The COVID-19 pandemic may be over, but our immune systems are still feeling the impact. After years of battling constant viral threats, from COVID-19 to seasonal flu and other infections, our body’s defense system is exhausted. Many people continue to experience lingering inflammation, frequent illnesses, and slower recovery times. This extended state of immune stress has compromised us further to chronic illness, including autoimmune diseases and even neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's. So why is our immune system still in trouble? And how do we give it its power back? Understanding immune exhaustion is the beginning of rebuilding our body's natural immunity.

A weakened immune system makes people more susceptible to disease, mental illnesses, and even sleep disorders. Now, new research indicates that immune system depletion may play an important role in the onset of Parkinson's disease, a degenerative neurologic disorder that compromises movement and cognition.

Role of Inflammation in Parkinson's Disease

Dysfunctional immune response is a leading cause of long-standing inflammation within the body, that has been found to contribute towards a multitude of conditions, including cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, depression, and neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's.

As people age, their immune system naturally becomes less effective. This deterioration, referred to as immune exhaustion, may be a key contributor to the onset and progression of Parkinson’s disease. Rebecca Wallings, a Parkinson’s Foundation Launch Award grant recipient and senior postdoctoral fellow at the University of Florida, believes that an accumulation of exhausted immune cells could be driving neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s patients.

How a Tired Immune System Might Affect Parkinson's?

Parkinson's disease is most commonly linked with the degeneration and loss of dopaminergic neurons—motor nerve cells that produce dopamine, an essential neurotransmitter for movement. While researchers have long suspected inflammation is involved in this neurodegeneration, the mechanisms are not yet well understood.

Wallings' study is on immune cell exhaustion, a process by which aging immune cells fail to control immune responses effectively. Her research indicates that instead of dampening inflammation in Parkinson's patients, attempts should be made to rejuvenate the immune system to regain its functionality.

Energy Deficiency in Immune Cells

One of the major findings of Wallings' work is the function of mitochondrial impairment in immune cell exhaustion. Mitochondria are commonly called the powerhouses of cells, as they are vital for generating energy. As mitochondria age and become inefficient, immune cells fail to function well, potentially accelerating neurodegeneration in Parkinson's disease.

Wallings has found that mutations in the LRRK2 gene, a recognized genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease, are linked with defective mitochondrial function and immune cell exhaustion. Her current work includes testing various therapeutic approaches to restore mitochondrial function in immune cells with the potential to enhance the immune system and potentially prevent or treat Parkinson's disease.

Will Rejuvenating the Immune System Help in Treatment?

For decades, the standard practice in treating Parkinson's has been to suppress brain inflammation. Yet Wallings' work indicates that instead of slowing down immune responses, restoring the immune system could be a more successful strategy. By addressing mitochondrial impairment and immune resilience, researchers can potentially reverse or slow down Parkinson's disease.

Wallings is now looking into how to rejuvenate immune cells by fixing mitochondria. She studies immune cells from patients with Parkinson's as well as from healthy subjects and performs experiments on animal models to determine if rejuvenation of the immune system could result in improved disease outcomes.

Lifestyle Factors That May Affect Parkinson's Risk

While there is no cure for Parkinson's disease, some lifestyle adjustments may decrease the chances of developing the illness. Since neurodegenerative diseases are associated with chronic inflammation and immune dysfunction, developing habits that enhance immune function might prove helpful.

Diet: There is evidence to suggest that eating in accordance with the Mediterranean or MIND diets, both high in antioxidants, healthy fats, and anti-inflammatory foods, can encourage brain wellness and reduce Parkinson's risk.

Avoiding Dangerous Substances: Restricting alcohol and nicotine use can maintain a robust immune system and suppress inflammation.

Reducing Stress: Chronic stress weakens immune function, so methods such as meditation, exercise, and sufficient sleep can lead to improved overall well-being.

The NHS has issued a warning for anyone using a common painkiller, highlighting possible harmful interactions with other medications. Across the UK, many people turn to over-the-counter medicines for daily aches, colds, and minor illnesses. Among these, paracetamol is one of the most widely used, often taken for headaches, back pain, and cold symptoms. But, like any medication, it carries certain risks.

Who Should Be Careful?

The NHS has provided guidance on using paracetamol safely, including which drug combinations should be avoided. “Paracetamol is not suitable for some people,” the health body explains. This includes individuals who take warfarin, a drug that prevents blood clots. If you are on warfarin, you should check with your GP before taking paracetamol, the NHS advises. “Paracetamol can raise the risk of bleeding in those who regularly take warfarin.”

Safe Dosing Guidelines

Small doses of paracetamol alongside warfarin are generally considered safe. The NHS adds: “It’s safe to take paracetamol if you’re on warfarin. Stick to the lowest dose that relieves your pain. Exceeding four 500mg tablets in 24 hours for more than a few days can slow your blood clotting, putting you at risk of bleeding.”

Avoid Double Dosing

Combining paracetamol with other medicines containing the same ingredient—like co-codamol or some cold and flu remedies—can be risky due to the danger of overdose. Other common painkillers, such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or codeine, do not contain paracetamol and can safely be taken at the same time.

Check with Your Doctor

The NHS advises consulting a doctor before taking paracetamol if you’re on medications for epilepsy or tuberculosis (TB), as these combinations can also pose risks.

Herbal Remedies and Supplements

Generally, paracetamol is not affected by herbal supplements, though the NHS notes: “There isn’t enough information to say whether herbal remedies, complementary medicines, or supplements are safe with paracetamol. They are not tested the same way as prescription or pharmacy medications and may interact differently.” Patients should inform their doctor or pharmacist about any other medicines or supplements they are taking.

