Graduate students’ risk of anxiety and depression is more than six times higher than that of the general public. Among graduate students who reported suffering from depression or anxiety, more than 55 percent also reported an unhealthy work-life balance.
Don’t dismiss intuition as a “gut feeling” and nothing more: research suggests intuition is a form of highly tuned cognition worth paying attention to.
A free 6-day breathing challenge with instructional exercises to experience calm, ease, and rest through your breath from the non-profit group The Art of Living.
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June 3 – 7, 2004
Podcast rec: The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos.
In 2018, Yale University’s most popular course in its 300-year history, titled Psychology and the Good Life, focused on positive psychology, a therapeutic approach that puts the same rigorous attention on positive emotions that traditional psychology puts on negative ones. Laurie Santos taught the class, and now hosts a weekly podcast covering the latest research on happiness with conversations about how to harness positive psychology in relationships, at work and in managing mental health struggles.
“There’s a saying, ‘It’s not how far you fall; it’s how high you bounce.’ For those of us who don’t bounce back so easily, there’s good news. Resilience, to some extent, can be learned and there are some simple, practical things that people can do that may make a noticeable difference,” says Dr. Janine Austin Clayton, Director of the NIH Office of Research on Women’s Health. Learn more. There’s a term for the vastly unseen, constant work of keeping a family connected, a crucial role in a family’s health and well-being: “kinkeeping.”
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May 27 – 31, 2024
Read this article to help sort out the myths from the science behind "brown noise" and whether or not it helps your brain focus.
If you’ve heard that practicing gratitude on a daily basis contributes to overall happiness and well-being, you may be looking for a way to make the practice stick. This article reviews 7 gratitude journals and how they contribute to making gratitude a daily habit.
A regular gratitude practice helps you avert the negative consequences of chronic stress, reducing cortisol levels in our bodies by about 23%!
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May 20 – 24, 2024
If meditation is not really your thing, but you’re looking for better quality of sleep, a guided bedtime mediation might be the thing you’ve been overlooking! Techniques like breath focus, calming mantras, visualizations, progressive muscle relaxation, and body scanning all help to relax your body and mind, reduce bodily tension, and ease your brain out of anxiety for quiet rest. Try out a 10-minute sleep meditation.
Can envy ever be a good thing? Listen to Harvard Professor Arthur Brooks talk about a variety of envy that can be motivational, and how to use mindfulness to make sure you don’t cross the line into toxic envy in this podcast episode with Dan Harris.
The Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT), better known as “tapping,” is a practice that can be used to immediately alleviate stress, anxiety, worries, and other inhibiting feelings. This article discusses the research behind EFT and websites, videos, apps, and other resources to get started.
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May 13 – 17, 2024
In the midst of a depressive episode (often lasting for at least two weeks), even doing the smallest things is overwhelming and numbing. Reaching out for help with therapy and medication are important for your mental health – here are 9 reminders for anyone going through a depressive episode.
Research supports a link between depression and a faster, more detailed recall of negative rather than positive memories and an impaired use of strategies to access positive emotions. An emerging area of research explores the opposite effect: the existence of a link between “savoring” present moments and the capacity to have vivid positive memories that promote emotional well-being. Read more about this research here.
Psychiatrists, counselors and researchers share their recommendations of 6 books for adults living with A.D.H.D.
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May 6 – 10, 2024
It might be time to pick up pen and paper again and rethink the way you take notes on things you’re learning. A study’s findings suggest that handwriting instead of using a keyboard has a beneficial impact on the brain’s connectivity patterns related to learning and remembering.
An overview of breathing techniques that help reduce stress, clear your mind, relax your body, fight off anxiety, and cope with panic attacks.
Burnout, an occupational phenomenon, has been added to the WHO’s International Classification of Diseases. Feelings of energy depletion and exhaustion, and reduced professional efficacy are valid reasons for seeking help through therapy and EAP resources.
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April 29 – May 3, 2024
If you’re looking to learn a new skill, try out a new hobby, and reduce your stress all at the same time, studies show that knitting protects against cognitive decline, and can facilitate recovery from illness or trauma.
Racing thoughts keeping you up at night? Here are 9 tips to help you cope with them – from box breathing to brain dumping – you might find something that works for you.
Venting your anger to relieve it (think screaming, running, smash therapy) is a myth?
