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https://nordictimes.com/health/more-danish-children-rely-on-sleep-medication/

Health

More Danish children rely on sleep medication

Updated November 8, 2024, Published November 7, 2024 – By Editorial staff

Photo: Artem Podrez/Pexels

If the child is otherwise healthy, lifestyle changes are recommended instead of medication.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Children and adolescents in Denmark are increasingly using sleep medication to help them fall asleep, according to data from the Danish Health Data Authority. The use of the hormone melatonin is on the rise, while the use of stronger medications is decreasing.

The number of people under the age of 18 using some form of sleep aid has increased by 14% between 2022 and 2023, according to the agency. However, according to Poul Jørgen Jennum, professor and chief physician at the Danish Center for Sleep Disorders, there is no reason to interpret these figures as more children suffering from sleep disorders.

– We have seen an increase in the use of sleep medication in children and adolescents for several years, but this is probably not because more young people than before have sleep disorders. There is probably a greater awareness of sleep problems in children and adolescents and an increased pressure on pediatricians to give and recommend sleep medication, he told Danish state broadcaster DR.

The most popular is melatonin, a hormone produced naturally in the body that mainly regulates circadian rhythms and sleep, while the use of stronger sleep aids such as benzodiazepine-like drugs and promethazine is declining, the figures show.

Although Jennum does not believe that more children than in the past are actually suffering from sleep disorders, he emphasizes that a number of studies show this, but that prescribing sleep medication is not the solution.

– If a child has an underlying condition such as mental illness, the situation may be different, but if the child is otherwise healthy, I recommend changing the lifestyle of the adolescent or child instead.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/denmark/denmark-takes-the-leap-into-space-will-map-the-moon/

Denmark

Denmark takes the leap into space – will map the Moon

Published today 10:07 am – By Editorial staff

Montage. Photo: CHUTTERSNAP, Tita/Unsplash

Editorial staff
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The Danish government has allocated 125–130 million Danish kroner (approximately 17–18 million euros) to the Máni space mission – a satellite that will map the lunar surface to identify safe landing sites for future astronauts. The launch is planned for 2029.

The mission is led by researchers at the University of Copenhagen in collaboration with several Danish universities, satellite manufacturer Space Inventor, and international partners from Poland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands, among others. The total budget amounts to approximately 50 million euros.

— It's a dream come true. That we're now reaching the starting line, where we'll begin building and developing the mission, is a fantastic feeling, says Jens Frydenvang, associate professor at the University of Copenhagen and project leader, to Danish public broadcaster DR.

Máni was selected this spring by the European Space Agency (ESA) to advance alongside nine other European projects. In mid-December, ESA is expected to make the final decision on which missions will be prioritized.

The satellite will be equipped with a specially built telescope to photograph the Moon's south pole in high detail. The area is particularly interesting because scientists believe there are large quantities of water there, which could be used both as drinking water and to produce rocket fuel.

Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science Christina Egelund believes the investment marks Denmark as a space nation and strengthens the country's independence from large commercial players like SpaceX.

— That we in Denmark and Europe are strengthening ourselves in this area is very important for our independence, for our security, and for our competitiveness, she says.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/health/its-never-too-late-older-adults-can-regain-their-health/

Health

It’s never too late – older adults can regain their health

Published November 22, 2025 – By Editorial staff

Photo: Anastasia Shuraeva/Pexels

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

Older adults can regain full health and quality of life even after serious health problems, shows a new study. Nearly one in four people over 60 with poor well-being had completely recovered after three years.

In the study, researchers from the University of Toronto examined data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA), a long-term study that collects data on aging in Canada. First, they examined people who had reduced health and quality of life and were 60 years or older during the years 2011–2015.

They then followed up with these participants three years later, during 2015–2018, to see how their health had changed and, above all, whether it had improved. A total of 8,332 people participated in the study.

Participants' well-being was measured through the absence of serious physical, cognitive or emotional problems as well as high self-reported physical and mental health, happiness and life satisfaction. Furthermore, researchers also examined whether participants had a healthy body weight, regular physical activity, good sleep, avoided smoking and whether they participated in social activities.

The results, which were published in PLOS One, show that nearly one in four people over 60 who reported poor well-being at the start of the study had regained optimal health and quality of life after three years. Those who already had strong psychological and emotional well-being at the beginning were more than five times more likely to regain optimal health.

— It's incredibly encouraging to see that, with the right supports and lifestyle, many older adults can reclaim full health, happiness, and independence - even after serious health challenges, says lead author Mabel Ho to Medicalxpress.

