Why everyone should embrace their inner sloth

/
Why everyone should embrace their inner sloth

Each year there’s an autumn weekend which is anticipated with particular glee: the one in which the clocks go back. The prospect of an extra hour in bed is certainly enticing, and the Sunday has duly been labelled “National Sleep In Day”. But the fact that sleeping in is designated to this one particular day betrays something else – that idleness is seen as wasteful, self-indulgent. A lie-in is only encouraged when time itself moves to accommodate it.

Read More

Stomach and mood disorders: how your gut may be playing with your mind

/
Stomach and mood disorders: how your gut may be playing with your mind

If you’ve eaten a fabulous meal recently, the experience was pleasant, comfortable and pain-free because your stomach and intestinal system worked seamlessly to move the food along and eventually absorb it.

Our gastrointestinal tract, or gut, is sometimes described as our “second brain”. This is because it is controlled by its own complex nervous system comprising hundreds of millions of neurons – more than all the nerves in your spinal cord.

Read More

What is the gut microbiota and how does it affect mind and body?

/
What is the gut microbiota and how does it affect mind and body?

The human gastrointestinal tract harbours trillions of microorganisms, consisting of up to 1,000 or so different bacterial species.

These bacteria, known collectively as the gut microbiota, perform a number of vital functions in our body. They defend against pathogens, aid in digestion and nutrient absorption, produce vitamins (K and B), and boost our immune system.

Read More

What dictates how much pain you feel after injury?

/
What dictates how much pain you feel after injury?

Numerous studies show that pain following trauma persists in many: one in four have moderate to severe pain 12 months following trauma, and up to one in three have significant pain and disability three years later.

When examining factors associated with persistent pain, a number of indicators emerge. The severity of injury and degree of pain (and its control) consistently predict recovery. Poorly controlled pain in the first week following injury increases the risk of severe pain one year later by two to three times.

Pain is more than just a sensation indicating tissue damage: it is a multidimensional experience. Numerous areas of the brain are activated. The threat of an injury activates a range of responses, not just from the brain but also behavioural. This includes signals from the brain that travel down the spinal cord and to the tissues to inhibit pain, allowing us to survive the initial threat and begin the process of recovery.

Read More