Two Maywood Burgurlers Arrested in Hackensack

-Mark Meinero

Two burglars were caught red handed in Hackensack.

The two, Quincy Willis, 23, of Passaic, and Edward Rudd, 28, of Old Bridge, robbed homes in Fairlawn and Maywood over a two-month period.

Late last month, the cops became suspicious about one of the suspects, Willis, was followed around, just like you see on TV. 

Then came yesterday, when they saw Willis and the other guy try to break into a Fair Lawn home shortly after 12 p.m.

Then the alarm went off, and scooted over to a home in Maywood, where they were forced to skedaddle one more time again when the guy who lives in the house turned out to be home.

They then drove to an apartment complex in Hackensack, got out of the car to put the stuff into the trunk and then the crooks were arrested.

It turns out they’ve been doing this for months. These are the guys people in Fairlawn and Maywood have been complaining about.

Willis is charged with N.J.S.A. 2C:18-2A(1) – three (3) counts of burglary by entering a structure with the purpose to commit theft, a crime of the third degree and N.J.S.A. 2C:20-2B(2)(A)- one (1) count of theft by unlawful taking of movable property of an amount greater than five hundred dollars  but less than seventy-five thousand dollars, a crime of the third degree. So is Rudd.

Both Willis and Rudd are in the Bergen County Jail. Willis bail is $350,000. Rudds is $100,000. 

Campaign Deal-breakers: Food and Fashion Cause Frenzy Among Fans

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

DES MOINES, Iowa — Five-point plans, engaging speeches, and star endorsements are all important in a presidential campaign. But how well do candidates REALLY know the cities and towns where their wooing voters?

It’s a proposition that will face the supreme test in Philadelphia.

Ordering a cheesesteak.

"Don't come into Philadelphia and try to cater favor with us and then order Swiss cheese, which no one does in Philadelphia," Ed Rendell, former Pennsylvania governor and Philadelphia mayor, said.

Bill Clinton "would always order a cheesesteak with onions and Cheese Whiz," Rendell said. "That is the only way to order a cheesesteak."

Most recently, in New York City, Ohio Gov. John Kasich took flack for eating pizza with a knife.

Wading into the local sports arena can also go poorly. A month before the Iowa caucuses, Republican candidate Carly Fiorina was criticized for tweeting that she was supporting the University of Iowa in the Rose Bowl over her alma mater, Stanford. She later told CNN she was only having a "bit of fun."

Republican front-runner Donald Trump recently tried to rally a Pittsburgh crowd about Penn State University's legendary football coach. "How's Joe Paterno?" Trump asked the audience. "Are we gonna bring that back? Right? ... How about that whole deal?"

Paterno died in January 2012 just months after he was dismissed, a result of the child sex abuse scandal involving Jerry Sandusky, his former assistant coach. A campaign spokeswoman later said Trump wasn't talking about Paterno himself, but about his statue, which was removed from outside the football stadium  four years ago, angering students and many alumni.

Sometimes a simple fashion choice can set tongues wagging, like when former GOP candidate Marco Rubio wore a pair of stylish ankle boots in Iowa over the winter, triggering some teasing.

Whether or not these moments are disqualifying, they can have a negative effect on a candidate.

"You do those types of events, you do those types of photo ops if you want to show the candidates in everyday settings," Elleithee the executive director of Georgetown University's Institute of Politics and Public Service said.

Admittedly, this is not always easy. In Philadelphia, as if ordering the cheesesteak is not enough, Rendell said he also offers advice on how to eat what can be a messy sandwich.

Drake Drops New Album

-Mark Meinero 

Drake is releasing a new album.

Titled “The View,” this will be the fourth album that Drake has released.

The new album will include several songs that already have been release, including “Pop Style” and “One Dance”.

Twenty-seven cities are listed for this tour.  The cities are in the United States and Canada. It begins July 20 in Austin, Texas and continues from there to Dallas, Kansas City and St. Paul. He plans two nights each in Chicago, New York, Houston, Los Angeles and Toronto.

Appearing with him will be Future and other artists to be announced.

Tickets for the concerts go on sale at www.livenation.com and through the Live Nation app on April 29. American Express card members can purchase tickets before everyone else from 10 a.m. on April 26th through 12 a.m. on April 28.

The name of the tour is the Summer Sixteen Tour.

