Do you react too emotionally, or hear that you’re “too sensitive” more than you’d like? You’re not alone—and it can get more intense in your 50s. Board-certified psychiatrist and ADHD expert Sasha Hamdani, MD, shares simple ways to understand what’s really happening, calm overwhelming emotions and turn sensitivity into a strength.

Have you ever been called ‘too sensitive’?

Your friend sends a one-word text back. Your boss’s email just says, “Let’s talk tomorrow.” Instantly, your stomach drops and your mind races through every worst-case scenario—even though nothing has actually gone wrong yet. That jolt of dread, the fear that someone’s upset with you or about to reject or criticize you, is real, and it has a name. Dr. Hamdani has built her career studying this exact reaction, and in her new book, Too Sensitive: Rejection, Resilience, and the Science of Feeling Deeply, she lays out the science behind it: a pattern called rejection sensitive dysphoria (RSD), in which the brain treats even a small, ambiguous moment like a real threat.

“The goal is not to be less sensitive,” Dr. Hamdani tells Woman’s World. “It’s about being more in control.” That’s especially true for women over 50, whose hormonal shifts can heighten that same sensitivity—leaving many only now connecting the dots on reactions that never made sense at the time. Here, she shares real tools for handling that emotional overwhelm.

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WW: What are the signs a woman might be dealing with this kind of heightened sensitivity?

Dr. Hamdani: “It’s going over and over a conversation in your head, wondering if you came across wrong. It’s being the one in the friend group who gets told she can’t take a joke, or that she’s overreacting to something that genuinely stung. It’s a passing comment that ends up eating at you for days, while the people around you seem to shrug the exact same thing off. Sometimes it’s physical—a racing heart, a tight chest, feeling like you can’t catch your breath over something that, looking back, had nothing to do with you at all. Underneath all of it is the same thing: bracing for rejection before it’s even happened. If that sounds like you, you’re not imagining it, and it’s not a personality flaw. It’s your nervous system treating something that feels dangerous the same way it would treat something that actually is.”

WW: What does that actually mean for a woman day to day?

Dr. Hamdani: “It means you’re often bracing for disapproval before there’s any real sign of it. That constant bracing takes a toll—it wears down your confidence and, over time, can leave you exhausted and doubting your own worth. You might find yourself overextending for people, terrified that one misstep will make them pull away. In adults, this rarely looks dramatic from the outside. It tends to show up as quiet perfectionism, a nagging sense that you don’t belong despite everything you’ve accomplished, or working yourself into the ground trying to outrun the fear. It’s not just an occasional overreaction—it’s a pattern that shapes how you show up in your relationships, at work and even with yourself.”

WW: You talk about over-apologizing as a way of trying to head off someone’s disapproval before it can occur. What’s a way to correct that habit?

Dr. Hamdani: “When you have heightened emotional sensitivity, your brain can treat even the possibility of someone being upset with you as a real threat, so ‘sorry’ turns into a reflex—something you say to smooth things over before there’s even a problem. Before it comes out, stop for a second and ask yourself: What am I actually apologizing for? Did I do something wrong, or am I just uncomfortable not knowing how the other person feels? If it’s the latter, try replacing the apology with something that’s actually true. If you’re worried you talked too much, say ‘thanks for listening’ instead of ‘sorry.’ If you’re worried you seem anxious, just name it—’I’m feeling a little on edge right now’—instead of apologizing for it. You’re not trying to stop caring what people think. You’re trying to stop abandoning yourself every time you’re afraid they might.”

WW: You talk about setting boundaries, since when you don’t have them, your nervous system stays braced. What’s one way to set a boundary with loved ones?

Dr. Hamdani: “As women, we’re never really taught this skill—we’re expected to be people pleasers, to fill everyone else’s cup before our own. So if you notice you’re falling into a pattern, getting resentful because you’ve done so much and it feels one-sided, start finding small ways to say no. It doesn’t have to be, ‘No, I’m never coming to help you again.’ It can be something as small as: someone asks, ‘Do you have time after work to help me move?’ You don’t have to say no, but you can say, ‘You know what? I can’t help you today. I’m busy tonight, but I could probably help you on Saturday.’ You’re still saying, I want to help you, but I can’t do everything on your timeline. By vocalizing your needs, you get more and more comfortable doing it. It’s a skill you have to learn and really immerse yourself in—you start small, and you keep pushing a little further each time.”

WW: A vague email from a boss can send someone with RSD spiraling. What’s a concrete way to temper that reaction?

Dr. Hamdani: “Start by not reacting right away. Give yourself a beat—breathe, step back—before you respond to anything. Then challenge the story you’re automatically telling yourself. If your gut jumps straight to ‘I’ve disappointed them,’ force yourself to come up with two other explanations that are just as plausible: They were busy, they’re planning to circle back later or the message genuinely wasn’t loaded with any meaning at all. That’s not about talking yourself into feeling fine—it’s about not treating silence as automatic proof you failed. Over time, pay attention to when those emotional spikes hit, because it helps you separate what’s actually happening right now from an old wound about never feeling good enough. And build a personal go-to sequence for these moments: Remove yourself from the situation, calm your body down, write out how you’re interpreting it and hold off on doing anything until you’ve actually calmed down. You’ll still get ambiguous feedback—everyone does. This just keeps it from wrecking you every time.”

WW: People with RSD often rely on outside signals—being needed, being praised—to feel okay. What happens to your sense of worth when that role disappears?

