1 . Staying Safe in Hot Temperatures

Hot weather kills hundreds of people every year. The World Health Organization estimates that from 1998 to 2017 more than 166,000 people died as a result of extreme heatwaves. That includes the more than 70,000 people who died during the 2003 heatwave in Europe.

    1    . There are steps you can take to stay safe during periods of very high temperatures. Many things can affect your body’s ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather. For example, when the wetness is high, body sweat will not dry as quickly. This restricts the body’s ability to release heat.     2    .

Also, take note of nighttime temperatures. Experts say heat waves often become dangerous when the nighttime temperature does not drop much past the highest daytime temperature.     3    . So, hot nighttime temperatures put great pressure on the human body.

    4    . Alcohol, caffeine, and sugar, for example, can weaken the body’s system for cooling itself.

On its website, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC, explains that some people are at high risk of suffering from heat-related illnesses. A person’s age and weight play a part in surviving high temperatures. People over 65 and under 2 are especially at risk of becoming sick from heat.

Your general health is also a very important factor to consider.     5    , you must move to a cool place, loosen your clothing, put a cool wet cloth on your body or take a cool bath and drink water.

Experts at the CDC say that “everyone should take these steps to prevent heat-related illnesses, injuries, and death” when the weather is very hot.

2 . There is a widespread belief among sleep researchers that many people, especially young adults, regularly obtain skimpy sleep due to work, school, and social activities. The move toward remote work and school has provided a novel opportunity to test this belief.

A new study compared self-reported data on sleep habits from 80 students enrolled in a 2020 summer session course with data collected from 450 students enrolled in the same course during previous summer semesters and suggests that students learning remotely went to bed an average of 30 minutes later than pre-pandemic (疫情前) students. They slept less efficiently, less at night and more during the day, but did not sleep more overall despite the time saved working or attending social events. Actually, they have no early classes and 44 per cent fewer work days compared to students in previous semesters.

One very consistent finding is a collective delay of sleep timing—people go to bed and wake up later. Not surprisingly, there is also a marked reduction in natural light exposure, especially early in the day. The lack of change in sleep time was a bit of a surprise, as it goes against the assumption that young adults would sleep more if they had the time.

Self-described night owls (夜猫子) were more likely to report a greater positive effect on their sleep, getting to sleep in, instead of waking up early for that morning class, while morning types were more likely to report a negative response to sleeping later than usual.

Sleep plays an important role in immune (免疫的) functioning and mental health, which is why good sleep habits are important. Students and anybody working from home should try to get outside and work out early in the day because the morning light helps strengthen their regular sleep wake cycle—this should improve their sleep, and allow them to feel more rested and energized during the day.

4 . All it takes is three continuous nights of sleep loss to cause your mental and physical well-being to greatly worsen.

A new study looked at the consequences of sleeping fewer than six hours for eight nights on end — the minimum duration of sleep that is necessary to support best health in average adults.

Lead author Soomi Lee, assistant professor at the University of South Florida, found the biggest jump in symptoms appeared after just one night of sleep loss. The number of mental and physical problems steadily got worse, peaking on day three. At that point, research shows the human body got relatively used to repeated sleep loss. But that all changed on day six, when participants reported that the severity of physical symptoms was at its worst.

“Many of us think that we can pay our sleep debt on weekends and be more productive on weekdays.” Lee said. “However, results from this study show that having just one night of sleep loss can significantly weaken your daily functioning.”

Data provided by the Midlife in the United Study included nearly 2000 middle-aged adults who were relatively healthy and well-educated. Among them 42% had at least one night of sleep loss, sleeping 1.5 fewer hours than their typical routines.

They recorded their mental and physical behaviors in a diary for eight days in a row, allowing researchers to review how sleep loss causes wear and tear on the body. Participants reported a pile-up of angry, nervous, lonely, bad-tempered and frustrated feelings as a result of sleep loss. They also experienced more physical symptoms, such as upper respiratory issues, aches, gastrointestinal (肠胃的) problems and other health concerns.

These negative feelings and symptoms were continuously sharpened throughout continuous sleep loss days and didn't return to baseline levels unless they had a night sleep of more than six hours.

Lee says the best way to maintain a strong daily performance is to set aside more than six hours to sleep every night.

