Mental health
Women who drink coffee in midlife more likely to age healthily – study
Women who regularly drank caffeinated coffee in midlife were more likely to age in good physical and mental health, according to a major study that tracked nearly 50,000 participants over three decades.
The research analysed data from 47,513 women in the long-running Nurses’ Health Study, with dietary and health data collected since 1984.
Healthy ageing was defined as living to age 70 or older, being free from 11 major chronic diseases, maintaining physical function, having good mental health, exhibiting no cognitive impairment, and showing no memory complaints.
By 2016, a total of 3,706 women met all the criteria for healthy ageing.
On average, these women consumed 315 mg of caffeine per day between the ages of 45 and 60—roughly the amount in three small cups of coffee or one and a half large cups by today’s standards.
More than 80 percent of their caffeine intake came from regular, caffeinated coffee.
Researchers found that each additional cup of coffee per day was linked to a 2 to 5 percent increase in the odds of ageing healthily, up to a maximum of five small cups per day.
No significant benefits were seen from drinking decaffeinated coffee or tea.
Dr Sara Mahdavi is a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and adjunct professor at the University of Toronto’s Department of Nutritional Sciences.
She said: “While past studies have linked coffee to individual health outcomes, our study is the first to assess coffee’s impact across multiple domains of ageing over three decades.
“The findings suggest that caffeinated coffee—not tea or decaf—may uniquely support aging trajectories that preserve both mental and physical function.”
In contrast, drinking soda was associated with poorer outcomes.
Each additional small glass of soda—another major source of caffeine—was linked to a 20 to 26 percent lower chance of healthy ageing, reinforcing that not all sources of caffeine confer benefits.
Caffeine intake was assessed using validated food frequency questionnaires that included consumption of top contributors of caffeine such as coffee, tea, cola, and decaffeinated coffee.
The analysis adjusted for factors including body weight, smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, education level, and dietary protein intake.
Dr Mahdavi said: “Our study has several key strengths.
“In addition to the large sample size and 30 years of follow-up, we assessed several different aspects of longevity and healthy ageing as well as very comprehensive information on nutritional and lifestyle habits that were collected every four years after the initiation of the study.”
The preliminary results suggest that moderate coffee consumption—up to two cups a day—is likely safe for most people and may offer some health benefits.
But Dr Mahdavi noted that individual responses to caffeine can vary depending on genetics.
The researcher said: “These results, while preliminary, suggest that small, consistent habits can shape long-term health.
“Moderate coffee intake may offer some protective benefits when combined with other healthy behavioudrs such as regular exercise, a healthy diet, and avoiding smoking.
“While this study adds to prior evidence suggesting coffee intake may be linked with healthy aging, the benefits from coffee are relatively modest compared to the impact of overall healthy lifestyle habits and warrant further investigation.”
Mental health
Dr-Julian helps deliver breakthrough mental health support for Black and ethnically minoritised mothers
A groundbreaking digital perinatal mental health pilot for Black and ethnically minoritised women has helped women access support faster, complete therapy at higher rates, and recover more successfully than national averages.
The partnership between digital tech company Dr-Julian and The Essential Baby Company Ltd within a new model of mental health care named haPPIE SHE Cares – who offer personalised support for women sharing their healthcare experiences, showed results well above NHS benchmarks for Black and ethnically minoritised women.
The pilot was created to help women who are less likely to use traditional mental health services during pregnancy and in the first year after giving birth.
By combining trusted community referrals, culturally aware support, and fast access to therapy through Dr-Julian’s online and virtual care platform, the programme delivered standout results.
Every woman who joined the pilot started therapy, 90 per cent completed treatment, and 74 per cent recovered; well above the NHS benchmark of around 52 per cent.
Women referred through community organisations accessed support in just one day on average, compared with around 21 days through many standard services.
Even the programme’s regular referral route reduced waits to 13 days.
The findings come as NHS leaders continue to focus on maternity inequalities and unequal access to mental health care.
Black and ethnically minoritised women can face barriers including stigma, language needs, lack of trust in services, childcare pressures, and difficulty navigating complex systems.
The haPPIE SHE Cares model was designed to break down those barriers by working with trusted community groups, offering culturally informed support, and where possible matching women with therapists who understood their background or language.
Gemma Poole for The Essential Baby Company said: “Too many women who need help feel unseen, unheard or unable to get support when they need it most.
“This project shows that when services are built around trust, culture and community, women engage, recover and thrive.
“This early success could provide a blueprint for reducing inequalities in maternal mental health care across the UK. Behind every statistic is a mother who felt supported, a family that benefited and a woman who found her voice.
