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Recipes 
The Military Sleep Method: Does It Actually Work?
The military sleep method is a five-step relaxation technique that promises to help you fall asleep in just two minutes. Learn how it works, what the research says about its building blocks, and whether it’s worth adding to your bedtime routine.
Sleep 
Scientists Find an Unexpected Link Between Napping and Longevity
Hit Snooze: A good nap now and then can feel like a dream when we’re wiped out. Short naps now and then are fine, but needing to nap often or for long periods could signal a deeper problem. A recent study found certain napping patterns were linked to higher mortality risk. The Study: The prospective cohort study included 1,338 community-dwelling adults aged 56 and older, with a mean follow-up of 8.3 years. Instead of relying on self-reported data, researchers measured napping objectively by having participants wear devices on their wrist to track their naps for about 10 days. Most participants were female (76%), with a mean age of 81. Longer and more frequent napping was associated with higher all-cause mortality. Morning napping had an approximately 30% higher mortality risk than early-afternoon napping. Each additional hour of daytime sleep was associated with 13% increased mortality risk. The Takeaway: Researchers say napping patterns could serve as behavioral markers for increased mortality risk. To be clear: The naps themselves likely weren’t the problem — it’s the underlying cause of the napping, such as disrupted circadian rhythms or chronic health conditions. Keep In Mind: The study was observational, so found only an association, not […]
Sleep 
The Fruits and Veggies With the Most Heart-Protective Flavanols
Nutrition 
A Simple Cortisol Cocktail Recipe — and Whether or Not It Works
A cortisol cocktail is a drink popularized by social media with the purported benefit of reducing cortisol, the body's main stress hormone. It typically contains orange juice, coconut water, sea salt, and magnesium powder, making it a good source of a few electrolytes and vitamin C. It's tasty and hydrating, but there's no proof it actually lowers cortisol or reduces stress.
Hormonal Health 
6 Simple Ways to Make High-Protein Popcorn
Popcorn is a whole grain that's high in fiber and low in calories, but a plain bowl has just 3 grams of protein, which is why you're hungry again an hour later. These 6 easy toppings, from Parmesan to pumpkin seeds, turn it into high-protein popcorn that actually keeps you full.
Nutrition
Fitness
Nutrition
Sleep
Why Your Muscles Are So Sore 2 Days After a Workout
You Should Know: That deep-set ache that arrives a day or two after a tough workout has a name: delayed-onset muscle soreness, or DOMS. It typically develops 12 to 24 hours after unfamiliar or intense exercise and peaks around 24 to 72 hours. The culprit, contrary to popular belief, isn’t lactic acid buildup. Instead, strenuous exercise — especially movements that lengthen a muscle under load, like lowering into a squat — can cause microscopic muscle damage and trigger an inflammatory response. That repair process contributes to the tenderness, stiffness, and reduced strength you feel afterward. Going Deeper: If you’ve treated soreness like a scorecard in the past, here’s why that theory is shaky. DOMS signals that your muscles encountered a new or demanding stimulus, but more soreness doesn’t necessarily mean a better workout or greater muscle growth. Your body also adapts: Repeat the same workout and you’ll experience less soreness over time, even when the workout remains effective. And yes, you can make progress without getting very sore. Takeaway: Soreness can tell you that your muscles encountered something new or challenging, but it’s not a reliable measure of workout quality or muscle growth. Bottom Line: DOMS is your body’s repair-and-adaptation […]
Fitness 
Could Beet Juice Give Your Workout a Boost?
