Body odor is natural part of human physiognomy, while some people may experience less of it, it can be stronger in others. This odor is not uniform throughout your body, certain body part smell more, like your armpits, groin and feet. The Cleveland clinic explains that this smell is due to bacteria and smell on your skin. Your body odor can also change if you are on medication, or ate a certain food or even experience some hormonal changes.

Similarly, It's common for belly buttons to have a slight odor, but sometimes it can become noticeable and unpleasant. While a little smell is often nothing to worry about, a strong, foul odor, especially when combined with other symptoms, could be a sign of a more serious problem. It's important to understand the possible causes of a smelly belly button so you can take the right steps to address it. Knowing when to simply clean it better versus when to seek medical help is key to keeping yourself healthy.

Possible Causes of Belly Button Odor

If your belly button smells bad and you also have redness, swelling, pain, or bleeding, you should see a doctor. These symptoms could be a sign of an infection that needs medical treatment Here are some reasons why this may be happening.

Not Cleaning It Well

Just like any other part of your body, your belly button needs regular cleaning. If you skip cleaning it with soap and water, things like dirt, sweat, and natural oils can build up inside. As explained above, his buildup creates a breeding ground for bacteria, which can lead to a musty or unpleasant smell. This is especially true if you have a deep belly button, as it has folds and crevices that are harder to reach and clean properly. A deep belly button is a warm, damp place, which is exactly what bacteria love.

Stuff Getting Stuck

Even if you take regular showers, your belly button can still collect things like dead skin cells, lint from your clothes, and other small pieces of debris. WebMD explains that these things can get trapped inside, and when mixed with moisture from sweat or water, they can start to smell bad. Sometimes, these things can clump together and form a hard, smelly lump called a navel stone. This stone can be quite smelly, even though it's usually not painful.

Bacterial Infections

We all have bacteria on our skin, but sometimes they can cause infections. According to WebMD if bacteria get inside your belly button, especially through a small cut or scratch, they can multiply and cause an infection. Infections like impetigo and cellulitis can cause redness, swelling, pain, and pus, along with a bad smell. People with weak immune systems or poor blood flow are more likely to get these infections. If these infections are not treated, they can lead to serious problems, so it's important to see a doctor.

Yeast Infections

Yeast, which is a type of fungus, can also grow in your belly button, especially if it's warm and moist. According to the Cleveland Clinic a common type of yeast is Candida. Yeast infections can cause a sour, bread-like smell, along with redness and itching. Sweating a lot, wearing tight clothes, or taking antibiotics can increase your risk. People with diabetes or weak immune systems are also more likely to get yeast infections. These infections usually go away with antifungal creams, but it's important to keep the area dry to prevent them from coming back.

Cysts

Cysts are small, fluid-filled bumps that can form under the skin. They can happen when dead skin cells and oils get trapped in your belly button. Most of the time, these cysts are harmless and don't cause any problems. But sometimes, they can become infected, which can cause them to swell, become red, and release a gray or white discharge with a cheesy smell. If a cyst gets infected, it might need to be drained by a doctor.

Piercings

If you have a belly button piercing, it's very important to keep it clean. If you don't clean it properly, bacteria can build up around the piercing and cause an infection. Signs of an infection include pain, redness, swelling, and smelly pus. If the infection is not treated, it can spread to your bloodstream and cause serious health problems. Cleaning your piercing regularly with warm, soapy water can help prevent infections.

Plastics are everywhere today. It is woven into our clothes, tucked into children's toys, used in food containers, and found in almost every household products. A new analysis has raised concerns about the chemicals used to make these products and the health hazards due to constant exposure.

According to an investigation reported by CNN, nearly 93% of known plastic chemicals used in everyday products were classified as posing a high risk to human health. The analysis looked at plastics used in food-contact materials, toys, clothing and textiles, household products, and hygiene and medical products.

The findings highlight how widespread exposure to hazardous chemicals can affect our health and how much remains unknown about their long-term effects.

Exposure To Plastic Chemicals

A researcher at Environmental Justice Foundation, Naima Fenderl’s Poison Plastics: How Chemicals in Everyday Plastics are Harming Your Health released recently and revealed astounding facts about plastic chemicals.

