Though the physical health risks posed by COVID-19 are at the top of everyone’s mind, experts warn the pandemic is also exacting a massive toll on mental health. So finds new research emerging on the mental health effects in China, where infection peaks and lockdowns have preceded the American experience by several months. For example,… read on >
If anxiety and fear about COVID-19 are keeping you awake, rest assured: Adopting a few easy-to-follow habits will help you get a good night’s sleep. “Now more than ever, we need to get good sleep,” said Dr. Amy Guralnick, a pulmonologist at Loyola Medicine in Chicago. “Sleep can help our immune system function at its… read on >
No matter where you live, nursing homes and assisted living facilities are now lethal centers for COVID-19 in the United States. Im fact, nursing home residents and workers now comprise between 30% and 40% of all COVID-19 related deaths in the United States, according to estimates. The care centers serve as a “well of infection”… read on >
Air pollution might increase the risk for multiple sclerosis (MS), Italian researchers report. They found that in places with low levels of tiny particles of air pollution called particulate matter, the risk for MS was lower than in areas where those levels were high. In urban areas, the risk was 29% higher than in rural… read on >
Having a child with cancer doesn’t appear to affect parents’ risk of splitting up or their plans to have more kids. That’s the conclusion of a Danish study that compared more than 12,400 parents of children diagnosed with cancer between 1982 and 2014 to nearly 70,000 parents whose kids were cancer-free. Parents were followed until… read on >
With many beaches and parks opening in time for Memorial Day, the American Cancer Society is reminding people to practice sun safety. Overexposing yourself to the sun increases your risk for skin cancer, which is the most common cancer in the United States, with almost 5.5 million cases each year. That’s more than breast, colon,… read on >
People with physically demanding jobs take more sick leave. They also have higher unemployment rates and shorter work lives, a new Danish study finds. “This study showed that high physical work demands are a marked risk factor for a shortened expected working life and increased years of sickness absence and unemployment,” study co-author Lars Andersen… read on >
After weeks of confinement to prevent the spread of COVID-19, kids, teens and grownups alike are probably getting on one another’s nerves big time by now. So what’s the secret to defusing bouts of pouting, screaming and crying? Experts suggest parents start with understanding. Children and teens miss the lack of personal connection they’re used… read on >
A new blood test might help doctors predict whether someone’s multiple sclerosis may soon get worse. The test looks for a substance called neurofilament light chain. It’s a nerve protein that can be detected when nerve cells die. People with higher levels of it were more likely to have worsening MS effects within the next… read on >
Many people under stay-at-home orders have turned to online yoga as a way to manage the stress. And a new research review suggests they’re onto something. The review, of 19 clinical trials, focused on the benefits of yoga for people with clinical mental health conditions ranging from anxiety disorders to alcohol dependence to schizophrenia. Overall,… read on >
