Some days my brain is like a storm, thoughts moving faster than I can keep up. A small mistake becomes an catastrophe, an offhand remark becomes a soul-deep fear. I turn around and around, analyzing each word, every move, every potentiality. But then, I discovered recently this easy 20-second hack which was actually pretty straightforward but made a tremendous difference in the negative thinking. Quickly [sitting my hand on my heart and reminding myself, I am enough. Even just that small hesitation interrupts the madness. My breath slows, my shoulders ease, and for a moment, the hurricane calms. This practice over time has become my anchor, reminding me that I am not thoughts—I am so much more.

Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have discovered that it doesn't need to take long to practice self-compassion to be beneficial. The study, published in the Behaviour Research and Therapy journal, revealed that performing a 20-second self-compassion touch, such as putting a hand on your heart or belly, can greatly reduce levels of stress and anxiety.

According to psychology researcher Eli Susman, who co-authored the study, a group of 135 college students was asked to dedicate just 20 seconds a day to affirm themselves with kind and positive thoughts while engaging in a self-compassionate touch. The results were striking: those who consistently practiced this simple technique over a month experienced notable improvements in mood, self-compassion, and emotional resilience, while stress hormone levels decreased.

Why 20 Seconds of Self-Compassion Works

1. Decrease in Cortisol Levels

The stress hormone cortisol is the cause of much of the physical and emotional damage chronic stress inflicts on the body. The researchers discovered that a mere 20 seconds of self-compassionate touch resulted in a measurable drop in cortisol, allowing people to recover from stress more rapidly.

2. Better Emotional Well-Being

By practicing positive self-affirmation and empathetic touch, study participants reported greater emotional equanimity and reduced reactivity to stressful challenges.

3. A Simple, Accessible Practice

Unlike many conventional mindfulness practices that might demand lengthy meditation sessions, this micropractice requires only 20 seconds, rendering it simple to fit into daily activities, be it at home, the workplace, or even during public transport rides.

How to Practice Self-Compassionate Touch

This exercise is very easy and can be done anywhere. Here's how you can adapt it to your daily life:

Step 1: Recognize Your Emotions

Close your eyes and reflect on a recent experience that made you feel stressed, unworthy, or critical of yourself. Notice the sensations in your body as you reflect on this episode.

Step 2: Practice a Soothing Touch

Put one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. If this doesn't feel comfortable to you, you can experiment with other ways of self-compassionate touching, including:

Stroking the back of your neck

Rubbing a place on your palm with your thumb

Hugging yourself lightly by holding your arms in across your chest

Step 3: Breathe Deeply and Give Yourself Kindness

Take a slow, deep breath in. Feel the warmth and gentle pressure of your hands. As you exhale, focus on releasing tension. Now, in your mind, repeat self-compassionate affirmations such as:

“I am kind to myself.”

“I am not my mistakes.”

“I give myself room and comfort.”

“I celebrate my uniqueness.”

“I take this time to appreciate who I am.”

Step 4: Finish with a Sense of Gratitude

Open your eyes after 20 seconds and simply take a moment to admire yourself for taking the time to do this practice. You can repeat it as many times as you need throughout the day.

Susman calls this approach a "micropractice"—a tiny but effective habit that enhances mental health without taking up much time. These practices are based on classic mindfulness and meditation practices but are tailored to fit today's busy lives.

While the research was conducted with college students, the findings have applications for individuals of all ages. Whether you are a working professional with a packed schedule, a parent with numerous responsibilities, or an individual dealing with anxiety, adding a 20-second self-compassion exercise to your daily routine can be a convenient and effective method for managing stress and developing resilience.

Making It a Daily Habit

The secret to reaping the rewards of self-compassionate touch is consistency. Below are some ways to incorporate it into your daily life:

Begin your day by practicing self-compassion in bed before rising.

Utilize it as a fast tool during stressful situations at work or school.

Unwind by doing this micropractice before bedtime to relax.

May merely 20 seconds a day cause you to desist from spinning? The short answer, per the most up-to-date science, is that yes, it can. Micropractices for self-compassion provide a straightforward, research-supported means for lessening distress, enhancing emotional resilience, and cultivating a friendlier relationship with oneself.

In a world where stress and worry are escalating, this simple practice is a good reminder that simple, purposeful acts of care for ourselves have the ability to create tremendous transformations in our mindset. Why not give it a try for one month, you might find a surprising transformation.

