Sleeping during the hot summer months can be a struggle for some.
It’s necessary for the body to cool down for optimal rest — so what’s the best way to harness a good night’s sleep during periods of extreme heat?
Dr. Michael Gradisar, head of sleep science at the sleep app Sleep Cycle in Australia, shared some tips with Fox News Digital.
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The body naturally releases heat from the hands, feet and face when preparing for sleep, according to the expert.
When the environment is too warm, the body cannot shed heat effectively, making it more difficult to fall and stay asleep.
«Overheating during the night also disrupts sleep, in the form of more frequent awakenings, night sweats and/or reduced sleep quality,» Gradisar said.
«And for those already prone to rumination or insomnia, high nighttime temperatures act as an added stressor, making it even more likely they'll wake up and struggle to drift off again.»
Th..

A potentially deadly fungus known as «pharaoh's curse fungus» could offer an unexpected path to fighting cancer, recent research shows.
Scientists from the University of Pennsylvania modified molecules from the fungus — which is officially called Aspergillus flavus — to create a new compound and enhance its cancer-killing properties.
«Fungi gave us penicillin,» said Dr. Xue (Sherry) Gao, an associate professor at UPenn and leader of the study, in a press release. «These results show that many more medicines derived from natural products remain to be found.»
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The findings were published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology.
Aspergillus flavus is found in decaying leaves and compost, as well as on trees, plants and some crops, according to Mayo Clinic.
While the fungus doesn't endanger most healthy people, it can cause respiratory issues for those who have weakened immune systems..

On June 12, a prominent billionaire from India, Sunjay Kapur, died suddenly at the age of 53 in Windsor, England, according to multiple reports.
Kapur was the chairman of Sona Comstar, an Indian automotive components manufacturer.
His close friend, business consultant Suhel Seth, confirmed Kapur's death in a post on X that same day.
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«Deeply saddened at the passing of @sunjaykapur: he passed away earlier today in England: a terrible loss and deepest condolences to his family and to his colleagues @sonacomstar …Om Shanti,» Seth wrote.
In the following days, it was revealed that Kapur died while playing polo. Multiple outlets reported that he collapsed after swallowing a bee mid-match, potentially triggering a fatal heart attack.
No official source for the billionaire confirmed that a bee caused the heart attack. Fox News Digital reached out to Sona Comstar for comment.
«It’s not possible to comment with any specificity about ..

Body mass index (BMI) may not be the most accurate predictor of death risk.
A new study from the University of Florida found that BMI — a measurement that is commonly used to determine whether a person’s weight is in a healthy range for their height — is «deeply flawed» in terms of predicting mortality.
Instead, one’s level of body fat is «far more accurate,» concluded the study, which was published this week in the Annals of Family Medicine.
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To measure participants’ body fat, the researchers used a method called bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), which uses a device to measure the resistance of body tissue to a small electrical current.
Over a 15-year period, those who had high body fat were found to be 78% more likely to die than those who had healthy body fat levels, researchers found.
They were also more than three times as likely to die of heart disease, the study noted.
BMI — which is calculated by dividing weight by heig..

Summer heat has swept the U.S., with warnings issued across the East Coast and Midwest.
In addition to putting stress on the body, hot weather can also take a toll on the brain and mental health.
Dr. Jace Reed, director of emergency psychiatry at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, emphasized in an interview with Fox News Digital that the brain is a major organ that can be greatly affected by heat.
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Extreme heat can cause mental health changes like increased irritability and anxiety, along with decreased memory, attention and reaction time.
This can affect daily interactions socially and professionally, the expert cautioned.
«You may be slower at completing your task or remembering what someone just told you,» he told Fox News Digital. «Those can be initial early signs that the heat is affecting your brain and your mental abilities.»
Symptoms like extreme confusion could mark the beginning of a heat stroke, which c..

Illegal disposable e-cigarettes, also known as vapes, may present a greater danger than traditional cigarettes, according to a study from the University of California (UC) Davis.
The research, published in the journal ACS Central Science, found that hazardous levels of several toxic heavy metals in illegal vapes could present a high cancer risk.
Researchers used a special instrument to test the puffs from three popular vape brands — ELF Bar, Flum Pebble and Esco — that are not FDA-authorized for use in the U.S., but are widely sold by retailers.
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Three heavy metals — lead, nickel and antimony — were detected in all heavily flavored and lightly flavored devices that were tested.
These metals are classified as carcinogens, potentially leading to various types of cancers, such as skin, lung and kidney, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
All vapors exceeded the cancer risk limits for nickel, which has ..