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There have been plenty of feel-good health and environmental stories in the press during March. Ed Gould rounds up his Top Ten from the past month to uplift and inspire. March was a time of great hopefulness in many parts of the world as some semblance of normality began to emerge for the first time in months. That said, the headlines still tended to be dominated by international frictions, disease and unrest. Of course, there were plenty of good news stories that didn't get the attention they deserved, too. So, what were some of the best? 1. Cheetahs to be reintroduced to India It's about 70 years since cheetahs were last found roaming Asia. Since then, the big cat has been only found in Africa. However, conservationists are turning the tide for the creature as six sites – including the Shergarh Wildlife Sanctuary in Rajasthan and the Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary – have been identified as being suitable for them. According to the Indian Express, two teams of wildlife experts, one in South Africa and one in Namibia, will choose cheetahs for the project which, it's hoped, will help to ensure their long-term survival. 2. Birdsong will make you happier, according to science It may sound obvious, but being in close proximity to birds – particularly hearing them sing – has been shown to induce states of happiness in people. As reported by Yahoo! Life, the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Researchers set out to determine whether it was really true that birds make people feel happier. They discovered that all types of birdlife are able to increase the life satisfaction of people. In fact, they even put a value on it – the researchers say it raises joy levels so much that it's the equivalent of being given around £100 per week! Bird song gives you a boost shutterstock/AlekseyKarpenko 3. Cannabis extract may help Alzheimer's sufferers Scientists in the USA have been working on the cannabis extract known as CBD. During their experiments on mice, they found that exposure to the naturally produced substance had a beneficial effect on cognition. They now suggest that a two-week course of CBD among humans could help to improve the brain function of people who have an inherited form of Alzheimer's disease. According to the research, which was carried out at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, CBD promotes the growth of proteins that help to consume dead brain cells. RELATED: How to talk to a parent with dementia 4. Damaged motor neurons can be treated with new compound Another medical breakthrough was reported in various media outlets in March. This one focussed on amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, otherwise known as ALS. The condition often leads to a loss of control in movement as the degenerative disorder worsens over time. However, scientists now think that a new compound, known as NU-9, can repair damaged motor neurons in the brain. It could offer patients the chance of a treatment pathway in the future. 5. Coral reefs around Fiji make a better than expected comeback When many of the beautiful coral reefs around the island nation of Fiji were destroyed following a powerful cyclone, some people thought they might take decades to recover. However, according to a report in the Guardian, marine scientists have found that the reefs are once more looking vibrant and teeming with life. Fiji's coral reefs have come alive again shutterstock/stockphoto-graf A tropical cyclone named Winston struck in 2016 leaving many Fijian corals looking like rubble. The Wildlife Conservation Society has been monitoring the situation since then and said that it has been truly surprised at how the reefs had recovered. Part of the success has been down to the way in which the society has created no-fishing areas to help preserve the reefs, something it did in tandem with local communities. 6. Chimpanzees use Zoom to stay social During the pandemic, many people have learned to turn to technology to keep their social lives going. However, it' not just humans who are making increased use of video conference calling. In the Czech Republic, zookeepers have been setting up Zoom calls between chimpanzees in different locations. A report in USA Today stated that a safari park in the northern town of Dvur Kralove had started using the technology to enrich the lives of its six chimps by allowing them to see other primates in a zoo located miles away. 7. Mindfulness found to be useful for dealing with pandemic anxiety There can be little doubt that the last 12 months or so have been a more worrying time than usual. Indeed, vast swathes of the world's population have suffered from fear and anxiety relating to the pandemic. However, a recently published paper suggests that these worries can be alleviated by practising mindfulness. Of course, mindfulness techniques are already well-known for the beneficial mental states that they help to bring about. This study, published in the academic journal Global Advances in Health and Medicine, is the first to suggest it also works for pandemic-induced fears. Over 200 volunteers took part in the clinical trial. RELATED: 7 mindfulness tips for staying engaged 8. Rare toad bred for the first time in Manchester Scientists at the Manchester Museum announced they had been able to successfully breed the endangered harlequin toad in a global first. Native to Central America, the toad is so-called for its bright yellow and black markings. After six of the creatures were brought to the UK in 2018, no breeding has occurred. The beautifully-marked harlequin toad shutterstock/goran_safarek However, by replicating the humidity, lighting and water flow of their natural environment, the team was able to see tadpoles successfully developing for the first time. The breeding programme was a culmination of three years of sustained work, according to a report in the Guardian. 9. 3D printing to be used for a school in a global first A site in southern Madagascar has been set aside for a new school. Incredibly, the difference with this project is that a non-profit NGO will be building it using only 3D printed construction materials. In an effort to show how sustainable such buildings can be, Thinking Huts will deliver the design of the school faster and more sustainably than would otherwise be possible. The NGO stated that the method would mean schools of this type could be built in less than a week – including the foundations, electrical works and plumbing. It's hoped that this process will become the norm in parts of the world where more educational establishments are needed. 10. Electronic waste is beginning to decline For decades, people have been producing more and more electronic waste. All sorts of appliances are scrapped and head to landfill sites rather than being recycled each year. However, according to Recycling Today, the tide may be turning. This is because a research team from Yale and the Rochester Institute of Technology have discovered that the amount of electronic waste that is currently being produced is in decline for the first time. Of course, humans are still making such waste but now at a slower rate thanks to increased product longevity and improved recycling opportunities. • Main image: shutterstock/Romolo Tavani happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Nature | Positive news | Biology | Biotechnology Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

Need a break from negative news? These feel-good stories from February highlight the positive things happening around the world. Ed Gould shares his Top Ten round-up from the month. February was a month that had its fair share of scare stories and unpleasant events. However, there were plenty of feel-good news stories that also made it into the mainstream media. Unfortunately, not all news items covering happiness and human warmth received front-page attention. Read on to discover some of the brighter stories from the last month you may have missed among the doom and gloom. 1. Mindfulness eases pain, according to science As it's #MindfulMarch, let's start with a mindfulness story. Even as little as half an hour spent on learning mindfulness techniques can help to ease physical pain. According to Medical News Today, introductory sessions into mindfulness can significantly lessen the impact of negative emotions as well as easing physical pain. Neuro-scientific experiments were conducted by a team at Yale University in the United States. They found that the results were the same even for people who have never practiced mindfulness before. Hedy Kober, an associate professor of psychiatry and psychology at the university, said that mindfulness allowed people to enjoy a non-judgmental acceptance of the negativity associated with pain. 2. Soil bacteria may help the fight against climate change According to a number of news outlets around the world, a bacterium found in the soil may provide some of the answers needed to combat the changing global climate. Researchers at Cornell University have found a new group of bacteria that belong to a genus called Paraburkholderia madseniana. These bacterium are notable for their ability to degrade certain compounds and to generate root nodules that fix atmospheric nitrogen in the ground. It's hoped this will lead them to break down some of the chemicals that are released when fossil fuels are burned, promoting more nutrients for plant life to grow. 3. Children are happier in nature, study shows According to reports by CNN, scientific analysis has shown that children feel greater levels of happiness when they have the opportunity to get out and about in natural environments. Exposure to nature allows children, in particular, to feel more connected to the world. The research was published in February's edition of the journal Frontiers in Psychology by a team of researchers from Mexico. In all, some 300 school-age children took part in the study. As well as feeling happier, those who got out in nature were found to be more likely to be altruistic, too. Exposure to nature benefits children shutterstock/FamVeld 4. India turns to clean fuel In February, the Indian government announced that it would switch to one of the cleanest forms of transportation fuel in the world. The new regulations covering what Indian people can fill up their car with will come into effect from the start of April this year. From then, only BS-IV grades of fuel will be allowed for road-going petrol and diesel engines. It should help to dramatically reduce airborne pollution, especially in the country's crowded urban areas. 5. Chronic inflammation may become a thing of the past In feel-good news for anyone who suffers from chronic inflammation, scientists in the US have announced a way of flipping the way certain molecules work such that the body's immune system won't react to them. The discovery of this 'molecular switch' was published in the academic journal Cell Metabolism. It's thought the technique can be used to treat conditions like Alzheimer’s disease as well as diabetes and even cancer. Work is ongoing at the Department of Metabolic Biology, Nutritional Sciences and Toxicology at UC Berkeley. 6. Want to learn while you sleep? Use your nose A team of scientists at the University of Freiburg in Germany has discovered that fragrances and the ability to smell them both play a part in the way we learn during sleep. Their study has revealed that we can make bigger strides in sleep-learning during hour hours of slumber when we have smelt something pleasant, such as a rose. Jürgen Kornmeier said that his team's work focussed on students learning foreign words. His study group was played English words to take on board during their slumber. Those who were exposed to certain odours before sleeping found their learning was more entrenched than a sample group. RELATED: Can't sleep? 14 fixes to get a good night's rest 7. Want to sleep better? Use your nose In an amazing coincidence, there was another sleep and odour related news story in February that made it into the press. This one followed a study conducted at the University of British Colombia in Canada. It found that sleeping with the natural odour of a partner close by will bring about a better quality of sleep. People who can smell their partner on their clothes or bedsheets – even if they're not present – are more likely to sleep longer and deeper, the study showed. According to the Daily Mail, sleeping in your partner's garments can mean enjoying up to nine minutes more slumber! 8. Bee population rising in North America thanks to hemp Since hemp production started to be legalised in North America, more and more hectares have been devoted to the crop. That has brought a good deal of happiness to many patients with chronic conditions. It has also led to a boost in bee numbers across areas like Colorado where hemp production is expanding. The pollen from the plants is particularly attractive for bees. Indeed, their dwindling numbers around the world may be reversed if other countries follow the example of Canada and the United States. Don't worry, bee happy! shutterstock/RUKSUTAKARAN studio 9. Comedy could help anxiety Some people have always benefited from the happiness and laughter comedy can bring about. However, one group of improvisational comedians in Chicago took it a step further by trying to treat anxiety. Their approach was based on a 2017 scientific study into anxiety and comedy. The team used a blend of group therapy sessions and improvisation classes each week to deliver what they called 'a natural remedy' for people suffering from anxiety in the city. The idea is that improvising various comedic situations makes people operate in the present with less time available for dwelling on the past. 10. Brazilian cities offer tax breaks for good deeds Property taxes in some locations in Brazil can be completely wiped out if residents there take advantage of new local laws. Under the scheme, people who adopt stray dogs or plant trees can enjoy a tax break from about a third of their usual bill and will even have it rescinded entirely if they perform enough qualifying good deeds. Places like Goiania, Belo Horizonte, Saraba and Quinta do Sol have all introduced these tax relief schemes to encourage fewer stray dogs and more foliage. Shop owners can also benefit from the scheme by renovating their historic storefronts. ● Main image: shutterstock/VAlekStudio What's your favourite story from the month? We'd love to hear your views in the comments! Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

