Experiencing daytime sleepiness is something that is usually perceived as a minor inconvenience, but for older adults, it could be an early warning sign of Dementia. This neurodegenerative disease leads to the progressive decline of brain cells. This eventually

affects memory, cognition, and personality, making everyday tasks more difficult. As one of the fastest-growing neurological disorders across the world, dementia poses a significant health threat to ageing populations.

Is Dementia Linked To Poor Sleep?

For this study, researchers followed 445 older adults (average age 76) over three years, aiming to determine whether poor sleep could increase the risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI), which often leads to dementia. At the start, none of the participants had MCI, but by the end of the study, 36 individuals had developed the condition.

The researchers discovered that participants with poor sleep were more likely to develop MCI compared to those who slept well. However, when depression symptoms were taken into account, the link between poor sleep and MCI became less pronounced, suggesting that while sleep issues are a concern, mental health also plays a key role in dementia risk.

To assess sleep quality, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used, evaluating factors such as sleep duration, disturbances, and daytime alertness. Among these, "daytime dysfunction"—defined as excessive sleepiness and low energy during the day—was most strongly associated with an increased risk of MCI. Those experiencing daytime dysfunction were more than three times as likely to develop MCI as those who didn’t report such symptoms.

There are many types of dementia:

Dementia is not a specific disease. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is an overall term that describes a decline in mental ability that interferes with daily life. People with dementia often have symptoms like trouble remembering, thinking, or making everyday decisions. These symptoms tend to get worse over time.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, and it mostly affects the elderly. Each form of dementia has a different cause. Though dementia mostly affects older adults, it is not a part of normal ageing. An estimated 6.7 million older adults have Alzheimer's disease in the United States. That number is expected to double by 2060, as per data from the CDC.

In 2022, 3.8% of men and 4.2% women in US were diagnosed with dementia. The percentage of people increase with age from 1.7% for those aged 65-74 to 13.1% for those aged 85 and older. Alzheimer's accounts for 60 to 80% of all dementia cases and it is most prevalent in California, Florida, and Texas, as these states have the highest number of people.

At a press conference in September 2025, President Donald Trump announced of a connection between the use of Tylenol, a popular pain medicine during pregnancy and autism. The active ingredient acetaminophen, while, many studies, have shown does not have any link with childhood autism if consumed during pregnancy. However, Trump insisted that "They", [read the FDA], "are strongly recommending that women limit Tylenol use during pregnancy unless medically necessary...if you cannot tough it out..."

However, a scientific review of 43 studies on acetaminophen use during pregnancy concluded that there was no evidence that the painkiller increased the risk of autism or any other neurodevelopmental disorders.

The lead author of the report, Dr Asma Khalil, professor of obstetrics and maternal fetal medicine at St George's Hospital, University of London, in a news briefing said, "We found no clinically important increase in the risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability." The findings were published on Friday in British medical journal The Lancet.

Dr Khalil said that acetaminophen, which is an active ingredient in Tylenol, remains "the first line treatment that we would recommend if the pregnant women have pain or fever in pregnancy".

Read: Tylenol And Autism: Trump Announces Link Between The Two, Science Does Not Back Him

What Have Earlier Studies Said About Tylenol Use And Autism?

Earlier studies too, including one of which is published in American Family Physician in 2014 also noted that during pregnancy most people used acetaminophen, sold under the brand name Tylenol. Acetaminophen is considered the one safe over-the-counter option for pain or fever for pregnant people. Other common pain relief options like ibuprofen or regular-dose-aspirin is available, however, they can pose serious risk in pregnancy and could lead to complications.

2024 study published in JAMA Network, titled Acetaminophen Use During Pregnancy and Children’s Risk of Autism, ADHD, and Intellectual Disability, there is no risk of autism for mothers who consume the medicine during pregnancy. The study notes: "Acetaminophen use during pregnancy was not associated with children’s risk of autism, ADHD, or intellectual disability in sibling control analyses."

