What Do Sleep Medications Do to Your Brain?

MONDAY, Jan. 13, 2025 (HealthDay news) -- The sleep aid Ambien could be allowing toxic proteins to pollute the brain, potentially increasing a person’s risk of disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.

Drugs like the main ingredient in Ambien, zolpidem, suppresses a system designed to clear protein waste from the brain during dreamle...

Fecal Transplants May Help People Who Have Diabetes, Gut Issues, Study Says

A fecal transplant could help people whose type 1 diabetes has fouled up their digestive system.

Swallowing a handful of capsules filled with donor feces helped ease gut pain, nausea, bloating and diarrhea stemming from diabetes, researchers reported in a study published recently in the journal EClinicalMedicine.

“The ...

Link Between Gum Disease, Brain Function Exists, Small Study Says

Gum disease appears to disrupt brain activity, potentially increasing a person’s risk of cognitive decline.

People with gum disease experienced altered connections between different brain regions, compared to folks with good dental health, MRI scans show in a new study. 

“These differences suggest that periodontitis ...

Access to Green Space May Help Reduce Kids' Screen Time

Want to help your child cut back on their screen time?

Make sure you live near parks and other open spaces where they can frolic outside.

New research underlines the importance of green space access as an alternative to spending time on screens, described as watching television, playing video games, and non-school related computer u...

Can Carrots Help Treat Type 2 Diabetes?

Munching on carrots may help benefit your health, especially if you live with type 2 diabetes.

At least, that is the hope of researchers in Denmark.

"We see carrots as a potential component of future dietary strategies for type 2 diabetes," says Lars Porskjær Christensen, professor of analytical chemistry at the Department of ...

The Best Ways to Quit Vaping

Text-based support programs are one of the best ways to help young people quit vaping, a new evidence review says.

These texts offer motivational messages and tips for quitting vaping.

“I think it’s clear that this approach helps young people,” senior researcher Jamie Hartmann-Boyce, an assistant professor of health...

Job Strain Can Worsen Sleep Longterm, Data Suggests

Ever woke in the night with your thoughts racing about work problems, co-worker disputes, or heavy career decisions?

Well, it’s more common than you think.

Job stress is robbing U.S. workers of the sleep they need, researchers reported in a study published Jan. 8 in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine.

Wo...

Childhood Smoking Ups COPD Risk

Young teens might think smoking makes them look cool, but it’s likely to take their breath away in adulthood, a new study says.

Children who start smoking prior to age 15 have a 27% increased risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as adults, compared to those who started smoking later, researchers found in a ...

Can Doctors Estimate Life Expectancy After a Dementia Diagnosis?

The clock is running for people who’ve been diagnosed with dementia, but the time they have left depends on their age.

Average life expectancy for people with dementia is largely based on their age at diagnosis, researchers found in a new evidence review.

Dementia reduces life expectancy by about 2 years for those diagnosed at ...

Being Told to 'Calm Down,' Other Microaggressions May Raise Risk for Postpartum Hypertension

The words “calm down” are worse than unhelpful -- they actually can increase blood pressure among new mothers of color, a study has found.

Gender-based racism through such microaggressions significantly increased a new mom’s blood pressure, compared to women not subjected to these sort of comments, researchers reported in...

Avoiding Isolation By Volunteering Offers Mental Health Benefits to Seniors

Delivering meals to the infirm. Tutoring a student. Patrolling a city park. Helping out at a local library.

All these activities not only serve the community, but also can help seniors avoid depression related to social isolation.

Volunteering reduces the risk of depression by 43% among seniors, researchers reported in a study publis...

Poor Sleep Hurts Work Productivity, Survey Shows

Got brain fog? Can't concentrate because you didn't sleep well -- or sleep much at all -- last night?

Tiredness and fatigue from sleep deprivation are common problems, says the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). Inadequate rest can lead to individual mood and health issues, as well as dips in work productivity, which extends the problem to w...

Fitness Matters More Than Weight for Longevity, Study Says

When it comes to living a longer life, staying active may matter far more than what the scale says.

Per the largest study yet on fitness, body weight, and longevity published recently in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, researchers found that people who are aerobically fit (i.e., how well your heart, lungs, and mus...

Non-Opioids Can Ease Post-Dental Surgery Pain Better Than Opioids, Study Shows

Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs acetaminophen and ibuprofen are better at managing dental pain than opioids.

People who had their wisdom teeth removed got better results from an acetaminophen/ibuprofen combo than with a hydrocodone prescription, researchers reported on Jan. 4 in the Journal of the American Dental Association.

T...

Can Exercise Ease Knee Pain? Here's What the Research Shows

Movement is medicine, or so they tell people with knee osteoarthritis -- but are they right?

A recent evidence review calls into question just how helpful exercise can be for easing the pain of knee arthritis.

“Exercise probably results in an improvement in pain, physical function, and quality of life in the short‐term,&r...

Sauna Misuse May Lead to Heat Stroke, Data Suggests

Basking in a sauna can be a nice way to relieve stress or relax muscles following a workout.

But soaking too long can increase a person’s risk of heat stroke, particularly if they aren’t well-hydrated, doctors warn.

Most cases of heat stroke occur on hot days, due to overexertion, researchers say.

However, “sa...