Mind & Mood Archive

Articles

Want more happiness? Try this

What could you do today to feel happier? Three strategies drawn from positive psychology, a field that aims to improve moods and lives, may help.

Play helps children practice key skills and build their strengths

As devices become more pervasive, and as many children become more scheduled with lessons and organized activities, making time for device-free play can be a challenge. Here's why it's important prioritize free play in a child's life.

Social challenges such as isolation linked to earlier death

A 2023 study suggests that certain social challenges, such as isolation, may be useful to help predict older adults' risk of earlier death.

Managing stress and eating leafy vegetables may protect the brain

Two studies found that managing stress and eating a plant-based diet with at least seven servings of leafy green vegetables per week can help improve cognitive function and protect against Alzheimer's disease, respectively.

Dementia: Coping with common, sometimes distressing behaviors

Dementia poses many challenges, both for people struggling with it and for those close to them. Understanding common behaviors and learning to handle situations that arise can help families and caregivers.

Can a healthy lifestyle ward off memory decline?

A 2023 study involving more than 29,000 older adults without dementia, followed for 10 years, suggested that people who stuck to at least four healthy lifestyle habits had significantly slower memory decline than people who didn't practice any healthy habits.

How to deal with grief

Grief can occur from the death of a family member or a friend, from a sudden change in health or lifestyle, or even after a traumatic event like a natural disaster or a mass shooting. No matter the source, grief can cause deep emotional and physical pain. Going through the grieving process is essential for healing. Certain strategies can support people along the way, such as reaching out to the deceased person's social circle, trying talk therapy, and exploring spirituality.

Junk food addiction more common in women

A 2022 nationally representative poll indicated that nearly one in five older women reported symptoms of addiction to highly processed foods and drinks over the prior year.

The thinking on flavonoids

Flavonoids, a class of micronutrients found in most plant foods, have been shown to possibly reduce the risk of dementia by protecting brain cells, improving blood flow, and reducing inflammation. Following a plant-based diet and aiming for at least five to nine servings of fruits and vegetables per day can help people get sufficient amounts of flavonoids.

Does less TV time lower your risk for dementia?

More physical activity and less time watching TV is best for the body. But how does television time affect risk for declines in memory and problem-solving ability or risk for developing dementia? Researchers have been digging into these questions.

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