I’ve always struggled with inconsistent sleep, staying up late and waking up at different times each day. My love for coffee was also on an all-time high with trying all the season specials. But it is only recently, I learned how this irregular sleep pattern and caffeine could increase my risk of heart attack and stroke. Now, I’m prioritizing a consistent sleep schedule and cutting out caffeine after 3 PM to protect my heart.

A new, shocking study shows that irregular sleep patterns can greatly increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. But that's not all: the timing of your caffeine intake could also play a critical role in your cardiovascular health. If you are struggling with inconsistent sleep patterns and regularly sipping on caffeinated beverages late in the day, you may be unknowingly putting yourself at risk for serious heart-related issues.

For most people, sleep is something of a given and we often only consider ourselves as long as we get our required seven to nine hours. However, according to a recent study conducted by researchers at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario, it may not be that long after all. The study, which included more than 72,000 participants, found that people with irregular sleep patterns—those who fall asleep and wake up at vastly different times each day—face a 26% higher risk of experiencing a heart attack or stroke. This increased risk persisted even for those who managed to get enough sleep. The study followed up participants for eight years to track heart events such as heart attacks, strokes, and heart failure. The conclusions were clear: irregular sleep, even if it's sufficient in duration, is a major cardiovascular risk factor.

The researchers found that those whose sleep patterns were highly irregular had a significantly greater chance of life-threatening heart issues. The more erratic your sleep schedule, the greater the risk, regardless of how many hours you sleep. In fact, people with irregular sleep schedules showed worse cardiovascular health outcomes, including higher rates of high blood pressure, elevated stress hormones, and poor blood sugar and cholesterol management.

Senior scientist Dr. Jean-Philippe Chaput said "sleep regularity may be more relevant than sufficient sleep duration in modulating MACE [major adverse cardiovascular event] risk." In the study, it shows that our bodies are comfortable with consistency, and a varied sleep schedule may interfere with other processes that keep us healthy, especially the heart.

Is it Caffeine After 3 PM Causing Sleeplessness?

Another daily habit that may be putting your heart at risk is caffeine consumption after 3 PM. According to Dr. Chaput, the experts emphasize the need for a healthy sleep schedule and avoiding caffeine late in the day. Caffeine can stay in your blood for up to eight hours, and its consumption later in the afternoon can disrupt your sleep cycle.

Consistent, good-quality sleep is necessary for maintaining healthy cardiovascular function, and the disruption of this by late-day caffeine intake exacerbates the risks posed by irregular sleep. When you drink coffee, tea, or other caffeinated beverages too late, the stimulant effect on your nervous system makes it harder to fall asleep at a regular time. This can lead to inconsistent sleep patterns, which, as we have seen, can be harmful to heart health.

Dr Chaput insists that humans need to adopt practices that contribute to regularized sleep habits. This can be attained by establishing a proper sleeping and waking schedule, eliminating afternoon intake of stimulants such as caffeine, and making your body clock coincide with the lifestyle one leads.

How Does Poor Sleep Affect Heart Health?

According to the experts, the disturbance due to irregular sleep patterns impacts more than one physiological process involved in the maintenance of the healthy heart. For example, poor sleep can be associated with increased inflammation of the body, weakened immunity, and altered regulation of blood sugar and cholesterol, all of which contribute to increased blood pressure and weakening endothelial function, both associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. Sleep also plays a very important role in regulating stress hormones. Poor or disturbed sleep results in increased levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, which increases blood pressure and can have negative impacts on cardiovascular health over time.

Scientists hypothesize that these disturbances trigger a series of negative effects that enhance the risk of developing chronic heart conditions, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, or even heart failure.

Tips to Protect Your Heart and Improve Your Sleep

In order to protect your heart, experts recommend several proactive measures to improve your sleep patterns and lifestyle. First, maintain a regular sleep schedule whereby you go to bed and wake up at the same time every day, including weekends. Consistency will keep your body's internal clock in check.

Along with regulating your sleep, paying attention to your caffeine habits is just as important. To reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, experts suggest avoiding caffeine after 3 PM. If you’re sensitive to caffeine, this rule becomes even more critical.

In addition, the introduction of stress-reducing activities like yoga or mindfulness can also be beneficial to lower cortisol levels, and therefore both sleep and heart health can improve. A diet rich in antioxidants, healthy fats, and low on processed sugars also helps maintain cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation.

Does Your Sleep Environment Also Has A Role To Play

Apart from the timing of caffeine and your sleep schedule, another very overlooked factor is the quality of your sleep environment. Scientists have long known that the environment in which you sleep has a huge impact on the quality of your rest. Poor quality of sleep, even if your sleep schedule is regular, can cause health risks that are very much the same as those that arise from irregular sleep patterns.

Here’s an additional tip: make sure your bedroom is conducive to restful sleep. This means keeping your room dark, quiet, and cool. A temperature of around 65°F (18°C) is ideal for most people. Consider investing in a comfortable mattress and pillows, and avoid screen time at least 30 minutes before bed to allow your brain to unwind.

