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Stress
Time to relax with the StressWatch
By Jeff Salton
19:10 September 27, 2009 PDT
Most of us need a little bit of stress in our lives to operate effectively - the saying: “if it wasn’t for the 11th hour I'd never get anything done” rings true for many of us. But those with highly demanding jobs, or who live in stressful environments, know how damaging long-term exposure to stress can be. The StressWatch concept is intended as a stress-reducing device that provides a visual alarm for those sufferers who want to reduce the impact stress has on their health. In the past, Gizmag has witnessed a few stress-relieving devices like the HeartMath emwave PSR and the 'stress sensor vest' - it seems stress just won't leave us alone, so we better learn to deal with it. Read More
In a twirl with the Chukka Kinetic Music Player
By Paul Ridden
06:09 August 11, 2009 PDT
Listening to music became a truly personal experience when Sony first introduced the Walkman all those years ago. Technological advances since then have seen music players store more songs, become more compact and include color screens - and now they're even beginning to liberate themselves from the shackles of the battery. To achieve its battery free charge, the Chukka Kinetic Music Player combines electromagnetic induction with a unique design that positively encourages the user to twirl it around the fingers, throw it about and otherwise toy with it. The result - an eco-friendly personal media player that also gives you the recognized stress relieving benefits of tactile interaction and repetitive physical motion. Read More
Stopping to smell the lemons can help reduce stress
By Darren Quick
23:15 July 23, 2009 PDT
Stopping to smell the roses is a good mantra to encourage you to take the time to appreciate what’s around you. Stopping to smell the lemons might not have the same ring to it, but scientists in Japan have shown how doing just that can actually alter gene activity and blood chemistry in ways that measurably reduce stress. Read More
Painless mobility: Goldtouch Go! Travel keyboard
By Paul Ridden
06:37 June 15, 2009 PDT
Laptops are an absolute necessity for the many road warriors who regularly key on the go, but as any portable computer enthusiast will attest, the integrated keyboard often gives rise to comfort and productivity concerns. Can a solution be found in the Goldtouch Go! Travel keyboard? Read More
Cities with MLB baseball teams have a lower divorce rate!
By Mike Hanlon
18:21 April 12, 2009 PDT
The family unit is society's fundamental unit - 95 percentage of US citizens marry by age 55. A marriage breakdown is one of the most stressful life events possible, yet more than one in three will experience the trauma of divorce. Not surprisingly, the dynamics of relationships are increasingly the focus of ever more research. The University of Denver Center for Marital and Family Studies in particular is constantly shedding new light on the institution of marriage with recent research findings establishing that the quality of the relationship with parents-in-law is directly connected to marital satisfaction, and more recently, that 90 percent of couples experience a decrease in marital satisfaction once their first child is born. A new study from the centre looking at divorce rates before and after cities got Major League Baseball teams is fascinating in its implications. The study showed that cities with major league baseball teams had a 28 percent lower divorce rate than cities that wanted major league baseball teams. Can marital harmony really be this simple? Read More
First-of-its-kind study warns of jury service trauma
By Mike Hanlon
01:26 March 23, 2009 PDT
March 23, 2009 In the first study of its kind, a new report by psychologists at the University of Leicester warns of the dangers of jurors facing trauma because of their exposure to harrowing and gruesome evidence. The research confirms that jury service, particularly for crimes against people, can cause significant anxiety, and for a vulnerable minority it can lead to severe clinical levels of stress or the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder. Women jurors are particularly vulnerable if the trial covers material that resonates with their personal histories. Read More
Study confirms effects of early environment in brains of suicide victims
By Mike Hanlon
01:31 February 24, 2009 PST
McGill University and Douglas Institute scientists have discovered that childhood trauma can actually alter your DNA and shape the way your genes work. This confirms in humans earlier findings in rats, that maternal care plays a significant role in influencing the genes that control our stress response. Using a sample of 36 brains; 12 suicide victims who were abused; 12 suicide victims who were not abused and 12 controls, the researchers discovered different epigenetic markings in the brains of the abused group. These markings influence the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) function, a stress-response which increases the risk of suicide. Read More
Memory surgery: common drug takes the panic out of traumatic memories
By Loz Blain
14:56 February 17, 2009 PST
Memory-induced panic attacks can be absolutely crippling for sufferers of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - the suffocating, gripping fear associated with traumatic memories can destroy victims' careers, relationships and the normal functioning of their lives. But a team of Dutch clinical psychologists are developing an almost magical cure, using a single dose of a common and fairly harmless beta-blocking drug that seems to be able to separate the panic emotion from the factual elements of the memory - leaving patients with an apparently lasting ability to recall and talk about the traumatic incident without the usual devastating rush of fear. Read More
HeartMath's EmWave Personal Stress Reliever
By Kate Seamer
17:21 January 16, 2009 PST
Here at Gizmag we try to keep our stress levels down, but sometimes a stiff drink and a quick match at Guitar Hero doesn't quite cut it, so we naturally fell in love with HeartMath's emWave Personal Stress Reliever. The emWave PSR is a handheld device that monitors your heart rate and provides feedback that allows you to train yourself to maintain a regular heart rate and breathing rhythm - resulting in reduced stress. We originally covered the emWave PSR when it was first released in 2006 - but at CES 2009, Gizmag's Kate Seamer got a chance to try it out and have a chat with Catherine Calarco from HeartMath. Read More
New study identifies mechanism linking stress to physical illness and premature aging
By Jack Martin
09:02 September 6, 2008 PDT
September 6, 2008 Stress is a function of our primal origins. When the body is under stress, it boosts production of cortisol to support the 'fight or flight' response we all have at the heart of our operating system. If the hormone remains elevated in the bloodstream for long periods of time, though, it wears down the immune system. Every cell contains a tiny clock called a telomere, which shortens each time the cell divides. Short telomeres are linked to a range of human diseases, including HIV, osteoporosis, heart disease and aging. Previous studies have shown that an enzyme within the cell, called telomerase, keeps immune cells young by preserving their telomere length and ability to continue dividing. UCLA scientists have found that the stress hormone cortisol suppresses immune cells' ability to activate their telomerase. This may explain why the cells of persons under chronic stress have shorter telomeres. Read More
matthew.rings
- November 9, 2009 @ 01:28 UTC
