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Who gets more sleep, men or women? Across the country what's the average bedtime? And how consistently do people stick to their bedtimes? Fitbit knows those answers. That's because millions of people wear their devices to bed – and the company is now sharing some of the data.

The Finnish people live a bit longer than those of us in the United States. While the reasons are multifactorial, a study in the Journal of Human Hypertension [1] wants to give some credit to the cardiovascular benefits of – the sauna. No pills to remember or special dietary injunctions, just a 30-minute time-out in the sauna.

Obesity, especially severe obesity, is a harbinger of many health problems. And the longer someone remains obese the greater the chance problems will develop. But here's some good news: severe obesity prevalence among children in the Women, Infants, and Children program has come down.

A 1% increase in suicide-related search terms resulted in 54 additional suicides in the United States. Do search engines like Google or social media outlets like Facebook have any responsibility to monitor the mental health of their users?

A recent study published in Nature Genetics, describes a genetic link to obesity in humans discovered by studying obese children in Pakistan.

The business of sleep continues to break new ground. To what end, that's hard to say. Here are some hi-tech sheets, mattresses, pillows and other products to consider, that one manufacturer and one NBA team say is worth added cost. 

Why would the media release personal health information based on so-called sources? If without Romney's consent, then this is quite disturbing and unethical.

It's unlikely that when you first wake up the word "vanadium" comes to mind. In fact, you probably haven't even heard of it. But it is real – a metal – and named after a Northern-Germanic tribe goddess. The word means "beauty," so all in all vanadium does not disappoint. 

The State of New York is proposing a change in the rules that determine what drugs Workers Comp patients may receive, and when. The new rules are nonsensical and harmful to patients as American Council friend, Dr. Aric Hausknecht, explains.

Some new research may fuel a diet craze — for whole eggs of all things. A study in young men indicates that after resistance exercise, eating whole eggs promotes new muscle formation better than just eating egg whites, even when the amount of protein is the same.

A swallowable capsule may be useful in identifying transit time in the gut as well as the bacteria present. It is a new, simpler way to investigate our gut microbiome. 

Critical self-perception plays a significant role in why women choose not to engage in breast self-examinations, an essential tool in breast cancer prevention.
That's the conclusion of a new study of British women, which found that dissatisfaction with breast appearance leads to an avoidance of self-exams, and consequently, a delay in seeking a medical evaluation. Researchers wrote that this dynamic tends to occur "because it involves exposing one’s physical and emotional self to others."

When it comes to infant feeding, recent survey data from the Centers for Disease Control does more to add to the guideline burden than benefit a baby – let alone the parent. 

Following one of its doctor's pseudoscientific ramblings last year, as well as him promoting anti-vaccine propaganda, the Cleveland Clinic now has this bombshell to deal with. USA Today discovered that a surgeon was accused of "anally raping" two patients, then covered it up.

The nutrients that typically come to mind in connection with osteoporosis are calcium and vitamin D. But if a mouse study is translatable to humans, we may have to add dietary fiber to that list. Fiber is broken down by some gut bacteria to form short chain fatty acids that prevent bone breakdown.

Toning and sculpting aren't just for your body anymore; the trend of Face Yoga is quickly catching on, and some say it really works to delay aging and erase years off your face. If it's free, what's the harm?
 

Food deserts are communities that lack a supermarket. Does a supermarket entering this neighborhood improve nutritional purchases? Food policy experts say yes, but our purchases say no. 

Organic chemists are mostly deranged – and that's on a good day. Because simply learning how to name the chemicals they work with is tough stuff. But every so often we'll see a name – or two – that has little to do with chemistry. This pair seems descriptive and ghoulish, so welcome to the crazy world of organic nomenclature. 

C-diff is a bacterium that causes a life-threatening infection. Though the bacterium can infect healthy individuals, it is of particular concern to those who are hospitalized or are taking antibiotics.

We would think a physician could use guidelines to advise a patient about screening. But what if the guidelines are good for society, but not necessarily as good for the patient? Three separate articles in the Annals of Internal Medicine clarify the dilemma, without providing a solution.

The bat population is declining dramatically due to White-Nose Syndrome. A fungus grows on the bats, irritating them and waking them during hibernation. This energy-sapping growth kills them before they wake in the spring. A new study discovered that a genetic mutation in the fungus could save the bats by ridding them of this disease.

One study examined more than 900 family trees, dating hundreds of years back, finding that the tendency to have girls or boys was inherited. Researchers concluded that the father's genes may also be involved in the process.

With snow days making some stir crazy, delving into what can be physically possible seemed an essential, compelling escape. 

Alas, the $37 billion dietary supplements industry likely will remain unregulated for the foreseeable future. And with it, the fight against junk science and bogus health claims must soldier on.

Treatment advances are not easy to come by, especially in some hard-to-treat cancers like brain and triple negative breast cancer. New research, however, shows that infection with a virus could be key in making a promising treatment applicable to some cancers that were previously resistant.