Stress Archive

Simple breathing techniques may help you to better manage heart-related issues.

Maybe you're already in the habit of taking a deep breath to calm down when you're feeling fed up or frustrated. But a regular practice of focused breathing might offer even bigger rewards.

"Stress directly affects blood flow to the heart muscle, and any technique people can use to lower stress will benefit the heart," says Dr. Kimberly Parks, a cardiologist at Harvard-affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital. Some people turn to yoga, tai chi, or meditation for stress relief. But others aren't interested in trying those techniques. For them, a simple breathing practice may be more appealing, in part because it's easy, it's free, it takes just a few minutes, and it can be done anywhere at any time.

In the journals

A new study found that a simple blood test can detect beta-amyloid protein buildup in a person's brain years before Alzheimer's disease symptoms appear. The results were published online Aug. 1, 2019, by the journal Neurology.

High amounts of beta-amyloid can clump together and form plaques on the brain, which is strongly associated with Alzheimer's disease. Other research has found that amyloid plaques can appear as early as 20 years before the first sign of Alzheimer's symptoms, such as cognitive decline and memory loss.

Memory problems and confusion are just the newest in a list of health problems that appear to disproportionately affect LGBT individuals.

Past research has shown that sexual and gender minority groups may be at higher risk for certain health conditions, including cardiovascular disease and mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. A new study suggests that another condition — dementia — may also be on that list. Findings presented at the 2019 Alzheimer's Association International Conference showed that people who identified as a sexual or gender minority were more likely than other people to report worsening memory or increased confusion over the past year.

It's possible that some of the same underlying factors that affect risk of other diseases are playing a role in these reported cognitive changes as well, says Dr. Ole-Petter R. Hamnvik, an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School. "Almost any health outcome that you look at, you can find disparities in these groups. It's not just dementia," he says.

Research we're watching

Are men or women smarter? A recent analysis, published online July 18 by American Psychologist, shows that a majority of Americans (86%) polled in 2018 think men and women are equally intelligent. But among those who see a difference, 9% gave the edge to women, compared with only 5% who think men are smarter.

The results are a far cry from public opinion polls conducted in the 1940s, when a majority of Americans thought that men were the smarter sex, and only 36% thought that men and women were equals when it came to brains. These figures were compiled using 16 different, nationally representative, public opinion polls conducted from 1946 to 2018.

Research we're watching

Could a traumatic experience raise the risk of ovarian cancer? Researchers at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and Moffitt Cancer Center found that women who remembered experiencing six or more symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) had double the risk of later developing ovarian cancer, compared with women who had not reported PTSD symptoms. They were also more likely to develop a more aggressive form of the cancer. The researchers looked at data from more than 50,000 women who participated in the Nurses' Health Study II. Early in the study, women were asked to identify their most stressful life experience and any PTSD symptoms they had experienced following that event. Researchers then looked to see which of the women went on to develop ovarian cancer. The study, published Sept. 5 in Cancer Research, found higher cancer risk persisted even if a woman's PTSD symptoms had occurred decades in the past. Past animal research suggests that stress hormones may spur tumor growth.

Image: martinedoucet/Getty Images

People who identify as bisexual represent a substantial part of the population, yet research focusing on their health lags. Which health problems are more likely to occur in people who are bisexual and what might help to counter them?

Millions of Americans report having an anxiety disorder. Evidence shows engaging in any sort of physical activity is one of the best ways to ease symptoms of anxiety. Regular activity is best, but even a single bout can help.

Trauma from experiencing a natural disaster can have long-term effects on the mental and physical health of children. Supportive parents, teachers, and other adults can help children build resilience.

Plenty of research associates optimism with a reduced risk of certain diseases and conditions. Now, a study suggests that optimistic people are also more likely to live longer.