ScienceDaily: Living Well News

Loneliness and social isolation are just as much a threat to longevity as obesity Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:05 PM PDT Loneliness and social isolation are just as much a threat to longevity as obesity. The effect occurs even for people who like to be alone. Lack of relationships is a bigger health risk for people under age 65.

When to keep kids home from school: Expert opinion Posted: 11 Mar 2015 01:02 PM PDT For many reasons, a child being home from school while sick can be stressful. Parents worry about the severity of their child’s illness and about the child missing school, all while trying to shuffle work schedules to be home.

Gender, race influences when teens start drinking, smoking and doing drugs Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:47 AM PDT Cigarette use among white teenagers is substantially higher than among black and Hispanic teenagers, especially at 18 years old, according to researchers. Alcohol and marijuana use are also higher in white teenagers, and the numbers continue to increase until age 20. Throughout their 20s, blacks and Hispanics are more likely to pick up a cigarette-smoking habit, while the numbers start to decrease for whites.

Brain waves predict our risk for insomnia Posted: 11 Mar 2015 09:44 AM PDT There may not yet be a cure for insomnia, but researchers are a step closer to predicting who is most likely to suffer from it -- just in time for World Sleep Day on March 13. Researchers note that we should all keep abiding by the habits already acknowledged to promote a good night's sleep: "Avoid sources of stress when going to bed, preserve the bedroom environment for sleep and not for work, and avoid stimulation. Find ways to relax before going to sleep."

New moms more satisfied after giving birth in a public hospital Posted: 11 Mar 2015 06:10 AM PDT Women who give birth in a public hospital are more confident parents compared to women who have babies privately, a new Australian study has found. "We found that compared to women in a private hospital, women who birthed in the public sector had six times the odds of being telephoned by a care provider, 34 times the odds of being visited at home and five times the odds of visiting a GP within 10 days of being at home," an author said.

Pre-game jitters: Student athletes, parents both contribute to anxious feelings before competition, research suggests Posted: 06 Mar 2015 03:11 PM PST A student athlete’s anxiety levels before competition are determined not only by their own expectations for their performance, but their parents' expectations as well, a new study concludes.

How drinking behavior changes through the years Posted: 05 Mar 2015 06:00 PM PST In the UK, frequent drinking becomes more common in middle to old age, especially amongst men, according to research. Doctors are seeing a growing number of cases of alcohol misuse among the elderly and this finding supports concerns that older people might be abusing alcohol.