Smaller Babies More Prone To Depression, Anxiety Later On

Turns out there might be some truth to the popular wisdom that plump babies are happy babies. A landmark public health study has found that people who had a low birth weight are more likely to experience depression and anxiety later in life.

"We found that even people who had just mild or moderate symptoms of depression or anxiety over their life course were smaller babies than those who had better mental health," said lead author Ian Colman of the University of Alberta's School of Public Health. "It suggests a dose-response relationship. As birth weight progressively decreases, it's more likely that an individual will suffer from mood disorders later in life."

The study, published in the December 2007 issue of Biological Psychiatry, analyzes information drawn from the Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development, one of the longest-running cohort studies in the world. The survey tracked more than 4,600 people born in Great Britain in 1946 for symptoms of anxiety and depression over a 40-year period.

The results represent an important chapter in the "nature versus nurture" debate, supporting the theory that conditions in the womb do indeed have an effect on our future development.

The connection between birth weight and mental health isn't the only fascinating find made by Colman and colleagues at the University of Cambridge and University College London in England. "One of the surprising findings from our research was that people who had worse mental health throughout their lives had also reached developmental milestones - like standing and walking for the first time - later in life than those who had better mental health," said Colman.

The researchers emphasize they are not saying all small babies will experience poor mental health in the future. They also say this study is not about babies born full-term versus babies born premature, since the data collected back in 1946 made no mention of gestational age at birth.

"Being born small isn't necessarily a problem. It is a problem if you were born small because of adverse conditions in the womb - and low birth weight is what we looked at in this study because it is considered a marker of stress in the womb. When a mother is really stressed, blood flow to the uterus is restricted and the fetus gets fewer nutrients, which tends to lead to lower birth weight," explained Colman.

At the same time, because the mother is stressed, stress hormones are passing through the placenta to the fetus and may affect the fetus's neurodevelopment and stress response. "Under these conditions, the part of the child's brain that deals with stress could be programmed incorrectly in utero - the brain doesn't develop as it would under ideal circumstances. If this theory is correct, you would find that when stressful events occur, the people who were smaller babies would be more likely to become depressed or anxious," said Colman.

Notable strengths of this study include the nationally representative sample, the sample size, and the long follow-up with the members of the 1946 cohort, whose anxious and depressive symptoms were measured at 13, 15, 36, 43 and 53 years of age.

"The idea that things that are happening in the womb might predict your health much later on in life is absolutely fascinating. And the public health implications of that are huge," said Colman. "I have been asked by many people what the 'take-home message' of this study is, and I would say that, in the simplest terms, it is 'We should take better care of pregnant women.' The kind of stress that pregnant mothers are under has a significant long-term effect on the developing fetus."

6 Tips for Surviving Christmas

Once the Thanksgiving turkey and leftovers have been demolished, most people face the countdown to Christmas with an unconscious unease covered by a frenzy of shopping. Bob and I like to spend Christmas in Australia in the hope that we’ll escape the worst of SAD and the Christmas blues (Thanksgiving time marks the beginning of summer here). But the Santa Syndrome seems to have infected even those Down Under, and we’ve been asked on several occasions to talk to the media about how to get through this time with your emotions intact.

Much of my expertise in this subject comes from having tried every dysfunctional strategy going to escape the pain Christmas caused me and spending some of the most miserable Christmases I’ve heard of (and believe me I’ve heard of a lot!). So let me share with you some Dos and Don’ts from bitter experience as well as therapeutic wisdom.

First, though, let’s look at why we get so distressed around this time of year (Hanukah and New Year’s Eve have their own gauntlets to run). These days the happy family is often as much a myth as Santa Claus. Luckily we don’t have to keep pretending that the Fat Man exists much after the age of six–our school companions would soon set us straight even if our parents didn’t. But the myth of the perfect family is a burden many of us take to the grave, and at no time is it put under more stress than at Christmas. Conflicts and ambiguous feelings we’ve put on hold all year, often through distance, bubble to the surface.

Then there’s the eternal tug over who we’ll spend Christmas with. Your parents or your in-laws? Your divorced father or your mother? What if your kids decide to go to your ex-husband and his new wife, proving once and for all that they’ve abandoned you? Or, and this is true for a growing number of people, what if you have no one you really want to spend Christmas with?