Dr. Hamdani: “This is one of the hardest things for me, personally—I built my identity on external validation, which is very tricky to unwind. My dad got sick, and I stepped away from a huge, flourishing career to become his caretaker. In the moment, it was the most depressing, thankless role; I was mourning that pause in my career. But looking back, I feel so thankful I had that time with him. You might not be able to see the impact yet, but if you can reframe it as ‘what is most needed from me right now,’ I think you’ll get there.”

WW: How does being in perimenopause and menopause make sensitivity even more intense?

Dr. Hamdani: “These are women who’ve gotten used to holding everything together. You’re at the peak of your career, you’ve raised your kids, you’re caring for your parents—you’re doing all the things you’re supposed to be doing. Then, all of a sudden, a drop in estrogen leads to a drop in dopamine, and it dysregulates your entire system. All that scaffolding changes, and everything gets harder. The first thing I hear from women in my office is that it feels like things are out of control. You might also notice much bigger emotional swings than usual—rage over something that shouldn’t have upset you that much, or crying over something that never used to affect you. And there’s often a persistent brain fog: executing tasks, prioritizing, communicating—it all takes far more effort than it used to.”

WW: What can we actually do about it?

Dr. Hamdani: “Number one: recognize that it’s happening. So many of us are ready to blame it on everything else—burnout, getting sick, ‘things will get better once this deadline is over.’ You could do that for the rest of your life. Take a step back and ask, has my baseline functioning changed? Is it fluctuating? Could this be hormones, or this transitional shift? Just recognizing it takes away a lot of guilt and shame. From there, there are really two paths. One is to see if you need a hormonal solution—talk to your primary care doctor or ob-gyn, someone who understands this transition, and figure out whether hormone support could help. The other is to work with it from the other side: if hormones aren’t the right route for you, look at what’s actually changing—your mood, your focus, your workload—and address each piece. Sometimes that means treating the mood swings directly, sometimes it’s delegating what you can so the load itself becomes more manageable.”

WW: After menopause, does that hormone-driven sensitivity fade?

Dr. Hamdani: “Hormonal emotional sensitivity feels most dramatic in contrast to your baseline. Once your baseline has shifted and settled, the swings don’t feel as huge, so a lot of women do say it fades. It’s not necessarily fading—you’ve just adjusted to the new normal. I think about emotional sensitivity on a spectrum: in the middle is a situationally appropriate response, on one end is emotional blunting, and on the other is a much bigger emotional swing for the same trigger. Where you sit on that spectrum at baseline matters. Some people process emotions in a very intense way no matter what—they’re probably still going to experience that sensitivity well into later life. Others sit closer to the middle, and once the hormonal turbulence settles, they may go back down.”

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WW: Many women recognize, in hindsight, what was happening to them in their 40s. What can they do now?

Dr. Hamdani: “Every time you understand your brain a little better, it gives you a different lens to look at your past behavior through. Even if you weren’t your best self during that hormonal transition, understanding that this was happening, that it was dysregulating you, that it was out of your control—you didn’t have the capacity, you didn’t know it was happening—gives you a lot of grace. And if you’re a parent, this is something you can pass on to your kids. My mom’s generation didn’t talk about this at all; she’d barely say the words ‘the big M.’ Now we can talk about it openly, and it turns out—of course—she went through the exact same thing. One of the best things you can do is just talk about it. Sharing that lived experience with other people reduces so much of the stigma and shame.”

WW: How do you turn sensitivity into a strength instead of a liability?

Dr. Hamdani: “Sensitivity by itself isn’t a strength or a weakness—it’s just intensity. What turns it into a strength is pairing it with a skill. My book lays out 12 tools for this, and a few of the easiest to start with are: move your body when a big emotion hits—even a five-minute walk, a stretch or dancing around your kitchen can calm your nervous system down; catch and challenge the negative thought instead of believing it automatically by writing down one or two other explanations for what happened before you assume the worst; and set small boundaries out loud instead of silently absorbing everything. Once you have tools like that, the same sensitivity that used to spiral you starts working for you—it keeps you empathetic, makes you a sharper problem-solver and helps you say hard things kindly instead of either exploding or staying silent.”

WW: If a woman recognizes herself in these patterns, what’s the very first thing from your book you’d point her to?

Dr. Hamdani: “The sensitivity spectrum quiz. When I started this whole journey, I didn’t even know what ‘too sensitive’ really meant, or who gets to decide that. Once you see it as a spectrum, it starts to make a lot more sense—your baseline can shift with hormones, with life changes, with all of it. Finding out where you sit on that spectrum gives you a new lens, and from there, the rest of the book is real-world examples of how to apply it.”

A version of this story appears in the October 26, 2026, issue of Woman’s World.

If you’ve ever wished your anxiety had an off switch, try this: Inhale deeply, sneak in one more quick inhale then let your breath out with a long ahhhhh. You’ve just performed a basic version of a well-studied technique called the physiological sigh, sometimes called cyclic sighing. It’s a breathing pattern that animals and humans do by reflex, but doing it on purpose is powerful. “Physiological sighs are, to my knowledge, the fastest and most effective way there is to deliberately calm yourself down,” says Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman, PhD, in his new book Protocols: An Operating Manual for the Human Body. 

Huberman helped popularize the exercise (which we’ll walk you through in more detail below), but he’s not the only one singing its praises. “I have seen this particularly help women over age 50 who struggle with sleep,” shares Lienna Wilson, PsyD, founder of Vagus Vitality. “My clients most commonly report that they feel calmer right away, with fewer racing thoughts and less tightness in the chest. Over a few weeks of regular practice, many also notice they recover from stressful moments faster.” How can you use the sighing hack to get results like these? Keep reading to find out.

