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Be Well

Can pink noise enhance sleep and memory? Early research drives a color noise buzz

White noise is frequently used to mask background sounds and it now has competition in a rainbow of colors.

FILE - A woman meditates on the beach in Miami Beach, Fla., on April 28, 2010. Research shows a daily meditation practice can reduce anxiety, improve overall health and increase social connections, among other benefits. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)

If you’ve tried meditating but can’t sit still, here’s how — and why — to try again

FILE - A screen shows the Dow Jones industrials at in Seoul, South Korea on Aug. 9, 2011. Through its long history, the Dow Jones Industrial Average has offered a way for people to get a quick read on how Wall Street is doing. But its importance is on the wane. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

The Dow closed above 40,000 for the first time. The number is big but means little for your 401(k)

Ultra runner Helen Ryvar runs through an underpass in Wrexham during running a half marathon in Wrexham, Wales, Wednesday, March 20, 2024. Helen who took up running in 2020 just before lockdown completes her daily half marathon early so as to fit in a full time job and being a single parent to 3 children. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Here’s what you can learn from a mom of three who runs a half-marathon a day

Gene and Sallie Carr pose for a picture in their recently remodeled home on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Hendersonville, N.C. An increasing number of Americans in their late 50s and older are staying in their houses, some by choice, others because they're locked into low mortgage rates that are too low to give up. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Some older Americans splurge to keep homes accessible while others struggle to make safety upgrades

More wellness news

FILE - This undated photo provided by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a blacklegged tick, also known as a deer tick. Another mild winter and other favorable factors likely means the 2024 tick population will be equal to last year or larger, some researchers say. (CDC via AP, File)

Tick season has arrived. Protect yourself with these tips

Tick season is starting across the U.S., and experts are warning the bloodsuckers may be as plentiful as ever.

A grab bar next to the bathtub is shown in the recently remodeled home of Gene and Sallie Carr on Tuesday, May 7, 2024, in Hendersonville, N.C. An increasing number of Americans in their late 50s and older are staying in their houses, some by choice, others because they're locked into low mortgage rates that are too low to give up. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Tips to make a house or apartment safe and accessible for older adults living at home

With a majority of Americans preferring to live in their own homes as long as possible, experts stress the importance of modifications to keep dwellings safe and accessible.

FILE - James Walter uses a phone at home in the Queens borough of New York, on April 7, 2021. Sleep scientists long ago established that insufficient sleep is linked with poor health outcomes, anxiety, obesity and several other negative effects. The research is equally conclusive that smartphones are particularly disruptive to the circadian clock that regulates sleep and other hormones. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski, File)

The blue light isn’t the only reason it’s a bad idea to look at screens at bedtime

Even people who know that looking at their smartphone in bed isn’t good for them do it anyway. If you’d like to stop, consider this.

FILE - Yogurt is displayed for sale at a grocery store in River Ridge, La. on July 11, 2018. Yogurt sold in U.S. grocery store may soon have new labels that say the popular food might help reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)

Can yogurt reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes?

Yogurt sold in U.S. grocery store may soon have new labels that say the popular food might help reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes.

FILE - Donna Cooper holds up a dosage of Wegovy, a drug used for weight loss, at her home in Front Royal, Va., on Friday, March 1, 2024. "To me, it's a help, it's an aid," says Cooper, 62, who lost nearly 40 pounds in nine months using Wegovy along with diet and exercise. "At some point you have to come off of them. I don't want to be on them forever." (AP Photo/Amanda Andrade-Rhoades, File)

So you’ve lost weight using Wegovy. Does that mean you can stop taking it?

Millions of Americans who have dropped pounds and boosted their health using popular obesity drugs like Wegovy are facing a new dilemma: What happens if they stop taking them?

President Joe Biden delivers remarks on student loan debt at Madison College, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The deadline to consolidate some student loans to receive forgiveness is here. Here’s what to know

Borrowers with some types of federal student loans have until today to consolidate their loans to qualify for full student loan cancellation or credit toward cancellation.

