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Welcome to the wabi-sabi letter, the digital newsletter that promotes healthy living, wellness, mental health awareness, fitness, positive habits, and all around happiness. Clear your head and cleanse your inbox with a tiny space for wellness as you set your intentions for the day. Badabing badaboom.
Introducing: Psychobiotics
Leading scientists and co-authors of The Better Brain,Bonnie J. Kaplan, Ph.D., and Julia J. Rucklidge, Ph.D., would wholeheartedly agree: On this episode of the mindbodygreen podcast, they dive into all the healthy foods and supplements that can help you manage stress, support cognitive health, and supercharge emotional resilience.
In terms of supplements, one particular player made us raise a brow: Not probiotics, but psychobiotics. If you just did a double take, you’re not alone—below, Kaplan and Rucklidge break it down.
What makes them “psychobiotics” rather than regular ol’ probiotics is the fact that these bacteria have been specifically studied for their brain health benefits. “That's where the psycho part comes in,” Rucklidge explains, a term coined by Scott Anderson, John Cryan, Ph.D., and Ted Dinan, M.D., Ph.D., in their book, The Psychobiotic Revolution.
Action Item: Dive into the gut-brain connection further with this guide from MBG on the benefits of probiotics.
The Golden Hour for Productivity
According to Well + Good, researchers set out to survey 2,000 American adults to determine when they’re most productive. While the survey found that 10:54 a.m. on Mondays is the most productive time of the week, it also found that our most productive times vary by industry.
For example, while those working in energy and utilities were found to be most productive around 9:36 a.m. on Mondays, recruitment and HR workers were found to be most productive on Wednesdays at 1:00 p.m., and those working in sales were found to be most productive on Fridays at 11:33 a.m. The point is, when it comes to productivity, it’s all about finding what works best for you.
Part of the discovery process is developing a routine that works for your schedule and energy levels. “If you have a routine, you're already expecting yourself to be doing X, Y, and Z at a certain time,” says licensed clinical psychologist and author Jenny C. Yip, PsyD. “It's less of a hurdle for your body to accomplish your tasks if you already have a plan.”
Action Item: Read the full piece here on the findings and tactics for curating your day for peak productivity (and beating procrastination tendencies) here.
Reducing Chronic Stress: The Power of Closure
New research from Oregon State University suggests that the daily habit of resolving an argument before day's end can curb the emotional toll of everyday stress triggered by interpersonal conflicts in ways that might have lifelong benefits.
Over time, the OSU researchers speculate that getting in the habit of resolving arguments by day's end may reduce chronic stress and promote living a longer, healthier life. These findings (Witzel & Stawski, 2021) were recently published in The Journals of Gerontology: Series B.
"Results showed that on the day of an argument or avoided argument, people who felt their encounter was resolved reported roughly half the reactivity of those whose encounters were not resolved," the researchers said in a March 24 news release. "That reduction in stress may have a major impact on overall health."
"Everyone experiences stress in their daily lives. You aren't going to stop stressful things from happening," senior author Robert Stawski noted. "But the extent to which you can tie them off, bring them to an end, and resolve them is definitely going to pay dividends in terms of your well-being. Resolving your arguments is quite important for maintaining well-being in daily life."
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Love,
wabi-sabi team