Depression in Older Women Increases Stroke Risk

Find your happy place: according to a new study, a history of depression in postmenopausal women can increase their risk of having a stroke by 29%.

Kathryn M. Rexrode of Harvard Medical School researched over 80,000 women over the course of six years to find that there may be a notable correlation between depression and strokes in older women. They found that 41% of the women who currently had depression had an increased risk, and women just with a history had a 23% increased risk.

Needless to say, this is something that should be studied more closely. You can decrease your risk of having a stroke -- for example, smoking and a higher body mass index were noted as contributing factors in the study findings as well. And check out some tips on how to change your mood today: solutions ranging from meditation to medication have helped our members.

So, to reduce your stroke risk, do what makes you happy and healthy!

Photo credit: Tazrian Khan via Flickr