Why physiological sighs soothe your body in seconds

“The physiological sigh is a pattern of breathing that we all engage in during deep sleep when levels of carbon dioxide in our bloodstream get too high,” Huberman explained during an appearance on The Tim Ferriss Show. There are four key benefits to mimicking this reflex when you’re stressed: 

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You’re basically oxygen-maxxing

Big, deep breaths inflate more of the tiny air sacs in our lungs, which means “more oxygen passes into your bloodstream to get delivered to your organs, including your brain,” Huberman explains in Protocols. We often breathe too shallowly when anxiety hits, which can make muscles tense and signal an emergency to the brain. Adequate oxygen helps the body relax. It also soothes the prefrontal cortex, an oxygen hungry part of the brain responsible for rational thinking and emotional regulation. 

You calm your heart

The technique is called a sigh because releasing your breath is so crucial to stress reduction. “Inhales speed the heart up,” Huberman noted to Tim Ferris. “When you exhale, the opposite is true. Anytime you emphasize exhales, making them longer than your inhales, you are slowing the heart rate down. You’re calming your system.”

You activate your ‘anxiety off’ switch

Huberman says exhales also activate the vagus nerve, a pathway in your parasympathetic nervous system that runs directly through your diaphragm. The vagus nerve is the main line of communication between your brain and your major organs, and it’s the “switch” that determines if we’re on high alert or relaxed. A long slow exhale stimulates the vagus in a way that further slows heart rate and shifts you into a state of ease. 

You redirect a racing mind

“This technique has a psychological component,” adds Wilson. “Anxiety often feels out of control, and this particular skill gives us something concrete we can do to help reduce anxiety.”

How to use the physiological sigh when you’re spiraling

When life hits the fan, you want to go through these steps: 

• Step 1: Inhale very deeply. You can do it through your mouth, but it works best to breathe in through your nose, according to Huberman.
• Step 2: Take another short, sharp inhale to “sneak in” a little bit more air and really inflate the tiny air sacs in the lungs.
• Step 3: Release the breath through your mouth with an extended sigh. Repeat this sequence one to three times.

“Do it before public speaking or a hard conversation. Do it when you’re stuck in traffic or late to an important meeting and starting to feel your tension level rise,” Huberman suggests in Protocols. “Do it to stop yourself from overreacting to an offhand comment.” Can he guarantee you’ll fully eliminate anxiety in every circumstance? No. “But it will put you in a better frame of body and mind.” And it takes mere seconds to complete. Adds certified breath coach Charlotte Marsh: “You are always carrying around everything you need to perform this technique, so it’s perfect for ‘emergency use.’”

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How to use cyclic sighing to become a calmer person 

Huberman was part of a Cell Reports Medicine study that had a group of participants practice physiological sighing for five minutes a day. They called it “cyclic physiological sighing,” and the results were impressive. Folks saw significant improvements in mood—much more so than with a form of meditation that was also tested. “And the benefit of cyclic sighing grew the more consistently people practiced,” notes Wilson. “Participants’ everyday breathing rate also slowed, which suggests their bodies were settling into a calmer baseline.” Translation: When you make physiological sighing a daily habit, you may become less prone to stress and anxiety—and even when life throws you a curveball, you’ll be able to handle it better. 

When should you do it? “Many of my clients like doing it in the evening to wind down before bed, or first thing in the morning to start the day calmer,” shares Wilson. “Daily practice will also make physiological sighing an automatic skill.” So you can use it in a crisis without having to think much about it. 

The bottom line on physiological sighs for stress relief

“There’s no app to download, no class to take and no large time investment,” says Wilson. One practical caution: If you feel lightheaded, you should slow down. “Additionally, anyone with a lung or heart condition should check with their doctor before beginning breathing exercises.” That said, “it’s gentle enough for almost anyone.” 

And the benefits cannot be understated. Use the sighing technique in a tense moment, and it “will caaaaalm youuuu dooooown,” writes Huberman in Protocols. And growing evidence suggests that doing physiological sighs on a regular basis “can help buffer you against future stress.” That makes us sigh with delight!

Your free time keeps colliding with screen time, and a growing number of people are pushing back. A digital detox is no longer a vacation gimmick or a New Year’s resolution. It’s turning into a wider cultural pattern being called the great logging off, and it’s reshaping how people think about attention, rest and the phones in their pockets.

The idea is simple. People want more say over when their attention belongs to a device and when it belongs to them.

Why the great logging off is happening now

The movement describes an intentional push to reduce screen use and build clearer boundaries around when you’re connected. The Guardian walks through ways to make screen-free time part of everyday routines, from creating physical distance from your phone to blocking out longer stretches without screens.

Most approaches start small. That might mean stashing a phone in another room, killing unnecessary notifications or carving out specific hours when screens aren’t used. Psychotherapist Hilda Burke describes gradually increasing the amount of time she spends away from her phone, eventually making Sunday a screen-free day.

The appeal connects to broader digital fatigue and a desire for more focus, agency and control over where attention goes. Logging off is less about rejecting the internet and more about deciding that every free moment doesn’t automatically need to be spent online.

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What does analog living have to do with digital detox?

The great logging off overlaps with a revival of offline leisure. The broader shift includes “Analog Summer,” where people trade doomscrolling for books, film photography and writing letters. It also overlaps with “slowmaxxing,” a slower-living approach built around stepping away from constant optimization and reclaiming time and attention.

TechCrunch connects the desire for less screen-driven living with a broader slow-tech movement focused on creating a more intentional relationship with technology. These behaviors make offline time less about simply not using a phone and more about choosing slower, offline activities in its place.