Blockbuster GLP-1 drugs, with semaglutide as the key ingredient, have shown promise in treating conditions ranging from diabetes and obesity to certain cancers.

Now, US researchers are set to test whether semaglutide can also help treat alcohol use disorder (AUD), particularly among veterans. AUD affects an estimated 400 million people worldwide, or about 7% of people aged 15 years and older.

The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has announced a new clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of semaglutide in treating AUD and is aimed directly at benefiting Veterans.

"By exploring emerging treatment options like the use of a GLP-1 for AUD, we aim to expand the tools available to help Veterans take control of their health and recovery," said VA Secretary Doug Collins.

Currently, more than 400,000 US veterans have been diagnosed with AUD, while an estimated 11% of US adults are affected by the condition.

What Does the Trial Aim to Find?

Also read: GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drugs Show Promise for 17 Million With Binge Eating Disorder, Suggests Study

The study, called the Cessation or Reduction of Alcohol Consumption in Veterans (CRACV) trial, will enroll more than 600 veterans across 18 VA medical centers in the US.

Participants aged 18 to 80 with moderate or severe AUD will receive weekly injections of either semaglutide or a placebo for 24 weeks, followed by a safety follow-up period.

Researchers will assess changes in alcohol consumption, overall health, and quality of life to determine whether semaglutide could become a new treatment option for alcohol use disorder.

Oral Semaglutide May Help Reduce Heavy Drinking

Evidence is also emerging that GLP-1 medications may influence alcohol consumption. A Phase 2 clinical trial published in the American Journal of Psychiatry in July suggests that oral semaglutide may help reduce heavy and harmful drinking, even among people who are not trying to quit alcohol completely.

The trial included 50 adults with moderate to severe alcohol use disorder who wanted to reduce or stop drinking. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either daily oral semaglutide or a placebo for eight weeks.

The semaglutide dose increased from 3 mg per day during the first four weeks to 7 mg per day during the remaining four weeks.

Read More: GLP-1 Microdosing: People Are Experimenting With Weight Loss Drugs & What Do Experts Have To Say About It?

While semaglutide did not significantly reduce laboratory-assessed craving or the average number of drinks per day compared with placebo, it significantly reduced heavy drinking days.

Compared with participants receiving placebo, those taking semaglutide had fewer heavy drinking days during the final four weeks of treatment. They also consumed fewer drinks on drinking days and reported greater reductions in everyday alcohol cravings and alcohol-related negative consequences.

"It could represent a new treatment option for alcohol use disorder, particularly for those who have not benefited from existing medications, and may reduce alcohol-related health and social harms. Importantly, even reducing heavy drinking can lead to meaningful improvements for patients and families," said Joseph Schacht, PhD, professor of psychiatry at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine.

As many as 23 cases of young women aged below 35 suffering from heart-related problems in only a month (reported by the Indian Medical Association) have left cardiologists concerned. What were earlier considered symptoms of stress, anxiety, and hormonal imbalances such as chest pain, breathing difficulty, palpitations, unexplained fatigue, and giddiness are now not being taken lightly when they occur for a prolonged time or recur. They are being increasingly identified as cardiac-related problems even in young adults.

Lack of physical activity, improper diet, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, and continuous stress have been labeled responsible for these problems. Some women's conditions like PCOD and autoimmune diseases can also put them at a higher cardiovascular risk. Regular check-ups, monitoring of blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol levels, and timely check-ups for the heart whenever these conditions occur can help in detecting the problems at the earliest, thus initiating treatment and recovery effectively.

In today's times, management of complicated heart diseases in India has dramatically improved and achieved outcomes at par with global standards. Today, the management of very severe heart valve disease offers much in terms of percutaneous catheter-based solutions, which, alongside conventional surgery (performed according to a person's age, general health, and clinical profile), give improved outcomes. Early detection and management of heart diseases prevent major complications and restore an individual's quality of life.

Increased knowledge about heart health, early identification of symptoms, and immediate medical attention are very important to achieve successful results. The observance of preventive measures such as engaging in regular exercise, a healthy diet, sleep, managing stress, and conducting regular medical checkups helps in the prevention of heart problems. Early diagnosis and adequate treatment form the key factors for achieving the best heart health.

By Dr. Nagendra Singh Chouhan, Interventional Cardiologist at Medanta Hospitals, Gurugram

Feeling breathless after climbing several flights of stairs or a session of strenuous exercise is usually considered normal.

