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Driving a car can give you freedom. But it’s also one of riskiest things you do every day. More than 36,000 people died in car accidents in the U.S. in 2018. Millions more are injured each year. Many things can make driving risky. Speeding, not paying full attention to the road, and driving while tired all increase your chances of a crash. Drinking or using drugs can be especially dangerous.…, Distracted Driving, You’ve likely seen ads reminding you to keep your eyes on the road. With cell phones and screens everywhere, distracted driving has become a major problem. “Because we’re so phone driven, the tendency is when somebody calls us or texts us, we want to respond immediately,” says Dr. Bruce Simons-Morton, an NIH expert on teen driving. To drive safely, we have to overcome that powerful impulse, he…, Teen Drivers, Studies show that teen drivers are at greatest risk for crashes. Crashes are higher among 16- to 19-year-olds than any other age group. That’s because some driving skills get better with experience. Teens are also prone to distraction, especially with friends in the car. “The first six months of driving on their own is the most dangerous,” says Dr. Ginger Yang, a teen driving expert at Nationwide…, Older Drivers, Younger drivers aren’t the only group at greater risk of crashes. As you age, physical and mental changes can make driving more dangerous. “There’s a number of changes that happen in our vision as we grow older,” says Dr. Cynthia Owsley, who studies the impact of aging on vision at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Eye diseases, such as glaucoma, naturally get worse with age. Older adults…, Safer Driving, Whether you’re a new driver or have been driving for decades, it’s important to think about safe driving. The good news is that advances in car design and safety technology are helping protect you behind the wheel. You can also do several things to reduce your risk of an accident. Always stay alert. Resist the urge to text or talk on the phone. For more safe driving tips, see the Wise Choices box.

Language sets humans apart from other species. We use it constantly to tell each other what we feel, think, and need. Losing the ability to communicate can be devastating. But that’s what happens in a condition called aphasia. Aphasia occurs when a part of the brain that helps process language is damaged. The most common cause of aphasia is[qtip: stroke|When normal blood flow to the brain is…

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S. Some people don’t have symptoms until they have chest pain or a heart attack. A new study found that invasive treatments may not work much better than medication and lifestyle changes alone. The study followed more than 5,000 patients with stable moderate to severe heart disease for about three years. The people were divided into two groups…, Clarification: An earlier version of this story was unclear that medications were used for both treatment groups. The story was updated on 06/02/20.

As we age, our vision changes. Cataracts are one such common  change. A cataract is a cloudy area in the lens of your eye. By age 80, most people either have cataracts or have had surgery to remove them. Around age 40, the proteins in the lens of your eye start to break down and clump together. This clumping makes a cloudy area on your lens that gets worse over time. At first, you may not have…

Getting enough physical activity can make both your body and mind feel better. It can also help prevent or delay health problems. Now, researchers are looking for ways to find out which exercises may best suit your body. Different types of exercise can bring different health benefits. You can strengthen your bones with weights. Increase your flexibility with stretching. Or, improve your heart…, Influenced by Genes, Scientists know that different types of exercise have different effects on health, explains Dr. William Kraus, who studies heart disease prevention at Duke University. “The benefits vary by type, intensity, and amount of exercise,” he says. For example, his lab has observed that long bouts of moderate-intensity exercise, like brisk walking, may be especially good at lowering blood sugar levels.…, Learning From Athletes, “There really is almost no health intervention as potent and as broad in its benefit as physical activity,” says Dr. Euan Ashley, who studies exercise and the heart at Stanford University.  Ashley, Bamman, and Kraus are involved in a large NIH-funded program looking at how exercise affects different molecules in the body. They’re also exploring how this differs between people. The team is…, The Role of Microbes, It’s not only your biology that can influence how exercise affects your body. Scientists are discovering more and more about the role of your microbiome. That’s the collection of microbes that live in and on your body.  In a recent study, researchers found changes in a certain type of gut bacteria in marathon runners. They transferred those bacteria into mice. The mice given the bacteria were…

We all get red in the face sometimes. It might be from blushing, an allergic reaction, or a sunburn. But if face redness lasts for a long time it could be a skin condition called rosacea (pronounced ro-ZAY-shah). Rosacea often starts as redness or flushing on the cheeks, nose, chin, and forehead. “There is extraordinary redness in the central part of the face,” says Dr. Richard Gallo, professor…

People with diabetes have high levels of blood sugar (or blood glucose). When blood sugar builds up too high, it causes harmful effects. A study found that African Americans with disrupted sleep have higher blood sugar levels. Previous studies have also found this link in European and Asian populations. Researchers looked at data from about 800 African American men and women who had home sleep…

Traumatic events can be scary or dangerous. These include natural disasters, accidents, or violent events. Experiencing one can affect both your body and mind. It’s common to have an intense reaction after a traumatic event. You may feel anxious, sad, or angry. Trauma can also cause trouble with sleep or concentration. You might find yourself thinking about what happened over and over. It can…

A fall, car accident, or sports injury can cause a mild traumatic brain injury, or concussion. Most people will recover in a few weeks to months. But some people’s symptoms continue long afterward. Researchers want to better understand why some people’s brains don’t heal after a concussion. This condition is called post-concussive syndrome. It may involve headaches, fatigue, or dizziness. You can…

Many people get health information from the internet. But not every online source is reliable. How do you know whether you can trust the health information you find? There are many signs you can look for. First, it’s important to find out if a website is from a trusted source. Health websites sponsored by the federal government are a good place to start. Their web addresses will be followed by “.…