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Use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system to treat sleep apnea must be monitored regularly by a doctor. This might require numerous doctor visits initially, and then annual visits afterward to make sure the therapy is still working effectively. The clinician needs to review data collected by the machine, gather information from the patient, and determine if new health conditions, including weight gain or other sleep issues, require adjustments to the CPAP machine settings.

We can learn much from people who continue to live productive lives into their 80s and 90s. Doctors in this demographic have a unique perspective as they have the lessons from their decades of medical practice and their personal experiences dealing with Father Time. Here, two Harvard physicians — Dr. Marshall Wolf, 87, and Dr. Mitchell Rabkin, 94 — share lessons they've learned over the decades from their practice and personal life about how they keep their body and mind strong, healthy, and thriving.

A 2024 study involving more than 72,000 healthy people ages 40 to 79 found that those whose sleep and wake times fluctuated most had a 26% higher risk of having a heart attack, stroke, or similar problem, compared with those whose sleep patterns fluctuated least.

Dentists can help detect health problems far beyond the mouth. These conditions include oral cancer, diabetes, sleep apnea, osteoporosis, acid reflux, and eating disorders. People can maximize their dental check-ups by sharing health updates and voicing health concerns. Only two-thirds of Americans visited the dentist in the past year, and many avoid dental visits due to fear or embarrassment. There are many strategies to help people tamp down these emotions, including music, relaxation, and medication.

Heart-healthy Valentine's Day gift ideas include products and experiences designed to make it easier and more enjoyable to follow the key tenets of a healthy lifestyle: eating well, getting regular exercise, sleeping soundly, and managing stress. Examples include strawberries dipped in dark chocolate, a cooking class, custom-fit sneakers, luxury sleep products, and a subscription to a meditation app.

Anti-obesity drugs, which can lead to dramatic weight loss, may improve symptoms of sleep apnea. This serious breathing disorder raises the odds of high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke. Excess weight is the strongest risk factor linked with sleep apnea, which affects about 25% of men and 10% of women in the United States. Extra fat tissue in the neck and throat can narrow the airway, and extra weight on the chest and belly puts pressure on the lungs, which makes the normal process of inhaling and exhaling less effective.