What does the 何も mean in the bolded positive sentence?

Question

While translating the bolded sentence in the following paragraph, I find myself unable to translate the 何も, as my genki textbook, the online dictionary I am using, and the online textbook I am using all say that 何も is used in negative sentences, or only give translations for it's use in negative sentences only.

体力も神経も使い果たし、疲{つか｝れ果てて泥｛どろ｝のように眠｛ねむ｝る毎日が続く。余計なことを考える暇｛ひま｝もなければ、夢を見ることもない。やがて、そんな生活に慣れはじめると、今度は物事をじっくりと考えることが苦痛になってきた。その時々の課題をクリアすることに、全力で取り組んでいる間は、何も思い悩｛なや｝んだりせずにすむ。

I'm ninety percent certain the bolded sentence isn't being negated, so how do I go about translating a 何も in a positive sentence?

You say you're 90% certain it isn't negative but what about the せずに part? — user3856370, Jan 18 '21 at 13:19
@user3856370 Hold up, hold up, the adverb せずに is negating the sentence? — Toyu_Frey, Jan 18 '21 at 13:20
Not the whole sentence, just the 何も思い悩んだりせずに part = "without (doing things like) worrying about anything" — user3856370, Jan 18 '21 at 13:28

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered Jan 18 '21 at 14:31

You're correct that 何も is a negative polarity item that means "(not) at all". But you seem to have missed せず is a negative verb that roughly means しないで.

その時々の課題をクリアすることに、全力で取り組んでいる間は、何も思い悩なやんだりせずにすむ。
As long as you put all your energy into completing the task at hand, you don't have to worry about anything at all.

What does the 何も mean in the bolded positive sentence?

1 Answers1