Research shows that breakfast is an important meal that can keep us healthy, happy and productive throughout the day. Sonia Vadlamani examines this claim and lists some simple ideas to supercharge your breakfast for sustained energy and improved focus. We’re often told by experts and concerned family members that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Indeed, the clue to why breakfast is generally considered vital could be present in its name itself: we are advised to break our overnight fast with a healthy, nourishing meal. However, it’s estimated that nearly a quarter of individuals in the United States skip breakfast. Meanwhile, in the UK, around 10 per cent of the population fail to eat brekkie, claiming that it coincides with some of the busiest hours of their day. Among those who usually do eat breakfast in the UK, a third prefer breakfast cereals, while 20 per cent opt for toast on-the-go. This suggests that our busy lifestyles seem to lure most of us into believing that we simply don’t have the time for a wholesome breakfast. But failing to have a supercharged breakfast often results in some unhealthy snacking throughout the day which can fail to keep us energized for long durations and negatively affect our mood and performance. • JOIN US! Sign up to learn more about healthy eating and nutrition • However, many of us those who normally skip breakfast due to time constraints may have been working from home ever since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This means many of us could now find it possible to squeeze in some time to fix a nutritionally balanced or supercharged breakfast. Why is breakfast so important? Aside from not wanting to start the workday feeling a familiar grumble in the tummy and then impulsively reaching out for the first sugar-laden snack that catches the eye, there are several reasons why you should consider breakfast as an important meal. Firstly, breakfast as a habit is associated with a relatively lower BMI and lower probability of obesity. A review by Rachel Galioto et al compared 38 studies centered on the cognitive effects of breakfast. It concluded that adults who consume breakfast regularly tend to exhibit robust improvement in memory power, attention span and thought processing speed. Stack avocado and salmon on sourdough for a healthy breakfast shutterstock/Andrej Rutar Furthermore, regular consumption of a balanced breakfast has been shown to boost macronutrient and micronutrient intake in children and adolescents. Research also suggests that viewing breakfast as a good habit and not a boring, repetitive custom helps induce better diet quality and improved food choices during one’s early development stages and throughout life. A study by Rosario Ferrer-Cascales et al also revealed that a good-quality breakfast is associated with lower stress levels and depression, and improved levels of well-being and happiness. Furthermore, breakfast being the first meal of the day is likely to set the tone for the decisions we make and tasks we perform through the day. This is why we can benefit from getting our day off to a great start with supercharged breakfast ideas. This is especially true for the days when we have a lot on our plate, like a series of important tasks to check off, a goal to accomplish, or an important meeting. 10 ways to supercharge your breakfast Contrary to common belief, healthier breakfasts need not require expensive and rare ingredients or involve tedious preparation. In fact, supercharged breakfasts can be made with easily available ingredients, are fun to prepare, and can taste delicious when compared to heavily processed, factory-made breakfast options. The basic formula for a supercharged breakfast remains the same: pairing complex carbs such as whole grains and fibre-rich seeds with good quality proteins and healthy fats. This mix helps to power the brain and body to take on the day and keep us feeling satiated till the next meal time. So, here are some ways to keep your energy levels flying high through the day while also fulfilling your nutritional needs with a supercharged breakfast. 1. Avoid sugary, processed breakfast cereals While most commercial breakfast cereals are often delicious and easily available, they are also usually the worst possible choice for breakfast. A 2016 study by World Action on Salt and Health found that 55 per cent of the surveyed breakfast cereals contained over half the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of sugar for a three-year-old, while 34 per cent of the products contained 20 per cent of the RDA of salt per 100g. Not only are refined grains stripped of most of their valuable nutrients during processing, the high starch and sugar content in ready-to-eat breakfast cereals can lead to a quick surge in blood sugar levels, contributing towards weight gain, a rise in cholesterol, and inconsistent energy levels. Wholegrains could be the most efficient way to supercharge your breakfast, as they contain more slow-digesting fibre, which can keep you satiated for longer while maintaining a steady blood sugar level to keep you going throughout your whole day. Try including a variety of diferent grains like sorghum, amaranth, oats and quinoa to supercharge your breakfast. If you can’t avoid breakfast cereals altogether, swap the likes of puffed rice or chocolate-flavoured wheats with wholegrain muesli, low sugar granola bars and quick oats. These usually have a higher fibre content and keep you feeling full for longer. 2. Introduce oats into your diet Oats are versatile and can keep you satiated for a long time due to their high fibre content. Oat bran is also rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fibre and gut-friendly prebiotic that provides a host of benefits like preventing constipation, alleviating inflammation and controlling plasma cholesterol levels. RELATED: The 15 best prebiotics to include in your diet There are several ways to supercharge your breakfast with oats. Try it in the form of overnight oats, where rolled oats are soaked overnight in milk or dairy-free nut milk variants such as almond milk. Then top it off with a variety of nuts, seeds and/or fruit. If you are short on time, instant porridge oats can be a nutritional option as well. Porridge oats keep you fuller for longer shutterstock/Vladislav Noseek 3. Caffeine can wait As a coffee aficionado, I understand how difficult and even absurd this may sound, but indulging in caffeine immediately after launching yourself out of bed is a bad idea. That’s because caffeine intake on an empty stomach can cause a sharp surge in blood sugar – meaning you may feel an impending crash in energy levels and mood before your day has even begun. On the other hand, sipping your coffee after a nutritionally-balanced breakfast can help sustain the effect of the caffeine – in terms of improved productivity and mood – throughout the day. “Wholegrains could be the most efficient way to supercharge your breakfast, as they contain more slow-digesting fibre, which can keep you satiated for longer while maintaining a steady blood sugar level.” If you're one of the many people that believe they need caffeine to function efficiently, pairing it with a supercharged breakfast may help you kickstart your day the right way. Meanwhile, if you can do without a caffeine-fix, swapping it for a herbal tea can aid your digestive health, alleviate stress and even prevent depression. 4. Add a protein punch While simple carbs create a short-lived energy boost followed by an instant spike and crash in blood sugar, protein is digested at a more sustained pace by the body, thus keeping you energized and productive during your whole day. Increasing your protein intake can result in easier weight management, in addition to lowered triglycerides and blood pressure. Including protein-rich grains like buckwheat, quinoa or amaranth in your breakfast can keep you going through your working day with consistent energy levels, preventing the tendency to reach for sugary snacks a few hours after you’ve had your breakfast. Lean meats, free-range poultry, wild salmon, tuna, and plant-based options like chickpeas, lentils and tofu also offer high-quality protein to supercharge your breakfast. 5. Include more nuts, seeds and berries Nuts and seeds are considered good mood foods owing to their tryptophan content, which upon digestion synthesizes into serotonin, which is also known as one of the ‘happiness hormones’. These foods can also boost the omega-3, fibre and protein content in your breakfast, thus gearing you up for the day at a sustained pace. Topping your plain-looking porridge/oatmeal bowl with nuts (pumpkin, sunflower, almond flakes, cashews, pecans, etc), and seeds like amaranth, chia or sesame can create a supercharged breakfast with minimal effort and prep. Adding superfoods like goji berries, blueberries and/or quinoa seeds can enhance the flavour, in addition to upping the antioxidant content and micronutrient profile, thus boosting your heart health and reducing your risk factors for chronic diseases. However, these foods are often calorie-dense, and you should mind the portion size to prevent excess consumption. 6. Shake it up Smoothies are a great way to get your daily fibre and antioxidant intake while you’re on the go. Freeze the fruits and veggies of your choice the previous day, add in a preferably dairy-free milk option or yogurt in the morning and blend together for a quick, delicious and healthy breakfast. If you’re in a hurry and can’t find the time for an elaborate prep, a simple protein shake with a scoop of high-quality whey powder with spinach or a banana can make for a protein-rich, supercharged breakfast that will keep you satiated for hours. Supercharged smoothies make for a great breakfast choice 7. Put it on toast There are unlimited ways to jazz up plain toast, whipping up a delicious and supercharged breakfast toast being one of them. Start stacking toast with healthy fats like avocados or nut butters, and layer with good-quality proteins like smoked salmon, poached eggs, or an omelette. Add in a fibre component with chia or pumpkin seeds, and vegetables like spinach, kale, tomatoes or bell peppers. Opting for a slice of wholegrain sourdough or multigrain bread instead of white bread aids slower digestion, thereby keeping you active and productive throughout the day. RELATED: How to heal your gut – 11 ideas to restore belly health 8. Indulge in low GI breakfasts The Glycemic Index (GI) of a food relates to its ability to affect blood sugar and, according to Dr. Frank Hu, professor of nutrition, Harvard School of Public Health, “plays an important role for people trying to follow a healthy diet”. High GI foods like white rice/bread and corn can cause a sudden spike in blood glucose and insulin levels. This, in turn, can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and pancreatic cancer. In contrast, low GI foods can help you feel fuller for longer while maintaining consistent blood sugar, aiding weight management. It’s easy to supercharge your breakfast with swaps for lowering GI, such as choosing brown rice and wholegrain breads over their white equivalents. 9. Practise conscious breathing Have you ever felt the impulse to grab a soda and a doughnut for lunch instead of fixing yourself a healthier, supercharged breakfast, yet felt the urge receding when you thought it over calmly? A study by Adrian Meule established a strong connection between one’s pace of breathing and the corresponding effect on their eating behavior, suggesting that slow-paced breathing can pacify one’s food cravings. “If you’re in a hurry and can’t find the time for an elaborate prep, a simple protein shake with a scoop of high-quality whey powder with spinach or a banana can make for a protein-rich, supercharged breakfast.” Practising conscious breathing enables you to slow down and be aware of your feelings, thoughts and reaction to various stimuli. Set aside at least two minutes each day before you proceed to eat your meals, drawing awareness to your breathing pattern. Taking slow, deep breaths can go a long way to curb unhealthy cravings or impulsive food decisions on a repeated basis, thus potentially preventing the onset of eating disorders like food guilt and binge eating. 10. Practise mindful eating Supercharging your breakfast – and in fact – all your meals becomes easier when you’re paying attention to the various cues from your brain and body, and are mindful about your choices. Take the time to practise some mindful minutes each morning with rituals like journaling, daily intentions and body scan meditation. • JOIN US! Sign up to learn more about meditation and mindfulness • Furthermore, mindful eating involves paying attention to the moment-to-moment experience around eating without judgement. It encourages you to take pleasure in the process of planning and prepping your meals – as well as consuming them. A randomized control trial on 194 obese adults from the University of California concluded that introducing mindfulness rituals like daily affirmations to one’s diet and exercise routine can result in better food choices and reduced cravings, in addition to improved fasting blood glucose levels. Takeaway: supercharge your breakfast “One should not attend even the end of the world without a good breakfast,” as Robert A. Heinlein famously once said. Indeed, there’s no reason to avoid a nutritional, supercharged breakfast that will set you up for the day because, in reality, it requires minimal effort and time. Saying that, supercharging your breakfast may require some patience and dedication at first. However, once you start noticing the positive changes regarding your mood, energy levels, productivity and overall health, incorporating my suggestions above into your daily schedule might come more naturally to you, even taking the form of a healthy habit. • Main image: shutterstock/Jacob Lund happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member? Sign up for free now to: ■ enjoy our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ Develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Probiotics & prebiotics | Gut health | Herbalism Written by Sonia Vadlamani Fitness and healthy food blogger, food photographer and stylist, travel-addict and future self journaler. Sonia loves to write and has resolved to dedicate her life to revealing how easy and important it is to be happier, stronger and fitter each day. Follow her daily pursuits at FitFoodieDiary or on Instagram.

A new year means new beginnings. Ed Gould shares his Top Ten round-up of feel-good news stories from January to kick-start 2020. January was full of feel-good news. If you thought that there was too little happiness and not enough to cheer you in mainstream news outlets, then read on to discover some of the positive stories you may have missed. 1. Stem cells used to combat pain in global first The use of stem cell research is controversial, but supporters of it are now likely to find more people being supportive of the technique thanks to work conducted at the University of Sydney. A research team there has claimed to have made a breakthrough with pain management, something that should bring happiness to anyone who suffers from the chronic condition. Taking stem cells from patients with injured nerves, the researchers have been able to repair them, thereby alleviating often excruciating pain without relying on drugs. 2. New process allows rubbish to be made into wonder material Engineers and product designers have long considered graphene, a carbon-based material, to be strong, durable and light. However, it has never been made out of rubbish before. According to The Engineer, this is soon to change because of a process developed at Rice University in Texas. Now, plastic waste and even old rubber tyres can be made into graphene at a fraction of the usual outlay, thanks to the work of researchers there. It's hoped that the graphene made will be industrialised and added to concrete, making it stronger and more environmentally friendly. 3. Mindfulness can help us to be less fearful According to a report in Medical News Today, mindfulness has been shown in numerous scientific studies to help people unlearn what they've learned from their fear. Of course, fear is an adaptive response that helps us to survive. However, with mindfulness, we can unlearn the traits associated with fearfulness that may be holding us back. According to the latest research in Scandinavia and China, inappropriate fear responses – such as phobias – can be addressed by invoking mindfulness techniques. Fear not: mindfulness may help shutterstock/Avesun 4. New hope for anti-cancer drugs The search for new and more targeted oncology drugs is something that continues around the globe. However, according to a report published by Reuters, US scientists have discovered that many drug therapies already in use for other conditions may have a cancer-fighting effect, too. Dr Steven Corsello of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute at MIT said that a surprising number of non-oncology drugs have the ability to see off cancer cells under laboratory conditions. His team tested some 4,500 drugs with no previously reported anti-cancer properties and found that at least 50 were successful. 5. Breakthrough in solar technology announced A research team led by Claudia Turro, a chemistry professor at Ohio State University, has found that a lone molecule could be harnessed in a way that will make solar panels more effective. The chemistry involved means that the full spectrum of sunlight can be captured by solar cells, thereby making them much more effective than at present. The idea is to develop the technique to make a much sought-after type of hydrogen fuel from sunlight. 6. Doing good relieves mental and physical pain People who are kind all the time may already realise the power of kindness, but researchers in China have scientifically demonstrated that being nice to others has a benefit to us. Their work, published during January in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, has shown that altruistic behaviours led to relief from acutely induced physical pain and even had a positive effect on those suffering chronic pain. Their work suggests there must have been some kind of evolutionary benefit to kindness, as humans developed into more social animals living in groups. Kindness leads to happiness shutterstock/Daisy Daisy 7. China moves against single-use plastics Some people complain that the moves many of us make – such as phasing out the use of plastic bags – is not worth it until hugely populous countries such as China do the same. However, the People's Republic announced that it would do so from the end of 2020 and hopes to remove all single-use plastics from urban centres in as little as two years. In a report published by the BBC, the restaurant industry in the country will have to do away with plastic straws almost immediately. 8. Blood flow study could help dementia sufferers A team at University College London in the UK has discovered the bio-mechanism that allows brains to monitor their blood supply in a study conducted on rats. It's now hoped this can be monitored to work out the relationship between this mechanism and the onset of dementia, which has long been associated with blood flow rates in the brain. 9. Lego is bringing about a more mindful approach The Daily Telegraph reported a particular generation was increasingly using Lego building as a way to achieve flow and greater happiness in their daily lives. In January, the newspaper said that millennials were playing with the plastic bricks to make things that had an effect on their mindfulness which was akin to engaging in practices like yoga. Some have put this down to the fact that younger adults are more aware of mental health stresses than older generations and are therefore seeking therapies they can enjoy to avoid them. Could Lego boost flow? shutterstock/FamVeld 10. Dry January being overtaken by increasing numbers of teetotallers According to Men's Health magazine, more people are getting involved with alcohol abstinence than ever before, and it's not just for the first month of the year. In increasing numbers people are opting to abandon booze all together, thanks to public health campaigns and the publicity associated with dry January. The report cites scientific research at the University of Washington as well as changing British attitudes to alcohol as revealed in a recent YouGov survey. What a sobering thought! ● Main image: shutterstock/diy13 Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

