Ever had an exchange with someone in your circle that makes you feel like you sprouted a few more gray hairs?

You might not be totally imagining it.

A recent study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences this February found that those of us who have more people “who create problems or make life more difficult” in our lives (the researchers brand these types as “hasslers”) can be seen to have a higher age biologically than their true chronological age.

“Negative social ties, or ‘hasslers,’ are pervasive yet understudied components of social networks that may accelerate biological aging and morbidity,” the researchers wrote. “… Negative relationships are not rare within close relationships, as nearly 30% of individuals report having at least one hassler in their network.”

So, while you may be 35 on paper, the number of “hasslers” you encounter and negotiate with each day could have your body feeling mid-40s real quick — with researchers finding that an increased number of these “negative social ties” leads to “accelerated biological aging and a broad range of health outcomes” that can range from increased inflammation to having two or more chronic health conditions.

Not every “hassler” is created equal, however. Researchers noted that hasslers who are both kin and non-kin tend to show “detrimental associations,” while hasslers who are spouses do not. Hasslers who are your kin were associated with more intense age acceleration (1.1 year increase).

Meanwhile, the number of these negative social ties you have will also be a factor in how badly you’re hit: “Having more hasslers is associated with accelerated biological aging in both rate and cumulative burden: Each additional hassler corresponds to approximately 1.5% faster pace of aging and roughly 9 [months] older biological age.”

The researchers note that their findings reinforce what we already know about allostatic load, or the cumulative “wear and tear” people experience from navigating (and trying to adapt to) chronic stress and major life events.

The more “hasslers’ and stressful dynamics you have in your day-to-day life — particularly ones you can’t always walk away from — the more your stress-sensitive systems can get activated. That can lead to “systemic inflammation, epigenetic dysregulation and metabolic strain.”

The researchers note that exposure to these “hasslers” follows patterns that might be familiar if you’re aware of conditions that typically predict health vulnerabilities: “women, daily smokers, people in poorer health, and those with adverse childhood experiences [are] more likely to report having hasslers in their networks.” These are also demographics that are likely already facing their own allostatic load challenges.

The researchers further address how social relationships, while more typically discussed as “sources of support that promote health and well-being” in research like this, can also function as “chronic stressors” — and chronic stress is already considered “a well-established driver of biological aging.”

“A growing body of research suggests that negative ties — relationships characterized by hostility, strain, or excessive burden, making one’s life difficult— may be prevalent and have lasting health consequences,” per the researchers.

So while people like President Donald Trump might chronically stress you out with every headline that darkens your doorstep, he wouldn’t count as a hassler in your life. That distinction is reserved for more interpersonal relationships.

Researchers note that these negative social ties are also more likely to show up in dynamics that are less voluntary, harder to avoid or harder to step away from: “Ties that involve obligation, shared space, or interdependence (e.g., parents, children, coworkers, roommates) appear more likely to produce hasslers, whereas voluntary and self-selected ties (e.g., friends, church members, healthcare providers) tend to generate fewer,” according to the researchers.

“This dual nature of social ties — both protective and harmful — raises important questions about their role in biological aging and the pathogenesis of common morbidities,” per the study. “However, existing research relies on methods that capture only the positive dimensions of social relationships (e.g., social support), often overlooking negative or strained ties. As a result, there is comparatively little empirical insight into how the dark side of networks contributes to biological aging.”

From the passeggiata to the art of aperitivo, many aspects of Italian culture capture imaginations around the world. One particularly inspiring figure is the “sciura Milanese.”

The archetype is so recognizable that there’s even an Instagram account dedicated to documenting these iconic women of Milan.

“‘Sciura’ is a word from the Milanese dialect that simply means ‘lady,’” Elisa Torello, founder of Elisa’s Italian School, told HuffPost. “It is pronounced ‘shoo-ra,’ with a rounded ‘u’ sound typical of the Milanese dialect. Traditionally, it was a respectful way to address a married or mature woman, especially someone of a certain social standing.”

People from Milan who speak the local dialect might say “sciura” to mean “lady” or the title of “Mrs.”/“Ms.” before a last name. But it also has another specific meaning.

“Today the regional word ‘sciura,’ often paired with the adjective ‘Milanese,’ is used in informal Italian as well, fueled by social media trends,” said Lucrezia Oddone of Learn Italian with Lucrezia. She explained that a “sciura Milanese” is an older woman, “usually aged 60+ ― but not exclusively, as this trend also embraces women in their 50s who live in the center of Milan ― who belongs to the upper middle class and has a very classic look.”

The team behind the blog Milanesi a Milano ― Ilaria Polo, Caterina Pacianti and Laura Stricchiola ― say these well-to-do Milanese women share a set of recognizable traits.

“The ‘sciura Milanese’ is a very specific cultural figure,” they explained in an email. “She is elegant, well-groomed and unmistakably Milanese in her taste. She often wears timeless luxury pieces ― structured handbags, important jewelry, tailored coats ― and moves through the city with quiet confidence. She is a regular at historic cafés in the city center, attends cultural events and embodies a certain idea of understated but recognizable sophistication.”

This figure represents a visual identity, taste and lifestyle deeply tied to the city of Milan.

“The sciura Milanese is an institution,” said M. Grazia Montagnari, founder of Italian with Grace. “Picture her like this: perfectly coiffed hair (usually an impeccable ash blonde), a tailored coat, a silk scarf knotted with a nonchalance that actually took hours of practice and the inevitable luxury handbag perched on her forearm.”

She believes the sciura perfectly embodies the concept of “quiet luxury.” Rather than trying to keep up with rapidly changing contemporary trends, she owns her personal style and pays little attention to what others are doing. The sciura knows who she is.

“She is the personification of ‘old money,’” echoed Andrea Novello, the Milan tours manager for Walks of Italy. “Her ‘uniform’ is iconic ― a perfect blonde bob, a Max Mara camel coat, an Hermès foulard and plenty of gold jewelry. She is the undisputed queen of the borghesia ― the bourgeoisie.”

There’s another accessory that sometimes completes the look as well. “She may even be accompanied by a small dog,” said Martina Carucci from the language learning app Preply.

In many ways, the sciura functions as a visual symbol of continuity, a reminder of tradition in a city that is constantly modernizing and evolving.

