Got a tough decision to make, such as buying a new car or switching jobs? The best thing to do is consider all the facts -- and then try not to consciously think about them for a while. Let your subconscious mind mull over the options and the answer should eventually pop into your head, according to researchers at the University of Amsterdam.
"People generally believe that serious conscious deliberation increases the probability they will make the 'right' choice," they write in the journal Science.
However, they warn, "conscious thought does not always lead to sound choices." In fact, "conscious thought leads to progressively worse choices with more complex issues."
The trouble is that the conscious mind can ponder only a limited number of facts at any one time. That means people will consider just a "subset of the relevant information," and ignore other important details. On the other hand, the subconscious mind has a much greater capacity for integrating and evaluating data, say the psychology researchers, led by Ap Dijksterhuis.
To prove their point, the Dutch team ran a series of experiments in which consumers were asked to pick various products. In some cases, the participants were given mental mind games to divert their attention from the impending decision. The experiments revealed consumers were generally happier with their choices when they didn't have time to deliberately think about the options.
"It doesn't seem to matter" what you do to distract your attention, Dr. Dijksterhuis said in an e-mail interview. "The bottom line is that you have to do something that is engaging enough so that conscious thought is occupied."
The researchers even have a name for this decision-making process: deliberation-without-attention.
Acupressure v. physio
Acupressure is far more effective at treating low back pain than conventional physiotherapy, according to researchers at National Taiwan University in Taipei.
Acupressure is sometimes called acupuncture without needles. The therapist uses his fingers and thumbs to apply pressure to tight muscles. And, in particular, some therapists press on so-called acupoints, which are the focus for relieving pain and illness in traditional Chinese medicine.
By comparison, conventional physiotherapy involves a wide range of different treatments including heat therapy, infrared light therapy, electrical stimulation and various forms of physical manipulation, as well as exercises.
For the study, 64 patients received six sessions of acupressure, and 65 patients received six sessions of physical therapy. The participants were assessed immediately after treatment and again six months later in terms of their pain and ability to function.
"Acupressure conferred an 89 per cent reduction in disability, compared with physical therapy," according to the results published in the British Medical Journal.
HRT in the spotlight
After several years of troubling findings about hormone replacement therapy, proponents of the treatment are eagerly embracing a tiny bit of good news.
A new study has found that estrogen might not be as harmful as once thought for some women taking the hormone to relieve the symptoms of menopause in the age range 50 to 59 and possibly younger.
Although there appears to be no heart benefit for older women, the study indicates it could reduce the risk of heart disease in those aged 50 to 59.
More than three years ago, a major HRT study was abruptly stopped when doctors discovered that hormone treatment increased the risk of developing breast cancer, heart attacks and strokes.
The latest research, based on a re-examination of data from the halted trial, suggests that the treatment may not affect all groups of women in the same way.
"This new information may be reassuring to millions of women who currently take, or are appropriate candidates for, estrogen-alone therapy," Dr. Ginger Constantine, a senior Wyeth executive, said in a company press release. Wyeth is a major producer of hormone therapy.
However, the latest results, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, must be kept in perspective. Even if there might be some heart benefits -- and that has not been proven -- they would apply only to a small group of women. That's because most women can't take estrogen by itself -- it increases the risk of uterine cancer. It is normally just an option for women who have had hysterectomies, the surgical removal of the uterus. Women with an intact uterus usually take estrogen combined with progestin to counter the cancer-causing effect.
Most experts still agree that hormone therapy should be used only for treating the debilitating symptoms of menopause, not for preventing heart disease. And it should be taken at the lowest possible dose for the shortest time necessary.
