Driving Cell-Drunk
Oprah’s been on the march against distracted driving for a while. Now, reports ScienceDaily, MDs are weighing in in the New England Journal of Medicine.
One study showed talking and driving posed a four time greater risk than undistracted driving. A second study suggested texting raised the risk of collision by a factor of 23.
Sober Living
A profile of an upscale, gay sober living house in the NYT: Avoiding the Undertow of Temptation.
“A critically important component of recovery for people is a sense of community, not isolation,” said Robert J. Lindsey, president and chief executive of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. In sober share houses, the people “are creating for themselves their own environment, and have the opportunity to be out in one of the most beautiful places in the country.”
Find a directory of sober livings in Los Angeles at soberhousing.net. Caution: Not all sober livings have sober residents. Look for houses that do random testing, require 12-step attendance, and otherwise seem serious about recovery.
Depression, Weight, and Sleep (3 Articles)
Another set of three articles–ultrasounds, waistbands, and parenting–related by being a little more interesting than the others coming up in Google Reader right now:
Brain stimulation with ultrasound may enhance cognitive function
Link between depression, abdominal obesity confirmed by new study
First-time parents’ daily sleep duration predicts their relationship satisfaction
Pain Anger Memory (Three Articles)
Three clicks to three articles on three topics:
Pain, Depression Linked (PsychCentral)
Exercise May Ward Off Anger (WebMD)
Memory Improved By Saying Words Aloud (PsyBlog)
Hooked on Gadgets
In case you missed it, from the NYT: Hooked on Gadgets, and Paying a Mental Price about addiction to computers, cell phones, etc.
Scientists say juggling e-mail, phone calls and other incoming information can change how people think and behave. They say our ability to focus is being undermined by bursts of information…While many people say multitasking makes them more productive, research shows otherwise. Heavy multitaskers actually have more trouble focusing and shutting out irrelevant information, scientists say, and they experience more stress.
Related: An Ugly Toll of Technology: Impatience and Forgetfulness and First Steps to Digital Detox.
Daily Mindfulness
From Elisha Goldstein: 10 Ways to Live Mindfulness Today. Here are the first three:
When awaking in the morning, before checking your cell phone for messages, take a few deep breaths and check in with the sensations of your body. Think of one genuinely kind thing to say to one person in your house before leaving the home. If you live alone, wish well for someone in your life. When driving, use red lights as signals to check in with our breath and body. Choose to take a few deep breaths and soften your muscles if they’re tense. Wish others on the road safe driving.
The Married Brain
NYT: What Brain Scans Can Tell Us About Marriage. Looking at older couples:
“They have the feelings of euphoria, but also the feelings of calm and security that we feel when we’re attached to somebody,” Dr. Acevedo said. “I think it’s wonderful news.”
The Invisible Gorilla
A review of The Invisible Gorilla: And Other Ways Our Intuitions Deceive Us. Here’s the test that gives the book its name (watch first, then read):
Smoking and Depression
From PsychCentral: Stop Smoking, Reduce Risk of Depression?
“Our findings are consistent with the conclusion that there is a cause and effect relationship between smoking and depression, in which cigarette smoking increases the risk of developing symptoms of depression…”
Genes and Eating Disorders
ScienceDaily: Potential Genetic Factor in Eating Disorders Identified.
For the first time, scientists have discovered a possible biological culprit in the development of eating disorders during puberty: a type of estrogen called estradiol…