Sleep & Exercise Affect Mood & Health Days Later
Sleep & Exercise Affect Mood & Health Days Later
Plus: When psychotherapy notes aren't private
A problem difficult at night is resolved in the morning after the committee of sleep has worked on it.
— John Steinbeck
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, aiming to help you make tomorrow a little better than today. Below you’ll find informative and actionable articles by our team of topical experts, practicing professionals and trained journalists. First, here’s this week’s newsletter-only feature…
Much research has shown that a good workout can improve cognition. Likewise, a good night’s sleep enhances your ability to think clearly and make decisions the next day. Conversely, one bad night of sleep has been found to have immediate negative effects on mood and health, and a sedentary lifestyle worsens mood, health and hampers the ability to sleep. Yes, it’s a spiral. Over a lifetime, sleep and physical activity are intimately linked to long-term mental well-being and physical health.
Ana Triana, a neuroscientist at Aalto University in Finland, wanted a deeper look at how all these factors are connected. So she donned wearable devices to monitor her sleep and physical activity for five months, and volunteered for twice-weekly brain scans—a frequency well beyond what would normally be tried in a study involving multiple volunteers.
Triana kept detailed records of her moods. Then she and other scientists analyzed the results.
Their conclusions, detailed in the journal PLOS Biology:
Our brains do not respond to daily life in immediate, isolated bursts. Instead, brain activity evolves in response to sleep patterns, physical activity, mood, and respiration rate over many days. This suggests that even a workout or a restless night from last week could still affect your brain — and therefore your attention, cognition and memory — well into next week.
Two distinct patterns were spotted: A short-term wave of brain activity lasting less than a week, and a long wave lasting up to 15 days. “The former reflects rapid adaptations, like how focus is impacted by poor sleep, but it recovers quickly,” the researchers said in a statement. “The long wave suggests more gradual, lasting effects, particularly in areas tied to attention and memory.”
While a sample of one does not offer proof of anything, the results suggest there’s much we don’t know about how the brain responds over time to our behaviors on any given day, but that the effects are long-lasting. That in mind…
Next up, a few of Wise & Well’s most interesting and actionable stories…
Are Your Psychotherapist’s Notes Private and Secure?
I had no idea that some psychotherapists, depending on who they work for, are required to put notes into a computer file that is accessible by “your other doctors, medical assistants, and even the receptionist at their office.” I’d be outraged to learn my innermost thoughts were shared like that. This psychologist explains how to make sure this doesn’t happen to you.
I continue to keep my client notes separate from any online platform where information could be accessed. Psychotherapy must retain its place as a safe, secure relationship where privacy is the highest priority.
—Gail Post, Ph.D.
How Seniors Tumble Down Conspiracy Rabbit Holes
Many of us know someone who has been caught up in disproven or totally unsupported conspiracy theories to the point that facts and logic no longer seem to play a role in their thought process. The writer investigates why older people are more susceptible, and the right way (and wrong way) to help someone see reason.
Instead of fact-checking, focus on the why. Ask yourself why your loved one is drawn to these theories in the first place. What need are they satisfying?
—Kathleen Murphy
What Happened When College Athletes Tried a Navy SEALs Workout
Recently I had to hold a 30-pound awning over my head for a few minutes while my wife attached it to some brackets. It was no big deal. I do yoga, jog about 10 miles weekly, and lift weights. But I was sore the next day! The lesson: Even when we’re in shape, we’re not fit for every sort of physical activity. And boy, did this university lacrosse team learn that lesson the hard way:
They participated in a workout organized by one of their former teammates. Normally, such an elite group of athletes can do most exercise routines with ease. The exception is when the person taking you through an exercise is a Navy SEAL. Out of the 50 participants, 12 ended up in the hospital.
—Dr. Julian Barkan
Wannabe Weight Loss Drugs Have Serious Undisclosed Risks
Popular GLP-1 drugs—Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound—are expensive, and often not covered by insurance for weight loss. So hucksters are promoting great-sounding alternatives. But beware. They’re not the same things, and they pack side effects you won’t be told about.
I am a pharmacist who studies weaknesses in federal oversight of prescription and over-the-counter drugs and dietary supplements in the U.S. My research group recently has investigated loopholes that are allowing alternative weight loss products to enter the market.
—C. Michael White
How I Survived My Long, Dreary, Hospital Stay
Anyone who’s ever spent time in a hospital knows how miserable it can be. And I’m not talking about the illness or injury that lands you there. Awful food. Depressing rooms. And sleep? Not allowed. Our writer has been there, and she insisted on better treatment to facilitate healing. I learned some things I’ll be taking with, and insisting upon, next time I am a patient or looking after one. Among many great tips, this was my favorite:
Wear your own pajamas. My hospital allowed this as long as they opened in the back and I knew they might get ruined. (I slit them midline and used velcro attachments, clunky but it worked). When you join the army and don their uniform, part of the goal is to lose your old identity and take on the military battalion persona. But I never volunteered to join team patient. So, no thank you for the drab hospital wear. I’ll wear my pink with a bit of sparkle.
— Annie Foley
If you aim to feel better, be more productive, or otherwise enhance your well-being, Wise & Well’s topic pages offer troves of actionable advice and enjoyable reading on some of the subjects we cover most frequently:
I hope we’ve helped make your tomorrow a little better than today. If you like what you see, please follow Wise & Well and/or subscribe to this newsletter. If you’re interested in writing for us, see our quality standards and requirements.
Cheers,
Rob