Some days my brain is like a storm, thoughts moving faster than I can keep up. A small mistake becomes an catastrophe, an offhand remark becomes a soul-deep fear. I turn around and around, analyzing each word, every move, every potentiality. But then, I discovered recently this easy 20-second hack which was actually pretty straightforward but made a tremendous difference in the negative thinking. Quickly [sitting my hand on my heart and reminding myself, I am enough. Even just that small hesitation interrupts the madness. My breath slows, my shoulders ease, and for a moment, the hurricane calms. This practice over time has become my anchor, reminding me that I am not thoughts—I am so much more.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have discovered that it doesn't need to take long to practice self-compassion to be beneficial. The study, published in the Behaviour Research and Therapy journal, revealed that performing a 20-second self-compassion touch, such as putting a hand on your heart or belly, can greatly reduce levels of stress and anxiety.

According to psychology researcher Eli Susman, who co-authored the study, a group of 135 college students was asked to dedicate just 20 seconds a day to affirm themselves with kind and positive thoughts while engaging in a self-compassionate touch. The results were striking: those who consistently practiced this simple technique over a month experienced notable improvements in mood, self-compassion, and emotional resilience, while stress hormone levels decreased.

Why 20 Seconds of Self-Compassion Works

1. Decrease in Cortisol Levels

The stress hormone cortisol is the cause of much of the physical and emotional damage chronic stress inflicts on the body. The researchers discovered that a mere 20 seconds of self-compassionate touch resulted in a measurable drop in cortisol, allowing people to recover from stress more rapidly.

2. Better Emotional Well-Being

By practicing positive self-affirmation and empathetic touch, study participants reported greater emotional equanimity and reduced reactivity to stressful challenges.

3. A Simple, Accessible Practice

Unlike many conventional mindfulness practices that might demand lengthy meditation sessions, this micropractice requires only 20 seconds, rendering it simple to fit into daily activities, be it at home, the workplace, or even during public transport rides.

How to Practice Self-Compassionate Touch

This exercise is very easy and can be done anywhere. Here's how you can adapt it to your daily life:

Step 1: Recognize Your Emotions

Close your eyes and reflect on a recent experience that made you feel stressed, unworthy, or critical of yourself. Notice the sensations in your body as you reflect on this episode.

Step 2: Practice a Soothing Touch

Put one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. If this doesn't feel comfortable to you, you can experiment with other ways of self-compassionate touching, including:

Stroking the back of your neck

Rubbing a place on your palm with your thumb

Hugging yourself lightly by holding your arms in across your chest

Step 3: Breathe Deeply and Give Yourself Kindness

Take a slow, deep breath in. Feel the warmth and gentle pressure of your hands. As you exhale, focus on releasing tension. Now, in your mind, repeat self-compassionate affirmations such as:

“I am kind to myself.”

“I am not my mistakes.”

“I give myself room and comfort.”

“I celebrate my uniqueness.”

“I take this time to appreciate who I am.”

Step 4: Finish with a Sense of Gratitude

Open your eyes after 20 seconds and simply take a moment to admire yourself for taking the time to do this practice. You can repeat it as many times as you need throughout the day.

Susman calls this approach a "micropractice"—a tiny but effective habit that enhances mental health without taking up much time. These practices are based on classic mindfulness and meditation practices but are tailored to fit today's busy lives.

While the research was conducted with college students, the findings have applications for individuals of all ages. Whether you are a working professional with a packed schedule, a parent with numerous responsibilities, or an individual dealing with anxiety, adding a 20-second self-compassion exercise to your daily routine can be a convenient and effective method for managing stress and developing resilience.

Making It a Daily Habit

The secret to reaping the rewards of self-compassionate touch is consistency. Below are some ways to incorporate it into your daily life:

Begin your day by practicing self-compassion in bed before rising.

Utilize it as a fast tool during stressful situations at work or school.

Unwind by doing this micropractice before bedtime to relax.

May merely 20 seconds a day cause you to desist from spinning? The short answer, per the most up-to-date science, is that yes, it can. Micropractices for self-compassion provide a straightforward, research-supported means for lessening distress, enhancing emotional resilience, and cultivating a friendlier relationship with oneself.

In a world where stress and worry are escalating, this simple practice is a good reminder that simple, purposeful acts of care for ourselves have the ability to create tremendous transformations in our mindset. Why not give it a try for one month, you might find a surprising transformation.

