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Daily Self-Hypnosis Decreases Hot Flashes
Self-hypnosis might help some women in menopause find relief from hot flashes. Hot flash frequency and intensity decreased by more than 50% among women who listened to a daily audio hypnosis session, researchers reported Nov. 11 in JAMA Network Open. "All sessions were...
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Regularly Listening to Music Lowers Dementia Risk
Listening to your favorite singers may do more than lift your mood - it could also protect your brain. A new study from Australian researchers found that older adults who regularly listened to music had a 39% lower risk of developing dementia compared to those who didn't...
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Eat These 4 Nutrients to Lower Blood Pressure
High blood pressure, often called "the silent killer," typically has no symptoms but is responsible for nearly half of all heart disease and stroke-related deaths worldwide. Left untreated, hypertension can also raise the risk of kidney disease and other serious organ...
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Dr. Crandall: Long-Term Melatonin May Harm Heart
New research is raising concerns about long-term melatonin use. According to the American Heart Association, a study found that people who took melatonin for more than a year had a higher risk of developing heart failure within five years compared to nonusers. They were also...
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Dark Chocolate May Give Memory a Quick Boost
Japanese researchers have discovered how the astringent "bite" of cocoa flavanols can stimulate the brain - even though very little of the compound actually enters the bloodstream. In mouse studies, the sensation of astringency triggered sensory nerves that activated...
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How a Full Moon Affects Sleep
For centuries, people have wondered if the moon has the power to influence our behavior and health. Many believe that when the full moon's radiant glow lights up the night sky, it can stir something deep within us-affecting our sleep, emotions, and even our sanity. In fact,...
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Just 3,000 Steps Daily Slows Alzheimer's Decline
A new study found that taking as few as 3,000 to 5,000 steps daily can slow the decline of Alzheimer's disease in people at increased risk by as much as three years. The study, published in Nature Medicine, involved older patients who had biological signs of the illness,...
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Family Recordings Might Ease ICU Delirium
A comforting voice from home might be enough to soothe ICU patients on ventilation, a new study says. As many as 4 in 5 ICU patients on mechanical ventilation develop delirium, or sudden confusion, panic, upset and anger. But playing recorded messages from a family member can...
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Can Simple Hand Exercises Prevent Dementia?
One of the latest trends sweeping social media are videos of hand and finger exercises said to prevent Alzheimer's disease and dementia. These exercises include clapping, tapping, arm circles, and intricate finger movements in various directions. While they may seem simple,...
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Long-Term Melatonin Might Harm Heart Health
Folks using melatonin supplements as a sleep aid might be putting themselves at risk for future heart problems, a new study says. Adults with insomnia who'd been using melatonin for a year or more had 90% higher odds of heart failure, researchers are scheduled to report Nov....
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Watching Inspiring Videos Cuts Stress, Boosts Mood
A surprising new study has found that watching short inspirational videos can be just as effective as meditation for lifting mood and reducing stress. For the study, 1,000 men and women, ages 18 to 86, watched a three- to five-minute inspiring video, or comedy clips, or...
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Dr. Small: 'Green' Mediterranean Diet Protects the Brain
A healthy diet doesn't just benefit your waistline - it may also help keep your brain sharp as you age. New research published in Clinical Nutrition suggests that a "green Mediterranean" diet can slow brain aging and improve cognitive health.Dr. Gary Small, a brain health...
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Doctors Latest Prescriptions Are to Get Outside
Find a shady spot under a tree, take a breath of fresh air and call me in the morning. Health care providers have long suggested stressed-out patients spend time outdoors. Now hundreds of providers are going a step further and issuing formal prescriptions to get outside. The...
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Study: Warm Foods Ease Anxiety, Improve Sleep
Feeling anxious or having trouble sleeping? A bowl of hot soup or a cup of tea may do more than warm you up - it could help calm your mind. A 2025 study from San Diego State University found that consuming cold foods and drinks in summer was linked to higher levels of...
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Do This Now to Prepare for the Time Change
With autumn officially here, another change is on the horizon - the end of daylight saving time. The U.S. will "fall back" next weekend, on Sunday, November 2 at 2 a.m. Despite calls to eliminate the practice, daylight saving time remains in effect across most of the...
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Seaweed Could Replace Some Animal Testing
Scientists have found an unlikely new material for growing tissue: Seaweed. The ocean plant, best known for wrapping sushi or floating along the shore, may soon help doctors repair hearts and reduce animal testing. In a study published Oct. 21 in Biointerphases, researchers...
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What to Do When 'Sunset Anxiety' Strikes
As the days grow shorter and the sun sets earlier, you may notice yourself feeling anxious, irritable, or down. You're not imagining it - "sunset anxiety" is a real phenomenon that affects many people this time of year. Sunset anxiety refers to the unease, nervousness, or...
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Music May Help Ease Pain from Surgery, Illness
Nurse Rod Salaysay works with all kinds of instruments in the hospital: a thermometer, a stethoscope and sometimes his guitar and ukulele. In the recovery unit of UC San Diego Health, Salaysay helps patients manage pain after surgery. Along with medications, he offers tunes...
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Breathe Your Way to Calm
When stress and anxiety hit, many of us instinctively hold our breath and tense up. But experts say the key to calming your body and mind is to do the opposite: breathe slowly and evenly. A technique called "resonance breathing" can help bring your nervous system back into...
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Dr. Small: Mind-Body Strategies Ease Chronic Pain
Billions of people around the world live with chronic pain - and a staggering 40% of them also experience depression and anxiety. "People usually assume that pain is a purely physical phenomenon," said Dr. Gary Small, a brain health expert and chair of psychiatry at the...
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Living Alone May Be Toxic to the Brain
A new study on rats conducted by researchers at the University of Florida and Providence College found that living alone acted like a toxin in their aging brains, speeding up cognitive decline. The study involved 19 rats divided into two groups and tracked over 26 months -...
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Walking Backward Adds Physical, Mental Benefits
Here's a simple way to switch up your walking routine: try walking backward. Taking a brisk walk is an exercise rich in simplicity, and it can have impressive mental and physical benefits: stronger bones and muscles, cardiovascular fitness and stress relief, to name a few....
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HEPA Air Filters Don't Get Rid of Classroom Viruses
School is back in session and with it, the beginning of the cold and flu season. Unfortunately, air purifiers aren't likely to reduce the risk of children's exposure to respiratory viruses in the classroom, researchers reported Oct. 10 in JAMA Network Open. Even...
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This Supplement May Lower Stress, Anxiety
Ashwagandha is one of the most important herbs in Ayurveda, a traditional system of medicine rooted in Indian principles of natural healing. This ancient herb, also known as Indian ginseng, has been used for thousands of years and is now making a popular comeback in modern...
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Practice This Simple Skill to Boosts Longevity
A new study has revealed that verbal fluency may play a surprising role in longevity. By improving your verbal skills, you may also improve your lifespan. Verbal fluency refers to the ability to quickly and efficiently produce words in response to a specific prompt or...