There have been plenty of feel-good health and environmental stories in the press during August. Ed Gould rounds up his Top Ten from the past month to uplift and inspire. Not all of the news stories that hit the front pages were what you might call positive in August. However, there were plenty of news items that were undeniably rosy in their outlook. If you missed some of the good things that happened in the last month, then read on to discover some of the positivity from around the globe that you may have been yearning for. 1. IKEA moves into renewable energies IKEA may be one of the most recognisable Swedish brands around the world but it hasn't been associated with renewable energy – until now. The home furnishings retailer has entered the domestic renewable energy market, according to numerous international reports. The idea is to supply energy from renewable sources to Swedish consumers and then to break out into other European markets. IKEA already sell solar panels for home installation. 2. Cheap device developed to help breathing problems The world has seen a big rise in respiratory problems since the pandemic took hold but a new device being trialled in Uganda could improve the lives of many sufferers. It's hoped that this relatively cheap system will help people with a wide range of respiratory conditions more effectively and with a much lower cost than the main alternatives. As reported in the Engineer, the device is likely to be of most benefit in the developing world which has limited resources available for such treatments. 3. Mindfulness reduces COVID-related stress A report published in Medical Xpress suggested that people suffering from the mental health fallouts associated with the pandemic saw better outcomes if they practised mindfulness techniques. A group of volunteers was asked to take part in a daily ritual of mindfulness through an app that lasted as little as ten minutes. Those people who did the sessions every day reported a happier mood than those who did not in the control group. Crucially, those who were happier reported being less affected by COVID-related news. Staying mindful is proven to reduce COVID stress shutterstock/maxpetrov 4. Could we charge electric vehicles as we drive them? One of the drawbacks associated with electric cars is that they need longer to charge than refuelling at a pump. However, if they could be charged while driving, that could be a game changer. According to the automotive press, a German firm has developed a type of concrete that can be used for road surfaces which will charge electric vehicles as they pass over it. There's already a test bed in operation over a stretch of road which charges cars wirelessly via coils embedded in the road. It functions well over a distance of a quarter of a mile and could soon be upgraded. 5. Ecological steel being used commercially Making steel comes with an associated high energy cost. It's a material that's incredibly useful but steel makers have long sought more environmentally sound ways of producing it. In August the Swedish carmaker Volvo accepted its first batch of so-called green steel from a producer in the country. As reported in the Guardian, a company called Hybrit has managed to make steel of a commercial grade without burning any coal and it's hoped this will become the new way many steel makers produce it in the future. 6. Thailand takes steps to protect rare coral reefs The Kingdom of Thailand has placed an outright ban on the use of certain sunscreens in the entire country. This is because certain chemical agents in some of these products are known to damage corals. Given that corals are largely endangered globally, the move could set a precedent in that other countries will now follow. According to a report in Oceanographic, oxybenzone, butylparaben octinoxate and 4-methylbenzylidene camphor are the banned substances. People who are found to be applying a sunscreen with the forbidden chemical ingredients could now face a fine of over £2,000. The move follows a similar one in force in Hawaii. Protection of Thailand's coral reefs is being stepped up shutterstock/solarisys 7. Robot filters plastic particles from beaches efficiently A new robot has been developed that's said to be able to pick up tiny fragments of plastic from sandy beaches at a rate that's around 30 times more efficient than collection by hand. The so-called BeBot works down into the sand to collect plastic and other rubbish that's on the surface and beneath. Making use of on-board solar panels to power it, the robot is semi-autonomous and controlled by an operator who can be up to 300 metres way. According to Design Boom, plastic parts as small as 1cm wide can be sifted from beaches using the bot. 8. Exercise impact greater on depression A report in Science Daily highlighted a scientific study into physical activity and depression in August. According to the findings of the research, exercising does more to the brain than merely releasing endorphins that give the brain a sense of neural reward. The German researchers have found that physical activity increases the brain's ability to change itself. Although it's long been known that exercise reduces the severity of symptoms of chronic depression, it now seems that it can have a more deep-rooted and long-term effect, as well. Exercise is a great anti-depression tool Syda Productions 9. Illegal trawling halted by art in Italy In a model that could be repeated around the world, illegal trawling by fishermen has been stopped in an Italian bay because a conservationist there has placed sculptures beneath the waves. According to the Telegraph, the move has encouraged a raft of sea life to return to the Tuscan bay. This, along with the underwater artwork, has made the area more attractive to divers. However, it's also meant trawlers have stopped using the bay to fish in because their nets cannot slide easily over the statues. 10. Innovative cooling technology developed A professor in California has developed a type of radiator panel that's able to create a localised cooling effect. Simply by installing them nearby, it's possible to drop the temperature by around 12 degrees Celsius, a significant difference. What's more, unlike conventional air-conditioning systems, the technology requires no external power source. It works passively, a little like the large ears of animals that live in hot parts of the world that are used to radiate heat away naturally. According to a report in the National Geographic, this system could be a big player in the fight against climate change. • Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

There were plenty of feel-good health and environmental stories to start 2021, but you may not have heard of them – until now! Ed Gould rounds up his Top Ten positive news stories from the past month to uplift and inspire us. January is one of the gloomiest months in the calendar where, in the northern hemisphere at least, it's often cold, grey and wet. However, the past month was full of feel-good news to brighten your day. Not all of these stories got the mainstream attention they deserved, so what were some of the good news items you may not have noticed? 1. Mindfulness uptake boosted by lockdowns There are few good news items about the various lockdowns around the world but one has been the increased interest in mindfulness and meditation among the public. In fact, according to Buddhistdoor, the pandemic has seen a doubling of the use of mindfulness apps, especially those which draw inspiration from traditional Buddhist meditative techniques. Its report also points out that mindfulness is becoming so mainstream that it now has entire TV shows devoted to it, such as a forthcoming series on Netflix called 'Headspace Guide to Meditation' and 'A World of Calm', an HBO series. 2. Great Green Wall project ramps up Having raised in excess of $14 billion from the African Development Bank in January, an international project to protect central Africa from the Sahara desert has received a huge boost. Started back in 2005, the initiative has already seen many trees, shrubs and grasses planted in the savannah areas to the south of the desert. Stretching from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east, the Great Green Wall has already saved hundreds of thousands of hectares from soil erosion, thereby helping a substantial part of the continent to remain arable. According to the Financial Times, the project helps to provide job opportunities and to promote regional peace, as well as safeguarding the environment. 3. Artificial heart approved for use in Europe In a report published by France 24, a French company named Carmat has gained regulatory approval for its artificial heart. The mechanised organ is likely to offer a lifeline to many patients who have yet to be matched with a suitable donor. It has taken almost three decades to come to fruition, but the artificial heart will go on sale in the European Union from April, the healthcare firm announced. According to Stéphane Piat, Carmat's CEO, the device is compatible with all blood types and is self-regulating once it has been placed inside the patient's body. 4. Panamanian tribe wins stewardship of wide forest region According to a report in Yale Environment 360, indigenous tribespeople in Panama have won a court ruling that will put them in charge of a vast area of almost pristine forest. The country's Supreme Court found in favour of the Naso people in their claims to the forest, situated in one of Panama's semi-autonomous regions. The indigenous Americans had feared that the area would be developed and that the ancient areas of forest would come under threat. At least two large national parks will now come under the control of the Naso people as a result of the ruling. Rain forest in Panama shutterstock/Angel deBilio 5. Mexico City bans single-use plastic As one of the largest cities in Central America, Mexico City sets the standards for others in the region to follow. Indeed, the city's authorities have certainly led the way with a ban on single-use plastics which came in at the start of 2021. According to ZME Science, the citywide ban includes items such as plastic cutlery and straws, which were once a big feature of its street food culture. Officials will initially visit food outlets and retailers to check they are complying with the new rules and to inform them of breaches, rather than taking a punitive route as the plastic moratorium comes into effect. 6. Alzheimer drug showing strong results The American pharmaceutical firm Lilly announced in January that it had good results from the mid-stage of its long-term drug trial in the fight against Alzheimer's disease. The company reckons that its experimental treatment has slowed the rate of mental decline in patients by, on average, as much as one third. Almost 300 people with the disease have been taking part in the study over the last 18 months. A beta-amyloid called N3pG is at the heart of the treatment, something Lilly thinks will be cleared rapidly by the regulators once the full field trial is completed. RELATED: Cognitive impairment – 5 key ways to reduce the risk as you age 7. Lab-grown wood could save trees Many media outlets reported a breakthrough in January that was announced by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. MIT scientists have been able to grow a wooden material from plant cells that can be put to a wide range of uses, including furniture making. Given that wood is such an adaptable and widely used material, there is little doubt that people will need it for decades to come. However, that has always come with a cost in terms of deforestation. The lab-grown wood could offer a way forward with traditional woodwork without the need to chop down trees. 8. Renewable energy beating fossil fuels in Germany, UK and Spain A German think tank reported in January that clean energy had overtaken reliance on fossil fuels in three European countries for the first time in 2020. Germany led the way with its uptake of solar power, while wind farms were the mainstay of the UK's efforts. The think tank's report found that electrical generation from coal fell across Europe by a further 20 per cent last year while reliance on nuclear production also dropped by about 10 per cent. Less fossil fuels, more wind farms shutterstock/TedNab 9. Mysterious blue light spotted from the International Space Station A streak of upwardly discharging blue lightning has been detected for the first time from the International Space Station, according to numerous press outlets. The European Space Agency said that the phenomenon will help scientists to understand the ways in which greenhouse gases behave in the upper atmosphere because the blue flashes of light seem to be connected to them in the ionosphere. A European-made instrument on the space station has been looking for these discharges for some time because they are not observable from Earth. Until now, scientists had only been able to theorise about them. 10. Wooden satellite slated for launch Japanese scientists and engineers from Kyoto University have built a prototype of a wooden satellite, according to Universe Today. The idea is to launch the communications system into orbit as soon as 2023 with the approach meaning that less so-called 'space junk' will be created by using fewer metal parts. All of the potentially problematic components can be housed inside the wooden structure which, not being made of metal, should not interfere with radio transmissions. • Main image: shutterstock/Yanikap happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Positive news | Nature | Biology Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

Who exactly is Tara Brach? Ed Gould takes an in-depth look at the career of this respected writer, psychologist, spiritual teacher and meditation and mindfulness expert. With a PhD in Clinical Psychology, Tara Brach is an American psychologist and writer, mostly associated with advocating for the role of Eastern spiritual practices in Western contexts. She grew as a Unitarian and lives in Virginia with her husband, a teacher of meditation and yoga. Tara Brach helped found the Insight Meditation Community in Washington DC in 1998. This spiritual community teaches and practices insight (or Vipassana, as referred to by Buddhists). Her teaching focuses on drawing attention to the mindful attention to the inner life of people, as well as developing a full and compassionate engagement with the world. Tara Brach: meditation and teaching A spiritual teacher who travels all over America, Tara teaches online, in written form, and also in person. She has visited Europe to discuss her views on meditation and Eastern spirituality in psychology. Her teaching focuses on the application of what are essentially Buddhist teachings to bring about healing at an emotional level. Her first published work, Radical Acceptance, dealt with how practices such as mindfulness can be effective in healing trauma. Other written teachings offer similar suggestions, such as how tapping into inner peace and wisdom can help people who are going through psychological difficulties and stressful situations. “Imperfection is not our personal problem: it's a natural part of existing.” Tara Brach, from her book Radical Acceptance In person, Tara Brach is well-versed as a presenter. In addition, she teaches classes, provides workshops and leads silent meditations. Brach is also well-known as a teacher of mindfulness and meditation on the internet. She even produces a regular podcast which is so popular it's downloaded around one million times every month! Education and background Tara Brach gained her qualification in psychology from the Fielding Institute. Her dissertation centred on a ground-breaking analysis of the effectiveness of meditation in the healing of certain eating disorders. As an undergraduate, she received a double major in psychology and political science from Clark University. Tara Brach travels globally teaching on meditation and mindfulness © Facebook/Tara Brach It was at this time in her life that Brach began attending yoga classes, something which led to an interest in exploring Eastern approaches regarding inner transformation. After graduation, she chose to spend a decade in an ashram (a spiritual hermitage) where she developed techniques in concentrative meditation. Later, she attended a Buddhist Insight Meditation retreat run by Joseph Goldstein. During this part of her life, Brach trained her mind in unconditional and loving presence. “I knew this was a path of true freedom,” she says. Brach bases many of her past teachings around the processional development in her life. It's from her direct personal experiences with the role of Eastern spirituality in her own life, as well as her academic understanding of clinical psychology, that has led to her particular vision for blending Buddhist ideas with psychological ones. Written works Among the many notable works of Tara Brach is her book, Radical Self-Acceptance: A Buddhist Guide to Freeing Yourself from Shame. The book looks into how crippling self-judgements and inner conflicts can lead to futile perfectionism, loneliness and an over-reliance on self-worth based on work. In it, Brach offers interpretations of Buddhist tales and meditations to show how to overcome such judgements by a radical acceptance of one's self. “Tara Brach is well-known as a teacher of mindfulness and meditation on the internet. She even produces a regular podcast.” Another title worth seeking out is True Refuge: Finding Peace and Freedom in Your Own Awakened Heart. It deals with subject matter such as obsessive behaviour, life-changing illness and relationship breakdown. Brach has also produced a free guide to meditation which is available in several languages. This easy-to-read guide provides entry-level advice for establishing a meditative regime. It deals with hindrances to meditation and guidance on how to sustain meditation as a practice (we have some ideas of our own; check out Five strategies to help you develop a meditation practice). Online resources for Tara Brach As mentioned, many of Brach's teachings and ideas in psychology are accessible via the net, much of it for free. Although she frequently teaches in person, for many people it's the online world which has brought her vision of a blend Western psychology and Eastern spiritual teachings to the fore. You can find several online courses on mindfulness, which she developed with Jack Kornfield, at Soundtrue. We've already tried Mindfulness Daily – an app which provides daily lessons and shot meditations. Tara Brach bases many of her teachings around her life development © tarabrach.com Brach's audio podcasts, which include led meditations, can be opened in iTunes for free. Another place to listen to her talks and other audio freely is via her website which includes an integrated audio player. The archive goes back several years, so there's plenty to hear and learn from. Some of Brach's past talks are also available on video. They offer many insights into matters such as awakening consciousness, seeking internal and external truths and spiritual empowerment. While addressing from a lectern, Brach's style is engaging and often compelling while never becoming overly technical in either psychological or spiritual terminology. Her website hosts a number of these videos. She also has her own YouTube channel which includes a fascinating free-to-watch playlist named 'Finding True Refuge'. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Tara Brach: meditation talks and events As a practising psychotherapist and meditation teacher, some of Brach's talks and training sessions are for professionals only. For example, some of her groundbreaking work in showing how psychotherapists can integrate mindfulness strategies into their clinical work is conducted in academic institutions in the United States only. However, public events are online. Other than Brach's frequent work with Vipassana meditation instruction, occasional retreat teaching sessions are listed on her website. She also maintains regular updates of her Facebook page which details upcoming talks and public events. ● Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and freelance writer. He's also a practitioner of Reiki.

