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Psychology

April

Mouth-taping during sleep is having a social media moment, but experts aren’t convinced.

The sleep trends experts think you should (and shouldn’t) try

We asked specialists whether the hacks that spread on social media can really help you fall and stay asleep. Here’s what they said.

Walking with a friend has numerous benefits.

17 ways to cut your risk of stroke, dementia, depression all at once

Lifestyle changes could simultaneously lower the danger of all three, even though they may appear unrelated, new research suggests.

Part of the problem with racing thoughts is that we don’t realise they’re always there, day and night.

8 ways to sleep when your thoughts are racing

Dominique Antiglio is a sophrologist with more than 20 years’ experience. Here, she shares her techniques that have helped everyone from CEOs to athletes.

Physically protecting your head is the single most important step you can take to safeguard your brain.

10 small things neurologists wish you’d do for your brain

Scientists believe up to 45 per cent of dementia cases could be delayed or prevented with help from some simple, sometimes surprising, changes in behaviour.

There’s strong evidence that your brain can bounce back from periods of inactivity.

What happens to your brain when you retire?

During your working life, you’re getting up in the morning, socialising with co-workers and dealing with the mental challenges of your job. Losing that has an effect.

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March

President Donald Trump’s policy agenda, and the threat of a US recession, are now weighing on Treasurer Jim Chalmers’ federal budget.

Trump Anxiety Disorder is real, says this shrink

Pyschologist Peter Quarry is not alone among his colleagues in noticing more clients want to process their feelings about the 47th president.

For brain health you need to both act now, and plan ahead.

The three key ages your brain declines dramatically – and what to do

The clear spikes seen at 57, 70 and 78 are significantly more pronounced in some people. The reason for that is simple.

Super-recognisers can identify faces even if they are flipped upside-down or presented at a different angle.

Are you a super-recogniser? The science of superior facial processing

People’s ability to recall faces is a crucial skill in business. But it also falls within a spectrum – from those with relative blindness to outperformers.

January

Mental Health Minister Rose Jackson urged staff not to resign after securing a path to arbitration.

Arbitration won’t change psychiatrists’ resignation plans: union

The workplace umpire’s urgent intervention has failed to stop the threat of a mass exit of doctors that could deplete the NSW hospitals’ workforce by a third.

Perhaps its not your phone … perphaps it’s you.

Smartphones don’t suck. People do

These devices have come to operate a bit like dummies for adults: a temporary distraction from our hunger for connection, meaning and purpose.

A resident hoses down hot spots in a fire-ravaged property.

‘We lost everything’: How wildfires leave psychological scars

Researchers found that about 4 per cent of the people affected by a bushfire in Victoria, Australia, were still suffering distress a decade later.

December 2024

The most popular resolutions include exercise, weight loss and personal finance issues.

Making New Year’s resolutions? Take these 5 tips to help them stick

Studies have shown that up to 70 per cent of people who make such pledges in January abandon those good intentions within months. Don’t be one of them.

James Stewart sees the beauty that surrounds him and the townsfolk break into Auld Lang Syne in It’s a Wonderful Life.

It’s a Wonderful Life is a ritual, but its darkness must be dealt with

The organisers of a festival celebrating Frank Capra’s classic holiday film are finally tackling the difficult subject at its heart.

November 2024

Donald Trump at a rally in Arizona.

Six signs that you are charismatic

Donald Trump’s got it. Anthony Albanese doesn’t. A candidate’s charisma is a bigger electoral factor than previously given credit for, writes psychologist Pete Quarry.

Aphantasia: What it’s like when your mind’s eye is blind
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Aphantasia: What it’s like when your mind’s eye is blind

When a viral tweet made Yolanda Redrup realise she couldn't create a picture in her mind it changed her understanding of herself and the world around her.

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October 2024

Children’s brains are hardwired to learn, and learn fast.

Adult learning is brutal – but tapping your emotions will help

Adult brains are wired differently from children’s and that’s why learning new skills can seem so hard. But don’t give up.

Recruiters and consultants say our people skills are getting worse the more time we spend on our own in front of screens.

How office workers are losing their social skills

Consultants say incidents of inappropriate workplace behaviour are becoming more common as increasing technology use erodes our people skills.

September 2024

Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris has a genuine ‘Duchenne’ smile.

Why Kamala Harris’ laugh might help her beat Trump

The US presidential candidate has a smile and laugh that actually play well to our evolutionary instincts. They could lift her faltering campaign.

Alcohol reaches the brain within five to 10 minutes.

Just three glasses of wine a week can shrink your brain

It’s not just your liver you should worry about – alcohol has been found to change humans’ cerebral anatomy. Here’s what you need to know.

The brain regions that shrink fastest with age are those that have expanded the most over the past few million years.

Your bigger brain comes with a downside – faster ageing

A study comparing chimpanzees and humans suggests the regions that grew the most during evolution are the most susceptible to old age.

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/psychology-jma