Face masks help prevent the spread of COVID-19, but some people find them awkward, uncomfortable or downright unbearable to wear. There’s another good option available for people who just can’t get used to strapping on a face mask while out in public, experts say. Plastic face shields offer another means of deterring COVID-19 that some…  read on >

For many, work-at-home orders aimed at fighting the COVID-19 pandemic have had an unintended side effect: sleep loss. “We’ve seen a significant increase in reports of stress-related insomnia in recent months,” said Julio Fernandez-Mendoza of the Penn State Health Sleep Research and Treatment Center in Hummelstown, Penn. Stress and worry about the pandemic is one…  read on >

In the thick of the coronavirus pandemic, it might be hard to tell if you’ve come down with COVID-19, spring allergies or a cold, which all have some similar symptoms. Fever and dry cough are common symptoms of COVID-19, along with shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, sore throat, diarrhea, fatigue, chills, muscle pain, loss…  read on >

Whether pot use increases the risk of stroke has been hotly debated, and now a new study adds to evidence that it doesn’t. “Our observational study looked specifically at recent cannabis use by reviewing drug testing data for people admitted to the hospital. While more research is needed with larger numbers of people, our study…  read on >

Lassie desperately trying to get Timmy out of the well isn’t a myth — your dog really wants to save you, a new study suggests. “It’s a pervasive legend,” said researcher Joshua Van Bourg, a graduate student in psychology at Arizona State University in Tempe. “The difficult challenge is figuring out why they do it.”…  read on >

An Alzheimer’s diagnosis is devastating, no matter your sex. But the disease strikes far more women than men. Journalist and author Maria Shriver is determined to help researchers figure out why women make up two-thirds of those with Alzheimer’s disease. And why certain races and ethnicities are harder hit, too. “Some of the biggest research…  read on >