Health Matters

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Take an hour or two this weekend to improve your AC situation

By Jamie Ducharme

Health Correspondent

In my free time, there are very, very few things I’d like to do less than change my air conditioner’s filter. But my latest story has convinced me to suck it up and do it.

This summer has been record-breakingly hot, which means lots of us have been running air conditioning nearly non-stop. If your system is clean and properly maintained, that’s not a bad thing. In addition to regulating temperature, air conditioning can remove humidity and irritants like dust and pollen from the air. But a dirty system can make indoor air quality worse, potentially exacerbating allergies and causing other health issues.

Is it a sexy topic? No. But it’s worth taking a few minutes to think about when—if ever—you last swapped your filter and cleaned your system, for the sake of the air you breathe.

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What Else to Read

There’s Finally a Fully Approved Alzheimer’s Drug—But Getting It Won’t Be Easy

By Alice Park

The drug lecanemab (Leqembi), from Eisai Inc. and Biogen, treats a root cause of Alzheimer’s disease.

Are Shark Attacks Increasing? Here Are What the Data Say

By Jeffrey Kluger

The rate of shark attacks has remained relatively stable. But climate change may be increasing the odds of shark-human encounters.

Does It Really Work to Date Within a Marriage?

By Belinda Luscombe

Bill de Blasio and Chirlaine McCray are about to find out.

Teens Are Increasingly Underestimating Their Weight

By Haley Weiss

A new study shows that as teens globally become increasingly heavier, their perception of their weight is not keeping pace.

How I Came to Love My Bionic Hand

By Jessica Smith

Born missing a left arm, Paralympian Jessica Smith explains why, after years of refusing to do so, she chose to wear a bionic hand.

Are You Working in Extreme Heat? Tell Us About It

By TIME Staff

ONE MORE FROM ELSEWHERE

The GOP likes MDMA (mainly for PTSD)

When you picture people who support the use of psychedelic drugs, conservative politicians are likely not those who come to mind first. But, as STAT’s Olivia Goldhill reports, right-leaning lawmakers are rallying behind drugs like MDMA, largely for its promise in helping veterans with PTSD.

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Today's newsletter was written by Jamie Ducharme, and edited by Elijah Wolfson.

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