Related Episodes for How different types of stress affect telomere length and aging | Elissa Epel

“In a randomized crossover study of 18 young men with overweight or obesity, ten three-minute walking or squat breaks spread across 8.5 hours reduced post-meal glucose exposure more than uninterrupted sitting or one continuous 30-minute walk.”

“Exposure to bright light also promotes the release of cortisol, and, in turn, the hormone drives wakefulness during the daytime hours. Chronic stress and mis-timed exposure to light can dysregulate cortisol release and promote aging, however.”

“A systematic review found no overall improvement in mood after cold-water immersion, while a small randomized trial found that repeated whole-body cryotherapy improved depression scores when added to standard pharmacological treatment.”

“A later crossover study using a lower weight-based dose found its clearest benefit in reasoning, while several memory, accuracy, fatigue, and sleepiness outcomes did not reliably improve. Routine muscle supplementation and acute sleep-loss research use different protocols.”

“In another randomized trial, advice to drink an additional 1.5 liters of water daily improved migraine-specific quality of life, even though headache-day counts did not clearly change. Selected nutrients may help some people as part of a broader prevention plan.”

“Visceral fat can respond to changes in energy balance and physical activity. A meta-analysis of 40 randomized trials and 2,190 adults with overweight or obesity found that both exercise and calorie restriction reduced CT- or MRI-measured visceral fat.”

“A systematic review in older adults linked Mediterranean dietary patterns with lower inflammatory markers, while a meta-analysis of randomized trials found that vitamin D supplementation reduced acute respiratory infection risk overall, with the strongest protection among people who were very deficient and received regular doses.”

“During about eight years of follow-up, the models associated one vigorous minute with roughly 4.1 moderate minutes for all-cause mortality, 7.8 minutes for cardiovascular mortality, and 9.4 minutes for type 2 diabetes risk.”

“In 15 people with severe traumatic brain injury, sodium lactate infusion increased brain lactate, pyruvate, and glucose without raising intracranial pressure, and a randomized study in 60 patients with mild traumatic brain injury reported better cognitive recovery than hypertonic saline.”

“Other cohorts have produced less consistent cancer findings, so the strongest practical message is to meet magnesium needs through foods such as leafy greens, legumes, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, with supplements individualized for diet, kidney function, and medications.”