Sleep changes as we age. When we were kids, we needed 10 to 12 hours of sleep, for teens it is eight to 10 and it decreases to seven to nine as we reach adulthood. But there is always a lack of urgency when it comes to sleep and young adults, many of whom prefer staying up and doing different activities. According to the Centre of Disease Control and Prevention, many national surveys show that about 37% of men, and 39% of people from the age of 45 to 64 reported not getting enough sleep.

Many people in America don't sleep the right amount. This means they either sleep too long or not long enough. But what happens to your body when you do not sleep enough? You just feel tired right? No, when you don't get this much sleep, your body can get stressed. This can make you more likely to get sick. A study published by the JAMA Network Open Sleep Trajectories and All-Cause Mortality Among Low-Income Adults showed that people who don't sleep the right amount have a higher chance of dying early. It's like your body needs that time to rest and fix itself. Without enough good sleep, things can start to go wrong. So, getting the right amount of sleep is super important for staying healthy.

How Was The Study Done?

Scientists wanted to see how sleep habits affect people's health over many years. They looked at almost 47,000 people who were between 40 and 79 years old. They asked them about their sleep habits when the study started, and then again, a few years later. The scientists wanted to see if people's sleep habits changed. They divided people into groups based on if they started with too much or too little sleep, and if their sleep changed over time. For example, some people started sleeping a lot but then started sleeping very little. This helped the scientists see how different sleep patterns affected people's health. They wanted to see the long-term effects of sleep.

The study found that people who had sleep habits that changed a lot had a higher risk of dying early. This means if you started sleeping too much and then switched to sleeping too little, or the other way around, you were more likely to die sooner. They also found that these people had a higher risk of heart problems. The risks were even higher for some groups of people, like white adults and people with higher incomes.

Sleep Deprivation And Its Effect On The Body

If you often doze off when you are sitting and reading, watching a movie, talking to someone, sitting quietly after lunch or even during a few minutes of traffic, you may be sleep deprived according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. They explain how sleep deprivation can cause issues with learning, focusing and reacting to certain things. The symptoms of sleep deprivation in kids differ a little as they might be overly active and have trouble paying attention to certain things. If you are experiencing sleep issues, make sure to speak to a healthcare professional who will help you identify the issues and direct you towards the treatment or changes you must make. Here are some ways sleep helps your body.

Repairs Your Heart

Good sleep allows your heart and blood vessels to heal. This keeps them strong and healthy, reducing the risk of heart problems.

Controls Hunger

Sleep helps balance your hunger hormones, so you don't feel too hungry. This helps prevent eating too much and keeps your weight healthy.

Manages Blood Sugar

Proper sleep helps your body use insulin correctly. This lowers the chance of high blood sugar, which can lead to diabetes.

Supports Growth

Deep sleep releases growth hormones, helping kids and teens grow. It also repairs body tissues, which is important for everyone.

Boosts Immunity

When you sleep well, your body's defense system gets stronger. This helps you fight off germs and stay healthy.

For years, doctors believed that menopause was the big trigger for heart-related changes in women. Turns out, that might not be the full story.

A new study, published in the journal Hypertension, found that something called pulse pressure starts rising in women as early as their late 30s. That's way earlier than the time most women hit menopause.

What Is Pulse Pressure?

Pulse pressure is just the gap between the two numbers you see in a blood pressure reading. The top one and the bottom one. As we age, this gap tends to widen. And when it widens too much, it's usually a sign that the aorta, the body's biggest blood vessel, is getting stiffer.

A stiffer aorta means your heart has to work harder to pump blood around your body. Over time, that extra strain adds up.

What Did The Study Find

Researchers looked at data from more than 9,500 people, over 6,500 women and around 3,000 men, all part of the Framingham Heart Study. This is one of the longest-running heart health studies in the world, and the participants were tracked across three health checkups over 14 years.

What they found was interesting. Pulse pressure hits its lowest point and then starts climbing about ten years earlier in women than in men. For women, this shift happens in the late 30s. For men, it's usually the late 40s. And by the time women reach around 60, their pulse pressure is consistently higher than men's.

This pattern showed up even when a woman went through menopause. Early, late, right on time, didn't matter. The rise in pulse pressure followed the same timeline regardless.

Gary F Mitchell, one of the researchers on the Framingham Heart Study, said the team was genuinely caught off guard by this. Menopause timing, it seems, wasn't the main thing driving the change; something else was clearly at play too.

"To our huge surprise, our results suggest that factors other than the timing of the final menstrual period were likely involved in the accelerated increase in pulse pressure in women after midlife," he noted.