“The word ‘sciura’ has long circulated in everyday Milanese speech as the local equivalent of ‘signora,‘” Torello said. “In many cases, a ‘sciura’ would have been the wife of a ‘sciur,’ a gentleman, often associated with the city’s professional or industrial class. In older generations, it functioned simply as a neutral or polite form of address.”

Although the word has been around for centuries, the image associated with the sciura has evolved.

“The more recognizable figure of the ‘sciura Milanese’ took shape in the decades following World War II, when Milan experienced rapid economic growth and became a center of finance, publishing and fashion,” Torello said. “The women who lived through that transformation, rooted in tradition but surrounded by rising luxury culture, gradually came to embody a specific type of composed, understated elegance.”

Gianluca Pedrotti, a principal learning content strategist at the language app Babbel, described the post-World War II sciura as a recognizable archetype ― “an elegant, impeccably groomed, often affluent older woman tied to the city’s bourgeois or old-money milieu.”

Many credit Milan-based designer Elvira Leonardi Bouyeure ― known as Biki ― with shaping the polished 1950s aesthetic associated with the sciura, an image that continued to influence Milanese style for decades.

“The 1980s were the ‘Golden Era’ for the sciura Milanese,” Novello said. “This was the time of ‘Milano da Bere’ when the city was the jet-setting playground of Europe. The sciura was a fixture in the front row at Armani or Versace, hopping from private gallery openings to weekends in St. Moritz. She represents that specific moment in history when Milanese industrial wealth met global fashion glamor.”

In the 21st century, the sciura experienced a pop-culture explosion thanks to social media. The Instagram account @sciuraglam (formerly @sciuragram) was founded in 2016 and now boasts more than 420,000 followers.

“Since its origin, the term’s popularity has soared,” Carucci said. “Originally, the term served to represent, and slightly mock, a specific stereotype within Milan. Throughout the years, it has evolved from one of mockery to become a phrase which represents a newfound respect and admiration for a sciura Milanese.”

Today, the term “sciura” operates on multiple levels.

“In formal or dialect contexts, especially among older speakers, it can still simply mean ‘lady,’” Torello said. “In informal speech, particularly among younger generations who may not actively use dialect, it refers to a recognizable figure ― the elegant Milanese woman of a certain age.”

“Polished hair, fur coats, designer handbags, and a fiercely local pride all became part of the imagery,” Pedrotti said. “The term evolved from simple address to cultural shorthand.”

Today, the term “sciura” or “sciura Milanese” evokes a range of opinions, but perhaps the most common response is admiration.

“They represent the idea of aging with extreme grace and dignity,” Montagnari noted. “Who wouldn’t want to reach 80 with that kind of poise?”

She emphasized that being called a “sciura” is a compliment to your sophistication and elegance. Novello added that many view these figures as style icons who invest in high-quality, enduring pieces.

“They are the ‘cool nonnas’ who actually lived the ’80s jet-set life,” he said.

The “sciura” is not purely aspirational, however.

“What makes the term especially interesting linguistically is how its meaning shifts depending on tone and context,” Pedrotti said. “While it can signal respect or admiration, it can also be used ironically or pejoratively. In the expression ‘Ué, sciura!’ ― with Ué functioning as a greeting — it can take on a mocking tone, closer to calling someone an entitled or stereotypical older woman.”

He added that “sciura” may evoke a sense of social rigidity or conservatism as well. Some might use the term to poke fun at snobby upper-class people or those who are overly concerned with proper etiquette.

“There can be a tongue-in-cheek undertone regarding her perceived ‘snob appeal’ or attachment to social rituals,” noted the Milanesi a Milano team.

Thus, the term can carry a slightly negative connotation around materialism in certain contexts.

“The word ‘sciura’ is mainly registered in the north of Italy, but it would not be unusual to hear it in other parts of the country to describe a certain type of outdated clothing or to comment on an outfit in a joking way,” Oddone said. “‘Fa un po’ sciura!’ ― in English, ‘it’s giving old lady vibes’ ― can be interpreted positively or negatively depending on tone and context.”

One’s perception of the “sciura” might also depend on generation.

“Older generations often use the word with a tone of affectionate irony, to describe a woman of a certain age who still cares deeply about her appearance and continues to wear her elegant, often luxurious wardrobe with confidence,” Torello said.

For many younger people, however, the sciura represents the idea of dressing for yourself, not for others’ approval, and prioritizing authenticity over performance.

“When used thoughtfully, ‘sciura’ celebrates individuality, consistency of taste and pride in one’s roots,” said the Milanesi a Milano team. “While there is a risk of caricature, many creatives and fashion observers are reclaiming the term to highlight authenticity and the idea that elegance is built over time. In that sense, the sciura feels surprisingly contemporary.”

The popularity of the term today also allows the broader world to get a taste of something distinctly Milanese.

“I think it’s a fun cultural stereotype that captures a Milanese woman’s personality,” said Italian teacher Margherita Berti. “Like many stereotypes, it exaggerates reality but reflects recognizable habits and style. When used playfully, it celebrates Milan’s character and humor.”

Thus, Milan’s identity and history don’t just live on in museums and monuments but also in this confident, selective, stylish and elegant way of dressing, speaking and living in the city.

“In a time when cities risk becoming interchangeable and desires increasingly shaped by global trends, the figure of the ‘sciura’ can also be read as a quiet form of resistance,” Torello said. “Her taste was not built by algorithms or seasonal drops, but through lived experience. In that sense, she stands against cultural homogenization.”

If you want to bring a bit of sciura magic into your life, there are many ways to find inspiration ― both online and in Milan itself.

“There are Instagram pages like @sciuraglam where you can see exactly who a sciura is and how they spend their time,” Novello said, adding that they’re ”mostly shopping in ‘Montenapo’ ― Via Monte Napoleone, Milan’s most famous luxury shopping street ― or having long breakfasts in the most glamorous pastry shops, such as Marchesi.”

Milan-based photographer Anastasia Fedoseeva echoed that there are specific places in Milan where you’re more likely to spot sciure (the plural for sciura) in person.

“I personally see them often around Piazza Risorgimento, and also at classic spots like a restaurant Sant Ambroeus or Pasticceria Cova on Via Monte Napoleone,” she said. “However, they are not usually concentrated in the most touristy areas ― they tend to stay within the neighborhoods where they have historically lived.”

