10 Tips to Help You Stop Ruminating What is rumination? Has your head ever been filled with one single thought, or a string of thoughts, that just keep repeating… and repeating… and repeating themselves? The process of continuously thinking about the same thoughts, which tend to be sad or dark, is called rumination. A habit of rumination can be dangerous to your mental health, as it can prolong or intensify depression as well as impair your ability to think and process emotions. It may also cause you to feel isolated and can, in reality, push people away. What causes ruminating? People ruminate for a variety of reasons. According to the American Psychological Association, some common reasons for rumination include: belief that by ruminating, you’ll gain insight into your life or a problem having a history of emotional or physical trauma facing ongoing stressors that can’t be controlled Ruminating is also common in people who possess certain personality charac...

                                                      Physiology of happiness Within the brain, the anterior cortex and the amygdale (in the brain) become more active when we think about positive events. Research demonstrates that the neurotransmitter dopamine plays an important role in happiness because it mediates transfer of positive emotions. Happiness is also associated with  lower levels of cortisol , and therefore, a stronger immune system, and less stress. Happiness produces physiological changes, evident by scientific testing. Positron Emission Tomography (PET test) and functional MRI show activity in the left prefrontal cortex, which when stimulated, people feel more positive. Optimism, a contributing factor for happiness, is also linked to brain function Within the brain, the anterior cortex and the amygdale (in the brain) ...

Happiness is no longer a Noun, but Verb. Today we will see “what is happiness?” It seems like an odd question, but is it? Do you know how to define happiness? Do you think happiness is the same thing to you as it is to others? What’s the point of it all? Does it even make a difference in our lives? In fact, happiness does have a pretty important role in our lives, and it can have a huge impact on the way we live our lives. Although researchers have yet to pin down the definition or an agreed-upon framework for happiness, there’s a lot we have learned in the last few decades. To dive into the science of happiness, what it actually is, and why it matters, read on! A Look at the  Oxford English Dictionary ‘s Definition of Happiness   First, let’s take a look at the definition of happiness so we’re all on the same page. Oxford English Dictionary ’s definition of “ happiness ” is a simple one: “ The state of being happy .” Not exactly what we were...