Although news stories about disturbing events can be worth your attention, good news benefits your mental health, concludes a British experiment. More than 300 participants read stories about cruelty or violence, which, not surprisingly dampened their moods. Those who went on to read lighthearted anecdotes (e.g., a mouthy parrot) felt better, but those who read stories about acts of kindness reported a greater belief in the overall goodness of humanity. These results suggest that even if you're exposed to a daily barrage of bad news, hearing about the kindness of others makes you happier and protects you against what some researchers call mean world syndrome, an anxious outlook caused by an overestimation of the world's dangers.
Common Vaccines Bring Extra Bonus
This story is from the February 2024 edition of Reader's Digest India.
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This story is from the February 2024 edition of Reader's Digest India.
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BOOKS
Books review
STUDIO - Off Lamington Road by Gieve Patel
Oil on Canvas, 54 x 88 in
NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF MEDICINE
FOODS THAT FIGHT DEMENTIA
TO HELL AND BACK
The Darvaza crater in Turkmenistan is known as the Gates of Hell. I stood on its edge - and lived to tell the tale
THE SNAKE CHARMERS
Invasive Burmese pythons are squeezing the life out of Florida's vast Everglades. An unlikely sisterhood is taking them on
Sisterhood to Last a Lifetime
These college pals teach a master class in how to maintain a friendship for 50-plus years
...TO DIE ON A HOCKEY RINK
ONE MINUTE I WAS PLAYING IN MY BEER LEAGUE, THE NEXT I WAS IN THE HOSPITAL
Just Sit Tight
Broken, battered and trapped in a ravine for days, I desperate driver wonders, \"Will anyone find me?\"
Allow Me to Mansplain...
If there's one thing we know, it's this: We're a nation of know-it-alls
THE BITTER TRUTH ABOUT SUGAR (AND SUGAR SUBSTITUTES!)
It's no secret that we have a serious addiction. Here's how to cut back on the sweet stuff, once and for all.
