![pink weights body image health fitness motto stock](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/pink-weights-body-image-health-fitness.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
This week brought good news about strength training: you don’t need to be a bodybuilder to reap the many benefits of weight lifting, according to new research. Here’s what else caught our attention in health news this week. (Sign up for the TIME Health newsletter for more.)
Why weight training is so good for you
![metal-weights-3-fitness-exercise-strength-health-betterment-body-image-motto-stock](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/metal-weights-3-fitness-exercise-strength-health-betterment-body-image.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
For lifelong strength and longevity, weight training may be the best kind of exercise out there. Luckily, you don’t have to lift a lot to gain a lot.
The new way to prevent anxiety in kids
Kids at risk for anxiety—and their parents—may benefit from a new type of therapy.
The truth about weight gain and pregnancy
![A woman in 9th months of pregnancy at living room.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/time-health-stock-pregnancy-14.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
A new study looks at what happens when pregnant women gain too much weight and too little. The bottom line from one expert: you should “mostly chill out.”
Why friends may be more important than family
Friendships in older age are particularly important, perhaps because those relationships have stood the test of time, according to a new study. Often, people enjoy spending time with friends more than they do family.
You really shouldn’t hug chickens
Hugging, kissing or snuggling chickens and other birds could lead to salmonella infections, according to a new report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
You Asked: What’s the best way to lose 5 pounds fast?
![Broken scales. Broken scales.](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/time-health-stock-weight-loss-2.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
For a weight loss diet with immediate results, ditch sodium and processed carbs. You’ll likely see results in just a couple weeks.
Why sleeping in may be dangerous
Beware the snooze button: sleeping in on the weekends may contribute to worse moods and even heart disease.
Why is yawning contagious?
![Golden Retriever puppy yawning golden-retriever-dog-yawn](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/golden-retriever-dog-yawn.jpg?quality=75&w=2400)
The phenomenon of contagious yawning doesn’t mean you need more sleep. But it might signal that you’re attuned to the emotions of others.
This is when babies should start sleeping on their own
A new study questions current guidelines about when parents should let infants start sleeping on their own.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Biden Dropped Out
- Ukraine’s Plan to Survive Trump
- The Rise of a New Kind of Parenting Guru
- The Chaos and Commotion of the RNC in Photos
- Why We All Have a Stake in Twisters’ Success
- 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox
Contact us at letters@time.com