Entrepreneur and wellness advocate Stephen Simmang is encouraging individuals and communities to reexamine how they approach mental health. Drawing from his own career shift, from insurance to emotional wellness, Simmang is raising awareness about the value of simple, consistent mental health habits that individuals can start on their own.

“We’re surrounded by information and tools,” says Simmang. “But the real work starts when we slow down and get quiet.”

Why Emotional Health Can’t Wait

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 1 in 5 U.S. adults live with a mental illness. The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that depression is now the leading cause of disability worldwide. And stress? Nearly 77% of Americans say it affects their physical health, according to The American Institute of Stress.

“Mental health is not a niche issue,” says Simmang. “It’s the foundation of everything—how we parent, how we lead, how we relate to others.”

Stephen believes prevention and regulation should come before crisis response—and that those habits can start small.

“It doesn’t have to be complicated,” he adds. “You don’t need a diagnosis to care for your mental health.”

From Insurance to Insight

Stephen began his career helping design wellness plans for major insurance providers, including Gallagher. But over time, he became increasingly aware of the gaps in reactive healthcare systems. “I was helping people access care,” he says. “But I wanted to help them avoid needing it in the first place.”

That shift led to the founding of Prioritize Wellness in 2018 and Kale Diagnostics in 2022. At Kale, Simmang helped scale a company that blended lab testing, data, and personalized care for long-term health.

“We wanted to understand the whole person—not just symptoms,” he says.

But as the company grew, Stephen felt another change coming.

A Personal Turn Toward Mindfulness

After stepping back from his role at Kale, Simmang began focusing on emotional regulation, mindfulness, and mental clarity.

“Mindfulness wasn’t a strategy—it was survival,” he says. “Journaling and breathwork helped me think clearly in the middle of real challenges.”

These practices weren’t part of a product roadmap—they were daily tools he used himself.

“When I’m overwhelmed, I step back. I breathe. I ask myself what really matters,” he says.

Now, he’s turning those tools into a mobile app designed to help others develop nervous system awareness, reduce stress, and build inner stability. The app is currently in development and will be shared on his website: stephensimmang.com.

Supporting Mental Health for All

Simmang also supports several mental health organizations that reflect his values:

• Mental Health America
• The Jed Foundation
• The David Lynch Foundation

“They’re creating access without overwhelm,” he says. “We need more of that—quiet, steady support that meets people where they are.”

A Call to Reflect, Not React

Simmang is encouraging people to take ownership of their mental well-being in small, intentional ways.

“You don’t need to wait for a breaking point,” he says. “Start by noticing how you feel. Write down what’s true for you today. Take five minutes to breathe.”

He suggests:

• Journaling your thoughts every day; this simple act can create space where there is tension.
• Taking breaks from screens to reset the nervous system
• Supporting organizations that promote mental health access
• Allowing yourself to sit still and breathe; even a few minutes can calm the nervous system and lower cortisol.

“Breakthroughs don’t come from doing more,” Simmang adds. “They come from pausing long enough to hear what we need.”

Reframing Success Around Alignment

As he continues his work in emotional wellness, Stephen remains grounded in a philosophy of purpose and presence.

“Success, to me, is alignment,” he says. “If I’m building something that reflects my values and allows me to feel at peace, then I know I’m on the right path.”

He believes the same applies to individuals everywhere.

“You don’t have to chase every trend,” he says. “Just get honest with yourself. What makes you feel more whole? Start there.”

Take the First Step

Simmang’s message is simple: emotional health is not out of reach, and it doesn’t require perfection.

Start small. Stay honest. Breathe. Reflect.For more on Stephen’s latest work and mental health resources, visit stephensimmang.com.

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Contact Person: Stephen Simmang
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“’Are you under any significant stress?’ one of the cardiologists asked me during rounds the next morning. I stared at him blankly.”

The author and her dad in the mid-1980s.

Courtesy of Melisse Lombard

The author getting prepped for surgery the morning of Jan. 17, 2023, about an hour before she coded on the operating table.

Courtesy of Melisse Lombard

Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay

This story was originally published in September 2023 and is being rerun now as part of HuffPost Personal’s “Best Of” series.

Melisse Lombard is a writer, editor, content professional and former journalist, now running her own editorial content production company. She lives outside Boston with her husband, Pearse, their son, and their pup. Melisse is also a co-founder of and singer in award-winning professional a cappella group, Sound Off.

Key points

• Research suggests that stress not only affects you but can negatively impact those around you as well.
• The Dyadic Biobehavioral Stress Model can help us better understand how stress impacts both partners.
• Stress can have an impact on both partners’ endocrine, cardiovascular, and immune functioning.