How is digital wellness becoming more social?

The push to disconnect isn’t limited to what people do alone at home. Phone-free and low-phone environments are turning offline time into a shared experience, part of a wider digital wellness conversation that touches everything from focus at work to smartphones and sleep habits.

Unplugged travel and no-phone retreats build disconnection directly into the experience by discouraging or temporarily removing device access. School phone restrictions are another example of structured environments creating periods without constant smartphone access. Together, they suggest that logging off can be social rather than isolating.

Why do people still want their phones during a digital detox?

The great logging off doesn’t point toward mass smartphone abandonment. Many of the behaviors surrounding it are designed to create boundaries while keeping useful technology available.

You can simplify a smartphone with grayscale displays, app blockers and stripped-down home screens, or use physical tools that make distracting apps harder to reach. TechCrunch highlights Brick, which adds a physical step before users can regain access to apps they’ve chosen to block. Dumbphones and minimalist devices sit alongside software changes as another route toward reducing smartphone use.

Completely disconnecting is also hard when everyday routines depend on maps, banking, transit and messaging apps. That tension helps define the movement. People aren’t trying to eliminate technology from their lives. They’re looking for more control over when it gets their attention.

When stress hits, it’s tempting to reach for comforting foods like chips, cookies or a bowl of ice cream. But that quick fix often leaves you feeling worse an hour later. The good news? The right foods to release stress can steady your nervous system, lift your mood and help you feel more like yourself again. Here’s how what’s on your plate shapes how you feel, plus the specific foods you should add to your grocery list this week to reduce stress and boost joy.

How food shapes your mood

Your brain is a hungry organ that runs on what you feed it. “It’s only about two percent of your body weight, but it uses 20 to 30 percent of the calories you consume. Every bite either helps or hurts your brain chemistry,” explains Daniel Amen, MD, a double board-certified psychiatrist.

Less-than-ideal choices (like ultra-processed foods or loads of added sugar) tip things the wrong way. Nutrition researcher Nicole Avena, PhD, points to research showing that people who ate a processed food diet scored 40 percent higher on a depressive symptom scale than those on a healthy, nutrient-dense diet. Another study found that drinking three cans of sugary soda a day is associated with as much as a 25 percent higher risk of depression, she adds. “We often use sugar to attempt to self-medicate our mental health issues,” Avena says, “but in reality, added sugar is often promoting mental unwellness.”

Flip the script, and food becomes medicine, which is one reason “dopamine foods” are so popular right now. “Brain-healthy foods stabilize blood sugar, reduce inflammation, support calming neurotransmitters like serotonin and GABA and soothe the nervous system,” Dr. Amen says. The right foods also nourish your gut health by feeding the trillions of bacteria that influence your stress response, according to Amy Shah, MD, a double board-certified physician and nutritionist.

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The best foods to release stress

“Small changes to meals can have a big impact on how you feel,” Dr. Shah promises. Here, the best foods to release stress quickly and naturally.

Leafy greens

Spinach is packed with magnesium, folate and B vitamins that help produce calming neurotransmitters, brain chemicals that play an important role in stress management. “Magnesium deficiency has been linked to increased anxiety and irritability,” Dr. Amen says. Aim for one cup daily—sauté it with garlic and avocado oil, or stir it into soups, smoothies or omelets.

Blueberries

Small but mighty, they deliver antioxidants and anthocyanins that fight oxidative stress in the brain and help relieve stress and anxiety. “They also boost brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a growth hormone that helps new brain cells thrive,” Dr. Amen says. He suggests enjoying a half cup of these natural stress-relievers daily. Try freezing them for a sweet treat that curbs cravings without a crash.

Avocados

Rich in healthy fats and vitamin B6, avocados help your body produce serotonin, the brain’s “feel good” chemical. Dr. Amen recommends half an avocado four to five times a week. His favorite trick: crack an egg into half an avocado and air fry at 350 degrees for eight to 10 minutes.

Fermented foods

Yogurt, kefir, kimchi and sauerkraut contain live beneficial bacteria that reinforce a healthy gut, which is why they make the list of best foods to release stress. “The gut and brain are intimately connected through the vagus nerve and the microbiome,” Dr. Amen says. Dr. Shah adds that just one serving a day makes a meaningful difference.

Walnuts

A handful (about seven halves) of these crunchy nuts delivers plant-based omega-3 fatty acids and tryptophan, a precursor to serotonin. “[They’re] a top plant-based source of omega-3 fatty acids, which support emotional balance and lower inflammation,” Dr. Amen says. Keep a bag in your purse to help reduce anxiety and stress on the go.

Salmon and eggs

Wild-caught salmon delivers omega-3s the brain can’t make on its own, and eggs are rich in tyrosine, the amino acid your body uses to build dopamine. “These lean protein sources provide amino acids used in neurotransmitter production,” counselor Jessica Tate, MS, LPCC-S, says.

Fiber-rich foods

Prebiotic-rich picks such as garlic, onions, peas, beans, asparagus, oats, apples and flax feed the friendly bacteria that help keep your mood steady and release stress. Sprinkle ground flaxseeds over a cup of yogurt or toss onion and garlic into your next bowl of soup.

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The simple morning food swap that releases stress

If breakfast is usually toast or coffee, that may be setting you up for an irritable afternoon. Dr. Shah recommends getting 25 to 30 grams of protein first thing to blunt blood sugar spikes and keep your energy and mood steady. Short on time? “A protein shake or protein powder in coffee works nicely,” she says.

Two options we like: Momentous Whey Protein Isolate with 20 grams of protein per serving and Dr. Wholeness Goat Whey, which may be easier to digest if you’re sensitive to dairy. 

