Rob Sharp
The Independent, UK
September 11, 2007
Lessons in wellbeing will soon be on the syllabus for every British schoolchild. But what about the rest of us? Rob Sharp takes a crash course in contentment
What can we do to improve our emotional lot?
Academics such as Richard Layard, who wrote the critically acclaimed 2005 bestseller Happiness, suggests that everything from health to our friends, family and even our working lives are vital. [continue reading…]
Despite the great progress being made in neuroscience, we still don’t have a clear picture of the brain mechanisms underlying most mental illnesses.
In a study that followed nearly 1,500 Canadian children from birth to age 6, researchers found that those who slept less than 10 hours per night in their preschool years were more likely to show problems with their verbal and spatial skills by school-age.
These children also tended to be more hyperactive and impulsive than their peers who slept longer.
The findings, say the study authors, highlight the importance of young children getting at least 10 hours of sleep each night. [continue reading…]
More than 20 million people – a third of the UK population – live with the direct effects of divorce or separation, suggests a survey published today. A minority get help, mainly from lawyers, but that is usually is not enough. The figures highlight a crisis for separating parents and their children, according to Karen and Nick Woodall, authors of ‘Putting Children First’ – published today – Britain’s first handbook aimed at everyone affected by family separation.
Some 33 per cent of respondents reported that either their parents had separated or they had separated from a partner with whom they had had children. Given that Britain’s population now exceeds 60m, the survey suggests that more than 20m people may be living with the direct effects of separation. [continue reading…]