FILE - A radiologist uses a magnifying glass to check mammograms for breast cancer in Los Angeles, May 6, 2010. An influential U.S. task force now says women should get screened for breast cancer every other year starting at age 40. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force announced the updated guidance Tuesday, April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes, File)

Breast cancer is on the rise in women in their 40s. An earlier mammogram may help catch it sooner

Regular mammograms to screen for breast cancer should start younger — at age 40. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force announced the updated guidance Tuesday.

FILE - Bottles of alcohol sit on shelves at a bar in Houston on June 23, 2020. Moderate drinking was once thought to have benefits for the heart, but better research methods starting in the 2010s have thrown cold water on that. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)

Less alcohol, or none at all, is one path to better health

Moderate drinking was once thought to have benefits for the heart but better research methods have thrown cold water on that idea.

FILE - Containers of Zyn, a Phillip Morris smokeless nicotine pouch, are displayed for sale among other nicotine and tobacco products at a newsstand Friday, Feb. 23, 2024, in New York. The product has been making big headlines, sparking debate about whether new nicotine-based alternatives intended for adults may be catching on with underage teens and adolescents. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File)

What to know about Zyn, the tiny nicotine pouch that’s sparked a big health debate

A small nicotine pouch called Zyn is sparking big debates about the benefits and risks of new products from tobacco companies.

Atkins weight loss products are seen on sale at a Kroger supermarket, Friday, April 12, 2024, in Marietta, Ga. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

What do weight loss drugs mean for a diet industry built on eating less and exercising more?

New weight loss drugs are reshaping a dieting industry built on eating less and exercising more. The arsenal of drugs like Wegovy and its predecessor, the diabetes medication Ozempic, has proven successful in eliminating unwanted pounds more quickly and easily than weight loss methods based only on

FILE - An oak tree with new leaf growth also shows pollen and a drop of water hanging among the branches at a park in Richardson, Texas, Thursday, March 21, 2024. There are three main types of pollen. Earlier in the spring, tree pollen is the main culprit. After that grasses pollinate, followed by weeds in the late summer and early fall. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez, File)

Allergies can make you miserable. Here’s how to track pollen levels near you

Allergy season is here, but it doesn’t have to make you miserable. Experts say people can manage most symptoms by using over-the-counter medicines and knowing pollen levels.

FILE - This Nov. 11, 2013 file photo shows a bedroom built by Mike Spangler using some reclaimed materials, in Belle, W.Va. Nearly one-third of American adults don't get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Some of the major causes: Stress, anxiety and a culture that experts say is about productivity, not rest. (Craig Cunningham/Charleston Daily Mail via AP, file)

Get better sleep with these 5 tips from experts

Nearly a third of American adults don’t get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Stress and anxiety are keeping people from snoozing, as can a culture that experts say is about productivity, not rest.

Lama Rod Owens sits in the yard of his childhood home in Rome, Georgia, on Saturday, March 30, 2024. Owens is an influential voice in a new generation of Buddhist teachers, respected for his work focused on social change, identity and spiritual wellness. (AP Photo/Jessie Wardarski)

Lama Rod describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. He wants to free you from suffering

Lama Rod Owens describes himself as a Black Buddhist Southern Queen. The Harvard Divinity school-educated lama and yoga teacher blends his training in Tibetan Buddhism with experiences from his life as a Black, queer man.

Cans of Olipop, a soda containing botanicals, plant fibers, and prebiotics, are shown at a Kroger supermarket, Friday, April 12, 2024, in Marietta, Ga. U.S. sales of prebiotic and probiotic drinks more than tripled last year. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Do drinks that are meant to do more than taste good actually provide any health benefits?

The global market has exploded for drinks that promise to do more than just taste good. So much so that grocery store beverage aisles are starting to look more like pharmacies.

