Yoga can be beneficial for aging practitioners

Yoga is believed to improve mental health, but studies are not definitive

Many think that yoga's combination of stretching, focused breathing, and contemplation help treat depression and anxiety, but the data has often relied on small, homogenous sample sizes.

Can humans delay or reverse old age?

We're not sure yet. Researchers at the University of California San Francisco are studying why some conditions and behaviors, such as low-oxygen environments and exercise, benefit the aging process, hoping to reveal potential health applications. Some of this research focuses on klotho, a naturally occurring age-regulating hormone named after the Greek Fate Clotho. Animal studies on klotho brain injections found subjects had improved memory recall and age-related degeneration resistance.

Yoga has become a popular tool for veterans dealing with PTSD

As the practice has become more popular in the West, it’s been incorporated into the Department of Veterans Affairs’ treatment plans for post-traumatic stress disorder. Veteran instructors say that although yoga and the military might seem like odd fits, they share many commonalities, including a rigorous approach. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

Over 28% of US adults use yoga for pain management

According to a 2022 study, 28.8% of adults used yoga as a way to manage pain. That's a significant uptick from 2002, when only 11.2% did. The most used approach was chiropractic, which 85.7% used.

Resistance training can help fight osteoporosis, especially in menopausal women

Weight-bearing training that pulls on bones, joints, and muscles can strengthen bone health. Movements like squats, rows, shoulder and chest presses, and push-ups can be started at any age (if you don't already have advanced bone loss), though ideally they should be started earlier—in one's teens or young adulthood—to stave off bone density losses that begin in your 30s.

Strength training appears to make for a healthier, youthful-looking brain

A study from 2025 links having higher amounts of muscle with a more youthful-looking brain age. Scientists analyzed data from more than 1,100 healthy adults around their mid-50s after they underwent full-body MRIs, comparing muscle, fat, and brain age appearances from the scans.Their findings link strength training and controlling visceral fat with improved brain health. The research didn't tease apart why this benefit occurs.

Richard Hittleman brought yoga to TV

"Yoga For Health" was a 1960s television show that sought to make yoga accessible for everyday Americans. Richard Hittleman, the show's host, walked viewers through basic postures, introducing them to the practice's therapeutic benefits. "We know that within us there's great forces, and great power, and great beauty," he says in this 1961 episode, "and the idea is to bring it out."

Aging is a complex biological process affecting our cells, tissues, and organs

With each passing decade, researchers uncover additional causes and effects of this seemingly unstoppable process. This visually stimulating video dives into our current understanding of aging, complete with the biological hallmarks researchers use to study aging at the cellular level (biological age).

Stretching and breathing are just two aspects of yoga

Most contemporary yoga studios focus on two of astanga yoga’s eight branches, as codified in the ancient text “Yoga Sutras of Patañjali”: asanas (physical postures) and pranayama (breath control). However, the larger practice of yoga includes six additional limbs: yama (universal ethics), niyama (individual ethics), pratyahara (control of senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (pure consciousness).

Yoga dates back to about 1500 BCE

The earliest known mention of the word is in the Rig Veda, one of the four canonical Hindu texts. Rishis, or sages, then documented its evolution in the Upanishads, the Hindu scriptures. Much of the modern understanding of Yoga comes from “Yoga Sutras of Patañjali,” which outlines the practice’s eight elements, including physical postures and breathwork.

One classical musician arranged a work specifically for yoga

In the middle of a yoga class, Ellen Fishman noticed that sitting closer to a speaker allowed her to feel the music in her body, enhancing her overall experience. She arranged music for a string ensemble with a yoga session in mind. The group, StringFlo, now performs the work live in yoga classes.

Several NFL teams incorporate yoga into their training

Although brawny football players might not seem like obvious yogis, many of the NFL’s athletes have taken to the practice for flexibility and mindfulness. Several teams, including the Los Angeles Chargers, Cleveland Browns, and Dallas Cowboys, make the practice a part of their conditioning routine.

Shingles vaccine may slow biological aging in older adults

Research published in 2025 that analyzed data from thousands of older adults found that those who had received the shingles vaccine exhibited signs of slower biological aging, such as lower levels of inflammation and slower epigenetic aging, than those who had not been vaccinated.

Can fasting help you live longer?

Animal studies into the health benefits of calorie restrictions of 20%-40% suggest it extends life spans and reduces incidents of age-related diseases, including cancer. This article explores the research into fasting, calorie restriction, and longevity.

Journaling can improve mental wellbeing and promote positive interactions

Described as having therapy with someone who knows you well, documenting one's thoughts and feelings aids in information processing and can reveal personal issues. Methods include bullet journaling and gratitude, which a 2024 study linked to a longer lifespan.

How reading and writing can lower dementia risk by almost 40%

Research published in 2026 that tracked almost 2,000 older adults for an average of nearly eight years suggests that lifelong exposure to intellectual stimulation, such as learning a language, reading, and writing, can lower dementia risk by as much as 40%.

Explore a series of bedtime exercises to improve sleep

Low-impact, mindful movements can potentially help the body and mind relax before sleeping. Such exercises could be a helpful complement to regular exercise during the day.

