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Read More about Making holiday shopping decisions quicker and with less stress
Making holiday shopping decisions quicker and with less stress

Making holiday shopping decisions quicker and with less stress

The holiday season often makes people feel stressed out over choosing gifts. Everyone wants to give a gift that the recipient will be excited about, but expectations and the fear of making the wrong choice undermine the thinking process. Can people get better at making decisions? Yes, but it requires accepting that there is no ideal choice, and approaching the process with the proper focus.

Read More about How much sleep keeps cognitive decline at bay?
How much sleep keeps cognitive decline at bay?

How much sleep keeps cognitive decline at bay?
Sleeping six hours or less is associated with impaired cognition, mostly in memory, as well as an increase in the protein that can form brain plaque. Sleeping nine hours or more is also linked to cognitive problems, especially in decision making.
Read More about Taking control
Taking control

Taking control
Uncertainty and feeling less in control, which has occurred for many during the pandemic, can heighten stress. The human brain has more difficulty assessing risk when elements outside its control are introduced. To make the situation more manageable, pare down, simplify what you can to avoid unnecessary decision making, prioritize your mental health, and don’t get stuck in gathering and analyzing information.
Read More about Exposure to traffic noise linked to higher dementia risk
Exposure to traffic noise linked to higher dementia risk

Exposure to traffic noise linked to higher dementia risk
A decade or more of high exposure to traffic noise may increase dementia risk.
Read More about Take a breather
Take a breather

Take a breather
Most breathing follows a smooth, steady rhythm, but sometimes normal breathing turns erratic. For example, when people are stressed or panicked, breathing gets shallow, making it feel as if it is hard to take in air. When the fight-or-flight response kicks in to confront perceived danger (real or imagined), breathing pace quickens to prepare the heart and muscles for a quick getaway. One way to manage these types of stressful breathing when they occur is to practice breathing exercises designed to help bring in more oxygen and slow the breathing rhythm.
Read More about Gifts that promote relaxation and resilience
Gifts that promote relaxation and resilience

Gifts that promote relaxation and resilience
An array of products that encourage people to relax can be good holiday gifts for friends and loved ones who need to reduce their stress levels. Suggestions include a year’s subscription to a meditation app; yoga props such as a mat, blocks, and straps; devices that enable self-massage of the upper body; and products that may foster sound sleep, such as a weighted blanket, a noise machine, and scented bath salts.
Read More about Helpful gadgets for a fuzzy memory
Helpful gadgets for a fuzzy memory

Helpful gadgets for a fuzzy memory
Many gadgets help support memory. Some—such as calendars, voice recorders, and talking motion-activated sensors—provide basic reminders that can be used to help someone remember appointments, lists, and more. Other tools, such as key hooks and mini shelves, support memory by establishing a reliable storage spot for everyday objects such as keys and eyeglasses. Automatic pill dispensers and pill alarms can help people manage a medication regimen. Wireless trackers can help people find objects when they’re misplaced. Smartphones have many memory-support tools, such as calendars, notepads, voice recorders, and alarms.
Read More about Harvard finds flavonoids linked to sharper thinking and memory
Harvard finds flavonoids linked to sharper thinking and memory

Harvard finds flavonoids linked to sharper thinking and memory
People with the highest daily flavonoid intakes were 19% less likely to report trouble with memory and thinking, compared with people who had the lowest daily flavonoid intakes, according to a Harvard study published online July 28, 2021, by Neurology.
Read More about Holiday health hazards
Holiday health hazards

Holiday health hazards
The holidays come with health hazards, such as eating rich food, which can lead to weight gain; drinking too much alcohol and triggering a fast, irregular heartbeat; being stressed, which can weaken the immune system; and being exposed to someone with COVID-19 at a holiday gathering. To stay safe, one should pick only a few days to splurge on holiday foods, and limit quantities; drink only in moderation; ward off stress by exercising regularly, get seven hours of sleep nightly, practice relaxation techniques; and follow the latest guidelines to reduce COVID-19 exposure at holiday gatherings.
Read More about Anti-inflammatory food superstars for every season
Anti-inflammatory food superstars for every season

Anti-inflammatory food superstars for every season

Inflammation is part of the body's healing process, but chronic inflammation can contribute to a range of health issues. In every season, regularly eating a variety of anti-inflammatory foods can benefit your health.

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