As daylight begins to transition into night with the sunset below the horizon, many of us can feel that change happening. While sunsets are beautiful, breathtaking moments that mark the end of a productive day for most, to some, it is an unsettling time of foreboding. I have experienced this myself: this creeping panic when the sun sets, and the house quiets down with my roommates doing their evening routines. I can face the stress of the day well enough, but when the sun would have dipped orange and purple, I feel this agitation inside me that I could only shake off as the sun would have set long gone and night would have fallen.

That is when, in those twilight moments, I will start to look for distractions, like closing those blinds or putting on or adjusting some lights or dials over or calling someone just to re-center myself a little bit.

It's an feeling I would call "sunset anxiety" and something I have learned is not a peculiar feeling or experience. While typically the epitome of serenity, for many, sunsets might be the trigger for uneasy emotions such as grief or fear in others and even trigger panic in some. Although it is not a recognized diagnosis, a look into the Reddit online community reveals that others share this experience — an unpleasant combination of loss, regret, and even anxiety, but which then peaks when the sun sets.

What is Sunset Anxiety?

Sunset anxiety does not exist in medical textbooks, such as the DSM-5, but is now becoming more familiar to people who experience it. We spoke to someone who experiences anxiety with the setting of the sun, who experience emotions like having panic or regret coupled with this nagging sense that time has been lost while the daylight fades away.

For some, the daytime represents possibility, the chance to be productive, and to make the most out of the hours available. But with the sun setting, that hope disappears along with an anxiety that she might lose whatever is being kept inside.

"I am feeling extremely anxious, dread, fear, uncomfortable, restless, and overwhelmed," Serena shared. "Once it is fully dark outside, it all starts to subside, but the buildup towards that time is always so hard.".

Often this creeping sense of fear and nervousness because time is passing could be allied to something called "anticipatory anxiety" or the apprehension about what is yet to come, such as tasks left undone or what's lurking tomorrow. At the coming of evening, people may feel a sense of "productivity guilt," seeing that they haven't accomplished enough in the day given. The guilt becomes an accelerator for anxiety, thus forming a vicious cycle of discomfort.

Is there a Direct Cause to Sunset Anxiety

There is little focused research on sunset anxiety, but general anxiety studies might be useful. In a 2022 study, those high in worry experience anxiety for most of the day, and those low in anxiety have spikes of stress in the morning which fade at day's end. To night owls - those who tend to be more active and feel more alive late at night - the sunset may mark a transition into their most productive or most socially active hours of the day. However, for those prone to anxiety, it's very likely that the levels of tension will peak with the onset of evening hours.

Other causes of sunset anxiety are post-work stress. Sometimes, at the tail end of the day when all the pending responsibilities and decisions have been attended to, the tension has already built up to a point that individuals are left feeling uneasy. The quietness of things as dusk sets in and life slows down can also heighten these feelings.

How to Cope with Sunset Anxiety

The anxiety of witnessing a sunset can be very agonizing, but there are ways to work through those feelings. Here are some things you can do to manage these feelings, as suggested by experts:

1. Stay Active and Busy: One way to push anxiety out the door is to keep yourself active with related activities, for instance, hanging out with buddies, exercising or hobbies can help ease a portion of those feelings of anxiety. Exercise is known to temporarily reduce anxiety, thus a post-workout is just what the doctor ordered.

2. Accept and Admit Your Anxiety: Fighting your anxiety most of the time worsens it. Just admit what you're feeling anxious about and learn to look at what really triggers those feelings.

3. Establish a bedtime routine It might be useful to have a routine that will always signal the end of the day so that you can find it easier and more natural when you transition from day to night. Taking a shower can be just as good as meditation or journal writing. Small rituals that fill the need for comfort and closure at the end of the day.

4. Create a Work Stop Time: Being able to have a clear "shutdown" time makes it possible to not worry about those unfinished things at the end; there are tools such as planners that assist in having a systematic process towards wind-down, mentally and emotionally.

5. Mindfulness Practices: Bring mindfulness into your daily practice to ensure that stress doesn't begin to amass, especially as the day winds down. Guided meditations, sound baths, or simple breathwork will keep you centered and focused when night descends.

Do You Need Professional Help?