6 . It is a war without guns, bombs, or smoke. A new coronavirus (新冠肺炎), a deadly disease, breaks out all over the world. More than 2.7 million present confirmed cases are reported recently, WHO says, adding that the cases have resulted in more than 325 thousand deaths. What should you do to keep yourself from this virus?     1    

1. Clean hands with soap and water or alcohol-based hand rub.

It is quite necessary to clean your hands with soap and water completely for at least 20 seconds before you have meals and after using the toilet, especially after you return home. If you are not careful enough to contact with animals or deal with animal wastes, you’d better wash your hands with alcohol-based rub.     2    , so this is very important.

2.     3    

When it comes to human to human transmission (传播) of the viruses, it often happens when someone comes into contact with an infected person’s secretions (分泌物), such as droplets (小水滴，飞沫) in a cough. Therefore, when you cough or sneeze, you should cover your mouth and nose with a tissue, or you can cough or sneeze into your sleeve, but avoid covering with your hand directly.

3. Wear masks.

Wearing a mask is one of the most effective ways to protect you from getting infected. Make sure to wear it properly by tightening up the nose clip and pulling the bottom of it over your chin.     4     if you are not feeling well or have symptoms of fever.

4. Take exercise regularly.

    5     It can strengthen your heart and ensure the efficient flow of blood throughout the body. Besides, it can also improve you immune system, to some degree making it helpful to get away from the viruses and illnesses. Come on! Move your body, and you will become stronger and stronger.

All in all, if you have symptoms of fever and respiratory infection, you must seek immediate medical attention.

8 . A cure for the common cold

The average person comes down with three colds a year, each lasting for about nine days. There is still no effective treatment but the following advice may help.

Take time off school. Because your body will fight off the cold virus better if it is well rested.     1    .

As we know, the virus can be spread easily from one person to another frequently. Non-sedating(非镇静的) allergy medicine, which you can buy from a chemist, can ease the problems of a runny nose and watery eyes.

    2    . Water or juice is ideal but hot herbal teas with lemon will help thin sticky substance and remove it from the body. A warm gargle(漱口) with salt water will make your throat more comfortable by reducing the swelling. It also washes out bacteria and viruses so it can be used as a preventive measure as well.

The warm air generated by a hot shower or bath will help clear blocked noses.     3    . For a violent cough, the latest research suggests that honey, either straight from a jar or mixed with a hot drink, works as well if not better than costly sprays.

A good diet is also essential for a quick recovery, so start the day with a healthy breakfast including vitamin C in the form of fresh fruit.     4    . For dinner, easily digested solid food is recommended, such as rice porridge made with vegetables or eggs.

    5    . It not only makes you physically stronger but enhances your emotional well being. Just remember not to attempt anything that requires a lot of effort or strength. Finally, to recharge your body and regain your strength, you need a full eight hours' sleep.

9 . Getting rid of dirt, in the opinion of most people, is a good thing. However, there is nothing fixed about attitudes to dirt.

In the early 16th century, people thought that dirt on the skin was a means to block out disease, as medical opinion had it that washing off dirt with hot water could open up the skin and let ills in. A particular danger was thought to lie in public baths. By 1538, the French king had closed the bath houses in his kingdom. So did the king of England in 1546. Thus it began a long time when the rich and the poor in Europe lived with dirt in a friendly way. Henry IV, King of France, was famously dirty. Upon learning that a nobleman had taken a bath, the king ordered that, to avoid the attack of disease, the nobleman should not go out.

Though the belief in the merit of dirt was long-lived, dirt has no longer been regarded as a nice neighbor ever since the 18th century. Scientifically speaking, cleaning away dirt is good to health. Clean water supply and hand washing are practical means of preventing disease. Yet, it seems that standards of cleanliness have moved beyond science since World War II. Advertisements repeatedly sell the idea; clothes need to be whiter than white, cloths ever softer, surfaces to shine. Has the hate for dirt, however, gone too far?

Attitudes to dirt still differ hugely nowadays. Many first-time parents nervously try to warn their children of touching dirt, which might be responsible for the spread of disease. On the contrary, Mary Ruebush, an American immunologist(免疫学家),encourages children to play in the dirt to build up a strong immune system. And the latter position is gaining some ground.