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Everyone goes through periods when they feel low, lethargic, or stressed. These episodes usually pass after a while, but if symptoms linger or begin to interfere with daily life, people should seek professional help. Otherwise, people can take several steps to boost their mood, such as exercising more, spending time outdoors, volunteering, meditating, and keeping a gratitude journal.
Even if arthritis runs in one’s family, people can still lower their risk for the three most common types—osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gout—by adopting lifestyle and dietary changes.
A 2023 study found a link between excess abdominal fat and lower brain volume, particularly in regions involved in thinking, memory, and performing everyday tasks.
A 2023 study suggests that women who have both ovaries removed before menopause face higher odds of several health conditions, including arthritis, sleep apnea, and bone fractures.
The use of sleep tracking devices is increasing, but using a sleep tracker can contribute to anxiety and insomnia. Data from the device can influence how a person feels after awakening, even if the data aren’t accurate. Sleep trackers can make people more aware of their sleep patterns and potentially help identify sleep disorders, but the data generated can be confusing and lead people to ignore how they feel after sleeping. A special form of cognitive behavioral therapy called CBTi is designed to improve insomnia and anxiety around sleep.
Bedbugs are tiny, flightless insects that feed on the blood of sleeping people and animals. After being nearly eradicated more than 50 years ago, bedbugs are now more resistant to pesticides and have resurged over the past decade. Bedbugs don’t transmit diseases, but some people have an allergic response to their saliva. People can keep bedbugs from getting into their home by inspecting hotel bedding, unpacking clothes directly into a hot washer or dryer, keeping coats isolated while visiting others, and inspecting used furniture before bringing it home.
A 2023 study suggests that eating more red meat—about a one additional serving each day—is linked to a higher risk of developing diabetes than those who eat less.
A pulled muscle sometimes feels similar to a pinched nerve. But muscle pain is usually dull and doesn’t radiate outward, while pinched nerve pain is sharp and burning and extends from one area to another. Pinched nerves can stem from pregnancy, arthritis, or injuries.
Falls are the leading cause of injuries and accidental deaths among Americans 65 and older. Women fall more often than men and are far more likely to show up at an emergency room because of a fall. Women are especially vulnerable to falling due to weaker bones, lower muscle mass, higher rates of incontinence and antidepressant use, and a tendency to multitask. People can reduce their fall risk by doing strength and balance exercises, getting regular vision and hearing exams, reviewing their medications, and keeping floors clutter-free.
Compared with people who sit for eight hours daily, people who sit more than 12 hours a day may be more likely to die prematurely. But just 22 minutes of brisk walking or similar activity daily may offset that risk, according to a 2023 study.