-
Empowering Parents: Mediation Strategies to Tackle Problematic Media Use
Read more: Empowering Parents: Mediation Strategies to Tackle Problematic Media UseMedia use is a daily, and some would say an hourly, activity for children and adults. According to Statista, the average daily time using digital media in the U.S. was 7 hours, 19 minutes in 2022. Children 8-10 years old spend 6 hours per day on screens and those 11-14 spend almost 9 hours per…
-
Mindfulness and Problematic Social Media Use: Are They Connected?
Read more: Mindfulness and Problematic Social Media Use: Are They Connected?From its origins in Hinduism, Buddhism, and yoga, mindfulness has hit the mainstream and is now the subject of intense psychological research. Mindfulness meditation training, a big business, caters to people seeking to counteract the numerous distractions of modern-day life. Mindfulness describes a person’s ability to focus on the present. It differs from other types…
-
Effects of Exercise Type and Intensity on Neuroplasticity
Read more: Effects of Exercise Type and Intensity on NeuroplasticityThe health benefits of exercise have been well-established in many current studies, and people of all ages are encouraged to “chronically” exercise. These benefits can apply not only to cardiovascular, strength, and overall physical health but also to brain health. Neuroplasticity, or brain plasticity, is important to learning and growth and our brains are most…
-
Maximize Brain Power and Memory with Aerobic Exercise
Read more: Maximize Brain Power and Memory with Aerobic ExerciseTwo previous posts have reviewed studies of the beneficial effects of exercise for depressed adults and adolescents. New research shows that aerobic exercise may even reverse memory loss in the aging brain. The hippocampus, located in the brain’s temporal lobe, is associated with memory. It is instrumental in storing long-term memories. As we age, the…
-
Empowering Depressed Adolescents: The Transformative Role of Exercise
Read more: Empowering Depressed Adolescents: The Transformative Role of ExerciseWhile there are well-established treatment options for depressed adolescents, these treatments often come with significant costs or drawbacks. Anti-depressants have side effects, including “weight gain, sleep disturbance, and reproductive dysfunction” whereas psychotherapy “is associated with perceived stigma for attending the therapist” (p. 2). By comparison, exercise has been proven to reduce depression in adults in…
-
Lavender: An Over-the-Counter Treatment for Depression
Read more: Lavender: An Over-the-Counter Treatment for DepressionIts effects on anxiety are already well-established—does it also help with depression? Lavender was the topic of a previous post about alternative treatments for anxiety and depression. That post summarized randomized controlled trials testing the use of lavender in various forms (tea, massage oil, pill, and inhalation) to reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. In another…
Got any recommendations?