For those looking for an authentic taste of the sciura lifestyle, Fedoseeva also recommended stepping off the main tourist routes of Milan and exploring the elegant residential districts like Corso Vercelli.

“One of my favorite areas is between Porta Venezia, Cinque Giornate and Porta Romana,” she said. “There you will not only see beautiful façades and entrance halls, but also the real Milanese lifestyle in motion.”

She also suggested checking out local neighborhood markets, for instance around Piazza San Marco, for another chance to “observe sciure in their natural habitat” (and get some shopping done yourself).

But how can you be sure you’ve got the right image in mind?

“Next time you’re in Milan, sit at a café near Sant’Ambrogio and just watch,” advised Montagnari. “When you see a lady with a perfectly groomed dog and a beige trench coat that looks like it was painted on her, you’ll know exactly who you’re looking at. What was once a local dialect word has become a recognized aesthetic code worldwide: the timeless style of the Milanese bourgeoisie.”

“You can be a ‘sciura at heart’ even in your twenties if you value quality over quantity and prefer an afternoon tea to a loud club,” Montagnari said. “It has become a philosophy of life ― taking care of oneself and the details.”

Just as you can embrace your inner sciura at any age, you also don’t have to be part of the Milanese bourgeoisie ― or even especially wealthy ― to incorporate this timeless aesthetic into your everyday style.

“To emulate her look, one must search for clothes in second-hand and vintage shops, re-evaluating what to wear in a more sustainable way,” Oddone said.

In today’s fast-paced world, getting in touch with your inner sciura means slowing down to put care into aesthetics. The sciura look is all about finding different ways to style classic pieces that can endure the test of time. Good tailoring and impeccable grooming are also part of the picture.

“Sometimes you just want that moment ― to go to a beautiful café, to do your hair, to dress up,” Fedoseeva said. “In that sense, I find sciure very motivating! And it’s also simply very pleasant visually ― elegant women walking through the city arm-in-arm with equally well-dressed husbands, which we should not forget, as the husbands often have great classic style too. Their outfits are usually very matchy in textures and colors.”

Ultimately, personal expression must prevail in the sciura aesthetic. Polish your look with some thoughtful accessories ― maybe a nice pair of sunglasses and/or a little silk scarf around your neck or the handles of your bag. Don’t be afraid to experiment with pops of color.

“I think it’s fun and view it as a reminder not to get lost in the whirlwind of things in terms of fashion and cultural expression, to remain true to oneself even when change is constant and would like to lead us towards a world in which we should dress the same, like and do the same things,” Oddone said.

This strong sense of identity is part of what makes the sciura so compelling. And there’s an underlying message: You don’t have to conform to expectations or abandon elegance as you age.

“In a world shaped by overconsumption and fast fashion, the renewed interest in the ‘sciura’ feels almost countercultural,” Torello said. “She represents longevity and quality in contrast to disposable trends. Her wardrobe was built over time, with patience, investment, and personal history. Each piece carries memory, and her style tells the story of her life.”

As folks grow older, many health fears come to mind. But one in particular tends to really worry folks.

“One of the most consuming fears of older adults [is] that they might lose their memory and become a burden to others,” said Dr. James Ellison, a geriatric psychiatrist at Jefferson Health in Philadelphia.

The specific type of memory loss that’s a top fear for many older adults is known as dementia, which is an umbrella term that refers to conditions that cause “mental loss, cognitive loss that’s severe enough to affect daily function,” said Dr. Victor Henderson, the director of the NIH Stanford Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center in California.

Dementia may make someone forget their address, not remember why they’re running a certain errand or no longer be able to pay bills they always pay. It’s a scary disease that some folks are genetically predisposed to, but there are thought to be lifestyle habits, too, that can put you at heightened risk.

“Let me begin with a caveat; there are a lot of lifestyle factors that have been associated with the risk of developing dementia. The caveat is that most of these haven’t been studied, at least adequately studied, in randomized clinical trials,” said Henderson.

Meaning, following the guidance below isn’t going to totally prevent a dementia diagnosis, but these are habits that also benefit your health as a whole. So, there’s no reason not to follow them, whether they are good for lowering your dementia risk, chance of a heart attack or bettering your mood. Here’s what to know:

“Many of the things that we talk about for dementia prevention or brain health optimization are the types of things that people will be familiar with hearing from cardiovascular and other health initiatives,” said Dr. Christina Prather, director of the Division of Geriatrics and Palliative Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences.

“We always have said, what’s good for the heart is good for the brain,” Dr. Rudy Tanzi, the director of the McCance Center for Brain Health at Massachusetts General Hospital, previously told HuffPost.

Just as the Mediterranean diet ― which is high in healthy fats, lean meats, whole grains, fruits and veggies — is good for your heart health, it’s also good for your brain health, and is a diet that Prather recommends.

She also suggest following the MIND diet, which encourages whole grains, beans, berries, leafy greens, fish, olive oil and other foods that are said to have brain health benefits. A plant-based diet is also a good one to follow for brain health, Prather noted.

You shouldn’t shy away from managing your medical conditions, Prather said. Certain medical conditions, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol are dementia risk factors, she said.

“Really aggressively managing those risk factors is well established to be a way of reducing the risk of cognitive health dementia in the future,” Prather said.

“This is particularly important for vascular risk factors like atrial fibrillation or high blood pressure or hyperlipidemia,” Ellison added. Doing so protects circulation, blood supply and oxygen supply to the brain, Ellison noted.

This is important for the prevention of vascular dementia in particular, which happens when blood flow is blocked to the brain. Vascular dementia is a common kind of dementia.

“People need to sleep adequately because the brain renews itself during deep sleep and lowers its concentration of beta amyloid, which is the toxic protein that contributes to the development of Alzheimer’s disease,” said Ellison.

Prather added that you should also be sure to treat any sleep disorders that are interfering with your rest.

“There is an epidemic of undiagnosed sleep apnea in older adults,” Prather said.

And sleep apnea results in poor-quality sleep.

Sleep can also be impacted by the use of medications that induce sleep, she noted.

“Those are all signs your body is not getting the restorative sleep that it needs to consolidate memories and to have the most optimal cognitive function going forward,” said Prather.

It’s also important to prioritize social connections, said Prather. “We know that loneliness and depression and isolation are exceptionally negative for health,” she noted.

“They have impacts on cognition as well as mortality,” said Prather.

