Andrew Weil, MD, founder and director of the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine at the University of Arizona and a member of Prevention's Medical Advisory Board, writes about the vagus nerve, a powerful tool against headaches, depression, and more.

An article examining the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic in Arizona cites data from University of Arizona public health researcher Joe Gerald, MD, PhD, associate professor of public health policy at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, who notes that "non-pharmacologic interventions like mask mandates, limited gathering sizes, and targeted business mitigations will help speed resolution and ensure this wave does not reignite."

By the CDC's estimation, more than a third of American adults aren't getting the recommended seven hours of sleep a night. This could be happening for one of two reasons: Either that person has a major sleep disorder that should be attended to by a specialized health care practitioner, or they have bad sleep habits that are keeping the supplements from doing their job. Michael Grandner, PhD, director of the Sleep and Health Research Program at the College of Medicine – Tucson, says although supplements can be effective, they can't undo poor sleep hygiene.

Faculty at UArizona Center on Aging, colleges and centers will use a David and Lura Lovell Foundation grant to enhance end-of-life care education.

Michael D.L. Johnson, PhD, an assistant professor in the department of immunobiolgy at the College of Medicine – Tucson, talks about his research and how certain metals can be used to kill bacteria.

Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD, a professor and immunobiologist at the College of Medicine – Tucson, says a booster shot may offer a little extra protection against getting sick and having to stay to recover, but it's still unknown how long this extra protection will last. "The question sort of becomes, when do we need a booster versus when do we want one. I think that's the distinction we need to have right now," Bhattacharya says.

Arizona is one of a handful of Republican-led states that have issued executive orders prohibiting school districts from mandating masks. By the end of August, children accounted for a quarter of the state's coronavirus cases, according to data from the University of Arizona's Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. In Maricopa County alone, 1 in every 6 infections occurred in children under 12.

Deepta Bhattacharya, PhD, a professor and immunobiologist at the College of Medicine – Tucson, says a booster shot may offer a little extra protection against getting sick and having to stay to recover, but it's still unknown how long this extra protection will last. "The question sort of becomes, when do we need a booster versus when do we want one. I think that's the distinction we need to have right now," Bhattacharya says. This story originally published in national NPR digital.

Women appear more willing to donate their organs to family members or strangers, according to a study published Friday in the Journal of the American Heart Association. The results suggest improving communication among family members about organ donation wishes could help increase and diversify the pool of organs available for transplantation. "It's important that we start having these hard conversations a little earlier," said Khadijah Breathett, MD, the study's senior author and an assistant professor in the College of Medicine – Tucson.

Sarver Heart Center researchers clarify the interaction between blood pressure medications and SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.