Mind & Mood
Your mood and your mental health affect every aspect of your life, from how you feel about yourself to your relationships with others and your physical health. There's a strong link between good mental health and good physical health, and vice versa. In the other direction, depression and other mental health issues can contribute to digestive disorders, trouble sleeping, lack of energy, heart disease, and other health issues.
There are many ways to keep your mind and mood in optimal shape. Exercise, healthy eating, and stress reduction techniques like meditation or mindfulness can keep your brain — and your body — in tip-top shape.
When mood and mental health slip, doing something about it as early as possible can keep the change from getting worse or becoming permanent. Treating conditions like depression and anxiety improve quality of life. Learning to manage stress makes for more satisfying and productive days.
Mind & Mood Articles
Research suggests that antidepressants are associated with sustained weight gain.
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Research suggests that some cases of Alzheimer’s disease and some other types of dementia might be triggered by the infection of brain cells with viruses, primarily the herpesviruses.
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Resistance training exercises aren’t just good for your body and your cardiovascular system. They might also boost mood, according to a new study. People who participated in resistance training between two or more days a week had fewer symptoms of depression than those who did not.
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Individuals who suffer from health anxiety may worry excessively that they have serious health conditions, such as cancer or HIV, even when they have no symptoms or only minor symptoms. Even when medical tests determine they are healthy, they may still be plagued by worry. But it is a highly treatable disorder for those who seek help.
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Research suggests that many common prescription and over-the-counter medications have depression as a potential side effect.
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Two common viruses may be linked to Alzheimer’s disease.
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Symptoms of mild cognitive impairment can be an early marker of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. But new research has suggested there may be an even earlier clinical sign: subjective cognitive decline (SCD). SCD refers to a situation in which a person notices his thinking abilities are worsening, but standard memory tests can’t verify a decline. Since there is no test to diagnose SCD, the key is to increase self-awareness of changes in memory and consult a doctor as needed.
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Downsizing for a move to a smaller home may lead to feelings of sadness, grief, stress, or anxiety. To cope with those feelings, it helps to reach out to others and stay socially connected, hire a professional to assist with the downsizing process, and engage in a new community and find interesting activities or groups to join. If emotions interfere with the ability to get through each day, one should speak with a primary care doctor or a therapist.
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A new study found that resistance training, such as weight lifting and exercises like push-ups, can reduce depression symptoms. Longer and harder sessions did not provide any more symptom improvement compared to shorter and less vigorous workouts.
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Stress can interfere with the way the brain functions, in some cases resulting in permanent changes and increasing the risk for a memory disorder. Certain types of stress, including chronic stress, may be more damaging than others to the brain. Managing stress by rethinking your daily habits can help to head off potential problems.
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