And finally, there’s the pressure to try to solve it all with Mastercard or Visa, to prove your love with dollars because you just don’t know how else to navigate the emotional rapids of relationships.

Here are six emotional survival tips:

1. Ask yourself who you really want to spend Christmas with. Imagine that the Guilt-Free Fairy could wave her wand and no one would feel hurt or angry at your decision. Where would you feel truly accepted and at ease? Where would you laugh and be playful? Where would you feel that your own values were recognized and reinforced? Where could you count on people to meet your needs? Wherever that is–wherever that is–is where you should be.

2. In terms of Christmas shopping, ask yourself whether you are buying each gift because the process gives you pleasure or out of obligation, and be realistic about your financial situation. Bob and I give each other gifts whenever we see something the other person would love or when they need an emotional boost (or, to be honest, when I do. Things you can buy don’t mean much to Bob.) Christmas is largely a present-free zone for us.

3. Use your time off to be in nature. A walk in the woods, or cross-country skiing if the snow is deep, will help tone your body and your neural chemistry. Especially in the presence of someone you love, it can connect you to that which is most true about yourself and the world.

4. Spirituality is a natural antidepressant, but only if it feels intrinsic to you and brings you closer to others. Evaluate your religious rituals in these terms, and, if they meet these criteria, seek solace and joy there.

5. If you feel in danger of being isolated or bored during the holidays, join a group that has activities during this time. Being with supportive people who share your values and interests is vital to combating depression–now and during the rest of the year. Take it from someone who has tried to tough out the Christmas holidays on her own–you really don’t want to do that.

6. Remember that, while good food and drink can be a part of Christmas cheer, when taken in excess they are also depressants. If you feel in danger of overdoing it, try to spend time with those who don’t. If you feel you may have a problem with food or alcohol, attend some meetings of Alcoholics Anonymous or Overeaters Anonymous. You won’t be alone, and it could mark the start of a new, addiction-free life.

10 Tips to Reduce Christmas Stress

Family stress is at its highest during the Christmas season. Added to the normal pressures of family living, there are parties to attend, shopping trips to endure, trees to decorate, cookies to prepare, and more. There’s also the pressure of extended family relationships, which add a unique dimension of stress.
Here are ten tips to help reduce many of the stresses that you have control over. Follow this advice, and you will dramatically reduce your stress level and get more out of Christmas.

