Like most of us, I too grew up believing that waking up early was the ultimate key to success. "The early bird catches the worm," so people claimed. To get great marks at school, ace every interview for employment, or merely enjoy a profitable day seemed as if all such goals pivoted upon starting at a prompt time in the day. So of course, I too join the '5 AM club.' But despite how hard I tried, I was groggy, unfocused, and mentally exhausted by noon. Was I simply not disciplined enough? Or was this strict routine doing me more harm than good?

In recent years, social media has built up the fantasy of rising at 5 AM. Influencers, business owners, and personal development coaches attest that it increases productivity, sharpens mental focus, and disciplines you. Yet, although the time may suit some, neuroscientists have begun to ask if it really works for everyone—or if it's harming our brain health.

Neuroscientist Dr. Rachel Barr recently used TikTok to debunk the long-held assumption that rising early is the key to success. "Is waking up at 5 AM every day going to make you get the most out of your brain?" she posed. Her point? It's not about waking up, but about when your body is naturally set to be awake.

Your Circadian Rhythm Determines Your Optimal Wake Time

At the heart of this conversation is our circadian rhythm—our internal clock, which governs hunger, alertness, and sleep patterns. Though external stimuli such as light exposure play a role, much of our sleep-wake cycle is controlled by genetics.

If you are a genetically determined night owl, waking up at 5 AM may be doing more harm than good. Night owls typically experience maximum productivity in the later part of the day, and imposing an early wake-up call may lead to lethargy, drowsiness, and even long-term brain problems. Dr. Barr highlighted that people who tamper with their natural sleep-wake cycle risk missing out on REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, which is vital for brain activity.

Why REM Sleep Is Important for Brain Health?

REM sleep is the most important stage of the sleep cycle for brain health. Happening mostly in the latter half of the night, REM sleep is in charge of memory consolidation, emotional regulation, and cognitive processing. Interfering with this stage by waking up too early may have grave implications.

New research has found that those who frequently short their sleep are at a higher risk of losing their mental sharpness. In 2016, one study found there was a significant association between disrupted sleep and the possibility of getting dementia. Research into Alzheimer's disease has also shown that people who put REM sleep off for over 98 minutes from when they have fallen asleep have very high amyloid and tau protein levels—markers of neurodegeneration.

How Does Chronic Sleep Deprivation Impact the Body?

Apart from neurodegenerative threat, chronic sleep deprivation has other negative effects. Poor sleep has been associated by sleep specialists with:

Memory loss

Fragmented sleep interferes with the capacity of the brain to process and store new material.

Poor judgment

Sleep deprivation impairs control of impulses as well as the ability to problem-solve.

Mood disorders

Sleep deficiency has a direct association with greater risk of mood instability, anxiety, and depression.

Weakened immune system

Poor sleep weakens the body and makes it more vulnerable to infection and illness.

Greater risk of heart disease and diabetes

Sleep loss impacts metabolism and blood pressure control.

Why it is Important to Prioritize Sleep Over a Strict Wake-Up Time?

If 5 AM waking is your thing, that's fine—but it must never be at the cost of quality sleep. The emphasis should be on getting enough rest every time, not on sticking to a random wake-up time.

Experts recommend sleep hygiene over pushing yourself into an unnatural wake-up schedule. Here's how:

• Determine when you naturally feel most awake and set your sleep time based on that.
• Stay away from screens, heavy food, and caffeine at bedtime.
• Make sure your bedroom is dark, cool, and quiet.
• If you find yourself consistently feeling tired, your wake-up time might be operating against you, not for you.

So before you hit that 5 AM wake-up call, ask yourself—are you getting up early because it really is good for you, or simply because someone told you its "good"?

The shape of your gluteus maximus, the largest muscle in your backside, may offer surprising clues about your likelihood of developing diabetes. New research suggests that the contours of this major muscle change with age and health conditions, helping scientists better understand how fitness, muscle health, and metabolism are connected.

