Skip to main content

Depression Archive

Articles

Navigating holiday pressures in the COVID-19 reality

The pandemic makes coping with holiday pressures a little tricky. If one is concerned about COVID-19 exposure at a holiday event, it may help to chat with loved ones to get support for a decision about whether to attend. If one must celebrate the holidays alone, it may help to grieve what is lost, savor past holiday gatherings, watch online religious services, and continue to practice special traditions—such as making holiday foods or putting up holiday decorations.

Navigating tricky relationships during the holidays

Almost everyone has a challenging relationship with someone in their life, and it may be someone you see only once a year. As we anticipate upcoming holiday gatherings, there are ways to prepare to navigate tricky situations and conversations thoughtfully and calmly.

A conversation about reducing the harms of social media

Social media can connect people across the globe, with a potential audience of millions of users. But no matter how many likes a post gets, it can feel like it's not enough, opening users — particularly young people — to potential mental health issues, and raising the question of whether the government should impose regulations on social media companies.

Menopause and memory: Know the facts

The number of people in the US with Alzheimer's disease is expected to climb drastically over the coming decades, and two-thirds of those people will be women. Understanding factors that happen earlier in life, and how they impact the brain later, is critical for developing strategies to prevent this public health crisis. Studies are examining the ways menopause affects the brain and how to maintain memory.

Can friends who listen help protect your memory and thinking skills?

A study published online Aug. 16, 2021, by JAMA Network Open suggests that older adults with good listeners in their lives have better thinking skills—despite decreases in brain volume—compared with people who don’t have good listeners in their lives.

Too much coffee may raise dementia risk

Drinking coffee daily can provide a welcomed mental jolt for many people. But new research suggests regular coffee drinkers should stop at five or six cups per day, as drinking more may increase their risk for dementia.

Mentally challenging jobs may reduce the risk of dementia

People with jobs that are more mentally stimulating may have a lower risk of dementia later in life.

Diets rich in flavonoids linked to better brain health

Diets rich in plant chemicals called flavonoids may help protect the brain.

Breathing your way to better health

Taking time out of a stressful day to perform simple breathing exercises can reduce chronic stress and prevent the harm it can inflict on the body. Even a few short breathing sessions can make a big difference for many people. Chronic stress, when it goes unchecked, can lead to a host of health problems, including high blood pressure, obesity, anxiety, depression, and reduced immune response.

Health and happiness go hand in hand

People who describe themselves as happy tend to have fewer health problems, a lower risk of depression, and longer lives. Research suggests that, on average, 50% of people’s general level of happiness is determined by genetics, with the rest dependent on the individual’s perception and specific circumstances. Some research suggests that people can adopt various strategies that can increase happiness, from forming stronger social bonds to investing in experiences to interacting more with outdoor green spaces.

Free Healthbeat Signup

Get the latest in health news delivered to your inbox!

Sign Up
Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Thanks for visiting. Don't miss your FREE 32-page gift worth $29.95.

PLUS, don’t miss out on your 25% off promo code.

Sign up to get tips for living a healthy lifestyle—You’ll discover powerful, research- backed strategies for health longevity drawn from Harvard Medical School experts—ways to eat for a longer life, build strength and flexibility to stay independent, protect your bones, heart, and brain as you age, and even cultivate the habits linked with “super-agers” who stay sharp and active well into their 80s and 90s—all delivered to your email box FREE.

Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.

Plus, get a FREE copy of Living Longer, Living Well!.

Harvard Health Publishing Logo

Stay on top of latest health news from Harvard Medical School.

Plus, get a FREE copy of Living Longer, Living Well.