We’ve all been there. You climb into bed, needing to sleep before a big day at work. Your mind races, one thought interrupting another. Hours go by while you toss and turn, but your mind is still running like a treadmill. Will your thoughts ever cease?

Some doctors say there may be a solution and a way to turn your brain off, so you can get some much-needed shut-eye. It’s called cognitive shuffling.

Cognitive shuffling is essentially a word game, created by a cognitive scientist in 2009 who had his own bouts with insomnia.

You pick a word at random and for each letter of that word, you think of as many words as you can for 5 to 10 seconds before moving to the next letter.

For example, if you chose the word “baseball,” you might start with brave, bottom, Baltimore … before moving on to ace, angel, athletic — which all start with the letter ‘A’. Then, you’d go to the letter ‘S’ and so on, until you’ve gone through all the letters in the word.

The method might sound strange, but it can take your mind off lingering thoughts and intrusive worries so you can get some rest.

People who try cognitive shuffling typically report falling asleep within five to 15 minutes. Some people may take longer if they’re highly stressed or if they are someone who chronically overthinks.

You shouldn’t only rely on cognitive shuffling. By sticking to a bedtime routine … think a warm shower, limited screen time, no alcohol a few hours before sleep and a bedroom that’s quiet, dark and cool, you increase your chances of a full night’s sleep.

So, give cognitive shuffling a try. You may be out like a light before you know it.

You do it at work. You do it at home. Sometimes you even do it while out with friends or family.

Everyone knows that yawning is a common sign of sleepiness, but you may not know it can also be a sign of a serious sleep deficit that may jeopardize your long-term health.

When you fail to get a good night’s sleep of at least seven hours, experts say you increase your likelihood of several conditions, including diabetes, depression, high blood pressure, obesity and even stroke.

The truth is our body does some peculiar things when it’s continually sleep-deprived. It’s more than dozing off and staring off into space. Your brain might take microsleeps, which are brief mini naps spanning a handful of seconds. The frightening part is you might not even realize you’re doing it, and it could happen at a crucial time, like when you’re behind the wheel.

But how do you know if your drowsiness has entered the danger zone? Droopy eyelids, slumping and the inability to stay upright are tell-tale signs. Shaky hands and feeling like the room is spinning are severe symptoms.

Of course, sleep disorders like apnea, insomnia and restless leg syndrome all contribute to sleepiness. So do lifestyles.

Too much caffeine, alcohol and marijuana can negatively impact your sleep. To be clear, alcohol and marijuana do not improve sleep. Alcohol may help you fall asleep, but you won’t get good rest. Marijuana can cause insomnia.

If you suspect you might be nearing the too-little-sleep danger zone, search the internet for the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, a quick quiz that gauges problematic patterns.

Close your eyes. When you think of the word “vacation,” where are you?

A tropical island, lying on the beach with a drink in your hand as waves gently wash ashore? Maybe you’re on the trails, hiking through nature at a national park. How about another country, soaking in the history and sampling decadent cuisine?

From planning your itinerary to the expense and then the avalanche of emails and work when you return, sometimes a vacation can seem like too much trouble.

But your health depends on it.

The Journal of Applied Psychology recently published a review on the immediate and long-lasting impact of going on vacation.

Among the findings: people who take vacations not only reduce their stress and levels of exhaustion and depression, but they lower their overall risk of death as well as complications from heart disease and metabolic issues, such as high blood pressure and high blood sugar. And, of course, you rest more, which is beneficial if you find yourself sleep-deprived.

There are several ways to maximize the positive effects of taking a trip.

It all starts with unplugging from work. That means deleting your email app on your phone if need be. You should limit the time you spend taking work calls or answering emails to once a day or better yet, not at all.

Be active on vacation. The more physical activity you get, the better the health outcomes.

It’s about living in the moment, making memories and cherishing the time you spend with loved ones. Even if it’s hard to get away for one long vacation, schedule several short ones throughout the year.

Your family will thank you, and so will your body.

Join us on Animal Airwaves-Live as we welcome Dr. Chi-Yen Wu, a veterinary dermatology specialist, to discuss ear infections in dogs. Dr. Wu will explore why dogs suffer from itchy, painful ears, focusing on allergies as the primary trigger. He’ll help pet owners recognize signs of ear trouble and explain when to seek veterinary care and how specialists can help with persistent cases. Listeners will learn about advanced treatment options for chronic ear problems that haven’t responded to standard approaches.

Anybody who’s ever tried to rouse a sleeping teenager (or who has been a teenager themselves) is probably aware that it can be a tough task. But it’s not without good reason. Research has shown that adolescents require more sleep than adults and children.

Now, a new study drives home just how crucial the amount and quality of sleep is to teens’ brain health.

The sleep patterns of more than 3,000 adolescents were studied, with researchers classifying the teens into three categories. The first included teens who stayed up the latest, had the highest sleeping heart rates and slept the least. The second category featured teens who had a moderate amount of sleep and sleep quality. And the third included teens who went to bed early, had lower sleeping heart rates and slept longest.

The teens with the earliest bedtimes and longest sleep duration consistently displayed better cognitive performance than other participants.

Those who slept least fared the worst in cognitive performance and were shown to have weaker connections between key parts of the brain, and smaller brain volume, in general.

The study showed these results remained consistent as researchers followed the adolescents from ages 9 to 10 through age 14. Researchers said this suggests the sleep patterns established during these years can shape brain function for years to come, so developing and maintaining healthy habits in early adolescence is extremely important.

This research offers clear evidence of how vital sleep is to teens. Perhaps future studies can explore ways to safely wake a sleeping teenager.

For years, the longstanding medical treatment for inflammation-related lost sense of smell was to prescribe oral vitamin D supplements.

