Strengthening your bones is not something that can happen overnight, it takes years for your body to build strong bones and even then, it is natural for them to lose their dexterity. All you can do is keep your body healthy to make sure it is prepared for any unexpected situations. For years, many older adults have been told to take vitamin D and calcium supplements to keep their bones strong and prevent falls. However, a new report from U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) is changing that advice. This report suggests that for most older people, these supplements don't actually prevent falls or broken bones. This might be surprising news, we must understand why falls happen more often as we age, what vitamin D and calcium do in the body, and most importantly, what you can do to stay safe and prevent fractures.

What the Report Says

According to the report, vitamin D supplements don't seem to help prevent falls or broken bones for most people over 60. They also found that these supplements, especially with calcium, might increase the risk of kidney stones. This report doesn't mean people with weak bones (osteoporosis), low vitamin D, or who take vitamin D for other health reasons shouldn't take it. It just means that for most healthy older people, these supplements don't prevent falls and fractures.

Why Older People Fall and Break Bones More Easily

There are many reasons why older people are more prone to breaking their bones. Our bones are strongest when we're in our 20s and 30s, and they get weaker as we age so naturally, they can break easily. It can also be harder to move around as we get older, sometimes because of problems like arthritis this can affect how we walk and make us less steady.

There are also different issues like neuropathy, which is a nerve problem that can also make it harder to feel your feet and keep your balance. Eyesight is also a culprit as it can cause you to feel dizzy and fall. Some medicines can also make people feel unsteady, and older people often take more medicines than younger people. Low vitamin D itself can also increase the risk of falls, so keeping vitamin D levels up is still important.

Better Ways To Protect Your Bone Health

USPSTF recommends a few better ways to protect your bone health and prevent broken bones and falls.

Walk Regularly

Regular walks strengthen your muscles and bones, which helps you stay steady on your feet. It is as simple as practice makes perfect so the more you walk, the better it is. Walking also improves your balance, making you less likely to fall.

Do Strength Training

Strength training, like lifting weights or using resistance bands, makes your bones stronger and helps prevent fractures if you do fall. It is like a safety cushion, but you must be careful while doing so because it can lead to injuries if done too much.

Practice Balance

Activities like tai chi, Pilates, and yoga can improve your balance and coordination, making you more stable and less prone to falls. These can also help you improve your muscle flexibility and strength that in turn helps your body be stronger.

Check Your Medicines

If you have osteoporosis, talk to your doctor about medications that can help strengthen your bones and lower your risk of fractures. Many medications can also have unsavory side effects like weakened joints, losing muscle strength, etc.

Eat Enough Protein

A proper diet goes a long way when it comes to your entire body health. So to keep up with your body’s nutrition and muscle health, eat more protein along with a balanced meal that includes loads of fiber, healthy fats and carbs.

Get Your Eyes Checked

Having poor eyesight can be difficult, not only does it make life difficult without glasses, but it also increases the possibilities of getting into minor accidents like bumping into people and missing objects placed in front of us.

Get Enough Sleep

Getting enough sleep is also important because when you are not sleeping, you get disoriented and can ignore even obvious things like the last stair in the staircase. Make sure you get enough sleep to keep you fresh and focused.

Make Your Home Safe

There are many things that can cause you to have accidents, even in your home. To avoid such falls, make sure there are no lose ends like crooked floor panels, rugs that are sticking out or protruding furniture that can hurt your knees

It is Monday morning and your alarm rings at 6am. You hit snooze at least twice and feel why weekends are so short. A little bit rewind to two days back, Friday night after work, you did some binge watching and slept till noon on Saturday and again woke up late on Sunday. By evening, you finally felt like a human and again in a few hours, Monday came in. Your body, still confused, groggy, and also a slightly resentful. You feel like you are jetlagged even though you have not even boarded a flight.

This is not laziness or poor discipline, this is social jetlag. Many Indians are living through it. Many of us have two sleep times. One for weekdays and one for the weekends and if you are on a roaster, then your sleeping time adjusts according to your off-days. But the truth is you are not sleeping enough at least for the five days you work and make up for it on your off days. This is what scientists call a social jet lag and it is raising long-term health risks.

What Exactly Is Social Jetlag?

A 2012 study by Till Roenneberg explains that the term 'social jetlag' refers to the mismatch between your biological clock and your social clock. Your biological clock is governed by circadian rhythms, internal processes that decide when you feel sleepy or alert. Your social clock is set by work timings, school schedules, household responsibilities, and social expectations.

Most people sleep earlier and wake up earlier on weekdays because they have to. On weekends, they sleep later and wake up later to recover lost sleep. Researchers describe this as similar to flying across time zones and back every week, except your environment does not change. The sun rises at the same time, but your sleep does not.

Studies suggest that nearly 80 percent of people experience some degree of irregular sleep by shifting sleep times between weekdays and weekends. This pattern has become common due to artificial lighting, late-night screen exposure, and work schedules that are misaligned with natural circadian preferences.

Modern Life Makes It Worse, Here's Why

Artificial light has quietly changed how humans interact with night and day. Evening exposure to bright lights from phones, televisions, and laptops delays the body’s internal clock. This makes it harder to fall asleep early, even when you need to wake up early the next morning.