Irregular sleep, in association with taking caffeine in late parts of the day, can risk heart attack and stroke, but a simple maintenance of a sleep schedule, the reduction of consumption of afternoon caffeine, and sleep environmental awareness can definitely safeguard one's heart along with total health.

Your sleep is more than just a time for rest; it's a vital component of your long-term health, and maintaining consistency in your sleep habits is one of the best things you can do for your heart.

Ever wondered how your body generates antibodies in the face of a virus attack? A new study by French researchers showed that our age, biological sex, and human genetic factors can determine our immunity levels.

The human body, when exposed to a virus, defends itself by producing molecules called antibodies. Their main function is to identify pathogens and kill them.

Scientists from the Institut Pasteur, the CNRS, and the Collège de France noted that these factors not only boost the quantity of antibodies produced in the body but also determine the specific viral regions to target.

The February 2026 study, published in the journal Nature Immunology, can pave the way for the development of personalized treatments, especially for individuals who are most vulnerable to infection.

"This study provides a detailed, integrated view of how age, sex, and human genetics shape the antibody response," said Lluis Quintana-Murci, Head of the Human Evolutionary Genetics laboratory at the Institut Pasteur.

"It shows that these factors even determine which specific regions of a given virus are targeted by antibodies, with important implications for vaccine and therapeutic design," Quintana-Murci added.

How Age And Sex Influence Immunity

The findings revealed that individuals produce antibodies that target different parts of the virus when attacked by the same virus. Age was identified as the dominant factor influencing antibody production. The team noted that more than half of the antibody repertoire varies depending on age.

Further, some antibodies were found to increase with age, while others decreased. This was seen particularly in the case of influenza H1N1 and H3N2 viruses.

In young adults, the antibodies mainly targeted a part of the viral surface protein known as hemagglutinin (HA), which evolves rapidly. In older individuals, it focused on a more stable region of the same protein known as the stalk domain.

Women were also found to produce more antibodies against HA. On the other hand, men tended to target other viral proteins (NP and M1), despite comparable vaccination rates between the two sexes.

How Human Genetics Shape Antibody Production

The team identified mutations in genomic regions known to encode the immunoglobulin repertoire. These variants determine which genes are used to produce antibodies.

Using an African cohort, the study revealed population disparities in terms of the molecular targets of their antibody repertoires.

In the case of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), antibodies were found to recognize different viral proteins depending on the geographical and epidemiological context.

This difference can be explained by the level of exposure -- Africans are more exposed to a particular strain of EBV in which the protein EBNA-4 is the primary antibody target.

How Was The Study Conducted?

The research is based on data from the Milieu Intérieur cohort, launched 15 years ago to study variations in the immune response in 1,000 healthy individuals.

Using an innovative sequencing technology, the scientists analyzed blood plasma samples to measure antibody responses against more than 90,000 fragments of viral proteins, covering a large number of viruses responsible for infections such as influenza, respiratory infections, gastroenteritis, and herpesvirus infections.

Epstein Files: After the Department of Justice (DOJ) released more files on the late sex offender and financer Jeffrey Epstein, previously unseen photographs, including medical details and a detailed timeline of his final weeks in custody have resurfaced. All of this new information has added fresh scrutiny to the case.

A 23-page long document, labelled unclassified titled Jefferey Epstein Death Investigation was prepared by the New York field officer of the FBI. The material has been examined by BBC Verify and was reported to contain close-up images of Epstein's body, notes from his post-mortem examination and psychological observations that were recorded shortly before his death in August 2019.

As per BBC, the photographs included detailed views of injuries to Epstein's neck and show medics attempting to resuscitation after he was found unresponsive in his jail cell. As per the timestamps visible in the files, the images were taken at 06:40 local time on 10 August 2019, almost 16 minutes after a prison staff discovered him.

As per the DOJ's Office of the Inspector General's review report released in June 2023, on August 10 at 6.30am, two SHU staff on duty CO Tova Noel and Material Handler Michael Thomas delivered breakfast to inmates, when Noel was delivering breakfast from the food slot of the door to Epstein's SHU tier, there was no response. Thomas unlocked the door and saw Epstein hanged. The review report mentions that he immediately "yelled for Noel to get help and call for a medical emergency". According to Noel, within seconds of Thomas calling out for the clutter she hit the body alarm, which is a button on an MCC staff member's radio that is used to signal distress or an emergency. Noel also recalled Thomas saying, "Breathe, Epstein, breathe." As per Noel, when she saw Epstein, he looked "blue and did not have a shirt or anything around his neck".

Read: Epstein Files Photos Show A Bottle Of Phenazopyridine, Why We Think This UTI Medication Was There

As per Thomas, when he entered Epstein's cell, he had an orange string, from a sheet or a shirt, around his neck that was tied t the top portion of the bunkbed. The review report notes: "Epstein was suspended from the top bunk in a near-seated position, with his buttocks approximately 1 inch to 1 inch and a half off the floor." As per Thomas, he immediately ripped the orange string from the bunkbed and Epstein's buttocks dropped to the ground, and lowered him to begin chest compressions until staff arrived.

