I recently appeared on WCCO Television (Twin Cities) to discuss “Zoom fatigue,” a phenomenon that has emerged as we spend hour upon hour interacting via virtual means. The science is still very early, however, Jeremy Bailenson, Ph.D., at Stanford University has offered compelling theories concerning possible causes and suggested some countermeasures.
Many thanks to Sarah Jackson with Media Minefield for her continuing partnership on translating evidence into action. ✸
There is currently considerable interest in telehealth addiction care. Allina Health began offering it in February 2019 to address geographic voids in greater Minnesota. We were thus well-positioned for virtual care when the Covid-19 pandemic occurred about a year later.
Jeff Wagner interviewed me on WCCO Television on September 12th about our work at Allina. Please see here and here for previous media appearances.
Many thanks to Sarah Jackson with Media Minefield for her partnership on this timely and important subject! ✸
I appeared on WCCO Television this morning to discuss some new alcohol drinking limits. The context was a Lancet study that will likely be incorporated into the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s updated Dietary Guidelines
Consistent with the Lancet study and traditional binge drinking definitions, my current advice regarding consumption is:
Key caveat: These recommendations are for people without a history of addiction. Those with a history of addiction should abstain from alcohol.
Many thanks to Sarah Jackson with Media Minefield for her partnership on this timely and important subject! ✸
[ Updated with links to the resulting on-air segment / and here ]
I’m scheduled to appear on WCCO 4 News This Morning on Monday, June 22nd, at 5:45 a.m. The subject will be happiness. I’ll be representing Allina Health
We’ll be discussing a recent NORC at the University of Chicago study that found a historic decrease in happiness. NORC has been surveying Americans since 1972 with the following question:
Taken all together, how would you say things are these days—would you say that you are very happy, pretty happy, or not too happy?
Only 14% of people reported feeling “very happy,” which was a sharp drop from the usual run rate. In contrast, 23% of respondents indicated that they are “not too happy.” Both findings are unprecedented (red oval)
Correlation does not imply causation, however, the investigators pursued some provocative Covid-19-related explanations dealing with viral hotspots, loneliness and income. And while George Floyd was not mentioned in NORC’s report, his senseless death on May 25th occurred right in the middle of the survey period. I’d speculate that tragedy and the national reckoning which has followed was also on respondents’ minds
Regardless of the causes, what are some ways to improve happiness?
I generally recommend making peace with the present. This perennial wisdom that has strong, contemporary scientific support. For example, a seminal study by Matthew Killingsworth and Daniel Gilbert tracked happiness in real time using iPhone surveys. They found that people were happiest when their minds weren’t wandering—that is, when they were totally present in the now
In conclusion, a human mind is a wandering mind, and a wandering mind is an unhappy mind. The ability to think about what is not happening is a cognitive achievement that comes at an emotional cost
Science 2010;330:932
You can prove this to yourself by enrolling in the study, which is still running
Present moment awareness is sometimes called mindfulness, a trendy, frequently misunderstood word that I’ve avoided up until now. If you’re intrigued, I suggest snagging a copy of The Power of Now, the classic book by Eckhart Tolle. I often point people to “Wherever You Are, Be There Totally” (section), which starts on Page 82 in Google Books
I’ll try to mention other tips and tricks on the air, and hope to add them to my profile page at Allina Health later this week. ✸