Folks frequently use their smartwatches to monitor their daily step count, aiming to get enough physical activity to improve their health. But smartwatches are tracking another measure of health that could prove even more important, a new study suggests. Smartwatches also capture a person’s average daily heart rate, and dividing that by their daily number…  read on >  read on >

Dancing is known to lift the spirit, and a new study shows that Alzheimer’s disease patients respond to the rhythmic moves as well. Dance classes eased agitation in a small group of people with Alzheimer’s disease and other related dementias, researchers reported in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. “This study highlights how movement-based interventions, like…  read on >  read on >

Purposeful splishing and splashing can help you trim your waist size and drop excess pounds, a new evidence review has concluded. Water aerobics led to about 6 pounds of weight loss and more than an inch off the waists of overweight and obese people, researchers reported in the journal BMJ Open. “Specifically, water aerobics interventions…  read on >  read on >

Love pickleball, but facing a knee or hip replacement? Odds are you’ll return to the court in no time, a new study suggests. More than 7 of 10 regular pickleball players pick up their paddle promptly following joint replacement surgery. What’s more, three-quarters say they’re playing as well as before — or even better. “The…  read on >  read on >

A simple rule change for youth soccer dramatically reduced concussion risk among athletes, a new study says. Banning or limiting headers — plays where the head is used to pass or shoot the ball — is linked to a nearly 26% reduction in soccer-related concussions treated in emergency rooms, researchers are scheduled to report at…  read on >  read on >

LED light therapy is touted by social media influencers as a trendy way to treat acne. And it actually appears to work, a new evidence review suggests. Both red and blue LED light therapy are safe and effective in clearing up mild to moderate acne, researchers reported in JAMA Dermatology. “We found individuals who use…  read on >  read on >

Seniors battling insomnia are best off picking up some dumbbells or doing some push-ups, a new evidence review suggests. Resistance exercise, activities that make muscles work against an external force, appears to be the best means of improving sleep in older adults, researchers found. “Exercise that strengthens muscles, rather than aerobic or combination exercises, is…  read on >  read on >

Social media influencers tout the benefits of “cycle syncing” to boost strength training results among women. The idea is that women who lift weights during their period build more muscle, because their bodies are flooded with the female hormone estrogen. But there’s absolutely nothing to this trendy notion, a new small-scale study argues. Researchers found…  read on >  read on >

FRIDAY. Feb. 28, 2025Moving your body helps your brain, a new study suggests. Folks who regularly exercise have better mental and brain health, researchers will report in early April at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Neurology in San Diego and online. Moderate to vigorous physical activity reduces risk of dementia, stroke, anxiety,…  read on >  read on >