Positivity can often seem in short supply during the New Year and winter, but January was actually full of great news. Here's our regular Top 10 positive story round-up from Ed Gould. 1. US coal usage drops significantly Coal is one of the worst fossil fuels when it comes to both air quality and the release of carbon dioxide. And although the US has a leader who's open about his scepticism towards climate change, there is hope. Since 1979, coal consumption in the country has never been lower, according to 2018 data published by the US Energy Information Administration. Most coal is burned in the US in order to generate electricity and it's the growth in renewable and other sources of power that has led to the drop. 2. Coral reef stabilising after mass bleaching Marine life is never more delicate than when it uses coral reefs for its habitat. Four years ago, many people feared for the future of a beautiful stretch of coral in Hawaii following a mass bleaching, considered to be an environmental disaster. However, marine scientists have offered new hope thanks to their study which shows that the reef in question is starting to stabilise. It's regarded as the first step to the potential recovery of the underwater environment in the area. 3. Is rocking to sleep a cure for insomnia? According to Psychology Today, being rocked to sleep in a hammock or a similar device can help adults get to sleep. It's long been a technique for getting infants to drop off, of course, but a new study shows that the effects of rocking can work just as well with grown-ups. Not only do the scientists concerned think it's a good way to get to sleep, but it can help those who suffer from insomnia too, something that has to be positive news for anyone who's reading this late at night because they cannot get to sleep! Rock on: hammocks could help with sleep issues 4. Reduce your stress by thinking about those you love Thinking of loved ones can lead to sensations of happiness, especially if you can picture them in positive ways. However, it doesn't end there! A scientist from the University of Arizona studied over 100 cases where people were given a stressful task to complete. His work – published in the journal Psychophysiology – demonstrated that people who focussed on a mental image of their partner during their task were able to lower their blood pressure, thereby relieving any stress. In fact, the approach seemed to work just as well as those who actually had their partner present. 5. Uber rides with mindfulness Uber may be one of the world's best-known technology and transportation companies but its use of mindfulness is much less heard of. In January, the Independent reported that Uber had teamed up with Calm to produce a meditation app which its customers could make use of. The company said it wanted to provide travellers with a range of mindfulness exercises to help them relax during journeys. Uber's new app contains four different exercises that passengers can use according to the length of time they expect to be travelling. 6. Nepal has positive news for its tiger population The tiger is an icon of wildlife protection. Its numbers have been maintained only after extensive efforts to look after its habitats in Asia. However, Nepal has recently conducted a check of the numbers of wild tigers it has and come up with a rather surprising result. There are about twice as many as previously thought, with an estimated 235 big cats throughout the country. The cat's back: there are more tigers in Nepal than previously thought 7. Liver transplants could be revolutionised According to a report on the BBC, scientists have come up with a new procedure for conducting liver transplants. This, it's hoped, will help to speed up the rate at which they can be transplanted, helping to slash waiting times. Donated livers are normally chilled, which mean they can degrade. The new idea is to use perfusion machines in order to keep livers in good condition for longer, offering greater flexibility for finding suitable recipients. 8. New treatment being developed to tackle dementia As published in Science Daily, work by researchers at the University of Southern California has been conducted into a potential new treatment for dementia. The approach is designed to hone in on leaking capillaries in the brain, known to be an early sign of Alzheimer's Disease. The five-year study is ongoing but it hopes to enable sufferers to be identified at an earlier stage than is currently possible with treatments being administered sooner than they otherwise would be. 9. Mindfulness helps with menopausal symptoms The Daily Mail reported that scientists have been working on how mindfulness can help menopausal women to alleviate the worst of their symptoms. The Mayo Clinic in Minnesota conducted a study of over 1,700 women, asking them about their symptoms, stress levels and habits with mindfulness. The use of mindfulness was found to be positive in many aspects of the menopause, according to the chief researcher, Dr Richa Sood. Pause for thought: mindfulness could help the menopause 10. New technique may make chemotherapy more bearable A team of American medical researchers has been looking at how chemotherapy can be made more effective by concentrating it in the parts of the body. The idea is to insert tiny sponge-like materials into the patient's bloodstream so that the chemicals used in the therapies cannot pass through. The technique has been referred to as a 'chemofilter' and is something that could potentially improve the lives of many cancer sufferers. The study was conducted by Professor Nitash Balsara from the University of California at Berkley. ● Main image: shutterstock/everst Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and freelance writer. He's also a practitioner of Reiki.

There were plenty of feel-good health and environmental stories in December, but you may have missed them given all the negative news currently in the press. Ed Gould rounds up his Top Ten positive news stories from the past month to uplift and inspire. December is the traditional time for family get-togethers and merriment. Although the final month of 2020 may have been somewhat different from usual, there were many good news stories that were full of happiness, positivity and the human spirit. Read on to discover more about some of the best ones. 1. Plastic additive makes packaging biodegradable A British firm has announced that it has developed an additive that can go into new plastic products that will render them biodegradable. Polymateria has come up with a way that could end the crisis the world faces in plastics that take hundreds of years to break up. Both flexible and rigid forms of plastic can be made using the additive which, it is hoped, will do no environmental damage once disposed of. 2. Food waste targeted by tech giant With so many people around the world suffering from hunger but with global food production at an all time high, there is an undoubted problem with waste. According to some estimates, as much as a third of all groceries are thrown away by people in wealthier countries. It was reported in December that Google plans to do something about the issue by getting involved in Project Delta in the United States. The tech giant will bring its algorithmic prowess to bear in an effort to get food where it's needed when it's needed so that Americans end up throwing away less of the food they buy. At the moment, the project is focussed on commercial kitchens but it could also be advanced to help ordinary retailers and consumers. 3. Polar bears saved by court ruling A controversial offshore oil drilling project in the Arctic region has been stopped by a US federal court, according to EuroNews. The decision will safeguard the habitat and ranges of polar bears in the area, in a move that has been warmly welcomed by campaign groups. The court ruling said that the National Environmental Policy Act had not been sufficiently taken into account by the current administration when it said the offshore project could proceed. Polar bears tend to be disturbed by the noise such drilling inevitably creates. Arctic polar bears to be protected shutterstock/outdoorsman 4. Stranded truckers assisted by compassionate groups When lorry drivers were stuck in Kent, UK, unable to take cross-channel ferries to France, they were left stranded without access to basic services. However, according to local news sources, their plight was not overlooked by the local Sikh community who rallied around to deliver hot food to them. Under police supervision, the Gravesend Gurdwara delivered hundreds of free meals to the incapacitated truckers while they waited for the port to reopen. The group was assisted by Khalsa Aid, a Sikh charitable foundation. In addition, Ramsgate Football Club showed a similar level of compassion to the drivers by delivering hundreds of pizzas free of charge. 5. Mental ageing can be reversed, study suggests According to a new paper published by UC San Francisco scientists, the age-related cognitive decline that is noted in many older people need not be permanent. Indeed, SciTech Daily reported that the group had come up with a drug therapy that would mean such brain decline could be reversed. The scientists' work has focussed on a drug called ISRIB which, it was found, could restore memory function among a raft of other cognitive abilities. What's even more positive is that the drug tends to provide rapid results where brain degradation had previously been thought to be permanent. RELATED: Cognitive impairment – 5 ways to reduce the risk as you age 6. New Zealand's vaccine response includes its neighbours A report in The London Economic claimed that New Zealand had purchased enough of the anti-coronavirus vaccines to treat all of its population – as well as those of its neighbouring Pacific islands. New Zealand has a population of 5.5 million but it has bought more vaccine doses than it needs for its own citizens. This means that the Oxford University/AstraZeneca and Novavax jabs will now be issued to island states such as Tokelau, Niue, Samoa and Tuvalu. It's also thought that Tonga and the Cook Islands will benefit from the generosity of the New Zealand government. According to the country's foreign minister, the move will allow these smaller nations faster access to the vaccines as well as making the entire region safer for ordinary New Zealanders. 7. New hope for Florida's coral reefs According to the Miami Herald, the introduction of the Caribbean king crab into its coral reefs is starting to preserve them. By reducing algae growth, the corals have become healthier. The crabs have been nicknamed as reef goats because of their ability to eat everything that is unwanted and develop healthy growth. Once grown for human consumption, these crabs will now play a big part in maintaining marine biodiversity in the area. Coral reefs in Miami are becoming healthier shutterstock/Matt9122 8. Electronic devices must be tagged as repairable In a landmark move, the French government has voted for a law that will make all electronic goods manufacturers tag their products with how repairable – or otherwise – they are. The idea is that when people buy devices, they will know which ones will be repairable if something goes wrong down the line and which ones won't. In turn, it's hoped this law will encourage manufacturers to make their products longer lasting, thereby cutting down on waste and the need to constantly upgrade with newer versions of the same product. According to Times Now, it's expected that several other European Union countries will follow France's lead and introduce similar legislation. 9. Mindfulness reduces burnout among healthcare staff There can be little doubt that 2020 has been a tough year for everyone in the healthcare sector. Stress and burnout among some health professionals has been part of the problem in several countries. However, according to a report in Becker's Hospital Review, mindfulness has been deployed successfully in many healthcare settings to help caregivers. Researchers in the United States found that practising mindfulness techniques reduced burnout rates and increased engagement at work among a range of healthcare workers. Mindfulness reduces burnout in healthcare workers shutterstock/ARTFULLY PHOTOGRAPHER 10. Pygmy possum found alive and well in Australia Because of the bushfires that have engulfed Australia in recent years, it was feared that the tiny pygmy possum – the smallest species of possum – had been wiped out. Previously found in certain habitats in Tasmania and surrounding areas, the diminutive creature was thought to have become extinct by many naturalists. Indeed, The Guardian reported that almost 90 per cent of the creature's habitat had been lost to bushfires.However, a discovery on Kangaroo Island in December has raised new hopes that the species is doing better than previously thought and may make a comeback so long as it can be adequately protected. • Main image: shutterstock/LeAndr happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Positive news | Nature | Biology | Biotechnology Written by Ed Gould Ed Gould is a UK-based journalist and practitioner of Reiki.