FILE - A traveler takes a nap as he waits for a ride outside Miami International Airport, Friday, July 1, 2022, in Miami. The Gallup survey, released Monday, April 15, 2024, says that a majority of Americans say they would feel better if they could have more sleep. But in the U.S., where the ethos of grinding and pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps is ubiquitous, getting enough sleep can seem like a dream. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)

Dream on - or don’t. Americans say they aren’t getting enough sleep

It seems Americans don’t think they’re particularly well-rested. A new poll says that a majority of Americans say they would feel better if they could have more sleep.

Husband and wife artist team Annie Galvin, left, and Eric Rewitzer pose with their dog Woody in front of their new 3 Fish Studios art gallery in Amador City, Calif., in 2023. Galvin and Rewitzer moved out of San Francisco to live closer to nature after their sabbatical in France and Ireland. (Eric Rewitzer via AP)

Breaking from routine with a mini sabbatical or ‘adult gap year’ can be rejuvenating

If you daydream about getting a break from stress, you might picture a restful week of vacation or a long weekend away.

Camilo Villegas tees off on the 11th hole during the first round of the Valspar Championship golf tournament Thursday, March 21, 2024, at Innisbrook in Palm Harbor, Fla. Golfers are in the sun as much if not more than players in other sport. It can be as many as eight hours a day. And there is renewed emphasis on protecting their skin. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara)

Golfers follow the sun. Here is what we can learn from them about protecting ourselves from dangerous rays

Golfers are in the sun as much if not more than players in other sports. It can be as many as eight hours a day. And there is renewed emphasis on protecting their skin.

In this photo provided by University of Michigan Health-West, Dr. Lance Owens, chief medical information officer at the university, demonstrates the use of an AI tool on a smartphone in Wyoming, Mich., on Sept. 9, 2021. The software listens to a doctor-patient conversation, documents and organizes it to write a clinical note. (University of Michigan Health-West via AP)

Is your doctor using AI?

New artificial intelligence tools are helping doctors communicate with their patients. Some tools answer messages and others take notes during exams.

This photo provided by Yellow Kite shows “Healthy Made Simple” by Ella Mills. (Yellow Kite via AP)

Looking for a healthier way to eat? Home chef Ella Mills offers some plant-based recipes

Ella Mills knows we all want to eat healthier. But the English food writer and businesswoman also knows we’re busy and we want everything to taste good.

File - People show photos of their loved ones before the start of a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing with the heads of social media platforms on Capitol Hill in Wednesday, Jan. 31, 2024, to discuss child safety. The CEOs got grilled by Senate lawmakers in an emotional and often heated hearing about the dangers their platforms pose to children. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

What parents need to know to keep their kids safe on social media

Social media CEOs got grilled by Senate lawmakers this week in an emotional and often heated hearing about the dangers their platforms pose to children — sexual predators, videos encouraging suicide and glorifying eating disorders, bullying and addictive features, just to name a few.

Hope Zuckerbrow, founder of the cozy cardio wellness movement, shows her workout set-up, including a walking pad, smoothie and remote control for watching television. (Hope Zuckerbrow via AP)

It’s called ‘cozy cardio.’ In a world seeking comfort, some see a happier mode of exercise

Political polarization. Economic struggles. Inequity. Climate change. War. In a world like ours, you can hardly blame people for trying to cushion themselves.

The Los Angeles Times newspaper headquarters is located in El Segundo, Calif., Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024. The Los Angeles Times plans to lay off 94 newsroom employees starting Tuesday, according to the head of the journalists' union who said the number, while substantial, is less than feared. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

What to do if you’re concerned you might be laid off — or if you’ve lost your job

Recent mass layoffs from technology and media companies, including eBay, Riot Games and the Los Angeles Times, might have you thinking about your job security.

Making it all fit. Tips for Living in small spaces

Setting up home in a small apartment poses all sorts of challenges.

First, there’s the floorplan: With small rooms come issues like storage, and where to put the bed.