COVID-19 has made Americans lonelier than ever – here’s how AI can help

AI chatbots can provide mental health support for people who are isolated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Laken Brooks, Doctoral Student of English, University of Florida • conversation
Feb. 12, 2021 • ~8 min

They don't come as pills, but try these 6 underprescribed lifestyle medicines for a better, longer life

Lifestyle medicine targets the root of chronic diseases like obesity, heart disease and diabetes. Experts explain why everyone should embrace these free prescriptions for good health.

Michael Parkinson, Senior Medical Director of Health and Productivity, UPMC Health Plan & Workpartners, University of Pittsburgh • conversation
Jan. 20, 2021 • ~10 min

Astronauts are experts in isolation, here's what they can teach us

We can look to astronauts’ experiences for tips to improve our own situation during lockdown.

Nathan Smith, Research Fellow Psychology, Security and Trust, University of Manchester • conversation
Jan. 15, 2021 • ~7 min

Intimate partner violence has increased during pandemic, emerging evidence suggests

Calls for help to domestic violence shelters have risen during the pandemic, as risk factors for the escalation of violence have gone up. It may be time to implement new strategies to help.

H. Colleen Sinclair, Associate Professor of Social Psychology, Mississippi State University • conversation
Dec. 4, 2020 • ~6 min

A radical nature-based agenda would help society overcome the psychological effects of coronavirus

Why structured contact with nature, rolled out with government support, will go a long way to solving the psychological distress of coronavirus.

Matthew Adams, Principal Lecturer in Psychology, University of Brighton • conversation
Oct. 9, 2020 • ~8 min

The loneliness of social isolation can affect your brain and raise dementia risk in older adults

The social isolation older adults are experiencing as they try to stay safe from the coronavirus pandemic is raising new mental health risks, but people can take steps to protect themselves.

Martin J. Sliwinski, Professor of Human Development and Family Studies, Director of the Center for Healthy Aging, Pennsylvania State University • conversation
Aug. 4, 2020 • ~9 min

Social isolation: The COVID-19 pandemic's hidden health risk for older adults, and how to manage it

Social distancing is leaving older Americans more isolated and opening them up to serious health risks.

Matthew Lee Smith, Co-Director of Texas A&M Center for Population Health and Aging, Texas A&M University • conversation
July 6, 2020 • ~8 min

Quarantine bubbles – when done right – limit coronavirus risk and help fight loneliness

People are turning to quarantine bubbles as a way to see friends and family while limiting the risk from the coronavirus. Research shows that this can work, but it's not easy to be in a quaranteam.

Melissa Hawkins, Professor of Public Health, Director of Public Health Scholars Program, American University • conversation
June 17, 2020 • ~10 min

Lockdown singing: the science of why music helps us connect in isolation

When we sing together, our social brains are activated to produce oxytocin, which makes us feel more connected.

Ilanit Gordon, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology and Director of the Social Neuroscience Lab at the Gonda Multidisciplinary Brain Research Center, Bar-Ilan University • conversation
May 1, 2020 • ~6 min

What spiritual retreats can teach us about the challenges of lockdown

Learning from the example of spiritual retreats.

Steve Taylor, Senior Lecturer in Psychology, Leeds Beckett University • conversation
April 28, 2020 • ~5 min

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