Many people believe that mindfulness makes us happier. But how does mindful living improve our authenticity (sense of self), or our happiness? New research sheds light on some of these fascinating questions. Does mindfulness really make us happier? If you've been working on living a mindful life, you may instinctively want to answer yes. Perhaps you've reduced the stress in your life, or at least improved your ability to handle it. You may have focused your effort on the things that really matter to you. Or maybe you just feel a greater sense of confidence and comfort in yourself. Although many of us can feel the benefits in our lives, there hasn't been a lot of scientific evidence so far to back up these ideas. However, that's starting to change. New studies are shedding light not only on whether mindfulness affects psychological well-being but also how. Two recent studies from researchers in Australia and the United States have examined the ways in which mindfulness affects our sense of self and behaviour. Both studies provide fascinating insights into the ways in which mindful living can affect fundamental parts of our identity. Mindfulness and sense of self A 2016 study carried out by researchers at the University of Utah investigated the "self-concept clarity" of university students. Self-concept clarity (SCC) is the extent to which an individual has a clear definition of their own beliefs and traits which remain consistent over time. Individuals with high SCC have a strong sense of self – a clear image of who they are. This view isn't necessarily accurate, of course – SCC isn't the same thing as self-knowledge, but it's stable. “The evidence so far suggests that authenticity may be one of the most important connections between mindful living and well-being.” There is an association with high SCC, positive relationships, high self-esteem and a greater sense of independence. Not much is known about where exactly it comes from. However, this study suggests that the connection is with intentional and non-judgmental awareness. In other words, mindfulness. The study revealed that more mindful participants had greater SCC, and that both mindful living and strong sense of self were correlated with psychological well-being. In fact, the relation between a mindful disposition and well-being through SCC was higher than the correlation between mindfulness and well-being alone. The authors of the study conclude that mindful individuals may improve their well-being in several ways. These individuals avoid conflicting self-images, which can lead to distress. They may more frequently identify behaviour that will improve their psychological well-being and sense of self-esteem. Mindfulness and authenticity A second study, conducted by researchers at the National University of Australia and Catholic University of Australia in 2016, shows some results that reveal further information about the connection between mindful living and values-based actions. According to the study, values-based action – action and behaviour consistent with an individual's values and beliefs – are an important part of the relationship between a mindful disposition and psychological well-being. Individuals who were more mindful tended to act more consistently with their own values and therefore tended to be happier. In fact, the researchers found that the connection between mindfulness and well-being through values-based action was much stronger than the direct link. Mindful individuals saw an increase in well-being primarily when they showed authenticity in action. Lesson to learn: authenticity equals happiness! © Ingram Image Psychological well-being Both studies suggest a correlation between mindful individuals and psychological well-being. It's worth taking a moment to examine the concept in a little more detail. Psychological well-being (PWB) basically reflects what we would think of as happiness: an individual's level of satisfaction with various aspects of their life. It's not a simple concept, though. Well-being breaks down into two further categories: hedonic and eudaimonic well-being. Hedonic well-being focuses on experiencing pleasure and avoiding pain. When we're comfortable, well-fed and enjoying ourselves, our sense of hedonic well-being is high. Eudaimonic well-being bases itself more on the happiness that comes from self-actualisation. Our sense of eudaimonic well-being is high when we feel that what we are doing is worthwhile and that we can fulfill our potential. Authenticity of action is vital to this sense of well-being. Relating authenticity and self-image Both studies may show some of the connection between a mindful disposition and well-being. In the University of Utah study, mindful individuals did not suffer from some of the distress that can come from a confused or contradictory sense of self. In fact, they had clearer ideas of who they were. This may have allowed them to select actions and relationships that satisfied their values. In the Australian study, well-being came from authenticity: individuals who acted on their values tended to be happier. “Individuals who were more mindful tended to act more consistently with their own values and therefore tended to be happier.” But, of course, the two are inseparable. A strong sense of self is vital to values-based action, since people with lower self-concept clarity may not even really be sure of their own values. Putting it into practice Of course, these are just two studies, and, as always, further research is needed. But the evidence so far suggests that authenticity may be one of the most important connections between mindful living and well-being. Maintaining a mindful disposition can make us more aware of ourselves and our values, which is vital. But these values won't contribute as much to our well-being unless we put them into action. By identifying what our core beliefs are – what's really important to us – we can identify the actions that we need to carry out to put those beliefs into practice. Hopefully, putting our core beliefs into practice makes the world a better place. But it's also an important part of building our sense of well-being. When we act with authenticity – when we're true to our own sense of self – we develop the habits that contribute to our own happiness. ● Main image: Ingram Image Written by Guest Author We're happy to publish articles by guest authors that will broaden the perspective and bring new insights. If you're interested in publishing an article here on happiness.com, please contact us.

Many of us show compassion easily to others but struggle when it comes to ourselves. Stanislava Puač Jovanović explains why self-compassion is essential to our well-being and offers six practical steps on practising it. When things go wrong, some of us will be able to support ourselves with warmth and self-compassion. However, many of us tend to do quite the opposite. We beat ourselves up. How did it come to be that we accepted to live our lives burdened with (unconstructive) self-criticism? As with anything else about the human psyche, the overly criticizing mindset is also a multilayered phenomenon. However, one of the most common causes are the beliefs and values we’ve developed during our childhood. And, although we still may show compassion to others during their times of need, we fail to do the same when we’re struggling. Strange? This lack of compassion for ourselves has deep-seated roots. And they’re not always entirely logical. For that reason, it’s so difficult to overcome it. However, it can be done: read on to discover six proven ways to develop self-compassion. What exactly is self-compassion? Self-compassion is a concept that counteracts the adverse beliefs we have about ourselves. In most cases, whether we’ll be able to comfort ourselves through the tough times gets decided in our childhood. We learn from our parents. Be it through direct or indirect messages we receive, we absorb those ideas. They become blueprints of our future world. Whether your parents were harsh and criticizing, or they were self-destructive and self-criticizing, you probably introjected such an attitude toward yourself into your core. Be kind to yourself and practise self-compassion Self-criticism is rife. And it’s a nasty enemy to have. Research has demonstrated over and over again that it’s closely associated with a range of emotional disturbances. Depression, anxiety and eating disorders are merely a few of the consequences of unrealistic negative images people hold about themselves. Even if you don’t develop a mental health disorder, living your life fraught with self-condemnation isn’t the right way. It will make you utterly unhappy, unproductive, and vulnerable. “Although we may show compassion to others during their times of need, we fail to do the same when we’re struggling. Strange? This lack of compassion for ourselves has deep-seated roots.” The most vicious aspect of self-criticism is that it mostly occurs out of our conscious awareness. We can access the negative beliefs we have about ourselves, but we rarely do it. Even more seldomly do we question these core ideas. This elusive nature of self-criticism is one more reason why you should wholeheartedly practice self-compassion. RELATED: How to stop ruminating with these 3 techniques Studies have shown that the ruminating self-loathing doesn’t get resolved with classic self-help cognitive intervention. What is more, it gets even worse. Moreover, those who are depressed as a result of self-criticism also have trouble imagining positive scenes and self-supporting images. In other words, when you’re failing at being self-compassionate, you can’t even imagine a bright future for yourself. So, the cycle continues. Unless you put a stop to it. Three components of self-compassion Psychologist Kristin Neff was the first to measure self-compassion. She explained that having compassion for oneself means offering self warmth and unconditional acceptance. That doesn’t mean being selfish and egocentric. It does not condone engaging in self-pity or self-indulgence. And, we might add, it doesn’t exclude constructive criticism. When you're self-compassionate, you recognize the difference between making bad choices and being a thoroughly appalling person. Simply put, when you’re compassionate to yourself, you won’t keep telling yourself all those nasty things you usually do if you’re not. And you won’t stagnate or suffer as a result. Neff has explained the three components of self-compassion: Self-kindness The ability to be supportive, kind, and forgiving toward yourself. Common humanity Realizing that part of the nature of human existence is to experience pain, loss, failure, and make mistakes. You’re not alone in your struggles; there’s always someone somewhere who has been through the same (or worse). Mindfulness Practising awareness of your experiences without judging them. Self-compassion is about the acceptance of upsetting thoughts without letting them overtake your entire life. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } Kristin Neff's self-compassion theory © YouTube/Greater Good Science Center Six ways to practise self-compassion The good news is that self-compassion can be learned. It takes practice, but most good things require some effort. Here are six ways to practice self-compassion in your day-to-day life. 1. Practice self-forgiveness The very first step of self-compassion is to forgive yourself. And keep doing so every day. There's no point in punishing yourself for your past mistakes. What makes sense is learning from them and growing as a person. You will never be flawless and faultless – because no one is. Yet, your most profound worth doesn’t come from being perfect, successful, recognized, famous, or whatever your poison may be. With self-compassion, you’ll learn to allow yourself to be imperfect – and love yourself as such. 2. Treat yourself as you would a loved-one or child The next time you’re about to tell yourself how stupid or incompetent you are, ask yourself: “Would I speak this way to my child (or anyone whom you love dearly)?” You probably wouldn’t. Because you do know how destructive it is. You just need to learn not to be such a molesting “parent” to yourself. “The very first step of self-compassion is to forgive yourself. There's no point in punishing yourself for your past mistakes. What makes sense is learning from them and growing as a person.” In most cases, we don’t even repeat the messages we heard from our parents – they weren’t this harsh. What we do incorporate into our self-expectations are our childish interpretations of our parents’ words and values. That’s one more reason for you to revise your beliefs about how you should be. 3. Practice mindfulness and mindful meditation As it is one of the components of self-compassion, incorporate mindfulness into your life. Be in the present moment, be lovingly kind, and observe the world (both external and internal) without judgment. If you need help mastering the skill, sign up for mindful meditation classes, listen to some mindfulness podcasts, and check out these mindfulness tips. With time, you’ll notice how self-criticizing thoughts come, but they don’t stick and loop in your head anymore. 4. Watch out for automatic thoughts and language It’s precisely these thoughts that tend to make us incapable of self-compassion. To regain control, keep an eye on them and bring them to your consciousness. You can keep an automatic thoughts journal in which you’ll note down the original thought and how it made you feel. Then, analyze it to see if it can hold out against logical questioning. Spoiler alert – it can’t. Self-love and compassion is possible with practice shutterstock/KieferPix So, replace such thoughts – and your language – with positive, compassionate versions. Once you retrain your mind to go for the affirmation, you’ll notice how much more encouraging and warm you are to yourself – and how much better you feel as a result. 5. Remember: you’re not alone in your imperfection When we suffer, we tend to feel as if we were the only ones who were going through such an ordeal. However, chances are someone somewhere already experienced it (and survived). Learn to recognize that those feelings of disappointment, incompetence, or self-repugnance are shared across the human race. By doing so, it will become easier to overcome obsessing about and being enslaved by them. Instead, learn from your failures and grow as a person. 6. Work with a psychotherapist or a life coach Finally, we appreciate how difficult it may be to develop self-compassion. Especially for those with a lifelong history of knocking themselves down. It just doesn’t come naturally. So, seek professional support. Reach out to an expert who will work with you until you become wholly and unconditionally self-compassionate. Round-up: self-compassion Developing self-compassion takes time and practice. Yet, this isn’t a reason to give up. After all, your relentless self-criticism also wasn’t built in a day. However, let a simple thought guide you through the process – you’re not a child anymore. You have the power to reassess and change your convictions now. Be a kind and supportive parent to yourself. Teach your inner child (and your self-criticizing adult) to be compassionate to the person you’re bound to spend your entire life with – yourself. Main image: shutterstock/HBRH Written by Stanislava Puač Jovanović Stanislava Puač Jovanović has a master’s degree in psychology and works as a freelance writer and researcher in this area. Her primary focus is on questions relating to mental health, stress-management, self-development and well-being.