James Cusack, chief executive of Autistica, a UK autism research and campaigning charity in London, who is autistic told Nature: "There is no definitive evidence to suggest that paracetamol use in mothers is a cause of autism, and when you see any associations, they are very, very small. At the heart of this is people trying to look for simple answers to complex solutions.”

Read More: Trump's Claim On Linking Tylenol And Autism Is Unscientific, According To Doctors

Helen Tager-Flusberg, a psychologist who studies autism at Boston University, Massachusetts told Nature, "he better controlled studies are less likely to find even a small risk. And even then, what we're talking about is a minor association. … We do not think that taking acetaminophen is in any way contributing to actually causing autism.”

A study led by Viktor Ahlqvist, an epidemiologist at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm (mentioned above, published in JAMA Network) is considered one of the biggest studies in this subject have also found no such link.

Ahlqvist’s team analyzed data from nearly 2.5 million children born in Sweden between 1995 and 2019, drawing from the nation’s detailed health records. These included acetaminophen prescriptions during pregnancy, self-reported use collected by midwives, and later autism diagnoses in children.

The findings showed autism in about 1.42% of children exposed to acetaminophen prenatally, compared to 1.33% among those not exposed, a difference Ahlqvist described as “very small.”

Medical Institutions Rejected Trump's Tylenol And Autism Claim: Why Is This Medicine Recommended To Pregnant Women Over Other Painkillers?

Medical bodies across the world, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, were quick to push back against the president’s remarks. They stressed that doctors already advise pregnant women to use acetaminophen carefully and warned that leaving a fever untreated during pregnancy can pose serious risks to both the mother and the baby.

Because acetaminophen can enter the brain and cross the placenta, researchers have been studying its potential impact on fetal brain development for over a decade. However, reaching clear conclusions has proved challenging.

One major reason is the ethical limits on research involving pregnant women. Randomized controlled trials, considered the gold standard in medical science, have not been carried out in this case, making it harder to establish cause-and-effect relationships.

Another complication is how commonly acetaminophen is used. Many other painkillers are known to be harmful during pregnancy, which is why acetaminophen has long been recommended as the safest first option. Its over-the-counter availability also makes it difficult for researchers to accurately track how much is taken, how often, and at what stage of pregnancy.

Josie Gibson has shared a candid update about her ongoing health condition, saying it has been getting “worse and worse” as she grows older. The 40-year-old Big Brother winner recently revealed that she has been living with lipoedema, a condition that leads to an uneven and excessive build-up of fat, and explained that neither intense workouts nor strict training routines can reduce it.

The TV presenter, who regularly appears on ITV’s This Morning alongside relief hosts such as Craig Doyle and Dermot O’Leary, featured as a guest on Thursday’s episode of the show. During the segment, she spoke openly with main presenters Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard and offered an update on her health. Below, we explain what this condition involves.

Also Read: Father Donates Liver To Save His One-Year-Old Son From A Rare Liver Disorder

Josie Gibson Opens Up About Battle with Lipoedema

Josie Gibson, best known for her work on ITV’s This Morning, recently spoke about her health during an appearance with regular hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shephard. In a frank discussion, she revealed that her lipoedema has been progressing with age. Reflecting on her diagnosis, she said she had long sensed something was not right with her body but did not know what lipoedema was. She was diagnosed around a year ago and underwent surgery in September. Sharing what doctors have explained to her, Josie said she has consulted specialists in Berlin and met three experts in London.

According to them, her body stores fat differently. Despite training regularly, eating sensibly, and maintaining good overall fitness, she was told that even exercising every day would not remove lipoedema fat, which she described as feeling like hardened or congealed fat.

What Is Lipoedema?

Types of Lipoedema

Some people may experience more than one type of lipoedema at the same time, depending on where symptoms appear. The types include:

• Type I: Fat accumulates between the belly button and the hips.
• Type II: Fat develops from the pelvis down to the knees.
• Type III: Fat extends from the pelvis to the ankles.
• Type IV: Fat appears between the shoulders and the wrists.
• Type V: Fat is mainly seen between the knees and the ankles.

