E-bikes and e-scooters are sending more kids to the ER

Plus: Is swimming in hot water healthy?  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Mandy Oaklander | November 03, 2026     If you've ever walked down the sidewalk and felt someone whiz by you in a flash, you may have encountered an electric bike, also called an e-bike. A new study out this week found that injuries involving e-bikes and e-scooters are rising exponentially among children and teens. For her new piece in TIME, my colleague Veronique Greenwood talked to doctors who are worried about kids on e-bikes and similar devices. They shared advice on how to curb this growing problem. TODAY’S TOPICS Too hot to handle? A drug approval to improve access Another insurance hike Kids and e-bikes The case for texting a friend         PLEASE ADVISE Here’s a great question we received from a reader: I love swimming in the hot springs near my home. Are daily dips in scalding temperatures safe? Artur Debat—Getty Images Hot-water immersion can be safe and even beneficial, research suggests. In a hot tub or hot spring, your heart rate goes up, the pattern of blood flow through the body changes, and you might feel better mentally afterwards, says Christopher Minson, a professor of human physiology at the University of Oregon. When you get out, “your blood pressure might be down for a few hours. Your insulin signaling might be improved for a while,” he says. Social benefits may also come with visiting hot springs or public baths. “One thing I noticed in Japan, it was a meeting place for many older adults, and they talk about it preventing ‘social frailty,’” says Brendon Roxburgh, a lecturer in clinical exercise physiology at the University of Otago in New Zealand.  That doesn’t mean you should cook yourself. Places where many people engage in hot-water immersion, like Japan, also have higher rates of heat injury, particularly in older folks. “Older adults don't necessarily perceive the same degree of warmth or discomfort as younger people, even when their bodies are experiencing considerable heat exposure. This means they may not recognize when they are becoming excessively hot,” Roxburgh says. A little hot water can go a long way. –Veronique Greenwood Got a health question of your own? Send it our way to healthmatters@time.com, and we might tackle it in a future edition.  This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice.         SPONSORED BY ATTIO Attio is the #1 fastest-growing CRM on Brex and Ramp. Built for the most ambitious companies in GTM, Attio is an end to end revenue platform that allows teams to run multiple plays across different revenue motions and lifecycles. Teams at the frontier are already building on it: Granola, turbopuffer, Modal, and many many more. Start building on Attio.         ONE DRUG TO KNOW A cheaper way to prevent HIV SyhinStas—Getty Images The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the first generic version of lenacapavir, the groundbreaking twice-a-year injection that prevents HIV. Made by Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories of India, the shots would cost about $40 per person per year in eligible countries—comparable to the cost of daily HIV-prevention pills in those markets.  Public-health experts—including those at Unitaid, one of the global-health agencies that helped make the generic version possible—hope that broader access to the shots will prevent more HIV infections and ultimately reduce HIV-related deaths.  The drug’s developer, Gilead, still holds the patent on the drug, which was approved for HIV prevention in 2025. But it has issued licenses to six generic manufacturers to produce versions for low- and middle-income countries. —Alice Park         SPONSORED BY SUPERHUMAN AI 1,000+ Claude Prompts Top Professionals Actually Use at Work Claude can be your analyst, editor, and strategist. But most professionals are using it to fix grammar. These 1,000+ Claude prompts take it from grammar tool to your most powerful AI work assistant. Sign up for Superhuman AI and get: 1,000+ ready-to-use Claude prompts to get real work done in minutes — researched, tested, and used by professionals at Google, Microsoft, and NASA Superhuman AI newsletter (4 min daily) so you keep learning new AI tools and skills to stay ahead in your career — the prompts are just the beginning Claim your free prompts         BIG NUMBER 13% The amount by which U.S. health insurance premiums will increase for people on Silver plans on the Affordable Care Act marketplace in 2027, according to a new analysis by KFF.  This marks the second consecutive year of double-digit increases. —Alana Semuels         TODAY I LEARNED Many e-bike and e-scooter injuries involve young kids Miguel Sotomayor—Getty Images As I learned while writing my new piece for TIME, a growing number of kids are landing in emergency rooms, hospitals, and urgent-care centers across the U.S. after riding e-scooters and e-bikes. A study published yesterday found that injuries from e-bikes showed a roughly 400% relative increase from 2023-2026, and e-scooter injuries rose by almost 200%. —Veronique Greenwood Read the full story here.         