Why This Actually Matters

Elevated pulse pressure isn't just a random number on a report. It's linked to a higher risk of heart disease, dementia, and even kidney disease. It can also make managing high blood pressure trickier, since some medications don't work as well once arteries get stiffer.

The bigger takeaway from this study is pretty simple. Women's heart health might need attention way earlier than we've been taught to think. Instead of waiting until menopause to start paying attention to cardiovascular health, doctors might need to start the conversation years earlier, around the late 30s.

So, if you're a woman in your 30s reading this, this isn't meant to scare you. It's just a reminder that heart health isn't something to put off until your 40s or 50s. A basic check on your pulse pressure now might tell you more than you'd expect.

Urine leakage when you cough, sneeze or exercise is often dismissed as something women simply have to live with after pregnancy or childbirth. But pelvic floor problems can affect both women and men and may interfere with daily activities, confidence, relationships and sexual health.

Many people quietly live with symptoms such as urine leakage, urgency, pelvic pressure or pain, while even those who seek medical help may not know the underlying cause. Speaking to HealthandMe, doctors said these can be signs of pelvic floor dysfunction — a treatable condition that should not be ignored.

Early identification and appropriate treatment can help prevent symptoms from disrupting everyday life.

What Is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction?

Pelvic floor dysfunction occurs when the muscles in the pelvis do not relax, contract or coordinate properly. These muscles support the bladder, bowel and reproductive organs.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, the pelvic floor muscles act like a supportive hammock. When they are too tight, weak or poorly coordinated, normal bladder, bowel and sexual functions can be affected.

Pregnancy and childbirth are important risk factors, but pelvic floor problems can also affect men. Symptoms may include urinary urgency or leakage, pelvic pain or pressure and bowel problems.

Other factors such as sedentary lifestyles, stress, obesity and constipation may be contributing to pelvic floor dysfunction.

Also read: Endometriosis Can Take Years To Diagnose But This AI Tool Can Identify Its Signs In 18 Milliseconds

What Can Increase The Risk Of Pelvic Floor Problems?

Dr Nirmala M, Consultant, Obstetrician, Gynaecologist & Fertility Specialist, Motherhood Hospitals, Bengaluru, told HealthandMe that sedentary office work, stress, obesity and constipation can contribute to pelvic floor problems. Poor water intake and regularly holding urine can also play a role.

“It is seen that almost four of every five cases of incontinence observed in hospitals have been identified among young women aged 25 to 35 years old,” she said.

Pelvic floor dysfunction can affect men too, particularly in association with urinary, bowel or prostate-related problems.

Dr Meghana Reddy Jetty, Senior Consultant - Obstetrics, Gynecology, Laparoscopy and Aesthetic Gynecology, Aster Women and Children, Bengaluru, said men may also experience urinary leakage and bowel control problems, including in association with pelvic operations and prostatic procedures.

“Men have pelvic floor muscles too, which are responsible for bladder and bowel control and proper functioning of the pelvis,” she said.

What Are The Early Signs?

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Symptoms can vary depending on whether the pelvic floor muscles are weak, too tight or poorly coordinated.

Common signs include:

• Urine leakage while coughing, sneezing or exercising
• A sudden or uncontrollable urge to urinate
• Difficulty emptying the bladder or bowel
• Pelvic heaviness or pressure
• Pelvic discomfort
• Pain during intercourse

Dr Nirmala said urinary leakage during physical strain and a sudden, uncontrollable urge to urinate are among the early symptoms.

Dr Meghana said occasional urine leakage, difficulty emptying the bladder or bowel, pelvic heaviness, discomfort and pain during sexual intercourse can indicate that the pelvic floor is not functioning properly.

How Can Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Affect Daily Life?

The condition can affect more than bladder or bowel control. Fear of leakage, urgency or pain may cause people to avoid exercise, travel and social activities.

Dr Nirmala said some women avoid parties and long-distance travel because of difficulty finding a nearby bathroom. In serious cases, they may rely on diapers or sanitary pads, affecting confidence and increasing stress.

Pelvic floor dysfunction can also affect sexual health. Pain and difficulty relaxing the pelvic muscles may lead women to avoid sexual activity.

“It can hurt sexual health if pain and difficulty in relaxing pelvic muscles cause one to avoid sexual activity. This kind of problem that seemingly just involves the physical aspect can slowly but surely have a great effect on one's confidence, relationships and behavior in general,” said Dr Meghana.

Can Exercise Make Pelvic Floor Symptoms Worse?

Exercise can support pelvic health, but the type, intensity and technique matter.

Dr Swati Rai, Senior Consultant-Obstetrician and Gynecologist at Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Noida, said exercises such as Kegels, diaphragmatic breathing, pelvic tilts, glute bridges and gentle core strengthening can help support the pelvic floor during and after pregnancy, depending on the individual.