As per the BBC reports, the location is not explicitly stated in the documents, but records indicate Epstein had already been transported to hospital at 06:39, where he was later pronounced dead, suggesting the images were likely taken there.

Some of the photographs show a tag attached to his hand with his name and date of death. In several images, however, his first name appears misspelled as “Jeffery”.

Epstein Files: Post-Mortem Of Jeffrey Epstein And Custody Timeline

Also Read: Epstein Files: A Chat With Urologist Shows Stendra Was Prescribed To Jeffery Epstein; Why Did This Name Come Up?

The investigation file incorporates sections of an 89-page post-mortem report compiled jointly by the Department of Justice and New York’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner. Among the medical findings were scans documenting fractures in the thyroid cartilage of Epstein’s neck.

BBC Verify said it conducted reverse image searches and “could not find earlier versions” of the photos online before their recent release, indicating they had not previously circulated publicly.

The report also reconstructs Epstein’s detention inside the Metropolitan Correctional Center from his arrest on 6 July 2019 on federal sex-trafficking charges to his death five weeks later.

According to the timeline, Epstein was placed on suicide watch after a 23 July incident in which he was found injured in his cell. At the time, he claimed his cellmate — Nicholas Tartaglione — had attacked him.

Epstein Files: Jeffrey Epstein's Psychological Assessment Before His Death

The following day, during a psychological assessment, Epstein denied wanting to harm himself. BBC reported the document states he said he had “no interest in killing myself” and that it “would be crazy” to do so. Two days later, notes record him saying he was “too vested in my case” and wanted to return to his life.

Despite that, prison officials had recommended he not be housed alone and that guards perform checks every 30 minutes, including unannounced rounds.

The newly released records outline several security lapses the night before Epstein died.

His cellmate had been transferred out the previous day, leaving him alone. Prison logs show guards failed to conduct scheduled checks at 03:00 and 05:00, and the unit’s camera system was not functioning. Staff later discovered his body during a morning inspection.

The files also include two versions of the same FBI report: a full 23-page unredacted copy and a shorter 17-page redacted version that omits the psychological report and detention timeline. The reason for the dual publication has not been explained.

The Department of Justice has been contacted for comment, while the FBI declined to respond, reported BBC.

The release of the material does not change the official ruling of suicide, but its level of detail, particularly the photographs, mental-health notes and security failures — is likely to reignite debate over the circumstances surrounding Epstein’s death.

As per the American Psychological Association (APA), only 58.5 per cent of US teens always or usually receive the social and emotional support they need, as per the report by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Another National Institutes of Health (NIH, US) report notes that the most mental health disorders among children ages 3 to 17 in 2016 to 2019 were attention deficit disorder (9.8%, approximately 6 million), anxiety (9.4%, approximately 5.8 million), behavior problems (8.9%, approximately 5.5 million), and depression (4.4%, approximately 2.7 million). For adolescents, depression is concerning because 15.1% of adolescents ages 12-17 years had a major depressive episode in 2018-201.

However, not all are able to receive the help, in fact, parents too find themselves struggling when it comes to helping their children.

Despite growing concern about a mental health crisis among young people in the United States, a large national study suggests the care system continues to fall short for many families.

Researchers from the Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute in Boston found that nearly one quarter of children who require mental health treatment are not receiving it.

The findings come from survey data collected from more than 173,000 households between June 2023 and September 2024.

Many Families Recognize the Need but Cannot Get Help

The analysis showed that about one in five households, or 20 per cent, had at least one child who needed mental health support. Yet among those families, nearly 25 per cent said those needs were not met.

Even families that eventually obtained care often faced significant hurdles. Nearly 17 per cent described the process as difficult and exhausting.

The research letter was published February 16 in JAMA Pediatrics.

Household Structure Shapes Access

The study found that family circumstances strongly influenced how easy it was to navigate the health care system.

Families with multiple children reported higher unmet needs at 28 per cent, compared with 21 per cent in households with only one child. Single parent households also reported more difficulty securing appointments.

Education setting played a role as well. Homeschooled children had higher unmet needs at 31 per cent compared with 25 per cent among children attending public school. Researchers suggest this may reflect the absence of school counselors and other school based support systems.

Insurance and finances created additional barriers. About 40 per cent of families covered by Medicaid or without insurance said they could not get care specifically because it was too hard to access.

In a news release, lead author Alyssa Burnett said nearly one quarter of parents reported that at least one child did not receive needed mental health care, highlighting persistent access gaps.

Cost, Availability and Logistics Remain Major Obstacles

Researchers noted several common barriers. Families cited treatment costs, a shortage of clinicians and logistical issues such as scheduling and travel.

The study also found disparities among racial and ethnic groups. Families from minority backgrounds had higher rates of unmet needs compared with non Hispanic white households. However, Black households reported less difficulty accessing care at 13 per cent compared with 17 per cent among white households.

Bringing Care Closer to Families

Experts involved in the study say improving access may require shifting where care is delivered.

Senior author Hao Yu, an associate professor of population medicine at the institute, said states should expand the child mental health workforce and integrate mental health services into primary care settings to remove barriers and improve access to needed treatment.