Deborah Kotz
As Health and Science Reporter for The Boston Globe, Deborah Kotz writes a blog, Daily Dose, on a range of practical and interesting medical and science-
How to Boost Your Will Power
Stanford University psychologist Kelly McGonigal recommends the following measures to increase your willpower.
Get at least six hours of sleep a night. Just one night of sleep deprivation (less than five or six hours of sleep), can result in mild dysfunction in the prefrontal cortex, research suggests. “We turn into the worst version of ourselves,’’ said McGonigal, and are more likely to snap at our kids, lose our concentration when driving, and pig out on junk food.
Practice slow-
Do something physically challenging. Adopt a new habit, such as brushing your teeth with the opposite hand or adjusting your posture every 30 minutes, both of which have been validated in research. Or learn a new skill like rollerblading, Zumba, or ballroom dance.
Exercise every day, preferably outdoors. A 2010 review of 10 studies found that the biggest mood-
Make sure your body is well-
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Deborah Kotz. “How to Boost Your Will Power” from The Boston Globe, November 7, 2011. Copyright © 2011 by The Boston Globe. All rights reserved. Used by permission and protected by the Copyright Laws of the United States. The printing, copying, redistribution, or retransmission of this Content without express written permission is prohibited.