Up-to-date information for the MIT community about COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019): medical.mit.edu/covid-19-updates

Ask Lucy

Four people in separate single beds, each sleeping in a different position

March 4, 2020

Back to sleep?

Dear Lucy: I’ve heard it’s not wise to sleep on your back. Is that true? —Laidback Lass

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February 20, 2020

No outbreak, but a break

Dear Lucy: If my partner has herpes but no outbreaks, and the condom breaks unknowingly, but we take a shower after we finish, will it still be contagious? —Worried

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January 22, 2020

Would you care for a nightcap?

Dear Lucy: When I was a kid and didn’t want to wear a hat, my mother would tell me that 90 percent of body heat is lost through the top of the head. Is that true? How much does wearing a hat in cold weather contribute to overall body warmth? Is it time to bring back those pointy, flannel nightcaps people wear in TV holiday specials about the olden days? —Hot Head

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Up-to-date information for the MIT community about COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019): medical.mit.edu/covid-19-updates

Ask Lucy

Lucy, MIT Medical’s intrepid health columnist, answers the questions you can’t ask anyone else.