Consumer News: New study finds extreme heat can negatively impact mental health

Researchers found that lifelong learning habits may help delay memory loss by years

• Staying mentally active throughout life may delay Alzheimers symptoms by several years.

• Researchers tracked nearly 2,000 older adults and their lifelong learning habits.

• The findings show a strong link but not proof that mental activity protects brain health.

If youve ever been told to keep your mind active, new research suggests that advice may carry more weight than we thought.

A study highlighted by the American Academy of Neurology looked at how lifelong learning things like reading, writing, and engaging in intellectually stimulating activities relates to cognitive health later in life.

The findings suggest that people who regularly challenged their brains over the years developed Alzheimers disease later than those who didnt. In fact, the difference was meaningful: those with the highest levels of mental engagement showed symptoms about five years later than those with the lowest levels.

Our study looked at cognitive enrichment from childhood to later life, focusing on activities and resources that stimulate the mind, study author Andrea Zammit, Ph.D., said in a news release. Our findings suggest that cognitive health in later life is strongly influenced by lifelong exposure to intellectually stimulating environments.

How the study worked

The research, published in the journal Neurology, followed 1,939 older adults who did not have dementia at the start of the study. Participants were around 80 years old on average.

Researchers asked participants to report how often they engaged in mentally stimulating activities at different stages of life during childhood, midlife, and later years. These activities included things like reading books, writing, visiting libraries or museums, and even learning new languages.

Using those responses, the researchers created a cognitive enrichment score to estimate how mentally active each person had been over their lifetime. Participants were then followed for about eight years, during which researchers tracked who developed Alzheimers disease or mild cognitive impairment.

What the researchers found

Over the course of the study, 551 participants developed Alzheimers disease and 719 developed mild cognitive impairment.

When researchers compared groups, they found that people with the highest levels of lifelong mental activity were less likely to develop Alzheimers and when they did, it happened later. For example, about 21% of those with the highest cognitive engagement developed Alzheimers, compared to 34% of those with the lowest levels.

Still, the researchers are careful to point out that this study shows an association, not a direct cause-and-effect relationship. In other words, staying mentally active may help delay cognitive decline, but it doesnt guarantee protection.

Our findings are encouraging, suggesting that consistently engaging in a variety of mentally stimulating activities throughout life may make a difference in cognition, said Dr. Zammit. Public investments that expand access to enriching environments, like libraries and early education programs designed to spark a lifelong love of learning, may help reduce the incidence of dementia.

Researchers explored the ways that everyday stressors can impact overall health

• Financial stress and food insecurity may play a major role in how quickly the heart ages.

• Researchers analyzed data from more than 280,000 adults using AI-powered heart assessments.

• Social factors were found to rival and sometimes exceed traditional heart disease risks.

When we think about heart health, things like cholesterol, blood pressure, and diet usually come to mind.

However, new research published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings suggests theres more to the story. According to the study, everyday challenges like worrying about money or not having consistent access to food could have a measurable impact on how quickly your heart ages.

This concept centers around something called cardiac age, which reflects how old your heart appears biologically not just how many birthdays youve had. A higher cardiac age compared to your actual age can signal a greater risk of future heart problems. Whats notable here is that social and economic stressors often overlooked in medical settings may significantly influence that aging process.

Given the increasing life expectancy of the population and the enhanced burden of diseases in the elderly, the primary health care focus has shifted in the past decade to healthy aging and improved quality of life. This shift has also led to the search for new measures of biological aging, lead investigator Amir Lerman, M.D., said in a news release.

Our current research was motivated by the observation that traditional risk factors do not explain and contribute equally to cardiovascular disease. There are social factors that we do not identify or inquire about from our patients that may potentially reverse biological aging.

How researchers studied the link

To explore this connection, researchers conducted a large cross-sectional study involving more than 280,000 adults who received care at Mayo Clinic between 2018 and 2023.

Participants completed a questionnaire that measured nine different social determinants of health. These included factors like financial strain, food insecurity, housing stability, stress levels, physical activity, and social connections.

From there, researchers used an artificial intelligenceenabled electrocardiogram (AI-ECG) to estimate each persons cardiac age. This tool allowed them to compare a persons biological heart age to their actual age something traditional methods dont always capture.