SPONSORED TIME100 Most Influential Companies is expanding TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2027 entries are now open. With new Exceptional Workplaces categories, the TIME100 Companies publication is expanding to recognize businesses pioneering new approaches to how people work, from flexible and hybrid work to technology integration and career development.  Because it’s no longer just what you do, but how you do it.  Submit your company.         WHAT WE’RE READING It's never too late to pursue an outrageous dream. Paula Cocozza at the Guardian meets a retiree who learned to weld and spent eight years building the Porsche he'd wanted since his 20s. Those funny Instagram reels you send your friends might be doing more good than you think. Shanna B. Tiayon at UC Berkeley's Greater Good explains how sharing videos can help maintain friendships. Love knows no species? Nicola Davis at the Guardian introduces a bull and donkey whose unusually affectionate relationship is helping scientists better understand animal behavior.       More Newsletters from Click to sign up. THE BRIEF +FUTURE PROOF +INSIDE TIME +IN THE LOOP +WORTH YOUR TIME + Subscribe to TIME Email us: healthmatters@time.com Received this from a friend? Sign up here Connect with TIME PRIVACY POLICY   © 2026 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved. TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508 Boone, IA 50037-0508, United States Unsubscribe

How daylight may affect your blood sugar

Plus: The case for cold showers  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Mandy Oaklander | November 02, 2026     For many of us in the U.S., it’s clearly November when you watch the sun set—far earlier than it has any business setting—from your desk. Thanks, end of daylight saving time. As the days get shorter, getting enough daylight may matter for your health in ways you haven’t considered. My colleague Dominique Mosbergen explored how daylight exposure may even affect your blood sugar. Later in this edition, she shares one researcher’s advice about the habit everyone should adopt this time of year. TODAY’S TOPICS The case for cold showers What’s going around? Wemby’s sole strategy Sunlight and your blood sugar Comfort on four hooves         INSIGHT OF THE DAY Take a cold shower boonchai wedmakawand—Getty Images Most people shudder at the thought of a cold shower. But according to new research by psychotherapist Lena Glaser of the University of Basel, turning the temp of your morning shower down—way down—can have benefits for you and the planet. The research, which has not yet been peer-reviewed, included more than 700 healthy adults who did not already take cold showers. People were asked to take a shower at the coldest temperature their plumbing would allow once a day for 12 weeks. By the end, cold-showerers reported feeling more awake and refreshed afterward—and proud of themselves for having taken on something challenging. What’s more, they took 31% fewer sick days from work than people in the control group, who showered as they normally would. Using less hot water also conserved energy, which can lower utility bills and carbon emissions. Over the course of the study, the university estimated that participants reduced their carbon dioxide emissions by 33 pounds apiece—about the same greenhouse gas impact as driving more than 60 miles.  For people interested in trying it, Glaser suggests starting gradually and choosing a temperature that feels tolerable.         SPONSORED BY THE DEEP VIEW Stop Drowning In AI Information Overload Your inbox is flooded with newsletters. Your feed is chaos. Somewhere in that noise are the insights that could transform your work—but who has time to find them? The Deep View solves this. We read everything, analyze what matters, and deliver only the intelligence you need. No duplicate stories, no filler content, no wasted time. Just the essential AI developments that impact your industry, explained clearly and concisely. Replace hours of scattered reading with five focused minutes. While others scramble to keep up, you'll stay ahead of developments that matter. 600,000+ professionals at top companies have already made this switch. Join them today, for free.         WHAT’S GOING AROUND? Bird flu in mink Konstantin Sokolov—Getty Images ProPublica first reported an outbreak of bird flu at a mink farm on Oct. 23, saying the virus had been “raging uncontrolled” at the farm for two months. Public-health experts told ProPublica they were surprised that state officials hadn’t ordered the farm to cull the animals, which is what other countries have done when outbreaks have occurred. In 2023, for example, more than 50,000 mink were killed at a farm in Spain after a strain of bird flu was detected at the facility.  