Often, studies about older adults focus on health deterioration and functional decline, but this study does the opposite – it shows that it is possible for older adults to regain good health and that it is not uncommon either.

— We want this study to reshape how society views aging. With the right environment, resources, and supports, older adults don't just survive after struggling with health or well-being issues - they thrive, says Ho.

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https://nordictimes.com/health/wireless-earbuds-may-cause-thyroid-nodules/

Health

Wireless earbuds may cause thyroid nodules

Published November 11, 2025 – By Editorial staff

Photo: Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash

Editorial staff
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Prolonged use of wireless earbuds can cause thyroid nodules, according to various studies. Furthermore, research shows that these types of earbuds expose users to varying degrees of magnetic fields.

Abnormal growths in the thyroid gland typically manifest as localized swellings in the thyroid tissue. Most thyroid nodules are benign, asymptomatic and require no treatment, but some can be malignant – something that has increased dramatically in the population over the past 15 years according to a study published earlier this year.

A study from 2024 showed that prolonged daily use of wireless earbuds that transmit 2.4 GHz Bluetooth microwaves is strongly linked to an increased risk of thyroid nodules, writes the Swedish Radiation Protection Foundation. This is explained by the fact that the thyroid gland, which is very sensitive to radiation, is one of the most exposed organs when using such earbuds as well as a mobile phone. The study also showed that sensitivity to developing thyroid nodules increased with advancing age.

"Our study highlighted a significant impact relationship between prolonged Bluetooth headset use and increased thyroid nodule risk, emphasizing the importance of considering health impacts in the use of modern technology, especially for devices like Bluetooth headsets that are frequently used daily", the researchers conclude.

Magnetic fields

Wireless earbuds emit radiation, but studies also show that they emit magnetic fields. In a study published in 2023, researchers examined six models of in-ear earbuds. These provided exposure to static magnetic fields from 20 mT at the surface to tens of μT in the inner ear. The researchers note that more research is needed on the combination of exposure to elevated magnetic fields and microwaves – recommending the use of air tube headphones.

Apple's wireless AirPods, for example, "communicate with one another using a magnetic induction field, a variable magnetic field sends through your brain to communicate with the other", explained Dr. Joel Moskowitz in the Daily Mail, who is one of the leading experts in the field of health risks from electromagnetic radiation and a member of the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields (ICBE-EMF). He noted that research on the health effects of this exposure is completely lacking.

Probably carcinogenic

Microwave radiation is something that research has shown can damage cellular DNA, cause oxidative stress and damage brain cells and function, which can have effects such as headaches, impaired memory, cognitive ability and sleep – and it is precisely this type of radiation found in wireless earbuds, something the Swedish Radiation Protection Foundation has written about.

The World Health Organization's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has classified microwave radiation as possibly carcinogenic, class 2B. Many researchers today believe that the radiation should be considered carcinogenic.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

https://nordictimes.com/the-nordics/denmark/danish-sperm-bank-sets-minimum-iq-requirements-for-donors/

Denmark

Danish sperm bank sets minimum IQ requirements for donors

Published November 10, 2025 – By Editorial staff

Photo: Kelly Sikkema/Unsplash

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

The Danish sperm bank Donor Network rejects men with an IQ below 85 from donating sperm. Those with criminal records are also rejected, meaning nearly one in five potential donors are screened out.

The sperm bank justifies the decision as reducing the risk of children being born with lower cognitive abilities – something that provides customers with greater reassurance. Around 18 percent of potential donors are rejected due to insufficient intelligence.

— This is not an elite project, and we haven't done it to position ourselves or exclude 20 percent of donors. I just don't think it's ethically acceptable to sell something I can't stand behind, says director Jakob Schöllhammer Knudsen to Danish public broadcaster DR.

Denmark is a leading country in sperm donation, and the majority of Donor Network's products are sold abroad. Donor profiles have evolved from basic information about ethnicity, hair and eye color to include comprehensive personality descriptions. Donor Network's profiles span 25-30 pages with psychological assessments, cognitive profiles and personality tests.

Daniela Cutas, lecturer in medical ethics at Lund University in southern Sweden, believes it is reasonable to screen donors for certain hereditary diseases. She points to several cases where donors with cancer genes or diseases have affected children, which could have been avoided. But IQ screening and filtering based on criminal records is more problematic, she argues.

— A high IQ or a criminal record are in themselves unreliable indicators of a donor's potential or character, she says.

According to DR, an IQ between 80 and 89 indicates an intelligence level below normal, while the average ranges between 90 and 109.

Editorial staff
editorial@nordictimes.com

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