For many years Social Psychologists have recognized the importance of what they termed social support as a vital ingredient of good physical and emotional health. No surprise then that a recent 10-year Australian study found that having good friends can have a significant psychological impact on well-being and ‘help you live longer. This was attributed in part to the fact that you can choose your friendships, as opposed to your family.
Recently, my family & I celebrated the wedding of my son & daughter-in-law. This significant and important day was made all the more special because 8 of my high school friends traveled to Canada from Wales to enjoy this time with me and my family. We had all become friends at age 13, and have remained close ever since.
Those truly linked don’t need correspondence. When they meet again after many years apart, their friendship is as true as ever. –Deng Ming-Dao
Our friendships of over 40 years, have survived among other things, leaving for college, marriage, divorce, and living “over 40,000 miles apart We go back so far we can talk about anything. They knew my parents, where I grew up, my antics as a teenager and my favourite haunts. Yes they really can fill in a lot of blanks-even the blanks I don’t want them to fill in!!
“It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Am I suggesting we were a little stupid when we got together? The answer in short is … Hell yes, you bet we were! That’s what drives this dance of life.
I have a confession to make. Whilst not wishing to shatter too many illusions I have to admit that I snore. Don’t laugh! My wife certainly doesn’t see the funny side, and has resorted to sleeping with earplugs! (I haven’t been relegated to the spare room…..yet)! Apparently one in four middle age men suffer this same affliction.
But now I really must pay heed. New research from the University of New South Wales has found that snoring associated with sleep apnoea may impair brain function more than previously thought. Professor Rae and collaborators from Sydney University’s Woolcock Institute used magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study the brains of 13 men with severe, untreated, obstructive sleep apnoea. They found that even a moderate degree of oxygen desaturation during the patients sleep had significant effects on the brains bioenergetic status.
So people it really is time to stop treating snoring as a laughing matter. Take my poll and let me know that I am not alone in my suffering!
I have never been a great fan of the concept of faith, and yet I have always somehow known deep down that prestige cars are so much more attractive to women than penis size. The trouble is, until now I have never seen any research which supports this idea, and simply voicing this belief makes me look like such a saddo. Also, the lack of supportive evidence has made me a liar. Every time I buy a prestige car, I have had to justify this to my wife as having something to do with quality of build. What a fib! But, this week I am reveling in research published in the British Journal of Psychology (March, 2009). It actually shows that women do find males in flashy cars to be more attractive. So now that the cat is out of the bag I’m wondering , will She who must be obeyed let me trade in the Audi for a new Ferrari! 😉
It is Brain Awareness Week. Sadly traumatic brain injury has seen extensive coverage in the world’s media with the tragic death of Natasha Richardson, as a result there now is a greater awareness of how traumatic brain injury which may initially only cause temporary confusion and headache, can be fatal. Immediate treatment is essential after a brain injury because the initial damage caused by swelling often is irreversible
I am personally touched by this family’s sadness. 18 months ago I received a telephone call that is every parents worst nightmare. My son had sustained a traumatic brain injury after hitting his head in a fall. He briefly lost consciousness and was admitted to hospital where he was found to have bleeding in the brain. His injury was potentially fatal. My son didn’t understand the severity of his injuries, and wanted to leave hospital but the immediate medical intervention and thorough assessment is why I know my son is alive today. For 24 hours we waited to see if the bleeding would stop or if surgery to relieve pressure was necessary. The bleeding stopped. My wife and I spent 3 very worrying days with our son in ICU (who kept insisting he was fine and couldn’t understand why he was there). I am so thankful because my story has a happy ending; my son has made a 100% recovery. My heartfelt condolences go out to the Richardson/ Redgrave families.
For many years Social Psychologists have recognized the importance of what they termed social support as a vital ingredient of good physical and emotional health. No surprise then that a recent 10-year Australian study found that having good friends can have a significant psychological impact on well-being and ‘help you live longer. This was attributed in part to the fact that you can choose your friendships, as opposed to your family.