Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
More Than 4 In 10 Adults Don't Know They Have High Cholesterol
ABC News: More Than 40% Of US Adults Are Unaware They Have High Cholesterol. And Are Untreated
More than 40% of adults in the United States are unaware they have -- and therefore are not being treated for -- high cholesterol, according to a new study. For the study, published in JAMA Cardiology, researchers from institutions in New York, Texas, Louisiana, Pakistan and Egypt looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 1999 and 2020 examining patients at least ages 20 and older with cholesterol levels above 160 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter). (Kekatos and Jain, 11/3)
CBS News: Seasonal Affective Disorder May Start To Affect More People As Daylight Saving Time Ends, Doctors Say
Seasonal Affective Disorder is a type of depression linked to chemical changes triggered by lack of daylight and sleep changes. About 6% of Americans are officially diagnosed, with milder cases for about 20% of the population. "They notice how that one hour time change can impact their health," said Dr. Christina Zhang, medical director at MiDoctor Health. "Tired, weakness, lack of energy, poor sleep." (Carlin, 11/2)
The Washington Post: Listening To Favorite Songs Can Reduce Pain As Much As Advil, Study Finds
Results published last week in the Frontiers journal showed that listening to your favorite tunes can reduce the perception of pain as much as taking an Advil. Now, in a second phase of the study, researchers are studying brain activity to determine which parts of the mind create that relieved perception. (Melnick, 11/2)
The Washington Post: Handwriting Muscles May Feel Weaker With Less Practice, Device Overuse
The problem isn’t only that we’re practicing less. Technology has changed the way we use our hands. Also, the more time we spend on our devices, the greater the probability of problems with our hands and wrists, such as pain, weakness and nerve changes. “It’s like going to the gym,” said Mellissa Prunty, an occupational therapist at Brunel University London and chair of the National Handwriting Association in the United Kingdom. “When you write for long periods of time but you don’t do it often, you are going to feel tired and fatigued.” (Rich, 11/2)
Axios: Time Change: Sleep Experts Prefer Standard Over Daylight Saving Time
We "fall back" and switch our clocks to standard time on Sunday, and a number of sleep experts want to stay in that time zone permanently. While lawmakers have pushed to make it daylight saving time all the time, a number of scientists and researchers say standard time is more aligned with our body clocks — and "daylight saving" time is not only a misnomer but harmful. (Mallenbaum, 11/2)
NPR: If You Give A Mouse A Sleepless Night, He Gets A Dopamine Rush
What your parents didn't tell you about pulling an all-nighter? It might just ease depression for several days. At least, that's what researchers found happened to mice in a study published in the journal Neuron Thursday. Most people who've stayed up all night know the "tired and wired" feeling they get the next day. Even after these changes wear off, sleep loss can have a strong antidepressant effect in people that lasts several days. (Barber, Scott, Shapiro, Carlson, and Contreras, 11/3)