The best part? “Research shows gut bacteria begin to shift within just a few days of dietary changes, and lasting improvements in mood typically build over a few weeks,” Dr. Shah says. Small swaps really do add up to a calmer, brighter you.

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If your shoulders are creeping up toward your ears and your to-do list feels endless, the answer to improving your mental health might be as easy as opening up your window. Stress-relieving sounds are one of the simplest, most affordable ways to hit reset—and research suggests birdsong may be the most powerful sound of all. No app subscription, no expensive gadget, no drive to a yoga class. Just a few chirps and warbles, and your nervous system starts to settle. Here’s everything you need to know.

Why birdsong is one of the best stress-relieving sounds

Here’s the thing: You don’t need an hour of meditation to feel calmer. In a recent NC State study published in Environmental Conservation, listening to birdsong for just 10 minutes was found to be so soothing, it significantly reduced stress and triggered effortless mental rejuvenation—especially compared to listening to traffic sounds like you might hear in urban environments.

That’s it. Ten minutes of chirping, warbling and trilling, and your body begins to soften. You don’t need a forest, a cabin or a plane ticket. If the birds outside your window aren’t feeling chatty, you can simply pull up a birdsong track on your phone right now, close your eyes and let the stress-relieving sound do the work.

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Birdsong soothes stress when other sounds don’t

Experts note that birdsong tends to signal safety. Throughout human history, birds sang when their natural environment was calm—no predators, no threats looming. When the birds went silent, something was often wrong. Your brain still carries that ancient wiring, which is why this new study suggests the sound of a robin or a wren can lower your guard almost instantly. Compare that with traffic noise, sirens or overlapping voices. Those sounds so common in daily life keep the brain on subtle alert, draining focus rather than restoring it. 

How to bring more stress-relieving sounds into your day

To listen to stress-relieving birdsong for free, simply search “birdsong” on apps like Spotify or YouTube. You’ll find hours of recordings—dawn choruses, single-species tracks, forest ambience—ready to press play. A few easy ways to weave it in:

• Play birdsong softly while you make breakfast or your morning coffee.
• Swap the news for 10 minutes of birdsong during your commute.
• Let it hum in the background while you fold laundry, water plants or answer emails.
• Try it before bed to help your mind wind down.

If you can pair the sound with the real thing, even better. Open a window, step onto your porch or sit on a park bench for a few minutes and let live birdsong reach you. A bird feeder in the backyard can turn your kitchen window into a daily source of calm.

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A tiny habit with a big payoff

Stress management doesn’t have to mean another appointment, another supplement or another expense. Sometimes it’s as simple as pressing play, taking a breath and letting a little birdsong remind your body it’s safe to relax.

Ready for more inspiration? Subscribe to our YouTube channel for video podcasts, health tips and uplifting stories designed for women 40, 50, 60 and beyond.

Rates of adolescent anxiety keep climbing, and parents heading into the new school year are asking how to spot it early. Experts point to academic pressure, social media and worries about the future as key drivers.

What are the warning signs of anxiety in a teenager?

The seven signs experts flag most often are physical symptoms, difficulty concentrating, social withdrawal, negative self-talk, slipping academic performance, appearing distracted or tense and mood swings. Physical clues can show up as sweating, body aches, stomachaches, muscle tension, headaches, insomnia, loss of appetite or fatigue. A teen may also have angry outbursts or crying spells, pull back from friends and activities they once enjoyed, or describe their mind going blank at school. Grades often start to drop as focus fades and self-critical thinking takes hold. Any one of these signs on its own may not mean much. A pattern of several, especially ones that persist for weeks, is worth paying attention to.

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How common is anxiety among American teens?

Anxiety is now one of the most common mental health issues teens report. Seventy percent of U.S. teens ages 13 to 17 identify anxiety or depression as major issues among their peers, according to the Pew Research Center. The American Psychological Association has highlighted the high levels of stress many teens experience. In an APA survey, 75% of high school students reported experiencing emotions such as boredom, anger, sadness, fear or stress at school, and teens rated their stress levels at 5.8 out of 10 during the school year.

What causes anxiety in teens?

Perfectionism, social scrutiny and physical development are among the biggest drivers, according to Jerry Bubrick, PhD, a clinical psychologist who has treated many children with anxiety and OCD at the Child Mind Institute. “We see a lot of fear of not doing well,” Bubrick said. “A lot of anxiety is geared towards perfectionism, or needing to do their absolute best in school, beyond an intense work ethic.” Social anxiety is also common. Bubrick said some teens worry excessively about being seen as incompetent or stupid, or about doing something embarrassing. Physical changes matter too. Girls who develop early and boys who develop late often feel it most acutely, which can affect self-esteem and confidence for years.

How should parents talk to a teen about getting help?

Lead with concern and curiosity rather than judgment, experts advise. Describe specific behaviors you have noticed and invite your teen to share what’s behind them, without loading the question with worry. Jacqueline Sperling, PhD, a clinical psychologist and assistant professor of psychology in the Department of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, offered a script through the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. She suggested saying something like, “I have noticed that you have stopped seeing your friends lately and asked us to make calls for you. I am wondering if these activities have been making you anxious.” After the teen responds, Sperling recommended following up when appropriate with, “Anxiety is very normal, and it also can worsen and get in the way of things we want to do. I am here if you want to talk, and we also can take you to see someone to help you with this.”

Should an anxious teen still go to school?