There’s more information at drakeofficial.com

Mediterranean Diet-- Good for Your Body

-Alexandra Metzler 

A new study found that a diet high Mediterranean food (fruits, vegetables, fish and unrefined foods) is linked to a lower risk of heart attack and stroke in people who have heart disease.

It can help your bones, keep your brain young, help you live longer, manage your weight better and lower your risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases.

The current study examined more than 15,000 people in 39 countries around the world, all with heart disease and an average age of 67. Researchers asked about their diet, including how many times a week they consumed servings from food groups such as meat, fish, dairy, whole grains or refined grains, vegetables, fruit, desserts, sweets, sugary drinks, deep-fried foods and alcohol. Participants were given a "Mediterranean diet score," based on consumption of healthy foods, or a "Western diet score," based on consumption of unhealthy foods.

The researchers followed up about four years later to compare how many participants from each diet group had experienced a major adverse cardiovascular event, such as heart attack, stroke or death.

They found that for every 100 people who ate the highest amount of healthy Mediterranean foods, there were three fewer heart attacks, strokes or deaths compared with 100 people who ate the least amount of healthy foods.

After adjusting for other factors that might affect the results, such as smoking and exercise, the study also found that the risk of heart attacks, strokes or death from heart disease was reduced by about one-third for those who follow a Mediterranean diet, said study author Ralph Stewart of Auckland City Hospital and the University of Auckland in New Zealand.

Registered dietitian Lisa Drayer, who was not involved in the study, agrees that it's important to focus on eating healthy foods rather than avoiding unhealthy ones.

"We all need to eat to live," she said. "If you want to break other bad habits, you cut them out of your life: You cut cigarettes, you cut out drugs. But when it comes to food, you can't not eat. It's just as important, if not more important, for everyone to know what they should eat as opposed to what they should steer clear of. Adding certain foods on a regular basis is more achievable as opposed to stripping your diet of everything you like."

She recommends including foods from the Mediterranean diet, such as salmon, fruits, vegetables, whole grains and even a glass of wine, to keep our hearts healthy.

"The diet has proven itself, and it behooves every one of us to eat more fish on a regular basis, to have half of our plate filled with produce and to enjoy the occasional glass of wine," she said. "And the more consistent you are with this type of diet, the more impact it has on your health."

Why We Can't Sleep Away From Home

-Alexandra Metzler

 Can’t sleep away from home? Don't blame your pillows or the sheets.

Blame your own hyper-vigilant brain.

It appears half of our brain may remain alert when you sleep in a new location, at least on that first night you are away from home, according to a new study published in the latest edition of Current Biology.

Scientists have long known that results from the first night of most sleep experiments are usually a bit off. There's even a science-y name for this called "first-night effect" or FNE. The FNE results are so atypical, some researchers will toss them out. Wanting to understand why this happened, scientists at Brown University devised an unusual experiment.

Scientists figured this out by watching a small group of people sleep in a lab and playing quite sounds by their ears. Scientists wired people up to brain-monitoring equipment and played quiet and infrequent beeps by each ear of the sleeper. Researchers found that on that first night of the experiment, the beeping on the left side of the brain reacted strongly to the sound, compared to the right side. The left side is related to thinking needed for a kind of vigilance. Noises played on the left side more often woke people up. On the second night of the experiment the night watchman camped out in the left side of their brain seemed to be asleep on the job. Both brain hemispheres responded at the same level and the beeps woke fewer people up.

What that suggests is that humans may be a bit bird-brained.

Birds can actually switch off half their brain when they sleep. By literally keeping one eye open, that eye sends information to the side of their brain that corresponds with it while awake. This means that while still asleep, the awake side of the brain can make decisions to fly or fight and help protect them from a hungry cat or an aggressive hawk.

Birds can even rotate which side of their brain stays awake depending on where they are sleeping. Like birds, our brains have two hemispheres, but when we see something, our eyes send that information to both side of the brain. Our brains are joined together by a tiny bundle of nerves, unlike birds. Something about that unfamiliar environment must be keeping that left side of our brain awake, even though when we don't sleep with one eye open.

So what can you do if you need to be alive, awake, alert and enthusiastic for an early meeting after trying to sleep that first night on the road?

"Well, you might be able to reduce first-night effect, but we are not really sure if you can remove the effect completely," said Masako Tamaki,  a research associate at Brown University and is a co-author on the study.

