Women with mental stress may have more trouble conceiving than their unstressed peers, a new study shows. Among 274 English women, all trying to get pregnant, those with the highest levels of alpha-amylase — a salivary biomarker for stress — had an estimated 12% reduction in their chance of getting pregnant each menstrual cycle, …
Stress
Why do women get more stressed out than men?
Initial results from an animal study conducted by researchers at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia may shed some light on a question that has perplexed both sexes: why do women often seem to get so much more stressed out than men? In a rat study led by neuroscientist Dr. Rita Valentino, researchers found that females were more
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Telecommuting, flex-time decrease work-life conflict
For people whose jobs permit them to at least occasionally work from home, it may come as no surprise that a new study of more than 24,000 IBM employees in 75 different countries finds that workers who telecommute are generally able to strike a better balance between work and family life compared with those who must always schlep to the
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The Soothing Effect of Mom’s Voice
Just hearing Mom’s voice over the phone may have the same soothing effect as getting a hug in person, according to new research to be published tomorrow in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Not coping with stress may increase teeth-grinding
People who are stressed are more likely to grind their teeth in their sleep—clenching, and working their jaws throughout the night, slowly wearing teeth smooth or even chipping them, and awakening with headaches and muscle tension. Yet, according to new research published last week in the journal, it’s not solely feeling stressed, but
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Dude, Where’s my Trauma? Marijuana Could Treat PTSD
Many millions have been made in Hollywood by lampooning the acute effects of marijuana on memory—but Israeli researchers suggest that they might one day be harnessed to prevent or treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And today’s election results bringing medical marijuana dispensaries to yet another state suggest that day …
Rapid Antidepressants? Perception Changes Fast; Mood, Not So Much
Do antidepressants actually start to work immediately? Although people with depression don’t usually feel better right away, a fascinating new study suggests that these medications change the way people see the world within hours, not the two to six weeks that patients typically must wait before they sense that their mood has lifted. …
Early Trauma, Diet and Cancer: Holocaust study probes links
A link between exposure to traumatic stress and cancer has long been suspected—but researchers don’t yet fully understand how severe stress could produce this insidious effect or which types of cancer might be most affected. A new study of cancer risk amongst Holocaust survivors offers some clues.
The research also suggests that …
Depression may intensify response to flu vaccine in pregnant women
Pregnant women with significant signs of depression may react more strongly to the seasonal flu vaccine than women with milder cases of the common mood disorder, according to a new study slated to appear in the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity. The study was small but carefully designed. Researchers had 22 pregnant women fill out …
Among American workers, fear of losing your job is linked to health problems
Constantly worrying about losing your job may be worse for your health than actually getting laid off or being unemployed, according to a study published in the September issue of the journal Social Science and Medicine. By analyzing two large, long-term data sets for some 1,700 U.S. workers, sociologists from the University of Michigan
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One third of homeowners in foreclosure suffer from major depression, study finds
A full 36.7% of homeowners in foreclosure meet the screening criteria for major depression, according to a new study released today in the American Journal of Public Health. A further 10.2% suffer from minor depression, the study finds.
The result comes from researchers at the University of Pennsylvania, who surveyed 250 …
Do working women get lower quality sleep than men?
While domestic responsibilities are slowly being divvied up more equally among men and women with the increasing prevalence of working moms and stay-at-home dads, there is plenty of evidence suggesting that women still shoulder most of the household and child-rearing responsibilities. A study highlighted by the Economist earlier this …
What Causes Stress?
Here’s a chance to help scientists uncover the roots of stress. The Big Stress Experiment aims to be the largest-ever scientific investigation on the topic — and it’s recruiting help from the public. You take an online quiz about your feelings and your life experience. Then academic researchers take your data (anonymously) to determine …
