Healthy aging and longevity Archive

Research we're watching

Urban legends have linked full moons to everything from werewolves to erratic behavior, but a new study connects them to something else — sleep loss. A Jan. 27, 2021, study in Science Advances found that people fell asleep later and slept for less time over all in the three to five days leading up to a full moon. The effect was even more pronounced in areas where people had less access to artificial light.

To come to their conclusions, researchers studied people in three communities in Argentina: one on the outskirts of a city, a small rural settlement with limited access to electricity, and a group of people in a remote area who had no access to electric light. The study authors also analyzed the sleep of 464 University of Washington students who took part in a sleep study. All participants wore sleep-tracking devices for at least one week and in some cases up to two months. The researchers compared their sleep patterns to the moon phases. Individuals took from 30 to 80 minutes longer to fall asleep during the lead-up to the full moon, and people lost anywhere from 20 minutes to 90 minutes of total sleep on those nights. The researchers said it's possible that the full moon made people more active at night, which is why sleep differences were more pronounced in communities with less access to electricity. Artificial light, they said, might produce a similar effect.

Childhood trauma may raise the risk of cardiovascular disease, but making lifestyle changes can help you stay healthy.

Traumatic childhood experiences may have a lasting effect on your heart health.

A review published online Dec. 2, 2020, by JAMA Cardiology found that adults who had multiple adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) — like being neglected; suffering physical, sexual, or emotional abuse; or witnessing violence at home — had double the risk of cardiovascular disease and an early death compared with people who didn't face any ACEs at all.

In rare cases, people who have had cosmetic dermal fillers experience swelling after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, but this shouldn't stop people with fillers from being vaccinated.

Chemical peels can help improve your skin, if you choose the right product and follow safety instructions.

As you age, your skin changes, and not always in a good way. Some of the most common problems are caused by sun damage, including dark spots, rough texture, fine lines, and wrinkles. Chemical peels, which use a chemical solution to remove the top layers of the skin, are billed as one way to target these changes and improve the skin. Peels can be done at home, in a medical spa, or at a dermatologist's office. But the question is, are they really effective or good for your skin?

Dr. Hye Jin "Leah" Chung, assistant professor in the Department of Dermatology at Harvard Medical School, says yes, chemical peels can help your skin. But that endorsement comes with a caveat, she says. "They are beneficial as long as you use the right agent and the right technique," says Dr. Chung. Used incorrectly, chemical peels can be harmful and even cause burns or pigment changes.

With summer approaching, you need to be more attentive about sun protection.

Men have many skin challenges as they age. They develop wrinkles, lines, spots, and discoloration. Older men also are at greater risk for the two most common skin cancers: basal cell carcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.

Without adequate sun protection, these conditions can become more frequent and severe.

In the journals

Afternoon naps can recharge a weary body; now research has found they also may boost cognitive function. An observational study published online Jan. 25, 2021, by General Psychiatry looked at 2,214 healthy people ages 60 and older in China, where afternoon naps are common. The participants were asked about whether they napped at least five minutes after lunch. Two-thirds took naps, and the others did not.

Everyone then underwent testing to measure various mental skills, such as memory, naming, attention, calculation, and orientation. The researchers then obtained more specifics about their napping habits, including how long they napped and how often per week.

Whether you're new to walking or a seasoned stroller, here are some ways to boost your routines.

Walking is one of the most straightforward exercises. You just need a good pair of walking shoes, and off you go.

Like any kind of cardio activity, walking can improve your heart health, strengthen your immune system, and help you manage your weight.

Whether you're an exercise novice or a gym regular, these tips can help you get the most out of your workout.

When it comes to exercise, timing is everything — but not in the way we normally think about timing. What matters most is making the time to exercise regularly, not when it happens. That said, your personal experience and specific goals may influence what workout schedule works best for you.

"If you're just starting a physical activity routine, any time that you feel motivated and energized enough to exercise is the best time for you," says Dr. Beth Frates, clinical assistant professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at Harvard Medical School. For some people, that's in the morning; for others, the afternoon works better. But if you can work out with a friend, choose a time that works best for both of you, she suggests. Teaming up with an exercise buddy is more enjoyable, and you can hold each other accountable.

News briefs

A little afternoon snooze can help you feel more rested — and it might do you good in other ways, too. A small study from China published online Jan. 25, 2021, by General Psychiatry suggests that afternoon naps (between five minutes and two hours long) may be good for your memory and thinking skills. Researchers put more than 2,200 older adults through a series of health screenings that included blood tests and cognitive assessments, and also asked participants whether and how often they napped. About 1,500 of the participants were nappers. Compared with people who didn't nap, the nappers performed better on cognitive tests, scoring better on location awareness, verbal fluency, and memory. The study was observational, so it can't prove that napping caused the better cognitive test results. Previous studies have shown that afternoon nap benefits decline as age and nap duration increase. Short, frequent naps (less than 30 minutes, four times per week) have been associated with reduced risks for developing Alzheimer's disease. In contrast, people who take long naps (two hours or longer) appear to have worse cognitive function, although it is unclear what is cause and what is effect.

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Exercising, avoiding pollutant exposure, controlling weight, and other strategies may help you breathe easier.

You may not know it, but your lungs — like many of your organs — have some backup power to get you through situations that stress your health. This excess capacity, called physiological reserve, helps your lungs weather infection and chronic disease.

Lung reserve is robust when we're young, but it diminishes over time as part of the normal aging process. Smoking or long-term lung diseases such as asthma, chronic bronchitis, or emphysema can accelerate that decline. Diminished reserve makes us more vulnerable to a new or sudden lung problem. "If you get a severe infection and start with lower lung function compared to when you were younger, you have less reserve capacity and you won't tolerate the infection as well," says Dr. Richard Schwartzstein, chief of the Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine Division at Harvard-affiliated Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.