Yes. Pediatricians say pushing through anxiety, rather than staying home, helps teens build resilience over time. Dr. Molly O’Shea, a pediatrician and spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics, told KOAT7 that even partial attendance beats staying home. “Any attendance is better than no attendance when it comes to school anxiety. And it’s so tempting as a parent to say, OK, we’ll take a mental health day today. And you’ll kind of gather your strength and be able to go again, go tomorrow, when actually that reinforces the anxiety and makes it even harder to go the next day,” O’Shea said.

What can parents do at home to help an anxious teen?

Acknowledge feelings, connect daily and support healthy routines. Clinicians at Johns Hopkins advise parents to take teen emotions seriously and resist the urge to dismiss worries with lines like, “You have a good life. You shouldn’t worry about that.” Practical steps from Johns Hopkins and other clinicians include the following:

• Let your teen talk and sit with the silence rather than firing off questions
• Help them face anxiety-triggering situations in small, manageable steps
• Avoid labels like “shy” or “anxious” that can become part of how they see themselves
• Protect sleep, nutritious meals and regular physical activity
• Set aside distraction-free time each day to connect

If your teen keeps struggling, contact your pediatrician, a psychologist, counselor or your school’s counseling services. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.

Major depressive disorder has been making headlines recently, but many of us don’t actually know much about the condition. And that’s not surprising. According to the American Psychological Association, 84 percent of Americans believe there’s still a stigma surrounding mental illness. 

One thing that helps shrink that stigma is having more open conversations, and politician Tom Kean, Jr. recently started one. According to the New York Times, the New Jersey representative was absent from Congress beginning in March without explanation until Tuesday, June 30, when he revealed that he was hospitalized for treatment of major depressive disorder (MDD). While Kean didn’t specify what treatment he received, one therapy that’s making waves in new research is vagus nerve stimulation. Here we break down everything you need to know about MDD, a condition that’s more common in women than men, and how researchers are exploring new treatment options that can help. 

What is major depressive disorder?

“Major depressive disorder is a medical illness that affects mood, thinking, sleep, energy,

appetite, motivation and the ability to experience pleasure,” says Dave Rabin, MD, PhD, author of A Simple Guide To Being Alive. “To meet diagnostic criteria, symptoms must persist for at least two weeks, represent a change from a person’s usual functioning and significantly interfere with daily life. MDD is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide.”

If you don’t live with major depressive disorder, you might think it’s simply another word for sadness, but the two are very different. “Sadness is a normal human emotion that usually has a clear cause and improves with time or support,” adds Dr. Rabin. “Major depressive disorder is different because it persists beyond expected emotional recovery, often without improving when circumstances change. It affects the entire nervous system including sleep, appetite, concentration, energy and physical health—not just mood.”

During a major depressive episode (a period of at least two weeks), the Cleveland Clinic reports that you may experience symptoms such as:

• A depressed mood
• Loss of interest in activities
• Fatigue
• Appetite changes
• Sleep problems

Important: If you’re experiencing thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, which is open 24/7.

Wellness

Top Doc: Vagus Nerve Exercises Reverse Stress — And Taking *This* Many Breaths a Minute Is the Easiest Fix

A Stanford doctor says many of us go an entire day without taking a single deep breath

How vagus nerve stimulation may help with depression 

In many cases, depression can be treated with medication, lifestyle changes and/or psychotherapy, explains Dr. Rabin. That said, researchers are continually exploring new ways to help manage the mood disorder, and one promising treatment is what’s known as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS). 

“Vagus nerve stimulation is an intervention that involves sending low-level electrical impulses to the vagus nerve,” explains Amy Fitzpatrick, MD, chief medical officer at Bedrock Recovery and assistant professor of medicine at Boston University. “The vagus nerve is one of the major nerves that allows for communication between the brain and other parts of the body. During surgical VNS, a very small device is implanted just below the surface of the skin on the upper part of the chest. The device is connected by a thin, insulated wire directly into the left vagus nerve located within the neck.”

Once implanted, the device regularly sends tiny signals to the vagus nerve to stimulate it. Why is that important? The vagus nerve plays a role in many bodily functions, including regulating your heart rate, breathing, digestion and the body’s release of stress hormones like cortisol.

What new research shows

In a new study published in the International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology, researchers followed 214 participants with major depressive disorder that had not responded to multiple antidepressant treatments, such as medications and psychotherapy. After one year of treatment with a surgically implanted vagus nerve stimulation device, 43.6 percent of participants experienced meaningful improvements in their depression on a clinician-rated depression scale, while 61.3 percent experienced meaningful improvements on a self-reported depression scale. Among those participants who experienced improvements in their depression symptoms, about 80 percent maintained those improvements for another year.

So why might vagus nerve stimulation work when other treatments have fallen short? Dr. Rabin says it comes down to how the therapy works in the brain and body. “Unlike antidepressants, which primarily target specific neurotransmitters and decrease meaningfulness around negative (and positive) emotional states, VNS activates a natural broad brain-body communication network that already exists in the body,” explains Dr. Rabin. “Signals carried through the vagus nerve reach the brainstem and influence regions involved in mood regulation, increasing perception of safety and decreasing perception of threat.”

Surgical vs. non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation 

While the new research focused on surgically implanted vagus nerve stimulation, there are also noninvasive vagus nerve stimulator devices. These small devices, which often cost $200 or more, claim to activate the vagus nerve without surgery. (Check out a Woman’s World editor’s personal review of two popular vagus nerve stimulation devices.) But do they actually work?

Dr. Rabin says yes, but more research is still needed. “There is significant evidence that noninvasive vagus nerve stimulation can influence autonomic function, reduce physiological stress and improve symptoms in selected neurological and psychiatric conditions,” he explains. “For depression, early clinical trials are encouraging, but the evidence remains considerably smaller than for implanted VNS.”

