Entrepreneurs are hoping psychedelic drugs will follow marijuana’s path to the lifestyle industry, but medical researchers aren’t so sure that’s a good idea — In 2017, Mike Arnold saw an opportunity so big that it changed the course of his life. After representing several black-market cannabis farmers as a criminal defense attorney, he noticed popular perception of the plant was shifting. Laws were loosening, more people were partaking, and research was increasingly showing that…

From improving your mood to focusing your creativity, scientists at MIT’s Dream Lab want to prove the power of dreams — For the third of our lives that we spend in slumber, our minds take up residence in the unknown regions of the subconscious. We dream, though we don’t fully know why. And while these nightly mashups of images and storylines have captured the imagination for generations, modern science largely believes…

The latest research on negative air ions and mental health — I recently rented a house in Northern New Mexico and had my first real-life encounter with what has become a ubiquitous symbol for wellness: a Himalayan salt lamp. Essentially a hunk of hollowed-out salt crystal with a light bulb stuffed inside, salt lamps became all the rage amid rumors that…

Trading wine for weed is redefining society’s longtime relationship with alcohol — and possibly even sobriety — For Lisa (name changed), the decision to stop drinking was a long time in the making. Though she was only a social drinker, the 40-year-old freelance writer and mom found herself drinking more than felt healthy. In early 2019, she made a decision to stop. “I was like, ‘All right…

Medical role-play is one of the most popular forms of ASMR videos. Why? — A woman’s serene face fills the screen. A pink stethoscope hangs from her neck, and her big, blue eyes offer a calming, sympathetic smile. “Hey hun,” she says softly, looking straight into a camera that’s positioned in a way to give the impression that you, the viewer, are gently reclining…

And what experts think they mean — Whether you’re a restful or restless sleeper, you’ve likely had the experience of waking up at night in a cold sweat, heart pounding with fear, only to sigh with relief when you realize that person chasing you down a dark alley was just a figment of a bad dream. Dreams…

The dangers of ‘spiritual bypass’ and expecting too much from tarot, astrology, yoga, and crystals — Social media is full of photos of glitter baths and crystal-strewn tarot readings. Therapists are learning astrology to better understand their clients. Maybe it’s due to collective burnout or post-2016 political stress; either way, it’s clear that self-care has exploded in popularity. While there’s nothing inherently harmful with these practices…

A new trial by Johns Hopkins Medicine will study the effectiveness of psilocybin for eating disorder treatment — In early September, the burgeoning field of psychedelic research got a long-sought-after dose of legitimacy: Johns Hopkins Medicine received $17 million in funding to launch the Center for Psychedelic and Consciousness Research. A first-of-its-kind facility for the United States, the center will study the efficacy of psychedelics — namely psilocybin…

How psilocybin, LSD, and other psychedelic drugs could increase wellness in people without mental illness — When psychologist Martin Seligman became president of the American Psychological Association (APA) in 1998, he did something radical. Over the years, he had grown tired of his fields’ constant focus on the negative (mental illness, trauma, suffering, pain) and felt that more attention should be paid to the other side…