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Tag: University of Warwick

  • Awe-inspiring science can have a positive effect on mental wellbeing, new research finds

    Awe-inspiring science can have a positive effect on mental wellbeing, new research finds

    Newswise — Research led by psychologists at the University of Warwick has revealed a profound connection between the spirituality of science and positive wellbeing, much like the benefits traditionally associated with religion. 

    The research explored how people use science as a source of spirituality and its connection with their sense of wellbeing.  

    Dr Jesse Preston, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick and lead author of the study said: “Spirituality is most often associated with religion, but science can be a powerful source of awe and wonder for many. It can provide a meaningful source of understanding oneself and the universe, and it can foster a sense of connection to others and our place in the world.” 

    Science parallels positive wellbeing observed in religious people  

    In three studies, Dr. Preston and her research team surveyed 1197 people (602 men, 589 women, and 6 others) on their attitudes towards religious beliefs, spirituality and their interest and belief in science.  

    The first study established the concept of “Spirituality of Science”, and asked people about feelings of transcendence, connection and meaning when engaging with science. Participants’ responses were compared with other attitudes towards science, including an interest in science and belief in science, feelings of awe, meaning in their lives and religious beliefs.  

    Spirituality of Science was related to belief in science, but unlike other attitudes including interest in science and belief in science, Spirituality of Science was also associated with feelings of awe and general spirituality. This showed that scientific sources of spirituality may be psychologically similar to religious spirituality. 

    In the second study, the researchers focused specifically on a group of 526 atheists and agnostics, and found that Spirituality of Science was correlated with measures of psychological wellbeing, such as happiness, and meaning in life.   

    Preston explained: “Previous research has found that religious belief generally predicts positive mental wellbeing, but it has also implied that non-religious people may be subject to poorer psychological wellbeing. This research has found that in fact, sources of spirituality outside of religion, like science, can have similar positive effects.” 

     

    Meaningful experiences could improve educational outcomes in science 

    The third study investigated links between Spirituality of Science and engagement and learning in science, and found that spiritual experiences in science predicted stronger engagement and recall of scientific information. 

    Dr Preston says the findings of the research could improve the teaching and learning of science in schools and predict better educational outcomes:  

    “Although science and religion differ in many ways, they share a capacity for spirituality through feelings of awe, coherence, and meaning in life. This capacity for spirituality has some important benefits and implications, as this research has found. 

    “People with greater feelings of Spirituality of Science were more positively engaged with science material, which predicted better science performance. And in a group of atheists and agnostics, Spirituality of Science predicted measures of well-being and meaning in life, paralleling the positive effects of religion that is frequently observed in religious people.   

    Dr Preston added: “This work contributes not only to our current understanding of science attitudes but also to our general understanding of spirituality.”

    The paper, Spirituality of Science: Implications for Meaning, Well-Being, and Learning has been published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.

     

    ENDS 

    University of Warwick

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  • Olive oil and fresh, sun-ripened plant-based foods: the Mediterranean Diet as a winning combination for health

    Olive oil and fresh, sun-ripened plant-based foods: the Mediterranean Diet as a winning combination for health

    Newswise — A researcher from the University of Warwick says that to promote better health within Western societies, it’s essential to reshape our food culture. This means moving away from unhealthy, ultra-processed, sugar-laden, and fibre-depleted foods and gravitating towards wholesome, fibre-rich, plant-based foods reminiscent of the Mediterranean diet.

    Dr Thomas Barber is an Associate Clinical Professor and lead of Obesity Services at University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire. He has been exploring the secrets to a healthier life and the transformative potential of the ‘Mediterranean Diet. The key to its success lies within ‘healthy fats’, particularly olive oil. With overwhelming evidence supporting the health-promoting effects of the Mediterranean Diet (MD), researchers say it’s time to embrace this approach to food for a better and healthier future.

    The Mediterranean diet has long been revered for its ability to reduce the risk of heart disease, enhance cognitive function, and maintain a healthy weight. So, why isn’t everyone adopting this path to well-being? As its name suggests, the MD thrives in Mediterranean countries, where olive oil, fresh fruits, and vegetables abound throughout the year. Yet, this very abundance points to a significant hurdle faced by the rest of the world.

    You might want to try vegetable-heavy dishes, like griddled chicken with quinoa Greek salad, salmon with hummus & and roasted tomatoes, or stuffed peppers, finished with an olive oil-based dressing and fresh fruits for dessert.

    “Availability of the MD’s essential components, particularly during winter months, might explain the lack of its widespread adoption outside the Mediterranean regions,” explains Dr. Thomas Barber. “But, it’s not just about availability. Millennia of cultural integration and alignment with the Mediterranean lifestyle and climate make it harder for non-Mediterranean populations to fully embrace the MD.”

    Over generations, the MD has become ingrained in Mediterranean cultures, seamlessly blending into the fabric of their daily lives. The joy of eating alfresco and the reduced reliance on hot food naturally complement the dietary principles of the MD. For those from non-Mediterranean backgrounds, cultural hurdles present challenges in adopting this healthy lifestyle. Moreover, the palatability of ingesting substantial amounts of fruit, vegetables, and olive oil daily can be an obstacle for many.

    In addition, researchers celebrate the environmental impact of the MD, as it’s very environmentally friendly as well, particularly regarding water usage and CO2 emissions. The EAT-Lancet Commission, tasked with developing healthy and environmentally sustainable diets by 2050, produced targets that are very similar to traditional MD.

