Brainstorm | Opinion, Analysis, Reports, Features

'Palliative care is about more than just managing symptoms. It's about supporting the whole family, emotionally and psychologically, as they face the unimaginable'. Photo: Getty Images

How digital storytelling can help families of very ill children

Digital storytelling can aid families of children in palliative care to capture and preserve valuable moments and memories

Health • 17 Jan 25

Moderate-to-vigorous exercise such as cycling was linked with better memory performance the next day. Photo: Zoran Pucarevic Shutterstock

How exercise boosts your memory as well as your fitness

New research finds that exercise boosts your memory for up to 24 hours after a workout

Health • 17 Jan 25

The most commonly experienced symptoms include hot flushes, night sweats, mood swings, vaginal dryness and fatigue. Photo: Getty Images (stock image - photo posed by model)

5 things young women need to know about the menopause

The menopause affects around half the world's population at some point, but many women feel unprepared for what lies ahead

Health • 14 Jan 25

'By taking care of your brain while you're young, you'll ensure it continues to function properly as you age.' Photo: Omar Lopez/Unsplash

6 ways to look after your brain health in your 20s and 30s

Here are six of the most important lifestyle changes you can make while you're young in order to look after your brain health

Health • 13 Jan 25

'Consider exercise as an investment in your mental health, energy levels, and overall happiness, rather than a transactional activity tied solely to physical outcomes'. Photo: Getty Images

10 ways to keep your 2025 exercise resolutions

Small adjustments to your exercise routine can help you maintain a happier, healthier body and mind in 2025 and beyond

Exercise • 06 Jan 25

'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

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

'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 25

'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

"Kids don't necessarily need the latest Buzz Lightyear or Woody or Paw Patrol to play"

Why risky play is good for kids

In this week's Brainstorm podcast, we look at the benefits of risky play, the wonders of childhood imagination and how not to design playgrounds

Podcast • 16 Oct 24

Is an autumnal run the answer to your anger management issues?

Could exercise help you to deal with anger?

Exercise seems to have a predominantly positive influence on mood and research suggests this extends beyond depression and anxiety

Health • 09 Oct 24

Rhasidat Adeleke competing at Paris Olympics: 'we now have plenty of stories about these role models from the Olympics and Paralympics.'

What kids can learn from top Irish athletes like Rhasidat Adeleke

Here are 6 steps to build on the success and profile of our Olympians and support young children in primary schools through PE

Physical Education • 07 Oct 24