You Should Know: The latest performance drink is blood-red and might taste a little like dirt. A growing body of evidence indicates beet juice is more than just a trendy beverage: Drinking it before exercising could improve your workout and support recovery. Going Deeper: Beets are packed with a potent combination of antioxidants and nitrate — a naturally occurring chemical in some foods that converts to nitric oxide when eaten. Nitric oxide helps widen blood vessels and improve blood flow and oxygen delivery to working muscles, and it may also help with lung function. It also strengthens contractions to power explosive movements like sprinting or jumping in fast-twitch muscles. Takeaway: Research suggests nitrate can help you sustain effort for longer by improving endurance and power, although results vary by type of exercise — recent research suggests small improvements in VO2 max, while benefits for muscular strength have been less consistent. Studies have been conducted with concentrated 70-ml shots to 500 mL of beet juice. The most benefit comes from drinking it about two to three hours before a workout. Bottom Line: Beet juice is not a magic potion that will turn you into an Olympic-caliber athlete on its own, but […]
Fitness 
For Brain Health, These Two Types of Exercise May Matter Most
Brain Game: We know that exercise is good for both the brain and body. When it comes to brain health over the lifespan, the latest research gets a bit more granular, suggesting that different types of training may trigger different biological pathways involved in brain health. The Study: A new review in Frontiers in Sports and Active Living examined research on how exercise affects the brain across the lifespan, with particular attention to two molecules: BDNF, which supports neuronal health, learning, and memory, and IGF-1, which is involved in brain maintenance and repair. The review found that aerobic exercise had the strongest connection with BDNF, with research pointing to challenging cardio — roughly 65% or more of maximum effort, two to three times weekly, for at least 40 minutes — as a particularly strong stimulus. Resistance training, meanwhile, appeared to influence IGF-1, with frequency seeming to matter more than workout intensity or duration. Takeaway: To support brain health over the course of your life, don’t succumb to “cardio versus weights.” Instead, try to make room for both. Keep in Mind: This was a narrative review combining studies of different designs, including animal research. The molecular pathways are promising, but they […]
Fitness 
Getting Fit Before Surgery Could Mean Fewer Complications After
Exercise Is Medicine: Exercise offers countless perks, and most of us exercise to feel good and, of course, to look good. But new research points to yet another benefit beyond general health and fitness: how well your body handles surgery. This finding is important, since about two in three will need a major operation someday. Getting fit before surgery even has a name now: prehabilitation, or prehab. The Study: Researchers pooled 42 studies of 4,825 adults who did aerobic exercise before major surgery. Patients in 30 studies trained under supervision at a hospital or exercise facility, and those in the other 12 mostly worked out at home without medical supervision. Supervised exercise was linked to about 40% lower odds of complications after surgery. When supervised exercise included high-intensity workouts, the association strengthened. The Takeaway: Exercising before surgery may help your body cope, especially when a pro is guiding your workouts, perhaps even more so if you do intense supervised exercise. Keep in Mind: No study compared supervised and home workouts directly, and supervised programs were usually more intense, so supervision itself may not be the secret ingredient. Either way, it appears that a fitter body handles surgery better.
Fitness 
Protein Soda Is Having Its Hollywood Moment
The Trend: Protein soda is getting some A-list backing. Justin Timberlake and Jessica Biel are now investors in Proda, the brand putting 10 grams of whey protein into a zero-sugar soda. Their investment is another sign that protein soda is moving beyond fitness circles and into the mainstream — part of a larger trend of protein popping up everywhere. Proda has already sold close to a million cans since launching. What People Are Saying: Fans say the appeal is convenience — you can crack a can with a meal, and it’s more refreshing than a thick shake. Nutrition experts are more cautious about the wider protein craze, noting that most Americans already get enough and may benefit more from focusing on nutrients like fiber. What to Know: A can of Proda contains 10 grams of whey protein and zero sugar, landing it somewhere between a traditional protein shake and a regular soda. (Our favorite flavor? Lemon Lime.)
Nutrition 
What You Eat Could Affect Your Acne, Study of 200,000+ People Finds
You Are What You Eat: We know hormonal changes can affect our skin, and there’s a longstanding belief that certain foods, like sugar and dairy, can trigger breakouts. A new study that included data from more than 220,000 adults is shedding more light on the acne-food connection. The Study: Researchers reviewed data from 228,757 adults ages 37 to 73 in the UK Biobank, looking at food-consumption questionnaires and self-reported acne from the participants. They assessed the overall quality of their diets, and then looked more closely at their intake of certain foods. Pork, skim milk, and milk-based desserts were associated with higher rates of acne. In men, a diet of fewer carbs and more meat was also associated with higher odds of having acne. The Takeaway: Researchers pinpointed certain foods that were associated with lower rates of acne, including cooked vegetables and yogurt, and the Mediterranean diet was also linked to lower instances of acne, with stronger connections seen in women. In women, eating more unsaturated than saturated fat and lower alcohol intakes were tied to less acne, too. Keep in Mind: The study determined only associations, not that some foods definitely cause you to either get acne or have […]
Nutrition 
The Healthiest Types of Apples, Ranked by What’s Inside
Not all apples are exactly alike. Here's how six grocery-store favorites compare on fiber, sugar, polyphenols, and what's in the peel.
