Category: harvardhealth_news_UNDEFINED

As men age, many factors affect their energy levels, such as declining muscle mass, unhealthy diet, poor sleep, and increased stress. Addressing these areas are some of the best ways to increase energy levels. Exercise, healthy eating, good sleep, and stress reduction can increase mood-boosting hormones, help the body produce more adenosine triphosphate (the energy-carrying molecules found in cells), and balance blood sugar levels to prevent sudden fatigue, among other benefits.

Occasional forgetfulness and memory lapses are often dismissed as a sign of normal aging. But if these episodes become more frequent or problematic, or if they affect daily life, older adults should consult their primary care physician, A doctor can offer an evaluation for mild cognitive impairment. This includes a brief in-office screening test of thinking skills like short-term recall, concentration, attention, ability to juggle multiple tasks, and orientation to time and place.

Body-weight exercises are ideal substitutes for regular workouts when people are short on time or looking to shake up their usual routine. These types of exercises are not only versatile—as they can be done anytime, anywhere, without any equipment— but they also help improve everyday movements by activating the smaller stabilizing muscles that sometimes get missed when a person uses gym machines or dumbbells.

Activity trackers appear to motivate people to walk 40 more minutes per day, resulting in about two pounds of weight loss per person over time, according to an analysis published in the August 2022 issue of Lancet Digital Health.

The American Heart Association added sleep to its list of factors for cardiovascular health. The others are a healthy diet; physical activity; low levels of nicotine exposure; and healthy levels of weight, cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure.

Statins continue to be a first-line treatment for many people at risk of heart attacks and strokes. They help reduce cholesterol levels, reduce plaque build-up, and protect against plaque rupturing, and fight inflammation. Possible side effects are often mild, if they occur, and go away after a brief period. Otherwise, people can manage them by changing the dosage or switching to another type of statin, per their doctor’s direction.

Several conditions can cause people to feel cold when others are warm. These include low body weight, skipping meals, feeling fatigued, and having a thyroid condition or a low red blood cell count (anemia).

Some people with newly diagnosed mild to moderate open-angle glaucoma have another option for first-line treatment. Instead of using prescription eye drops initially, they can have a laser procedure called selective laser trabeculoplasty (SLT). SLT uses light pulses to help clean up debris clogging the eye’s natural drains. Clogged drains lead to elevated eye pressure that damages the optic nerve. SLT's effects wane after three to five years, at which point it may be necessary to have the procedure again, or to begin using eye drops to treat glaucoma.

Mouth conditions unrelated to the teeth can cause discomfort and affect mouth function. Examples include canker sores, dry mouth, and thrush. Canker sores are painful ulcers that develop in the lining of the mouth or gums. Chronic dry mouth is a lack of saliva. Thrush is an overgrowth of the fungus Candida albicans that appears in the mouth as white patches or sores. Treatment for these conditions may involve simple therapies to try at home or prescription treatments.

Many apps support activities that promote emotional well-being. Happiness apps feature affirmations, meditations, or gratitude journals. Exercise apps track daily physical activity or provide workouts. Meditation apps guide users through various kinds of meditation, such as mindfulness or guided imagery. Sleep apps help people track how long they sleep, and offer instruction to improve sleep hygiene—such as going to sleep and waking up at the same time each day, and avoiding food and drinks at certain times.