HEALTH NOTES: The mug that tells you it’s time to drink

A revolutionary smart mug can detect when a person needs to drink more, saving thousands of older adults from the dangers of dehydration.

The mug uses sophisticated technology to detect when it hasn’t been drunk from for a while. Called Droplet, it uses shining lights and recorded messages to encourage users to drink when the sensor in its base detects the liquid has remained at a constant level for a certain amount of time.

Initial research at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton showed the mug encouraged 63 per cent of patients to drink an extra 500ml of fluid a day.

The mug is part of a kit, below, that includes a tumbler, smart base and plastic lid with a straw hole.

£45, droplet-hydration.com

Hearing loud noises at night increases your risk of nasty stomach ulcers by a fifth, according to a new study. Scientists from Seoul National University studied 460,000 sleepers and found that those exposed to noise at night were 20 per cent more likely to develop an ulcer than those sleeping in quieter conditions.

They also found that the louder the noise, the greater was the risk of developing ulcers. The researchers suggest that night-time exposure to environmental noise triggers an increase in stress hormones in the brain, which sends signals to the stomach to increase the production of gastric acid, causing the ulcer to form.

Hearing loud noises at night (pictured stock image) increases your risk of nasty stomach ulcers by a fifth, according to a new study