Category: Health

Girts Ragelis/Shutterstock The vagus nerve has become the internet’s favourite body part. On social media, it is everywhere. People hum into their phones, gargle with theatrical enthusiasm, dunk their faces into bowls of ice water and poke at their ears in the hope of “activating” it. Influencers describe it as a hidden master switch for […]

The menopause was associated with poorer sleep, increased mental health problems and even changes within the brain itself. Gladskikh Tatiana/ Shutterstock Menopause is a key period in a woman’s life. This transition is often accompanied by wide-ranging physical and psychological symptoms — some of which can be debilitating and affect daily life. Menopause has also […]

Diet can play a key role in preventing heart disease. Marian Weyo/ Shutterstock Cholesterol has long been seen as a key culprit in cardiovascular disease. While it’s true that cholesterol does play a role, not all cholesterol is bad for us. There are two main types of cholesterol. The first type is low-density lipoprotein or […]

Psychoanalysis is having a moment. Instagram accounts dedicated to Freudian theory have amassed nearly 1.5 million followers. Television shows like Orna Guralnik’s Couples Therapy have become compulsive viewing. Think pieces in The New York Times, The London Review of Books, Harper’s, New Statesman, the Guardian and Vulture are declaring psychoanalysis’s resurrection. As Joseph Bernstein of […]

The route a drug takes into the body can matter as much as the drug itself – and rectal use brings risks that are rarely talked about openly. Often called “boofing”, “booty bumping” or “plugging”, the practice involves taking drugs via the rectum rather than swallowing, snorting or injecting. In health settings, this route is […]

Irin Fierce/Shutterstock.com A new study has ignited the debate over whether every pregnant woman should take low-dose aspirin. For years, it has been recommended for women at high risk of pre-eclampsia. This dangerous condition can cause high blood pressure and organ damage. The argument for giving it to all pregnant women is straightforward: current screening […]

The sports featured at the Winter Olympics defy gravity and physics. Many competitors move at breakneck speeds down steep, snowy inclines or careen across icy surfaces in a bid to set world records and earn their place on the podium. But as exciting as these events are for spectators, they also place competitors at serious […]

MAYA LAB/Shutterstock The latest wellness trend and “sleep hack” involves switching off the bathroom light before stepping into the shower. In the dimness, the water feels louder, the day’s visual clutter fades and the hope is that sleep will come more easily. This practice, often called “dark showering”, has spread on social media, with people […]

As Valentine’s Day approaches, restaurant bookings fill up and couples exchange cards, flowers and carefully chosen gifts. For some, it’s a day of closeness and connection. For others, it can bring anxiety, disappointment or emotional distance. These different reactions may feel deeply personal. But in terms of psychology, they may reflect something much deeper – […]

adriaticfoto/Shutterstock As dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases become more common worldwide, researchers are searching urgently for ways to protect the brain as we age. One area attracting growing attention is hormones, particularly the role of hormone therapy during and after menopause. This interest is partly driven by the fact that women develop Alzheimer’s disease more […]