Why are Americans more depressed today

US citizens are more depressed now than they have been in decades but most of them are not aware of their conditions, says a new study. Analysing data from 6.9 million adolescents and adults from all over the country, the study found that people in the US now report more psycho-somatic symptoms of depression, such as troubled sleep and trouble in concentrating, than their counterparts in the 1980s.

‘This study shows an increase in symptoms most people do not even know are connected to depression, which suggests adolescents and adults really are suffering more,’ said study author Jean M. Twenge from the San Diego State University in the US. Compared to their 1980s counterparts, teenagers in the 2010s are 38 percent more likely to have trouble remembering, 74 percent more likely to have trouble sleeping, and twice as likely to have seen a professional for mental health issues.

College students surveyed were 50 percent more likely to say they feel overwhelmed, and adults were more likely to say their sleep was restless, they had poor appetite and everything was an effort – all classic psycho-somatic symptoms of depression. ‘Despite all of these symptoms, people are not any more likely to say they are depressed when asked directly, again suggesting that the rise is not based on people being more willing to admit depression,’ Twenge pointed out.

The study appeared in the journal Social Indicators Research.

Here are 5 health conditions that can lead to depression

Heart diseases: It is a known fact that depression in young adults puts them at a higher risk of heart diseases in the later stages of their life. However studies have also found that an incidence of heart attack or other related cardiac troubles can also be a major cause of depression among many. Studies have found that about 70 per cent of patients who have undergone a heart attack suffer from depression till up to a year after the incidence. In fact, the effect of depression is so severe in such cases that it interferes with the functional ability of a patient, like returning back to previous pleasurable activities, posing a problem in one’s sexual capabilities and much more. Without proper treatment and medical attention such kind of depression is persistent among patients recovering from a heart attack. Read 5 vegetables you must eat for a healthy heart

Parkinson’s disease: It is noticed that around 30 to 40 per cent of patients suffering from Parkinson’s also suffer from severe symptoms of depression during the later stages of the condition. Depression is more common in those patients who suffer from bradykiensia and gait instability than in patients who suffer from tremors of the limbs. Read Parkinson’s disease: are you at a risk?

Multiple sclerosis: Depression is also common in patients suffering from a debilitating condition like multiple sclerosis. Prolonged depression in patients suffering from multiple sclerosis can also lead to suicidal tendencies. The silver lining is unlike the other symptoms of the condition, depression in MS is purely treatable if one reaches out for treatment at the right time. Read more about 5 health conditions that can lead to depression

With inputs from IANS

Photo source: Getty images

You may also like to read:

• Depression – types, causes, symptoms, treatment, complications and prevention


• Top 6 signs that you might be depressed.


• What NOT to say to a depressed person

For more articles on depression, visit our depression section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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How yoga can prevent and combat heart disease

Most of us don’t ever think we will ever face cardiac issues in our lives. And those of us who do fear the disease don’t know how to prevent it. What exactly are cardiac issues and why do they shake us up when we least expect such an event to occur? What can we do to prevent these ailments from playing havoc with our lives? If we do see the symptoms then what can we do to control the condition and reverse the damage? These are a few questions that can leave many individuals perplexed. Read on to find all the answers you need.  

What factors put you at risk of suffering from heart disease?

When we talk about heart diseases we must first understand that there are modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Simply put, factors like the natural aging process and genetic make-up of an individual non-modifiable because, in these cases, the risk of the disease can only be reduced to a certain degree. One can greatly control these factors by living a good lifestyle. On the other hand, modifiable factors would be high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol levels, obesity, lack of exercise, stress and such other agents. All these factors are completely under our control, and we can eliminate them from our lives thus preventing the disease.

How can yoga help?

To help our heart function better we don’t need to wait for a signal that our heart is unwell. Know that prevention is the best way to stay healthy and this is where yoga can help. Here’s how the practice can help:

• Yoga helps an individual build notable qualities like a sense of duty, knowledge, detachment and self-confidence.


• The philosophy, technique and teachings of yoga can help people separate wheat from the chaff to get rid of the undesirable.


• People are taught to cultivate and nurture desirable and beneficial habits that help them live a good healthy life. So positive changes occur in an individual’s life in the form of a nutritious diet fixed routines, optimistic approach and good thoughts.


• Yoga also teaches people to understand their body and mind to combat diseases, helping them combat and prevent cardiac issues by following a yogic lifestyle and by practicing asanas regularly.


• Yoga also helps individuals psychologically; it helps reduce feelings of depression and anxiety, lifts up one’s spirit and promotes a sense of well-being.


• Stress is known to increase coronary spasm. Yoga techniques can help prevent and control spasms in blood vessels, bring down blood pressure and normalize heart rate.


• Yoga teaches us to become aware of ourselves, of our feelings, of our thought processes and our routine patterns. Awareness of ourselves and our environmental factors which influence our health combined with a philosophical approach, can help significantly reduce modifiable risk factors like stress etc. an aware person will understand his body better and is cautious about his lifestyle and hence tends to keep under control external circumstances that can cause trouble.  