Is it possible to relieve stress, improve heart health and reap other benefits just by regulating our breath? Sonia Vadlamani explains how conscious breathing can contribute towards better mental and physical health, and how to practise it from the comfort of your home. Breath is vital for life. We’re always breathing, yet it’s something that most of us are barely aware of. However, our natural breathing rhythms can have a substantial impact on how both our body and mind function. Research shows that our breathing patterns change according to the emotions or thoughts we’re experiencing. For example, we tend to draw slow, deeper breaths when we’re happy, resulting in the release of happiness hormones. In contrast, we take sharp, shallow breaths when we’re angry or stressed, activating the stress receptors in the amygdala region in the brain. Indeed, in the current climate of a global pandemic, living with stress and anxiety has become increasingly commonplace, and hence keeping a periodic check on stress levels and devising effective stress management methods is more crucial than ever. Conscious breathing can help to reduce stress shutterstock/UfaBizPhoto What is conscious breathing? As the name suggests, conscious breathing involves bringing awareness towards your breath and then altering it deliberately to achieve a desired outcome. Also known as controlled breathing, conscious breathing can help us recognize our response towards stressors and emotions, enabling us to manage our stress in a better manner, thus preventing conditions like burnout, anxiety and depression. There is ample research that establishes a strong connection between our breathing patterns, pace of breathing and our corresponding thoughts, emotions and behavior. This makes conscious breathing massively effective – modifying the pace of our breathing can slow down our heart rate, modulate stress triggers and enable us to think more rationally. “Conscious breathing can help us recognize our response towards stressors and emotions, enabling us to manage our stress in a better manner.” While conscious breathing may sound like a modern-era invention, recommendations for breath modulation techniques for better health date back to first millennium B.C. Ancient religions like Hinduism and Taoism have advocated breath as an ‘essential life-force’ in the form of prana and qi respectively. Interestingly, yogic practices like pranayama or ‘breath-retention’ utilize controlled breathing techniques for enhancing concentration and vitality. RELATED: Tummo breathing and meditation – a guide Breathing is “meditation for people who can’t meditate”, states Dr Belisa Vranich, the author of the best-selling book Breathe. Indeed, most relaxation therapies and stress-relief techniques utilize breathwork as their anchor, as breathing is the common factor involved in these methods for calming the body and the mind. A simple way to practise conscious breathing Conscious breathing is simple to practise and doesn’t require any specialized equipment. What's more, it can be practised by children and adults alike, from the comfort of their home. However, it’s essential to set aside some time to truly be able to reap the benefits. Here’s a simple mindful breathing practice you can follow with ease: Start by getting into the right posture – seated or lying down – keeping your spine in a neutral position. Place one or both hands on your belly. Inhale slowly and feel the sense of expansion as your breath reaches where your hand is. Hold your breath to a count of 3. You can adjust this duration as per your comfort. Exhale slowly as you feel the belly muscles underneath your hands relaxing. Observe your breath pattern for at least 4 - 10 minutes. During this practice, be sure to engage in diaphragmatic breathing. This involves inhaling deeply as you expand the belly, and then exhaling slowly as you contract the diaphragm and allow the belly to deflate. You can combine conscious breathing with a form of meditation or even restorative yoga to increase its effectiveness. Merging conscious breathing with mindfulness meditation can boost memory power as well. The benefits of conscious breathing Here are some ways in which conscious breathing can improve your quality of life and help you sustain better well-being: 1. Relaxes the nervous system When confronted with danger, our nervous system or sympathetic drive generates a ‘fight-or-flight’ response which can potentially help us rise to face a challenge. However, sometimes the smallest and everyday woes like a traffic jam and impending deadlines begin invoking this involuntary stress response on a continued basis. This can result in immune system suppression or even conditions like depression and anxiety, owing to the excessive stress build-up. • JOIN US! Sign up to learn more about meditation and mindfulness • Resetting our breathing pattern can calm down the nervous system, preventing a perennial sympathetic overdrive condition. Conscious breathing allows activation of the parasympathetic nervous system, or the ‘rest-and-digest’ signal, which enables us to function in a relaxed state. 2. Creates energy boost Conscious breathing involves taking deep, slow breaths as you engage your abdominal muscles and diaphragm, instead of stressing the shoulder and neck areas as most of us are usually habituated to. Engaging respiratory muscles in this manner enables better oxygen supply for the tissues and cells in the body. This increased oxygen reach can make us feel more energized, focused, and can even boost productivity. 3. Helps you focus Sometimes it’s difficult to concentrate on the task at hand or meditate properly because of our inability to focus. Indeed, billboards, constantly buzzing phones and other technological inventions contend for our attention all the time, making it more difficult to be able to concentrate on a single thought or task. Breathing consciously boosts focus and attention Conscious breathing requires us to focus on our breathing pattern, which can help us calm our senses and organize our thought patterns in a productive manner. A 2017 breathing intervention study from Beijing Normal University that involved 40 individuals found that diaphragmatic breathing could enhance sustained attention, in addition to a dip in cortisol (the body's main stress hormone). 4. Relieves muscle tension We tend to hold our breath or draw irregular breaths when we’re tensed or are faced with stress stimuli, which allows our sympathetic nervous drive to kick in. While this response to stress can be helpful in the short-term, drawing shallower and faster breaths can easily become a habitual trait, which may involuntarily result in constant muscle tension, especially in the neck and upper back areas. A 2018 study from Thailand's Khon Kaen University involving female subjects with neck tension and pain complaints found that deep and slow breathing practices reduce muscle tension, pain alleviation, and improved heartrate variability, even in the short run. Progressive muscle relaxation is another therapeutic method prescribed for relieving muscle tension and averting anxiety, with the help of conscious breathing techniques. 5. Enhances emotional wellbeing “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor,” advocated Thích Nhat Hanh, the world-renowned spiritual teacher and mindfulness expert. By calming down our nervous system, conscious breathing offers clarity in thought and enables us to be mindful of our feelings. “There is ample research that establishes a strong connection between our breathing patterns, pace of breathing and our corresponding thoughts, emotions, and behavior.” The idea here is not to eradicate the unpleasant emotional states entirely, but to gradually learn to be aware of them and experience them with self-compassion. This process allows us to respond to our emotions in a productive and helpful manner, thus potentially preventing the tendency to ruminate and improving our emotional wellbeing. 6. Regulates blood pressure Taking a deep breath could help reduce stress and prevent your blood pressure from spiking. Indeed, research suggests that controlled breathing can improve one’s ‘baroreflex sensitivity’, thus regulating blood pressure and preventing hypertension. Conscious breathing can be utilized as a therapeutic approach for boosting heart health and improving vigor. 7. Enables better decision-making Research shows that taking deep and controlled breaths can accelerate vagal nerve activity, thereby improving heart rate variability and lowering stress levels, in addition to aiding better decision-making ability. Indeed, Navy SEALs and chess champions have relied on conscious breathing techniques like ‘box breathing’ to be able to make sound decisions when under stress. RELATED: Uncovering the healing power of the breath In a collaborative study from 2019, researchers from Belgium, France and the Seychelles asked management students to follow the ‘5-2-7 pattern breathing technique’. This method entails inhalation for the count of 5, holding the breath for 2 counts and exhalation for 7 counts. The students carried out the breathing exercise before answering a series of questions in a decision-making test. In addition to facilitating better decision-making, the researchers found that conscious breathing also prevented post-performance stress among the students. 8. Lowers stress and anxiety Research points out that our degree of ‘alertness’, or how ‘awake’ we are, determines the course of action we choose when we are under psychological pressure or in a potentially stressful situation. While being ‘optimally alert’ can improve our mental performance, thus boosting our decision-making ability, alertness beyond the critical point can trigger stress, ultimately hampering performance under duress. Interestingly, conscious breathing tends to modify one’s arousal levels to the ‘optimal or conditioned level’ required for enhanced mental performance, while controlling any further rise in arousal levels, thus keeping stress and anxiety at bay. Round up: conscious breathing In conclusion, the advice to slow down your breath and pay attention to the same is not just a generic suggestion or mere commonsense, but a statement that holds merit. Taking deep, diaphragmatic breaths and focusing on the pace of our breath can impact our body and mind in a positive manner. Acknowledging the power of conscious breathing can be empowering, as it can enable us to draw from our innate wisdom and make headway towards a positive transformation. • Main image: shutterstock/AKSAMIT happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to: ■ enjoy our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ learn with free online classes in our happiness Academy Stress management | Motivation | Burnout Written by Sonia Vadlamani Fitness and healthy food blogger, food photographer and stylist, travel-addict and future self journaler. Sonia loves to write and has resolved to dedicate her life to revealing how easy and important it is to be happier, stronger and fitter each day. Follow her daily pursuits at FitFoodieDiary or on Instagram.

Holidays aren't always a time of cheer: especially if you've lost a loved one and are grieving. Paula Stephens knows this feeling all too well. Here she shares 10 practical tips for coping with holiday grief. I lost my Dad on Christmas Eve when I was just 16. The next year my Mom, Grandma and I took our holiday grief on vacation and found ourselves on a beach in Hawaii for the entire festive season. It was a great way to break with the traditions and memories none of us wanted to face. My most vivid memory of that Hawaiian vacation was sitting next to an older gentleman at dinner on Christmas Eve and noticing he was wearing the exact same sweater my Dad would’ve been wearing. Well, this brought my grief right back up to the surface and I left the dinner to go down to the beach and cry. 10 tips for coping with holiday grief Needless to say, it’s been a long time since I felt untarnished joy and happiness during the holiday season. But, I believe that we are deserving of joy during the holidays, even if it comes balanced with the heartache and longing for the person we love and are missing deeply. In my book, From Grief to Growth, I talk about an essential element of healing that is learning to hold both joy and sadness in the same moment. There is no more challenging time to do this than during the holidays. This is why I've put together these ten easy-to-follow tips that will support you as you navigate coping during the holiday season. I don’t like to say ‘survive the holidays,’ because I want to encourage you to have the mindset that you're always fully capable of more than survival. These are simple, practical tips that don’t require a lot on your part, but are focused to help you the most this time of year. 1. List the events you're most worried about Often, much of our holiday grief comes from not knowing what’s going to happen or how traditions and events are going to feel differently after the loss of a loved one. So, take some quiet time to think through what specific traditions you're most concerned about. The best way to do this is to find some time to sit quietly and connect with your breath. Once you’ve centered yourself, ask yourself the question: “What events or traditions are creating the most anxiety for me right now?” Your inner knowing has the answer. You might immediately be pulled to an event or activity. Notice how your body feels, the sensations and energy around the activity. Coping with loss during the holidays is a challenge shutterstock/Zivica Kerkez If nothing comes up immediately then begin to bring your thoughts to various holiday activities. Check in with each one – tree decorating, cookie exchange, for example. How does each one feel; what comes up? You might find some are more emotionally charged than others. 2. Consider which events/traditions you want to keep Be open to the idea that some traditions you will want to wrap in love and keep, while others will need to be shelved for a while (and maybe for ever). Recognize the traditions you keep will never be the same, but keeping them honors the love you feel for the person you lost. Every year will be a little bit different, and what feels right this year might not feel the same in the coming years. Grief is a process and you must be willing to evolve with it. Always be open to what will help you move forward in your grief… and sometimes we need to go backwards to go forward! Get out your list from tip one. Now, let’s take the next steps: • Which events do you want to keep this year? • Which events are too painful this year or don’t feel right? • What or how can you modify an event? If you're undecided on some, come back to your list again later or sit with the idea of doing that event and see what comes up. I know we can’t always control everything about the holiday seasons with family being involved, etc, but don’t worry. 3. Brainstorm how you want to honor your loved one Even if you decide to escape the entire holiday season and fly away to Hawaii for the holidays (been there, done that!), it’s important that you take time to honor your loved one. It could be with a donation of time or money, or by creating a sacred space or a new tradition. No matter what you decide, be mindful about setting time aside to actively honor your loss. What would you like to do this year to include your loved one in the holiday season? What do you need to do to make this come to fruition? 4. Let the tears flow Quite simply, cry. Don’t be the tough guy or girl who pretends it’s all good – because it's probably not. You’re going through a season or anniversary without someone who was a very important part of your life and coping with holiday grief is part of that. By yourself or with your besties, it doesn’t matter, just let it happen. "Much of our holiday grief comes from not knowing what’s going to happen or how traditions and events are going to feel differently after the loss of a loved one.” Another way to look at this is: are you checking in with yourself to know what’s going on emotionally and physically? Are you filling your days with busy activity to disconnect from the emotional heartache you would feel if you had a moment of downtime? Or, perhaps, you're withdrawing from friends, family and social activities. There isn’t a right or wrong way to deal with holiday grief, but we need to be aware of our tendencies to protect ourselves or how we might fall into negative coping strategies. Sometimes a good cry is a better reset than the work we put into avoiding our reality. So, if you need a good cry, have one. 5.Tell friends and family how you're feeling Family and friends might not know exactly which activities you’ll struggle with: what might be hard and/or memorable to them might not be the same for you. Generally speaking, they will want to support you, especially with managing your grief during the holiday season. But, you're the only one who knows what you need and how you're feeling, so don’t make it harder for them by expecting them to guess what this is like for you. Tree of knowledge: dealing with holiday grief We all experience grief differently, so share your fears, concerns and desires. Express what’s important to you or how you would like to handle a specific event. It doesn’t mean you'll always get what you want or need, but it means that you have given voice to your grief and honored your process. 6. Prioritize your self-care There's no more important time to focus your energy on self-care than during the holidays. Lack of sleep, poor food choices, increased alcohol consumption, decreased exercise and increased stress all add up to a massive grief hangover! The 8 types of grief explained 7 healing quotes on grief to inspire How to help a grieving friend Your emotional self is already on overdrive and this will leave your immune system susceptible to illness and your physical body exhausted. Make hydration, sleep, whole foods, stress management and exercise a priority leading up to and including any seasonal events. Care for yourself by: eating a healthy breakfast, drinking more water, going to bed 30 minutes early, journaling, being outside, connecting with nature, and skipping that second (or third) drink at a party! 7. Manage your energy This is a continuation of the last tip. Even if you are taking care of yourself, notice when your tank is getting close to empty. This is especially important if you're the type of person who likes to stay busy to keep their mind off things. Exhaustion (physical and emotional) is often the root cause of emotional meltdowns. And, as you know, grieving is emotional exhausting by itself, then you add the emotional stress of the holidays and your tank is already half empty! So, remember that it’s OK to say ‘no’ to events, or change your ‘yes’ to a ‘no’ at the last minute if you notice you're not feeling up to the task. List three ways you know you’re getting low on energy (ie, irritable, fatigue, craving sugar/caffeine). Now list three ways you can fill your tank (ie: nap, take a bath, journal, read a book). 8. Prioritize work/social events The holidays are an especially busy time of year for extra parties and events – work, neighborhood and family are examples. Take time to choose only one or two events that are important for you to attend. These might be required for your job or things you just simply don’t want to miss. Be mindful about your selection and take your time to RSVP. For social events that you might have attended with your loved one, ask yourself if you're ready for that situation. Imagine yourself in that environment. Who will be at the event? What will it be like to attend? “We are deserving of joy during the holidays, even if it comes balanced with the heartache and longing for the person we love and are missing deeply.” Then, have an exit strategy! If it’s required that you attend, or you feel like you ‘should’ go, make sure you have a plan for getting out if things get too difficult. This might be driving a separate car or letting the host know you will be not be staying long. 9. Build time in for you As you're planning your social events, make sure you put ‘me time' on the calendar. Whether that's to get out into nature and hike, get a massage, read a book, take a bath, it doesn’t matter – just build in time to recharge your batteries. This could also include making time to be with close friends or family that help you feel connected and loved. Be sure to reach out to these people and let them know you might need some support during the holiday season. Write a list of the people you can connect with and/or activities that soothe your soul. And, again, since people aren’t mind readers, let people know you're taking care of yourself by scheduling time to reflect and recharge. 10. Give back One of the most amazing ways to cope with your grief during an anniversary or holiday season is to make it a little better for someone else. Unfortunately, there's so much suffering around the holidays – in this we are not alone. Donate to a charity in your loved one’s name. Give your time to helping others. Buy a gift for someone in a hospital or nursing home. Pay for the person behind you at Starbucks. Volunteer your time. The options for random acts of kindness are endless. Honestly, nothing soothes and heals our own wounds more than helping someone else. How can you help someone else feel comforted this holiday season? Giving doesn’t have to be financial – you can give of your time, you can donate clothes or other items you no longer use. I hope my tips will hope you manage and cope with grief this holiday season and that you enjoy this time. You deserve it! ● happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member? Sign up for free to: ■ read our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ learn with free online classes in our happiness Academy Friendship | Mindfulness | Vulnerability | Burnout Written by Paula Stephens Paula Stephens, M.A. is the founder of Crazy Good Grief, an organization that teaches positive growth and resilience after the loss of a loved one. Her work is inspired by the personal loss of her oldest son who passed away unexpectedly while home on leave from the Army. Paula is a speaker, yogi and life coach. She's also the author of From Grief to Growth: 5 Essential Elements to Give your Grief Purpose and Grow from Your Experience. Paula is a practicing Buddhist and recently became the first Buddhist Chaplain to work at the county jail where she lives. She is the mother of four boys and lives in Littleton, Colorado.

