A stroll to school in the morning can help kids prep for the stresses that await them in the classroom. They’ll have less severe increases in heart rate and blood pressure when they’re put on the spot, and will feel less anxious about it to boot — or at least that’s the implication from a new study by researchers at the University of …
Stress
Relationship anxiety may cause more than heartache
A study conducted by researchers at Canada’s Acadia University finds that insecurity and anxiety about a relationship may not only generate heart ache, but also heart attacks. In a study of more than 5,600 people between the ages of 18 to 60, researchers found that those who said they felt insecure in relationships were more likely to
…
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
…
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
…
For kids, high sensitivity to stress isn’t necessarily bad
Generally speaking, past research has shown that children who are highly sensitive to stress tend to be at higher risk for health and behavioral problems compared with their less delicate peers. Yet, a new study finds that sensitivity in of itself may not necessarily be what primes children for struggles. According to new research
…
Feeling isolated may increase cancer risk and severity
A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences adds to a growing body of research suggesting that loneliness and isolation may impact cancer risk and health outcomes. This latest research, conducted by Gretchen Hermes at Yale University and Martha McClintock at the University of Chicago, analyzed how
…
Early Stress Changes Genes Involved in Bonding, Relationships
A growing body of research suggests that early life experience changes the way genes respond to the world—and this can influence everything from the way people respond to stress to their risks for various diseases.
A new study–published in Nature Neuroscience and led by Chris Murgatroyd of the Max Planck Institute in …
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 …
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
…
Can you really worry yourself sick?
A study published this week in the Journal of Research in Personality finds that personality traits that cause people to worry too much and endure chronic stress may actually increase their risk for illness and premature death. A handful of studies have shown that neuroticism—broadly, the tendency to worry too much—can actually be
…
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 …