Side Effects of Paracetamol

When taken at the recommended dose, paracetamol “very rarely” causes side effects. For a full list, refer to the information leaflet inside the packaging.

Serious Allergic Reactions

In rare cases, a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) can occur. The NHS advises calling 999 immediately if you notice:

• Swelling of lips, mouth, throat, or tongue
• Rapid or labored breathing, wheezing, or a choking sensation
• A tight throat or difficulty swallowing
• Skin, lips, or tongue turning blue, grey, or pale (on darker skin, check palms or soles)
• Sudden confusion, extreme drowsiness, or dizziness
• Fainting and unresponsiveness
• A child appearing limp, floppy, or unresponsive, with difficulty lifting or focusing their head

That sudden, foggy feeling where you can't focus, especially when you're super tired? New research suggests that these moments of zoning out are actually your brain's last-ditch effort to do the important cleaning it normally saves for when you're fast asleep. Your brain is trying to take a quick, emergency break.

We have all had days when focusing seems too difficult and you keep ‘spacing out’. When this happens, you take a moment to regain your composure and get back to what you were doing. While you may think that it is a simple lapse in attention, there is a lot that happens in your brain during this time.

The research, published in the Nature Neuroscience, shows this is the time your brain does its ‘maintenance work’ to ensure maximum functionality.

Why Do We Zone Out?

Scientists at MIT used special scanners to look deep inside the brain while people were trying to concentrate. They discovered that the exact moment someone zoned out, a wave of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a clear fluid that surrounds the brain, whooshed out, and then flowed right back in. This movement of fluid looks exactly like the process that happens during deep sleep, when the fluid washes away built-up waste and toxins from the day. When you're awake and tired, your brain is trying to force this cleaning process to happen.

How Does Our Brain Keep Functioning Fluidly?

A leading neuroscientist from the study explained that if you skip sleep, these cleaning waves start happening while you're awake, even though they shouldn't. The problem is that while the fluid is flowing and cleaning, you lose your ability to pay attention. It's a trade-off: your brain tries to clean up, but the price is that you can't focus on what you're doing. It’s almost like your brain is desperately trying to squeeze in a tiny bit of "microsleep" maintenance, which steals your focus.

The researchers had people do tests in the lab twice: once after they were well-rested, and once after they stayed up all night. Unsurprisingly, people performed much worse when they hadn't slept. Critically, the zoning out happened far more often after the all-nighter. When they looked at the brain data, they saw a clear pattern: when people's reaction times slowed down (meaning they were zoning out), the big fluid cleaning waves were always present. This strongly suggests your tired brain is trying to use these quick cycles to restore function, even if it makes you temporarily lose focus.

How Do We Know When We Zone Out?

The research revealed that when people zoned out, not only did the brain fluid move, but other things changed, too. Their breathing and heart rate slowed down, and their pupils got smaller. This makes the scientists suspect that a single, powerful "master switch" in the body controls both your high-level functions (like attention and perception) and these automatic, basic physical processes (like fluid movement and heart rate). The finding suggests that a lack of sleep affects your whole body through one central system.

Recently, we are seeing a rise in ‘grind culture’. People are encouraged to pack their days with work and be as productive as possible to secure future success. However, did you know that chasing this success could come at the cost of your heart's health? Dr. Dmitry Yaranov, MD, a cardiologist, who often shared important health advice and knowledge on Instagram videos, explained posted about how as a practicing healthcare professional, there are many heart facts that he wished his patients knew about.

Things we often perceive as important for our careers can come at the cost of our mental and physical health. By not realizing the value of their health and ignoring their limits, people often stretch themselves too far, which can result in reaching a breaking point.

In a recent video posted with the text, “After treating thousands of patients with heart failure this are the things I wish more people knew before it was too late” in the caption he listed 6 hard facts that most people ignore.

6 Habits That Are Leading You To Heart Failure

In the caption Dr. Yaranov explained that cardiovascular health involves much more than just hitting the gym and eating salads. Your heart health is fundamentally tied to sleep, stress management, environmental factors, access to resources, and even the state of your gut. Fix the foundation, not just the numbers.

Sleep Deprivation is Dangerous

Sleeping only six hours nightly and pushing yourself is a serious threat, not a badge of honor. This chronic sleep loss significantly raises your long-term risk of developing severe conditions like heart failure, having a stroke, or experiencing sudden cardiac death. Your body needs rest to recover.

Air Quality Hardens Arteries

Commuting daily in heavy traffic means breathing exhaust and particulate matter. This consistent exposure to air pollution does more than irritate your lungs; scientific studies confirm it literally hardens your arteries, increasing your risk for major cardiac events over time.

Stress Causes Overload

If you are always stressed and simply "pushing through" without managing the pressure, your body is producing too much cortisol. This hormonal overload leads to persistent high blood pressure and widespread inflammation, key factors that severely damage the cardiovascular system.

Gum Health Impacts Heart Health

Ignoring routine dental care and having gum disease creates chronic infection in your mouth. This persistent gum disease results in more body-wide inflammation, which is directly linked to a significantly higher risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.

Food Access Matters

Even if you have the best intentions to eat well, living where healthy food is hard to find (a food desert) makes it difficult. This lack of access to nutritious options leads to worse cardiac outcomes, proving that environment, not just personal willpower, shapes your health.

Gut Health Affects Vital Signs

The state of your digestive system should not be ignored. The millions of bacteria in your gut microbiome play a critical, unrecognized role in helping your body regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels. You must consciously feed your gut bacteria the right way.