(Reuters) -Walmart is changing the hourly starting wage structure for entry-level store workers, as companies seek to reduce costs in

Germany’s parliament has approved plans to attract more skilled workers to Europe’s biggest economy and help address labor shortages in a growing number of professions

Middle-aged people not getting enough sleep are less likely to see the benefits of exercise when comes to protecting against decline in skills such as memory and thinking, scientists have said. Researchers from University College London (UCL) found that those in their 50s and 60s who performed regular physical activities but slept less than six hours a night had a faster decline in these skills overall. The team found that after a decade, their cognitive functions – such as attention, memory and learning – were the same as those who did less physical activity. The researchers said their study, published in journal The Lancet Healthy Longevity, highlights the need for sleep to protect against cognitive decline as people get older. Lead author Dr Mikaela Bloomberg, of UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, said: “Our study suggests that getting sufficient sleep may be required for us to get the full cognitive benefits of physical activity. “It shows how important it is to consider sleep and physical activity together when thinking about cognitive health. “Previous studies examining how sleep and physical activity might combine to affect cognitive function have primarily been cross-sectional – only focusing on a snapshot in time – and we were surprised that regular physical activity may not always be sufficient to counter the long-term effects of lack of sleep on cognitive health.” The World Health Organisation already identifies physical activity as a way to maintain cognitive function, but interventions should also consider sleep habits to maximise long-term benefits for cognitive health Prof Andrew Steptoe For the study, the team looked at data from the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (Elsa) from nearly 9,000 people aged 50 and over. Their cognitive function was assessed over a period of 10 years with various memory and verbal fluency tests. Questionnaires were also used to assess how long they slept and whether this was less or more than six hours. People were also asked about their levels of physical activity. At the start of the study, those who were more physically active also had better cognitive function regardless of how long they slept. However, this changed over the 10-year period, with more physically active short sleepers in their 50s and 60s experiencing more rapid cognitive decline, the researchers said. But for people aged 70 and over, the benefits of exercise on cognitive function were maintained, despite short sleep, the team added. Co-author professor Andrew Steptoe, of UCL Institute of Epidemiology & Health Care, said: “It is important to identify the factors that can protect cognitive function in middle and later life as they can serve to prolong our cognitively healthy years and, for some people, delay a dementia diagnosis. “The World Health Organisation already identifies physical activity as a way to maintain cognitive function, but interventions should also consider sleep habits to maximise long-term benefits for cognitive health.” Read More 8 best kids’ bunk beds that are fun and functional Nurture your health and wellbeing this season The best holidays to book for August, from beach breaks in Portugal to stays on an Italian lake More travelers get cozy with glamping, even amid high costs People who sleep very late may die earlier due to unhealthy habits, study says

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South Africa's former president Jacob Zuma reported back to prison on Friday only to be swiftly released, in a government move lashed by the opposition as...

European Central Bank Vice President Luis de Guindos said that while another interest-rate increase next month is all

Former Boston Red Sox pitcher Tim Wakefield, whose unpredictable knuckleball flummoxed opponents during a career in which he

Spanish voters go to the polls in an election that could make Spain the latest European Union member to swing to the right

NOVI, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 12, 2023--

Coalition forces were slightly injured in Iraq in a spate of drone attacks over the last 24 hours at U.S. bases in Iraq as regional tensions flare following the deadly bombing of a hospital in Gaza

Britain and other European countries could be hit by riots on the scale France is currently experiencing, Francois Hollande has said. The former French president said the unrest, initially triggered by killing of Nahel Merzouk by a police officer, had been exacerbated by economic and social problems. Mr Hollande claimed the riots were in part spreading through a social media “domino effect" and that this would not respect borders. “Those people who sometimes look at us with a little irony should tell themselves that the same thing could happen there," he told the Times newspaper. "The images [of the riots] do not only circulate between Paris, Lyon and Marseilles, they also circulate in the towns and cities of the UK, Germany, the US.” The former Socialist Party head of state, held office from 2012 to 2017, said those taking to the streets had been motivated by "a desire to go and get goods that you cannot buy in ordinary times". He claimed in his analysis that some participants saw the protests as "an opportunity ... to break into shops and take everything inside". This urge had been exacerbated by inflation and Covid lockdowns which had caused social dysfunction among some French youth, he said. Nahel Merzouk, who was 17-years-old, was shot dead by a police officer during a traffic stop on Tuesday, triggering days of fierce clashes. More than 700 people were arrested following his funeral on Saturday as police fired tear gas and fought street battles with protestors late into the night in flashpoint Marseilles. Police initially reported that one officer had shot at the teenager because he was driving his car towards him. But this version of events was quickly contradicted by a video circulating on social media. London and other cities in England endured days of widespread rioting in 2011 following the shooting of 29-year-old Mark Duggan by police in Tottenham. Read More Fresh fears for house prices after fastest drop in 12 years Boris attacks ‘odious’ Ulez scheme – but Labour takes poll lead in Uxbridge Labour tells Jeremy Hunt his advisers must not undermine Bank of England Fresh fears for house prices after fastest drop in 12 years Boris attacks ‘odious’ Ulez scheme – but Labour takes poll lead in Uxbridge Labour tells Jeremy Hunt his advisers must not undermine Bank of England

'GMA' anchor Sam Champion took time off the studio again and was seen relaxing in the waters of Miami Beach with a coffee mug in hand