Assuming people’s daily lives are unlikely to get less stressful anytime soon, simple and effective ways to mitigate these effects are needed.

This is where dogs can help.

As researchers at the University of Denver’s Institute for Human-Animal Connection, we study the effects animal companions have on their humans.

Dozens of studies over the last 40 years have confirmed that pet dogs help humans feel more relaxed. This would explain the growing phenomenon of people relying on emotional support dogs to assist them in navigating everyday life. Dog owners have also been shown to have a 24% lower risk of death and a four times greater chance of surviving for at least a year after a heart attack.

Now, a new study that we conducted with a team of colleagues suggests that dogs might have a deeper and more biologically complex effect on humans than scientists previously believed. And this complexity may have profound implications for human health.

How stress works

The human response to stress is a finely tuned and coordinated set of various physiological pathways. Previous studies of the effects of dogs on human stress focused on just one pathway at a time. For our study, we zoomed out a bit and measured multiple biological indicators of the body’s state, or biomarkers, from both of the body’s major stress pathways. This allowed us to get a more complete picture of how a dog’s presence affects stress in the human body.

The stress pathways we measured are the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal, or HPA, axis and the sympathoadrenal medullary, or SAM, axis.

When a person experiences a stressful event, the SAM axis acts quickly, triggering a “fight or flight” response that includes a surge of adrenaline, leading to a burst of energy that helps us meet threats. This response can be measured through an enzyme called alpha-amylase.

At the same time, but a little more slowly, the HPA axis activates the adrenal glands to produce the hormone cortisol. This can help a person meet threats that might last for hours or even days. If everything goes well, when the danger ends, both axes settle down, and the body goes back to its calm state.

While stress can be an uncomfortable feeling, it has been important to human survival. Our hunter-gatherer ancestors had to respond effectively to acute stress events like an animal attack. In such instances, over-responding could be as ineffective as under-responding. Staying in an optimal stress response zone maximized humans’ chances of survival.

More to the story

After cortisol is released by the adrenal glands, it eventually makes its way into your saliva, making it an easily accessible biomarker to track responses. Because of this, most research on dogs and stress has focused on salivary cortisol alone.

For example, several studies have found that people exposed to a stressful situation have a lower cortisol response if they’re with a dog than if they’re alone – even lower than if they’re with a friend.

While these studies have shown that having a dog nearby can lower cortisol levels during a stressful event, suggesting the person is calmer, we suspected that was just part of the story.

What our study measured

For our study, we recruited about 40 dog owners to participate in a 15-minute gold standard laboratory stress test. This involves public speaking and oral math in front of a panel of expressionless people posing as behavioral specialists.

The participants were randomly assigned to bring their dogs to the lab with them or to leave their dogs at home. We measured cortisol in blood samples taken before, immediately after and about 45 minutes following the test as a biomarker of HPA axis activity. And unlike previous studies, we also measured the enzyme alpha-amylase in the same blood samples as a biomarker of the SAM axis.

As expected based on previous studies, the people who had their dog with them showed lower cortisol spikes. But we also found that people with their dog experienced a clear spike of alpha-amylase, while those without their dog showed almost no response.

No response may sound like a good thing, but in fact, a flat alpha-amylase response can be a sign of a dysregulated response to stress, often seen in people experiencing high stress responses, chronic stress or even PTSD. This lack of response is caused by chronic or overwhelming stress that can change how our nervous system responds to stressors.

In contrast, the participants with their dogs had a more balanced response: Their cortisol didn’t spike too high, but their alpha-amylase still activated. This shows that they were alert and engaged throughout the test, then able to return to normal within 45 minutes. That’s the sweet spot for handling stress effectively. Our research suggests that our canine companions keep us in a healthy zone of stress response.

Dogs and human health

This more nuanced understanding of the biological effects of dogs on the human stress response opens up exciting possibilities. Based on the results of our study, our team has begun a new study using thousands of biomarkers to delve deeper into the biology of how psychiatric service dogs reduce PTSD in military veterans.

But one thing is already clear: Dogs aren’t just good company. They might just be one of the most accessible and effective tools for staying healthy in a stressful world.

Original Post  The Conversation US, Inc.

Authors

1. Kevin Morris

   Research Professor of Social Work, University of Denver

2. Jaci Gandenberger

   Research Associate of Social Work, University of Denver

Burnout is not always obvious. It does not just affect people who hate their jobs. In fact, research shows that people who are passionate about their work may experience burnout more often. This is because they tend to give their all and ignore early signs of stress.

