Aging and Senior Health (Audio)

Sexual health is an important part of healthy aging and offers a useful way to understand how well-being can change without disappearing in later life. Annie L. Nguyen, Ph. D., M.P.H., UC San Diego, explains how sexual interest, sexual activity, and sexual satisfaction follow different patterns as people age. Nguyen examines research on health status, relationship context, and gender differences,...

How fast are you really aging, and what could that mean for brain health? Aladdin H. Shadyab, Ph. D., explores the gap between chronological age and biological age, and why that difference matters for long-term health. Shadyab describes tools that use information from blood to estimate how quickly the body is aging, including approaches that look beyond the body as a whole to consider aging in spe...

Circadian timing shapes how we sleep, feel, and function each day. Satchidananda Panda, Ph. D., Salk Institute, describes what the ideal circadian rhythms of a day look like. Dr. Panda explains that keeping daily light, meals, movement, and sleep in step with the body’s internal clock supports alertness, metabolism, and recovery. Series: "Stein Institute for Research on Aging" [Health and Medicine...

How you time light, meals, and sleep can reset your internal clock. Satchidananda Panda, Ph. D. explains why morning light sharpens alertness, evening dimness protects melatonin, and consolidated sleep supports brain “detox.” Clear, practical takeaways you can use tonight and tomorrow morning. Series: "Stein Institute for Research on Aging" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 41206]

How much exposure to daylight is recommended for optimal health? Satchidananda Panda, Ph. D., Salk Institute, answers this question and many more on the therapeutic nature of light. Dr. Panda also discusses indoor lighting considerations in order to simulate day/night cycles. Dr. Panda explains that the use of lighting isn't just for safety and convenience but also for one's health. Series: "Stein...

Biological resilience underpins healthy aging, and Anthony Molina, Ph. D., investigates how people resist, adapt to, and recover from age-related stressors. Molina defines three domains of resilience linked to aging and studies “life course” resilience using the Rancho Bernardo Study, a longitudinal cohort that starts in 1972 and tracks cognitive, sensory, physical function and comorbidities. His...

Circadian timing shapes how we sleep, feel, and function each day. Satchidananda Panda, Ph. D., Salk Institute, explains that keeping daily light, meals, movement, and sleep in step with the body’s internal clock supports alertness, metabolism, and recovery. Panda notes that evening light and late eating can make it harder to fall asleep and may work against healthy glucose control, while thoughtf...

Psychological resilience in later life examines how older adults adapt after adversity and cultivate everyday practices that sustain well-being and purpose. Elizabeth W. Twamley, Ph. D., introduces and guides a discussion on mental health and resilience among older adults. Ellen E. Lee, M.D., characterizes resilience as dynamic learning oriented toward flourishing and urges a low threshold for see...

Cognitive resilience grows from small, consistent habits that keep the brain adaptable. Fadel Zeidan, Ph. D., frames mindfulness as mental training that improves attention, processing, and the way people relate to pain. Erin E. Sundermann, Ph. D., underscores modifiable pathways to healthier aging, highlighting movement, social connection, hearing support, and lifelong learning as mutually reinfor...

Targeting the biology of aging offers a path to stronger resilience and longer health. John C. Newman, M.D., Ph. D., explains that aging arises from measurable cellular processes, often called hallmarks of aging, including changes involving mitochondria, stem cells, cellular senescence, inflammation, and protein quality control. Newman describes how basic science in model organisms reveals mechani...

Healthy aging starts with physical resilience, the body’s ability to withstand and recover from stress. Maile Young Karris, M.D., defines the concept and sets the stage for practical strategies that match real-world needs. Ryan J. Moran, M.D., M.P.H., recommends simple routines such as wall push ups, posture alignment, and chin tucks, and he links posture and vision to fall prevention; social conn...

Heather E. Whitson, MD, MHS explores how resilience—the ability to recover and adapt after stress or illness—changes across the lifespan. She explains that bounce back slows with age and that people age at different rates, influenced by biology, lifestyle, and environment. Studies connect lower inflammation, stronger cellular health, and emotional well-being to better recovery, such as regaining m...

Danielle K. Glorioso, LCSW, explores the complex nature of grief, emphasizing that it is a lifelong, evolving response to loss rather than something to “get over.” She explains the differences between acute grief, integrated grief, and prolonged grief disorder, highlighting how factors like attachment, personal history, and circumstances of death can influence the grieving process. Glorioso outlin...

Michael J. Wilkinson, M.D., F.A.C.C., F.N.L.A., explores the science and clinical evidence behind intermittent fasting and its role in promoting cardiometabolic health. He explains how aligning eating patterns with the body’s natural circadian rhythms can improve weight, blood pressure, glucose regulation, and other risk factors, especially in individuals with metabolic syndrome or type 2 diabetes...

Sarah Banks, Ph. D. explores why Alzheimer's disease affects women differently than men, emphasizing distinct patterns in tau pathology, cognitive testing bias, and treatment response. She explains how women tend to show a rapid buildup of tau during early cognitive decline, which may contribute to their higher prevalence of Alzheimer's. Banks also highlights how common diagnostic tools may overlo...

Anthony Molina, Ph. D. highlights research and resources from the Stein Institute for Research on Aging that support healthy aging, with a focus on women’s health. He describes the institute’s work in training scientists, conducting clinical trials, and promoting community engagement. Key resources include a geroscience lab for biomarker discovery, new facilities for exposome and epigenetics resea...

Andrea Z. LaCroix, Ph. D. presents major public health trends affecting women across the lifespan, from rising maternal mortality and chronic disease risks linked to pregnancy complications to the ongoing need for improved menopause care. She highlights innovative research, including digital tools for menopause education, studies on cancer survivorship, and efforts to predict healthy aging using e...

In this excerpt, Dr. Natalie Marshall discusses the central importance of exercise to improve chromosomal and telomere health. Series: "Osher WISE: Well-being and Integrative Science for Everyone" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40683]

Fadel Zeidan, Ph. D., discusses the science of mindfulness and how meditation can change the brain. He explains what happens in the brain during stress, how mindfulness helps us become more self-aware, and why it's important to pay attention on purpose. Zeidan shares easy ways to bring mindfulness into daily life, even in small moments. The video includes guided meditations led by Zeidan. Viewers...

Dr. Terence Friedlander reviews the various patient outcomes after hip fracture surgery. Series: "Excerpts" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40752]

The risk for many chronic diseases is directly linked to metabolic changes in the body and loss of muscle mass often associated with aging. In this excerpt, Dr. Natalie Marshall focuses on the role that muscles play in the body. Series: "Osher WISE: Well-being and Integrative Science for Everyone" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40685]

Dr. Terence Friedlander discusses common issues brought on by osteoporosis. Series: "Excerpts" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40751]

How can you make choices today that could help you live longer and feel better? Gordon Saxe, M.D., Ph. D., explores the ways to slow the aging process and live a healthier life. Series: "Stein Institute for Research on Aging" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40601]

The risk for many chronic diseases is directly linked to metabolic changes in the body and loss of muscle mass often associated with aging. In this program, Dr. Natalie Marshall focuses on sarcopenia, low muscle mass, and the importance of strength training and body composition to improve metabolic fitness. Series: "Osher WISE: Well-being and Integrative Science for Everyone" [Health and Medicine]...

The risk for many chronic diseases is directly linked to metabolic changes in the body. In this program, Dr. Natalie Marshall focuses on the role of antioxidants and how they work against oxidative stress in the body. Series: "Osher WISE: Well-being and Integrative Science for Everyone" [Health and Medicine] [Show ID: 40682]