Mobility, safety, and fall prevention Archive

Sleep is the body's time for restoration and recuperation. It's when toxins are flushed out of the brain, tissue is repaired, muscles grow, memories are consolidated, and hormones are released. Over time, getting too little sleep or fragmented sleep impairs concentration and mood and increases the risks for many chronic diseases. It helps to try to identify and address factors that may be interrupting sleep, such as snoring bed partners, alcohol, heartburn, underlying health conditions, an uncomfortable sleeping environment, or medication side effects.

Certain healthy habits can fight chronic inflammation, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, maintaining good oral health, and reducing stress. If adopting all those habits seems daunting, taking little steps in their direction can help. For example, a person might eat fatty fish twice a week, since it contains omega-3 fatty acids known to reduce inflammation; or go for a quick daily walk, since exercise may increase the production of hormones that help keep inflammation in check. The combined effects of many little habits can eventually add up to keep people healthier.

A 2022 study tracking 115,000 people 65 and older found that adding strength training to aerobic exercise lowered the risk of dying, regardless of cause, over nearly eight years of follow-up.

A health care proxy is a person designated to make health care decisions for someone who becomes unable to make them. The best candidate for the job is someone who knows the patient well, such as a family member or friend. The proxy needs the emotional and mental ability to make decisions based on what the patient wants, no matter the health scenario or environment, such as a hospital or long-term care facility. At the time of proxy selection, the patient should communicate his or her beliefs, values, and wishes for care.

Drug ads appear everywhere in the US, but how do highly promoted new medications stack up against other available treatments? Aside from cost –– including billions spent on marketing –– there may also be health implications.

Screening tests, such as Pap smears or blood pressure checks, could save your life. But the benefits of screening tests tend to decline as we age. Learn about the limits of screening.

Increasingly, floods, fires, and extreme weather stemming from climate change are contributing to large-scale health and safety issues for people everywhere. There are steps you and your family can take to help protect your health.

Cannabis is legal in a growing number of states for adult recreational or medical use, or both. As access expands, here's what to know about safely purchasing and using cannabis products.

Physical touch has long been linked to the healing process of medicine, but a person's comfort level with this may depend on their feelings and life experiences. Here's why touch matters during medical visits, and how to get the care you need while having your wishes respected.

Even though motorcycles are riskier than other modes of transportation, the number of motorcycles registered in the US has doubled in the past 20 years. A study examined whether large gatherings of bikers would lead to more fatal accidents and an increase in rates of organ donation.