“Kegels involve gently contracting the muscles used to control urine, holding briefly and then completely relaxing; they should not be routinely practized while urinating,” she told HealthandMe.

However, excessive or improperly performed high-impact exercise, intense interval training, repeated jumping and weightlifting can place additional pressure on the pelvic floor, particularly when breathing and core control are inadequate.

Dr Meghana said pelvic-floor training should focus on muscle control rather than simply increasing repetitions.

“So, training of pelvic muscles should be more about learning muscle control - knowing when to contract and when to relax - rather than just doing more and more repetitions,” she said.

Dr Swati said excessive straining, breath-holding or incorrectly performed high-impact exercises may aggravate symptoms.

Is Pelvic Floor Dysfunction Treatable?

Pelvic floor dysfunction can improve significantly with appropriate, personalized treatment. However, treatment depends on whether the muscles are weak, overly tight or poorly coordinated.

Treatment may include:

• Pelvic floor retraining
• Physical therapy
• Core strengthening
• Relaxation and breathing exercises
• Biofeedback

Noncommunicable diseases such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases affect billions of people worldwide and cause around 43 million deaths every year, with most deaths occurring in low- and middle-income countries.

These conditions often require lifelong care. From diagnosis and medication to monitoring and follow-up, each stage can carry safety risks, making timely, coordinated and patient-centered care essential.

World Patient Safety Day is observed every year on September 17 to raise awareness about patient safety and accelerate action to reduce avoidable harm in healthcare. Around the world, one in 10 patients experience harm while receiving health care, and approximately half of these incidents are preventable.

In 2026, the campaign focuses on safe care for noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), with the slogan “Safe care for life!”

“World Patient Safety Day is an annual reminder that if it's not safe, it's not care. This year, we're shining a light on safe care for non-communicable diseases. People with heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and chronic respiratory disease need care throughout their lives,” Dr Tedros shared in a post on X.

He noted that every interaction with the health system comes with benefits and risks.

“A delayed diagnosis, the wrong medicine, an unsafe procedure, or poor communication can have deadly consequences. Safe care must be built into every stage of the care journey, from prevention and early diagnosis to treatment, long-term management, and self-care,” the chief added.

Also read: World Patient Safety Day: With 2800% Margin, Costly Hospital Consumables Can Threaten Patient Safety; Here’s How

Why Do Chronic Conditions Raise The Risk Of Harm?

People with chronic diseases often need medicines, tests, consultations and other healthcare services over many years, increasing safety risks, particularly when care is fragmented or healthcare providers are not well coordinated.

Patient safety risks can occur at different stages of care. Common sources include:

• Missed prevention opportunities

• Delayed or incorrect diagnosis

• Medication errors

• Healthcare-associated infections

• Unsafe use of medical devices

• Poor communication and coordination

How Can Patients With Chronic Diseases Stay Safe?

Understanding your diagnosis and treatment can help you take an active role in your care.

• Know your diagnosis, treatment plan and why tests or medicines are needed.

• Use trusted health sources and ask questions when something is unclear.

• Confirm instructions and follow up on test results.

• Speak up if something feels wrong.

• Keep an updated list of your diagnoses, medicines and treatment plan, especially when seeing multiple doctors.

• Attend regular appointments and know the warning signs that need medical attention.

• Plan how you will access essential medicines, tests and follow-up care during disruptions.

Continuity of care is particularly important for people with NCDs. Poorly coordinated referrals, handovers and discharge processes can create safety gaps, especially for those managing multiple conditions or medicines.

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Safer Care Also Depends On The Health System

Patient safety cannot be addressed by patients alone. Strong policies, coordinated healthcare services and well-supported health workers are essential to reducing avoidable harm.

Fragmented care can put people managing complex chronic conditions at greater risk. Better communication between multidisciplinary teams can help identify problems earlier and reduce gaps in care.

Delayed referrals can also cost valuable time. Well-coordinated referral pathways can help patients receive the right care at the right time.

What Should Healthcare Systems Do?

The WHO called on healthcare facility managers, health leaders and policymakers to strengthen patient safety as part of everyday NCD care. This includes building resilient facilities, strengthening risk management, supporting health workers and establishing reliable systems for continuous care before, during and after emergencies, according to the WHO.

Healthcare systems should also ensure uninterrupted access to essential medicines, diagnostics and medical devices while strengthening referral pathways and communication between healthcare providers.

Investing in preparedness, continuous learning and quality improvement can further help reduce avoidable harm and improve the safety and quality of chronic disease care.