Staying Healthy Archive

The use of sleep tracking devices is increasing, but using a sleep tracker can contribute to anxiety and insomnia. Data from the device can influence how a person feels after awakening, even if the data aren't accurate. Sleep trackers can make people more aware of their sleep patterns and potentially help identify sleep disorders, but the data generated can be confusing and lead people to ignore how they feel after sleeping. A special form of cognitive behavioral therapy called CBTi is designed to improve insomnia and anxiety around sleep.

Falls are the leading cause of injuries and accidental deaths among Americans 65 and older. Women fall more often than men and are far more likely to show up at an emergency room because of a fall. Women are especially vulnerable to falling due to weaker bones, lower muscle mass, higher rates of incontinence and antidepressant use, and a tendency to multitask. People can reduce their fall risk by doing strength and balance exercises, getting regular vision and hearing exams, reviewing their medications, and keeping floors clutter-free.

Pharmacies across the United States are struggling with budget cuts and staffing shortages. As a result, customers are sometimes experiencing delays in getting their prescriptions filled. Until pharmacies resolve their challenges, customers might need to work a little harder to get their medications promptly. One strategy that can help is ordering prescription refills early. If customers continue to have frequent delays at their pharmacies, they might consider switching their prescriptions to another store.

Maintaining good dental health protects against not only gum disease but also helps ward off many other age-related diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, stroke, and dementia. The most common form of gum disease is gingivitis, which begins when bacteria buildup in the mouth causes plaque and tartar to form on teeth and can lead to tooth decay. Because regular dental care can be expensive, daily self-care is the best preventive medicine. A proper dental routine consists of five steps: rinsing, brushing, flossing, tongue scraping, and another rinse.

By now many people have started working on –– or at least thinking about –– healthy changes they want to make in the new year. Here are 10 simple ways to move beyond typical resolutions about losing weight, eating better, and exercising more.

Lung cancer kills more Americans than any other cancer. The latest guidelines from the American Cancer Society aim to reduce deaths by considerably expanding the pool of people who seek annual, low-dose CT lung screening scans.

Some people have poor circulation, but if your fingers pale and go numb when exposed to quick changes in temperature, it could be Raynaud's phenomenon, a different kind of circulation problem. Generally, avoiding sudden exposure to cold and other factors that cause blood vessels to constrict, and being prepared with gloves and extra layers of clothing, helps.

Can watching sports –– not just the rough and tumble of playing them –– be harmful to your health? Whether you're at a live event or clicking through channels, it may be riskier than you think when weather, stress, and racing heart rates are factored in. Here's a game day plan that can help.