If the sunsets begin causing you anxiety that becomes unbearable or interfers with your daily activity, seek professional help. Therapists can support you to examine the cause of sunset anxiety and provide techniques to better tackle such anxiety. They can offer you cognitive-behavioral therapy or other treatment approaches to guide you through dealing with your emotions.

While many people may find a sunset exhilarating, for some, it packs a weight of uneasiness. Truly, understanding that these feelings can be real and taking steps to abate them do bring needed relief. Whether mindfulness, exercise, or developing routines, coping with sunset anxiety is possible, and you don't have to face it alone.

Weight loss drugs have become wildly popular in the recent years. However, even though they are popularly known as weight loss drugs they are actually used for a separate purpose, weight loss is just a side effect of the medication.

Medications like Ozempic and Zepbound, which are primarily used to treat type 2 diabetes and help with weight loss, are showing exciting new potential. They might also be helpful for a wider range of health conditions, from sleep apnea to chronic kidney disease.

Diabetes and Weight Loss Medicines

A recent study published in the JAMA Network Open suggests that these kinds of medications, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, could offer important protection beyond their usual uses. For people who have both obesity and type 2 diabetes, these drugs might lower their risk of death and reduce the chances of developing two serious brain problems: dementia and a common type of stroke.

The findings suggest that GLP-1 drugs could do more than just control blood sugar, help with weight loss, and support heart health; they might also directly protect the brain and its blood vessels.

What the Research Discovered

Scientists had already hinted that GLP-1 drugs might help protect against dementia and stroke. However, there hadn't been many big studies specifically looking at how these drugs affect brain health, especially in people with a high risk, like those who have both type 2 diabetes and obesity.

To help answer these questions, researchers looked at seven years of health information from over 60,000 people. All of these individuals had both type 2 diabetes and obesity. Some of them were taking older diabetes medications, while others were prescribed GLP-1 drugs, like those found in popular medications.

After carefully checking the connections between the medicines and various brain conditions, the scientists found some significant things. People taking a GLP-1 drug had:

• A 37% lower chance of developing dementia.
• A 19% lower chance of having an ischemic stroke, which is the most common kind of stroke, caused by a blocked blood vessel in the brain.
• A 30% lower chance of dying from any cause.

The protection against dementia seemed even stronger for women over 60 and for those with a specific body mass index (BMI) range. An expert noted that people in this group have a particularly good chance to improve their brain health. It's important to know that these GLP-1 drugs did not seem to lower the risk of Parkinson's disease or another type of stroke called hemorrhagic stroke, which happens when there's bleeding in the brain.

Important Things to Consider

This study adds to the growing evidence that GLP-1 receptor agonists are very helpful tools, not just for losing weight and managing diabetes, but possibly for brain health and thinking abilities too.

However, it's really important to understand that this kind of study only shows a link, not that the drug directly causes the protection. It's possible that other things, like people's daily habits, could have played a role in the results, not just the medication itself.

Also, the researchers didn't collect detailed information like blood markers, genetic data, or brain scans. Having this kind of information could give much deeper insights into what's actually happening inside the body. The main researcher emphasized that these findings should be looked at carefully and need to be confirmed by more strict studies before doctors start making official recommendations based on them.

Scientists are investigating whether vitamin D frequently touted for its use in maintaining bone health, could also prevent serious COVID-19 complications. A new study published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One illuminates this potential, finding that individuals with vitamin D deficiency were 36% more likely to need hospitalization from COVID-19.

The findings point toward a connection between immune resilience and vitamin D levels, even though the data stops short of proving that supplementation can directly reduce the severity of COVID-19. Still, it’s a significant insight in the ongoing effort to identify who remains vulnerable as the world learns to live with the virus.

“We found people with low vitamin D weren’t necessarily more likely to catch COVID-19,” said lead researcher Kerri Beckmann, a senior research fellow at the University of South Australia. “But if they did get infected, their odds of serious illness and hospitalization were notably higher.”

The study tapped into the vast UK Biobank dataset, analyzing health information from over 150,000 participants. Researchers stratified the data by vitamin D levels and tracked COVID-19 outcomes, including infection rates and hospitalization.

