Depression Archive

Articles

Is your daily nap doing more harm than good?

Naps can be healthy for adults who need to catch up on sleep or work odd hours, but they can also make it more difficult to sleep at night and be a sign of a sleep disorder. Naps should be short and limited to the early afternoon to prevent them from interfering with nighttime sleep. People who have the urge to nap daily should consider whether they need to improve their nighttime sleep habits.

Chronic stomach pain in children: What's the most common cause?

Mind and body are tightly connected. If a child experiences stomach pain lasting two months or more, it may be functional abdominal pain caused by stress, depression, or anxiety. While common, this is challenging to diagnose and treat.

Calm your anxious heart

Anxiety disorders promote the stress response, which influences the same brain systems that affect cardiovascular functions.

Broken-heart syndrome (takotsubo cardiomyopathy)

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, also called broken-heart syndrome, is a weakening of the left ventricle that is usually the result of severe stress. Its symptoms resemble those of a heart attack, and treatment is usually the same as that for heart failure.

Should I take afternoon naps?

Taking regular afternoon naps for less than 60 minutes can improve mental alertness and increase productivity.

Parents don't always realize that their teen is suicidal

Parents often think that they would know if their teen was suicidal. However, this is not always the case. Here's what to be aware of and watch for, and what to do if you see worrisome behavior.

Expectant mothers can rest easier about taking antidepressants

A 2022 study found that antidepressant use during pregnancy is not associated with problems in children's future brain health or behavior patterns. The medications were not linked to conditions such as autism, ADHD, or problems in speech, language, learning, and coordination.

Light therapy: Not just for seasonal depression?

Light therapy can help improve seasonal affective disorder (SAD). But many people don't realize that it can also be effective for major depression, and depression that occurs during or after pregnancy (known as perinatal depression).

 

Breakthrough in brain stimulation offers cautious hope for depression

Transcranial magnetic stimulation helps some people with treatment-resistant depression, but the process takes multiple weeks and gets results in only about a third of those who try it. A new approach to delivering this therapy showed promise in a small study.

How can you find joy (or at least peace) during difficult times?

When people are going through difficult times, it's normal to feel a lack of joy. But even while struggling, the ability to find moments of joy can have profound and far-reaching effects on the mind and body.

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