Sleep Archive

When you are a caregiver for an aging parent, the joy of gathering for holiday meals can be overshadowed by stress. Planning in advance for things like the day’s schedule, timing of the meal, what food your parent can or will eat, and making sure medications are taken will help children and parents enjoy the meal with as little stress as possible.

In three long-term studies, children of centenarians had lower rates of high blood pressure when compared with others whose parents had shorter life spans. They also tended to have less heart disease, develop health problems later, and live about three years longer.

From facts to skills, sleep helps the brain process what you take in during the day, and cutting it short may affect more than energy.

Sleeping in a dark room may do more than improve sleep; it may also benefit heart health. A 2026 study linked nighttime light exposure with harmful changes in heart structure and higher risks of heart failure, atrial fibrillation, heart attack, stroke, and death from heart disease.

Navigating whether or when an older person should limit or stop driving is tricky. Whether these concerns are about a family member or yourself, it's helpful to be aware of red flags and to understand how driving abilities -- and risk for motor vehicle accidents -- change with age.

Depression may be more common as people age, but new data suggest that the biggest threat to older adults’ mental health is their failure to recognize its symptoms and seriousness. Many chalk up depression as a normal part of aging, but addressing it as a real and treatable disease can help older adults seek the help they need and not needlessly suffer.

Periodontal disease, the leading cause of adult tooth loss, may increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and dementia.

Good dental health protects against not only gum disease, gum inflammation, and tooth loss but also many other age-related diseases. Like other aspects of health care, prevention is the best medicine when it comes to your teeth and gums. People should see their dentist every six months for check-ups, x-rays as needed, and cleanings. In between, they should follow a daily dental hygiene routine of rinsing, brushing, and flossing to help reduce plaque buildup, gingivitis, and cavities.

Most people know that as they age, they need to put effort into staying healthy by eating carefully, exercising, and getting enough sleep. But there is another element to healthy aging: keeping your mind engaged helps protect brain health, and one way to do that is by maintaining an active social life.

For people with sleep apnea and hypertension, using a mandibular advancement device provided similar blood pressure control and less daytime sleepiness as continuous positive airway pressure, according to a 2026 study.