Despite all the grumbling at the time, most Americans now look back upon pandemic-era policies as a good idea, a new poll shows. A majority of Americans see four key pandemic policies as “generally a good idea” in retrospect: Mask requirements in stores and businesses (70%) Healthcare worker vaccination requirements (65%) Indoor dining closures (63%)…  read on >  read on >

Adults’ phobias can be correlated with changes in the structure of their brains, a new study finds. What’s more, the neurological differences seen in adults with phobias are more extensive than those observed in people with other forms of anxiety. Phobia is the most common anxiety disorder, affecting more than 12% of people, said the…  read on >  read on >

Exercising in natural surroundings — a jog through a park, a bicycle ride along a trail — could be more beneficial than working out indoors, a new review suggests. However, access to natural areas that are public varies widely, with not everyone having the chance to exercise outdoors, the investigators noted. “The research is clear…  read on >  read on >

Opioid overdoses in pregnant women are at an all-time high in the United States, and researchers think they’ve figured out one way to counter this phenomenon. Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is strongly tied to substance use disorders, which means some women who become pregnant are taking ADHD medications while receiving treatment for opioid addiction. Researchers…  read on >  read on >

Summertime is primetime for the great outdoors, but that can mean new hazards for your eyes, one expert warned. Simple steps can help cut the risk, said ophthalmologist Dr. Masih Ahmed, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Out in the sun This one has an easy fix: Sunglasses.…  read on >  read on >