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April 22 – 26, 2024
Pushing down emotions and distracting yourself from your feelings contributes to confusion about what to do, and ultimately the things you’re trying to bury become more intense. Here’s ideas and step-by-step instructions for how to name your emotions so they don’t get the best of you.
Can you name 4 different types of stress? It’s important to know what type of stress you’re experiencing because some stress-relief techniques are more effective than others depending on the stress type.
Somatic therapy, a newly-developing form of therapy, helps reduce stress within your body as the result of trauma, PTSD, anxiety or depression, and strengthens the mind-body connection.
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April 15 – 19, 2024
A health and wellness journalist finds out what happens to her sleep when she spends 30 days keeping her phone out of her bedroom.
A CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) inspired journaling app that helps you learn what affects your mood, develop healthier thought patterns, build resilience, and foster personal growth. Check it out for Apple or Android.
Dr. Andrew Huberman discusses how you can feel more energized and sleep better by doing one thing every morning—getting bright sunlight.
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April 8 – 12, 2024
Feeling tired and sluggish throughout the day? Try making a few small adjustments to your diet: 15 energy-boosting foods, many of which don’t require a lot of prep and make easy snacks.
The benefits of “walking meditation” and how to get started.
A podcast episode with strategies and advice for what to eat to boost your mood.
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April 1 – 5, 2024
Thinking of saying “no” to a friend’s social invitation, but you are worried about how the rejection might affect your relationship? Before you commit to something you really don’t want to do, consider this research that says you’re likely overestimating how upset your friend will be.
Researchers have identified movements that are recognizable in many cultures as inspired by joy: reaching arms up, swaying, bouncing, spinning with arms outstretched. Performing these kinds of movements can evoke joy and positive emotions. In need of a joy boost? Try a joy workout video!
An interactive well-being questionnaire to get you thinking about different aspects of your life and mental health, and help you identify what’s working and where you might make adjustments.
March 25 – 29, 2004
Listen to Chris Anderson, the curator of TED describe the science of a “generosity mindset” and why it makes you happier.
Were you stressed today? You may need to induce a relaxation response to help your body calm down, triggering the release of cortisol and returning blood pressure, heart rate, and digestive functioning to normal. A prolonged state of chronic stress will lead to anxiety and burnout. The good news is that a relaxation response is easily triggered through simple breathing exercises and mindfulness techniques that aren’t all that time-consuming.
How to calm anxiety, written by people with anxiety: 13 little life hacks people with anxiety actually swear by.
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March 18 – 22, 2024
Expand your understanding of self-care beyond an occasional “treat-yourself” model and consider self-care to be a core component of a lifestyle that embraces fulfillment, joy, and wellbeing. Download the Self Care Wheel for ideas and complete your own wheel for your self-care goals.
Reading out loud can improve memory, cognitive function, focus and mood.
Do you often notice that you’re being self-critical and negative? It’s time to change your self-talk. Journaling or meditating on this self-talk exercise over time will give you positive results in how you relate to yourself.
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March 11 – 15, 2024
If you’re feeling more depressive symptoms lately, and you’re not sleeping well or long enough, you might be surprised how quickly you can positively alleviate your depressive symptoms by making some changes to the length and quality of your sleep. Dig into this study by the National Sleep Foundation for sleep practices that directly affect your mood.
You can also fight off the common cold a lot more easily when you’re sleeping well! Healthy individuals sleeping fewer than 6 hours per night are 4 times more likely to develop a cold when experimentally inoculated with the common cold virus than those with at least 7 hours.
Are rumination and anxious thoughts preventing you from getting a good night’s sleep? Try carving out time during the day for “scheduled worry.”
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March 4 – 8, 2024
When you’re anxious or stressed, your sympathetic nervous system is on high alert, otherwise knows as “fight-or-flight” mode. A quick way to move out of this state is to engage the parasympathetic nervous system, the bodily system responsible for rest and digestion. How? Try box breathing for just 3–5 minutes.
Use this nap wheel to figure out the best time of day for you to harness the restorative power of a nap. Listen to the creator of the nap wheel talk about the science of naps, and how long the perfect nap should be.
Stress can be good for you?
February 26 – March 1, 2024
The results of two studies on the influence of friendships on health and well-being across the lifespan reveal that as our social networks tend to decrease in size over time, when we shift attention and resources to maintaining quality friendships, we accumulate the benefits of increased health and well-being into older adulthood.
