From the category archives:
A lavender sachet. Long known to soothe the jangled nerves of humans, the scent of lavender has now been shown to calm anxious dogs who are traveling by car, making them more likely to lay down quietly and less inclined to move around or bark, reveals a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association. Even better? Unlike pricey pet tranquilizers, breathing in the scent of lavender has no dangerous side effects.
[photo: oOlemon]
Your honey helps you become a better person—and vice versa! According to a new study in the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science, we all tend to improve our partners by encouraging positive personality traits and helping them achieve personal goals. For instance, your sweetie may help you overcome shyness by asking you to share one of your funniest stories at a dinner party. And you might help your sweetie achieve a lifelong dream of learning the guitar by signing him up for lessons.
[photo: rochelle, et. al.]
Invite pals over to chat, watch a movie, play a game, munch pizza or do another activity that helps you bond. It’s not just fun—feeling an emotional connection with girlfriends melts tension fast by raising your body’s level of [more…]
Sure, Oscar night is famous for its glitz and glam as our favorite actresses get dressed to the nines and stroll the red carpet. But, special occasions are not the only time actors—or you—should dress up. A study in the Home Economics Journal reveals that wearing your dressier outfits for everyday activities makes people see you as friendlier and [more…]
Burning a scented candle or spraying a room with your favorite air freshener doesn’t only make your home smell wonderful, it stimulates areas of the brain that change your mood. “Scents can generate reactions in the frontal lobe and the hypothalamus that influence behaviors and personalities,” says Alan Hirsch, M.D., Founder of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago. According to his research, if you want to be more… [more…]
Dream of starring on America’s Got Talent, Top Chef, The Bachelor or The Amazing Race? Getting on these and other reality TV shows is easier than you think, says television producer and reality TV expert Donna Michelle Anderson (aka DMA), author of The Show Starter™ Reality TV Made Simple System. Here are her 5 tips to snagging a spot on your favorite reality program: [more…]
According to a survey of wealthy lottery winners who could easily afford both, chocolate is the bigger happiness-booster hands down. And when University of Nottingham psychologists asked what else makes them happiest, the lottery winners overwhelmingly chose other free or low-cost indulgences—such as a long bath, an afternoon nap and a stroll in the park—over high-priced luxuries like flashy cars and exotic vacations. “Spending time relaxing is the secret to a happy life. Cost-free pleasures are the ones that make the difference—even when you can afford anything that you want,” says study author Richard Tunney, Ph.D.
[photo: pixietart]
Check on an elderly neighbor, return cash to a cashier who gave you too much change or do another nice deed. Just like Mom insisted, beauty really does come from the inside, report researchers in the journal Personal Relationships. In their study, volunteers who were asked to rate the attractiveness of strangers in photos actually changed their views after learning how nice they were. Folks who were friendly and honest were perceived as better looking while those who were unfair or rude were perceived as less attractive!
[photo: Zaldymlg]
Contrary to the old belief that kidding around isn’t appropriate at the office, researchers from the University of Missouri-Columbia found that just the opposite is true: an occasional joke among colleagues improves creativity, the ability to work as a team and overall performance.
[photo: D. Sharon Pruitt]
When you don’t enough zzz’s, it triggers a shutdown of your prefrontal lobe, a part of your brain that keeps emotions under control. The result? You’re more likely to act irrationally and dramatically overreact to negative situations—such as spilling your drink or someone showing up late to a meeting, according to a new brain imaging study from researchers at Harvard Medical School and the University of California, Berkeley. “Sleep appears to restore our emotional brain circuits, and in doing so prepares us for the next day’s challenges and social interactions,” the study authors explain.
[photo: aussiegall]
Your routine. A Duke University study recently found this works faster and more effectively at breaking bad habits—like cigarette smoking and eating junk food—than relying on willpower alone. So, if you always light up with co-workers on your coffee break, take a walk around the block by yourself instead. And, if you can’t resist the lure of fattening French fries, change your driving route so you don’t pass fast food restaurants.
[photo: meddygarnet]
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