What role does our mind play in keeping us fit physically and mentally? Can our mind improve our health and wellbeing?

Does positive thinking and having a purpose in life really help to reduce stress and other health risks? And how can we ensure that we keep our mind active as we age?

Find out more in the articles in this section - and we would welcome your feedback, at info@agewatch.org.uk

A body – mind approach

Can our mental health affect our physical health and vice versa? Is there a relationship between our mind and our body? If so, how can we increase our chances of having a healthy mind and body? Find out more 

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and how does it work? How effective is it in treating anxiety or depression based conditions? Does it work if you’re older? How can you access CBT if you need it? Find out more 

Creative arts and health 

Can the creative arts improve our mental and physical health? What do current research findings suggest? Can dancing, singing and music really help us recover from diseases and reduce stress and anxiety? Find out more

Dementia

What can cause dementia and what are the main symptoms? Can nutrients and vitamins prevent or delay the onset of symptoms? What therapies can be used an alternative to or alongside medication? And how effective are they in improving the wellbeing of people living with dementia? Find out more

Having a purpose in life

Does having a purpose in life help us live longer? What evidence is there to suggest that having something to live for can improve our health and psychological wellbeing? How can we develop this sense of purpose? Find out more

How important is our body clock?

Do we have a built in body clock and if so what triggers it? Does it influence our sleep? What are the health implications if our body clock is disrupted? How can we stay healthy and reduce our risk of falling ill? Find out more 

Hypnotherapy

What is hypnotherapy and how does it work? What evidence is there to suggest that it could bring health benefits? How reliable is this research? When is hypnotherapy not appropriate? How can you find a hypnotherapist? Find out more 

It’s all in the mind

Most of us know what we need to do in order to lead a healthy lifestyle. However, we need to actually act on what we know. So how can we make sure that we’re doing this? Here are our top five tips. Find out more

Keeping mentally fit as we get older

As we get older, it’s important to stay mentally fit. Can learning new skills help protect our brains and mental ability? What is brain training and how effective is it? Can keeping mentally active reduce our risk of dementia? Find out more

Meditation

What is meditation and why do people practice it? What are the different types of meditation? What benefits can meditation bring? Can it really affect our body as well as our mind? What is the evidence? Are there any health risks? Find out more 

Sleep

Research shows that sleep can provide a range of health benefits, from fuelling the immune system to possibly helping protect us against heart disease and cancer. But how much sleep do we need and can too much sleep have adverse health effects? What can we do if we suffer from insomnia? Find out more 

Stress

What is stress? What are the main symptoms and health implications? Could some stress actually be good for our health? We all experience stress at some point in our lives – some more than others. So how can we best live with and cope with stress? Does our gender and age affect how we respond to stress? Find out more

The power of positive thinking

Do people with a positive, optimistic approach to life live longer on average? What is the evidence? Can an optimistic attitude help reduce stress and improve our health and wellbeing? If so, how can we take advantage of this? Find out more

Work and health

In 2014/2015, there were a reported 440,000 cases of work related stress, depression and anxiety in the UK. But can work also be good for our health? And what can we do if employment isn’t feasible? Find out more

Published 17/03/2011. Reviewed June 2012. Next review date June 2015, Reviewed by Stephanie Reynolds 7 November 2016, next review date November 2019