Saloni Chawla, a mind coach and counselling psychologist and Lavleen Kaur, chief dietitian and founder of Santushti holistic health and healing, shared with HT Lifestyle some hidden triggers of burnout that are often missed. 

1. Always being “on”

If you find it hard to relax, feel guilty during breaks, or believe you must be productive all the time, you may be mentally stuck in overdrive. This constant alertness drains energy.

2. Emotional numbness

You attend meetings and complete tasks, but feel emotionally disconnected or blank. This is a common early sign of burnout.

3. Long commutes

Spending hours in traffic every day can quietly add to your stress, leaving you exhausted before and after work.

4. Micro-stressors

Small things like unclear instructions, poor communication, and last-minute changes may not seem big, but over time, they pile up and wear you down.

5. Pretending to be fine

In workplaces that talk about mental health, some employees feel pressure to look happy and calm even when they are not. This emotional masking increases stress.

6. No work-life boundaries

Whether you work from home or at the office, replying to messages or emails outside work hours can make your workday feel endless.

7. Perfectionism and overwork

Efficient employees often get more work. Perfectionists feel the need to always do their best, which adds pressure and exhaustion.

8. Overthinking about work

Constantly worrying about whether your work is good enough can make your brain feel tired even before the day ends.

9. Ignoring self-care

Postponing meals, sleep, exercise, or downtime with the idea of “I’ll rest later” can silently harm your health.

10. Personal stress spilling into work

Unresolved issues at home or in relationships can affect your energy and focus at work.

What can you do?

Burnout grows slowly but can be managed early with small changes.

● Take short breaks every 90 minutes during the day.

● Eat nutritious meals on time and hydrate well.

● Set a fixed time to log off from work.

● Move your body daily, even a short walk helps.

● Sleep at a regular time.

● Talk to someone you trust.

● Practise deep breathing or short mindfulness exercises.

“Balanced nutrition, restful sleep, mindful movement and intentional pauses during the day are essential for real recovery,” says Lavleen. Listening to your body and mind is not a luxury. It is the first step to staying healthy, happy and productive.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

Original from

Image by Freepik

FROM MSN

Image by Prawny from Pixabay

The retrospective study, conducted at UH Connor Whole Health and the UH Fertility Center, analyzed 1,896 WS-TCM treatments provided during 202 embryo transfers for 146 patients from 2019 to 2022. Patients undergoing IVF who received WS-TCM treatments, including acupuncture, lifestyle and dietary guidance, and herbal medicine, experienced measurable symptom relief. The study found clinically meaningful improvements following a single-treatment with average reductions of 2.2 units in anxiety, 2.1 in stress, and 1.4 in pain, on a 10-unit numeric rating scale.

Findings support the use of WS-TCM for providing symptom relief for patients navigating the heavy emotional and physical challenges of IVF. More than 25 percent of patients in the study sample had documented mental health diagnoses, with anxiety being the most common. Thus, integrative treatments like WS-TCM may enhance patient experience during IVF treatment. This evidence adds to a growing body of research supporting the efficacy of acupuncture and other WS-TCM modalities for improving IVF success rates.

Researchers found that 88.6 percent of IVF cycles included WS-TCM treatment on the day of embryo transfer. Additionally, 64.9 percent of cycles featured treatments in the weeks leading up to embryo transfer. As WS-TCM practitioners continue to be integrated within U.S. fertility centers, this study provides comprehensive data on when treatments occurred, how many treatments were provided, and what specific acupuncture points were utilized to address the needs of women undergoing IVF.

The UH Fertility Center is among a growing number of academic medical centers nationwide implementing integrative therapies into reproductive health services. This collaborative care model enables personalized, whole-person support during every step throughout fertility treatment.

“During the IVF journey, patients seek the best possible clinical outcomes, but also comprehensive support to help manage the stress and anxiety that often accompany treatment. Our study demonstrates that acupuncture and whole-systems TCM can serve as a valuable tool to decrease pain, stress and anxiety – ultimately contributing to both improved outcomes and a more positive, holistic patient experience,” said Christine Kaiser, DACM, Lac, Principal Investigator of the Study, and the Connor Endowed Director of Reproductive Well-being at UH Connor Whole Health.

“Our patients often ask how complementary therapies impact IVF outcomes, and this study is a critical step toward providing high-quality data to guide those decisions,” added Rebecca Flyckt, MD, co-author of the study and Division Director of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at UH. “Collaborative research like this helps us to better support patients not only medically, but emotionally and physically throughout their fertility treatments.”