"There can be a lot more anxiety around sleeping away from home and that can make it more difficult to sleep," said Dr. Muhammad Najjar, a neurology specialist in sleep medicine with Northshore Sleep Medicine in Evanston, Illinois. Often when people travel for work they already have an elevated amount of stress.

"That certainly will effect sleep quality, too."

There are a couple of tricks that may help.

A warm shower right before bed can also help. Keep your room cool, though. Your body rests better at about 65 degrees.

Bring your own pillow with you. The familiar feel of your favorite pillow may trick your brain into thinking you are at home.

Find a hotel with rooms that look like your own bedroom. Staying at a friend's futon may be a little trickier, but a sleep mask to block out the light or earplugs to keep things quiet may help. You can download smartphone apps that can generate white noise or other calming sounds such as ocean waves.

Navy' SEALS' Breathing Boot camp

-Alexandra Metzler 

Breathing is a unique process in the human body as it has both an involuntary control mechanism as well as voluntary.

It can shift between being piloted and being left on autopilot.

I learned to control breathing while practicing martial arts during my Navy SEAL training. The techniques I was taught proved invaluable later during the chaos of combat.

My favorite breathing practice is something I call “box breathing” as there are  four parts of the practice. It is something you can do anywhere—and any time, so long as you are not performing a highly complex task.

I practice it in the morning, before a workout, while standing in line, while I’m stuck in traffic and whenever else I can. It helps me slow down my breathing rate and deepen my concentration. When I perform box breathing, even just for a few minutes, I am left with a deeply calm body,  alert, and focused. To begin expel all of the air from your chest. Keep your lungs empty for a four-count hold. Then, perform your inhalation through the nose for four counts. Hold the air in your lungs for a four-count hold. When you hold your breath, do not clamp down and create back pressure. Rather, maintain an expansive, open feeling even though you are not inhaling. When ready, release the hold and exhale smoothly through your nose for four counts. This is one circuit of the box-breathing practice.

My advice to you is torepeat this cycle for at least five minutes to get the full effect. I have found that the best approach is to do one practice session for 10 to 20 minutes a day, then do a few one- or two-minute “spot drills” as opportunities present themselves during the day.

 Box breathing with this four-four-four-four ratio has a neutral energetic effect is not going to charge you up or put you into a sleepy relaxed state. However, it will, as mentioned, make you very alert and grounded, ready for action.

A Talk with Iskra Lawrence: Body image empowerment

-Alexandra Metzler 

Words and images deeply impact the way we view our bodies, and the consequences can be very damaging.

As a model, I feel a responsibility to support young girls and boys who struggle with body image and self-esteem.

In elementary school, 40% to 60% of girls express concern about their weight.

At an age when children should be imagining, playing and learning, it’s sad  that they feel pressure early in life to look a certain way. With the rise of social media and cyber bullying, this problem is becoming more and more serious—so much so that 65% of people with eating disorders say bullying contributed to their condition.

As a model who doesn’t fit into a “straight” size, I’ve experienced some of this bullying through social media. I’ve been told throughout my  career that my body was either too big or too small to book jobs.

Over the years, I’ve learned to stand up for myself and never let someone else’s opinion of me become my own.

 WhenI was a teenager, a mean comment would have hurt me deeply, Now, I’ve made it my mission to be a role model for young girls and boys and help show them that other people’s words or opinions have nothing to do with how beautiful they actually are.

Last weel, I stripped down to my bra and underwear and covered myself with bags of crisps (also known as potato chips in America). I shot the photo in response to a nasty Instagram comment that had called me a “fat cow” who eats too many crisps.

As I’ve grown into myself, I’ve learned not to pay attention to these comments or let them change how I feel about myself.

I decided to call out this bully on Instagram, not for me, but for my followers—especially the young girls and boys who struggle with their body image ,read these hateful words and take them to heart. Words are powerful, but mean words don’t stand a chance against self-worth and little bit of humor.

Eating crisps and giving the middle finger to an Internet troll is my jovial way of showing my followers that nasty comments can be laughed at. It was also a way to give a visible voice to the voiceless—the people who deal with bullying and fat shaming every day—and show them that they can stand up for themselves. Since sharing the post, I’ve been blown away by the incredible response, from likes and re-grams to direct messages from my followers. To see such a massive reaction to this silly picture shows the power of humor on self-empowerment.

Iskra Lawrence is a model and ambassador for the National Eating Disorders Association.