Nutrition 
12 Healthy Snacks for Work That Actually Keep You Full
Skip the vending machine at 3 p.m. These 12 healthy snacks for work pair protein and fiber to keep you full, and most are easy to portion and keep at your desk.
Nutrition 
Too Little Sleep, and Too Much, Increases Disease Risk
The Goldilocks Zone: When it comes to sleep, getting by on as little as possible isn’t ideal — but apparently, neither is getting too much. New research suggests there may be a middle ground where sleep and healthy aging intersect. The Study: Researchers analyzed sleep data from nearly 500,000 UK Biobank participants ages 37 to 84, comparing self-reported sleep duration with 23 biological aging “clocks” based on brain imaging, blood proteins, and metabolites. Across nine brain and body systems, they found a U-shaped relationship: biological age gaps were smallest among people sleeping roughly 6.4 to 7.8 hours, with men’s optimal range being about one-tenth of an hour shorter than women’s. For both sexes, sleeping less than 6 hours or more than 8 hours was associated with larger biological age gaps and higher risks of several diseases and mortality. Takeaway: This is a lesson in “more isn’t always better.” For most adults, consistently getting around seven to eight hours remains a sensible target. Keep in Mind: This was an observational study, and sleep duration was self-reported. The findings show associations, not proof that sleeping a particular number of hours will slow aging. Individual sleep needs also vary.
Sleep 
Grounding Sheets Promise Better Sleep. But Does the Science Hold Up?
The Trend: Walking barefoot through the grass has a whole wellness theory behind it — and now it’s coming to your bed. Grounding, a trend first popularized by celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow, is the idea that your body soaks up negatively charged electrons from the Earth, which some say calms inflammation and improves sleep. Now, grounding sheets — woven with materials like silver or carbon thread and connected to an outlet — are bringing that belief indoors. What People Are Saying: Fans swear by grounding sheets for helping them experience deeper rest and fewer aches and pains. But research remains thin, and the few studies completed are small and funded by companies that sell grounding products. Plus, the human body already holds about 10 octillion electrons, so the few you’d pick up from a sheet are unlikely to make much of a difference. What to Know: Science doesn’t back the electron theory, and the original version of grounding still costs nothing. So instead of buying fancy sheets, perhaps kick off your shoes and touch grass for real.
Sleep 
ADHD and Sleep: Why Your Body Clock Might Be the Real Problem
Poor sleep is often written off as an ADHD side effect, but new research points to a circadian rhythm mismatch. Here's what the evidence says about ADHD and sleep, screen timing, and how light exposure may help reset your body clock.