But breathlessness that appears suddenly, happens frequently, or occurs during routine activities should never be dismissed as tiredness or lack of fitness.

When Is Breathlessness Concerning?

Breathlessness, clinically known as dyspnoea, can occur due to many reasons. Asthma, allergies, respiratory infections, chronic lung disease, and heart problems are some of the common possibilities. Anxiety, anaemia and obesity could also be driving factors.

In some cases, persistent or unexplained breathing difficulty may also be linked to more serious conditions, including lung cancer. The important thing is to understand when breathlessness needs medical attention.

HealthandMe spoke to lung disease experts - Dr. Sachin Kumar, Director of Pulmonology & Critical Care Medicine, Sakra World Hospital, Bengaluru, Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, Director & Unit Head of GI & HPB Surgical Oncology & Clinical Administrator, Surgical Oncology, Max Super Specialty Hospital, Dwarka, Dr. Ruchi Singh, HOD & Senior Consultant, Radiation Oncology, Asian Institute of Medical Sciences, and Dr. Ashwin Mallya, Uro-Oncologist and Robotic Surgeon, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

Dr. Sanjeev Kumar explains that breathlessness that gets worse during routine activities are major red flags. He also says that other symptoms like chronic cough, coughing up blood, tiredness, and others should not be neglected.

He says, "Pay attention if breathlessness is accompanied by chest pain or pressure, dizziness, fainting, unusual sweating, bluish lips or fingertips, or a feeling that you cannot get enough air. A persistent cough, wheezing, recurring chest infections, coughing up blood, unexplained weight loss or prolonged fatigue along with breathlessness also deserves medical assessment. A cough that does not go away or changes in a long-standing smoker’s cough should not be overlooked. Although these symptoms can have several causes, they can occasionally be associated with lung cancer and need appropriate evaluation."

He also said that changes in usual breathing capacity is also a red flag. He said that if you previously walked comfortably for 20–30 minutes but now have to stop frequently because you are breathless, this change should not simply be attributed to age.

Also read: Lung Nodule on CT Scan? Doctors Explain When You Should Worry

Risks Of Delayed Evaluation & Treatment

Dr. Ruchi Singh points to a worrying trend. She said that the initial symptoms of lung cancer are usually dismissed as routine, which leads to delayed evaluation and treatment.

She says, "One of the most concerning things we are tracking is how late many patients present. Because symptoms like persistent cough or breathlessness are so easily mistaken for pollution-related irritation or a lingering infection, people delay getting scanned."

She explains that earlier detection through low-dose CT screening in high-risk groups remains the best tool for improving survival, and awareness needs to catch up with how the patient's profile itself is changing.

Also read: Can Fitness Hide Lung Cancer? Why Even Active People Shouldn't Ignore Symptoms

Importance Of A Multidisciplinary Approach

Talking about how lung cancer could metastasize, Dr Ashwin Mallya explains that along with early evaluation, it is essential to adopt a treatment strategy

Dr Mallya said, "Although primarily a thoracic malignancy, lung cancer frequently extends beyond the chest. Adrenal metastases are among its most common distant manifestations, while renal metastases, though less frequent, are well recognised."

He added, "These patterns underscore the importance of a multidisciplinary approach, often bringing urologists into the care of patients with advanced disease."

Also read: 'I Wish Every Patient Knew This Before Their Lung Cancer Diagnosis'- Lessons From An Oncologist

Lung Cancer Is No Longer A Smoker's Disease

Giving a real-life example of how lung cancer is no longer a smoker's disease, Dr Sachin Kumar said, "A 50-year-old lady went to the clinic seeking a second opinion after being treated for "asthma" for several weeks. She complained of occasional breathlessness and a persistent cough. Despite inhalers, her symptoms continued. A simple chest X-ray revealed something entirely different: a massive pleural effusion (fluid around the lung). Further evaluation confirmed the underlying cause: *lung cancer that had spread to the pleura (the lining surrounding the lungs).

He added, "This case is a reminder that not every cough or episode of breathlessness is asthma. When symptoms persist or do not respond as expected, they deserve a fresh look. Sadly, lung cancer is no longer a disease seen only in older male smokers. In our own practice, we now diagnose around 2–3 new cases of primary lung cancer every three months, and nearly 40% of these patients are either women or people who have never smoked."