Mind & Mood Archive

Depression may be more common as people age, but new data suggest that the biggest threat to older adults' mental health is their failure to recognize its symptoms and seriousness. Many chalk up depression as a normal part of aging, but addressing it as a real and treatable disease can help older adults seek the help they need and not needlessly suffer.

Without enough quality sleep, children are more likely to have health and behavioral problems - and difficulty learning. Here are a few simple things you can do to help your child get the sleep they need.

Children get sore throats all the time - and most of the time they are nothing to worry about. But it is important for parents to know the common causes of sore throats, and to be aware that that certain instances are serious and should be seen by a doctor immediately.

Gratitude has the power to boost well-being, improve sleep, lessen depression, and help heart health. Now new data from the long-term Nurses' Health Study shows that it may extend lives. How can you jump start a gratitude practice in your life?

As children go through another school year under the cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic, parents are asking what they can do to keep their children healthy. While no magic solutions can ward off every illness, parents can take steps to help children - and everyone in their household - protect their health by keeping their immune systems robust.

Bathing daily is a habit for many people, but does it need to be for children, preteens, and teens? Not necessarily. Of course, it depends on what they have been doing and whether or not they are visibly dirty or stinky, but most don't need a top-to-toe daily scrub.

Many parents face the challenge of getting their child to move from sleeping in bed with them to sleeping in their own bed. Changing this habit takes time; being practical and consistent about it helps.

People reckoning with problem drinking choose different paths, including two well-known self-help organizations built around peer support: Alcoholics Anonymous and SMART Recovery. Researchers questioned people participating in these programs, or no program, about their approach.

Writing a letter of gratitude to someone can increase positive feelings for both the letter writer and recipient.