The sad truth is: we're unhappy. According to the World Happiness Report, which ranks 154 countries on how satisfied residents are with their lives, Germans and Americans are less happy than in the past. Between 2018 and 2019, Germany slipped from 15th to 17th, and the U.S. had its worst ranking ever in 2019 at 19th. Our increasingly digital lives are partly to blame, concludes the report. Social media negatively influences self-esteem, and digital interactions heighten isolation and disintegrate one's sense of community and belonging.
But there's hope! From mindfulness to therapy, veganism to organic eating, spin classes to yoga, our culture is rapidly finding new paths to health and happiness. And besides being a cause, digitalization may also be part of the cure.
In this newsletter we introduce an app that diagnoses mental health disorders, one that provides yoga and meditation practices and a consulting company experimenting with five-hour workdays. In an interview we discuss stress factors specifically linked to living in cities with Freie Universität's Dr. Mazda Adli, author of Stress in the City.
What stress factors are unique to people who live in cities, and how can urban dwellers protect themselves? Answers to this and more by Dr. Mazda Adli in his
interview with us.
Rheingans Digital Enabler
The Five-hour Workday
In 2017 the Chief Officer of Rheingans Digital Enabler, a Bielefeld-based consulting company, cut employees' workdays from eight hours to five. What happened to productivity and employee happiness? Find out in our article.
Moodpath Mobile App
How Am I
Really Doing?
The Berlin-based app Moodpath evaluates users' mental health through three daily blocks of questions and initiates doctor consultations based on its findings. More on how it works.
Asana Rebel Mobile App
Mind-Body Connection
Unique among fitness apps, Berlin's Asana Rebel offers users not just yoga routines, but also meditations, wellness quizzes and sounds for sleep and productivity.
Learn more.
Which walls will your research break? Pitch your innovative idea in just 3 minutes, showcasing a breakthrough that creates a positive impact on science and society. Selected winner gets a free trip to Berlin to compete against global competitors. Apply today.
