Category Archives: All

All, Common Myths

Can You Catch Up on Sleep on the Weekends?

By Aneisha Gupta

Most of us are guilty of staying up late during the week and trying to “catch up” on sleep over the weekend. It might seem like a reasonable solution, but can you really reverse the effects of sleep debt with just a couple of days of rest? Let’s think twice. The science around sleep recovery might surprise you.

Quality sleep enhances memory, metabolism, immune health, and mental performance (1). But recent studies show that weekend catch-up sleep doesn’t fully undo sleep deprivation during the week (2). A recent study examined adults who restricted their sleep during the workweek and attempted to recover with extended sleep on weekends. Researchers measured metabolic health indicators and compared these individuals to those with consistent sleep schedules. The study found that those with inconsistent sleep had higher risks of obesity and metabolic dysfunction. (3)

Another study of the association between weekend catch-up sleep and depression in US adults found that sleeping in on weekends may offer temporary benefits, like reducing daytime sleepiness, but doesn’t fully restore cognitive or metabolic function (4). Even worse, irregular sleep schedules (a phenomenon known as “social jet lag”) can disrupt your body’s circadian rhythms and lead to cardiometabolic diseases (heart disease, type II diabetes, and more) (5).

Harvard Health Publishing adds that weekend recovery sleep might also mislead you into thinking you’ve “reset,” when in reality, the cumulative effects of weekday sleep loss linger (6). Researchers recommend aiming for consistent nightly sleep instead of relying on weekends to make up for it.

So, can you catch up on sleep on the weekends? Not really. A regular sleep schedule beats weekend recovery snoozing. Next time you’re tempted to binge sleep on a Sunday, remember real recovery requires consistency.

Sources

National Institutes of Health. “Why Is Sleep Important?” https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/sleep/why

PMC. “Sleep Compensation over the Weekend: Potential Risks.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10900010/

Sleep. “Weekend catch-up sleep and long-term health.” https://academic.oup.com/sleep/article/47/11/zsae159/7712720

Scientific Reports. “Insufficient weekday sleep and recovery.” https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2352721823002267

BMC Public Health. “Social jet lag and health behaviors.” https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-025-21551-8

Harvard Health Publishing. “Why weekend sleep-ins won’t fix sleep deprivation.” https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/weekend-catch-up-sleep-wont-fix-the-effects-of-sleep-deprivation-on-your-waistline-2019092417861

All, Common Myths

Does shaving make hair grow back thicker and darker?

by Aneisha Gupta

It’s one of the most persistent grooming myths out there: if you shave your hair, it’ll grow back thicker, darker, or faster. This belief has shaped how many people approach hair removal, but is there any science behind it? Let’s think twice before accepting this common claim.

Hair might appear thicker after shaving because the razor slices it at the surface, leaving behind a blunt edge (1). This edge can feel coarse or stubbly as it grows out, creating the illusion of darker or denser hair (2). However, multiple clinical studies have confirmed that shaving doesn’t change the color, thickness, or rate of hair growth (3).

A foundational study from 1928 published in Anatomical Record and reaffirmed in Journal of Investigative Dermatology decades later found no measurable difference in hair regrowth after shaving (4). The Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic agree, what you’re seeing is just the natural texture of regrowing hair, not a biological response to shaving (5, 6).

Experts explain that hair growth is controlled by hormones and genetics, not razors. Shaving simply cuts hair at the skin’s surface, without affecting the follicle beneath (7). The angle and bluntness of the regrowth may make it look darker or thicker, especially on areas with denser hair like the legs or face, but the properties of the hair itself remain unchanged.

So, does shaving make your hair grow back thicker and darker? Nope. It’s a visual trick, not a physical transformation. Next time you hear this myth, think twice, and shave with confidence.

Sources

University of Texas at Austin. “Fake Follicle News.” https://sites.utexas.edu/think-twice/2019/02/19/fake-follicle-news-does-shaved-hair-grow-back-faster/

Mayo Clinic. “Hair removal: Does shaving affect hair growth?” https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/hair-removal/faq-20058427

PMC. “Hair Follicle Structure and Regrowth.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7984395/

Journal of Investigative Dermatology. “Re-examination of shaving and hair regrowth.” https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/5459955/

Cleveland Clinic. “Does Shaving Make Hair Thicker?” https://health.clevelandclinic.org/does-shaving-make-hair-thicker

Mayo Clinic. “Hair removal myths.” https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/expert-answers/hair-removal/faq-20058427

PMC. “Anatomy and physiology of hair.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7984395/

All, Women's Health

Is your menstrual pain “normal”?

Written by Mansi Patel

It can be argued that, in part under the influence of patriarchy, women may have felt the need to suppress their emotions and behave according to accepted gender norms (1,2). For instance, women may tend to default to an assumption that their level of menstrual pain is average and expected (2). This may limit the potential for women to benefit from helpful diagnoses and treatments to alleviate menstrual pain (1).

The diagnosis of dysmenorrhea is based on severe and frequent pain in the lower abdomen that may radiate to the inner thighs and back during the menstrual cycle (3). Other symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, and even fainting (3). There is evidence that most women fitting these characteristics (up to 86%) in the U.S. do not seek care (1).

Reasons to consider seeking care include the potential for correctable pathophysiologies such as secondary dysmenorrhea or treatable associated conditions such as endometriosis or ovarian cysts (4). Endometrial ablation, destruction of the uterine lining, or hysterectomy (removal of the uterus) may be available treatment options to prevent further complications of any underlying conditions (3).

Given that most menstrual pain is not pathological, it can also be helpful for women to be aware of simple techniques they can use to alleviate menstrual pain. For instance, numerous randomized trials have demonstrated the effectiveness of relaxation exercises for alleviation of symptoms of primary dysmenorrhea, mostly within four weeks, compared to control groups receiving no intervention or regular care (5).Nonsteroidal medications can also help alleviate symptoms (3,5).

Accommodation and personal health agency are effective health strategies that are helpful no matter the diagnosis identified, and treatment selected. Women can be aware of the option of medical care to be sure specific treatable pathophysiologies are not overlooked. Beneath what may appear to be part of an expected monthly cycle that women accommodate, there is the option to seek care or try treatments at home. Before assuming nothing can be done for strong menstrual pain, think twice!

References:
1. Chen CX, Shieh C, Draucker CB, Carpenter JS. Reasons women do not seek health care for dysmenorrhea. J Clin Nurs. 2018; 27: e301–e308. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.13946

2. Getahun, S. B., Berhe, S., Mekonnen, B., & Melaku, G. (2023). Reasons for Not Seeking Healthcare Among Students with Dysmenorrhea: A Qualitative Study. International journal of women’s health, 15, 1733–1744. https://doi.org/10.2147/IJWH.S437233

3. John Hopkins Medicine. “Dysmenorrhea” https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/dysmenorrhea

4. Coco A. S. (1999). Primary dysmenorrhea. American family physician, 60(2), 489–496.

5. Tsai, I. C., Hsu, C. W., Chang, C. H., Lei, W. T., Tseng, P. T., & Chang, K. V. (2024). Comparative Effectiveness of Different Exercises for Reducing Pain Intensity in Primary Dysmenorrhea: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials. Sports medicine – open, 10(1), 63. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-024-00718-4