Tom westley

Source: Tom Wang/Adobe Stock People around the world are living longer than ever before, which has led to an increase in the overall age of the global population. Over the past 50 years, the number of people over age 65 has tripled. If this trend continues, older adults will make up more than 25 percent of the global population by 2050. Unfortunately, these longer life spans do not necessarily mean people are living healthier or higher-quality lives. In fact, it's estimated that more than three-quarters of older adults have at least two chronic diseases. There are myriad interventions to address the health issues that accompany aging; one of the most effective is exercise. Research shows regular exercise among older adults prevents chronic disease, extends life expectancy and improves quality of life. A large systematic review published last month in the Journal of Health and Sport Science takes a closer look specifically at the types and frequency of exercise that … [Read more...] about What We Know About Exercise for Older Adults

Source: Getty Images/Guy P. Harrison “Every person we save is one less zombie to fight.”  ― World War Z , 2013 film The invasion of the U.S. Capitol Building by rioters and vandals on January 6 marked a significant moment in American history. It made clear that political propaganda and irrational beliefs have reached crisis levels. Thousands of people in Washington, D.C. that day, and many more elsewhere in America, are now so hypnotized by blatant lies and objectively nonsensical beliefs that they are willing to break laws and even threaten others with violence, at risk of their own safety and freedom. Gullibility, fanaticism, and political trickery are not new in America, of course. But it all feels faster, louder, and more dangerous these days. One no longer needs to be a charismatic apocalyptic preacher with a brick-and-mortar church or a well-financed politician to invade minds at a steady clip. Today anyone with a Facebook or Twitter account has the potential … [Read more...] about How to Repair the American Mind

Source: ATeam/Shutterstock Mindfulness is everywhere these days. Increasingly, people are really bringing greater attention to the present moment, cultivating compassion, and making time to sit with their feelings and thoughts as they arise, without reacting or getting lost in them. There are hundreds of books on the subject, countless instructional videos, courses and workshops. One can easily find online meditation groups, especially popular during this time of global lockdown and heightened stress. There are mindfulness programs specifically for schoolchildren , for the workplace , for people in prison , and for seniors facing retirement. Mindfulness has also found its way into the mental health community, with numerous therapeutic approaches incorporating key elements of mindfulness into their theory and methods. My research group at War Child Holland has developed a mindfulness-based psychosocial intervention to support refugee parents who are coping … [Read more...] about 5 Ways to Get More Out of Your Mindfulness Practice

As I write this post, this world is faced with a global pandemic. When I wrote my last post at the end of 2019, I hardly imagined that my next post would start with this line. But here we are. It’s an unsettling and unprecedented time that forces many of us into a life that feels much slower, but also more isolated and uncertain. Things and activities that we perceived as completely normal and often took for granted, such as talking to colleagues at work, meeting up with friends, going to a restaurant, watching a film in the cinema, visiting family or even hugging loved ones, suddenly seem like an expensive luxury item we can no longer afford. I don’t think you need to be highly sensitive in temperament to be responding to this global crisis with concern and worry for your loved ones and others and the occasional spike of anxiety and despair. I suspect that most of us feel deeply worried at times and can’t help but feel moved by the pictures on television of doctors and nurses … [Read more...] about Self-Care for the Highly Sensitive Person During Corona

Source: Jill Wellington/Pixabay Like everyone, I desire happiness , success, and a good, fulfilling life. And, like most people, I find simple and organized lists of steps or rules leading to the good life quite attractive. Drawing lines, designating categories, and summarizing things to simplify our thinking about the world are good things. But, lines and categories don’t make our understanding of the world less complex if our simplifications are incorrect—and in such cases, they can make the world unnecessarily more complex than it was in the first place. That said, I’m feeling a little overwhelmed these days with the mass-marketed, success prescription-lists that every contemporary, intellectual guru appears to be peddling. Everyone, from Deepak Chopra to Tom Cruise, appears to have an opinion on the best routes to happiness, success, and the good life. Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos wasn’t enough—now we have even more from his Beyond … [Read more...] about How Many Steps to the Good Life? The World May Never Know