ScienceDaily: Living Well News

Women who have gone through menopause may have more of a brain biomarker called white matter hyperintensities than premenopausal women or men of the same age, according to a new study.

Researchers have trained new mothers in skills that help newborns sleep more during the night. New research shows that second children in these families also slept longer.

Companies selling ethical and sustainable products should use up-tempo major mode music in their marketing to help well-meaning consumers convert their good intentions into actual purchases, new research shows.

Although mindfulness originates within an individual, a new study has found the benefits do not end with this person. The real payoffs emerge when an individual's mindfulness is translated into mindful interactions and relationships. Such interactions -- infused with intentionality, compassion and presence -- can bring about more harmonious and healthy organizations.

American Heart Association's checklist to measure cardiovascular health is updated, now called Life's Essential 8™, adding healthy sleep as essential for optimal cardiovascular health. Other health and lifestyle factors in the checklist, which were part of the previous, 7-item scoring tool, are nicotine exposure, physical activity, diet, weight, blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure. The new sleep metric suggests 7-9 hours of sleep daily for optimal cardiovascular health for adults, and more for children depending on age.

Researchers found the U.S. population is well below optimal levels of cardiovascular health after applying the Life's Essential 8™ cardiovascular health scoring, the American Heart Association's updated metrics to measure heart and brain health. Life's Essential 8™ scoring was calculated using data from more than 23,400 adults and children from national health surveys from 2013-2018. Results show 80% of people in the U.S. have below-optimal cardiovascular health, and scores differed significantly according to age, gender, race/ethnicity, family income and depression status.

Researchers surveyed a nationally representative sample of 2,000 U.S. residents to gauge public acceptance of gene-edited foods. Social factors like food beliefs and trust in institutions played a big role in the participants' willingness to eat or actively avoid products made with gene-editing technologies.

A new study found that miscarriage risk in North America increased by 44 percent in late August, compared to late February, indicating the need to explore possible links between extreme heat and pregnancy loss.