Mind

VEGANS AND VEGETARIANS

are less likely to experience anxiety, a new study suggests.1 A team of Spanish and Belgian scientists compared mental health and cognitive outcomes for people with a range of di erent dietary habits, and found that people on a plant-based diet showed a lower likelihood of being anxious. Anxiety is an ‘umbrella term’ which includes a range of conditions, and is thought to a ect approximately eight per cent of the UK population.

6%

Sleep Specs Struggling for shuteye? Try wearing a pair of Blue Light Glasses for 90 minutes before bed to fi lter out sleep-blocking waves from your computer, phone, or tablet. A range of health experts have recommended the use of the blue-light blockers, which work by fi ltering out the short wavelength rays emitted by electronic devices. New research published in the journal Chronobiology International shows that wearing the special specs for that last hour-and-a-half before lights out can help you get a good night’s sleep.

of men suffer from migraines, which can be cripplingly painful, but the causes of the periodic headaches are not well understood. On the bright side, chocolate has long been thought of as a dietary trigger, but a review by a team of Polish scientists showed that there is insufficient evidence to back that up.

Phelps claims he has to go the gym every day for the sake of his mental health. The most decorated Olympian of all time, with 28 medals to his name, admitted, “If I miss a day, it’s a disaster.” The 35-yearold has previously opened up about his struggles with both ADHD and depression, which have led him to contemplate suicide. During the summer he featured in the HBO documentary WeightofGold, where he spoke candidly about his struggles. Now he says he maintains a strict routine to ensure he stays on an even keel. He told ESPN earlier this year, “There are days that I don’t want to be there. But I force myself to do it. It’s for my mind as much as my body.”

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EXERCISE ADDICTION

should be understood as a mental illness that may negatively impact your performance, experts say. Compulsive exercising is different to a strong commitment to training, and may sometimes be a symptom of an eating disorder. Studies have shown that lone exercisers are more likely to suffer from compulsive behaviour than those who play team sports, and that those who have an exercise addiction are likely to perform less well than others who take a more balanced approach.

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