You're Only as Old as You Feel

-Alexandra Metzler

The powers of a steady fitness routine are impressive. Regular exercise can help you build stronger muscles, stave off chronic illnesses, and help your clothes fit better. But there's another benefit of physical activity that deserves a shout-out: exercise shaves your age.  While you can't change your chronological age, exercise can improve your health to the point where you look and feel younger than you are, says Frank Frisch, PhD, director of kinesiology at Chapman University in Orange, Calif.
One way in which exercise helps you feel younger, is that a workout is like nature's energy drink--  energizing your brain and body so you feel more alert and alive.

"Exercise puts your body in a state of arousal, which translates into more vitality and a greater sense of well-being," says Frisch. "Daily tasks become less strenuous and require less exertion." It's the kind of pep in your step that makes you feel like you've peeled off a decade or two.

Exercise also jumpstarts your sex drive.

“A sweat session improves blood flow all over your body, and the extra blood surge makes you feel more responsive and increasing arousal,” says Mary Jane Minkin, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Yale School of Medicine. Exercise also powers your sex drive in a psychological way. "Working out brings on more confidence about your appearance and body, and that puts you in a sexier mindset," says Dr. Minkin. And don't forget the all-over energy surge exercise offers, which gives you extra fuel so you can rock the sheets.

Exercise keeps your skin soft and glowing.

A dewy sheen on your cheeks thanks to all the sweat dripping off your forehead may not be the only way fitness keeps your skin young. Researchers at McMaster University in Ontario studied a small group of adults between ages 20 and 84. The frequent exercisers who were over the age of 40 had skin that resembled the elastic skin of people in their 20s and 30s. The difference had nothing to do with sun exposure , reported the research team. They explained that exercise creates body substances that help slow aging in skin.

Exercise improves your posture and flexibility. 

Thanks to muscle loss and bone density changes, your posture and flexibility takes a hit as you age. Strength training builds muscle and bone health, especially in your core and along your spine, so you naturally stand taller and shave years off your appearance, says Amie Hoff, personal trainer and founder of Hoff Fitness in New York City. Working out also makes you feel more psychologically powerful, so you naturally stop slouching and straighten up, she adds.

As far as flexibility, regular workouts, especially stretching-oriented routines such as yoga and Pilates, keep you loose and bendy, says Hoff. "If cardio workouts are your preference, you can still boost your flexibility by warming up and cooling down with foam roller exercises," she suggests. This foam fitness tool gets rid of the knots that form in muscle, reducing rigidity.

Lastly, exercise helps you sleep soundly.

Restful sleep is like a fountain of youth, and exercise helps you achieve it. "Research shows that regular exercisers fall asleep more easily and are more likely to experience deep REM sleep," says Frisch. A heart-pumping workout tires you out, sure, but there's more to it than that. Sleeping well helps all the systems in your body function optimally, so you're less likely to feel stressed and then toss and turn all night.

Little White Lies Do Fly?

-Alexandra Metzler 

Most parents spend years teaching their children that lying is bad, yet everyone learns to lie.

To understand why this happens, experts have spent decades studying the science of lying.

Michael Lewis, a professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, says that despite what our parents told us, lying isn't always a bad thing and that there are important reasons almost everyone learns to lie.

"Lying is a basic process that gets us into imagination and into play and into creativity," he explained.

Lewis has been studying how and why children lie.He said he's identified four major types of lies: lying to protect the feelings of others, lying to protect yourself, lying to yourself and lying to hurt others. Of the four, he said only lies designed to actually hurt others seems to be a "bad" kind of lie.

From his research results, he said children will start to lie around two years old, when they pick up cues from their parents.

"Lying you can see in children as young as 2 and a half and 3 years of age," Lewis said. "You have to remember that adults lie all the time."

 He said children quickly pick up on lying when parents tell them to come forward if they did something wrong. Children find out they're in trouble even if they don't lie about it.

-Alexandra Metzler 

"Children quickly learn that to avoid telling the truth," Lewis said. "The children who are more emotionally stable, these are the ones who are likely to lie than to tell the truth."

Lewis said parents will often instruct children to lie to protect the feelings of, say, a gift-giver, who gives something the child doesn't want."[By] 2 years of age, children are capable of engaging in pretend play, which means they know what is real and they can pretend that it’s different than reality," Lewis explained. "You lie to yourself and at the same time you know you’re lying to yourself."