1. Make A PlanCreate a plan that details what you want your holiday to be like. Few things reduce stress better than a well thought out plan that is followed. Your plan should have at least the following: a schedule of events and activities; a to-do list; a gift shopping list; and a budget. Be as detailed as you can, catching small details like childcare, buying gift wrapping materials, etc. The earlier you plan, the more you’ll feel in charge of your time as Christmas approaches.
2. Budget Gift GivingIn your plan, think through your budget. Christmas is often a time for over-extending your credit cards, but it doesn’t have to be. List things on which you will spend money throughout December and decide how much you can afford for each. Think through how much you will spend on gifts for family members, teachers, pastors, and managers. Include the cost of holiday travel and special meals. Remember that you will have to live with the bills after Christmas, so be generous, but don’t give out of obligation.
3. Make a ListSanta makes his list and checks it twice. You instead should check it thrice. Lists are a great way to relieve the emotional strain of repeatedly thinking through what must be done. As soon as you think of something you need to do, write it on a list and get back to what you were working on. If you do this, and regularly review your list, you’ll be sure to get everything done while not being nagged by the feeling, “What was that I needed to do?”
4. Spread Out the FestivitiesWhy do you need to do everything on Christmas day? Work with your extended family to plan other times to celebrate the holiday. The more you pack into Christmas day, the more stress you are inviting into your life. It’s not a contest to see who can pack the most family get togethers into the same day. If your only reflection at the end of the day is, “Whew. We got it all in,” then you missed the point.
5. Make Meals EasyWith all of the extra activities, you might think that the folks at the fast food drive through know you by name. Fast food and dining out to save time can be a big problem. It increases the pressure on your budget and degrades your health, preventing you from being at your best. Think through your meals well in advance. If you expect a busy day, prepare a meal in a crockpot or slow cooker. You can enjoy home cooked meals, get everything done, and still feel great.
6. Shop EarlyOne of the most time consuming tasks for Christmas is gift shopping. You can run from store to store and still not find the right gift for Great Aunt Sylvia. Make a plan to get done with your shopping before Thanksgiving. It will help you stay out of traffic and long lines and give you more time to think about what to get for the tough ones on your list. If you can’t get it done by Thanksgiving, consider taking a day off from work or finding a sitter for the kids. Shopping weekdays from 9 AM to 11 AM or from 1 PM to 3 PM can save a lot of time.
7. Choose What’s Most ImportantIf you aren’t sure why you do everything you do during the Christmas holiday, sit down as a family and make a list of everything you’d like to do. Then ask each family member to choose the one thing on the list that they feel is most important to make the holiday complete. If it’s practical, try to do that one most important thing from each person. If it didn’t make it to the list, even though you’ve done it every year, ask yourself if you really want to do it. It’s okay to say, “No.”
8. Discover the Deeper MeaningHolidays exist because people celebrate some deeper meaning or spiritual truth. For Christians, Christmas is a celebration of God’s gift of a baby, who offers eternal life to all who believe. Remember the reason why you celebrate. If you’re not sure, do some research about the holiday and add spiritual significance. Attend a Christmas eve service, find a live nativity scene, or give to someone in need.
9. Smell the RosesWhat good is Christmas if in all of the hustle and bustle you forget that it is meant to be enjoyed. Have fun! Make your plan and follow it, but take opportunities to forget the plan and just enjoy yourself. Fun and laughter are the best stress relievers.
10. Write What You LearnWant to make every Christmas better? Here’s a tip that will pay off in the long run. Keep a Christmas journal. In your journal write your personal reflections on the holidays. Record your thoughts on the spiritual significance of Christmas, what to do differently next year, gift ideas, and new traditions you’d like to start.

Another 6 Tips For Surviving Christmas Stress

The holiday season is one of the most stressful times of year. Not only do you have the stress of finding the right present for people, but you have the stress of paying for Christmas and the stress of Christmas parties, seeing family or even the stress of being alone at a time which is traditionally centred around family.

It is a time to be merry and not a time to be stressed. The following tips will help you to beat stress this Christmas and enjoy the holiday period even more.

Tip 1 - Establish a Christmas Budget At The Start Of The Holiday Season

Christmas is a time when you overspend and then spend the rest of the year worrying about it and how you are going to pay it off. At the start of the holiday season, make a list of everyone you need to buy presents for and set yourself an affordable budget. It’s very easy to get caught up in present one up man ship, but avoid it and stick to your budget, you will thank yourself in a few months time.

Set yourself a budget for food, travel and everything else over Christmas to ensure that you are not stressing about money.

Tip 2 - Get Yourself Organised

Christmas is a very hectic time so make sure you are organised. Make yourself lists of all the people you need to buy for, all the food you need and places to go. Start your Christmas shopping early, write your cards early and be organised. Being able to start December with most of your Christmas shopping done will really reduce your stress levels.

Tip 3 - Know Family Arrangements

Family is one of the biggest sources of stress during the festive season. Whether it is due to clashes within the family or the sheer logistics and travelling required to get together, it is a very serious source of stress. Make sure you know your family arrangements well in advance. Don’t leave it to the last minute, start planning as early as you need to. This will reduce your stress because you will know what you are doing, where you are going and when it is all happening.

Tip 4 - Avoid People Who Create Stress

There are always people you feel you should visit over Christmas which cause you or your family stress. These are people who are best avoided as it is not worth getting stressed and spoiling Christmas. Visit people because you want to, not because you feel you ought to. Ought to and should basically means you are doing something out of a sense of guilt, not because you want to. Spend the holiday season with people you want to be with.

Tip 5 - Make Travel Arrangements In Advance

Travelling at Christmas is hectic and expensive. You need to make sure all travel arrangements are made as far in advance as possible in order to benefit from cheaper prices and to ensure you can get the tickets you need. Remember, a lot of people travel at Christmas, so make sure you are well prepared and plan to travel outside of peak times if you can.

