10 scientific discoveries that will change your perception of health

According to a research published on Fitrated.com, over 70% of bacteria found on pieces of gym equipment are potentially dangerous. There are 74 times more bacteria on a treadmill than on a water faucet. Using free weights in a gym, you risk to come in contact with 362 times more germs than you can catch from a toilet seat!

According to scientists, people who are sleep-deprived eat more foods high in sugar. In the course of an experiment, people who used to sleep for just 6 hours per night started getting 20 extra minutes of sleep. After some time, they started consuming less sugar and consumed 300 less calories on average.

As it turns out, changes in environmental light lead to structural changes in our brain. In dim light, the connections between the neurons in the brain work slower, which leads to a decrease in our intellectual abilities. The bad light can limit the brain's capacity. Anyway, we can easily control that - just make sure to get outside in the bright light daily and work or study in light rooms.

Everything is simple - if you imagine that something is not going to hurt, you will feel less pain. And this was scientifically proven. For example, when you are going through painful treatment and think of it as of something positive and effective, this will help you relax and distract. This process is based on the placebo effect. Our imagination is powerful, and visualizing pain reduction can actually reduce discomfort.

The flow of cerebrospinal fluid, which circulates in our brain and spinal cord, becomes significantly slower in people older than 25. Previous studies suggested that our brain started 'getting older' only in our 40s. This important discovery will be useful in future studies of age-related brain disorders.

Losing or gaining weight too quickly is actually more dangerous than we can imagine. When we gain fat, new tissue is formed in our body, and it needs blood supply. Our vascular system has to expand, and the heart starts pumping blood harder, which may result in the reduction of oxygenation and nutrient replenishment in other tissues.

When we suddenly lose weight, our body breaks down and reabsorbs the unneeded blood vessels from the previous tissues. It is also bad for the health, so it's important to reach and maintain healthy weight.

According to a Coventry University research, chewing mint flavored gum may reduce out feeling of tiredness. It also reduces the level of stress and anxiety, which helps us to relax and become more attentive.

Self-assured people are not prone to anxiety and depression, they don't worry about little things. When you worry less, you sleep better, and sleep has a lot of health benefits. Moreover, according to a research, elderly people who are self-confident rarely fall while walking, because they are simply are not afraid of the irritants and believe in themselves.

People who are cheerful and optimistic have less chance of suffering from a heart disease. Anxiety causes our brain to release stress hormones, which increase the frequency of symptoms and slows down the process of recovery. Moreover, people who are not upset about their treatment, get well faster and live longer.

Handwriting helps you remember things better and improve your memory, as it requires more cognitive processes than typing. Next time when you want to remember or plan something, try writing it down on a piece of paper instead of using your smartphone's notes.