You may have described some of your behaviors as “being so OCD” but do you really know the difference between having OCD and being a perfectionist? Although both have some shared traits, understanding the difference is important for recognizing when it’s time to get help, and it can make you more empathetic to others living with OCD.
Thinking about reaching out to someone in your social support network to help you relieve some winter depression? The perfect background track exists to inspire you to make that phone call or send that text.
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February 12 – 16, 2024
Dr. Dacher Keltner, professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkely, and author of “Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life” discusses the restorative and calming benefits of taking “awe walks.” Awe walks are good for your mental and physical health.
Texting while walking puts the most strain on our neck muscles – more so than using a phone while sitting or standing. Smartphone use puts demands on neck and upper back muscles, leading to symptoms of “text neck” and research suggests this could reduce balance and increase our risk of stumbles and falls, especially as we age.
Feeling like the winter blues are dragging down your weight loss efforts? You’re not wrong. It’s hard to lose weight in winter, and Natalie Thompson, a certified nutrition and wellness coach with UR Medicine’s Center for Employee Wellness breaks it down.
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February 5 – 9, 2024
A literature review of scientific studies on the effects of poetry in medicine, including a beneficial impact on patients managing pain, coping with stressors, and improving personal well-being, mood, and behavior. Whether reading, listening, or writing poetry, the benefits are all there!
If you’ve been stressed for awhile, your feelings of muscle tension may have gone unnoticed. Take a moment to check in with yourself and try a progressive muscle relaxation technique to help recognize tension and manage the physical effects of stress.
Thinking of taking a nature walk to improve your mood and reduce stress? It will! BUT – leave your phone in your pocket. In a 2023 study, people who were on their phones during walks in nature felt less positive, less happy, and less relaxed after the walk, whereas phone-free walkers felt better afterwards.
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January 29 - February 2, 2024
Anxiety in overdrive can really pull you out of the present moment, making you feel like you are isolated and living in your head. Mindfully accessing your five senses can help relieve that anxiety in just moments.
Listening to audio with binaural beats can positively affect your creativity, focus, mental state, and your sense of stress or anxiety.
Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, can trigger debilitating depression during winter’s dark days and cold temperatures. This article helps break down what SAD is, how long it will most likely last, and the best ways to cope with it.
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January 22 – 26, 2024
If you’re feeling anxious about your work and find yourself procrastinating, could the amount of clutter in your workspace be the culprit?
Looking for a new way to induce calm? If you find peace in following precise instructions and clicky-ASMR appeals to you, try out the Lego Botanical Collection. A review of all the sets will help you pick which one to start with.
In a survey of close to 1,000 Americans describing their choice of words while under stress, 87% said something they wish they hadn’t said. The number one regretful phrase uttered under stress: “I don’t care.” The most helpful phrase to hear when under stress is “We’ll figure it out.” For more survey results and mindful communication tips, read this article by Preply.
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January 15 – 19, 2024
A 5-minute de-stress meditation protocol that gives you quick results and can be completed right at your desk.
Impact your stress levels by slowing down, and simultaneously increase your connectedness to those you love for just $.66 and a few minutes of your time.
Psychologist Kelly Rohan, PhD, discusses seasonal depression and how the winter blues affects mood, sleep, and energy levels. Dr. Rohan gives coping tips that range from small daily tweaks, to the advantages of 12 sessions of CBT therapy.
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January 8-12, 2024
Yoga Nidra, a practice for non-sleep deep rest, resets your nervous system in as little as 10 minutes. Listen to Dr. Andrew Huberman briefly describe the impact of this practice at night for falling asleep, and in the mornings when you don’t feel rested enough.
If you’re considering resolutions in the new year to improve your quality of life, did you know that the one variable that will impact your health and happiness the most isn’t diets or deadlifts – it’s relationships! For more on how relationships influence health, check out these abstracts here and here.
A science-based protocol for morning list making that combines the science of goal setting, emotional health, and motivation…and only takes 5 minutes? Try it tomorrow morning!
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January 2-5, 2024
A 5 minute break that really replenishes your energy? But – try it before you get tired.
Not feeling the pressure of reinventing yourself for a New Year, New You? Try these journal prompts for reflecting on how far you’ve come, and honoring your values for who you are today.
A free 14-day guided meditation journey with plenty of advice and grace for meditation practices that aren’t perfect.