Science says that showing kindness to others benefits both the receiver and the giver. With that in mind, Calvin Holbrook shares some great ideas for paying it forward. Spread some joy today and beyond with these 22 random acts of kindness. Daily life presents us with so many opportunities to show random acts of kindness to others. However, for a variety of reasons we often fail to have the awareness to notice the times when we could do so. Whether we are rushing around, staring at our devices, feeling grouchy, or simply not being mindful, we often fail to stop and sense opportunities to show kindness to strangers. A decreasingly kind society was one of the reasons why the Random Acts of Kindness Day takes place on 17 February each year. It's celebrated by individuals, groups and organizations worldwide, to encourage acts of kindness that spread happiness through communities. Indeed, the day represents 24 hours when people have the chance to focus on spreading love and joy to as many people as possible. However, we shouldn't just celebrate kindness on a single day. Incorporating altruism and random acts of kindness into your daily routine should be something which you live by. But why? Random acts of kindness: 22 ideas There are real benefits to showing kindness. Indeed, being kind is not just beneficial to the person on the receiving end of the good deed. In fact, showing kindness leads to scientifically-proven positive feelings for the giver and receiver. Researchers have proven that the power of kindness is potent, releasing happiness hormones that help to reduce stress and anxiety. Furthermore, a two-decade long study from the University of California, San Diego, showed that happiness is contagious. So, if you show one person a random act of kindness, they are likely to then pay it forward to someone else, creating a ripple effect. • JOIN US! Sign up today and make new friends at happiness.com • Bearing this in mind, why not try to incorporate more altruistic acts into your daily routine? Here are 22 ideas for random acts of kindness you can try out that will help brighten someone else's day and make you feel good at the same time... 1. Compliment a stranger All humans seek connection, but in today's society it’s not easy to strike up a conversation with a total stranger without them doubting your intentions, even if you're just being nice. However, if you spot a someone in the street with a beautiful smile, face or jacket – or anything else that grabs your interest – point it out them in a polite and friendly manner. They’re sure to be flattered by your compliment and it may even lead to a deeper conversation or friendship. 2. Give up your seat on public transport Travelling to or from work on public transport is rarely pleasant, especially if you're stuck on your feet for the journey (or worse still, with someone's stinky armpit in your face). So, on your next bus or metro ride, if you’re lucky enough to have a seat, why not pass it to a stranger who looks like they need it more than you? The happiness you will spread from this random act of kindness will make standing up just that little bit more bearable. 3. Gift a book Do you have a favourite memoir, work of fiction, or self-help book that’s inspired you? Or, perhaps you have some mindfulness books or books on meditation that have helped you through tricky times? If so, instead of letting a great book gather dust on a shelf at home, pass those powerful pages onto someone you think could benefit from them. Also, suggest to your friend that once they’ve finished the book, they pass it on, too, keeping the kindness ripple effect flowing. Words work: gift a book as a random act of kindness shutterstock/Dymtro Zinkevych 4. Share your favorite song on social media Research suggests that listening to the music we love helps us to be kinder, creative and more helpful. In that case, share your favorite track on social media and maybe you can help spread some joy or even introduce your friends to some new sounds they will fall in love with. 5. Call a family member or friend In our increasingly busy world, it seems there’s never quite enough time to keep up with all of our loved-ones. Most of us know rely on instant messages or texts to communicate with friend and family but we should never underestimate the power of talking and listening to each other in an actual live phone call. So, ring or Skype a family member of friend you’ve been meaning to get in touch with for ages. Just pick up the phone and do it. And don't forget to tell them that you love them: hearing those three words will always brighten someone's day. • JOIN US! Find your tribe on happiness.com through shared passions • 6. Leave a sticky note for someone A quick, easy and fun random act of kindness idea is to write an uplifting message on a sticky note and leave it randomly on your travels for someone to discover. You could place it within a book, newspaper or on any public space. You could also try writing out mindfulness quotes or suicide prevention quotes on sticky notes, offering hope to people that might spot them. There are so many people living with anxiety and depression at the moment that it may just help them. “Random acts of kindness lead to scientifically-proven positive feelings, for both the giver and receiver.” Alternatively, get specific and leave a sticky smile or note for someone you already know: a colleague, housemate, partner or a family member. It's quick, cute and fun, and will lift them up. 7. Pick up litter Sadly, some people still think it's OK just to drop their trash on the floor and expect street cleaners to sweep it up. Rubbish is a blight on the neighborhood and a real eyesore, especially when out in nature. So, when you spot some rubbish on the floor, simply pick it up and put it in the nearest bin (followed by applying a spritz of hand sanitizer of course). This small, selfless act of goodwill makes you feel better and help improve the environment for everyone that follows you. RELATED: Why is volunteering important? For a deeper effect, join or set-up a litter-picking group volunteering session at your nearest park or beach. This activity benefits the community as a whole and also provides you with a chance to meet new, like-minded folk – that's a real win-win random act of kindness! Show goodwill by joining a litter-pick session shutterstock/Dragon Images 8. Leave food for a homeless person Lots of us feel misgivings about passing cash to the homeless when they ask for it: we wonder if they use that money for food or shelter or spend it on harmful things. Indeed, sadly, sometimes we now even have to question whether that person begging is really homeless at all. So, as an alternative to giving money, leave some fruit, nuts, or a sandwich – something nutritious. Or, leave some warm clothing, a clean blanket or hygiene supplies. A genuine homeless person will hopefully be full of gratitude for your act of goodwill. RELATED: 7 ways to choose kindness every day 9. Better still, talk with a homeless person Imagine having thousands of people walk past you daily, deliberately avoiding your gaze or looking at you with contempt or disgust. This is what homeless people go through every day. And, without the right safety nets, any one of us reading this could end up in this position, especially in these difficult and challenging times. So, take a few minutes to chat with a homeless person about their life. Ask them their name. Ask how they are feeling. Share stories and humanity. This random act of kindness will certainly make them feel that little bit more human. 10. Brighten someone’s day with a plant Receiving a bunch of beautiful flowers is a lovely idea, but they die too fast! Instead, gifting a plant can be cheap and very cheerful. Indeed, plants are natural pick-me-ups, and, because they need care to survive, they encourage the nurturing side of humans. And you don't have to go far to find them – the recent trend for houseplants mean they are easier to find than ever, with lots of exotic varieties on offer in your local supermarket. “Take a few minutes to chat with a homeless person about their life. Ask them their name. Ask them how they are feeling. Share stories and humanity.” So, buy a houseplant for a friend or work colleague, or even give one anonymously by leaving it on someone's doorstep to increase the mystery of this random act of kindness. Or, why not be kind to yourself and treat yourself to a pretty plant: go on, you deserve it! Bloomin' marvellous: be kind and give a plant shutterstock/Beach Creatives 11. Donate to charity As spring approaches, it’s a great chance to have a big clear-out of your closet. So, spend a few hours rifling through your old clothes and donate a bag of your bits to your preferred charity shop. For the full double deed of kindness, while you’re dropping off your donation, consider buying something as well. Buying from charity shops instead of buying new is also great for the environment. 12. Leave some art for someone Another cool random act of kindness idea is to use your creativity to change someone’s day. Leave a poem, mandala, drawing or painting somewhere in the community and let someone randomly discover and enjoy it. The surprise will be sure to put a grin on their face. • JOIN US! Sign up and join our curious, caring and inspirational online community! • 13. Cakes for colleagues Whip up some sweet treats in the oven and bring them into the workplace to share with your colleagues (yes, even those that you don’t always see eye-to-eye with – showing compassion is good for you). The fact that you’ve personally made something to share will make all the difference, too. Can't cook? Then splurge down the bakery instead as a plan B. The bonus of this random act of kindness is that you will also be able to get to munch on the cakes. 14. Send a postcard to someone you love Remember snail mail? Do you recall the joy of seeing a handwritten letter pop through the letterbox and land on your doormat? In this digital age, handwritten letters have almost been wiped out, so, let's change that. It doesn’t matter if you’re not away on holiday – and let's face it, at the moment that's more and more unlikely – you can still drop someone a handwritten note. “Another cool random act of kindness is to use your creativity to change someone's day. Leave a poem, mandala, drawing or painting somewhere in the community for people to appreciate.” So, even if you're at home, pop out and buy a nice postcard, a stamp, and spend a couple of minutes penning some loving lines to someone you care about. They're sure to get a buzz when your goodwill wishes land on their mat! Postcard it forward: get crafty to be kind 15. Buy local OK, we've all bought from Amazon to get a cheap deal, and many of us will have gone crazy on it during lockdown. But skip Amazon for the day. Support your nearby community by buying something from a local independent – either in person or through its website. Of course, it may be a little more expensive, but your purchase will help support local businesses and their families, rather than one fat cat receiving all the profits. 16. Have a judgement-free day Many of us tend to judge people instantly. From how they look, what they're wearing, or because of things they've said that we don't agree with or decisions made. Try to live a day free of judgement: in thoughts, words and actions. Don't let your fears or insecurities affect how you're thinking. 17. Connect with those that serve others When buying or ordering something, we often fail to engage fully with those behind the counter. So, next time you stop for gas, coffee or food, chat with your server. Ask them how their day is going, what time they clock off, or compliment them on something. And certainly don't browse the web or chat on your mobile phone while they're serving you: that's just plain rude. 18. Buy energy-efficient lightbulbs Have you seen the light yet? If you haven’t done so already, show some kindness to yourself and the environment by ensuring all your lightbulbs in your home are energy efficient. While they may seem more expensive, switching to energy efficient lighting is one of the best ways to cut your energy bill in the long-run. Plus, you don’t have to replace them so often. 19. Speak with a senior Research suggests that loneliness is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. So, if you have some elderly neighbours, pop round to have a chat over a cuppa. Or, if you see a senior in a shop or street and there’s a way to engage with them, do so. Sometimes, the elderly don’t speak to people for days on end and their only contact is through going shopping. Remember: we're all going to get old one day and that you could be you in a similar position in the future. Help the aged: connect with your elders shutterstock/halfpoint 20. Pay it forward with a coffee A tried and tested idea for an act of random kindness, offering to pay for the caffeine fix of someone else in the queue is an inexpensive and easy way of spreading some cheer. It's quick and gets immediate results (mine's a soya flat white, thanks!). 21. Be kind on social media Twitter and Facebook can be full of negativity, bitter trolls and oneupmanship. At the same time, we often get in the habit of breezing through social media posts and articles without actually reading things properly. Change all that by being nice. If you read a social media post or a well-written article that touches you, take a few seconds to leave a positive comment and let the author know. Why not start by telling us what you think of this article below? 22. Our final random act of kindness: share this post! Speaking of sharing, your last act of random kindness could be to share this article on social media and help to spread love and happiness as far and wide as possible. Let's all try to make a difference together! ● Main image: Oksana Mizina/Shutterstock.com How many of these random acts of kindness ideas have you tried? How did they go? Has anyone ever surprised you with one of these tips? happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member? Sign up for free to: ■ enjoy our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ self-develop with free online classes in our Academy Altruism | Deep listening | Purpose of life Written by Calvin Holbrook Calvin edits the happiness magazine, makes collage artwork and loves swimming, yoga, dancing to house/techno, and all things vintage! Find out more.

