You may know the spiral well: It starts off as a single worry, such as how tonight’s date will go, whether you made a mistake at work or what an abnormal medical test result means. Then it takes on a life of its own. What if they don’t like me? and What if this result means something serious? become What if I never find someone? and What if I’m dying? Potential outcomes spin off into terrible futures, and next thing you know, you’re fielding some flavor of What if everything turns out terribly and nothing is ever okay?!

Time to shelve that standing desk.
New research suggests ergonomic upgrades for the office — from specialized chairs, desks and keyboards — do little to actually help workers with repetitive stress injuries.
Researchers from the University of Technology Sydney analyzed 20 trials involving more than 2,400 people with work-related complaints of the arms, neck and shoulders.
Compared with no treatment or usual care like medical advice, discussion or counseling, the ergonomic-friendly interventions showed little to no impact on pain, functionality or quality of life, or on workers taking sick leave.
Ergonomic office setups were also less effective than posture-correcting exercises to treat pain or discomfort, though they may provide short-term relief when paired together.
“The certainty of that evidence ranges from low to moderate, so this is a clear signal that the case for these interventions is weaker than many people assume,” lead author Dr. Poonam Mehta said in a news release.
The ergonomic interventions mentioned in the review included specially designed furniture and devices, such as chairs, sit-stand desks, keyboards and computer mice.
It’s a huge industry — ergonomic office furniture is valued at an enormous $16.5 billion, according to Mordor Intelligence, and is projected to reach nearly $23 billion in 2031.
A caveat to the overall findings is that ergonomic setups may have small benefits for people with specific maladies, like rotator cuff injuries in the shoulder from repeated lifting.
One study from the review suggests ergonomic treatment may reduce functional disability better than mobilization, strength and endurance training exercises.
However, other studies looking at those with carpal tunnel syndrome in the wrist from frequent mouse-clicking didn’t see reduced pain using ergonomic keyboards or computer mice.
Some study results did suggest the office updates may improve quality of life, although the research team has limited confidence in the evidence due to mixed results.
For decades, ergonomics experts have argued that bad desk setups could result in poor posture, aches, “tech neck” and more, affecting employees and employers alike.
“The long-term cost of poor ergonomics far exceeds the upfront cost of proper design,” board-certified ergonomist and Global Vice President of Humanscale Consulting Jonathan Puleio previously told The Post.
This new review challenges that conclusion, suggesting instead that offices reconsider their investment in ergonomic tools and costly refurnishing.
“Our findings suggest that, on current evidence, these measures alone shouldn’t be expected to reduce pain or sick leave in the short term,” Mehta said. “Employers may want to weigh that against the cost.”

Aging is hard for everyone — but it can be especially difficult for those who struggle with change.
For many women, there’s no greater change than menopause, which signals the end of their reproductive years.
The phase often brings hormonal shifts, hot flashes, night sweats and brain fog, disrupting daily routines.
And for many people with autism, a strict routine helps to manage chaos and lessen anxiety.
That’s why researchers from Bournemouth University in England are sounding the alarm that women with autism may suffer more severe menopausal symptoms than women without autism.
“We know that menopause can be challenging for non-autistic people — the symptoms force 1 in 10 women to leave the workforce,” said study author Eunhee Kim, a PhD student.
“Autistic people can already struggle with memory, planning, managing emotions and sensory sensitivities, and many try hard to fit in and mask their differences while struggling with these things, so menopause could worsen things that are already difficult for them.”
What researchers found
Autism affects an estimated 1 in 45 US adults and is nearly as common in women as in men.
The neurodevelopmental condition influences social communication, interaction and behavior.
Researchers compared the menopause experiences of 476 participants with autism and 425 participants without autism to see how they differed in symptom severity, quality of life, depression and anxiety. Women ranged in age from 40 to 60.
Across the board, participants with autism reported their menopause symptoms were about six points worse than the non-autistic participants.
These symptoms included hot flashes, irregular periods, weight gain, vaginal dryness, headaches, problems with concentration and bladder problems.
Depression and anxiety were nearly four points higher on average among autistic participants.
Quality of life had the most stark difference: autistic participants scored theirs on average 12.14 points lower.
The findings were published Tuesday in the journal Autism in Adulthood.
Authors note that depression, anxiety and quality of life were all linked to the severity of menopause symptoms.
Autistic participants were also much more likely to have serious health conditions. They were twice as likely to have one or more cardiovascular issues, such as heart disease, compared to the control group.
They were also over four times more likely to have a musculoskeletal condition like hypermobility (unstable joints causing frequent injury) and chronic pain.
Many autistic participants also had several serious and chronic health conditions.
Why does autism make menopause harder?
One factor at play is these heart conditions. Kim muses that having pre-existing mental and physical health conditions could make for “an especially difficult time during menopause.”
Her team also found that “feeling out of control and struggling to understand menopausal changes to the body and mind” appeared to predict how severe menopause symptoms would be.
“Autistic people have often told us, ‘I thought I was going mad,’ or ‘I thought I had a disease,’ because their menopausal experiences don’t resemble what they’ve read or heard about in other people,” said study author Julie Gamble-Turner.
“Helping people feel less frightened, confused and out of control — for instance, by giving them information tailored for autistic people about what to expect during menopause — means we are better able to help them.”
Author Rachel Moseley suggests that doctors and other healthcare professionals take note to better help patients with autism.
“Sometimes, doctors do not believe how much they are struggling, perhaps because autistic people do not necessarily show their distress in the way non-autistic people expect,” she said.
“Autistic people can be in crisis yet sound quite calm and logical. It’s so important to believe any person who tells you they are struggling.”