Low levels of vitamin D were not associated with a higher risk of acquiring COVID-19. When infected, however, those lacking vitamin D were much more likely to develop severe illness necessitating hospitalization.

It’s an important distinction. While vitamin D won’t necessarily prevent you from contracting COVID, having adequate levels may improve how your body handles the virus similar to how a vaccine booster might reduce the severity of symptoms.

“Vitamin D plays a key role in regulating the immune system, so it’s plausible that low levels may influence how the body responds to infections,” Beckmann explained.

How Common is Vitamin D Deficiency?

Surprisingly prevalent. Based on a 2022 study appearing in Frontiers in Nutrition, approximately 22% of Americans are deficient in vitamin D. The rate is even greater among some groups, including individuals with darker skin tone, those who reside in the northern latitudes, and those who have restricted sun exposure because of lifestyle or chronic disease.

Vitamin D is sometimes referred to as the "sunshine vitamin" because our bodies produce it by exposing our skin to sunlight. But diet and supplements can also contribute to keeping levels healthy.

Benefits of Vitamin D

The worth of Vitamin D reaches far beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. It's needed for:

Bone health: Vitamin D allows your body to absorb calcium. Without sufficient levels of it, bones become brittle and cause issues such as osteoporosis in adults and rickets in children.

Immune modulation: It assists in modulating innate and adaptive immune reactions — two pillars of your body's defense against disease-causing organisms.

Inflammation regulation: Low blood levels have been associated with higher inflammation, which can lead to worse COVID respiratory outcomes.

And although scientists are hesitant to overhype the value of supplements, it's obvious that having healthy vitamin D levels is part of a larger picture of immune support.

Should You Start Taking Vitamin D Supplements?

Not so fast. Experts, including those involved in the study, stress that while the findings are compelling, they do not confirm that vitamin D supplements alone can prevent hospitalization from COVID-19.

“This is an area worth exploring further, but it’s too early to say supplementation is a silver bullet,” Beckmann noted. “Many people with poor overall health also have low vitamin D levels, which complicates the picture.”

That said, for people at risk of deficiency — including older adults, people with limited sun exposure, and those with darker skin — checking vitamin D levels with a healthcare provider could be a smart step, especially if they’re concerned about COVID outcomes.

How to Boost Your Vitamin D?

There are three main sources of vitamin D:

Sunlight: Just 10 to 30 minutes of mid-day sunlight several times a week may be enough for many people, depending on skin tone, geography, and season.

Diet: Not many foods provide vitamin D naturally. The richest sources from food are fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, mackerel, and trout; egg yolks; mushrooms; and fortified foods such as milk or cereal.

Supplements: If your doctor finds a deficiency, they may suggest a daily supplement. Most adults require 600 IU (15 mcg) daily, while people over 70 need 800 IU (20 mcg).

Be careful with the dosage — too much vitamin D can be toxic and cause such complications as kidney damage.

Where Do We Go From Here?

While COVID-19 is no longer the emergency it once was, the virus still circulates and continues to cause complications — especially among vulnerable populations. Knowing that vitamin D levels may influence how someone fares with an infection opens the door to more targeted prevention efforts.

That might include screening for deficiency in high-risk groups, public health messaging around safe sun exposure, or considering fortified foods in communities with higher rates of deficiency but more research is needed. Clinical trials will be crucial in determining whether vitamin D supplementation could become a recommended part of COVID-19 care protocols. For now, maintaining healthy levels is simply good preventive medicine.

The latest study doesn't claim that vitamin D is a cure for COVID-19. But it adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that micronutrient deficiencies can shape how our bodies respond to viral infections.

In a post-pandemic world where we're learning to coexist with SARS-CoV-2, this kind of insight is valuable — not just for COVID, but for broader public health. As Beckmann summed it up: “COVID may not be the threat it once was, but understanding who is still at risk, and why, will help us stay a step ahead.”

The U.S. fertility rate dropped to its lowest recorded point in 2024, with fewer than 1.6 children per woman, according to newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The statistic marks a continuation of a nearly two-decade-long trend in declining birth rates, one that has shifted the United States closer to the demographic profile of Western European countries.

For context, a fertility rate of 2.1 children per woman is considered the “replacement level,” the point at which a generation can, theoretically, replace itself. The U.S. hovered near that threshold until the late 2000s. But since then, it has slipped steadily, and 2024’s rate of 1.599 puts it well below what’s needed for generational stability without immigration.

