Headlines on health

Researchers behind one of the first comprehensive investigations of sleep habits of young Australians say it shows low sleep satisfaction may be a strong indicator for low mental and physical health. Sixty per cent of more than 1,200 young adults surveyed reported irregular sleep patterns, with a third sleeping less than the recommended seven to nine hours a night.

In the midst of historic heatwaves in the northern hemisphere, Europe now faces the peril of unrelenting high temperatures and forest wildfires adding to the global climate crisis. The United Nations has issued a warning on the severe impacts on human health, including increased cases of heart attacks and deaths.

A treatment for Alzheimer's might be getting closer. An international study has found an experimental drug can slow progression of memory and thinking problems. But the medicine works best when patients are treated early.

What people do when they reach the age of 70 can be crucial to their mental health. This is the result of research from Monash University has found when investigating the risks of developing dementia in later life.

A new national initiative has been launched which is looking to fill the gaps in genomic data for First Nations Australians. This data is vital in developing personalised treatments for a range of chronic diseases. But the lack of genomic data for First Nations or non-white peoples is actually a global problem.