We all need to sleep, and lack of sleep is linked to depression, behavioural disorders and some of our leading preventable diseases including obesity, heart disease and diabetes. According to a recent poll of 2000 adults by the Royal Society for Public Health, we only get an average of 6.8 hours a night, far less […]
Vital signs have long been used by doctors to decide if we are fit and well, or if our bodies are struggling with underlying ill health. A weak pulse, a high temperature or low blood oxygen can point to underlying medical problem like infection, heart disease, asthma and kidney problems. Increasingly, however, a booming industry […]
Scans are used in pregnancy to determine the growth and health of the foetus. Ultrasound measurements have been commonly used to detect fetal macrosomia, when a baby in the womb is significantly larger than average. It can be hard to accurately tell a baby’s weight from the size of a mother’s tummy during pregnancy. Women […]
When does the flu season start and why should people have the jab done now? How long does it take to ‘work’? The Flu season tends to begin as the months get colder. The vaccine can take between 10 to 14 days to become effective so the sooner eligible individuals receive their jab once vaccine […]
At One Young World this year, we are hosting a session on the role young people can play in helping to set the health policy agenda. As a young person, I think this session is so very important. Growing up, I often felt like I could not change the policies that affected my health. I […]
Hormones, which are produced in endocrine glands throughout the body, regulate our metabolism, our sex lives and even our moods. If hormone balance is disturbed for any reason, the result can health problems such as depression, weight gain and even infertility. ‘An imbalance of hormones is something which should be taken seriously. But seeking help as soon as you notice […]
Going back to work after the summer vacations can be hard enough, but if you’re a shift worker the stress of going back to work may sound even more daunting. Shift work means working outside of the 9 am to 6 pm routine hours, and in some cases throughout the night. Research reports that shift […]
It’s a common phenomenon; a man complains he’s feeling too hot and throws off the duvet while his female partner burrows under it and wishes she had some woolly socks. The difference between male and female temperature control is not simply hearsay. There are proven differences between men and women when it comes to the way their circulatory system […]
Popping a vitamin pill is something we do to try and stay healthy. It is no surprise that the over-65s are around twice as likely as the under-24s to take supplements. But do they actually work? In the case of antioxidants, including Vitamin C, A, and E, there is conflicting evidence about their health benefits. A number of […]
Whatever hours you keep, and how many times you cross time zones, you can’t change your physiology. You are always going to be a 24-hour person, running on a precisely calibrated body clock which dictates when you feel sleepy, aroused, hungry, cooler and warmer. Although the sleep-wake cycle is the most obvious circadian rhythm, endocrine […]