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.

British pop star Jessie J has shared an update on her recovery after undergoing a second breast reconstruction surgery.

The 38-year-old singer-songwriter took to Instagram to share a series of photos, including one taken after her latest surgery. In the picture, she is seen wearing a hospital gown and giving a thumbs-up, with the caption, “to healing.”

The post marks Jessie’s first update since September, when she announced she would be taking a break from social media ahead of her surgery.

Jessie was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer in 2025 and underwent a mastectomy. She announced in May 2026 that she was cancer-free.

Sharing the emotional news on Instagram, she admitted she "sobbed for hours and then exhaled for the first time in a year."

Jessie J’s Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Also read: World Breast Cancer Day 2026: Life After Breast Cancer, The Fear No One Sees

Jessie announced her diagnosis in June 2025, shortly after performing at Capital’s Summertime Ball at London’s Wembley Stadium. She spoke candidly about her diagnosis and the surgery she would undergo.

In a video message, she shared that she had been “in and out of tests” before receiving a diagnosis of early breast cancer.

“Cancer sucks in any form,” she said, adding that she was holding on to the word “early.”

Using her characteristic dark humor, she described the surgery as “a very dramatic way to get a boob job” and told her followers, “I will come back with massive boobs and more music.”

However, she also spoke openly about the emotional toll of the diagnosis, saying, “I need to process it and talk about it” and “I need a hug.”

What Is Breast Reconstruction Surgery?

Breast reconstruction surgery aims to restore the shape and contour of the breast after a mastectomy, which involves removing the entire breast. Depending on the cancer and the treatment plan, nearby skin and lymph nodes may also be removed.

Following a mastectomy, patients may choose breast reconstruction to restore breast shape and symmetry. The procedure can be performed at the same time as the mastectomy or at a later date, depending on the patient's circumstances and treatment plan.

Read More: Experts Explain Most Overlooked Breast Changes That Can Delay Diagnosis In Men

Why Do Some Patients Need Multiple Breast Reconstruction Surgeries?

According to the American Cancer Society, breast reconstruction often involves more than one operation. The number and type of procedures depend on the reconstruction method, the patient's needs and the desired outcome.

There are two main types of breast reconstruction:

• Implant reconstruction: A saline or silicone implant is used to rebuild the breast.
• Tissue flap reconstruction: Tissue taken from another part of the body is used to reconstruct the breast.

In some cases, surgeons combine the two approaches.

Reconstruction may be immediate, taking place during breast cancer surgery, or delayed until a later date. Both implant-based and tissue flap reconstruction can be performed using either approach.

After the initial reconstruction, some patients may undergo additional procedures to refine the breast's appearance or feel. These may include fat grafting, scar revision or procedures to recreate the nipple and areola, sometimes using medical tattooing.

Benefits And Risks Of Breast Reconstruction

Breast reconstruction can help restore breast shape and symmetry after a mastectomy. For some patients, it may also improve body image, confidence and emotional well-being. However, the benefits vary from person to person.

As with other surgical procedures, breast reconstruction carries potential risks and complications, including:

• Infection
• Fluid or blood accumulation
• Delayed wound healing
• Changes in sensation
• Implant-related complications
• Capsular contracture
• Blood clots, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism
• Psychological effects.

Low-dose naltrexone has received plenty of attention as a strong candidate for treating people with chronic fatigue after COVID-19. But a new randomised clinical trial has found no significant improvement in fatigue, pain or any other symptoms when compared to a placebo.

The study, posted on medRxiv, examined low-dose naltrexone (LDN) in adults with post-COVID fatigue syndrome. The findings challenge hopes that an existing repurposed drug could provide relief for people whose symptoms have not subsided months after infection.

The paper has not yet undergone peer review, which means its findings have not been independently evaluated in a formal manner.

Study Based On 160 Adults With Long COVID

Also read: 'It’s The Best-Studied Vaccine In Human History': Former CDC Adviser Busts Common Myths About COVID Vaccines

160 adults aged 19 to 69 from British Columbia and Ontario, Canada participated in the trial. Participants had developed symptoms that resembled myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) after a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Researchers randomly assigned participants either low-dose naltrexone or a placebo for 16 weeks. The naltrexone dose began at 1 milligram daily and increased to a maximum of 4.5 milligrams, depending on how participants tolerated the treatment.

The main outcome was fatigue severity, which was measured using the Fatigue Severity Scale. At the end of the study, the average fatigue score was 4.2 in the LDN group and 4.4 in the placebo group.

The difference between the groups was not statistically significant, meaning the trial proved that the drug did not improve fatigue.