SALT LAKE CITY — Successful deer hunters on many of Utah’s hunting units are being asked to stop at check stations during fall hunts.
Officials across the state will be checking for chronic wasting disease, a transmissible condition that affects the nervous systems of deer, elk and moose. Infected animals develop brain lesions, appear listless, have droopy ears and will eventually die. In the early stages of the disease, deer appear healthy (including animals that may be harvested by hunters), so the only way to know whether your deer is infected is to test it.
The data collected at check stations is crucial to helping the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources monitor chronic wasting disease and maintain healthy deer populations in Utah. A total of 435 mule deer and 11 elk have tested positive for the disease in Utah, according to the division. The disease is found primarily in the northeastern and southeastern parts of the state.
If you shot a deer this year that was extremely thin, walking in tight circles or had excess saliva, the DWR encourages you to get it tested. There are technicians in every region of the state who can test deer for chronic wasting disease.

Three San Luis Obispo County children are in serious condition after contracting E. coli — and the county is investigating a local farm as a potential source.
On Tuesday, the SLO County Department of Public Health reported five total confirmed cases of E. coli throughout the county, potentially linked to Brookshire Farms, located at 4747 Los Osos Valley Road and best known for its 57 years of corn mazes, pumpkin patches and other fall-themed activities.
Public Health Public Information Officer Tom Cuddy confirmed that three of those cases were children who are in “serious condition and receiving pediatric intensive care,” he told The Tribune.
The county declined to provide further information about the children or where they were being treated.
The suspected exposure period at Brookshire Farm is Oct. 16–18, and the source of the infection is still under investigation, a Public Health news release said.
Anyone who visited Brookshire Farms between those dates and is experiencing gastrointestinal symptoms — usually cramping, abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea — should contact their healthcare provider, Public Health advised.
Children under the age of 10 are at highest risk of having complications.
“We are working diligently to identify the source of these infections to protect the health of our community,” County Health Officer Dr. Christy Mulkerin said in the release. “We encourage anyone who may have been exposed and is experiencing symptoms consistent with E. coli infection to seek immediate medical attention.”
According to the release, Brookshire Farms is cooperating with Public Health and closed voluntarily while the investigation proceeds.
Public Health is also gathering information, investigating potential exposures and conducting follow-up activities to determine whether the cases are connected, the release said.
E. coli infections can cause diarrhea, severe stomach cramps and vomiting. Some infection scan lead to serious complications, including kidney damage.
“Anyone experiencing bloody diarrhea, severe abdominal pain, signs of dehydration or other concerning symptoms should seek medical attention,” the release said.
Brookshire Farm posted on Facebook Tuesday that it was temporarily closed, and co-owner Shawn Callaway told The Tribune that their thoughts and prayers were with those who were affected.