Over time, this weakens the natural cues that tell the body when it is time to rest and when it is time to be active. Researchers note that this effect creates more late chronotypes, people who naturally feel alert later at night. Unfortunately, most school and office schedules still reward early risers.

The result is a repeated pattern of sleep restriction during weekdays and catch-up sleep on weekends. Unlike travel jetlag, which resolves once the body adjusts to a new light-dark cycle, social jetlag does not correct itself. The solar cycle stays the same, while sleep timing keeps shifting back and forth.

Light is the primary driver of circadian rhythm. In the morning, exposure to sunlight tells the brain to stop producing melatonin, the hormone that makes us sleepy so we feel alert and ready for the day. By evening, melatonin production rises, pushing us toward rest. Night shifts turn this cycle upside down. Instead of winding down, the body is forced to stay active at the very hours it is wired for repair and recovery.

This constant mismatch creates what scientists call 'social jetlag. Your body never gets used to it, because it runs on an internal clock and this is why despite working the same shifts for years, you feel confused.

Indians Are Sleeping Way Less

Data from India paints a worrying picture. A nationwide LocalCircles survey found that 55 percent of Indians get less than six hours of uninterrupted sleep each night. This is an increase from 50 percent the year before, showing that sleep deprivation is getting worse, not better.

Among the reasons cited were late bedtimes combined with early household responsibilities, frequent nighttime awakenings, environmental noise, mosquitoes, and medical conditions like sleep apnea. Even those who spend enough time in bed often experience fragmented sleep.

Wearable sleep data tells a similar story. Fitbit’s global sleep analysis placed Indians as the second most sleep-deprived population after Japan. On average, Indians sleep just over seven hours a night, nearly 50 minutes less than users in the UK and significantly less than Americans. Indians also get the lowest amount of REM sleep globally, a stage critical for memory, emotional regulation, and mental health.

Social jetlag is especially pronounced among adolescents and young adults. Research consistently shows that teenagers naturally shift toward later sleep and wake times due to developmental changes. However, early school start times force them to wake up before their biological clocks are ready.

Late chronotypes accumulate sleep debt during the week and try to repay it on weekends. This pattern has been linked to higher body mass index, metabolic issues, daytime sleepiness, and poorer academic performance. Living against the clock, researchers suggest, may be quietly contributing to the rising burden of obesity and mental health concerns.

In India, academic pressure, coaching classes, screen use, and reduced parental control over sleep schedules only amplify this misalignment.

Social Jet Lag Is Not Just About Feeling Tired, It Has Grave Health Impact

Hormones take the first hit. Our body gets confused on how to regulate melatonin, which is a sleep hormone and cortisol, which is the wake up hormone. It also reduces appetite suppressing hormone leptin, while turning up the hunger hormone ghrelin. This is why you feel the midnight munchies. Chronic sleep deprivation could also lead to prediabetics, as increasing sugar cravings make it difficult for people to prioritize healthy eating.

Studies have associated it with increased risks of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and mental health disorders. It has also been linked to lower productivity, reduced concentration, and mood disturbances.

Addressing social jetlag requires more than sleep tips. Experts suggest later school start times, flexible work hours, reduced evening light exposure, and greater awareness of circadian health. Small changes, like maintaining similar sleep timings on weekdays and weekends, can help, but they cannot fully solve a systemic problem.

Until then, millions of Indians will continue waking up exhausted, wondering why rest feels so elusive.

Delhi's air quality index (AQI) remained in the 'very poor' category on Wednesday, as the city's average AQI stood at 329 as of 7am. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) data in all stations, though, showed that it was below the 'severe' range, with some locations in the 'poor' range too.

Delhi has not yet experienced the cold wave this season, however, the city is still covered with smog, and the air quality continues to threaten people's health. The Delhi winters haven't peaked yet, so what made the pollution so worse already? Gufran Beig, Chair Professor at National Institute of Advanced Studies, IISC-Campus and Founder Project Director SAFAR, writes for Indian Express that while the AQI right now may be 'very poor', "It will return, playing hide-and-seek for at least another month".

No Buffer To Protect Public Health From Delhi's Air Pollution

He says that the wind speed across Delhi and its wider airshed "dropped close to zero". This means "nothing was coming in and nothing was going out". He also noted that stubble burning in the neighboring state is not the problem, rather Delhi is choking on its own emission. He explains that the vertical dispersion was restricted by a shallow inversion layer, which was approximately 500 to 700 metres deep. Which means, emission from a fixed point sources linger where they released, and it creates a localized pollution hotspot instead of spreading, because there was almost no wind.

He explained that the atmosphere here has temporarily lost its capacity to clean itself. Even if this is for couple of days, this has become very apparent in Delhi. "When the air stands still, stagnation sets in, ventilation collapses, and the system is left with no buffer to protect public health. When the weather naps, there is nowhere left to hide. Yet, we continue to blame the weather instead of our emissions," he writes.

Read: AQI Explained: It’s Not Temperature, As Delhi CM Says, Here’s What the Air Quality Index Really Means

Could There Be A Solution?