This study was supported by the Connor Family Foundation.

You can read the article “Clinical Delivery of Whole Systems Traditional Chinese Medicine and Impacts upon Patient Reported Outcomes during IVF” by clicking here.

Reference: Lu R, Rodgers-Melnick SN, Flyckt R, et al. Clinical Delivery of Whole Systems Traditional Chinese Medicine and Impacts Upon Patient Reported Outcomes During IVF. Global Advances in Integrative Medicine and Health. 2025;14. doi:10.1177/27536130251349116

Original Post 

By Carly Belsterling

Image by 和 其 from Pixabay

Do Dogs Know When You’re Stressed?

According to Dr. Zoe Parr-Cortes, veterinarian and PhD graduate from the University of Bristol, research studies support the idea that dogs can sense stress in people. “As one of our closest companions, dogs have co-evolved alongside humans for thousands of years. Because of this, both humans and dogs have learned to recognize cues in each other that signal how the other is feeling. Several studies have demonstrated that dogs respond to the sights and sounds of various human emotions, including crying, vocal tones, and facial expressions.”

For example, scientists have shown that your dog can hear your mood in the tone of your voice. The sounds of happiness are likely to result in a positive reaction, like tail wagging, whereas sadness and fear can result in a negative reaction, like yawning. And research in the journal Biology Letters showed that dogs have the ability to match your mood to the look on your face. So if dogs know when you’re happy or sad, it makes sense that they can sense your stress, too.

How Do Dogs Sense Your Stress?

Dr. Parr-Cortes says dogs can sense stress based on a combination of cues and the context of the situation. They can observe your facial expressions and body language and listen to the tone of your voice. And of course, dogs have powerful noses that can detect changes in how we smell. “When we’re stressed, we act and communicate differently, and our dogs will notice this. However, while sight and sound may be more obvious for us to recognize as cues, smell is a sense that is much more important to dogs than humans,” she explains.

Research published in PLOS One showed that dogs can detect stress from sweat and breath samples alone. For the study, human participants provided baseline sweat and breath samples. Then, the researchers administered a math test to the participants, with the intention of causing them stress, before collecting a second set of samples. When researchers presented the samples to dogs, they could tell the difference between the baseline and stress samples with over 90% accuracy. It seems that acute stress changes what’s known as volatile organic compounds in breath and sweat. These compounds are detectable to dogs’ noses.

How Do Dogs Smell Stress?

So what exactly are the dogs smelling? That’s harder to pin down. In a recent study published in Scientific Reports, Dr. Parr-Cortes and other members of the Animal Welfare and Behaviour Group at Bristol Vet School stressed human participants with public speaking and an arithmetic test. To measure stress, the research group and its principal investigators, Dr. Nicola Rooney and Professor Mike Mendl, looked at the participants’ cortisol (a hormone released by the adrenal gland during times of stress), heart rate, and the participants’ own rating of anxiety levels. And of course, they collected sweat samples.

For the study, Dr. Parr-Cortes and her colleagues primarily selected samples from people with the highest cortisol response. They thought this would be a good marker to use because the charity Medical Detection Dogs has trained dogs to smell when the cortisol levels in people with Addison’s disease drop too low. And based on the current study’s findings, it seems that even untrained dogs may be able to detect differences in cortisol via scent.

To identify that potential stress smell, Dr. Parr-Cortes and members of Bristol Vet School are currently working on measuring the odor differences in the samples using volatile organic compound analysis. However, it’s possible dogs can detect subtle differences or patterns in odor that chemical analysis can’t.

Does Your Stress Impact Your Dog?

Although it aids survival, does your stress impact your dog’s well-being? Dr. Parr-Cortes’ study would indicate yes. It influences their emotions and the decisions they make. “We found that when the stress odor was present, dogs were less likely, and slower, to approach a bowl that they were uncertain contained a treat. This suggests that being stressed around your dog, or even just being around the smell of another person who is stressed, may have a negative effect on your dog’s mood and possibly even your relationship with your dog.”

Therefore, it’s important to appreciate the repercussions of human stress on a dog’s wellbeing, as well as on their learning and performance. “Maintaining a relationship based on positive reinforcement and engaging activities is the best way to keep your dog happy,” Dr. Parr-Cortes advises. Learn to spot your dog’s stress signals, keep calm around your dog, and consider doing a relaxing activity before interacting or training to reduce any effect your stress might have.

Image by Yama Zsuzsanna Márkus from Pixabay

By Stephanie Gibeault, MSc, CPDT