Summary: We’ve long known that a run can clear your head, but a landmark one-year randomized clinical trial has finally mapped the long-term biological “why.” The study is the first…
Tag: Cortisol
Stressed Out? Diverse Gut Bacteria Might Be to Blame
Summary: Does the community of bacteria in your gut determine how you handle a high-pressure situation? A new study provides fresh evidence that the human gut microbiome is intrinsically linked…
Double Shifts Wreck the Body’s Stress Rhythm
Summary: For most people, the “stress hormone” cortisol hits its lowest point at midnight, allowing the body to recover and rest. However, new research reveals that for nurses working double…
AI Uncovers Hidden Stress Damage in the Body
Summary: Researchers developed an AI tool that detects chronic stress by measuring adrenal gland volume on routine chest CT scans. This biomarker aligns with cortisol levels, stress questionnaires, and future…
Maternal Stress Speeds Up Baby Teething
Summary: New research shows that infants whose mothers had higher cortisol levels during late pregnancy experience significantly earlier eruption of primary teeth. Babies of mothers with the highest cortisol levels…
Simple Hair Test May Spot Mental Health Risks in Kids
Summary: Long-term stress, measured through hair cortisol, may help predict mental health risks in children living with chronic physical illnesses. In a four-year study of 244 children, researchers found that…
Beauty sleep isn’t a myth – a sleep medicine expert explains how rest keeps your skin healthy and youthful
Have you ever woken up after a night of poor sleep, glanced in the mirror and thought, “I look tired?” You’re not imagining it. I am a neurologist who specializes…
Happy Partners Help Reduce Stress in Older Adults
Summary: Having a happy intimate partner can lower stress levels in older adults by reducing the production of cortisol, a stress hormone. Couples with higher relationship satisfaction experience an even…
Stress Fuels Impulsive Behavior in Response to Boredom
Summary: Research shows a strong link between impulsivity, boredom, and stress, with highly impulsive individuals reacting more to boredom by releasing more of the stress hormone cortisol. This physiological response…