“Implanting a vagus nerve stimulation device is an option for individuals experiencing severe and chronic depression that has been unresponsive to other evidence-based treatments,” adds Bonnie Lambert, PMHNP-BC, LPC, board-certified psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner and licensed professional counselor at Crestview Recovery Center. “A non-invasive device could be a good option for individuals seeking to try a lower-risk approach, or those who are not able to have surgery due to a medical condition.”

Wellness

10 Fast, Free Ways to Improve Vagus Nerve Function Naturally

Think of the woman in your friend group who is a natural communicator—she always knows everything that’s happening and passes on the best facts (and juiciest gossip). Your body contains its own type of master communicator. The vagus nerve extends from your brain stem to your gut, gathering and passing valuable health information between your […]

How to get started with vagus nerve stimulation

If you’ve been living with major depressive disorder and are interested in giving vagus nerve stimulation a try, Dr. Rabin shares a three-step guide:  

Try an OTC vagus nerve stimulator

While surgically implanting a vagus nerve stimulator has proven effective for some people with treatment-resistant depression, Dr. Rabin says it is not considered a first-line treatment.

He adds that while the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved surgically implanted vagus nerve stimulation for depression that is treatment resistant, insurance approval can be inconsistent. “Without insurance, total costs, including surgery, the implanted device and follow-up care, can exceed $30,000 to $50,000,” says Dr. Rabin. 

Dr. Rabin recommends first trying an over-the-counter, noninvasive vagus nerve stimulator for 12 weeks to see if your symptoms improve. He says that if it helps, the OTC option may be all you need.

Get evaluated by a professional

If an over-the-counter, noninvasive vagus nerve stimulator isn’t helping to curb your depression symptoms, Dr. Rabin says to schedule an evaluation with a board-certified psychiatrist who specializes in treating depression that is treatment resistant. He or she can confirm your diagnosis and review other possible treatment options, such as lifestyle interventions, medications or even ketamine therapy, to make sure they have been used adequately.

Do your homework on surgical VNS

If you’ve noticed some improvement with an over-the-counter vagus nerve stimulator but your symptoms are still affecting your daily life, or if other treatment options haven’t provided enough relief, get a referral to a neurosurgeon or interventional psychiatrist to discuss whether surgical vagus nerve stimulation is a good fit for you, says Dr. Rabin. The provider can go over the risks, benefits, insurance coverage and recovery to help you make an informed decision, he adds.

The bottom line on major depressive disorder 

Living with depression can make you feel like you’ve lost yourself, but with emerging treatments like vagus nerve stimulation offering new hope, there are more options for healing than ever before. Talk to your doctor about whether VNS might be right for you.

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You may not be able to remove stress from your life, but new research finds you can change how your body responds to it. And that goes a long way toward reducing the risk of health conditions tied to chronic stress, such as high blood pressure, a weakened immune system, insomnia and digestive system upset. Fortunately, rewiring your stress response doesn’t have to be hard. We’re breaking down the best ways to shift out of the sympathetic nervous system’s “fight or flight” response and into the parasympathetic nervous system’s “rest and digest” mode, so you feel calm, cool and collected, whatever the day throws your way.

How to rewire your stress response naturally

The next time you feel stuck in overdrive or notice your blood pressure increasing from lingering tension, give these smart tricks a try to help reset your acute stress response:

Wellness

How To Regulate Your Nervous System and Feel Calmer in Minutes

If you wake up wired but exhausted, snap at small annoyances or struggle to wind down at night, your nervous system may be stuck in overdrive. The good news? Learning how to regulate your nervous system doesn’t require an expensive retreat or a prescription. A handful of simple, science-backed habits can shift your body out […]

Sneak in power-walks

Take a brisk, seven-minute walk three times a day and you may help lower your body’s baseline of the stress hormone cortisol. A year-long randomized trial in the Journal of Sport and Health Science found those who packed in 150 total minutes per week of aerobic activity had measurably lower cortisol. The research suggests that being consistent in how participants got movement may have helped dial down their long-term stress response.

Tip: Worried about breaking a sweat on your stroll? Use a portable fan, like the JisuLife Pro 1 Mini Handheld Fan, to keep your cool on the go.

Give a ‘physiological sigh’ 

Take a full, deep inhale through your nose, sip in a second quick inhale, then exhale slowly through your mouth. The breath trick, sometimes called a “physiological sigh,” quickly calms your stress response. A Stanford University study found performing the technique for just five minutes a day improved mood, reduced anxiety and lowered a key physical marker of physiological stress. Not only did participants show benefits from the very first session, many of the mood-boosting effects grew stronger over the month-long study.

Do a ‘brain dump’ before bed

For many of us, stress shows up at night, when unfinished tasks and other worries make it hard to fall asleep. Jotting them down just before bed can help. A study in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General found that those who spent 5 minutes writing a detailed to-do list offloaded their cognitive load, tamping down nighttime rumination and improving their sleep. That’s important in light of a British review, which found that good sleep is part of your stress-regulation system, helping direct how and when stress hormones are released. 

Wellness

A Vagus Nerve Reset Can Ease Chronic Stress in as Little as 60 Seconds

If you feel simultaneously on-edge and burned out—wired but exhausted, foggy by 3 p.m. and still tossing at midnight—your vagus nerve could use a tune-up. The good news? A vagus nerve reset doesn’t require pricey gadgets, hours of free time or anything you don’t already have at home. Here’s why this remarkable nerve matters so […]

Ready for more inspiration? Subscribe to our YouTube channel for video podcasts, health tips and uplifting stories designed for women 40, 50, 60 and beyond.

