Mental Health Archive

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.

News briefs

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Omega-3 fatty acid supplements may help ease anxiety symptoms in people diagnosed with a range of physical and mental health problems, according to a review published in the Sept. 14, 2018, JAMA Network Open. The report pooled findings from 19 different studies and included 1,200 people. Most of the studies compared omega-3 supplements to a placebo. Taken together, the studies included people with a range of health problems, including heart attacks, attention deficit disorder, substance abuse, depression, and Parkinson's disease, as well as some groups without any specific clinical diagnosis. Researchers found that people who took high doses of omega-3s (up to 2,000 mg a day) seemed to have the most reduction in anxiety symptoms. Omega-3 fatty acids, which are usually derived from fish oil, have a number of biological effects in the body. Brain membranes contain a high proportion of these fats, and human studies suggest that a lack of omega-3s in the brain may induce various behavioral and psychiatric disorders. For now, it's too soon to recommend high-dose omega-3 supplements for treating anxiety. Larger trials testing the supplements (both alone and combined with standard treatments) are needed, the study authors say.

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In the journals

People with atrial fibrillation, or afib, a type of irregular heartbeat that is linked with stroke, also may have a greater risk of dementia than those without the condition, according to a study published online Oct. 10, 2018, by Neurology.

Researchers recorded medical data from 2,685 people, average age 73. None of them had dementia and 243 had afib. After nine years, another 279 people developed afib. The researchers found that people with afib showed a faster rate of decline in thinking and memory skills than those without the condition, and were 40% more likely to develop dementia.

Certain eye conditions offer clues to your chances of developing dementia.

It's long been said that the eyes are the windows to the soul, but can they also provide a view of your brain's future? Researchers increasingly say yes. Studies have identified links between common eye conditions and Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

One study, published in the July 2018 issue of Alzheimer's & Dementia, appeared to validate past findings that linked three eye diseases — glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and diabetic retinopathy — to an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease.

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.

These conditions are associated with a higher risk.

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Most men are familiar with the common strategies to reduce their heart disease risk: keep cholesterol in check, manage high blood pressure, follow a heart-healthy diet, and perform regular exercise. But there may be other preventive steps you can take.

"Some age-related conditions can further increase your risk without you knowing it, which is why it's important to be mindful about all aspects of your health," says Dr. Michael Gavin, a cardiologist with Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. "Fortunately, once they are recognized, these other risk factors can be addressed and managed."

Memory lapses are common as you age, but there are ways to help your brain store new information and recall it later.

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Does this sound familiar? You go into the kitchen, but can't remember why. Or you can't recall a name you just heard during a conversation, or miss a routine appointment because it slipped your mind.

"Everyday memory lapses like this can be upsetting, but they are more common than we often assume," says Dr. Joel Salinas, a neurologist specializing in behavioral neurology and neuropsychiatry at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

In the journals

Are you excessively sleepy during the day? If so, you may have a higher risk of Alzheimer's disease, according to a recent study published online Sept. 5, 2018, by the journal Sleep.

Scientists asked 124 healthy older adults, average age 60, about how often they felt drowsy or fell asleep during the day when they would rather be awake, as well as their napping habits. The group then had regular PET scans over the next 15 years to look for beta-amyloid in the brain, high amounts of which are a hallmark for Alzheimer's.

Explore more effective alternatives to help you get a good night's rest.

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You've spent the past few nights staring at the ceiling, thinking about your grocery list, lining up your tasks for the next day, or obsessing about your problem du jour — but what you really want to be doing is sleeping soundly. You're in the pharmacy and notice an array of over-the-counter sleep aids, and you're tempted. Will taking one help you get that deep slumber you crave?

Before you reach for that bottle, you might want to reconsider.