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Hindustan Times
12 hours ago
- General
- Hindustan Times
Spice of Life: Mayday in everyday life, learn to hear the unheard
We often picture a Mayday as a desperate cry from a plane in trouble — a pilot's voice strained with fear, broadcasting an urgent distress signal. It's a dramatic, life-or-death scenario. But the truth is, we're surrounded by Mayday calls every single day. They don't come from aircraft in crisis, but from the people right beside us: Our family, friends, and neighbours. If we treated human emotional distress with even half that urgency, imagine how many lives we could save — not just from death, but from the crushing weight of despair, loneliness, and the slow erosion of spirit. ((Photo by Dima Berlin on Getty Images)) These modern Mayday calls aren't crackling over radios; they're whispered in silence, hidden behind forced smiles, and buried under casual I'm fine responses. Take a moment to look around. Think of the friend who's suddenly absent from group chats, always cancelling plans, and claiming he's just tired. Consider the parents who navigate their day with a mechanical smile, shouldering unseen burdens, desperately hoping no one notices they're barely holding on. Or the neighbour who once waved and chatted over the fence, now rushing inside without a glance. These are the subtle, silent distress signals of our time, and they're tragically easy to miss. Unlike a plane in trouble, these cries often go unanswered. Not because we don't care, but because we've forgotten how to truly see. We've become accustomed to looking past discomfort, keeping conversations superficial, and respecting space that might actually be a desperate plea for connection. But here's a crucial truth: Life, much like that afternoon flight, is incredibly fragile. In a world that's louder and more distracting than ever, one of the most profound acts of love we can offer is simply to notice. In aviation, a Mayday call triggers an immediate, all-hands-on-deck response. Air traffic clears, help is despatched, and everything else becomes secondary. That's how much one life matters. Why should it be any different for us, down here? If we treated human emotional distress with even half that urgency, imagine how many lives we could save — not just from death, but from the crushing weight of despair, loneliness, and the slow erosion of spirit. Being there for someone doesn't always mean having all the answers. Sometimes, it means simply sitting with them in silence, reminding them they're not alone. It means reaching out even when it feels awkward. It means refusing to assume someone else will step in. Because, all too often, no one does. We tend to wait for people to ask for help, forgetting that the very pain they're experiencing might be robbing them of the ability to reach out. We miss the faint signals because they don't come with flashing lights or blaring sirens. But they are there — in missed calls, uncharacteristic quietness, sudden shifts in behaviour, or even an overly cheerful demeanour that feels unnatural. So, what can we do? We can be the one who truly sees. The one who doesn't just scroll past a cryptic social media post. The one who sends that text, even if there's no immediate reply. The one who genuinely asks, 'Hey, you've been on my mind lately. How are you really?' The one who shows up with a coffee or a kind word. The one who creates a safe space when someone finally breaks down. Listen with an open heart. The world often tells us to mind our own business, to stay in our own lane. But our hearts know better. They understand that behind every brave face, there might be a raging storm; behind every quiet soul, a silent cry. And perhaps, you're meant to be the one who hears it. Let's not wait for a tragedy to remind us of what truly matters. Let's choose genuine presence over superficial performance, heartfelt care over mere convenience, and deep compassion over rigid correctness. Saving a life doesn't require a dramatic rescue, a runway, or a team of specialists. Sometimes, it just takes a simple message, a knowing look or a comforting hand on the shoulder. praveen46535@ The writer is a Patiala-based freelance contributor
Newsweek
12-05-2025
- Health
- Newsweek
Mom's Hormone Levels While Pregnant Linked to Kids' Physical Activity
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A mother's hormones during pregnancy can negatively affect her child years later, a new study has cautioned. Boys whose mothers had polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) or elevated testosterone levels during the third trimester of pregnancy appear less physically active by age seven. The effect wasn't seen in girls, but girls exposed to higher testosterone levels in the womb were found to have lower muscle strength at age seven. The study, led by researchers at Odense University Hospital and the University of Southern Denmark, analyzed data from 695 pregnant women and their children. Using an accelerometer—a device that tracks changes in movement—the team measured the physical activity of the seven-year-olds and discovered boys born to mothers with PCOS were less active, particularly on weekends, compared to their peers. Relaxed boy lies on couch playing online virtual video game, use app on internet on smartphone. Relaxed boy lies on couch playing online virtual video game, use app on internet on smartphone. Dima Berlin Additionally, this reduced activity wasn't due to factors like birth weight or the mother's pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI). Instead, it seems directly tied to higher maternal testosterone levels—a hormone that typically spikes during pregnancy and is even higher in women with PCOS. Camilla Viola Palm, the study's lead author, explained that while previous research often relied on questionnaires to gauge child activity, this study's use of objective movement tracking makes its findings especially compelling. "Maternal pre-pregnancy health conditions, like PCOS, may transgenerationally affect the physical activity of boys," she said. Palm also warned that a drop in physical activity, especially on weekends when children have more free time, could set the stage for future obesity and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in these boys. For girls, higher testosterone exposure during pregnancy didn't impact their activity levels but did result in lower muscle strength, which may also have long-term health consequences. This is the latest in a series of findings by the team, which previously showed that boys exposed to higher prenatal testosterone had more body fat by age seven and lower grip strength by age five. The researchers are now planning to follow these children into adolescence to see if the effects persist, potentially impacting obesity, blood pressure and type 2 diabetes risk. "There is only little data on boys regarding PCOS-related metabolic and CVD risk, as PCOS is a female condition by definition," Palm said. The research also suggests the effects of PCOS and the hormone imbalances it causes, may extend to the next generation. The research was presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Pediatric Endocrinology and the European Society of Endocrinology. Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about PCOS? Let us know via science@ Reference Palm, C. V., Grøntved, A., Christesen, H., Glintborg, D., & Andersen, M. (2025, May 10–13). Habitual activity and muscle strength in children of mothers with, or without, polycystic ovary syndrome. [Conference presentation]. Joint Congress of ESPE and ESE 2025, Copenhagen, Denmark.