They then applied advanced statistical modeling to understand how these social factors interacted with more traditional health risks, like existing medical conditions or demographic characteristics.

What the study found

The results point to a clear pattern: social and economic stressors play a major role in heart aging. In fact, the combined impact of these factors was found to be one of the strongest predictors of accelerated cardiac aging even when compared to traditional clinical risks.

Among all the factors studied, financial strain and food insecurity stood out as the most influential. People dealing with these challenges were more likely to have a higher cardiac age, meaning their hearts appeared biologically older than expected.

The study also found that certain social conditions including financial hardship, unstable housing, and low physical activity were strongly linked to a higher risk of death, sometimes matching or exceeding conventional risk factors.

While the findings dont prove cause and effect, they highlight an important takeaway: health isnt shaped by medical factors alone. The conditions people live in including access to food and financial stability may play a meaningful role in long-term heart health.

Identifying the most important risk factors for cardiac aging allows for targeted preventive intervention in the community and empowers physicians to engage in patient-centered care, addressing the social context that contributes to heart disease, Dr. Lerman said.

How to combine coupons and rewards for real savings

• Stack everything, dont just use a coupon:Combine Walgreens digital coupons, manufacturer coupons, sales, and rewards to drive prices way down (sometimes even free or money-makers).

• Target spend deals (thats where the real savings are): Offers like Spend $20, get $5 back are the key especially on items you already use and can stock up on.

• Roll your rewards to stop spending your own money: Earn Walgreens Cash, use it on your next deal, then earn more repeating the cycle lowers your out-of-pocket cost fast.

Walgreens is one of those stores where two people can buy the exact same items and walk out with wildly different totals.

One will pay $28. The other pays $12 for the same stuff and gets rewards back.

The difference isnt luck. Its understanding how Walgreens layers its deals and coupons, and how to stack them the right way.

Lets take a deep dive and Ill show you how it all works.

First: Understand the four core savings layers

If you only take one thing from this Walgreens guide, make it this:

Walgreens savings come from stacking multiple offers at once, not just from using a single coupon.

Here are the four core savings techniques at Walgreens:

1. myWalgreens coupons (digital + monthly book)

The first thing you need to do is create a free myWalgreens accounttoget access to all the coupons.

The myWalgreens coupons are specifically made and released by Walgreens.

• You can find them in the Walgreens app or their weekly ad.
• They often say things like $3 off 2 or 20% off
• They automatically apply to your account when you tap + Clip next to the offer.
• They are often unlimited use.

These do NOT count as manufacturer coupons, which is why they stack with each other.

2. Manufacturer coupons (brand discounts)

Youll find these posted in the Walgreens app and on their website as well. These regularly come from top brands like Tide, Crest, and Dove.

Within the app, you have to tap+ Clipto have the manufacturer coupon added to your account.

• They can be either digital or paper.
• Typical coupons include things like $5 off any twoDove products or $1.25 off any Scott Bath Tissue.
• Then at checkout, you simply enter your phone number and any clipped coupons will automatically come off.
• Limit: oneper item.
• They are appliedafter anystore coupons.

These coupons are typically where youll see your biggest price drops.

3. Walgreens Cash Rewards

Walgreens Cash is their virtual rewards system. Within the app, you'll see cash reward deals like "Earn $10 rewards when you spend $40+ in-store or online."

• When you tap"+ Clip" next to the offer, they're automatically stored in your account.
• Rewards can be earned, or used, both online and in-store (see the details of each, as some are online only).
• They're redeemed in set amounts ($1, $2, $5, etc.).
• They don'texpire quickly (but dont sit on it forever).
• They are typically single-use reward deals.

Think of this "cash" as your rolling savings bankroll that you can let build up until your big Walgreens haul.

4. Register Rewards

These are printed coupons you get handed at checkout along with your receipt.

• They are only usable in-store.
• One-time use only.
• They are not tied to your myWalgreens account.

Lose them, and they are gone forever with no way to recover them, so keep your Register Rewards someplace safe.

How stacking actually works

Heres the rule at Walgreens that unlocks everything:

Use oneWalgreens coupon + onemanufacturer coupon per item

Then stack on top of that the following:

• A sale or clearance price.
• A Walgreens Cash Rewards offer.
• An optional rebate from an app like Ibotta or Fetch.