“Loneliness is an epidemic among older adults, and has a mortality associated with it [that’s] similar to moderate smoking,” said Ellison.

Keeping your mind socially engaged is also an important way to stay cognitively engaged, Prather said, whether that’s by taking part in conversations or listening to stories from loved ones.

Lots of recent research has found that alcohol is not good for your health. It can lead to liver damage, increase your risk of certain cancers, and it’s also not good for your brain health.

“I tell people, if you’re having issues with your cognition or you’re worried about your memory, one of the first pieces of advice I’m going to give you is to reduce your alcohol use,” said Prather. Just like our body as a whole, the liver is aging and can’t handle alcohol the same way it could when you were 21.

“The other piece about alcohol is not only that, it’s a direct toxin (we increasingly know it increases risk for almost all cancers), but it can really disrupt sleep,” Prather said.

Next time you have a drink before bed, notice how it impacts your sleep, she suggested. And, as mentioned above, it’s important to get restorative sleep to reduce your dementia risk.

After 65, it’s recommended that folks have no more than one standard drink a day and no more than seven in a week, Prather noted.

The CDC recommends no more than two drinks each day for men and no more than one for women.

According to Ellison, it’s important to both live a generally active lifestyle and get in aerobic and other forms of exercise.

This could mean walking to do your errands instead of driving while also making plans to go to a workout class or go for a bike ride.

“It’s recommended that older adults exercise 30 minutes aerobically, five days a week, but only about 10% of those over 75 meet that level of activity,” said Ellison.

Exercise is good for your cardiovascular health, which, as mentioned above, is also good for your brain health.

Prather added that fitness is something you should be prioritizing no matter your age and, “well before any cognitive changes happen.”

“One of the things I tell my patients is, if you’re bicycling, wear a helmet,” said Henderson.

“There have been a huge number of observational studies linking head injury to dementia,” Henderson added. There is a consistent association that head injuries likely do play a role in dementia risk, he said.

How large of a role does it play in someone’s dementia risk? “The answer might be that it doesn’t play a huge role at a population level, but on an individual level, it’s probably really important,” said Henderson.

“As a psychiatrist, of course I want to shine a little light on depression,” Ellison said.

While severe depression isn’t as common in older adults when compared to younger adults, both severe depression and low-grade depressive symptoms can disrupt the things that are important for cognitive health such as socialization, exercise, self-care and diet, Ellison noted.

“So, treatment of depression may be one way of improving cognitive aging,” he said.

“The number of people with dementia is increasing. I think everyone is aware of that. But it’s increasing in part because the number of people living to a very old age is increasing,” said Henderson.

Most dementia happens in older folks, Henderson added.

But, on the bright side, “if you look at the actual chance of getting dementia at a particular age, it’s actually come down slightly, not a whole lot, but slightly, and it seems to parallel advances in taking care of cardiovascular health,” Henderson said.

There are also now disease-modifying FDA-approved medications for the most common form of dementia, which is Alzheimer’s, said Ellison, who stressed that it’s important to start these medications early on in the disease course.

This makes it important to talk to your doctor if you do notice that you have cognitive challenges such as frequently misplacing items, memory changes that disturb your life or have trouble solving problems.

“It’s so hard not to be afraid of something when most people have someone in their life that has been touched by this disease, and it feels as though your future risk of it … is out of your control. But the things that we’ve talked about, all lifestyle changes that can be done better that are in our control,” said Prather.

Still, there will be people who get types of dementia because of genetics or other unmodifiable risk factors, “and we cannot set up the expectation that they failed to prevent [dementia] through their own actions or choices. That is just not fair,” Prather noted.

“But, for many of us, we can make changes to our lifestyle and know confidently that we’ve done everything that we can to prevent this,” she said.

The original version of this story was published on HuffPost at an earlier date.

While research has shown that birdwatching has grown in popularity over the years, a study now suggests that becoming an expert birder may even be beneficial for your brain health.

Research published in the Journal of Neuroscience last month found that the brains of study participants who were categorized as expert birders showed structural differences in areas related to attention and perception compared to the brains of participants who were not experts in birdwatching.

The Canadian study involved 58 participants split evenly into two groups. The expert group consisted of 29 people, ages 24 to 75, who were recruited from the Toronto Ornithological Club and Ontario Field Ornithologists. The novice group consisted of 29 people, ages 22 to 79, recruited from the same birding groups and other groups focused on outdoor activities, such as hiking and gardening, NBC News reported.

All the participants underwent what’s called a diffusion-weighted MRI, which assessed structural differences in their brains. The results showed that the expert group had lower “mean diffusivity,” or MD, in certain areas of their brains. Mean diffusivity is a measure of the average rate at which water molecules move through tissue, and lower MD is associated with greater tissue density.

The lower MD (and greater tissue density) in the brains of expert birdwatchers suggested increased structural complexity in certain brain areas compared to those in the novice group, according to the study. The expert group had a “potential attenuation of age-related decline” in those regions. The lower MD was also associated with higher bird identification accuracy.

The researchers also evaluated brain function in both groups using an MRI. The participants were asked to match and identify local and nonlocal bird species. The study found that an area of experts’ brains that had shown lower MD was also actively engaged “when experts judged less-familiar nonlocal (vs. local) birds.”

Erik Wing, a lead author of the study, told NBC News that the research “gives us a window into how these regions might be important for developing the expertise in the first place.”

“We can see [birders] actually deploy those types of skills to help them identify new, unfamiliar species of birds,” he said.

Wing said the researchers chose to evaluate birders for the study because birding “combines fine-grain identification, visual search and attention to the immediate environment and sensitivity to motion, pattern detection, building these elaborate conceptual networks of different related species.”

The researchers used a bird familiarity screening test to determine whether a participant was an expert or a novice in birding, Medical News Today reported.

Wing cautioned that the study could not prove a casual link between positive brain changes and birding experience. But he told Medical News Today that “behavioral work from our group and others has shown that areas of specialized knowledge accumulated across life might be drawn on to support memory function in older adults.“

“We found that people who have spent years learning to identify birds show differences in both brain structure and brain activity — especially in regions that support attention and visual recognition,” he said elsewhere.

While this study evaluated participants based on their expertise in birding, Wing said past research suggests that brain changes have also been associated with expertise in “fields ranging from music to chess to ‘sports’ in the broadest sense (dancing to juggling).”