She said, “We looked at what these plastic chemicals can do to the body along with exposure levels to calculate overall health risk.” The analysis found that:

• Nearly 92% of chemicals in food-related plastics were considered high risk.
• Almost 89% of children's toys contained high-risk plastics.
• Around 93% of textiles and clothing involved dangerous chemicals.
• More than 92% of common household products contained high-risk chemicals.
• Nearly 93% of hygiene and medical plastics contained potentially dangerous chemicals.

The chemicals are not necessarily the plastic itself. Many are additives that are used to make plastics flexible, durable, heat-resistant, or less likely to catch fire.

Also read: Botox And Fillers: UK Watchdog Says Clinics Should Check Mental Health Before Injecting

Health Problems Caused By Plastic Chemicals

Some plastic chemicals have been linked to cancer, genetic changes and problems affecting the hormonal, reproductive and organ systems. Among the chemicals of concern are bisphenols, phthalates, and PFAS, which can be used in different plastic products.

Some of these chemicals can interfere with the body's endocrine system, which controls hormones involved in metabolism, reproduction, growth, and development.

The concern is important for children and during pregnancy because hormonal systems and organ development may be more vulnerable to certain chemical exposures.

The report also highlighted the challenge of lack of sufficient data to certainly assess health risks posed by these plastic chemicals. Almost 80% of the 3,552 chemicals in plastics people often use everyday lacked sufficient data to understand health risks.

“We simply do not have a clue what harm those chemicals might be causing us and our kids,” Dr. Philip Landrigan, director of the Global Observatory on Planetary Health and the Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good at Boston College told CNN.

He added, “We don’t even know the names or composition of a lot of the chemicals that are in consumer products — the chemical industry presumably has that information, but it’s not publicly available.”

Also read: World Environment Day 2025: Everyday Habits That Are Harming The Earth And Your Health

Microplastics Are Part Of The Problem Too

Chemical exposure is only one part of the plastic problem. Tiny plastic particles, known as microplastics, and even smaller nanoplastics, can also enter our bodies through food and water.

University of Columbia released an analysis of plastic bottled water based on a laser-based highly sensitive imaging technique. It found an average of around 240,000 plastic particles per litre, with most nanoplastics.

These particles can come from the bottle, the cap, manufacturing, and handling. Opening and closing the bottle repeatedly can also create friction between the cap and bottle neck, releasing tiny plastic fragments.

Larger particles are generally expected to pass through the digestive system. But nanoplastics are small enough to cross biological barriers.

Research has found that plastic particles can reach the circulatory system and other tissues, but scientists still do not know exactly which particles cross these barriers most easily, how much accumulates in the body or what level of exposure causes harm.

What Is The Solution?

Quitting using plastic entirely is not practical for most people. Instead, reducing avoidable exposure could be a sensible approach.

Avoid heating food in plastic containers, particularly when the container is not designed for high temperatures. Using glass or stainless steel for hot food and drinks can also reduce reliance on plastic food-contact materials.

Filtration or boiling of drinking water may help reduce some microplastics. But doctors believe that heat may only alter some plastic particles, not destroy them completely.

It's hard to find anyone these days whose day doesn't involve a phone, a laptop, or a tablet at some point, often for several hours. We work off them, study off them, unwind by scrolling or watching something on them. All that convenience comes at a cost, though, and it isn't limited to the eyes. Sleep, hearing, posture, general well-being- screens end up touching all of it.

Long Screen Hours Can Strain Your Eyes

Eye strain is usually the first thing people notice. Stare at a screen close-up for long stretches, and the eyes start to dry out, burn, blur, and headaches creep in along with trouble focusing. Part of the problem is that we simply blink less when we're absorbed in something on a screen, which makes the dryness worse.

A few small adjustments help, keeping the screen at a reasonable distance, not having the brightness too high, and something I often recommend to patients: the 20-20-20 rule. Every 20 minutes, look at something roughly 20 feet away for 20 seconds. It sounds minor, but it eases the strain.

Also read: Salt Stomping Before Bed: Does This Viral TikTok Sleep Hack Actually Work?

Long Hours With Earphones Can Affect Hearing

Screens affect more than eyesight. Long hours spent wearing earphones, particularly at high volumes, can gradually affect hearing. The risk depends on both the volume and the duration of exposure.