But sometimes you just have to turn convention on its head.

Researchers at the University of Florida and Northwestern University, in a study published earlier this year, reduced nasal inflammation and improved the sense of smell in mice by using a vitamin D nasal spray.

The inflammation was caused by cigarette smoke. But the researchers said the potential treatment, an active form of vitamin D called calcitriol [kal-suh-tray-ahl] might be effective for treating nasal inflammation caused by other conditions, including COVID-19.

Although the study involved an animal model, researchers noted that their previous work using human tissue bolsters confidence that the treatment might work for people, too. There remain years of research ahead, including potential human trials.

Previous studies have shown that vitamin D is deficient in smokers’ nasal tissue.

In the recent study, the mice received intranasal treatment three times a week for one month. When placed in a maze, the treated mice avoided areas with an unpleasant smell. The unstreated mice didn’t notice the odor at all.

CT scans confirmed that the treated mice had much less nasal tissue blockage than their untreated counterparts.

If the spray can be used in humans, it would vastly improve treatment options, which are limited mostly to supplements, surgery or pricey lab-produced antibodies.

And it would improve quality of life for those who miss catching a whiff of gardenia, garlic and onion sizzling in a pan or cookies coming out of the oven.

There’s nothing quite like a heaping portion of sauerkraut to accompany a nice sausage or potato dish. While the tangy, fermented cabbage dish is deeply rooted in German culture today, it has actually been consumed by humans for at least 2,000 years, dating back to ancient Rome.

Besides its appealing salty-tangy combo punch and preservative qualities cultivated in the fermenting process, a new study shows how sauerkraut is also good for our gut microbiome. Its health benefits might also be a testament to why the dish has been around for millennia.

Researchers explored the fermentation process and compared the nutritional profile of sauerkraut with raw cabbage as well as the liquid brine left from fermentation.

Their findings indicated that sauerkraut, whether bought at the grocery or made in their lab, helped protect intestinal cells from inflammation-related damage, while the raw cabbage and leftover brine did not have the same effect.

The researchers explained that some of the metabolites found in sauerkraut are the same kinds made by the gut microbiome, strengthening the evidence that sauerkraut can benefit gut health.

In recent years, scientists have gained a better understanding of just how important a properly balanced gut microbiome can be for overall health. The researchers in the current study recommend eating more fermented foods alongside fruits and vegetables to help optimize gut health.

Rather than relegating sauerkraut to a lowly topping, promote it to a full-on side dish and relish its rich tangy goodness tangy goodness … while giving your gut health a boost.

It’s June, and that means it’s Paul McCartney’s birthday. On June 18, the former Beatle turns 83. Happy birthday, Paul.

So, it’s a great time to remind the world about the obscure if important role played by the Beatles in an unlikely field — medicine.

The scientist who is thought to have been most responsible for the invention of the CT scanner is Godfrey Hounsfield. Many millions of people have received a CT scan, widely called a CAT scan.

A computed tomography scan helps doctors diagnose many illnesses or injuries. It’s undoubtedly saved many lives by using X-rays in thin slices to provide a view inside your body.

Hounsfield worked for a company called English Musical Industries, or EMI. One part of the company sold records under the Parlophone label. Other divisions, however, produced a variety of products.

Hounsfield was an engineer on the nonmusical side of the business and worked at EMI through the 1960s.

As any Beatles fan can recite chapter and verse, a Parlophone producer, George Martin, signed the Fab Four to a recording contract in 1962. What followed was a string of hits and nearly 200 million records sold through the rest of the decade. EMI profits doubled.

Many argue that this rich vein of money allowed EMI to generously fund new product research. Hounsfield started work on his project in 1967, the year the Beatles’ made their seminal album, Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Sitting on loads of cash, EMI hardly blinked at funding Hounsfield’s big idea.

Hounsfield would be awarded a Nobel Prize for work he accomplished, perhaps with a little help from his friends.

Does a big, juicy steak for breakfast sound appealing? Perhaps not, but finding ways to boost your protein intake during breakfast and lunch might be a good idea.

A new study suggests spreading your protein intake more evenly across three meals is crucial to keeping your muscles strong as you age.

For three years, researchers led by McGill University studied more than 1,700 Canadians between the ages of 67 and 84. They measured participants’ physical performance once each year with two tests. One evaluated muscle strength through hand grip, arm and leg exercises, while the other assessed mobility through walking speed, chair stands and timed walking tests.

The researchers also conducted six 24-hour food recalls — three at the beginning of the study and three at Year 2 — to collect dietary information.

Women with the most balanced protein intake averaged 18 grams at breakfast, 23 grams at lunch and 23 grams at dinner. Men averaged 21 grams at breakfast, 29 grams at lunch and 30 grams at dinner.

These participants showed significantly higher muscle strength throughout the study, regardless of how much protein they consumed, compared with those whose protein intake was less consistent. However, the researchers also found that the rate of decline in muscle strength was not affected by protein distribution.

This suggests it might be important to do what you can to boost your muscle strength now, since we all will gradually lose it as we age.

So, no, you don’t have to eat a rare steak for breakfast. But if you want to improve your muscle strength, you might want to consider having an egg or two with your cereal.

Join us on Animal Airwaves-Live as Dr. Caryn Plummer, veterinary ophthalmology specialist from UF, discusses cataracts across pets and horses. She’ll help owners identify early signs like eye cloudiness and changes in navigation, explain the difference between normal aging and cataracts, and outline modern treatment options. Dr. Plummer will share insights on surgical procedures, recovery expectations, and species-specific considerations, equipping owners with knowledge to protect their companions’ vision and quality of life whether they have hooves or paws.