Tip 6 - Make Up With People

Life is too short to hold grudges and the time comes when it is just too late to make up. Take some time out over Christmas to heal past grudges and arguments between you and some of the people around you. Often these arguments are a source of stress and by healing them you can reduce the stress.

Christmas is a time for merriment and enjoyment. Take some time out and reduce your stress levels so that you can really enjoy the festive season.

Christmas Tips to Reduce Stress

A 1997 Gallup poll found that 29 percent of Americans found the Christmas holidays more stressful than enjoyable. I doubt these numbers have gone down much in the last ten years, but you do not need to let stress ruin your holidays! By making conscious decisions and setting priorities, you can stay in control this holiday season.

Boss Yourself

At back-to-school night this year, my first-grade daughter’s teacher told us parents that she frequently tells a tattling child to “Boss yourself.” What this means, she explained, is that the child should make sure she is doing the right thing instead of paying so much attention to what the other children are doing. I loved this saying and have been using it at home with my children as well.

Ummm, so what does this have to do with Christmas stress? Well, the same guidelines can apply for Christmas as well. Don’t worry about what other people are getting their kids for Christmas. Don’t worry that the neighbors across the street already have their lights up and you can’t even remember where yours are. Don’t worry that the cookies you are bringing to the cookie exchange are store-bought instead of homemade. You and you family need to decide where you want to spend your time and money this holiday season and don’t worry about what anyone else is doing.

Give Yourself the Gift of Time

Christmas was not meant to be packed into a day. The “Twelve Days of Christmas” is more than just a song, after all. Christmas is a season that goes from December 24-January 6. That gives you 12 more days to get your Christmas cards sent out!

You can also give yourself the gift of time by cutting out activities no one really enjoys. Ask everyone in you family to pick on or two Christmas activities they really enjoy, and then focus on getting those activities done. Let everything else go.

Set a Budget and Stick to It

Extra expenses can certainly make you feel stressed out. Don’t judge the success of your Christmas by the number of packages under the tree. If you have a large family you buy presents for, suggest some ways to help reduce costs for everyone:

• Buy gifts just for the children
• Draw names so everyone buys a gift for only one person
• Set a limit on the cost of gifts
• Give homemade gifts

When you do go shopping for gifts, shop early in the Christmas season to avoid the last-minute crowds. Also consider shopping online. Many retailers offer free shipping during the holidays.

Cook Up Some Memories

So many memories involve food! Food plays a very important role in Christmas celebrations, from cookies to candies to Christmas dinners. If you enjoy cooking and baking, you’ll love this part of Christmas. If you don’t…remember our Christmas rule for this year: Boss yourself. Buy goodies, trade with friends, or just decide to be healthy and skip the treats altogether.

Even if you enjoy baking, it can be hard to find time to get it done at Christmas. It’s fun to set aside one day and have a marathon baking day with a friend. You enjoy special time together, and at the end of the day, you split all the goodies. Another option is to have a cookie exchange with a group of friends, where everyone brings a treat and you all share the goodies.

What about Christmas dinner? Growing up in my family, Christmas dinner was basically a repeat of Thanksgiving dinner. This meant that as soon as the presents were opened Christmas morning, it was time to head to the kitchen and start cooking. When I wanted to play with my new toys, I was peeling potatoes instead. To get yourself out of the kitchen this year,

• Start a new tradition and change your menu. A crock pot full of soup, tacos, or lasagna can make a great Christmas meal. You don’t have to eat turkey or ham.
• If you do want a more traditional meal, make it a potluck and ask people to bring items.
• Order some items from a restaurant or grocery store.

Take Care of Yourself

You know the rules for taking care of yourself – get enough sleep, eat right, exercise, drink plenty of water. It’s just following the rules that is tough. The busier you are, though, the more important it is that you take care of yourself. You won’t be any good to anyone if you get sick.

Whether or not your regularly write in a journal, try keeping a holiday journal. A journal will help you next year remember what you enjoyed and what you didn’t enjoy. You can also use it to reflect on your blessings and your spiritual journey through the Christmas season. By adding to your journal each year, you will create a wonderful keepsake for your family as well as a record to help you make Christmas better each year.