A record increase was seen in the number of murders in the United States in 2020, in the biggest one-year jump reported since federal officials began tracking homicides in 1960. Figures showed 4,901 more murders committed in 2020 than in 2019. A total of roughly 21,500 people were killed last year, according to data from…  read on >  read on >

MONDAY, Sept. 27, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — Exercise may help reduce symptoms of a common sleep disorder and improve brain function, a small study finds. Exercise training could be a useful supplemental treatment for people with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea, the research showed. The condition is characterized by loud snoring and…  read on >  read on >

It seems like common sense for people who’ve had COVID-19 to think they now have natural immunity, and therefore don’t have to bother getting vaccinated. Common sense, yes, but also incorrect, infectious disease doctors say. Your case of COVID — especially if it was very mild — probably didn’t create enough of an immune response…  read on >  read on >

Help in retaining mental function when you age could be only a few keystrokes away. While crosswords and exercise are often touted as ways to retain thinking skills, U.K. investigators found that the internet may also help seniors stay sharp in retirement. Those who used the internet more after their careers ended had substantially higher…  read on >  read on >

Wearing masks in schools appears to sharply curtail the spread of COVID-19, despite the dominance of the highly contagious Delta variant, two new U.S. studies show. Published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the reports found there were fewer outbreaks in schools that required masks. In the first study, researchers focused on…  read on >  read on >

Trying to fit soccer or Little League into your son’s busy schedule? Canadian researchers offer some compelling reasons to do so. Little boys who play sports are less apt to be anxious or depressed later in childhood and more likely to be active in their early teens, according to the University of Montreal study. “We…  read on >  read on >