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
Older adults who interacted more with people beyond their usual social circle of family and close friends were more likely to have higher levels of physical activity, greater positive moods, and fewer negative feelings.
More »
Listening to music can disrupt a person’s verbal working memory—the ability to remember information to complete a task—while silence or listening to normal background sounds has no effect.
More »
A booming number of meditation apps reflect growing interest in the technique, which research shows can help with a number of conditions, including anxiety, depression, and high blood pressure. But app quality may vary, so a dose of caution is warranted. People new to meditation may want to combine an app with a class to learn how to meditate effectively.
(Locked)
More »
People who are under stress often gain weight because of biological reactions, including an increase in the hormone cortisol. Taking steps to reduce stress can help people avoid weight gain. These might include getting a good night’s sleep, planning ahead during stressful times and seeking out help from your doctor or a specialist.
(Locked)
More »
When people experience a stressful event, they breathe from the chest. This is part of the fight-or-flight response whereby the lungs bring in more oxygen to fuel the heart and muscles. Yet people often keep breathing from the chest even when the stressful event has passed. Breathing from the belly can counter this reaction by activating the body’s relaxation response and reducing heart rate and blood pressure.
(Locked)
More »
Researchers found that regular exercise seems to prevent depression. The study used genetic data to answer the question of whether a lack of movement causes depression or if depression causes people to move less. Moving more, even when just performing ordinary daily activities, such as walking or gardening, can reduce the risk of depression.
More »
Almost everyone has experienced being wronged by a person or group. Dwelling on those events and reliving them over and over can fill a person’s mind with negative thoughts. The REACH method can help a person practice forgiveness, thereby reducing levels of stress and anxiety and increasing self-esteem and feelings of optimism.
More »
A study published Jan. 31, 2019, in the journal Evidence-Based Mental Health suggests that either mindfulness-based stress reduction or cognitive behavioral therapy can help reduce chronic pain and depression and improve physical functioning.
More »
A study found that walking backward may improve short-term memory. It’s not clear why this is the case, but people may associate reverse motion with a return to the past, which may trigger a memory response. More research is needed to determine if walking backward should be used as a memory aid.
More »
A major health issue, like surgery, an injury, or even a heart attack is hard enough to deal with without having to also confront the stress, anxiety, and even depression that often comes with it. Yet taking care of one’s mental health is just as important as physical health when it comes to recovery. Relying more on social support, focusing on being more active, and using past successful strategies can help.
(Locked)
More »
HEALTH TOPICS 