Yesterday the UQ Brain Institute had an excellent webinar Brain Health for Mental Health. Four researchers discussed the scientific basis for some simple strategies to reduce the likelihood of mental illness and/or to aid its treatment. These include
eat well
exercise regularly
sleep well
reduce screen time
drink less caffeine
minimise international travel (because of the associated jet lag).
I was fascinated to see the biological and biochemical basis for these strategies. I try to implement them myself and often emphasise the importance of these basic disciplines to others.
Some of the science is fascinating in itself. Did you know you can study sleep in fruit flies?
The webinar also provides a nice example of a public engagement activity. Rather than having one person give a long talk, four different researchers speak, and each for only five minutes with about five slides each. Each talk is followed by a question from the chair. Then at the end there are questions from the live online audience.
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