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7 Things You Need To Know Today (May 24, 2018)

Author:

Lindsay Kellner

May 24, 2018

Contributing Wellness & Beauty Editor

By Lindsay Kellner

Contributing Wellness & Beauty Editor

Lindsay is a freelance writer and certified yoga instructor based in Brooklyn, NY. She holds a journalism and psychology degree from New York University. Kellner is the co-author of “The Spirit Almanac: A Modern Guide to Ancient Self Care,” with mbg Sustainability Editor Emma Loewe.

Photo by Alberto Bogo

May 24, 2018

1. Is your commute an active one? We've got some good news for you.

If you bike, walk, or take public transportation to work, you're in luck: New research finds that people who have active commutes—rather than getting to work via car—have a 30 percent lower risk of dying from heart disease or stroke. "More active patterns of travel were associated with a reduced risk of incident and fatal CVD and all-cause mortality in adults. This is an important message for clinicians advising people about how to be physically active and reduce their risk of disease," researchers explained. (EurekAlert!)

2. Sunscreen "pills" are not FDA-approved.

The Food and Drug Administration has officially ordered sunscreen pill manufacturers to stop selling their product, claiming they are "putting people’s health at risk by giving consumers a false sense of security." To learn more about what kind of sun protection you should be wearing this year, check out this report. (NBC News)

3. At some U.S. companies, every day is Bring Your Child to Work Day.

The number of companies that allow employees to bring babies to work with them has increased over the past decade—now reaching 200. While this is still a relatively small number, it indicates a shift toward more worker-friendly offices. (OZY)

4. Studies find that a Type D personality can affect athletes' performance levels significantly.

According to a new study, athletes who identify as anxious or self-doubting tend to have more difficulty when performing. Type D refers to "distressed" and speaks to increased levels of perceived stress individuals many handle. Research found that the Type D athletes had poorer levels of performance and self-confidence. (NYT)

5. Here's a perk of regular exercise that you probably didn't know about.

We know exercise is great for improving happiness and getting more exercise, but new research finds that strength training is also beneficial for people who struggle with addiction. The study, which was conducted on rats, found that resistance exercises can help prevent addicts from relapsing. Hey, that's a nice incentive to lift a little heavier. (PsyPost)

6. You might want to leave the back handsprings to the pros.

Have you ever watched the Olympics or a sporting match and thought, "I could do that!" Well, according to new research, watching people perform a particular skill can actually lead to increased confidence in one's ability to perform that action. Sadly, however, it didn't result in any type of actual increase in skill, which means watching gymnastics won't make you a better gymnast. (Quartz)

7. There's a new type of brain disorder.

And it's caused by a recessive mutation in a gene called CAMK2A, which is partly responsible for learning and memory. This mutation is also related to other neurological disorders like autism and epilepsy and might help us gain a better understanding of how the brain really works. (EurekAlert!)

Miss the news yesterday? No worries, we got you.