Mind & Mood Archive

A 2025 analysis found that people with chronic illnesses, who are highly susceptible to depression and whose conditions often make activity difficult, may need a relatively small amount of weekly exercise to ease depression.

Malaise is a feeling of weakness, fatigue, or being generally unwell. Addressing underlying causes and making healthy lifestyle changes — such as exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, and getting enough sleep — can help people with malaise feel better.

The new year is a good time to focus on cognitive fitness. Exercise, healthy eating, mental challenges, good sleep, controlling stress, and social engagement support neuroplasticity and help keep thinking and memory sharp.

People may believe that rest and sleep are synonymous, but sleep is only one form of rest. People need seven different types of rest to feel recharged. These are physical, mental, spiritual, sensory, creative, emotional, and social rest.

Joyspan is a term coined by gerontologist Kerry Burnright that refers to the satisfaction and well-being people experience as they move through life. Joy is associated with health benefits such as better immune function, resilience, and longevity.

A 2025 study suggests that smokers who quit in middle age may, within a decade, reduce their risk of developing dementia to that of people who never smoked.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) uses magnetic pulses to repeatedly activate areas of the brain involved in mood regulation. Updated protocols hold the promise of rapid relief from major depression.

Simple strategies can help someone fight age-related memory slips. Tips include repeating new information by saying it out loud or writing it down a few times; associating an image with someone’s name, such as thinking of a bouquet of roses after meeting a person named Rosie; grouping information in chunks, similar to grouping digits in a phone number; and writing information out by hand (as opposed to typing), which forces the brain to process and absorb data.