The term ‘mental health’ is used to encompass a person’s emotional and psychological wellbeing, which is experienced differently from one person to the next and includes a spectrum of mental health conditions. One of the most prevalent mental health concerns today centres around people’s levels of anxiety and depression. In the US alone, 6.8 million adults are affected by generalised anxiety disorder (GAD), which is a feeling of unease and worry to a variety of degrees, from manageable fear to debilitating panic. Common mental health issues such as GAD can also have knock-on effects on our physical health: depression and anxiety can lead to increases in blood pressure, reduce the amount of blood that flows through the heart and increase the release of a stress hormone called cortisol, all of which can contribute to the development of heart disease.
Mental health is often intertwined with a concept known as neurodiversity. This term is used to describe the breadth of ways the human brain operates and how it interprets and processes information. A neurotypical person is someone whose brain functions in a typical way – similar to the majority of their peers. The brain of a neurodivergent person, however, deviates from the typical. For example, someone on the autism spectrum or with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) might consider themselves to be neurodivergent.
Denne historien er fra Issue 190-utgaven av How It Works UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra Issue 190-utgaven av How It Works UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
RESCUE IN SPACE
Fortunately, space emergencies are a rare occurrence, but astronauts and space agencies need to be prepared for any eventuality that might arise
NEANDERTHAL LIVING
Why our prehistoric cousins were pioneers, not clueless apes
BUILDING ONE WORLD TRADE CENTER
One World Trade Center rose from the ashes of the Twin Towers. Now, as the tallest building in New York City, it looks to the skies and the future. Here's how this sustainable and secure record-breaker was built
BECOME A SMARTPHONE SCIENTIST
Amazing tips and tricks to transform your smartphone into a bug-finding, star-spotting, data-gathering device
LIFTING THE LID ON ANTARCTICA
What was the coldest continent like without ice?
URBAN WILDLIFE
How wild animals have evolved to thrive alongside humans in towns and cities
WHAT IS SUNBURN?
How solar rays can leave us red, sore and irritated
ALL ABOUT FAT
Fat is a complex, active organ. Here's how genetics, evolution, lifestyle and diet dictate how much we have beneath our skin
The Space Force is launching lasers into orbit
The Space Force aims to better pinpoint the location of Earth's true centre using lasers on GPS satellites, slated to launch in 2025. A set of Laser Retroreflector Arrays, or LRAS, will be installed onto two GPS III satellites, SV9 and SV10, as part of NASA's Space Geodesy Program. The lasers are designed to make precise sub-centimetre measurements using a technique called Satellite Laser Ranging, which will allow researchers to more accurately determine Earth's centre.
Eating too much sugar may accelerate cellular ageing
A nutrient-rich diet with few added sugars may slow the rate of biological ageing in women. Scientists found that middle-aged women who ate more foods packed with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants had 'younger looking' cells than those who consumed less nutrient-rich diets.
