7 Habits you may want to adopt based on Mental Health Research of May 2018

1. Always eat alone? Time for a new approach

A new study by Oxford Economics after completing a study of 8,250 British adults, has concluded that people who always eat alone score 7.9 points lower, in terms of happiness, than the national average. It also concluded that those people who eat socially are more likely to be happier in themselves and to have wider social and emotional support networks.
If you live alone, or regularly eat alone, it may be worth scheduling a few work lunches or social dinners during the week.

2. Improve your learning technique – Resting for just 10 minutes can help you better retain information after you learn it.

New Research this month from the Heriot-Watt University proves that taking a brief rest of 10 minutes after learning a new piece of information can create and retain more detailed memories.
It could well be a good idea to schedule in a couple of minutes to rest after taking in some new information.

3. Suffer from any form of addiction? Yes, exercise does help

New research by the University of Buffalo Research Institute indicates that aerobic exercise can compliment treatment for addiction. The study found that exercise effectively alters the brain’s dopamine system to help treat the addiction.

4. Want to significantly improve your happiness in 2018? Focus on a new hobby which has a social element

Research published in Psychological Science, found that those people who took up pastimes which involved being social were much more satisfied one year later than those who took up pastimes which did not have the social element. If you are looking to take up a new hobby, best to choose one that involves a social element.

5. Want to preserve your memory & slow your brain aging? Get working on expanding your social circle

New Research from the Ohio State University indicates that being social may help to mitigate the age-related inflammation that kills brain support cells. The bigger your social network the better.
If you are elderly and considering where to live, you should choose a practical location for being social.

6. Compulsive hoarding disorder? Find time to reflect on why you may be doing it

A new study by Flinders University demonstrates how those with compulsive hoarding disorder assign emotional attachments to possessions as a way of compensating for a lack of emotional warmth during their early development. The study also showed that those with the disorder tend to have poor confidence in memory and cognitive skills.
In conjunction with therapy, it may be worth doing some inner work and reflection.

7. Have depression? Important to resolve – expert help going forward

Psychologists this month have found that depression can accelerate the rate at which the brain ages. This is the first research of its kind that highlights the detrimental effect of depression on decline in overall cognitive function. Overall cognitive function was measured in terms of memory loss, executive function (such as decision making) and information processing speed.
Along with seeking expert help, those with depression should prioritize preventative activities such as exercising, practicing mindfulness and undertaking recommended therapeutic treatments, such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy.

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