Mental Health Archive

It's common for indigestion to become more frequent and severe with age, a condition called chronic dyspepsia or recurring indigestion. While most flare-ups can be treated with over-the-counter remedies, people can stop recurring problems by adopting lifestyle measures, such as reducing stress, avoiding excess alcohol, quitting smoking, losing extra weight, and eating smaller meals.

Tai chi is a slow, flowing form of exercise that's sometimes described as "meditation in motion." It can be a good gateway exercise for people who cannot or will not engage in more conventional types of exercise. Tai chi may help lower cholesterol levels, reduce blood pressure, and dampen inflammation, all of which are linked to better heart health. Tai chi may also be a promising addition to cardiac rehabilitation.

For neurodiverse children and their families, the landscape of friendships and social spaces can feel unwelcoming. Being more inclusive is a positive step, yet it takes more to create communities where everyone feels they belong.

Trauma can register within our bodies on a cellular level. What that means — and how best to heal from serious traumas — is the focus of somatic therapy, a newer form of mental health counseling that highlights how deeply painful experiences affect us and can be addressed through mind-body approaches.

While the COVID pandemic changed how many people approached their health, the experience offers a teachable moment about how people can maintain new and improved healthy habits. Four areas that were most affected by COVID and enabled people to create positive changes are exercise, diet, medical check-ups, and social connections.

Feelings of sexual desire change for both men and women as they age. Sometimes the desire is more robust for only one partner, or desires fluctuate so much that partners are rarely in sync. Talking about these changes and exploring different ways to approach this new phase of sex can help both partners find mutual enjoyment.

Adults over 60 are the largest users of prescription opioids in the United States. Opioid use disorder and death rates among older adults have skyrocketed in recent years. Various factors make people more likely to abuse opioids, including smoking or earlier substance use problems. People can avoid sliding into opioid misuse by taking opioids for the shortest possible time, using non-opioid medications, and trying alternative pain relief approaches.

A 2023 study suggests regular exercise improves symptoms of depression, anxiety, and psychological distress more effectively than sedentary behavior.