Healthy lifestyle traits may substantially reduce Alzheimer’s
Combining more healthy lifestyle behaviors was associated with substantially lower risk for Alzheimer’s disease in a study that included data from nearly 3,000 research participants. Those who adhered to four or all of the five specified healthy behaviors were found to have a 60% lower risk of Alzheimer’s. The behaviors were physical activity, not smoking, light-to-moderate alcohol consumption, a high-quality diet, and cognitive activities. Funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA), part of the National Institutes of Health, this research was published in the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
How night owls can improve their health, performance
Late night sleep has long been linked to some health problems. Experts have been warning night owls that their different body clock could increase the risk of obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure or heart disease. However, there is now a good reason to go to bed late and enjoy a late morning breakfast. A new study suggests that night owls can reduce the health risks of sleeping late by following simple lifestyle adjustments.
Empathy can be detected in people whose brains are at rest
UCLA researchers have found that it is possible to assess a person’s ability to feel empathy by studying their brain activity while they are resting rather than while they are engaged in specific tasks. Traditionally, empathy is assessed through the use of questionnaires and psychological assessments. The findings of this study offer an alternative to people who may have difficulty filling out questionnaires, such as people with severe mental illness or autism.