The Checkup: Don’t Make a Decision If You Feel Stressed Out

New research found that decision-making while under stress can cause you to over-inflate positive outcomes and downplay negative ones.

• If you have an important decision to make, abstain from judgement until after your yoga class—you know, when you’re as relaxed and unwound as you can possibly be. New research found if you make a decision while you’re stressed out, you’re more likely to over calculate the rewards of that decision and downplay negative outcomes. The findings apply to almost every decision-making scenario you can come up with, which is why it explains, in moments of stress, you might reach for a cookie (it’s just sooooo good) rather than refrain (but those calories are so not worth it). The takeaway? If you can’t avoid stress, at least avoid making major decisions while you’re pulling out your hair.

• An interesting study on the ADHD front: Researchers found that kids who are the youngest in their grade are more likely to be diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder than their older peers. The findings don’t definitively point to an overdiagnosis problem (read about them here), but it’s sure something to consider if your kid is at the bottom the age totem pole of his or her class.

• Should teens watch movies like The Hangover? This new research, on the influence of media on binge drinking habits, will probably have you saying, “No.”