    “This calls for a collective ‘to-do’ list to encourage and inspire each other to cook from raw ingredients and rediscover the joy and fulfilment of healthy eating as our ancestors have done for aeons,” adds Dr Thomas Barber.

    University of Warwick

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  • How people feel about their sleep matters to their well-being, new research suggests

    How people feel about their sleep matters to their well-being, new research suggests

    How people feel about their sleep has a greater impact on their well-being than what sleep-tracking technology says about their sleep quality, research led by the University of Warwick has found.  

    Across a two-week period, over 100 participants aged 18-22 years were asked to keep a daily sleep diary about the previous night’s sleep, including what time they went to bed, time they got ready to fall asleep, the amount of time it took them to fall asleep, what time they woke up, what time they got out of bed, and how satisfied they were with their sleep in general.  

    Five times throughout the following day, participants were asked to rate their positive and negative emotions and how satisfied they were with their life. Participants also wore an actigraph on their wrist which measures a person’s movement, for the duration of the study, to estimate their sleep patterns and rest cycles.  

    Researchers compared the actigraphy data with the participants’ perceptions of their sleep and how they felt throughout the following day. They wanted to find out how fluctuations from people’s usual sleep patterns and quality are related to their mood and life satisfaction the next day. 

    Lead author Dr Anita Lenneis, from the University of Warwick’s Department of Psychology, said: “Our results found that how young people evaluated their own sleep was consistently linked with how they felt about their well-being and life satisfaction.  

    “For example, when participants reported that they slept better than they normally did, they experienced more positive emotions and had a higher sense of life satisfaction the following day. However, the actigraphy-derived measure of sleep quality which is called sleep efficiency was not associated with next day’s well-being at all.  

    “This suggests there is a difference between actigraphy-measured sleep efficiency and people’s own perception of their sleep quality in how they link to people’s evaluations of their well-being.”  

    Professor Anu Realo, from the Department of Psychology at the University of Warwick added: “Our findings are consistent with our previous research that identified people’s self-reported health, and not their actual health conditions, as the main factor associated with their subjective well-being and especially with life satisfaction.  

    “It’s people’s perception of their sleep quality and not the actigraphy-based sleep efficiency which matters to their well-being.”  

    Overall, the study suggests that evaluating your sleep positively may contribute to a better mood on the next day.   

    “Even though a sleep tracking device might say that you slept poorly last night, your own perception of your sleep quality may be quite positive. And if you think that you slept well, it may help better your mood the next day,” Dr Lenneis added.   

    “On the contrary, if a sleep tracker tells you that you slept well, but you did not experience the night as such, this information may help you to reassess how well you actually slept. A sleep tracker offers information about your sleep which is typically not accessible whilst being asleep. So, it may improve your subjective perception of last night’s sleep and thereby your overall next day’s well-being.”   

    The study, The Influence of Sleep on Subjective Well-Being: An Experience Sampling Study, is published in Emotion.  

     

    ENDS    

    Notes to Editors  

    The study, The Influence of Sleep on Subjective Well-Being: An Experience Sampling Study, is published in Emotion. DOI: 10.1037/EMO0001268   

    University of Warwick

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  • Laughter: The Ultimate Medicine

    Laughter: The Ultimate Medicine

    Laughter and humour are potent tools that can significantly impact our wellbeing, according to research conducted by the University of Warwick.

    University of Warwick

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  • Photosynthesis: Martian habitation & sustainable space travel

    Photosynthesis: Martian habitation & sustainable space travel

    Newswise — In a study published in Nature Communications, scientists assess a new technique which could convert renewable, green energy from outside the Earth’s atmosphere. They are taking advantage of photosynthesis – the chemical process plants undergo every day to create energy – to help the space industry become more sustainable.

    The research led by the University of Warwick evaluates the use of a special device known as semiconductor to absorb sunlight on Moon and Mars. It is hoped that the devices could promote Martian life support systems.

    These “artificial photosynthesis devices” undergo the same processes which keeps plants alive on Earth – they convert water into oxygen using only sunlight whilst recycling carbon dioxide. These integrated systems have the advantage of directly using solar power and could save on weight on long-term space travels in comparison to traditional systems currently in use on the International Space Station – making space travel more efficient.

    There is a need for efficient and reliable energy sources in space to enable the exploration of our solar system. It is hoped that the technology could be installed on the Moon and Mars to harvest green energy to help power rockets and complement life support systems for the production of oxygen and other chemicals as well as the recycling of carbon dioxide. The insights gained in this study with respect to improving device efficiencies also feed back into their optimization for Earth applications and also provide insights into the performance of traditional solar cells in space.

    Assistant Professor Katharina Brinkert, Department of Chemistry, said: “Human space exploration faces the same challenges as the green energy transition on Earth: both require sustainable energy sources. With sunlight being so abundantly available in space, we have shown how this source could be used to harvest energy – much like plants back on Earth – for life support systems for long-term space travel. The technology could provide ample oxygen production and carbon dioxide recycling on both Moon and Mars.”

    Associate Professor Sophia Haussener, at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, added: “In this study, we finally quantify the potential of such devices for extra-terrestrial use and provide initial design guidelines for their potential implementation.”

    The research project was funded by the European Space Agency via the Open Space Innovation Platform – https://ideas.esa.int.

    University of Warwick

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