Brainstorm | Opinion, Analysis, Reports, Features

'The relationship between 'damage' on scans and pain is not a straightforward one'. Photo: Getty Images

Why surgery is not always the answer for shoulder and knee pain

Are there less risky and cheaper alternatives to surgery when it comes to managing shoulder and knee pain?

Health • 16 Dec 24

'When you're making your New Year's resolution, take small steps'. Photo: Pablo Heimplatz/Unsplash

Why a New Year's resolution alone is not enough

Here's what behavioural science suggests will increase your likelihood of keeping and sustaining that New Year change

New Year • 16 Dec 24

"Little is known about how our body copes with one-off occasions of overindulgence, and whether they have any effect on our overall health"

Here's how the body reacts to a massive one-off meal

A new study has looked at how one-off over-eating affects the body's metabolism in the hours after a meal

Health • 16 Dec 24

'The more physically active we are, the more likely we are to have good balance'. Photo: Getty Images

Why standing on one leg matters

Being able to stand on one leg is linked to increased levels of physical activity and decreased risk of falls

Health • 16 Dec 24

There are ways you can maximise your likelihood of getting to the end of January without drinking alcohol Photo: Getty Images

How to make Dry January a success

Behavioural science has some helpful tips to get first-timers and seasoned participants to the end of Dry January

Health • 16 Dec 24

These lads are certainly up for the Christmas (well, bar the one on the left)

Why celebrating Christmas is good for your mental health

After a tough year, embracing the spirit of Christmas and the New Year may be good for our mental health

Christmas • 16 Dec 24

"While our day to day routines and activities account for a certain number of steps anyway, a 10km daily target is hard to achieve even taking this into consideration" Photo: Getty Images

Step it up: is 10,000 really the magic number for steps in a day?

There has been a lot of research done around daily step counts and smart ways to achieve health and fitness goals

Walking • 16 Dec 24

So this is the week after Christmas and what have you done? Photo: Mariia Korneeva/ Shutterstock

Why do many of us feel so 'blah' in the first week of January?

Here's how to beat the post-Christmas blues and prevent low moods and languishing

Mental Health • 16 Dec 24

Brrrrrr. Photo: Lars Zahner/ Alamy Stock Photo

Are cold showers really good for your health?

Here's what the evidence shows about the physical and mental benefits - and risks - of being immersed in cold water

Health • 16 Dec 24

'Returning to school during and after cancer can present unique and ongoing challenge'. Photo: Childhood Cancer Ireland

What rights do children treated for cancer have in Irish schools?

Children returning to school during and after cancer treatment are often not aware of their entitlement to education supports

Children • 12 Dec 24

The 6th vital sign: clinicians can learn a lot from how a person walks

How the way you walk tells the story of your health

Your gait is a fundamental clinical measure of your health, including future changes in cognitive and emotional health

Health • 06 Dec 24

These proteins, found in milk, which can be separated during cheese manufacture, are generally consumed by athletes to improve muscle mass. Photo: Getty Images

Why dietary whey proteins are good news for women

Research has found women respond better to whey protein than men when it comes to weight management

Food • 03 Dec 24

If only they'd gone for a few 10k runs in the last few weeks.... Photo: Getty Images

Here's how regular exercise could reduce severity of a hangover

A new study highlights the ways exercise equips the body to better handle the aftermath of a night of drinking

Health • 22 Nov 24

'We aim to get falls management exercises to those who can benefit and help people to feel confident about exercise, physical activity and keeping well.' Photo: Falls Management Exercise (FaME) Implementation Toolkit

Can exercise help older people overcome fear of falling?

The Falls Management Exercise Programme has been shown to reduce falls nd improve physical and quality of life

Health • 21 Nov 24

Ireland's Finn Azaz and England's Harry Kane in action at Wembley Stadium last night. Photo: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

Are professional soccer players overworked?

The demands of the modern game and an overloaded calendar are having a serious impact on players' wellbeing and performance

Soccer • 18 Nov 24

Twenty-six years. That is roughly how much of our lives are spent asleep. Photo: Getty Images

Why 'sleeping on it' really does help

'Sleeping on it' really does help and four other recent sleep research breakthroughs

Sleep • 15 Nov 24

The pharmacy of the future could see patients using 3D printing to customise the combination and dosage of drugs according to their personalised needs

How 3D printing could revolutionise your medical prescription

3D printing could allow multiple medications for patients to be combined into a single daily pill or 'polypill'

Science Week 2024 • 13 Nov 24

'MRI scans are being used more and more to look for prostate cancer and can help find suspicious areas and guide biopsies if needed.'

Here's how to spot early signs of prostate cancer

If you're in your 40s or 50s, it's worth knowing about the risks and signs of prostate cancer.

Health • 12 Nov 24

'Next to their homes, schools are where children spend most of their life'

How healthy is your child's classroom?

Future classrooms can be designed to be sustainable, resilient to the changing climate and provide a healthy learning space for the children

Schools • 11 Nov 24

Stock image: The research has shown a growing understanding within the housing sector that tenants' household behaviours are not significant contributors to persistent mould problems, contrary to previous beliefs. Photo: Getty Images

Why environmentally sustainable social housing is important

Researchers are developing a sensor that can be installed in social houses to monitor air quality and help prevent mould

Sustainability • 08 Nov 24

If we were to remember every detail, it would become increasingly difficult to retain the important information. Photo: Getty Images

Why forgetting things is actually good for you

Why do we forget things? Is it simply a sign of memory impairment, or are there benefits?

Neuroscience • 05 Nov 24

"You will take about 40,000 steps during the marathon."

What happens to your body when you run a marathon?

Here's how those 26.2 miles affect your body, from heart and joints to sweat glands and blood volume

Marathon • 21 Oct

'While setting a goal is relatively easy, achieving it is much more difficult and many will have fallen short of achieving that goal when (or if!) they reach the finish line.'

3 tips to beat the psychological challenges of running a marathon

Here are some insights from 21 long-distance runners into strategies that could help your marathon performance

Marathons • 27 Oct 24

Is it an investment in a running club worth making for those training for a marathon? Research says it it. Photo: Getty Images

How joining a running club can help you reach your marathon goals

Research on over 206,000 people who've completed the London marathon suggests those who belong to a running club do run faster

Running clubs • 24 Oct 24

10 ways to maintain healthy smartphone habits

Many of us use our phones more than we think we do or more than we would like to at times

Health • 22 Oct 24