Behind the numbers are real-world pressures shaping family planning decisions. Today’s young adults are marrying later, starting families later—or opting out entirely. Financial uncertainty plays a significant role.

“People are concerned about whether they can afford to have children—not just the cost of childbirth, but long-term needs like childcare, housing, and health insurance,” said Karen Guzzo, director of the Carolina Population Center at the University of North Carolina. “Worry is not a good moment to have kids.”

The cost of raising a child in the U.S. has climbed steadily, outpacing wage growth in many parts of the country. And while millennials and Gen Z have higher educational attainment than previous generations, they also carry more debt, face steeper housing markets, and often work in jobs with fewer benefits.

The Long Arc of Decline

To understand the drop in fertility, it's important to zoom out. In the early 1960s, during the postwar baby boom, the U.S. total fertility rate peaked around 3.5. But by the mid-1970s, it had plummeted to 1.7, largely due to the availability of birth control, changing gender roles, and cultural shifts around family size.

There was a brief rebound in the early 2000s, with the rate rising to 2.1 in 2007. But the 2008 financial crisis triggered another sharp downturn—and the recovery in births never quite came.

According to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics, the fertility rate in 2023 was 1.621, before dipping further to 1.599 in 2024.

Why Is Trump Administration’s Pushing to Reverse the Trend?

Concerned about declining birth rates, the Trump administration has recently taken steps to try to stimulate family formation. These include:

• An executive order aimed at expanding and reducing the cost of in vitro fertilization (IVF)
• Public endorsements of “baby bonus” incentives, which would provide financial rewards to couples who have children

However, experts remain skeptical of these measures. "These are largely symbolic moves,” said Guzzo. “They don’t address the real obstacles facing families, like paid parental leave, affordable childcare, and housing affordability. Until those are on the table, you’re not going to see a meaningful change.”

While the overall fertility rate declined, total births actually rose in 2024. According to the CDC’s finalized data, there were about 33,000 more births than the previous year, bringing the annual total to just over 3.6 million babies.

This may seem contradictory at first glance. But demographers say it makes sense once you factor in changes in population estimates.

The U.S. Census Bureau updated its estimates for the number of women of childbearing age. The increase in this demographic—largely driven by immigration offset small increases in births in certain age groups, leading to a recalculated (and lower) birth rate.

Initial projections earlier in 2024 suggested that women in their late 20s and 30s were having more children. But the updated report, based on a more complete dataset, found:

• Declines in birth rates for women in their 20s and early 30s
• No significant change for women in their late 30s

So while there may have been slightly more babies born, the pool of women able to give birth also grew—especially due to immigrant populations—pulling the overall fertility rate downward.

Should We Be Alarmed?

Not necessarily. Unlike countries like Japan or Italy, where shrinking populations are already straining healthcare systems and economies, the U.S. population is still growing, thanks largely to immigration. And while birth rates are falling, experts emphasize that this is often a delay, not an outright decision never to have children.

“What we’re seeing is people having kids later, not necessarily choosing not to have them at all,” said Root. “The U.S. still has a natural increase—more births than deaths.”

That said, the economic and policy environments matter. In countries like Sweden and France, which offer strong parental leave policies and subsidized childcare, birth rates have remained more stable despite similar social trends.

As debates about immigration and population policy heat up, the fertility rate is increasingly seen as more than just a demographic metric—it’s a political one.

A sustained drop below replacement level, without compensatory immigration, could eventually lead to workforce shortages, strains on entitlement programs, and broader economic shifts. But solutions, experts argue, will require more than one-time bonuses or headline-grabbing executive orders.

If the U.S. wants to encourage family formation, it will need to invest meaningfully in family support systems: paid leave, healthcare, housing, education, and affordable childcare. Otherwise, the gap between ideal family size and actual fertility will continue to widen.

The drop to a 1.599 fertility rate in 2024 is a milestone but not an emergency. It's a reflection of changing cultural, economic, and personal dynamics in American life. Addressing it will require real policy innovation, not just political talking points.

For now, Americans are still having children, just on their own timeline, and often with more questions than confidence.