Even lies to protect oneself seem to be a normal part of development,” Lewis said. “In one experiment he performs, the researcher leaves a child along with a box and tells them not to look inside if they want a toy. They then leave the room and watch through cameras to see if the child looks at the toy.”

When they later ask the child if he or she has looked inside the box, usually around two-thirds of children under age 5 will lie, Lewis noted. By the time they are around 7,that number goes up to 90 percent.

Expecting children to be truthful all the time is unrealistic, Lewis said, noting that lying is part of how we interact with those around us.

"All these lies are going on in the adult world and the child has perceptions of what’s going on in the adult world," Lewis said. They "are learning these kinds of rules."

Your Smartphone is a Pain in the Neck

-Alexandra Metzler 

Texting has become painful. Headaches, neck cricks, achy shoulders.

You might have what physical therapists call “Text Neck.”

"Text Neck is not just a texting problem," said Dr. Dean Fishman. "Text neck is a gaming problem. Text neck is an e-mailing problem."

The term was originated by Fishman in 2008 while examining a 17-year-old patient complaining of head and neck pain. As Fishman glanced over and saw her posture.

The teen was sitting in a chair, hunched over her smartphone--texting.

A recent study published in Surgical Technology International's 25th edition by spine surgeon Kenneth Hansraj says texting may be hurting your back. Staying in what experts call the "forward head posture" can lead to muscle strain, disc herniation and pinched nerves. Over time, it can even flatten or reverse the natural curve of your neck and can put up to 60 pounds of pressure on the neck.

"We recommend that people should continue to enjoy their smart devices, but that they pay specific attention to where their head is in space," Hansraj told the Huffington Post. 

Dr. Michelle Collie, director of Performance Physical Therapy in Rhode Island said it can also create metabolic problems.

According to experts, breathing in a slumped position can reduce the capacity of your lungs by 30 percent.

A lack of oxygenated blood flowing through the body can potentially lead to vascular disease. Gastrointestinal problems can be caused by pressure placed on the organs in a bad posture.

The question is, “How we can fix this?”

Collie said to be aware of your body. Keep your feet flat on the floor, roll your shoulders back and keep your ears directly over them so your head isn't tilted forward. Use a docking station and wrist guards to support the weight of a mobile device. Buy a headset.

Fishman's Text Neck Institute created a mobile app to help you remember to avoid forward head posture.

When your Android phone (the app is not yet available on iTunes) is held at a safe viewing angle, a green light shines in the top left corner. When you're at risk for Text Neck, a red light appears. Optional vibrations or beeps can be added as a warning.

Most importantly, the physical therapists agree on taking frequent breaks while using any mobile device or desktop computer. About every 20 minutes, stand up, roll your shoulders and neck or go for a short walk to improve blood flow.

Parents Count Sheep Over Their Teen's Sleep

-Alexandra Metzler 

Parents worry over teen sleep.

Teenagers have heavy homework loads keeping them up past midnight while their classes begin at 8:00 a.m.

Sleep is scarce.

A new study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) finds that pattern is not only dangerous -- it could be deadly.

Specifically, it found that teens who sleep less than seven hours were more likely to engage in risky behaviors -- such as texting or drinking and driving, or riding with a driver who was drinking – compared to teens who sleep nine hours per night.

"It was rather surprising to find such an impact of short sleep duration on these injury-related behaviors and suggests that sleep deprivation may play an important role in poor judgment and decision-making among adolescents," said Janet Croft, chief of the epidemiology and surveillance branch of the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.  

Schools are starting too early, not allowing teenagers to sleep.

Back in 2011, the CDC found that sleeping less than eight hours was associated with drug use, sexual activity, lack of exercise, and depression, especially depression.. Almost 70% of teens were not getting enough sleep.

Doctors grew so concerned about the impact of a lack of sleep on teens, that the American Academy of Pediatrics issued a policy statement in 2014 recommending that schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. so that teens can get the recommended 8.5 to 9.5 hours of sleep a night.

However, researchers from the CDC and the U.S. Department of Education found that, based on data from the 2011-2012 school year, only 18% of the schools surveyed started classes at the recommended time of 8:30 a.m. or later, while more than 80% started earlier. Students in Louisiana were found to go to school the earliest with an average start time of 7:40 a.m.

