Ravi Desai

About the author

Ravi covers health, fitness and sleep science, with a focus on habits that are easy to keep.

Loneliness and Isolation May Cost Years of Healthy Life, a Study of 277,000 Adults Finds

People who were both lonely and socially isolated could expect up to 5.8 fewer years free of mental disorders. Healthy habits helped with one of the two, but not the other.

Nicotine Vapes Helped More Smokers Quit Than Patches or Gum, a Review of 80 Trials Finds

An updated Cochrane review of nearly 30,000 smokers found regulated nicotine e-cigarettes beat nicotine patches and gum for quitting. Here’s what that does and doesn’t mean.

How Much Strength Training Do You Really Need? What the Research Says

Official guidelines call for strength work twice a week, and a 147,000-person study points to a sweet spot of about 90 to 120 minutes. Here’s what the evidence says and how to start.

Even Weak Sunlight Can Damage Skin DNA Without a Burn, a Small Trial Finds

In a trial of 58 adults, UV doses too low to turn skin pink still caused measurable DNA damage, and weaker light was no gentler. Here’s what that means for sun protection in fall and winter.

Colorectal Cancer in Teens and Young Adults Is Often Found Late, a Study of 84 Patients Finds

A review of 84 patients age 21 or younger found most were diagnosed at an advanced stage, and only one in five had a family history. Here are the warning signs doctors say shouldn’t be brushed off.

Silent Artery Plaque Is Common Even in Young Adults, a Study of 16,800 People Finds

A large imaging study found plaque in the arteries of more than half of apparently healthy adults, including about 1 in 13 people in their 20s. Here’s what it does and doesn’t mean.

Do You Really Need 10,000 Steps a Day? What the Research Says

The 10,000-step goal may trace back to a 1960s pedometer ad. Large studies suggest about 7,000 steps captures most of the benefit, and even small increases help.

Falling Back on November 1: How to Protect Your Sleep When the Clocks Change

Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. on Sunday, November 1. Here’s what the extra hour does to your body clock, who feels it most, and how sleep experts suggest you handle the switch.

Cutting Ultra-Processed Food Eased Depression Symptoms in a Small Study

People with depression who cut ultra-processed food by more than 85% for four weeks reported notable improvements. It’s early, but promising.

Too Much Light at Night May Be Reshaping the Heart, Study Suggests

In a study of more than 11,000 adults who wore light sensors, brighter nights were linked to early changes in heart structure. The findings are preliminary, but the practical takeaway is simple and cheap.

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