Mental Health Archive

The shift from this condition to dementia is not necessarily inevitable.

 Image: © gradyreese/Getty Images

Will I get dementia? That common question takes on urgency if you have mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a slight but noticeable change in memory and thinking skills. But the progression from MCI to dementia is not automatic. In fact, MCI is not always permanent. "It depends on the underlying cause," says Dr. Joel Salinas, a neurologist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

What are the causes of MCI?

MCI is not dementia (see "What is dementia?"), but it's not normal thinking, either. It often stems from disease or treatments for disease, including

Listening to music may boost exercise ability, ease stress and anxiety, and enhance recovery from strokes.

 Image: © shironosov/Getty Images

Whether you prefer Stravinsky's symphonies or the Beatles' ballads, you probably listen mostly because you simply like how they sound. You might not realize that music engages not only your auditory system but many other parts of your brain as well, including areas responsible for movement, language, attention, memory, and emotion.

"There is no other stimulus on earth that simultaneously engages our brains as widely as music does," says Brian Harris, certified neurologic music therapist at Harvard-affiliated Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital. This global activation happens whether you listen to music, play an instrument, or sing — even informally in the car or the shower, he says. And it helps to explain how and why music therapy works (see "Singing — and striding — stroke survivors").

Research suggests that mood disorders can be lifted by spending more time outdoors.

 Image: © Sidekick/Getty Images

Looking for a simple way to help reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and maybe even improve your memory? Take a walk in the woods.

"Many men are at higher risk for mood disorders as they age, from dealing with sudden life changes like health issues, the loss of loved ones, and even the new world of retirement," says Dr. Jason Strauss, director of geriatric psychiatry at Harvard-affiliated Cambridge Health Alliance. "They may not want to turn to medication or therapy for help, and for many, interacting with nature is one of the best self-improvement tools they can use."

The daily onslaught of news during the past year has left many people in a steady state of fatigue, resignation, and grief. The symptoms of collective trauma are widespread and familiar, but one merits special attention: numbness, which is one possible response to an overwhelming situation.

Diet, exercise, and sleep work together, and all three can have an effect on our daily well-being and longevity. Sleep impacts our eating patterns, and our eating patterns affect our sleep: lack of quality sleep may make people eat more, and make less healthy food choices, but certain foods contain substances that may enhance sleep.

Crying is a natural response to a range of emotions, but is it good for your health? Crying is an important safety valve: it acts as a safety valve for our emotions, and emotional tears flush stress hormones and other toxins out of our systems.

Here's what to ask when email and phone calls are the main way to help loved ones in a long-term care facility.

Managing a loved one's care in a nursing home or an assisted living facility has always been challenging. And it's harder now that visitation is extremely limited to protect residents from COVID-19. So how can you check on your loved ones, make sure they're being cared for properly, and let them know you're there for them?

Direct communication

If your loved one is able to communicate well, a daily phone or video call is crucial. But remember that when you ask basic questions — "How are you feeling?" "Are you eating and drinking enough?" "Are you getting enough sleep?" — you may not get an honest answer. "They may just tell you what you want to hear," says Dr. Suzanne Salamon, associate chief of gerontology at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Too much time together makes for tense moments. Cutting each other some slack and setting ground rules will help.

There's such a thing as too much togetherness at home, no matter if you're with a romantic partner, an adult child, a grandchild, or a friend. "Because of the pandemic, we're frozen in place with people, but we aren't meant to be in the same space all day long," says Dr. Robert Waldinger, a psychiatrist with Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital.

Keeping the peace starts with understanding why you may be getting on each other's nerves. Then you can try following a few rules to get along better.

It's more accessible than ever before, but is it the right medicine for you?

Medical marijuana — also referred to as medical cannabis — has enjoyed a boom in recent years. More states have legalized it, more products are available, and more people have turned to it for help, especially older adults.

A study in the April 2020 JAMA Internal Medicine found that the number of adults ages 65 and older using medical cannabis increased from 2.4% to 4.2% between 2015 and 2018.