Sunlight may prevent ADHD
Sunny regions have lower prevalence of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, according to a study co-authored by researchers from The Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center and recently published in Biological Psychiatry. Regions with higher solar intensity – such as California, Arizona, Colorado, Spain and Mexico, have lower prevalence of ADHD: 5 to 6 percent, compared with 10-12 percent in areas with lower solar intensity. Researchers theorize that daytime sunlight exposure may counteract evening blue light exposure from computers, televisions and smart phones, which can create a delayed circadian rhythm and negatively affect sleep. Symptoms of ADHD and sleep-deprivation are similar.
Bed sharing dramatically increases SIDS risk
The risk of infants under 3 months old who co-sleep dying of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome is five times higher than for those infants who do not co-sleep, according to a new study by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and published in the journal BMJ Open. SIDS is the leading cause of death for infants under the age of 1 in high-income countries such as the U.S. The study, which analyzed 1,472 SIDS cases and 4,679 control cases in Europe and Australasia, showed that breastfed babies under three months old who shared beds were at greater risk of SIDS regardless of whether parents smoked or consumed alcohol.
Over-exercising linked to poor mental health
Exercising for more than 7.5 hours per week is associated with anxiety and depression, according to a study from the Teachers College at Columbia University recently published in Preventive Medicine. Researchers found that those who exercised between 2.5 hours to 7.5 hours per week were reported to have better mental health compared to those who exercised more or less than that. Symptoms such as depression and anxiety sharply increased after exercising more than 7.5 hours – regardless of gender, age or level of physical fitness. Between 2.5 and 4 hours of exercise a week was associated with better mental health, but beyond 4 hours, the trend reversed, with 65 percent of those who reported having poorer mental health exercising more than four hours each week.
