Aggregator

A war book first conceived over a hundred years ago could be revived to prepare the nation for possible war, the head of the armed forces has said.

Critics say social media is engineered to be as addictive as tobacco or gambling, writes the Washington Post — while adding that "the science has been moving in parallel with the court's recognition." A growing body of research links heavy social media use not only to declines in mental health but to measurable cognitive effects — on attention, memory and focus — that in some studies resemble accelerated aging. Science also suggests we have more control than we realize when it comes to reversing this damage, and the solution is surprisingly simple: Take a break... "Digital detoxes" can sound like a fad. But in one of the largest studies to date, published in PNAS Nexus and involving more than 467 participants with an average age of 32, even a short time away produced striking results — effectively erasing a decade of age-related cognitive decline. For 14 days, participants used a commercially available app, Freedom, to block internet access on their phones. They were still allowed calls and text messages, essentially turning a smartphone into a dumb phone. Their time online decreased from 314 minutes to 161 minutes, and by the end of the period the participants had improvements in sustained attention, mental health as well as self-reported well-being. The improvement in sustained attention was about the same magnitude as 10 years of age-related decline, the researchers noted, and the effect of the intervention on depression symptoms was larger than antidepressants and similar to that of cognitive behavioral therapy. But two things were even more mind-blowing... Even those people who cheated and broke the rules after a few days seemed to have positive effects from the break; and in follow-up reports after the two weeks, many people reported the positive effects lingered. "So you don't have to necessarily restrict yourself forever. Even taking a partial digital detox, even for a few days, seems to work," Kushlev said. The article also notes a November study at Harvard published in JAMA Network Open where nearly 400 people 'found that even a short break can make a measurable difference: After just one week of reduced smartphone use, participants reported drops in anxiety (16.1 percent), depression (24.8 percent) and insomnia (14.5 percent)..." "Other experiments point in the same direction — whether decreasing social media use by an hour a day for one week or stepping away from just Facebook and Instagram."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Critics say social media is engineered to be as addictive as tobacco or gambling, writes the Washington Post — while adding that "the science has been moving in parallel with the court's recognition." A growing body of research links heavy social media use not only to declines in mental health but to measurable cognitive effects — on attention, memory and focus — that in some studies resemble accelerated aging. Science also suggests we have more control than we realize when it comes to reversing this damage, and the solution is surprisingly simple: Take a break... "Digital detoxes" can sound like a fad. But in one of the largest studies to date, published in PNAS Nexus and involving more than 467 participants with an average age of 32, even a short time away produced striking results — effectively erasing a decade of age-related cognitive decline. For 14 days, participants used a commercially available app, Freedom, to block internet access on their phones. They were still allowed calls and text messages, essentially turning a smartphone into a dumb phone. Their time online decreased from 314 minutes to 161 minutes, and by the end of the period the participants had improvements in sustained attention, mental health as well as self-reported well-being. The improvement in sustained attention was about the same magnitude as 10 years of age-related decline, the researchers noted, and the effect of the intervention on depression symptoms was larger than antidepressants and similar to that of cognitive behavioral therapy. But two things were even more mind-blowing... Even those people who cheated and broke the rules after a few days seemed to have positive effects from the break; and in follow-up reports after the two weeks, many people reported the positive effects lingered. "So you don't have to necessarily restrict yourself forever. Even taking a partial digital detox, even for a few days, seems to work," Kushlev said. The article also notes a November study at Harvard published in JAMA Network Open where nearly 400 people 'found that even a short break can make a measurable difference: After just one week of reduced smartphone use, participants reported drops in anxiety (16.1 percent), depression (24.8 percent) and insomnia (14.5 percent)..." "Other experiments point in the same direction — whether decreasing social media use by an hour a day for one week or stepping away from just Facebook and Instagram."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

The pair, who have not been named, were travelling in a blue car along Gilmorton Lane, towards Lutterworth, Leicestershire, when the vehicle careered off a bridge.

For years, my fitness coach husband Mat nagged me try weights, promising they would change my body - my metabolism, strength, muscle tone and even my bone health.

A 37-year-old man has been arrested and remains in police custody

The news presenter, 66, was reportedly taken to hospital on Tuesday after falling ill and is currently being treated on a ward.

The spacecraft reached blistering speeds of up to 25,000 miles per hour before making its 'bullseye' landing off the coast of San Diego, California at 8.07pm ET.

Discover Chatham Green, Essex: a historic hamlet on the Essex Way, home to the award-nominated Windmill pub, Grade II listed buildings, and nature walks.

Ellouise Champion has now published two children’s books on Amazon called My Sibling in Heaven and My Sibling Amongst The Stars.

Discover Chatham Green, Essex: a historic hamlet on the Essex Way, home to the award-nominated Windmill pub, Grade II listed buildings, and nature walks.

Ellouise Champion has now published two children’s books on Amazon called My Sibling in Heaven and My Sibling Amongst The Stars.

There's a dog for every lifestyle

A fire at an area of marshland in Canvey was tackled by nine crews for four hours as they worked to put it out.

A fire at an area of marshland in Canvey was tackled by nine crews for four hours as they worked to put it out.

The anchovy spread, officially known as Patum Peperium, was discontinued earlier this year in a decision revealed this week.

Cameron Diaz looked worlds away from her usual glamorous self as she filmed a dramatic scene with her co-star Stephen Merchant in New York City on Saturday.

Follow Mail Sport's live blog for the latest updates, full list of runners, odds and results from the world's most famous steeplechase, the Grand National in Aintree.

Sudanese national Alnour Mohamed Ali was charged with endangering life, on Friday, after two men and two women died trying to board a small boat crossing

Bradley Carney, 28, walked into a Middlesbrough branch of JD Sports in an attempt to steal clothing but was wearing stolen Hugo Boss items with a security tag attached.