“Mental healthcare must work for every community. This partnership shows that when high-quality therapy is combined with culturally responsive support, outcomes improve and women get help faster.
We are proud to have provided the therapists, virtual care systems and digital pathways behind this programme. We believe this model could help NHS organisations nationwide cut waiting times and improve recovery rates.”
Women who took part described the programme as life-changing, saying it reduced isolation, gave them confidence speaking with healthcare professionals, and made them more willing to seek help.
With growing pressure on maternity and mental health services, leaders behind the project say the pilot offers a practical solution that improves care while helping cut long waiting lists.
Plans are now being explored to expand the model through training, regional partnerships, and future funding.
Poor sleep may signal higher Alzheimer’s risk in older women with greater genetic risk, a study suggests.
Older women who reported poorer sleep also showed greater memory difficulties and more Alzheimer’s-related brain changes, the study found.
That pattern appeared only in women with higher genetic risk, suggesting sleep complaints may be a stronger warning sign for some women than for others.
Researchers examined 69 women aged 65 years and older taking part in the Women Inflammation Tau Study, an ongoing project focused on ageing and Alzheimer’s disease risk.
Participants completed questionnaires about their sleep quality, underwent memory testing and received brain scans measuring tau. Tau is a protein that accumulates abnormally in Alzheimer’s disease.
The study found that poorer self-reported sleep was associated with worse visual memory performance and greater tau accumulation in brain regions affected early in Alzheimer’s disease, but only among women with higher genetic risk.
Women with lower genetic risk did not show the same relationship between sleep complaints, memory and tau build-up. The finding was specific to visual memory and was not observed for verbal memory.
Researchers said the results add to growing evidence that sleep disturbances and Alzheimer’s disease may reinforce one another over time.
Previous studies have suggested that disrupted sleep can contribute to the build-up of abnormal tau proteins, while Alzheimer’s-related brain changes may also interfere with healthy sleep patterns.
Because women account for nearly two thirds of Alzheimer’s cases and frequently report poorer sleep quality than men, the researchers said sleep may represent an important and potentially modifiable risk factor in older women.
The authors noted that self-reported sleep assessments are inexpensive and easy to administer, raising the possibility that sleep complaints could help identify people who may benefit from closer monitoring or early intervention.
They also suggested that improving sleep could become a target for future Alzheimer’s prevention strategies, particularly for women at elevated genetic risk.
Women over 40 are seeking raves for mental and physical wellbeing, with a study suggesting the benefits go beyond nightlife.
The findings challenge the idea that nightlife and electronic dance music events are mainly for younger people.
Published in Psychology of Music, the study focused on the common misconception that nightlife is only for younger audiences.
Researchers surveyed 136 female clubbers aged 40 to 65 about their experiences at electronic dance music events.
The study, carried out at the University of Leeds in England, found women reported mental and physical wellbeing benefits from attending these events.
Seeing favourite DJs was the most common motivation, but many women also described dancing as a way to relieve stress and find emotional support.
The research found that 65.9 per cent of participants described attending a rave as “spiritual”, while 62.9 per cent said it offered an escape from everyday life.
A further 58.3 per cent said they felt like a different version of themselves in a club environment.
Nine in ten participants said they felt at home at electronic dance music events, with many pointing to a shared passion for music and the sense of community around it.
The study also suggested physical fitness played a role, with some women saying they had made clubbing part of their regular exercise routine.
However, the findings also highlighted challenges for older women in nightlife spaces.
One fifth of participants said they felt visibly out of place because of their age.
Nearly half reported unwanted physical contact, leading some to seek out different venues or attend only with friends.
Entrepreneur4 weeks agoWomen’s digital health market set to reach US$5.28 billion in 2026 – report
Insight4 weeks agoWhy the UK’s fertility rate keeps falling – and what it means if you’re trying now
Wellness4 weeks agoWomen’s HealthX unveils Northwell Health, Corewell Health, Biogen & more to headline Chronic Disease stage
Mental health3 weeks agoWhat Maternal Mental Health Month reveals about where postpartum support actually breaks down
Fertility4 weeks agoToxins and climate harms having ‘alarming’ effect on fertility, research warns
News3 weeks agoNIH Grant terminations disproportionately impact minority scientists, research finds
Adolescent health3 weeks agoWUKA brings Period-Positive Pool Party to London Aquatics Centre to keep girls swimming through puberty
Fertility4 weeks agoResearcher explores weight loss jab impact on PCOS