Keeping the volume at a comfortable level and taking regular breaks from earphones is a simple enough habit to build. Persistent ringing in the ears, muffled hearing or difficulty following conversations should not be dismissed as fatigue and should be evaluated by a doctor.

Screen Use Can Disrupt Sleep

Sleep is one of the most overlooked casualties of excessive screen use. Phones and laptops used late at night keep the brain stimulated when the body should be winding down for rest. Bright light from screens, along with constant notifications, social media and work-related activity, makes it harder to unwind and fall asleep. Poor sleep, in turn, contributes to daytime fatigue, reduced concentration and irritability.

None of this means giving up technology altogether. It comes down to building healthier digital habits, avoiding screens close to bedtime, keeping phones away from the bed, taking regular movement breaks during work, and spending some time outdoors. For people working at computers for extended periods, maintaining good posture and changing position regularly matters just as much.

Also read: Weekend Workouts: Why Sudden Intense Exercise May Put Stress on Your Heart

There Is No Single ‘Safe’ Number Of Screen Hours

Clinical care today increasingly looks beyond treating disease to identifying everyday lifestyle factors that contribute to long-term health problems, and screen exposure is a good example of this. There isn't a single number of hours that is automatically harmful for every adult; the impact depends on what the screen is being used for, the intensity and duration of exposure, and whether it is interfering with sleep, physical activity or daily functioning.

Being screen-smart, rather than screen-free, is really the aim. Regular breaks, sensible volume levels, better sleep routines and more movement can go a long way in protecting the eyes, hearing and overall health, while still letting technology remain a useful part of modern life.

If symptoms such as persistent eye discomfort, hearing changes, recurrent headaches or ongoing sleep difficulties continue despite cutting down on screen time, it's worth seeking professional medical advice rather than relying on lifestyle adjustments alone.

TikTok has a new sleep obsession every few months. Mouth taping, "cognitive shuffling," and now this: pouring salt onto a tray and stomping on it barefoot before bed. It's called "salt stomping," and doctors have doubts.

What Is Salt Stomping?

The trend was popularised by TikTok creator Tammy Weatherhead, who films herself pouring Epsom salt onto a baking sheet and shuffling her feet on it, according to the New York Post. "If you are not standing on salt before bed, you are missing out," she says in her videos. Other creators pour the salt onto baking sheets, towels or straight onto the shower floor, according to the New York Post.

The practice is framed as a type of "grounding," or direct contact with the earth, which some people normally do by walking barefoot on grass or sand, the New York Post notes. Weatherhead claims the salt version also exfoliates feet, reduces inflammation, and shifts the body into "rest mode" by lowering cortisol and raising serotonin.

Also Read: Heart Valve Clips Explained: How a Tiny Clip Can Help Repair a Leaking Valve

Does It Actually Work?

Doctors say no. Saema Tahir, a board-certified sleep physician, told the New York Post, "There's no evidence that standing on salt calms anything." IOL, a South African outlet, reported the same conclusion. There is currently no scientific evidence that standing directly on salt improves sleep.

There is some research on grounding in general, separate from salt. A small 2004 study published in the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine found that people who slept in contact with a grounding mat had lower night-time cortisol levels. But the study didn't test salt, involved a small group of people, and hasn't been repeated at a larger scale since.

What might actually help is the ritual itself, not the salt. Jacqueline Geer, a sleep medicine specialist at Yale School of Medicine, told Vogue, as reported by Yahoo, that the benefit "lies in the fact that this trend requires a certain level of focus and disconnect" from a busy day. A psychologist identified as Dr. Bostock told the Huffington Post UK there's likely a placebo effect too: "If you believe something helps you sleep, the odds are you will fall asleep faster and stay asleep longer."

The Real Risk: Your Skin

Standing barefoot on salt can cause harm. Chris Winter, a neurologist and sleep specialist, told Vogue, as reported by Yahoo, that salt stomping can cause skin irritation, worsen cracks on the feet, and create small cuts that let bacteria into the body.

What To Do Instead

Sleep experts point to simpler, low-risk habits: calming, repetitive routines before bed that signal to the nervous system it's time to rest, per IOL. Geer's advice, per Yahoo, is to build in a period of focus and disconnection from screens and stress, rather than a specific trick. If anxiety is what's keeping you up at night, that's worth raising with a doctor directly, rather than testing viral hacks with no real evidence behind them.