Example (real-world style):

• Toothpaste: $4
• Walgreens coupon: -$1
• Manufacturer coupon: -$2
• Final price: $1
• Earn: $2 Walgreens Cash

You literally just made money buying a tube of toothpaste.

As you get more familiar with the coupon system at Walgreens, youll find that this scenario is fairly common.

The 'spend deals'strategy (where the big wins happen)

Walgreens is built around threshold deals like:

• Spend $20, get $5 Walgreens Cash
• Buy two, get $4 Walgreens Cash

Most shoppers see these and tend to ignore them because they require you spend more or they require you to buy multiple items.

Thats a mistake, especially when buying something you use regularly and it stores well. Think of things like toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, and beauty products.

Buy them now at a really low price, and have it ready for when youll eventually need it. Otherwise, youll end up buying it later at full-price.

Pro tip: Heres the key rule to remember when stacking coupons at Walgreens:Your total must hit the spend amount AFTER Walgreens Cash and coupons, but BEFORE manufacturer coupons.

This is the most important nuance at Walgreens. If you dip below the required spend threshold, you lose the reward entirely.

The beginner system (that actually works)

If youre new, dont try to master everything at once, as it can be overwhelming.

With that said, heres a simple, repeatable system at Walgreens:

1. Open the Walgreens app.
2. Clip eight to 10 digital coupons (just grab the good ones).
3. Find ONE Spend $X, get $X deal.
4. Build a cart around it.
5. Pay out of pocket.
6. Earn Walgreens Cash.

Then once you get comfortable with finding and using coupons at Walgreens, it gets much easier to find your next money-saving opportunities.

The advanced play: Rolling Walgreens Cash like a pro

This is where Walgreens becomes kind of addictive (in a good way).

Heres an advanced system that many Walgreens pros are using, and you essentially stop spending your own money.

Heres basically how it works:

• Transaction 1 Earn $5 Walgreens Cash
• Transaction 2 Use that $5 to pay
• Transaction 3 Earn another $5

Instead of paying out of pocket every time you shop, youre using a system where the Walgreens rewards you earn keep funding your next purchase.

You start by buying items that earn Walgreens Cash, then turn around and use that cash on your next transaction, while earning more rewards again.

As long as you keep choosing the right deals, you can repeat this cycle over and over again. The result is that eventually, youre buying items mostly with Walgreens money instead of your own.

How to coupon at Walgreens online (the easy way to start)

If youre new to Walgreens coupons, starting online is honestly the simplest way to learn the system. Theres less pressure, no guessing at checkout, and everything applies automatically.

The key thing to remember is that while you can use digital coupons and earn and redeem Walgreens Cash online, you cant use paper coupons or earn and use Register Rewards.

I recommend starting by checking the weekly ad to find current promotions like Spend $20, get $5 Walgreens Cash, then head into the Walgreens app and clip any matching digital coupons so theyre ready in your account.

As you build your cart, focus on stacking those coupons with reward deals to lower your total and still earn cash back for your next purchase.

When youre ready to check out, your clipped coupons will apply automatically, and you can sometimes stack promo codes for even extra savings. From there, choose curbside pickup (usually a $10 minimum) or free shipping (typically $35 minimum), depending on the size of your order.

The hidden cost of choosing the wrong vehicle

• Honda leads across its lineup: Honda tops ~31 mpg, meaning consistent efficiency across more vehicles.

• MPG gaps hit your wallet: The difference vs. low-20s mpg can cost $500+ a year in gas.

• Dont rely on brand reputation: Toyota isnt automatically #1 anymore be sure to always compare MPG.

According to the latest Automotive Trends Report from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Honda ranks as the most fuel-efficient non-electric automaker in the U.S., with a fleet average of 31 mpg.

Thats ahead of Hyundai, Kia, and yes, Toyota, which tied for fourth with Nissan.

Honda has now won this for two years running, and it signals where real-world savings are heading for everyday drivers.

What changed (and why Honda is on top)

Fuel economy isnt just about one great car anymore. The EPA looks at entire vehicle lineups, and Honda has quietly built one of the most efficient across the board.