Ageing, Weight, and Diabetes: What We Already Know

For years, the NHS has warned that ageing and excess weight increase the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. However, this new study goes beyond traditional measures, proposing that the shape of the gluteus maximus itself shifts as people age or develop conditions such as osteoporosis or diabetes. These subtle muscular changes could provide valuable information about a person’s metabolic health.

Why the Gluteus Maximus Matters

Researchers from the University of Westminster highlighted that the gluteus maximus plays a key role not just in movement but also in metabolic regulation. Healthy, well-maintained muscles can improve blood sugar control and reduce the burden on organs involved in glucose processing.

Dr Marjola Thanaj, co-author of the study from the university’s Research Centre for Optimal Health, explained, as reported by Independent: “People with higher fitness, as measured by vigorous physical activity and hand grip strength, had a greater gluteus maximus shape, while ageing, frailty and long sitting times were linked to muscle thinning.”

Mapping the Muscle

To understand these differences, researchers used advanced MRI 3D mapping to create a detailed anatomical model of the gluteus maximus. By analyzing more than 61,000 MRI scans from the UK Biobank database, they discovered that the shape, not the size, of the muscle varied significantly between individuals with diabetes and those without it.

What the Study Found

The MRI analysis revealed distinct, sex-specific patterns linked to Type 2 diabetes. Among male participants living with the disease, those classified as “frail” showed widespread muscle shrinkage across the gluteus maximus, indicating a loss of muscle quality and strength.

Women with diabetes, on the other hand, had enlarged muscle shapes — not because of increased muscle strength, but because of fat infiltrating the muscle tissue. This type of fat infiltration often signals declining muscle function and poorer metabolic health.

Dr Thanaj said these patterns underline a crucial point: men and women can experience the same illness in very different biological ways, which may influence diagnosis and treatment strategies in the future.

Why Maintaining Muscle Mass Matters

Beyond appearance or strength, muscle health is essential for long-term wellbeing. Maintaining muscle mass supports blood sugar regulation, reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, and lowers the likelihood of developing fatty liver disease, all conditions closely linked to metabolic health.

Professor Louise Thomas, senior author of the study, told The Times: “Maintaining muscle mass as we age is one of the most important things we can do for our long-term health. If people understand how important their muscles are, and make small changes to keep them healthy, that could have a huge impact on disease across the population.”

Small Steps to Strengthen Your Glutes

Improving glute muscle health doesn’t require intense gym sessions. Simple actions such as taking the stairs instead of the lift, adding squats or lunges to your routine, or breaking up long periods of sitting can help tone and strengthen the gluteus maximus.

Kidney disease is rising at an alarming pace worldwide, and it’s now among the top causes of death. A Lancet study highlights that the number of people living with chronic kidney disease jumped from 78 million in 1990 to nearly 788 million in 2023. That’s a massive tenfold spike, and a reminder that our kidneys need more attention than we realize.

The tricky part? Kidney problems often progress silently. Many people don’t realize anything is wrong until the kidneys are already significantly damaged. That’s why experts strongly emphasize early screening. According to nephrologists like Dr Arjun Sabharwal, a few simple tests — often quick and inexpensive — can help catch kidney issues early and improve treatment outcomes.

Below are the four key tests everyone should know about, especially if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, a family history of kidney disease, or you’re simply trying to stay proactive about your health.

Creatinine Blood Test & eGFR: Your First Kidney Health Check

eGFR uses creatinine values along with age and other factors to estimate how well your kidneys are functioning overall. Doctors often say, “Creatinine is just a number — eGFR tells you how much your kidneys are working.”

An eGFR below normal may be an early signal that your kidneys aren’t filtering efficiently, even if you feel fine.

Cystatin C: A More Accurate Indicator for Some People

Cystatin C is a protein produced naturally by all cells. When kidneys are healthy, its levels stay stable; when the kidneys struggle, the levels rise.

