1. 10-Year “Safe” Treasury Bond on Pace for 3rd Decline in 4 Year
@Charlie Bilello
@Charlie Bilello The 10-Year Treasury Bond is down 3.6% in 2024, on pace for its 3rd decline in the last 4 years. That hasn’t happened since 1956-59.
2. European Financials Break-Out to New Highs
UBS numbers kicked Euro financials to new highs
3. European Financials vs. U.S. Regional Banks
Since end of 2022 EUFN outperforming regional U.S. banks.
4. KWEB China Internet ETF vs. QQQ
Follow up to yesterday…KWEB sees first outperformance in years.
5. URA-Uranium Break-Out
https://theirrelevantinvestor.com/2024/05/03/the-compound-and-friends-55/
6. Countries with Highest Crypto Ownership
7. Remote Work Move to Small Towns
Bloomberg- By Michael Sasso
The remote work boom that prompted Americans to flee urban areas for mountain hamlets and seaside towns during the pandemic continued at least through last year, according to University of Virginia demographer Hamilton Lombard. An estimated 291,400 people last year migrated from other areas into America’s small towns and rural areas, which Lombard defines as metropolitan areas with 250,000 people or fewer.
8. Share of Income Needed to Cover Housing Higher than 2008 Crisis….2010-2021 Affordable Housing Apex
WSJ By Eric Wallerstein
https://www.wsj.com/economy/housing/rising-stocks-home-prices-young-americans-left-behind-ae941b64
9. Americans Local News Moves Online
Pew Research
10. Six Things You Can Do to Stop Worrying
Today
Amen Clinic
Do you worry too much? Do you fret about every little thing in life? Are you constantly stressed about work, health, finances, and more? Maybe you even worry about your worrying.
Some people call this “what if disease” or “worst-case scenario disease,” but it can actually be a sign of a mental health disorder. If chronic worrying is interfering with your daily routine and diminishing your quality of life, it’s time to take action.
Are you constantly worried about your work, health, finances, relationship, children, pets, and more? Some people call this “what if disease,” but it can actually be a sign of a mental health disorder.CLICK TO TWEET
This blog will introduce you to the consequences of constant worry, what makes some people more prone to worry, and how to stop worrying so you can feel happier.
WHAT IS CHRONIC WORRYING?
Chronic worry occurs when someone is unable to manage their worries. If you fall into this category, you may find that anxious thoughts tend to loop endlessly in your mind. And these fearful thoughts persist even in the lack of a direct threat.
Worriers are often preoccupied with distressing thoughts about a wide range of things, including:
- Health and the possibility of getting or being ill
- Family issues
- Romantic relationships and friendships
- Career
- Financial issues
- World affairs
- Other issues
When you are constantly fretting about what might go wrong, it can make it very difficult to relax. Chronic stress may lead to hypervigilance, which is being overly aware of your surroundings and potential dangers. You may also have a sense of impending doom, expecting something to go wrong at any moment.
It’s important to understand that some anxiety and worry is a good thing. It helps you be prepared.
However, chronic worry can be mentally exhausting and physically draining. It is associated with mental health disorders, such as anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive disorder. On the physical side, it can lead to muscle tension, a nervous stomach, loose bowels, high blood pressure, increased risk of viral and bacterial infections, and more.
WORRYING IN THE BRAIN
The brain-imaging work using single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) scans at Amen Clinics shows that people who tend to be worriers often have busy brain. In particular, there is too much activity in an area of the brain called the anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG).
Located deep in the middle of the frontal lobes, this fascinating region is involved in shifting your attention from one thought to another and from one activity to another. When there is heightened brain activity here, people tend to get stuck.
Often due to low serotonin levels in the brain, overactivity in the ACG is common in people who get locked into negative thoughts or behaviors. They have trouble seeing options in situations and stay focused on those worst-case scenarios.
Optimizing this part of the mind involves increasing serotonin levels and brain training techniques to stop getting stuck on worries.
6 WAYS TO STOP CHRONIC WORRYING
- Eat foods that increase serotonin levels.
Research shows there are two ways that food can increase serotonin levels. First, foods high in simple carbohydrates—such as pastas, potatoes, breads, pastries, pretzels, and popcorn—increase insulin levels.
Second, the uptick in insulin raises the amount of L-tryptophan that enters the brain. Tryptophan is a natural amino acid building block for serotonin. With more tryptophan in the brain, more of it is converted to serotonin.
The calming effect of serotonin can often be felt in 30 minutes or less by eating these foods. This may be one of the reasons simple carbohydrates are so addictive.
Be aware that over time, simple carbohydrates can cause high blood-sugar levels that are associated with brain atrophy and some types of dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease. For a healthier way to boost serotonin, opt for complex carbohydrates, such as sweet potatoes and garbanzo beans.
- Exercise on a regular basis.
Physical activity can be helpful in calming worries and increasing cognitive flexibility. Exercise works by increasing brain levels of tryptophan, according to research.
In addition, exercise increases your energy levels and may distract you from the worrisome thoughts that tend to loop in your mind. When you find yourself focusing on stressful thoughts, take an exercise break.
Go for a brisk walk, do a few dance moves, try a few yoga poses, or engage in some other form of exercise. It can help take your mind off your worries.
- Practice “Thought Stopping.”
Whenever you notice thoughts looping or getting stuck in your head, imagine seeing a traffic stop sign in your head and silently saying to yourself, “STOP. THIS IS MY ACG GETTING STUCK!” For some people, the more actively they stop these thoughts, the more control they develop over them.
Keep a journal where you note how many times you use thought stopping each day. It’s likely the number of times you’ll need this intervention will decrease as you gain better control.
- Notice when you’re stuck, distract yourself and come back later.
A primary way to overcome a busy anterior cingulate gyrus is to notice when you’re stuck on a thought and do something to distract yourself. Becoming aware of circular or looping thoughts is essential to gaining control over them.
Distraction is often a very helpful technique. Get up and do something else. For example, try singing your favorite song, do a few stretches, or read an article.
- Think through answers before automatically saying no.
As mentioned, many worriers imagine the worst things that can happen. Because of this, when asked to do something, these people have an automatic tendency to say no. Fight this tendency.
Before answering questions or responding to requests in a negative way, take a breath and think for a moment. If you automatically envision a bad outcome, practice thinking about a good outcome. Is that good scenario more likely to happen than the bad one? If so, say yes.
- Write out options and solutions when you feel stuck.
https://www.amenclinics.com/blog/6-things-stop-worrying-today/