Mind & Mood Archive

Mind & Mood

Navigating a chronic illness during the holidays

Published December 14, 2021

The holiday season is full of parties, gatherings, food, and drink — making it an ideal time to adopt healthier eating habits. Doing so can help you manage stress and avoid overeating, and will set you up for success in the new year.

Mind & Mood

Making holiday shopping decisions quicker and with less stress

Published December 7, 2021

The holiday season often makes people feel stressed out over choosing gifts. Everyone wants to give a gift that the recipient will be excited about, but expectations and the fear of making the wrong choice undermine the thinking process. Can people get better at making decisions? Yes, but it requires accepting that there is no ideal choice, and approaching the process with the proper focus.

Mind & Mood

How much sleep keeps cognitive decline at bay?

Published December 1, 2021

Sleeping six hours or less is associated with impaired cognition, mostly in memory, as well as an increase in the protein that can form brain plaque. Sleeping nine hours or more is also linked to cognitive problems, especially in decision making.

Mind & Mood

Taking control

Published December 1, 2021

Uncertainty and feeling less in control, which has occurred for many during the pandemic, can heighten stress. The human brain has more difficulty assessing risk when elements outside its control are introduced. To make the situation more manageable, pare down, simplify what you can to avoid unnecessary decision making, prioritize your mental health, and don’t get stuck in gathering and analyzing information.

Mind & Mood

Exposure to traffic noise linked to higher dementia risk

Published December 1, 2021

A decade or more of high exposure to traffic noise may increase dementia risk.

Mind & Mood

Take a breather

Published December 1, 2021

Most breathing follows a smooth, steady rhythm, but sometimes normal breathing turns erratic. For example, when people are stressed or panicked, breathing gets shallow, making it feel as if it is hard to take in air. When the fight-or-flight response kicks in to confront perceived danger (real or imagined), breathing pace quickens to prepare the heart and muscles for a quick getaway. One way to manage these types of stressful breathing when they occur is to practice breathing exercises designed to help bring in more oxygen and slow the breathing rhythm.

Mind & Mood

Gifts that promote relaxation and resilience

Published December 1, 2021

An array of products that encourage people to relax can be good holiday gifts for friends and loved ones who need to reduce their stress levels. Suggestions include a year’s subscription to a meditation app; yoga props such as a mat, blocks, and straps; devices that enable self-massage of the upper body; and products that may foster sound sleep, such as a weighted blanket, a noise machine, and scented bath salts.

Mind & Mood

Helpful gadgets for a fuzzy memory

Published December 1, 2021

Many gadgets help support memory. Some—such as calendars, voice recorders, and talking motion-activated sensors—provide basic reminders that can be used to help someone remember appointments, lists, and more. Other tools, such as key hooks and mini shelves, support memory by establishing a reliable storage spot for everyday objects such as keys and eyeglasses. Automatic pill dispensers and pill alarms can help people manage a medication regimen. Wireless trackers can help people find objects when they’re misplaced. Smartphones have many memory-support tools, such as calendars, notepads, voice recorders, and alarms.

Mind & Mood

Harvard finds flavonoids linked to sharper thinking and memory

Published December 1, 2021

People with the highest daily flavonoid intakes were 19% less likely to report trouble with memory and thinking, compared with people who had the lowest daily flavonoid intakes, according to a Harvard study published online July 28, 2021, by Neurology.

Nutrition

Anti-inflammatory food superstars for every season

Published November 30, 2021

Inflammation is part of the body's healing process, but chronic inflammation can contribute to a range of health issues. In every season, regularly eating a variety of anti-inflammatory foods can benefit your health.

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Mind & Mood Archive

Articles

Navigating a chronic illness during the holidays

Making holiday shopping decisions quicker and with less stress

How much sleep keeps cognitive decline at bay?

Taking control

Exposure to traffic noise linked to higher dementia risk

Take a breather

Gifts that promote relaxation and resilience

Helpful gadgets for a fuzzy memory

Harvard finds flavonoids linked to sharper thinking and memory

Anti-inflammatory food superstars for every season

Free Healthbeat Signup