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Wellness
With frank text and bold illustrations, graphic novel tackles puberty head on
The new book, for 9- to 14-year-olds and written by two Penn undergrads and an alum, details what physically happens in the body as girls experience puberty, plus the internal emotions and external social forces that accompany it.
Does more money correlate with greater happiness?
Reconciling previously contradictory results, researchers from Penn and Princeton find a steady association between larger incomes and greater happiness for most people but a rise and plateau for an unhappy minority.
Taking play seriously at the Penn Libraries
The Penn Libraries’ Education Commons and Vitale Digital Media Lab facilitate and support play through planned activities and in response to student requests, with an ultimate goal to benefit student wellness.
Through service, Penn commemorates King’s life and legacy
Monday’s MLK Day of Service included a flurry of events on and around campus, and kicked off several weeks of related programming.
Students compete to help their classmates fall asleep
For their Public Health Communication class, students pitch ideas in a (friendly) “Shark Tank”-style to promote healthy sleep habits on campus.
Penn prof pens guidebook for college students
Dustin Brisson of the School of Arts & Sciences consolidated notes from his years of teaching and advising to create a guidebook for undergraduates aimed at helping them achieve success and well-being.
Fostering a therapy dog means welcoming strangers and petting
Foster families and therapy dogs in training learn their roles together. Studies show pet therapy in hospitals significantly decreases pain, calms breathing, and boosts mood and perceived energy levels in patients.
Six tips for a happy holiday season
Positive Psychology experts share their advice for boosting well-being this holiday season.
Abandoned house repairs reduced nearby gun violence
Installing working windows and doors, cleaning trash, and weeding at abandoned houses led to safety improvements and should be considered in efforts to create healthy communities, according to researchers from University of Pennsylvania and Columbia.
Penn Medicine study finds automated texts decrease odds of rehospitalization
Text messages sent automatically from patients’ primary care office after hospitalization were tied to decreased odds of needing further emergency care.
In the News
My brother’s recovery from a car crash became a lesson in how to talk to doctors and nurses
Emily Largent of the Perelman School of Medicine writes that communication is part of healing, as she experienced when her brother was in a car accident and unable to notify family himself.
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Millennial HR professionals are entering the C-suite, and their priorities reflect their lived experiences: ‘We spend a lot of time getting to know folks deeply’
Matthew Bidwell of the Wharton School points to an uptick in student interest in employee wellness strategies.
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Stressed? Depressed? Mindfulness training could offer long-term relief
Yvette Sheline of the Perelman School of Medicine is quoted on how many cultures have used different variations of mindfulness, and that classes are generally affordable and accessible in most cities.
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The less college students sleep, the worse their grades, study finds
Two hundred Penn students and staff participating in a seven-week online course to build better sleep habits have reported an overall decrease in symptoms of insomnia, according to Rebecca Huxta of Wellness at Penn.
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New on the job: Penn director of well-being initiatives creates tools for success
As Wellness at Penn’s inaugural director of well-being initiatives, doctoral candidate Jackie Recktenwald of the Graduate School of Education is looking to improve student health and wellness across campus.
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The foods that keep you hydrated
Dan Negoianu of the Perelman School of Medicine says there’s really no data behind the eight-glasses-of-water-a-day advice.
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