Sleep quality 'improves with age'

The belief that older people tend to suffer worse sleep may be false - in fact the reverse may be true, according to US researchers.A telephone survey of more than 150,000 adults suggested that, apart from a blip in your 40s, sleep quality gets better with age. Those in their 80s reported the best sleep, says the study in Sleep journal. A UK sleep researcher said while poor health could affect sleep, it was a "myth" that age alone was a factor. While...

Read More

Cure hangover with yoga

Ardha Matsyendrasana Sit with one knee bent on the ground, now place the other leg across it With the opposite arm, lock the knee from outside and grasp the foot Keep other arm behind the back, twist the spine and look back Hold for 10-30 seconds, breathing normally Repeat on the other side Bhungasana and Parvatasana 1&2 Lie down on your stomach Keep your palms next to your chest Inhale, arch up Now, exhale lifting your hips upwards while...

Read More

What happens when I get a mouth ulcer?

Those irritating sores in your mouth can be easily avoided. What's that? Your mouth hurts and it's not because of excessive speaking. "Ulcers have multiple causes ranging from stress to the big C," says Dr S K Thakur, consultant gastroenterology, Moolchand Medcity, New Delhi. Identify it: A red patch that develops a yellowish centre causing a fair amount of pain, especially during eating and drinking. Think of it as a mouth zit, but don't try to...

Read More

Seven deadly signs

When Jay Mehra, MD, met Mudit Arora at a restaurant at Bandra in Mumbai, alarm bells immediately rang with the general practitioner. Noticing Mudit's particularly "fleshy" hand, Jay suspected he had a brain tumour (the condition causes soft tissue deposits in the hands). The diagnosis was confirmed and the tumour successfully removed. All thanks to a handshake. The lesson is that however innocuous your symptoms, they could be a life-saving early...

Read More

The hard cell

Here's something you won't hear too often on these pages: Think small. Your body's tiniest building blocks-your cells -hold the secret to long life and great health. They are ultimately responsible for everything: Your movement, memories, immune response, even your breathing. If they work, so does everything else. When they fail, it brings on ageing, disease and, eventually, death. Here is the definitive guide to micromanaging your health and putting...

Read More

Confront your addiction

Some of us know our limits. Others don't. But even fewer know why addiction happens in the first place. The seeds of the disease-happy hours, one-night stands, risky wagers-define masculinity itself. Are you man enough to look at your worst habits? It's a simple story. My friend turned into a cat. He turned a corner and disappeared. The white colonnade multiplied manifold, the crows spread their menacing wings. And I found myself waiting for the...

Read More