• For those who already have been facing heart trouble, I would say that they should minimize stress, bring about conductive lifestyle changes and practice yoga techniques like meditation and asanas regularly to maintain their heart condition at the best possible level and to prevent further damage.

What yoga asanas can I do to prevent, control and reverse heart disease?

The most important thing people should remember is that these asanas must be performed regularly to see results. Most people will not see results if they are done once in a while.

Yogendra Nishpandabhava:

• Lean against a wall, touching your head to the wall and sit in a relaxed manner with your legs stretched in front of you.


• Keep a distance of 2-3 feet between your legs.


• Place your hands gently on your upper thighs with palms facing upwards.


• Listen to the sound of any vehicle passing by at a distance.


• Sit in this posture for ten minutes and focus on any distant sound.

Anitya Bhavana:

The most important thing before retiring to bed is a calm and philosophical survey of life in general – acceptance of impermanence and lasting attitudes of awareness. The awareness and ability to look at life as a bystander are the best ways of enjoying life. If one gets too excited, involved or attached one is not maintaining the necessary objectivity required to make life a matter of joy. Anitya bhavana helps a practitioner develop a ‘bystander’ attitude towards life. One must learn to develop a certain level of detachment, be objective, know and understand that everything is impermanent and will pass. This attitude will help us face the challenges of life. But then at the same time detachment doesn’t that one can withdraw completely. Anitya bhava doesn’t imply inaction.  Meditation can help people develop anitya bhavana. Take some time off your daily schedule for moments of quite and silence.

Sthitaprarthanasana or the standing prayer pose:

Steps to do this asana:

• Stand erect with your feet together, both toes and heels touching


• Join your hands together at chest level


• Draw your abdomen slightly inwards, keep your back straight, elbows and shoulders relaxed


• Close your eyes and observe your breath


• Maintain the pose for 3-5 minutes

Dradhasana or the firm pose:

Steps to do this asana:

• Lie down on your back and turn to your left side


• Fold your left arm and cushion your head on it


• Align your body in one straight line and keep your legs one on top of the other


• Rest your right arm on your body


• Close your eyes and relax in this pose for 5 minutes

 You may also like to read: 

• Singer Sukhvinder Singh beats heart disease with yoga, maybe you can too!


•  Anulom vilom pranayam – beat diabetes, heart disease and high cholesterol with this yoga asana


• Yoga for better heart health

For more articles on yoga, visit our yoga section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And for health-related queries, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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Do your heart a favour, get some sleep!

Do you tend to spend late nights at the office, have a job that requires pulling all-nighters, work night shift or are a student who tends to cram one night before the exams? Well, it might be the worst habit you could have. Apart from depriving you of essential sleep, these practices also sap your body, causing great damage to your health. What’s  more, this habit could also damage your heart, putting you at greater risk of suffering from heart disease. In this post Dr Amar Singhal, HOD, Cardiology, Delhi based Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute tells you why sleep is so essential for heart health. 

Why you need at least seven to eight hours of sleep

We often tend to associate sleep with laziness, but did you know that when you sleep your body actually repairs all the damage done, allows your organs a little rest and helps release essential hormones setting your body’s function on track? Yes, to explain further, here are few health benefits sleep has:

• Adequate sleep improves memory. Your brain will pick up things such as a new language or activity easily after a good snooze.


• After a good night’s rest your brain also tends to be more creative, so if you have an important project to complete plan your activities such that you get enough rest before you start work. 


• It has been seen that athletes perform better after a good night’s sleep. This is associated with the fact that when one sleeps the body rests and repairs, thereby allowing a person to be more agile and athletically inclined when they wake up. 


• In case of children, it has been seen that adequate sleep helps improve their attention and learning abilities, helping them perform better at school. In contrast, children who have lesser hours of  sleep every night, tend to show ADHD-like symptoms, get more hyperactive, impulsive and inattentive.


• Want to lose weight? Get enough sleep. It is a proven fact that if you are dieting and are well-rested you will lose weight faster. When you stay up late, the body produces hormones that give rise to cravings for junk food, sending your diet completely off-track.  


• Lack of sleep contributes to depression and anxiety, therefore sleeping well will make you less irritable and ensure overall well-being. 

Why is sleep important for the heart?

Sleep has a number of benefits for the body, including the heart. Not only does sufficient sleep help lower levels of C-reactive protein, which is associated with heart risk (statistically C-reactive protein levels have been found to be higher in people who get less than six hours of sleep a night), but it also keeps stress at bay. Apart from that, a good eight hours of sleep helps keep your blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check and allows your heart rate to drop, so that the organ has a little time to recuperate. On the other hand, insufficient sleep can increase insulin resistance leading to a greater risk of type 2-diabetes and heart disease. Also, shortened phases of sleep messes up your appetite making you hungry and prone to binge on unhealthy foods. This is especially true for people with heart disease, who must sleep for at least six to eight hours in a day to prevent further heart related complications. 

You may also like to read: 

• 4 sure signs you need to quit your job!


• Workplace stress can raise your diabetes risk


•  People who work longer smoke more

For more articles on stress and heart disease, visit our stress and heart disease section. Follow us on Facebook andTwitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for ournewsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our Questions and Answers section.

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