Life saving and healthy

Public Reluctant to use Life-saving Defibrillators

Many people don’t have the confidence to step in and give someone in cardiac arrest the electric shock which might save their life – despite the increased availability of automated public defibrillators. Nearly a third of people who die every year die from cardiac arrest – which is when the heart stops beating. Doctors want more people to use the automated devices which deliver clear audio instructions and are often found in railways stations or airports.

A menstrual cup is an alternative to sanitary towels or tampons that’s transforming the lives of teenage girls in Kenya. Some girls who couldn’t afford sanitary protection used rugs or mattresses – and worried about leakage. Others had “boyfriends” who would buy them pads – in return for sex. Now they have been given menstrual cups, they can stay in school to finish their education.

Most of us aren’t getting enough sleep – and it’s affecting our health and life expectancy according to Professor Matthew Walker, whose book Why We Sleep is published this week. He has a family history of cardiovascular disease – and does everything he can to protect his sleep in order to reduce his own risk of premature death.