Health

Brits are forking out £8 billion to counteract a lack of sleep, new research has revealed. With the average adult struggling to get more than six hours sleep a night - almost two hours less than the recommended quota - we are been forced to shell out hefty sums on sleep aids and things to make us look and feel less tired. From espressos to sweets and energy drinks, the "staying awake" market is positively booming in Britain. A third of adults drink...

Swapping one fizzy drink or beer a day for water slashes the risk of obesity by up to 20 per cent, say scientists. A study of almost 16,000 adults found they were a fifth less likely to develop the condition if they had a glass of water instead of a beer. Replacing a sugar-sweetened soft drink - such as a Coke - in the same way was linked with a 15 percent reduction in risk. Britain has been dubbed the...

A gran who was so fat she could hardly walk from her front door to the car has completed a 10km run after shedding a whopping 18 stone to be crowned Slimming World’s Greatest Loser. Tracey Topping, 47, was nearly 30 stone was struggling to walk or stand, constantly out of breath and jobless. She couldn’t even fit in the bath and was humiliated when a parent at her son’s school moved seats at a meeting, complaining he couldn’t see...

When Ron had to give up work due to a rare form of dementia it was a difficult time and the impact of the diagnosis not only affected him but his partner of 25 years, Loraine. However, thanks to the support of The Royal British Legion’s Admiral Nurse service, they have been able to come to terms with Ron’s condition and learn to live positively with dementia. In 2007 Ron started to display erratic and obsessive behaviour that was completely...

A pet owner says she owes her life to her beloved pooch when she went to the doctors after falling over the dog and found out she had cancer. Pat Lacey, 73, had not visited her doctors for almost a year when she was tripped over by Staffordshire bull terrier Ice in her kitchen. The former civil servant went to her GP after feeling her hand start to swell up following the fall on January 17 last year. Doctors found...

Young Brits are turning to alcohol to deal with mental health issues, with a third saying they drink alcohol when they are feeling down. New research has revealed men are likely to reach for a bottle compared to women when times get tough, with younger people more inclined to rely on vices such as booze rather than reliable fixes such as sleep, exercise and quality time with friends and family. Those aged 55 and over are more likely to stick to healthier methods...

  A cup of coffee could be a better pain-reliever than drugs, say scientists. Caffeine, the active ingredient in coffee, was more effective than painkillers like ibuprofen and even morphine. But it was only effective on pain combined with sleep deprivation. It means patients' suffering could be eased with shots of caffeine. It boosts dopamine, the brain's pleasure-chemical that makes people feel good. In experiments groups of six to 12 lab rodents were kept awake for as long as 12...

TLE readers are in with a chance to win a Bickerton fold up bike worth £1,049.99 to celebrate this year's Spin Cycling Festival taking place at London Olympia this weekend. Folding bikes are all about key areas; ease of fold, weight and stiffness resulting in a solid, comfortable ride. Bickerton have completely redesigned the Argent platform from the ground up and this has resulted in a bike that is at the forefront of folding technology today. With the latest in hinge technology (not available...

A leading food psychologist has revealed the reasons why you succumb to everyday cravings – and provides crucial tips on how to cheat them. Dr Christy Fergusson, working with Seasonal Berries, delivers the answers to why so many Brits can’t resist foods such as sugar, salt, carbohydrates, cheese and coffee. She claims that by providing the body with quick solutions it IS possible to lower the amount of unhealthy food consumed and stop these cravings in their tracks. Sugar The...