Experts’ concern is that bird flu could mutate in mink to become more dangerous to people. But the risk to the average U.S. person remains, for the moment, low, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The risk is greatest among people who have exposure to sick animals. If that is not you, I think you can take this off your worry list, [but] it does not abdicate the government of its responsibility to try to prevent a pandemic,” Jennifer Nuzzo, director of the pandemic center at Brown University School of Public Health, told the Guardian.         SPONSORED BY HUBSPOT FOR STARTUPS Your GTM Has a Weak Spot. Find It. Your go-to-market feels stuck. Most of the time, nothing is broken. One or two things are just quietly costing you momentum. Drop your URL. The free GTM Audit reads your site, pricing, and competitors, scores four dimensions, and hands you a 90-day fix list. 10 minutes. No guessing. Run My Free GTM Audit         A VIRAL MOMENT Wemby gives shoes the boot NBA player Victor Wembanyama is 7 feet 4 inches tall and wears size 20 shoes. But he prefers to keep them off. In a 60 Minutes interview that aired yesterday, the San Antonio Spurs star said he walks barefoot whenever possible, aiming to strengthen his feet and protect his body. Even correspondent Jon Wertheim’s footwear got a critique: “Those aren’t minimalist, those are maximalist,” Wemby quipped.         SPONSORED TIME100 Most Influential Companies is expanding TIME100 Most Influential Companies 2027 entries are now open. With new Exceptional Workplaces categories, the TIME100 Companies publication is expanding to recognize businesses pioneering new approaches to how people work, from flexible and hybrid work to technology integration and career development.  Because it’s no longer just what you do, but how you do it.  Submit your company.         QUICK CHAT The surprising link between sunlight and blood sugar My new story out today explores a surprising potential health benefit of daylight: improved metabolism and lower blood sugar.  Chris Dibben, a health geographer at the University of Edinburgh, has been studying sunlight’s influence on health. He spoke to me recently about his research and why—particularly with winter approaching and evenings darkening earlier—we should go out of our way to soak up the sun. —D.M. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity. Ippei Naoi—Getty Images What prompted you to study the health benefits of daylight?  About six or so years ago, I became aware of some early research looking at the positive effects of sunlight. That was in stark contrast to the public-health messaging around sunlight that has tended in recent years to focus on the negative aspects, in particular the risk of skin cancer. The studies indicated that we were perhaps missing a story here: that the overall effect of sunlight was actually protective against major diseases. What is an example of such a study?  There was a study in Sweden where they were looking at women who were using tanning beds and sunbathing a lot. The idea was to look at the risk of skin cancer and mortality, but intriguingly, what they found was that although these women had a higher incidence of skin cancer, they actually had better survival than the women who weren't using [tanning] beds or sunbathing. A recent paper you co-authored showed a link between sun exposure and reduced blood sugar. Based on your research and other studies on daylight’s benefits, what would you recommend people do? The public-health messaging on this is simple. Get outside as much as you can, particularly in the winter. That does mean you probably need to take a break from work and go for a walk. But that is good for you in any case, because exercising moderately has also been shown many times to be one of the most effective health interventions. Read the full story here.         WHAT WE’RE READING Sometimes the best therapist has four hooves. The Guardian introduces a miniature horse bringing comfort to psychiatric patients and veterans.   Tariffs, high GLP-1 prices, and the increased use of AI are all contributing to rising health care costs, Mary Kekatos writes for ABC News.  The world has always been full of things that frighten us. One way we work through these fears is by watching horror, writes Coltan Scrivner for TIME.       More Newsletters from Click to sign up. THE BRIEF +FUTURE PROOF +INSIDE TIME +IN THE LOOP +WORTH YOUR TIME + Subscribe to TIME Email us: healthmatters@time.com Received this from a friend? Sign up here Connect with TIME PRIVACY POLICY   © 2026 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved. TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508 Boone, IA 50037-0508, United States Unsubscribe