Quality sleep is an essential component of good mental and physical health, yet many of us struggle to find it. Ann Vrlak explores how deep sleep meditation could increase your chances of improved rest and well-being. Some years ago, I told a doctor friend: “I’m having so much trouble sleeping. What’s wrong with me? Who can’t fall asleep, for heaven’s sake!?” She laughed and said, “Well, only most of the planet!” It turned out she was right. The American Sleep Association says that 50-70 million adults in the US have a sleep disorder. Insomnia is the most common in the short term (30 per cent of Americans), but it also affects 10 per cent in the long-term. In my journey to more thoroughly understand sleep and enjoy better sleep, I have read a lot about how common sleep problems are, how they affect us, and what we can do to improve the quantity and quality of our sleep. As a meditation teacher, I was sure that meditation could play a big role. So, this article is about the benefits of deep sleep meditation and how these practices can help you drift off more quickly and enjoy more restorative sleep. Why deep sleep is crucial My doctor friend told me that Ariana Huffington – the über-successful founder of Huffington Post – left the company in 2016 to form a wellness website focused on sleep. Huffington began this journey when she collapsed one day from exhaustion. She had always been an energetic and healthy person, but sleep was not something she made a priority. Her health crisis motivated her to delve into the importance of sleep and what she calls the “sleep deprivation crisis” of our modern world. Today, a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, studies are showing sleep problems are becoming even more common – yet another effect of the isolation, loneliness and disruption so many of us are experiencing. Deep sleep meditations encourage quality rest If you don’t sleep well once in a while, your body will adapt. However, if you’re someone who regularly has trouble getting to sleep or staying asleep and wake up feeling exhausted, I hope this article will convince you of the importance of aqequate shut-eye and convince you to give deep sleep meditations a try. And, in case you think a chronic lack of quality sleep isn’t a priority in your life, don’t be fooled. Some of the damaging effects include: Impaired judgement Slowed reaction time Weight gain Hypertension Conflicts with others Mental fog and poor concentration Impaired immune system Anxiety and depression Benefits of deep sleep meditation I hope the list above gives you an idea of just how crucial healthy sleep is to you. Sleep is regulated by neurochemicals in the brain which, in turn, regulate a whole range of mental and physical processes. So, when poor sleep is ongoing, just about everything you think, feel and do can be negatively affected. “Deep sleep meditations are a way to encourage your mind, body and spirit to do what it naturally wants to do: rest, heal and rejuvenate.” As you might expect then, the benefits of regular, healthy sleep are just as profound in the positive direction! You can expect to: Feel mentally alert Be able to concentrate and problem-solve Have a high-functioning immune system Better communication and connection with others Be better able to maintain your weight Reduce hypertension, as well as anxiety and depression In a nutshell, regular quality sleep will keep your brain in a powerful, balanced cycle of health that will support you in a whole host of ways. How much sleep do I need? Most adults need between seven to eight hours sleep a night. And, it’s important to sleep close to this amount every night. Three hours one night and 10 hours the next throws your brain chemistry and your circadian rhythm out of balance. When it comes to sleep, routine is king. Deep sleep meditations you can try There are many guided meditations you can try, online or in many of the meditation apps. Whichever you choose, please keep this in mind: sleep is a natural process. It’s not something you should need to force. Deep sleep meditations are just a way to encourage your mind, body and spirit to do what it naturally wants to do: rest, heal and rejuvenate. Every night. Here are a couple of deep sleep meditation videos I recommend. If poor sleep is troubling you, I hope you’ll give them a try. 1. Guided meditation with Tara Brach | 15 minutes This is a lovely breath and body scan deep sleep meditation. At just 15 minutes, it's a great one to practise just prior to heading to bed. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } 2. Jason Stephenson | 1 hour This guided meditation is an example of another type of deep sleep meditation: a visualization journey. Stephenson’s “Floating Among the Stars” meditation begins with a relaxation session then takes you through a visualization experience. .embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; } The power of deep sleep meditations Meditation is uniquely suited as a before-sleep routine, especially deep sleep meditations that help you release stressful thoughts (the biggest cause of insomnia for many of us). Breath and body scan meditations are the oldest and most effective deep sleep meditations. Here are just a few reasons why these meditations will be a helpful tool if you have sleep issues. Again, they will help you to focus on your body and physical sensations, instead of your thoughts. You might have noticed that your troubling thoughts all seem to come out when you get into bed! Not only that, but if you’re like me, you might try to think yourself into sleep; you can probably guess how well that works. Meditation enables your pre-sleep brain shutterstock/shurkin_so I can’t overstate how much your sleep will improve if you embrace deep sleep meditations that gently direct your attention away from your thoughts. If you try to STOP your thoughts, this is a direct path to frustration. But if you give your attention something else to focus on, you’ll start to feel your mind relax. Saying that, it’s really important not to expect your mind to go willingly at first. Thinking, planning and worrying as we settle down for the night are all ingrained habits for most of us. So, please be patient as you try any of these deep sleep meditation. MORE LIKE THIS: Cat naps – 5 health benefits of taking a siesta Feel stress-free fast: 11 science-backed techniques 14 sleep hacks to get a good night's rest As you focus less on your thoughts and more on your body, you will set in motion the relaxation response in your brain. Paying attention to your breath and bodily sensations tell your brain that you’re “safe.” Your parasympathetic nervous system, that governs all kinds of wonderful healing processes, sends relaxation chemicals throughout your body. This supports not only your sleep, but your ability to relax and open further to deep sleep meditation. “Meditation is uniquely suited as a before-sleep routine, especially deep sleep meditations that help you release stressful thoughts.” Another strength of deep sleep meditations that focus on breath and body is that they bring you into the present moment. You need to be present to feel the subtle sensations of warmth or coolness as you breathe, or the tension in your shoulders or stomach. This kind of sustained, kind, precise attention to what you’re experiencing right now gathers your attention from the many places it may be wandering, to one gentle, aware place within yourself. Try it. You may be surprised how calming paying attention to one thing can be! These meditations for deeper sleep also help you to become quieter, to notice the silence within your breath and within your body. These quiet spaces are small doorways that say, “This way! I’ll take you to the quiet, rest and release of sleep.” Most meditation traditions see great value in reaching deeper sleep, rather than the superficial level of sleep which is also all too common. They provide an opportunity to sink into the thought-less realm of your being, every day, and bathe in pure awareness. Because most of us spend much of our days doing, planning and being busy, this deeply restful time is seen as an essential oasis of healing and rejuvenation for mind, body and spirit. Conclusions: deep sleep meditation Quality sleep is an integral part of good mental and physical health. Sadly, many of us struggle to get adequate rest due to stress, worry, anxiety and overthinking. However, we can use deep sleep meditation techniques to encourage our body to enter a state of relaxation and rest. Try watching the videos suggested and following the above tips to help you on your way to a good night's rest. Sweet dreams. • Main image: shutterstock/Billion Images happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practise, share Are you a happiness.com member yet? Sign up for free now to enjoy: ■ our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support in our happiness forum ■ self-develop with free online classes in our Academy Stress management | Mindfulness | Burnout Written by Ann Vrlak Ann Vrlak is Founder of OneSelf Meditation and a meditation practitioner for over 25 years. She’s a Certified Meditation Teacher for adults and for children (the best job ever!). She loves to share how the perspective and practice of meditation can support people with their everyday stresses and on their journey of self-discovery.

A bad working environment, difficult colleagues, a heavy workload: many factors can cause us to feel overwhelmed in our jobs. Dee Marques suggests nine practical ways you can take back control and feel more content on the job. Life has been turned upside down over the past year or two. The frequency and magnitude of changes we’ve experienced can make us feel overwhelmed and incapable of handling the new situation. This applies to the world of work too, which has become a source of additional stress in recent months due to Zoom fatigue, new working environments and changing rules. Enduring high stress levels for a period of time can lead to burnout, so we need to understand why this happens and what can be done to stop feeling overwhelmed at work. What makes us feel overwhelmed at work? There are many factors that can make working life stressful. Do you recognize any of the following? The work environment If you’re back to your usual workplace, dealing with difficult colleagues or with new rules can become extremely burdensome. This can eat away at your enthusiasm and energy very quickly. Moreover, some companies have reduced their staff numbers and the remaining employees may feel overworked or without sufficient support. The heavier the workload and responsibilities, the more support you should get. But unfortunately, not all employers understand this. The realities of working from home When home becomes the workplace, the lack of boundaries can make it look like you’re always at work. A home office has its pros, but it can also make it harder to disconnect from your job and create the feeling that you’re never getting a break. Not only that, you may feel you have to juggle multiple responsibilities in a limited physical space (work, home life, family, etc.). Home office can make work overwhelming Lack of clarity Not understanding what you’re supposed to do can easily lead to burnout. This is common among employees who’ve recently switched to remote work, since this arrangement can lead to ambiguity or conflicting roles. As we discussed in a previous article, feeling purposeless is one of the reasons why people are unhappy at work. Unproductive time Sometimes you have everything you need to do your job, but too much of your time is spent in unproductive meetings. Collaboration is great, but it’s possible to overdo it, which leaves you feeling depleted. We all deal with these situations every now and then. Sometimes we’re better at handling the stressors onnected to them, but it’s also possible to reach a point where you feel you just can’t do it anymore. In other words: it’s important to differentiate occasional stress from burnout. You can take our stress at work questionnaire here. Nine ways to manage feeling overwhelmed at work 
If you're struggling to cope with your work and this is affecting your motivation or well-being, there are certain steps you can take to improve the situation: 1. Pinpoint the problem Take some time to think about what exactly is making you feel overwhelmed at work. Is it colleagues, the job itself, other commitments, or lack of organisation? Understanding what triggers the feeling can set you off in the right direction when looking for solutions. Keeping a journal can help with this. RELATED: How stressed are you at work? Find out! 2. Make a to-do list The very thought of having too much to do can be paralysing. Sometimes, writing down all your tasks and rearranging their priority level can help bring some relief and clarity so you don’t put all your energy into every single task. Having a written list can also help you stay away from the temptation to multi-task, since the list is a visual reminder that you can only do one thing at a time. 3. Work during peak productivity hours We don’t operate at 100 per cent every single hour of the day. Forcing ourselves to work on demanding tasks when we’re not at our most productive can easily make us feel overwhelmed at work. “Take some time to think about what exactly is making you feel overwhelmed at work. Is it colleagues, the job itself, other commitments, or lack of organisation?” Over the years and as I keep adding or removing tasks to my daily routine, I’ve had to rearrange my schedule based on the importance of tasks and my peak productivity hours. For example, I’m most active between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m., so I get my workouts and most challenging work done in that time frame. Although everyone is different, some studies agree that the majority of people do best in intellectual tasks in the mornings. 4. Balance focus and breaks Constant distractions and not taking breaks are two of the main reasons why people feel overwhelmed at work. According to research, it takes more than 23 minutes to get back on track after getting distracted. Suddenly, the end of the work day is there and you realise you haven’t got much done. If this happens often, burnout is guaranteed. • JOIN US! Sign up to learn more about meditation and mindfulness • The same applies to the other extreme: not taking breaks. The length and frequency of breaks vary from person to person, but you can experiment with the Pomodoro technique, taking micro breaks, or trying intermittent resting. Take small breaks and practise mindfulness at work to disconnect and recharge – 5. You don’t have to do it all Learning to delegate is difficult, but failing to do it can create that burdensome feeling of being overwhelmed at work. If you struggle with delegating, it can be helpful to challenge some common assumptions about it. For example, delegating work is not a sign of weakness and it doesn’t reflect poorly on your abilities. It doesn’t mean you avoid accountability or are trying to get away from doing something. Learning to delegate can relieve work stress shutterstock/ G-Stock Studio It’s also important to understand that delegating goes hand-in-hand with mentoring the person you’re delegating to. This can give you peace of mind, especially if you avoid delegating because you don’t think others can do the job to your standard. 6. The key to time management… … is learning to say “no”. No time management technique will alleviate the feeling of being overwhelmed at work if you keep piling things on your plate. If you say “yes” to everything, you’ll never have enough hours in the day. RELATED: How to show compassion at work This requires being honest about your workload and recognising your limitations, but don’t look at it as a defeat. Learning to say “no” is actually a statement of courage that shows you’re committed to your well-being. If you feel overwhelmed at work at want more free time, “no” is the way to freedom! I found this infographic very useful when deciding whether “no” is the best answer. 7. Set boundaries Saying “no” is a way of setting boundaries. But sometimes, you need to set physical boundaries too. This is easier if you work remotely. I’ve been working online since 2012, and I learnt quite early in the process that working from home has to be treated the same as working from an office. For me, that means having a definite space to work from and not working from the sofa or in bed. 8. A place to escape When my workload is higher than usual and I start feeling restless and overwhelmed at work, I retreat to my “cozy corner” for a 15-minute break. This is a small area in a landing where I’ve set up some cushions and a curtain of string lights. I got the idea from a book called The Little Book of Hygge, which talks about the importance of having places that make us feel comforted and secure. “Learning to say 'no' is a statement of courage that shows you’re committed to your well-being. If you feel overwhelmed at work at want more free time, 'no' is the way to freedom.” This can help counter the feeling of being overwhelmed at work, especially if you use the space to do breathing exercises or a short meditation session. 9. If all else fails It might be time to look for a new job. If you’ve done all you could and still feel overwhelmed at work, staying put will likely make the feeling worse. One of our blog posts talks about the importance of showing compassion at work, but remember that compassion can also be extended to yourself. What would you recommend to a friend who’s exhausted all their options and still feels burnt out? Chances are you would encourage them to explore other ideas and prioritise their well-being. So, why not be kind and compassionate to yourself too? You have tools to manage being overwhelmed Feeling overwhelmed at work is normal when there are changes to the work environment, to your role, or you’re juggling too many responsibilities at the same time. However, carrying this burden for too long can have a negative impact on your well-being. Don’t let that happen – you have tools to manage that feeling and become more comfortable with your work routine. And if you try all of the suggestions mentioned here and still feel something is wrong… it may be time to start looking for a new job! • Main image: shutterstock/FamVeld Are you feeling overwhelmed at work? How has the pandemic affected your worklife? Let the community know in the comments below... happiness.com | The fine art of being: learn, practice, share Are you a happiness.com member? Sign up for free now to: ■ enjoy our happiness magazine with practical life tips ■ share and support others in our happiness forum ■ self-develop with free online classes in our happiness Academy Anger management | Resilience | Leadership Written by Dee Marques A social sciences graduate with a keen interest in languages, communication, and personal development strategies. Dee loves exercising, being out in nature, and discovering warm and sunny places where she can escape the winter.