You’ve tried everything to feel like yourself again. You’ve done talk therapy, made time to get outside every day, listened to your granddaughter’s advice to spend less time on Facebook and surrounded yourself with a community of people who love you. But you still wake up every morning with a racing heart and a sense of dread about the day ahead. You think an SSRI might help, but want to know what side effects you should expect and how long they’ll last. We spoke with two experts to find out. 

What are SSRIs?

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRRIs) are medications often considered antidepressants but are used to treat many different psychiatric conditions, says Guy Maytal, MD, chief medical officer at Forge Health and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine.

Dr. Maytal says the FDA-approved uses for SSRIs include:

• Anxiety disorders (generalized anxiety disorder, social anxiety disorder and panic disorder)
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Eating disorders (bulimia nervosa)
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
• Major depressive disorder 

Dr. Maytal adds that menopausal symptoms such as hot flashes and night sweats can also be treated with SSRIs. However, low-dose paroxetine (Paxil) is currently the only FDA-approved SSRI for these symptoms, while use of other SSRIs for hot flashes and night sweats would be considered off-label. Other off-label uses of SSRIs include irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and premature ejaculation. 

Weight Loss

Starting a GLP-1? How To Maximize Weight Loss and Minimize Side Effects

It’s no secret that starting a GLP-1 weight-loss medication is as much an emotional journey as it is a physical one. From navigating inevitable ups and downs to quashing cravings and finding the support you need, experts share empowering strategies to help you reach your health goals with clarity and confidence. 5 tips that make […]

SSRI side effects to watch for 

SSRIs are effective for many people, but some still avoid them for fear of side effects. Here’s are some of the more common potential side effects to be aware of: 

Nausea and GI upset

Nearly 90 percent of the serotonin in our bodies is found in cells along the GI tract. Because SSRIs affect the GI tract, they raise serotonin levels there, which can trigger nausea and vomiting, explains Dr. Maytal.

Sleep changes 

Dr. Maytal says SSRIs can cause excessive sleepiness or insomnia because they affect serotonin receptors involved in the body’s sleep-wake cycle. “Whether a patient experiences insomnia or [excessive sleeping] depends partly on the specific SSRI and individual’s receptor sensitivity.”

Weight gain 

The relationship between SSRIs and weight gain is still being understood by doctors. If patients do experience weight gain on an SSRI, Dr. Maytal says it may be due to serotonin’s role in impacting appetite and changes in carb craving and metabolism after starting them.

Sexual dysfunction

Changes in sexual functioning due to SSRIs can take different forms including inability to orgasm, low libido and erectile dysfunction, says Dr. Maytal. He explains that increased serotonin activity due to SSRIs can suppress the activity of neurotransmitters in the brain, including dopamine and norepinephrine, which can then impact sexual desire.

Note: Not everyone will experience side effects from SSRIs, and Dr. Maytal says differences in genetic makeup can help explain why. Factors such as how a person’s body metabolizes medications, baseline serotonin activity and differences in serotonin transporters and receptors can all influence how someone responds to SSRIs and whether they experience side effects.

How long do SSRI side effects last?

“Some SSRI side effects, especially nausea, mild headache, jitteriness and early sleep changes, often improve within the first one to four weeks as the body adjusts,” says Rab Nawaz, MD, a board-certified neurologist. “Weight gain and sexual dysfunction are different because they may persist, appear later or last as long as the medication is continued in some patients. I always tell patients not to stop an SSRI suddenly, but to speak with their prescriber if side effects are affecting sleep, intimacy, weight or quality of life.” 

And if you find the weight is sticking while you’re on an SSRI, Dr. Nawaz recommends tracking your weight, focusing on fiber and protein, walking and strength training. He adds that you can also speak to your doctor about whether dose adjustment or switching to another SSRI make sense. 

Note: If you ever experience rare side effects such as suicidal thoughts, seek immediate medical care.

Wellness

Gabapentin Side Effects a Top Doctor Wants Women To Know

If you’ve been prescribed gabapentin to treat nerve pain, anxiety, restless leg syndrome (RLS) or another condition, you may have questions about what to expect—especially when it comes to side effects. This medication can offer real relief, but it’s not without trade-offs. Here, psychiatrist Daniel G. Amen, MD, author of Change Your Brain Every Day, […]

What to remember about SSRI side effects

We get it. After reading these side effects, you may be tempted to cancel your CVS pickup appointment. But new research provides some encouraging news. 

An animal study published in Molecular Psychiatry found that the SSRI fluoxetine increases serotonin signaling in the brain, which temporarily causes serotonin neurons to not fire properly as the brain adjusts to the medication. But after 22 days of treatment, the mice showed widespread changes in serotonin signaling and brain-cell pathways, suggesting the brain had adapted to the medication over time. 

“This research reinforces what clinicians and clinical researchers have long observed: An adjustment period of several weeks is expected and normal when starting an SSRI,” says Dr. Maytal. “The brain must undergo a series of neurochemical adaptations before the full therapeutic benefit of the medication is experienced.”

The bottom line on SSRI side effects 

Just as your body adjusts to new exercise routines, dietary changes or other health plans, it needs time to adjust to an SSRI. Those first few weeks of side effects don’t mean the medication isn’t working or that it never will. Your brain is recalibrating and finding its new balance. If side effects feel overwhelming or last beyond the adjustment period, that’s valuable information to share with your doctor. Together, you can adjust your treatment plan to figure out what’s best for you.

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