Beig writes that if Delhi is able to cut its local pollution by 50 per cent, the pollution too could drop by 50 per cent. The emission should happen across the airshed. However, the focus should be for a long-term action on the source of emission and not short-term optics like cloud seeding, smog towers, water sprinkling or air purifiers.

In fact, as per a study published in Sustainability (MDPI), an open access journal, which mapped Delhi's air quality between 1990 to 2022 and found that transports emit around 10 to 30% of pollution, whereas agricultural residue burning, which is a seasonal source of pollution leads to less than 3% of pollution, whereas firecrackers, another seasonal source, leads to less than 1% of pollution.

Pollution's Impact On Health

However, despite the global studies highlighting the country's ever-growing pollution problem, the Centre stated that "there is no conclusive data available in the country to establish direct correlation if death/disease exclusively due to air pollution."

The study estimated: “1·5 million deaths occurred annually due to long-term exposure to PM2·5 in India every year in excess of the 5 μg/m3 that is recommended by the WHO ambient air quality guidelines.”

The study noted that every 10μg/m³ increase in annual PM2·5 concentration was associated with an 8.6 pc higher risk of all-cause mortality.

Using India’s National Ambient Air Quality Standards, researchers estimate that about 3.8 million deaths between 2009 and 2019 were linked to PM2.5 exposure. When WHO guidelines were applied, the number rose sharply to 16.6 million, nearly one-fourth of all deaths in the country. The analysis relied on advanced causal methods and high-resolution models that mapped district-level PM2.5 exposure across India, while accounting for factors such as socioeconomic status, age distribution, and indoor air pollution.

Norovirus, often called the “stomach flu” or “winter vomiting illness,” is currently circulating in California and across the United States. Health experts say proper cleaning and disinfecting can slow its spread. These precautions matter because norovirus is extremely contagious and there is no specific treatment for it, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Between August 1 and November 13, health officials recorded 153 norovirus outbreaks across 14 states. The CDC defines an outbreak as two or more similar illnesses linked to suspected or lab-confirmed norovirus cases. Although California is not among the states reporting outbreaks, CDC data shows a noticeable rise in positive norovirus tests throughout November across the western US.

What Is Norovirus?

Norovirus is described as a “highly contagious” virus that causes vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps, according to the California Department of Public Health. It leads to acute gastroenteritis, which means inflammation of the stomach or intestines, and affects people of all ages, the CDC said.

Despite its nickname, norovirus has nothing to do with influenza. The flu is caused by the influenza virus, not norovirus, the agency clarified.

Winter Vomiting Disease: How Does The Stomach Bug Spread?

Norovirus spreads easily from person to person, especially while someone is actively sick, according to the California Department of Public Health. Symptoms usually last one to three days, but a person can still spread the virus for up to two days after they start feeling better.

The virus is present in vomit and stool and can spray into the air or settle on nearby surfaces. It can survive for weeks on uncleaned items such as countertops, phones, and doorknobs, the department said.

“You can get sick after touching or caring for someone who is sick, or after touching or eating something that is contaminated,” the department noted.

Norovirus spreads quickly in crowded or enclosed settings, including schools, child care facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, jails, and cruise ships.

According to state and federal health officials, the most common ways people catch norovirus include:

• Touching, caring for, or sharing food with someone who has norovirus
• Eating or drinking contaminated food or beverages, including undercooked shellfish like oysters
• Touching a contaminated surface and then touching your mouth before washing your hands
• Sharing a toilet or bathroom with someone who is sick
• Swallowing contaminated water, including water from swimming pools or recreational areas
• Cleaning up vomit or diarrhea without protective gear, such as gloves or a face mask

Do You Need To Disinfect After Norovirus?

“If you or someone in your household has norovirus, it’s important to clean and disinfect areas where vomiting or diarrhea occurred,” the California Department of Public Health advised. Cleaning with soap and water removes germs, while disinfecting kills those that remain.

You can use commercial disinfectants, but it’s important to read the label and make sure norovirus is listed among the germs it targets. You can also check the Environmental Protection Agency’s registration number and confirm it appears on the EPA’s List G, which includes products proven effective against norovirus.

Another option is making a bleach solution at home. The US Department of Agriculture recommends mixing 5 to 25 tablespoons of household bleach with one gallon of water. This solution should be used only on hard or nonporous surfaces and applied with a spray bottle or disposable mop, sponge, or paper towel. Let it sit for about five minutes before wiping it away.

The USDA also advises paying close attention to frequently touched items such as doorknobs, handles, and remote controls. Many disinfectant wipes do not fully kill norovirus, the agency warned.

How To Disinfect After Norovirus?

The CDC recommends wearing rubber or disposable gloves while cleaning. Use paper towels to wipe the affected area completely, then place the towels in a plastic trash bag. The California Department of Public Health also suggests wearing a face mask.

After disinfecting, clean the area again with soap and water, the CDC said. Keep in mind that vomit can aerosolize the virus, meaning surfaces several feet away may also be contaminated, according to the USDA.

Once you’re done, throw away the gloves and mask, then take out the trash, the California Department of Public Health advised.