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Wellness
Money matters to happiness—perhaps more than previously thought
Money matters to happiness—perhaps more than previously thought
Research from Wharton’s Matthew Killingsworth shows that contrary to previous influential work, there’s no dollar-value plateau at which money’s importance lessens. One potential reason: Higher earners feel an increased sense of control over life.
Monitoring patients remotely brings fourfold decline in rehospitalization after joint replacements
Monitoring patients remotely brings fourfold decline in rehospitalization after joint replacements
The rate of hospital readmissions for hip and knee replacement patients declined from roughly 12% to 3% when they were enrolled in a “hovering” program.
Self-awareness can drive behavior change, reprogram the brain’s reward system
Self-awareness can drive behavior change, reprogram the brain’s reward system
Most people break New Year’s resolutions within a few weeks. Neuroscientist Vera Ludwig offers six tips to move mindfully through this process, leading to a greater chance for success.
Side gigs for good across Penn
Side gigs for good across Penn
For many, 2020 was a difficult year. Despite that, the community found ways to go above and beyond, in their own backyards and across the world.
Four strategies to find joy in a very different holiday season
Four strategies to find joy in a very different holiday season
Experts from Penn’s Positive Psychology Center suggest tweaking traditions, acknowledging the situation’s highs and lows, and seeking help from people in your life.
In the pandemic’s early days, a third of U.S. adults felt depressed, anxious
In the pandemic’s early days, a third of U.S. adults felt depressed, anxious
According to new research from Penn, those feelings worsened as the month of March progressed, and economic worries rather than social distancing or fear of the virus itself played the largest role.
Wellness resources at your fingertips
Wellness resources at your fingertips
When facing the challenges of the current moment, Penn students, faculty, and staff have options to promote their emotional, mental, and physical well-being.
Creating a positive home environment, and other tips for uncertain times
Creating a positive home environment, and other tips for uncertain times
Experts at Penn GSE share ways to help parents and teachers care for their students and their own mental wellness during the pandemic.
Workplace wellness programs could improve if more personalized
Workplace wellness programs could improve if more personalized
In a program that used three different types of behavioral nudges, a Penn Medicine study showed significantly different results for people with different personal and psychological characteristics.
How have new social norms emerged as COVID-19 has spread?
How have new social norms emerged as COVID-19 has spread?
In a study of nine countries, researcher Cristina Bicchieri found that motivating people to modify behavior requires changing their expectations about the actions and thoughts of those who matter to them.
In the News
Philadelphia Inquirer
Testing, testing, and more testing on college campuses this spring as coronavirus concerns remain
Chief Wellness Officer Benoit Dubé said Penn has budgeted $20 million for COVID-related safety measures, including testing. The University plans to conduct 40,000 saliva-based tests per week.
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The Washington Post
You don’t have to be great right now. ‘Good enough’ will do
In an op-ed, Lisa Servon of the Stuart Weitzman School of Design wrote about letting go of perfectionism during the coronavirus pandemic and just striving to be “good enough” instead.
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Penn Nursing
What is self-care? How to cut through the marketing noise and actually practice it
Barbara Riegel of the School of Nursing spoke about the concept of self-care, which “goes all the way back to Hippocrates.” “Self-care centers upon the idea of being aware of yourself every single day and asking yourself questions like, ‘Did I get enough sleep? Did I eat right? Did I get in some exercise?’” she said.
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STAT News
‘Dear Evan Hansen’ tells a fictional story of suicide. But its actors field messages from very real people in crisis
Dan Romer of the Annenberg Public Policy Center spoke about how those behind the mental health-focused Broadway show “Dear Evan Hansen” are dealing with fan letters on the topic of suicide and anxiety. “They’re actually reaching out individually to people. That’s good that they do that. It’s actually quite responsible,” he said.
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NPR
Black and Latino Children Are Often Overlooked When It Comes to Autism
A 2007 Penn study found that African-American children were “5.1 times more likely to be misdiagnosed with conduct disorders” before receiving Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnoses.
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The Scientist
Fly’s Blood-Brain Barrier Has Circadian Rhythms
Amita Sehgal of the Perelman School of Medicine led a research team in an investigation which used fruit flies to explore the chronobiological effects of circadian rhythms on drug administration.
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