Dr. Emer MacSweeney, a consultant interventional neuroradiologist and CEO at Re:Cognition Health — who was not involved in the study — told the website that she believes there should be future research comparing different areas of expertise.

“While the findings resonate with a broader literature linking mentally engaging activities to healthier aging, future research should explore how different types of expertise compare and how lifestyle factors (social engagement, physical exercise, diet) interact with domain-specific training to influence brain structure and function,” she said.

Overall, when it comes to brain health, engaging in mentally stimulating activities in addition to physical ones is good for the brain in many ways. Research has shown that learning may even help older adults reduce their risk of dementia.

A study published in 2023 found that middle-aged and older adults who took adult education classes had a 19% lower risk of developing dementia within five years compared to adults who did not take classes. The participants in that study had self-reported attending adult education classes, but the frequency or type of class was not included.

“As we transition into later life, late middle age and beyond, we have to be more deliberate with making sure that we have enough intellectual stimulation and that we keep our minds healthy,” Dr. Zaldy Tan, the director of the Jona Goldrich Center for Alzheimer’s and Memory Disorders at Cedars-Sinai in California, previously told HuffPost.

Many middle-aged women don’t necessarily “have it easy.” They’re experiencing mental and physical health changes, such as depression and menopause. They’re inaccurately portrayed in the media. They may feel “invisible.” That’s only the beginning of the list.

The good news is, many of their concerns can be addressed. Today, doctors want to focus on a major example — declining bone density and muscle mass from menopause — and how middle-aged women can address it to improve their quality of life.

Their No. 1 tip? More strength training.

As mentioned, middle-aged women are experiencing changes in their bodies, particularly due to perimenopause and menopause. That may require them to change their habits, including those related to exercise.

“We’re becoming more aware of what actually happens in perimenopause: the metabolic shifts, the muscle loss, the bone changes, the mood fluctuations,” said Dr. Alexandra Dubinskaya, a urogynecologist, pelvic reconstructive surgeon and menopause and sexual health expert.

Strength-building exercises help all of those things. They increase bone mineral density, improve muscle mass, support metabolic health, decrease fall risk, improve mood and more.

“Strength training is one of the most important and most underutilized ways that women can protect their health and independence as they age,” said Dr. Clarinda Hougen, a primary care sports medicine specialist at Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedics in Los Angeles and a team physician for Angel City Football Club.

Bone health concerns, in particular, are more common for this group than you may realize, thanks to hormonal changes. As many as 1 in 3 women over 50 experience an osteoporosis fracture, and women can lose up to 20% of bone density in the five to seven years after menopause.

“Resistance training is one of the most effective non-pharmacologic tools we have to slow this process,” Dubinskaya added.

If you’re a middle-aged woman who’s not super familiar with strength training, fear not: Experts share some beginner-friendly tips and exercises you can do right now (some even from the comfort of your home).

Before making any health changes or starting a new exercise routine, check in with your healthcare provider.

“Let your practitioner know your goals of starting a resistance program, and make sure that cardiac concerns, such as high blood pressure, are not a roadblock for you to start,” said Yvonne Di Edwardo, a physical therapist at Atlantic Health.

While you’re there, she also suggested getting your bone density and balance evaluated.

Exercise doesn’t have to be a lengthy, expensive, scary thing — a couple of days a week at home will do.

“You do not need a gym membership,” Hougen said. “Start with body weight exercises, like squats, step-ups, modified pushups and planks.”

She encouraged focusing on your form to ensure you avoid injury. Checking with a personal trainer can help.

“As you get stronger, you can add light weights with dumbbells or kettlebells,” Hougen added. “Resistance bands are also handy for a variety of exercises.”

Di Edwardo shared some great starter exercises that use resistance bands:

• Sit to stand from a chair without using your hands. For an extra challenge, add a resistance band above your knees and put light pressure into the bands as you stand up.
• Supine march (basically, “march” while lying on your back) with resistance bands above your knees.
• Do gentle rows with resistance bands while standing or sitting. Pull the bands back to your chest with good posture.
• Side-step with a resistance band above your knees, using a countertop or wall to assist with your balance if necessary.

Don’t forget about warming up beforehand. “It is always a good idea to warm up — even for a short walk or a small amount of time on a recumbent or upright bike is a good way to warm muscles,” she added.

You may also experience urinary incontinence or the weakening of pelvic floor muscles during menopause. Resistance training can help.

“In pelvic floor training, the use of resistance training, either bands or light weights, with appropriate integration of our pelvic floor muscles and breathing technique, can make challenges such as running, lifting and stair-climbing less stressful on our pelvic floor and aid in maintaining our bladder control,” Di Edwardo explained.

Exercises that strengthen the pelvic floor include kegels, bridge pose, squats, pelvic tilts and “bird dog.” A pelvic floor therapist can work through those with you.

When attending to your pelvic floor, Dubinskaya encouraged patients to “lift smarter” by paying attention to warning signs.

Examples include lower back tension, pelvic heaviness, a feeling of fullness or “something stuck” in the vagina, symptoms that worsen at the end of the day and new urinary leakage during lifting.

Let’s be real: Exercise isn’t always enjoyable. Even fitness pros don’t always want to work out. To stick to a routine, you may want to grab a couple of friends or attend a class.

“For some individuals, the social component to exercising is an added perk, and it helps in compliance and routine,” Di Edwardo said.

She recommended a water aerobics class to work your muscles and aid in muscle-building, or checking out a community-based activity focused on light resistance challenges.

The way you feed your body matters, too. In this case, protein is particularly important. “Make sure you are eating an adequate amount of lean protein to support muscle growth and repair,” Hougen said.

Lean protein food sources include chicken, turkey, beef, pork and others.

Don’t forget about adequate hydration, either. “Muscles that are underhydrated can cause us to cramp or not recover quickly,” Di Edwardo explained.

Going slow with exercise changes is key — especially for women who have connective disorders, such as Ehlers-Danlos. According to Dubinskaya, aggressive heavy lifting in particular can cause symptoms to flare up earlier and progress faster.

“Weightlifting is good, but more is not always better,” she said.

Di Edwardo agreed. “As with all resistance training, know your limits,” she said. “Allow your muscles to take a break when needed.”

The “golden rule” here, perhaps, is to push yourself, but not too hard.

