Social engagement and relationships Archive

People can't control the outside world, but they can control their reactions to it. A technique called cognitive restructuring can help a person change negative thinking and calm stressful reactions. It involves a four-step process, known as "stop, breathe, reflect, choose."

More than one in four adults ages 65 and older fall each year, and about 20% of those tumbles result in a broken bone or head injury. The best way to prevent falls is to stay in good shape by improving core strength, balance, and flexibility. People can further protect themselves by learning to fall in a way that reduces their risk of serious injury. Practicing falling can help develop muscle memory, so the body can automatically react to the situation, and help those who have previously suffered a fall overcome the fear of taking another tumble.

Dry January is an annual health initiative in which people commit to abstaining from drinking alcohol-beer, wine, and spirits-for one month. The challenge can be a useful tool to help people change their relationships with alcohol. Partaking in Dry January can offer various health benefits, even for casual drinkers, such as improved sleep, increased energy, weight loss, and lower blood pressure. It also can help people explore what role they want alcohol to have going forward, such as whether they want to cut back on frequency and amount, or quit drinking altogether.

A 2023 study suggests that eating lots of ultra-processed foods, which are high in sugar, salt, fat, and additives, may raise the risk for depression.

Rumination consists of a repetitive stream of negative thoughts or themes. It often involves mentally replaying a past scenario or conversation or trying to solve a vexing problem. But rumination can also damage mental and physical health, increasing the risk of depression, anxiety, insomnia, and inflammation. People can thwart rumination by finding distractions, changing location, relying on relaxation techniques, confiding in a friend, or taking action. Cognitive behavioral therapy can also help.

If you have upset someone, the best way to rectify the situation is by making a sincere, heartfelt apology. But just saying the words isn't quite enough: for an apology to be effective, it has to be genuine. You have to mean it, and you have to make that clear.

If you want to cut down on your alcohol consumption, or just want to start the new year on a healthy note, consider joining the Dry January challenge. Does a month seem like a long time? Here are steps you can take to improve your chances of success.

If you're looking for gifts to give or donate, climate-conscious gifts come in many guises and fit no-cost, low-cost, or big budgets. Gifts can directly support the environment, trim waste and fossil fuel use, or offer creative ways to connect, reuse, recyle — and possibly regift.