Women May Benefit More from Mindfulness

Gina Messina, Ph.D. 10/11/2021

Women may benefit more from mindfulness than men. “Mindfulness” is a huge buzzword in the wellness world lately, and for good reason: it’s been scientifically shown to be able to reduce stress, anxiety symptoms, and even depression. With roots in Eastern religious traditions, it’s now practiced as a secular way to bring peace and gratitude into everyday life. One study found that the practice of mindfulness may be more impactful for women than men, at least in a college setting. Here’s everything you need to know about how mindfulness empowers women in particular, and what you need to do to get started with your own practice. What is mindfulness? The simplest definition of mindfulness is the practice of being here now. Mindfulness invites people to…

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Categories: Meditation, Self-care, Wellness & Personal Growth

Tags: health, mindfulness, wellness

Gina Messina, Ph.D.

Women Are Twice as Likely as Men to Have Depression 一 Here’s Why

When it comes to gender differences in depression, the numbers are shocking: women, regardless of their race, ethnicity, or cultural background, are twice as likely as men to have depression. Research has proven this; one meta-analysis, for example, found that girls start becoming more likely than boys to have depression as early as the age of 12 (or after puberty). But what are the reasons behind these numbers? Why are women so much more vulnerable to depression than men, and is there anything we can do about it? Here’s everything we know. Why Are Women More Likely to Have Depression? Around 12 million 一 some numbers say 1 in every 10 一 American women suffer from depression, a number that’s twice as large as the…

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Saya Des Marais 01/24/2022

Does Practicing Gratitude Really Work? Here’s What the Science Says

Does Practicing Gratitude Really Work? If you’ve ever done any reading in the self-help realm, you’ve probably heard this piece of advice: “Be grateful.” But does this tip have any basis in science? Does gratitude really improve our mental health? And, if so, how can we practice it effectively? Here’s everything we know about the psychology of gratitude, and how you can harness it to become a happier, healthier person. What Gratitude Really Is — and What It Isn’t Before we talk about the science behind gratitude, it’s important to define what gratitude really is. Many people express that they feel that gratitude is “toxic positivity.” You may have felt like practicing gratitude feels forced, as if you’re not allowing yourself to feel upset about…

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Gina Messina, Ph.D. 11/20/2023

Put Down the Scrub Brush for a Moment and Clean Your Life Up with Gratitude

I was curious, so I did a quick Internet search to investigate how many hours we spend, on average, cleaning our homes. What I found was many different results ranging from one hour per day for the average person, to seven hours per week for parents, to two hours per day for women, and to about 20 hours per week for full-time working women. Wow. When you really think about it, we spend a lot of time cleaning (perhaps some of us more than others!). The good news is that cleaning has been found to promote mental health (although I’m not so sure I want my partner to know this!). Cleaning helps us gain a sense of mastery and control over our environment, calms the…

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Jessica Headley, Ph.D., LPCC-S 05/09/2022

How To Recognize and Handle Burnout

What Is Burnout? Burnout is a state of physical, emotional, and mental exhaustion that comes from stress exposure (Schaufeli & Greenglass, 2001). Generally, the stress that leads to burnout is consistent and ongoing for an extended period. A single stressful event usually isn’t enough to cause burnout. When you are burned out you may feel constantly exhausted or anxious and on edge. You may feel irritable and angry. You may feel like you are living in a fog and unable to think clearly. You may be unable to relax or get to sleep. Burnout Syndrome Burnout syndrome was first formally defined in the 1970s to describe a collection of symptoms often seen in people working as medical professionals, teachers, social workers, and others in helping…

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Institute Editorial Team 03/08/2023

How to care for yourself while taking care of others

Caregivers, this is for you. Even before the pandemic, more than 16% of the US population was providing unpaid care to an adult 18 years or older, including family members with Alzheimer’s or dementia. Women make up about 75% of those caregivers, and they put in the work while juggling jobs, children, and ongoing domestic-task overload. With COVID back on the rise, caregivers are under additional pressure to care for and protect their loved ones. If you’re a caregiver, the stress may seem relentless, and you may be: having trouble sleeping under/over-eating self-medicating with alcohol or drugs canceling (or not even booking) your own doctors’ appointments That’s because when you’re a caregiver, caring for yourself tends to happen only after everyone else’s needs have been…

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Institute Editorial Team 09/26/2023

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