HEALTH NOTES: Stay sharp… with housework  

A regular home chore could help you retain your memory better in later years. 

The day-today activities of over-65s were examined by researchers at the Singapore Institute of Technology. 

The researchers analyzed the frequency with which light and heavy household chores were completed, and then they asked for memory tests from participants. 

The cognitive scores of those who performed high amounts of housework were eight percent higher than those who didn’t. 

A lot of housework resulted in a 14% higher score.

Researchers at the Singapore Institute of Technology looked into the everyday activities of 240 older adults and discovered that housework can be a key to better memory. [File picture]

Brits suffer from an epidemic of pain 

Britons are experiencing an epidemic in pain and swelling of the joints. Four-in-10 suffer from chronic pain, which can affect their ability to exercise, sleep, walk, or even get up.

Deep Relief has released a new study that shows 39% of UK citizens suffer from everyday bodily pains. 

A survey of 500 respondents also found that a third of complaints were related to lower back pain, and nearly half of those were due to knee problems.

Nearly three quarters of the respondents stated that pain had an impact on their sleeping, exercising and walking.

Deep Relief has released a new study that shows 39% of UK citizens suffer from everyday bodily pains. [File picture]

Alcohol can trigger a dangerous, irregular heartbeat – but caffeine, poor diet and a lack of sleep don’t, a new study suggests.

Arial fibrillation (AF), which occurs when the nerves of your heart malfunction, affects over 1.4 million Britons. 

The risk of blood clotting and pooling in the heart can increase over time, leading to a stroke. 

Many AF sufferers will continue to live with their condition for many years. During this time, they may experience episodes of irregular heartbeats that cause discomfort and breathlessness.

Alcohol can trigger a dangerous, irregular heartbeat – known as atrial fibrillation – which over time can lead to blood pooling and clotting inside the heart. [File picture]

University of California scientists monitored heart rhythms of 450 patients suffering from AF. 

Although many people believed caffeine caused an episode, scientists have found no evidence.

Likewise, neither eating a large meal nor having a poor night’s sleep were found to trigger an irregular pulse.

According to the new research, alcohol intake was the main trigger of more AF episodes.