Shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing,”is a traditional Japanese practice of immersing通过有意识地使用所有五种感官,使自己处于自然之中。But you don’t have to lose yourselfin a forest to reap thehealth benefits of being innature. Something as simpleas a walk through a park orby a lake can pay offfor yourwell-being, says FrancesKuo,PhD, founder and director ofthe Landscape and HumanHealth Lab at the Universityof Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
“Even just looking at arooftopgardenfor 40 secondshelps you sustain attentionduring mentally fatiguingtasks,” she says, citing a 2015study. Here are more reasonsto embrace the outdoors.
More positive outlook.Participants in a small study who took a90-minute nature walk, compared with those who walked through an urbanenvironment, reported lower levels of ruminating (repetitive negativethoughts), a known risk for depression and other psychological conditions.They also showed reduced activity in an area of the brain linked to sadnessand withdrawal.
Better sleep.An Australian study of 259,319 people found that peopleliving in neighborhoods with more greenspace were more likely to geteight hours of sleep nightly than those living in neighborhoods with lessgreen space.
Less pain.A landmark study published in the journalSciencefound thathospitalized patientswhose windows looked onto a garden setting healedfaster from surgery and required less pain medication than patients whoseview was a brick wall.
Sharper memory.When people took an hour stroll in a nature setting,their short-term memory improved by 20 percent, a study inPsychologicalSciencefound. Even looking at pictures of nature helped memory.
健康的心脏。People whose homes have easier access to woods andparks had lower levels of blood-vessel-damaging adrenaline and higherlevels of circulating angiogenic cells (CACs), which repair blood vesseldamage, according to a study of cardiology patients.
If you’re a pet lover, you know thatspending time with a beloved cat, dog,rabbit or other pet can lift your mood, butscience shows it hasrealphysical and对心理健康也有好处。Studies showthat spending as little as five or 10 minuteswith a pet can help lower stress andanxiety, relieve loneliness and reducepain and depression.Continue readingPets Can Boost Your Mood and Ease Your Pain→
Standing desks may be the biggest development in office furniture since chairs on wheels. But is working on your feet really better than sitting? Not necessarily, says Alan Hedge, PhD, ergonomics researcher and professor in the Department of Design and Environmental Analysis at Cornell University. Moderation is key.Continue readingAre Standing Desks Good for People With Arthritis→
当气温下降时,在户外穿合适的衣服可以缓解关节疼痛。“抵御寒冷的最好方法是多穿几层,”费城科学大学运动机能学助理教授海蒂·v·弗里曼博士说。Layering lightweight fabrics can keepyoutoasty with less bulk. Here’s how.Continue readingBeat the Chill→
Entertaining kids andkeeping up with theirenergy can be a challenge,especially whenyou have arthritis. Butwith planning, a positiveattitude and some helpfrom others, you canenjoy your time with themwithout paying for it laterin joint pain andfatigue.Continue readingKeep Your Grandkids Busy Without the Fatigue of Arthritis→
Winter weather usually means two things for hands:pain and stiffness. Simply running your handsunder warm water can jumpstart relief. But forlonger-lasting effects, try these hot ideas.Continue readingHot Tips for Cold Hands→
Changes don’t have to be difficult or dramatic tomake a difference.There is no time like the present toadopt good habits that can improve yourhealth and happiness for the long term.Continue readingFIVE GREAT HABITS FOR A HEALTHIER 2019→
If short days have you feeling blue, getting more sunshine and exercise can help, says Mark Rapaport, MD, chairman of the psychiatry and behavioral sciences department at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. These strategies also might help.
Get crafty.Knitting yourself a scarf could do more than protect you from the cold. A study of 3,545 knitters worldwide found a link between knitting and happiness. The greatest impact was among those who knitted in a group.
Say “om.”Easy on painful joints,yogais also tough on the blues, according to a review article inFrontiers in Psychiatry. Yoga appears to influence brain chemicals and inflammation in the body similarly to antidepressants and psychotherapy.
Get enoughzzz’s.It’s hard to feel good when you are sleep-deprived. Research shows that increasingsleeptime by treating insomnia may improve mood. If your blues don’t go away and you feel helpless, hopeless, guilty or despairing, see a professional.
If you have gout, you know all about high uric acid levels. Uric acid (UA) forms when the body breaks down purines, which are found in human cells and many foods. You may be working with your doctor, taking medication and avoiding certain foods to keep UA levels in the normal range, but could you be overlooking an important factor – your weight?Continue readingWeight Loss Helps Gout→
Getting out of bed when you have arthritis can produce a chorus of creaks and pops. Morning stiffness is an all-too-common symptom of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and osteoarthritis (OA).Continue readingYour Arthritis Morning Routine→