Over the last few years, we’ve all had to adjust at work – one of the biggest being office meetings. We’ve all become Zoom experts, you’ve got to have the right camera so people can see you, and when someone goes dark on Zoom but still is part of the meeting, you might think they’re just rude.

But they might be on to something.

Researchers investigated Zoom fatigue – being burned out on Zoom meeting after Zoom meeting. Turning your camera off might help avoid it. They looked at stress levels after Zoom meetings, and those who had their camera totally turned off experienced it far less than those who had it on the entire time.

Just knowing that you’re constantly on camera is what makes Zoom calls exhausting.

The findings showed that women and new hires experience fatigue the most, and they found that bosses shouldn’t force cameras to stay on the entire time – let employees have an option for their own benefits.

Image Credit: fizkes / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Even though the days are slowly beginning to get longer, with more cold and potential snow on the way, you might be feeling the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder. But believe it or not, there may be help – a cup of coffee.

Changes in both light and weather makes us feel more anxious, it’s harder to concentrate, we lose the motivation to exercise, and we start to feel sad in general.

But a new survey shows coffee helps with all those issues.

It helps with concentration, improves mood, and give us energy.

The big question is how much coffee do we need to feel these effects?

Well, a previous study showed that participants in a survey had a sustained improvement of mood throughout the day when they had a cup of coffee every four hours.

So, the next time someone in the office makes a Starbucks run, make sure you give them your order!

Image Credit: taa22 / iStock / Getty Images Plus

In the U.S., one out of every four deaths are caused by heart disease. Staying active and getting exercise will help against risk for cardiovascular disease, but there are some diet tricks that can help – including eating one type of food three times a day.

Whole grains.

A new study over the last 18 years has shown that three servings of whole grains per day lowered hypertension, blood pressure, bad cholesterol, and weight gain.

The research showed how whole grains give us more vital nutrients – refined grains, as found in white bread, removes the vitamins, and leaves just starch. Plus, the fiber in whole grains makes us feel full longer, preventing overeating.

So, if you’re looking to replace refined grains for whole grains, it’s an easy substitution. One serving of whole grains can be anything from a slice of bread, a half cup of oat cereal, or a half cup of brown rice. And small changes in your diet now will make a huge difference over time.

Image Credit: Pineapple Studio / iStock / Getty Images Plus

Most of us put off having to do household chores – but besides the fact that they need to be done, it can be great for your brain!

A new study shows that older adults who spent more time on household chores showed greater brain size, which is a strong predictor of cognitive health.

Scientists have known for a while that physical exercise has a positive impact on our brains, but they looked at those participating in the study who also did chores around the house – they considered the time spent on chores like tidying, dusting, meal prep, shopping, yard work, and home repair. Older adults who spent more time doing those activities had greater brain volume, regardless of how much exercise they did.

There are a few reasons why this might be the case:

Since heart health is closely tied to brain health, these household chores could have a similar effect a low-intensity exercise.

Also, planning out your chores and how to complete them effectively may be promoting new neural connections over time.

Finally, older adults doing chores forced them to be less sedentary, which counteracts negative health outcomes, including poor brain health.

So, if you’ve been putting off all those chores around the house, it may be time to do them – and to reap the benefits!

Image Credit: Winxclub / iStock / Getty Images Plus

This is the perfect weekend to take stock of things that you don’t need anymore. You might have some things hanging around the house that you can get rid of that will take a load off your mind, immediately helping your physical and mental well-being.

The new year is the perfect time to get rid of old documents – bank and credit card statements should be shredded, but also get rid of old takeout menus, junk mail, and expired coupons that you stuck in a drawer and forgot about.

Look through your cabinets – Tupperware you can’t find the lid for, or chipped drinking glasses should all go.

Open the fridge – it’s a new year, so any condiments that have 2024 (or older) can go right in the trash.

Look through your closets – clothes that are worn out, don’t fit, or was a gift you’ve never used can all be donated – if you’ve gone more than a year without wearing it, you probably don’t need it.

And finally look in the junk drawer – pens that don’t have ink, dead batteries, out of date phone chargers – you don’t need them.

Image Credit: Phoenixproduction / iStock / Getty Images Plus