Harvard Health Blog

The emotional weight of grief affects the body in the form of stress, which can make existing conditions worse or cause new ones, and can also lead to depression. Maintaining health may seem difficult while grieving, but doing so can help rebuild mental strength.

An annual health self-assessment—a full analysis of your well-being—is a way to evaluate your status, taking into account both what you have accomplished and where you may be able to improve.

Do you feel you spend too much time on social media? Does the time you do spend on social media leave you feeling depressed, anxious, or lonely? Being more aware of how much time you spend and how it makes you feel, and taking steps to limit your usage, could leave you feeling better.

Can you improve your health by changing your diet, even if you are unable to lose weight? Three studies examined different variations on the DASH diet, and all found improvements in blood pressure, plus lower LDL cholesterol and triglycerides in one instance — even without weight loss.

The loss of a family member to death related to a substance use disorder inevitably continues to affect the survivors, altering their relationships with each other and causing celebratory days or events to become new reminders of what has been lost.

What do the new government guidelines for exercise and physical activity mean for you? It depends on your age and ability, but overall: move more, sit less.

While post-concussive symptoms are common in women who have experienced intimate partner violence, many women hide their symptoms and little research has been done, meaning the long-term health risks of millions of women are unknown.

As you are shopping for the children on your gift list this year, it may be tempting to choose the latest shiny gadget, but consider choosing toys for them that encourage learning and development, creativity, imagination, language skills, and physical activity.