1. Watching re-runs - Restores mental energy
You might often find yourself watching a re-run of one of your favorite shows, and get the feeling that you're wasting time, even though you'd be enjoying it. Well, according to scientists at the University of Buffalo, re-watching shows and movies actually has a calming and re-energizing effect on your brain. The fact that you already know the plot line means that the activity requires minimum mental effort.
So if you've just completed a demanding task, which left you feeling drained, consider watching re-runs - an excellent idea to restore your mental energy.
2. Singing - Prevents a cold
We all know that singing can improve our mood significantly. However, here we are not referring to solo singing, but rather to singing with other people, as this activity requires more coordination. Studies have shown that group singing can increase the levels of s-IgA (secretory immunoglobulin A), which is the antibody in saliva that prevents us from contracting bacterial and viral infections.
Studies show that people who sing in groups, such as choir singers, have been found to have lower stress levels, as well as better moods - two things that contribute to a healthier immune system.
3. Laughing with friends - Increases pain tolerance
Laughter is the best medicine - but the joy you get from watching a funny show alone might not be as fulfilling as the one you get from being in good company. Laughing, in general, has a lot of benefits, including higher tolerance of pain, due to the release of endorphins (feel-good chemicals) in the brain. However, researchers at Oxford University found that the relief of pain was more effective when they tested people who laughed along with others, rather than people who laughed at comedies alone.
4. Chewing gum - Sharpens your wits
I have often heard myths about chewing gum, and how it can negatively affect my health. But a group of British researchers have actually found that people who chew gum showed higher accuracy rates and faster reaction times than those who don't, after they had been given certain sequences of numbers and were asked to remember them.
This basically suggested that gum chewing may be beneficial for the brain, in such a way that it improves cognitive functions such as memory, attention, alertness, and intelligence.
5. Watching a wall-mounted TV - Eases neck and back pain
There's a tendency to hang wall-mounted TVs above eye-level on a wall, unlike many ordinary standing TVs, which are placed lower. It has been found that such positioning is more comfortable for your head, which would need to be tilted up slightly. According to Scott Bautch (an ergonomics and occupational health expert), this is said to cause less stress on your neck, since watching TV at eye-level automatically tilts the head forward, using two or three times more muscle energy as a result.
6. Sipping on ice water - Diffuses a fight
When we're feeling infuriated and are bound to start a fight, we would perhaps think of (or be given) a warm drink to calm us down. In reality, this won't work the way you want it to. If you really want to cool down your angry mood, pour yourself a glass of cold water, a cold slush, smoothie or frozen coffee. Apparently, this will make you more inclined to see someone else's point of view when you're not in the right mood.
7. Using a cafeteria tray - Encourages healthier eating
This news might be rather surprising - but did you know that when you opt for a food tray at the canteen or cafeteria, you are more likely to pick healthy food? At many food places, trays are considered a factor to increased food waste, but according to Cornell University researchers, the use of trays encourages diners to include dishes such as salads, entrées, and desserts in their lunch.
When you do not use a tray, there's a bigger chance that you leave one of these dishes out - and the first one would probably be a salad!
8. Walking barefoot - Promotes foot health
When we look to improve our feet's health, we generally go round in search for comfortable shoes, which are cushioned and purposely structured. Although this helps greatly, you might be missing out on one thing - staying barefoot. This might sound odd, but you have no idea how beneficial it is to make the most of your foot's natural physiology, and unfortunately, shoes don't support that. In fact, they sometimes cause stress on certain parts of the feet.
So, every now and then, free your feet and spend some time walking or running barefoot, whether indoors or outdoors - there's absolutely no harm in doing so!
H/T: Reader's Digest
Cover image by Depositphotos
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