"The real issue at this point is that our society does not respect sleep, and we have grown-ups that brag about how, 'We can get on with five hours of sleep,' 'We can drink that Red Bull and soldier on,' 'Sleep is for wimps,' 'I'll get enough sleep when I'm dead,'" said Maribel Ibrahim, co-founder of Start School Later, a nonprofit focused on increasing public awareness about the relationship between sleep and school hours. "These are the statements that are horrifying, because really sleep is an essential third pillar of health."

A study by the University of Minnesotafound that schools with start times of 8:30 a.m. or later report improved academic performance in core areas such as math, English, science and social studies, better scores on state and national achievement tests, improved attendance and a reduction in tardiness.

Rock Bridge High School in Columbia, Missouri, moved up the start time for the school day from 7:50 a.m. to 8:55 a.m. at the beginning of the 2013-2014 school year.

“Evidence from parents does point to some improvement,” said Jennifer Rukstad, the school's principal.

"There was just lots and lots of complaining about the impact on the life of the family, and so once you kind of allowed that to get through, then if you would ask the parents what kind of impact has it had on your child as far as their affect and their performance. And everyone said, 'Oh, they're much easier to get along with,'" Rukstad said.

What can a parent do?

Researchers at the CDC say parents can encourage their children to practice good sleep habits, such as setting a regular bedtime and wake-up time, including on weekends, and limiting the use of devices such as computers, video games and cell phones in the bedroom after a certain hour.

"Parents may benefit themselves and their children by setting a good example," said Anne Wheaton, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a co-author of the new study. 

"Adolescent sleep habits tend to reflect their parents' sleep habits."

The greatest thing parents can do to help their teens get more sleep, according to Ibrahim, is to get  educated on the issue of school start times. "Ironically, even well-meaning school districts that have attempted to implement school start times have gotten backlash from the community, from the parents, because the school districts are not the villains necessarily." 

"Really the enemy is ignorance," said Ibrahim. "The enemy is assuming, 'Oh this isn't that big a deal. Just turn off your devices at night and stop texting and all will be well.' That would be great if kids could get up at 7:30 in the morning, but it's not great when they still have to get up at 5:00."

Physically Healthy: How our physiological and psychological well-being collide.

-Alexandra Metzler 

Being happy.

Research suggests that genetics and our environment may play a big role in controlling our happiness.

“Being able to manage the emotional ups and downs is important for both body and mind,” said Laura Kubzansky, professor of social and behavioral sciences at Harvard School of Public Health.

Our surroundings can impact our mood at any moment.

Studies, including some by Kubzansky, have found a connection between psychological and physical well-being. A 2012 review  found a connection between happiness and life satisfaction with lower blood pressure, healthier body weight and a lowered risk of cardiovascular disease.

“People who have an optimistic mindset may be more likely to engage in healthy behaviors because they perceive them as helpful in achieving their goals,” Kubzansky said.

For now, these studies can only show associations; they do not provide hard evidence of cause and effect.

Where happiness comes from: genes + environment

Genetics influence happiness, according to Nancy Segal, psychologist at California State University, Fullerton, and author of "Born Together -- Reared Apart."

Research has shown that identical twins tend to have a similar level of happiness, more so than fraternal twins.

“In identical twins, one twin's happiness is a better predictor of the other twin's current or future happiness than educational achievement or income,” Segal said.

There was also a connection between the children’s and parent’s happiness.

"If you have happy parents and happy children, I think that people usually assume it's because the children are modeling the parents," Segal said. "But that's not really so. You need to make the point that parents pass on both genes and environments."

According to Segal, this doesn't mean anyone is biologically stuck being unhappy. It might take more work if your baseline mood is low, but certain therapies have proven useful for elevating psychological well-being.

"To say to someone, 'Don't worry, be happy,' is kind of not looking at the whole picture of, what are the environmental constraints on things they can do?" Kubzansky said.

Happiness: Living in the moment

How can we instantly help ourselves feel happy?

“If you're seeking to increase your own sense of happiness, try mindfulness techniques. 

Mindfulness means being present and in the moment, and observing in a nonjudgmental way,” said Susan Albers, psychologist at the Cleveland Clinic. .

“Activities such as keeping a gratitude diary and helping other people are also associated with feelings of well-being,” Kubzansky said.

Smartphone apps can help you monitor and enhance your moods.

Don’t be afraid to reach out for professional help if needed.