Researchers also found no significant differences between the groups in pain, overall ME/CFS symptoms, daily step counts or any other health aspects related to quality of life.

These results suggest that LDN did not provide any measurable benefit for the participants. The study also found that LDN was generally well tolerated over the 16-week period.

However, adverse events classified as grade 3 or higher were reported in five participants in the LDN group, or 6.2%, compared with three participants in the placebo group or 3.8%.

Why Has Low-Dose Naltrexone Attracted Interest?

Also read: 'I Never Recovered From That Crash': US Physicist Recalls Her Years-Long Battle With Long COVID

Naltrexone is an established medicine used at standard doses to treat alcohol use disorder and opioid use disorder. At much lower doses, it has been tested for conditions involving chronic pain, inflammation and fatigue.

LDN’s effects on immune signalling and inflammatory conditions have sparked interest in its potential use for long COVID, a condition that can involve fatigue, cognitive difficulties, pain, breathlessness and symptoms affecting several biological functions.

Researchers Caution

The findings apply specifically to adults with post-COVID fatigue syndrome who met the study’s criteria for ME/CFS-like symptoms.

Long COVID refers to symptoms that occur after a SARS-CoV-2 infection and cannot be explained by another diagnosis. Symptoms vary widely and may include fatigue, cognitive difficulties, breathlessness, sleep disturbances and problems with everyday activities.

Some people improve over time, while others experience prolonged illness that affects their ability to lead routine lives.

The results do not mean that long COVID symptoms are untreatable. Instead, they highlight how difficult it can be to identify effective treatments for a condition with varied symptoms.

There are currently no FDA-approved medicines specifically for long COVID, and care often focuses on managing individual symptoms.

People taking or considering naltrexone should discuss its benefits and risks with a healthcare professional rather than starting or changing treatment on their own.

Low-dose aspirin could play a key role in lowering the risk of dementia significantly in some older adults, according to a new genetic analysis. However, the benefit does not come without a complication: major bleeding.

The study, led by researchers at Monash University in Australia, is based on data from more than 13,500 participants in the ASPREE trial, which investigated the effects of low-dose aspirin in older adults. The study was published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Researchers found that the benefit was mostly seen among people with a specific genetic trait linked with platelet count.

70% Lower Dementia Risk Was Seen Among Older Adults

Also read: Aspirin & Colon Cancer: Lancet Study Explains Why It Could Help At An Earlier Stage But Not After Spread

Platelets are small blood components that help form clots and stop bleeding. Researchers have previously examined how aggregation of platelets might contribute to dementia, but the role of genetically influenced platelet counts still remains unclear.

The researchers examined genetic scores related to platelet count and compared dementia results among participants who were either assigned aspirin or placebo.

Among people in the highest 20% of platelet count genetic scores, dementia developed in 1% of those taking aspirin, compared with 3.3% of those receiving a placebo. This represented approximately a 70% lower risk.

Lead author Dr Peter Fransquet, a research fellow at Monash University's School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said, “Previous trials found aspirin didn't prevent dementia when everyone was considered together.”

“Our findings suggest there may be more to the story,” he said.

Risk Of Bleeding Increased

Also read: Trump Says He ‘Psychologically’ Needs To Pop Aspirin Every Day: But Is It Actually Safe?

The benefit was accompanied by a safety concern. Among participants in the same genetic subgroup, major bleeding occurred in 4.4% of those assigned to aspirin, compared to 2.1% of those given a placebo. That is a difference of 2.3 percentage points in both dementia cases and major bleeding events. In other words, the lower dementia rate cannot be considered in isolation from the increased bleeding risk.

Aspirin reduces the ability of platelets to form clots. This can be useful for certain people who need to take precaution against cardiovascular events, but it can also increase the risk of serious bleeding, including bleeding in the gastrointestinal tract or brain.

The study therefore does not prove that aspirin offers a favourable overall balance of benefits and harms for people with this genetic profile.

Could This Help Personalise Dementia Prevention?

The researchers found that the genetic signal was not linked to established genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and dementia. Instead, it pointed towards platelet factor as a possible direction for further research.

“What's particularly interesting is that the signal wasn't linked to the established genetic risk factors for Alzheimer's disease and dementia,” Fransquet said. “Instead, it's pointing us towards platelet biology and gives us a new avenue to investigate.”

The findings could contribute to more personalised approaches to dementia prevention, in which treatments are tailored to characteristics that influence how individuals respond. But the results need to be replicated in other populations and tested in a clinical trial specifically designed for people with the identified genetic profile.

Fransquet said, “People shouldn’t start taking aspirin to prevent dementia on the basis of this study without consulting with their doctor, particularly given the increased risk of serious bleeding,” he said.