“Midlife health is not about extremes,” Dubinskaya said. “It’s about longevity. The goal isn’t to lift the heaviest weight in the room, but to still be lifting safely 20 years from now.”

If you’re a parent, “tummy time” is probably a familiar term, considered by many to be key to the physical development of babies. But now, tummy time is trending for adults, too.

Getting out of your desk chair and spending some time on your stomach might seem awkward at first, but if you think about how long you sit in the same position much of the day — at the office, on the couch and in the car — it makes sense. Experts say it’s offsetting the effects of tech neck and tight hips, too.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average worker spends 45% of the day sitting. In addition to sitting, they stare at electronics all day; 91% of Americans own a smartphone. Screen-based lives might be causing a variety of orthopedic problems.

“Lying on your stomach for 10 or more minutes a day while watching TV or reading can improve bad posture and relieve ‘tech neck’ — the strain in our necks and shoulders caused by looking down at phones and laptops for hours each day,” said Julie Landis, a physical therapist and ergonomist in Washington, D.C.

Here’s what to know as you consider getting out of your chair and down on your belly — a position that’s no longer just for babies.

Tummy time is an activity in which new babies spend time while awake on their stomachs. There, they build multiple muscle groups and improve mobility as well as arm, trunk and neck strength.

In a TikTok post from 2023 that has recently gained popularity again, physical therapist “Sammy” on her profile “unifiedptandyoga” focuses on how adult tummy time can help one age gracefully by achieving more mobility. She shows viewers a progression of lying on your stomach with multiple pillows under you, and then reducing the number, assuming pain goes away each time.

She recently made a new video, noting her old one probably gained traction due to tech neck, a term used to describe the chronic shoulder or neck pain experienced from using technology. She showed some updated techniques in the video and stated that it’s even hard for some patients in her clinic to get into that position on their stomachs — but it’s important to be able to do.

“I’ve seen a noticeable increase in patients of all ages complaining about neck stiffness, tightness or pain, which can be linked to prolonged screen time,” said Dr. Ehsan Jazini, a spine surgeon at VSI in Reston, Virginia.

“The mechanics of looking down for long periods squishes our spinal discs, which I refer to as ‘shock absorbers’ of the spine,” Jazini said. “Over time, this pressure placed on the discs can accelerate disc degeneration, pinch nerves, reduce mobility and trigger symptoms that radiate into the shoulders, arms and hands.”

He said not addressing poor posture affects your spine’s function in the long term. “That strain can lead to chronic neck pain, stiffness, instability and pain throughout the rest of the body. If left uncorrected, poor posture can lead to wear and tear on the spine that’s harder to reverse down the line.”

Adult tummy time also helps to open up the front of the hips and activate the core and back muscles, which are key players in everyday back pain.

“Many people spend far too much time sitting, whether at a desk, in a car, or on the couch. The human body was not designed for such inactivity,” said Dr. Gbolahan Okubadejo, a spinal and orthopedic surgeon at the Institute for Comprehensive Spine Care in New York and New Jersey. He fears if we don’t change these habits we will soon see “an increase in musculoskeletal issues across all age groups.” These include:

• Degenerative disc disease, where the discs between the vertebrae begin to wear down due to constant pressure and a lack of movement. “This can lead to stiffness, pain, and even nerve compression.”

• Sciatica, occurring when the sciatic nerve is irritated or compressed, often by a herniated disc or tight muscles in the lower back. “People may experience sharp pain that radiates down the leg, along with numbness or weakness.”

• Tight hip flexors, leading to pelvic misalignment and lower back pain. “Over time, this can impact your gait and make everyday movements more difficult.”

Flipping onto your stomach can counteract extended sitting just as it does for infants, he said. “When you lie on your stomach, you naturally extend the spine, which helps reverse the flexed posture that sitting creates. This gentle spinal extension relieves pressure on the discs, especially in the lower back, and allows the back muscles to stretch and activate differently.”

In addition, you are able to open the hip flexors, which are often tightened and shortened from sitting too much. “By relaxing into a prone position, the hips and pelvis can realign more naturally, which supports better posture when you return to standing or sitting,” Okubadejo said. So, your tummy time actually makes you better at sitting too.

“The adult tummy time position isn’t natural for most of us, so I recommend starting slow, and breaking adult tummy time into increments,” Jazini said. “Take three to five minutes at a time, a few times a day, lying on your stomach while propped on your elbows. You should feel a stretch in the front of the neck, as well as in your back and in your hips.”

Katie Breaker, a sales director in Denver, said she’d tried various seat cushions and stretches without much improvement in back pain. Then, her physical therapist suggested tummy time — simply lying face down for 10 minutes per day. “No devices or setup. Just a flat surface, arms by the side, and a quiet room. After about a week of doing this twice a day, I added a thin towel under my chest and held it for fifteen minutes,” she said. Two weeks later, she could feel her back decompressing and had less hip tension and more flexibility.

“I could walk longer during event setups without fatigue,” she said. So, she kept upping her time and now does two 20-minute sessions per day, especially during long workdays on a computer.

Jazini recommended pairing this practice with a screen break, too. “Take five minutes to do something away from your screen whether it’s going for a short walk, stretching, or grabbing some water.” You can work up to hourly breaks of around five to 10 minutes, setting a reminder or timer to stay on schedule.

Breaker said: “I still sit most of the day, but I do not carry the same tightness I used to. It has been the simplest thing I have added, and it has worked better than anything else I tried.”

The original version of this story was published on HuffPost at an earlier date.

Can you remember how your favorite grandma smelled? If you think back to a beloved elder, you might be able to summon up the memory of a scent that’s been described as a blend of stale oil and musty cardboard. It might remind you of opening up old books or unpacking a box of vintage clothing. And while it’s much more subtle than the sweaty body odor of youth, it’s definitely noticeable and probably filed away in your memories as “old person smell.”

As it turns out, that smell is an actual biological phenomenon, caused by an epidermal change that happens to everyone as they age. According to skin experts, every birthday after age 40 increases the likelihood of these changes in the way skin smells. Research has identified the culprit as something called 2-nonenal (pronounced noh-neh-nahl), an organic compound known as an aldehyde.

