Anxiety Archive

Listening to music may offer a range of benefits for cardiovascular health.

Music's capacity to evoke emotion is one reason people love listening to it so much. Whether you want to feel energized and uplifted or calm and relaxed, you can probably conjure a few examples of melodies that put you in your desired frame of mind. As it turns out, those mood-related benefits may extend to your heart.

"The beating of your heart and your fight-or-flight system are regulated by your brain. Once you understand that, it makes sense that listening to music that evokes a certain mood might affect the heart's function," says Dr. Andrew Budson, a lecturer in neurology at Harvard Medical School and chief of cognitive and behavioral neurology at the VA Boston Healthcare System.

The pandemic may be making life harder for those in abusive relationships, but help is available.

A woman experiencing abuse at the hands of an intimate partner often feels isolated and alone. But the truth is, she has a lot of company. As many as one in three women in the United States has experienced intimate partner violence (IPV), which is violence involving a current or former spouse, partner, significant other, boyfriend or girlfriend, says Eve M. Valera, an associate professor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. This number includes women from all different ages and backgrounds.

Those who experience IPV may be left with lingering health effects, including mental health disorders such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder. IPV is also linked to a number of physical symptoms and conditions, according to the federal Office on Women's Health, such as digestive problems, migraine headaches, arthritis, asthma, chronic pain, sexual problems, and heart problems. Another area of growing concern for many researchers is the potential for cognitive changes caused by traumatic brain injuries linked to abuse, says Valera.

The condition is an all-too-real problem for men, and one of the more difficult to treat.

After age 50, men often have periods of discomfort "down there." It could be a cramping, aching, or throbbing pain in and around your pelvis and genitals. You also may have issues in the bedroom and bathroom. While the problems are real, the cause is often difficult to pinpoint.

It's called chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) — also known as chronic prostatitis — and it's one of the most puzzling and difficult-to-manage conditions for older men.

Many people with anxiety disorders have trouble sleeping. That's a problem. Too little sleep affects mood, contributing to irritability and sometimes depression. Vital functions occur during different stages of sleep that leave you feeling rested and energized or help you learn and forge memories. Sleep usually improves when an anxiety disorder is treated. Practicing good "sleep hygiene" helps, too. Here are some steps to take:

• Go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
• Daylight helps set sleep patterns, so try to be outdoors while it's light out for 30 minutes a day.
• Exercise regularly (but not too close to bedtime). An afternoon workout is ideal.
• Keep naps short — less than an hour — and forgo napping after 3 p.m.
• Avoid caffeine (found in coffee, many teas, chocolate, and many soft drinks), which can take up to eight hours to wear off. You may need to avoid caffeine entirely if you have panic attacks; many people who experience panic attacks are extra-sensitive to caffeine.
• Review your medications with a doctor to see if you are taking any stimulants, which are a common culprit in keeping people up at night. Sometimes it's possible to switch medicines.
• Avoid alcohol, large meals, foods that induce heartburn, and drinking a lot of fluid for several hours before bedtime.
• If you smoke, quit. Smoking causes many health problems, including compromising sleep in a variety of ways.
• Keep your bedroom cool, dark, and quiet, without distractions like TV or a computer. Avoid using an electronic device to read in bed; the light from the screen can trick your brain into thinking it is daytime. If your mattress is uncomfortable, replace it.
• Reading, listening to music, or relaxing before bed with a hot bath or deep breathing can help you get to sleep.
• If you don't fall asleep within 20 minutes of turning in (or if you wake up and can't fall back to sleep in 20 minutes), get out of bed and do something relaxing until you feel sleepy.

For additional tips and strategies for living with anxiety, buy Coping with Anxiety and Stress Disorders, a Special Health Report from Harvard Medical School. 

With the introduction of benzodiazepines such as chlordiazepoxide (Librium) and diazepam (Valium) in the early 1960s, a new era in the treatment of insomnia and anxiety began. The benzodiazepines were more effective and far safer than the older drugs — barbiturates, meprobamate, and glutethimide — that had been prescribed for these purposes. For many years, benzodiazepines continued to be the most popular prescription tranquilizers and sedatives. Since the mid-1980s, new alternatives have been assuming some of these roles, but benzodiazepines are not about to leave the stage.

More than a dozen benzodiazepines are available by prescription. Benzodiazepines have a common basic chemical structure, and they all increase activity at receptors for the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This transmitter inhibits the activity of neurons, slowing down the brain and nervous system. Benzodiazepines differ mainly in how quickly they are absorbed, how long their effects last, and how long they take to leave the body.