Experts highlight that Cystatin C can be more reliable than creatinine for people with very high muscle mass, those who work out intensely, or individuals taking supplements that may affect creatinine readings. If creatinine results seem unclear or inconsistent, this test adds clarity.

Urine Dipstick Test: Quick and Tells You a Lot

Before kidney function takes a major hit, the body often shows early warnings — one of which is protein leakage in urine. A urine dipstick test is one of the fastest ways to detect this.

A chemically treated strip is dipped into your urine sample, and if proteins like albumin are present, the strip changes color. It’s simple, non-invasive, and helpful for spotting early kidney damage.

Urine Protein-to-Creatinine Ratio (UPCR): How Much Protein Is Leaking

If a dipstick shows abnormalities, the next step is often a UPCR test. This test measures exactly how much protein is leaking into the urine relative to creatinine. Higher levels may signal worsening kidney function or underlying disease. Doctors use UPCR to assess the severity of kidney damage and monitor progress over time.

When to See a Nephrologist

If any test shows rising creatinine, an abnormal eGFR, protein in urine, or blood detected on a dipstick, it’s crucial to book an appointment. Lifestyle tweaks, home remedies, or detox drinks cannot reverse kidney damage. Expert evaluation is essential.

In 2025, thanks to climate change, rapid urbanization, and frequent travels, new viruses, their strains, and infections have spread frequently. Infections have affect millions and some diseases have come back with their new strains, which have been more contagious, whereas other diseases are finding new ways to emerge.

As we look back at the year, which is about to end in just another month, let us look back at the top 5 infectious diseases of 2025.

Respiratory Infections

In 2025, respiratory infections were the most widespread, with new COVID-19 variants emerging every now and then. Along with this common flu too has emerged. This has weakened immunity and made elderly and infants, and people with comorbidities more vulnerable to the diseases.

The new COVID variants in India are linked with the JN.1 variant and its sub-variants like LF.7 and NB.1.8. The COVID variants in the UK which were active were XFG, NB.1.8.1, or known as the Stratus and Nimbus variants. Other variants were XFG.3, XFG.5, and XFG.3.4.1.

Tuberculosis (TB)

Tuberculosis still continues to be a major infectious disease in 2025, especially in countries like India. As per the World Health Organization (WHO), tuberculosis caused 1.25 billion deaths in 2023. It becomes the world's leading infectious disease after COVID-19.

Each day, close to 3,425 people lose their lives to TB, and close to 30,000 people fall ill with this preventable and curable disease. About 10.8 million people got TB in 2023, which include 6 million, 3.6 million women, and 1.3 million children.

Dengue and other mosquito-borne infections

Mosquito-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya, malaria, and Zika continued to rise in 2025. The reason being changing weather patterns. Dr Sanjeev Bagai, Chairman of Nephron Clinic, and Senior Consultant Pediatrician and Nephrologist points out that earlier the mosquito-borne diseases were seasonal, however, due to rapid urbanization and climate changes, these diseases have stayed all round the year.

Hepatitis Infections

Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C are among the most common Hepatitis infections in 2025. However, there have been outbreaks of Hepatitis A and E in unsafe water and food. Chronic hepatitis can also damage liver and also lead to cancer. It is a concern because it spreads through contaminated food, unsafe water, blood, and sexual contact. While many people may not show symptoms until serious liver damage occurs.

Symptoms also include jaundice, dark urine, fatigue, nausea, and abdominal pain.

Gastrointestinal Infections

Food- and water-borne infections are still common across the world. Illnesses like salmonella, cholera, rotavirus, and norovirus often spread in areas where hygiene, sanitation, and food safety are poorly maintained.

Why are these infections risky?

They can spread extremely fast, especially among children and older adults. Severe diarrhea and vomiting can lead to dangerous dehydration if not treated in time.

What symptoms should you look out for?

Persistent diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, fever, and signs of dehydration. The best prevention is simple: drink clean water, wash hands regularly, and eat properly cooked food.