That “aging odor” is caused by increased production of this aldehyde in older people, which is the source of a distinctive, dusty “granny” smell. Not all aldehydes smell the same, by the way, and another example is cinnamaldehyde, the organic compound that gives cinnamon its characteristic flavor and aroma, explained Dr. Delphine J. Lee, chief of dermatology and residency program director at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.

We spoke with dermatologists and other experts to get to the bottom of why this happens.

The compound 2-nonenal has its own unique scent, and it proliferates as people get older. “As we age, several things happen simultaneously in our skin,” said Dr. Sonal Choudhary, a dermatologist from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. “Antioxidant defenses in the skin decline, the composition of our sebum changes, and our cumulative UV exposure and environmental stress increase oxidative damage in the skin.” As these things are weakening the skin, 2-nonenal has an opportunity to make its presence known.

“Research suggests measurable increases in 2-nonenal typically begin after age 40, with more noticeable accumulation in the 50s and beyond,” Choudhary said. “It’s a gradual process, not an instant switch. The intensity of the smell varies significantly from person to person depending on genetics, skin type, lifestyle and environmental exposure.”

It’s something that happens to most people, said dermatologist Dr. Naana Boakye, founder of Bergen Dermatology. “Evidence suggests that 2-nonenal production is a common age-related phenomenon, not something limited to a small subset of people,” she noted. “Studies consistently detect this grassy, greasy scent in older adults of both sexes. While levels vary between individuals, there is no evidence that only certain people produce it.”

Since so many factors, including genetics and lifestyle, contribute to the condition of your skin, you may get lucky and avoid the 2-nonenal odor altogether. And even if that distinctive smell does show up, remember that it’s all in the nose of the beholder. “People can exaggerate that this smell is unpleasant or disgusting,” Lee said. “It may even be more neutral or pleasant than the body odors of younger and middle-aged people.”

As Choudhary mentioned, this process happens gradually, and that gives your brain an opportunity to become accustomed to the new scent, thanks to something called olfactory adaptation. You might not notice a prevalent scent after a while, since brains often filter out familiar odors, while staying alert for new information. An example of this “nose blindness” is that we might notice a friend’s house always smells a certain way but are probably unable to detect our own home’s unique scent.

Since 2-nonenal is a fatty acid, it won’t easily dissolve in soap and water, the way sweat does. “It’s hard to get rid of this molecule, because it’s very sticky,” said Danielle Reed, chief science officer at Monell Chemical Senses Center, a nonprofit research institute that studies taste and smell. “It loves to stick to your skin and it loves to stick to fabrics. You’ll remove some of it when you bathe, but your body is constantly making it, so washing isn’t a cure.”

Boakye suggested it might be helpful to use antioxidant-based cleansers. She also said products with ingredients that bind aldehydes, like tannins, may help reduce odor persistence in some people. “Persimmon soap, which contains tannins, has a plausible mechanism and a long history of use, though large randomized trials are lacking,” she noted. While none of these experts recommended specific products, Mirai’s clinical persimmon soap, with Japanese persimmon and green tea extract, is popular and highly rated.

Recent research has looked at the potential role eggplant extract might play in reducing the oxidative stress that contributes to 2-nonenal formation. In a study published last year, researchers said the fruits, leaves, stems and roots of eggplant, along with their active ingredient N-trans-feruloylputrescine, exhibited excellent 2-nonenal scavenging activity. But that’s a “someday” option, Lee said: “Human clinical data remain limited, so this should not be positioned as a cure.”

An older study was initially positive about how the consumption of white button mushroom extract could alleviate body odor in subjects aged 50 to 79, but there have not been large clinical trials to follow up on that.

So there’s still no sure-fire way to completely eliminate it from your skin, experts agreed. “If you could figure this out, you’d be very rich, but so far there’s nothing that’s truly helpful,” Reed said.

If you’re noticing this scent on yourself or someone you love, don’t be ashamed or judgmental. Choudhary noted that it’s not a sign of poor hygiene, nor is it inevitable or unmanageable. “This is a normal biochemical change of aging skin, similar to wrinkles or dryness,” she said. “With thoughtful skin care, antioxidant support and proper laundering, it can often be minimized significantly.”

Another consideration is that smell is a subjective area for humans. “We’ve decided we don’t like the odor of old people, but we love the odor of babies’ heads,” Reed said. “Perhaps, as a society, we could learn to love the smell of aging. Not everyone finds this smell unpleasant, and there’s always something for everybody when it comes to smell.”

There’s also the opportunity to lean into this and other age-related changes, because they’re going to happen whether we like them or not.

“As a dermatologist, I emphasize that aging is a natural, lifelong biological process experienced by us all,” Lee said. “We should focus on promoting health and well-being across our lifespans, while recognizing and valuing the wisdom, resilience and lived experience that accompany advancing age. I’d like us to place less emphasis on cosmetic or physiological changes such as body odor or wrinkles, which are often part of a life fully lived.”

The day before President Donald Trump delivered the longest State of the Union address in history to a polarized electorate, a new poll revealed growing doubts about his stability, even among members of his own party.

The Reuters/Ipsos poll, which concluded Monday, found that 61% of Americans would describe Trump as having “become erratic with age.” Some 89% of Democrats, 30% of Republicans and 64% of independents described the president this way.

Only 45% of respondents said they would describe Trump as “mentally sharp and able to deal with challenges,” down from 54% in a September 2023 poll conducted over a year before he was re-elected for a second term.

The survey, which was conducted online between Feb. 18 and 23, measured the attitudes of 4,638 American adults.

When Reuters asked for comment on the poll, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle shot down the results as an example of a “fake and desperate” narrative while praising Trump’s “sharpness, unmatched energy, and historic accessibility” in comparison with his predecessor, former President Joe Biden.

While other recent surveys have hinted at a larger dip in Trump’s approval rating, the poll found 40% approved of the president’s performance, a 2% increase from earlier this month. The president’s overall approval has remained within a point or two of its current level since April 2025, according to Reuters/Ipsos research.

Scrutiny over Trump’s health and physical stamina has surged in recent months, as evidenced by the public reaction after he has seemingly struggled to stay awake at a number of recent White House meetings. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, last month, the 79-year-old president repeatedly confused Greenland and Iceland, raising questions about his mental acuity.

A number of prominent Republicans, however, have reacted to the discourse with grandiose assertions about Trump’s well-being.

“He can work harder and he has a better memory and he has more stamina and has more energy than a normal mortal,” Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, told New York Magazine last month. “The headline of your story should be ‘The Superhuman President.’”

