Latest Research Issue 6
Mental Attitude: Early to Bed Leads to Fewer Negative Thoughts.
A study that included 100 college students found that those who went to bed later and slept fewer hours experienced more repetitive negative thoughts during the day than those who went to bed earlier and slept longer. Study author Dr. Jacob Nota adds, "Making sure that sleep is obtained during the right time of day may be an inexpensive and easily disseminable intervention for individuals who are bothered by intrusive thoughts."
Cognitive Therapy and Research, December 2014
Health Alert: Internet Addiction is a Worldwide Problem.
An analysis of 31 nations found the overall global prevalence of Internet addiction is around 6%. Internet addiction is the inability to inhibit Internet use, which can adversely affect a person's life, including their health and relationships. Investigators noted that Internet addiction varies among regions around the world from about 1 in 38 people in Northern and Western Europe to about 1 in 10 people in the Middle East.
Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, December 2014
Diet: Kids Get Too Much Caffeine from Energy Drinks.
A new Danish study claims that 20% of children between the ages of ten and fourteen who regularly consume energy drinks ingest too much caffeine based on the caffeine content of the energy drinks alone. Furthermore, when caffeine intake from other sources such as soda and chocolate is included, fifty percent of these children and over 30% of high school-age children consume too much caffeine. Senior researcher Dr. Jeppe Matthiessen claims, "Both the use of and attitudes towards energy drinks give us reason to be concerned that the intake will increase in the coming years and we therefore suggest that more information will be made available about energy drinks aimed at children and adolescents as well as their parents."
National Food Institute, December 2014
Exercise: HIIT Is Good For Hypertension Patients!
Patients with high blood pressure who participated in a 16-week high-intensity intermittent training (HIIT) program experienced greater improvements in both their blood pressure and overall quality of life when compared with hypertension patients who participated in a 16-week moderate-intensity continuous exercise routine. HIIT is an exercise strategy consisting of low-to-moderate intensity intervals alternated with high-intensity intervals.
The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness, January 2015
Chiropractic: Helps with Recurrent Ankle Sprains!
While many associate chiropractic care with back and neck pain, manipulative therapy provided by doctors of chiropractic can also help patients with recurrent ankle sprains. In a study of 33 patients with recurrent ankle sprain with functional instability (RASFI), those who received rehabilitation in addition to six treatments of manipulative therapy reported improved joint motion as well as significant reductions in pain when compared with those who received rehabilitation alone.
Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, January 2015
Wellness/Prevention: Proper Screening for Hearing Loss.
The American Speech-Language Hearing Association suggests that adults undergo a hearing test every 10 years until age 50, after which they should undergo screenings every three years. Individuals who fail a hearing test should see an audiologist for a complete hearing evaluation.
American Speech-Language Hearing Association, December 2014