What if the body whispers long before it screams? For many living with Parkinson’s disease, the earliest signs are not the tremors, but quieter changes, such as a diminished sense of smell, disrupted sleep, or gut problems. The challenge is that we are conditioned to look for the disease only once it becomes visible.

Parkinson’s disease, commonly referred to as a movement disorder, progresses slowly due to the destruction of the nerve cells in the brain.

To understand Parkinson’s disease, think of the brain as a command center where certain nerve cells produce dopamine, a chemical messenger that helps coordinate smooth movement. As these dopamine-producing cells gradually deteriorate, the brain’s signalling system gets disturbed, leading to slower movements, mistaken for normal ageing.

The majority of patients experience subtle early signs much before diagnosis, including a reduced sense of smell, sleep disturbances like insomnia, and persistent digestive problems like constipation. In these cases, timely intervention can reduce movement disability by roughly 40 percent.

Parkinson’s Treatment

Also read: Blame This Brain Region Behind Laughing, Coughing For Your Hypertension

Conventional treatment focuses on medications that boost dopamine levels, but over time, their effectiveness may decline. When drugs are no longer sufficient, doctors may recommend Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS), a surgical approach that works like a pacemaker for the brain and uses chest-connected electrodes to reset faulty signals causing stiffness and tremors.

Unlike fixed traditional stimulation, the advanced Adaptive DBS (aDBS) listens to brain signals in real-time to adjust therapy automatically. Its single threshold mode reacts instantly, boosting stimulation the moment brain signals hit a specific limit and turns it off just as fast once they improve.

Alternatively, its double threshold mode keeps stimulation steady within the safe zone," making only gradual tweaks if signals cross upper or lower limits. This smart system mimics the body’s natural rhythm to provide fluid symptom control while preventing overstimulation, ultimately helping you reclaim more "good" time and independence.

Parkinson’s Diet

There is no single ‘Parkinson’s diet,’ but certain food choices can help manage symptoms and overall well-being. A balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains supports general health and may help reduce inflammation.

Plant-based flavonoids, present in berries, citrus fruits, and broccoli, which have antioxidant effects, can help protect brain cells from damage. Drinking enough water can support digestion and prevent dehydration.

Ultimately, small, consistent dietary choices, combined with medical guidance, can make a meaningful difference in managing symptoms.

Parkinson’s disease is a journey, and the earlier the signs are recognized, the better the condition can be managed. If you or a loved one is experiencing persistent changes in sleep, smell, or movement, do not wait for the symptoms to become overwhelming. Consulting a neurologist is the first step toward taking back control of your health.

While salt, cholesterol, and obesity are major factors driving high blood pressure, a recent study suggests they may not be the only causes.

Researchers from Brazil and New Zealand have identified a brain region that may increase the risk of hypertension. The study, published in the journal Circulation Research, showed that the brain region called the lateral parafacial region is the culprit.

The lateral parafacial region sits in the brainstem – the oldest part of the brain – which controls automatic functions such as digestion, breathing, and heart rate.

“The lateral parafacial region is recruited into action, causing us to exhale during a laugh, exercise, or coughing,” said lead researcher Professor Julian Paton, from the Centre for Heart Research at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.

“These exhalations are what we call ‘forced’ and are driven by our powerful abdominal muscles. In contrast, a normal exhalation does not need these muscles to contract; it happens because the lungs are elastic,” Paton added.

Can Breathing Patterns Signal Hypertension?

Paton and the team found that the lateral parafacial region also connects to nerves that tighten blood vessels -- a mechanism that raises blood pressure.

“We’ve unearthed a new region of the brain that is causing high blood pressure. Yes, the brain is to blame for hypertension!” Paton said.

“We discovered that, in conditions of high blood pressure, the lateral parafacial region is activated and, when our team inactivated this region, blood pressure fell to normal levels.”

The team explained that this means changes in breathing patterns – especially those involving strong abdominal muscle contractions – can trigger high blood pressure. Thus, any diagnosis of abdominal breathing in patients with high blood pressure may reveal the cause and hence direct appropriate treatment.

Can The Brain Region Help Treat Hypertension

The next question was whether the brainstem region could be treated with a medication.

“Targeting the brain with drugs is tricky because they act on the entire brain and not a selected region such as the parafacial nucleus,” Paton said.

The researchers then discovered that this region is activated by signals from outside the brain – from the carotid bodies, tiny clusters of cells in the neck near the carotid artery that sense oxygen levels in the blood.

These can be targeted safely with medication, they said.