Even more impressive is that when you strip out electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, Honda still holds strong with about 30.1 mpg

In other words, they beat out most of their competitors on traditional gas engines alone.

Meanwhile, automakers like Ford Motor Company, General Motors, and Stellantis lag behind, largely because of their heavy focus on trucks and SUVs, which drag down overall MPG.

Why this matters for car shoppers

This isnt just industry trivia. It directly impacts what youll pay at the pump.

Gas prices are already creeping up again, and even a small difference in miles per gallon adds up fast.

Example:

If you drive 12,000 miles a year:

• A 31 mpg vehicle uses about 387 gallons.
• A 23 mpg vehicle uses about 522 gallons.

Thats a difference of 135 gallons a year. At $4 per gallon, that adds up to $540 in extra fuel costs.

Thats some very significant money, especially for families with multiple drivers.

What to watch for next

The EPAs early numbers for 2026suggest things are shifting again. Toyota and BMW are expected to close the gap, while Hondas average may dip slightly.

And while Tesla still dominates overall efficiency thanks to EVs, most Americans are still buying gas or hybrid vehicles, making these rankings more relevant than ever.

How to use this info to your advantage

1. Dont just shop the badge:Toyota has a very strong reputation, but its no longer the automatic winner on fuel economy. Be sure to always compare miles per gallon across specific models and vehicle types.
2. Look at the full lineup trend:Brands leading in fleet averages (like Honda) tend to offer more consistently efficient options across all price points and vehicle sizes.
3. Do the fuel cost math before buying:When car shopping, keep in mind that just a slightly more efficient car can potentially save you hundreds per year. Over five to sevenyears, that can easily outweigh a higher purchase price.

There was a huge decline in the number of people seeking mortgages last week

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• Mortgage applications fell 10.5% week-over-week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

• Rising energy costs are pushing Treasury yields and mortgage rates higher.

• Higher borrowing costs are sidelining buyers and dampening housing demand.

Surging energy prices are increasingly weighing on the U.S. housing market, driving up borrowing costs and cooling both home purchase and refinance activity. The evidence can be found in the latest data from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA).

Mortgage applications dropped 10.5% for the week ending March 20, marking a sharp pullback in demand. The decline reflects a broader drag on affordability as higher oil prices continue to ripple through financial markets.

The threat of higher-for-longer oil prices continued to keep Treasury yields elevated, and mortgage rates finished last week higher, said Joel Kan, MBAs vice president and deputy chief economist.

That dynamic is critical: when energy prices rise, they can fuel inflation expectations, which in turn push up Treasury yields. Mortgage rates typically follow those yields, making home loans more expensive.

Rising mortgage rates

The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage climbed to 6.43%, its highest level since October 2025 and more than 30 basis points above where it stood just weeks ago. Other loan types also saw increases, including 15-year mortgages and adjustable-rate loans.

As rates rise, refinancing becomes less attractive. Refinance applications fell 15% from the previous week, though they remain significantly higher than a year ago. Meanwhile, purchase applications a key indicator of homebuying activity declined 5% week-over-week.

Kan noted that the combination of rising rates, affordability challenges, and broader economic uncertainty is causing many would-be buyers to hesitate.

Purchase applications were also down last week, as higher mortgage rates, coupled with affordability constraints and economic uncertainty, pushed some potential homebuyers to the sidelines, he said.

Declining affordability

The data suggests that affordability pressures are intensifying. Even modest increases in mortgage rates can significantly raise monthly payments, particularly in a market where home prices remain elevated.

There are also signs of shifting borrower behavior. The share of adjustable-rate mortgages (ARMs) rose to 8.1%, indicating some buyers are seeking lower initial rates to offset higher fixed-rate costs. At the same time, the refinance share of total mortgage activity dropped below 50%.

Government-backed loans showed mixed movement. FHA loan applications edged higher, while VA applications declined, reflecting uneven demand across borrower segments.

The broader takeaway: energy costs are no longer just a concern for drivers and businesses they are feeding directly into housing affordability.

As long as oil prices remain elevated, economists say mortgage rates could stay higher for longer, prolonging the slowdown in housing activity and keeping pressure on both buyers and lenders in the months ahead.