Appearing on “The Mom View” in December, White House chief of staff Susie Wiles also defended the president’s working habits, saying her boss “works 24/7” and never sleeps.

She also attempted to assuage Republicans’ concerns about this year’s midterm elections by assuring them that Trump would be hitting the campaign trail vigorously.

“I haven’t quite broken it to him yet, but he’s going to campaign like it’s 2024 again,” she said. “He’s a difference-maker, and he’s certainly a turnout machine.”

When it comes to mature skin and body care, you may think you’ve seen it all. Yet, if you’ve been side-eyeing the skin around your chest or you find that sleeping on your side is causing lines you don’t love, you may be as surprised as we were to know: there’s a mask for that!

Made from washable silicone with a latex-free adhesive, these reusable overnight chest patches from Cleverfy are designed to give that decolletage area more TLC by locking in moisture and preventing skin creases as you twist and turn through the night. The pads come in “V” and “T” shaped options, in packs of two-six. While the “T” shaped 3-pack is currently under $20, the best bang for your buck (in terms of price per mask) is the 6-pack supply.

The clear pads are particularly loved by side sleepers — especially side sleepers with larger chests — who report their preferred slumber position was causing chest wrinkles, and “boob frown lines,” like “someone ran a rake down my chest!”

While there have been a number of government studies on sleep and facial wrinkles, there seems to be a lack of empirical data about sleep and chest lines. A 2020 Healthline story reports side sleeping may put you at a “higher risk” of chest wrinkles, thanks to gravity and the way your chest likely “hangs” in one direction as you snooze. Yet, many, many reviewers say their side sleeping is causing lines, noticing them appear as early as their late 20s. As the Cleveland Clinic says, wrinkles and skin lines are *completely* normal, and only really need treatment if you don’t like the way they look.

This seems to be the case for many fans of these chest pads, who report them addressing the chest lines they’ve started to notice. “I have large boobs and am a side sleeper and the creases were so embarrassing that I started wearing blouses up to my neck to hide my skin,” one wrote. “The change makes me feel so much more confident.”

Further, users who want to address their chest wrinkles without changing their sleep position consider these pads a clear winner. “I hope I never have to live without these because I will probably always be a side sleeper,” T Miller wrote. Others, who have tried different methods of chest-wrinkle smoothing (like $800 professional microneedling?!) say the Cleverfy pads are more effective for their wallet, lifestyle and skin appearance. “I have tried high-end creams and even professional lasers and this is the only thing that works,” one wrote.

You want to apply the patches to clean, dry skin — without any other skincare or body products. The brand says the patches work in three ways: as an “occlusive” (i.e., super-hydrating barrier) to help keep skin from drying, to increase blood flow to your chest to help boost collagen production, and as a “mechanical” smoothing mechanism, or external, physical pressure holding your skin down flat.

Each pad lasts up to 15 days, according to the brand, so even the smallest pack gives you a month of coverage. (Many mention wearing them for wayyy longer, being sure to frequently wash them with soap and water.) Some report the pads taking a bit to get used to as you’re sleeping, though others compliment the comfort, saying you may even forget you have it on.

Users report not just positive results, but fast ones, sharing that the masks smooth wrinkles from side-sleeping, sun exposure and general “yay big boobs” -related issues, within the first night.

“I have had wrinkles on my chest because of being a side sleeper, sun lover and larger chest and when I woke up after the first night using this, I couldn’t believe my eyes,” one reviewer some girl wrote. “…My wrinkles were gone – where did they go?!?”

Another “side sleeper, sun-worshipping, big-breasted gal” reports waking up to “minimal lines” after the first night using the pad, sharing that they could barely find their previously prominent chest wrinkles. “My mind is blown after one night of use,” they wrote. “I don’t know what kind of magic this is but I’m in shock especially since I didn’t really believe they would help.”

Fans who have used the pads for longer periods agree, with one user saying their chest wrinkles are “virtually gone” after months of use. Others who have used chest pads for “years” call Cleverfy their favorite brand, for not just smoothing their existing wrinkles, but even preventing new ones from forming.

Reviewers love these silicone patches for keeping their chests smooth, even when they’re side sleepers. Read more 5-star reviews and try a pack for yourself.

“I’ve used other chest pads in the past, and this one works just as good as the others for a lot less. I put one on at night, and it sticks to my chest and doesn’t move- I move around a lot and sleep on my side and stomach at times. When I wake up in the morning, I do not see the wrinkles on my chest that I see if I am not wearing a pad. This is a must have for women who are starting to see lines on their chest area when they wake up in the morning.” — De

“I am a side sleeper, sun worshipping, big breasted gal, my chest lines were getting very bad almost over night. I just got these pads yesterday, I put one on last night. I woke up with minimal lines. 🤯 literally I was able to feel the lines on my chest without looking for them, this morning I can barely find them, or see them. My mind is blown after one night of use. I don’t know what kind of magic this is but I’m in shock especially since I didn’t really believe they would help. Gonna continue to use them and wait for the full body version to be released 😅 🤪” — Jal

“These worked for me on night one. I side sleep and have been waking up with cleavage wrinkles because gravity sucks, but side sleeping is great. Used this for the first time last night and woke up smooth like butter. Update: I cut one to fit my forehead and between my eyebrows. For the first time in 3 or so years I have no frown lines. Pretty soon I’ll be coating my entire body in these.” — Amazon customer

“I am 40 and I am a side sleeper and just noticed last 6 months that I’m starting to get noticeable wrinkles. Ugh. It looks like someone ran a rake down my chest! The first night and I noticed about 60% improvement. I am on night two now. The adhesive is great. It’s clear and not too heavy. I am treating mine with extra care but keeping it in a separate box after it air dries. I HIGHLY recommend it! I wish I could sleep on my back, but I am definitely a conditioned side sleeper, ugh.” — NicolaDavies

Another sensitive area? The neck! Here are three other on-sale or affordably-priced dermatologist recs for addressing or preventing wrinkles there, curated by Senior Shopping reporter Tessa Flores.

The Real Deal: We use deal trackers and commerce experience to sift through “fake” hike-and-drop deals and other deceptive sales tactics. Products will usually be rated at least 4 stars with a minimum 15% discount. (And when there’s an exception, we’ll tell you why.)