“Our goal is to target the carotid bodies, and we are importing a new drug that is being repurposed by us to quench carotid body activity and inactivate ‘remotely’ the lateral parafacial region safely, i.e., without needing to use a drug that penetrates the brain.”

This finding could lead to new treatments for high blood pressure, especially for people who also have sleep apnea, as we know carotid bodies are activated in these patients when they stop breathing at night.

Global Burden Of Hypertension

Hypertension is commonly referred to as the "silent killer" due to its lack of noticeable symptoms. Unchecked, it progressively damages your arteries and vital organs.

It occurs when the pressure in your blood vessels is consistently higher than normal—usually 140/90 mmHg or more, states the World Health Organization (WHO). The normal and healthy level is estimated to be 120/80 mmHg. Blood pressure increases when the arteries get narrow or stiff, causing the heart to work harder.

At a global level, an estimated 1.28 billion adults aged 30 to 79 years have hypertension, and most of them live in low- and middle-income nations. Alarmingly, 46 percent of them do not even know they have it, and just 1 in 5 keeps it under control, as per WHO statistics.

Also read: Former US Senator Ben Sasse Opens Up About Battle With Terminal Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer

In the US alone, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that nearly 47 percent of adults, or roughly 116 million individuals, have hypertension, yet only 24 percent control it well. The economic burden is just as overwhelming, with the US spending $131 billion each year on care related to hypertension.

Exercise, lifestyle changes, and diet are key to preventing hypertension

Did you know that prostate cancer is now the fastest-growing cancer among Indian men and yet remains one of the least discussed? Taking that first step to get tested for prostate cancer is the hardest thing a man will probably have to do. It is a delicate matter, no doubt, but lack of awareness and the stigma attached to the disease are keeping more and more men in the dark and hesitant to discuss this openly.

Indian men need to be nudged into taking that crucial first step towards treatment and to a healthy life waiting to be lived, post-treatment. The best way to break the societal stigma is to know everything about the disease and to demystify it.

Don’t forget, when it comes to getting the right medical aid for the disease, the second leading cause of death globally according to the WHO accounting for 10 million deaths since 2020, timing is everything. Thanks to all the technological advances made in the field in India and globally, there is hope for men across the world because prostate cancer is curable, provided it is detected early.

So, here is everything you need to know about it:

What Is Prostate Cancer?

The gland in the male reproductive system that makes seminal fluid is the prostate. This most common type of slow-growing cancer in men that sees the abnormal growth of cells in the gland, if detected early, is very much curable. Some early-stage symptoms of the disease are blood in the urine or semen, trouble urinating and erectile dysfunction and if you’re asking yourself, why you?

You could probably blame age, family history or lifestyle choices. While we cannot change the ‘why’, we can master the ‘how’ of finding the right treatment in time. Step 1: Rule out the possibility of cancer with a simple Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) blood test.

How Has Technology Increased The Success Rate Of Treatment?

In the last 10 years, technology and innovation have revolutionized the diagnostics and treatments of the disease. Scientists from across the world are working around the clock, making marked improvements in treating prostate cancer.

From surgery, radiation and hormone therapy to advanced AI-powered analytics, services and products, science ensures that the news gets better each day. We have AI analyzing vast quantities of medical data to find hidden patterns, and personalized prognoses, ensuring healthcare professionals are making diagnoses faster, more accurate and risk-free.

Similarly, minimally invasive treatments like TULSA-PRO are offering the medical fraternity and patients new hope. This incision and radiation-free, robotically-assisted and MRI-guided solution is a customizable treatment for prostate cancer. TULSA-PRO (Transurethral Ultrasound Ablation) uses real-time MRI guidance and ultrasound energy to precisely target and ablate prostate tissue without the need for incisions or radiation.

Patients can return to normal life in just a few days with faster recovery time and fewer side effects. This cutting-edge procedure uses MRI-guided transurethral ultrasound ablation (TULSA-PRO) to precisely destroy only the diseased tissue, whether it’s a small tumor (focal therapy) or the entire gland while actively cooling the urethra and rectum to protect them. It’s a one-time, day care, go home the same day with minimal pain and rapid return to normal life — most men resume work and normal activities within days.

While the science fraternity continues their path-breaking work in the field, it is also the responsibility of male citizens to keep themselves abreast of the developments in the field, report symptoms to a doctor early on, particularly those with a family history of prostate cancer.

Regular checkups are essential but so is knowing the difference between a routine check-up and specific tests for prostate cancer.