Lipoedema: How Common Is It?

Researchers suggest that around 1 in 72,000 people are affected by lipoedema, though this figure is likely underestimated because the condition is often mistaken for obesity or lymphoedema. Other global estimates indicate that up to 11% of women may have lipoedema. The condition is considered rare among men.

Lipoedema: What Are The Early Symptoms?

Common symptoms of lipoedema include:

• Fat accumulation in the buttocks, thighs, calves, and sometimes the upper arms, affecting both sides of the body.
• Small lumps within the fat that feel like something is sitting under the skin.
• Pain that can range from mild to severe and may be constant or triggered by pressure.
• A persistent heavy sensation in the legs.
• Swelling.
• Skin that bruises easily.
• Ongoing fatigue or feeling unusually tired.

Josie, who has also appeared on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! along with several other television programmes, admitted that the condition even affected her while she was working. She recalled filming A Taste of the South West and struggling to stay upright in the kitchen, often leaning against surfaces for support. At the time, she chose not to mention it to anyone, but explained that her legs felt extremely heavy throughout the shoot.

The United States is in the middle of one of its worst flu seasons, according to the data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These cases are surging, along with an increase in hospitalization, driven by a mutated influenza A variant, H3N2, 'subclade K'. Experts have warned that flu activity could further increase in the weeks to come. Unlike past years, parents may have to jump through extra hoops to get their children a flu shot.

On January 5, the CDC dropped a long-held universal flu vaccine recommendation for kids 6 months and older. The recommendations stated that the shots should only be given after a discussion with a health care provider. This shift is feared by most experts as it could lead to a further decline in the number of people getting vaccinated. The shift has also come at the time when flu is hitting children hard, and at least 17 children have died from the flu season so far. The pediatric flu hospitalization rate is also the second highest for this point in the season in 15 years, reported NBC News.

Flu metrics have surpassed last season, as one of the deadliest for children in more than 20 years.

Pediatric Flu Deaths In 2024-25 Season

The 2024-25 flu season led to 280 flu-related pediatric deaths. This has been the highest number since the CDC started reporting these in 2004. Nearly all the children were unvaccinated.

Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, a pediatric infectious disease epidemiologist and professor at Stanford University, told TODAY.com, “It’s more than unfortunate; it's tragic," for the CDC to change its flu shot guidance for kids. “(Flu shots) probably are the most effective intervention in the last 100 years to reduce child deaths in this country.”

The change in the flu shot recommendation also drew criticism from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Infectious Disease Society of America.

Experts have warned that the new guidance creates confusion, which could lead to fewer children getting vaccinated. However, doctors time and again have said that the best line of defense remains to be the flu shots. Dr Pedro Piedra, professor of molecular virology and pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine told Today.com, "There is plenty of data showing the effectiveness... of the influenza vaccine in children." The CDC website also states that the "flu vaccine can prevent severe, life-threatening complications in children."

How Effective Is The Flu Vaccine?

The flu shot helps the immune system learn how to fight the virus by exposing it to harmless pieces of killed or weakened flu germs, allowing the body to build antibodies that can quickly recognize and stop the infection if exposed later.

While the flu shot may not always stop you from catching the virus, its biggest strength lies in making the illness far less dangerous. Vaccinated people are significantly less likely to be hospitalized, need intensive care, or die from flu-related complications.

Overall flu shot effectiveness usually falls between 40 to 60 percent, depending on the season, but studies show the protection is often stronger in children. A 2022 study cited by the CDC found that flu vaccination reduced the risk of severe illness in children by 75 percent. Another CDC-listed study from 2020 showed the vaccine lowered flu-related hospitalizations by 41 percent and emergency room visits by 50 percent during the severe 2017–2018 flu season. Earlier research from 2017 also found that flu vaccination cut a child’s risk of dying from the flu by up to 65 percent, even among otherwise healthy children.