World of Medicine

Want to Feel Good? Show Some Gratitude

Expressing gratitude promotes mental and physical health, according to a recent review by University of Montana scholars. Gratitude is different from happiness, they said, because it stems from a sense of having received a gift or a benefit. Besides psychological perks, such as optimism and decreased stress and envy, being grateful also brings concrete health results (fewer illnesses and improved sleep). Finally, it helps strengthen relationships: one heartfelt expression of appreciation can enhance relationship quality for up to six months afterwards.

Surgery Is the Leading Incontinence Treatment

While urinary incontinence (UI) can happen at any age, it’s more common in older adults. An international literature review discovered that surgery was the most effective option, with an 82 per cent cure rate for people with stress UI (brought on by sneezing, etc). Pelvic floor exercises ranked second, with a rate of 53 per cent. Drugs had a 49 per cent chance of curing patients with urge UI (a sudden need to urinate), while ‘bulking agents’ – fillers injected into the area around the urethra to tighten it – worked only 37 per cent of the time.

Stair Walking Provides Energy Boost

Falling asleep on the job? A short jaunt up and down the stairs will provide a better pick-me-up than a small dose of caffeine, suggests a study in Physiology & Behavior. Sleep-deprived subjects were asked to either walk on a staircase for ten minutes or ingest 50 milligrams of caffeine (about half a cup of coffee). The stair walkers felt more energised than those who had ingested capsules containing caffeine or a placebo.