Offering support to others linked to cognitive and physical health improvements

The Baltimore Experience Corps Trial, which was a large study evaluating the health benefits of volunteering among older adults, concluded that seniors spending about 15 hours weekly offering kids tutoring and mentoring was associated with improvements including better memory and increased mobility and strength.

Exercise helps make your arteries more elastic

Regular aerobic exercise releases nitric oxide, a key molecule that relaxes blood vessel walls and improves vascular function. These exercise-induced adaptations make the heart work more efficiently and blood vessels become more elastic, leading to improved circulation and lowered cardiovascular risk.

Why yoga teachers are dissecting cadavers

Thousands of fitness professionals are choosing to attend cadaver workshops to improve their understanding of anatomy and their teaching abilities. Though 3D virtual models give students a fresh way to explore the human body, medical students say experiencing the intricacies in person is far more instructive. As fitness professionals increase their understanding of the muscular and skeletal systems, their movement cues and instructions evolve in tandem.

PIckleball's popularity with seniors is partially due to its health benefits

Pickleball has always been a game for all ages, but it has been particularly popular among seniors, in part because of its many health benefits, including enhancing hand-eye coordination and burning more calories than walking.

Continual sitting harms your health in a variety of ways

Prolonged inactivity, like sitting for long periods, slows metabolism, weakens muscles and bones, and impairs insulin function. When these negative changes persist over time, the cumulative result is an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and many cancers.

Diagnosis and treatment of hip and knee osteoarthritis

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis, resulting from age-related degeneration of the soft cartilage lining between bones. As this layer breaks down, the normal smooth motion between bones is lost and the joint becomes painful.

How one autoimmune disease patient is questing for inflammation cures

This article's writer, who has Hashimoto's Disease and characteristic symptoms from her body attacking her thyroid—like exhaustion, hair loss, and brain fog—shares big take-aways from an anti-inflammatory retreat in Italy. The writer suggests that a holistic approach to eating, sleeping, and stress management, are the only sustainable ways to lower inflammation.

Cold water swimming can induce positive stress

The tradition of cold water swimming (or taking a cold plunge, or even a cold shower) has been shown to release the same hormones triggered during a stress response. This can have the effect of increasing blood flow, improved mental acuity, and more.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes

Alzheimer's can lead to brain shrinkage, with an average of around 2% of volume reduction per year

To reduce wrinkles in clothing, research recommends gentle wash cycles with more water and tumble drying with smaller loads and longer times.

Hookworm infection, though risky, may help fight certain autoimmune conditions by tamping down the immune system's inflammatory response.

Larger animals like giraffes, elephants, and blue whales have developed a unique defense against cancer, a phenomenon known as Peto's Paradox

In recent years a child anxiety expert has created and tested a novel phobia and anxiety treatment approach for children, focused on changing how parents respond to the fears.

After 25 people used virtual reality headsets to practice flying with virtual wings—flapping their arms—their visual cortex responded to the wings almost as if they were real arms, treating them as body parts.

NBA superstar Victor Wembanyama spent the 2025 summer training with monks in central China to enhance his body and mind.

Telehealth demand for GLP-1s for weight loss is booming as consumers seek easier access.

A Yale student wrote a profound essay about the consulting industry's influence on elite college students that was published in a book of her writing after she died in a post-graduation car accident.

The use of fungi to detoxify land and water—a process known as mycoremediation—has been used to clean up natural resources affected by the 2025 California wildfires.

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

Listen to an in-depth conversation on the links between Parkinson's disease and herbicide exposure and the challenging pace of scientific investigation.

The hormonal disorder PCOS was renamed PMOS in 2026, a move designed to improve care and research by shifting the focus to the hormonal causes of this condition that affects 1 in 8 women.

44% of Americans say they pray at least once a day—discover how your state's religiosity stacks up against the rest of the country.

Astronauts have repaired genetic damage in space using CRISPR—a molecular tool that can make precise changes to DNA and is used in single-celled organisms to attack invasive viruses.

Watch how algorithms can be designed to train themselves and self-improve without human input, to the point where the optimized code is too complex for programmers to understand.

Watch the cumbersome, but necessary, precautions healthcare workers must take to care for and protect themselves while caring for Ebola patients.

'Shogun,' a 1980s TV series, helped popularize sushi in the US by stimulating an American interest in Japanese culture.

US housing costs have risen by roughly 175% between 1991 and 2026—but a growing number of Gen Zers are becoming homeowners anyway. In 2025, 4% of homebuyers were Gen Z, up from 3% the year before.

Volcanoes 'die' when their supply of magma runs out, if they are shifted away from their underlying magma reservoir, or if they get clogged by collapsing or their magma cooling back into rock.

SpongeBob exemplifies Aristotle's philosophy for living well because he understands that happiness doesn't come from external factors like money, recognition, or power.

In 1939, baseball star Lou Gehrig delivered his inspirational 'Luckiest Man' speech after retiring due to the health condition that now bears his name.

Graffiti dates back to at least ancient Pompeii, where citizens scrawled messages to one another on public walls

Gerrymandering works through two techniques: cracking opposing voters across districts to dilute their power, and packing them into a few to waste their votes in lopsided majorities.