Sleep 
Can’t Turn Off Your Brain? Try This Sleep Trick
Wind Down: You finally crawl into bed at the end of the night, but of course your brain decides it’s the perfect moment to replay every awkward thing you said over the past week. Fortunately, yoga nidra is gaining traction as a sleep aid for insomnia. In a new study from India, people who practiced this specific type of guided body scan fell asleep faster and slept longer. How to Do It: Also called “yogic sleep,” yoga nidra is a guided meditation you do lying on your back while a voice slowly turns your attention to different parts of your body as you follow your breath. All you have to do is search for something like “yoga nidra for sleep” on YouTube and follow along. Selecting a 10-minute recording is a good place to start, and falling asleep partway through is totally fine. The Benefits: Compared with a group that got standard sleep hygiene advice, the yoga nidra group in the study slept roughly an hour longer each night and spent less time lying awake after dozing off. Everyone in the study had heart disease, but an earlier study of people with chronic insomnia found that yoga nidra helped them […]
Sleep
Mindfulness
Beauty
Personal Growth
This Simple Mindfulness Trick May Soften Self-Criticism
Your Own Worst Critic: That little voice inside your head that replays every awkward interaction and keeps score of your mistakes can be exhausting. Eventually, those harsh judgments can start to feel like who you really are. However, there’s hope for those of us who are harsh self-critics. A new study tracking the mindfulness of 194 university students for six to eight months suggests a simple mindfulness trick might loosen the grip of what researchers call self-stigma (internalizing negative thoughts about yourself). How To Do It: Next time you start criticizing yourself, stop and instead turn your attention to your breath. There’s no need to change how you’re breathing; the point is just to notice it. Then try naming the harsh thought, so “I messed up” becomes “I’m having the thought that I messed up.” Once you see it as just a thought — not a fact — it’s a lot easier to question whether it’s even true. The Benefits: Students who scored higher on mindfulness had less self-stigma and fewer depressive symptoms months later. They also reported greater well-being, and lower self-stigma helped explain why. Small habits, like paying attention to your breath and naming your thoughts, may help quiet […]
Mindfulness 
Want a Mood Boost? Feed the Birds
Gives You Wings: One of the simplest mood boosters might be sitting outside with a handful of birdseed. It’s always pleasant to watch a little winged creature land on a feeder or flit between branches, and new research suggests that those small encounters with nature may do more than simply brighten your morning. The Study: Researchers at Virginia Tech surveyed 3,658 people in the U.S. and Canada participating in Project FeederWatch, a citizen-science program where people observe and report birds visiting their feeders. Participants completed wellbeing surveys before and after the 2024-25 season. At the end of the season, 95% said feeding and watching birds had positively affected their wellbeing. Researchers identified three potential mechanisms: positive emotions, such as happiness and calm; engagement, or becoming absorbed in the activity; and meaning, including feeling connected to nature or contributing to something beyond yourself. The Takeaway: Bird feeding is a remarkably simple way to build small moments of pleasure and connection into your day. Watching birds can give you something to focus on, pull your attention away from stress, and create a sense of connection with the natural world. Keep in Mind: The study was observational and relied on self-reported experiences, so […]
Mindfulness 
Your Coffee May Boost Your Mood Before You Even Drink It
Mindfulness 
The Double-Cleansing Shower Trend, Explained
The Trend: Taking a shower may seem pretty straightforward, but if you’re washing only once, proponents of “double cleansing” would like a word. The practice is blowing up on #ShowerTok, with fans claiming they smell better and feel more clean and hygienic. Retailers are also getting in on the game, offering double-cleansing product bundles. But some dermatologists think double cleansing may do more harm than good. What People Are Saying: The term “double cleansing” isn’t new, but it was previously reserved for the face and the hair. It makes some sense when it comes to those. The face, in particular, is often laden with makeup, sunscreens, and serums, which can block pores. In that regimen, you start with an oil cleanser to dissolve the products, followed by a water-based cleanser. What to Know: The rest of the skin needs its natural protective layer of oil and lipids to stay healthy. Stripping it away by overcleaning can make skin dry, irritated, and itchy — especially in the colder months when the air is more dry. Dermatologists say a single round of washing, plus once-weekly exfoliation, is sufficient, except when you’re extra-grimy or sweaty.
Beauty 
What Does Collagen Do? The Science Behind the Buzzy Protein
Collagen is the body's most abundant protein, and supplements are everywhere. Here's what collagen does, what the research says about skin and joint benefits, and how to support your natural collagen production.
Beauty 
Why More Women Are Traveling to Turkey for Hair Transplants
Beauty 
Living With Tinnitus? Here’s What Actually Helps
Cut Through the Noise: At least a quarter of people report experiencing tinnitus (the official term for the ringing in your ears you sometimes hear when there’s nothing around making that noise) at some point. For a small number, it becomes chronic, which can be seriously distressing, especially because there’s no cure. But there are solutions to help manage the symptoms, including tips and tricks to drown out the noise or even teach your brain to treat the sound as background noise. How to Do It: It all starts with sound enrichment. An audiologist can create a soundscape like a waterfall or rustling leaves to match your tinnitus pitch, and then you play it through an app or headphones around the clock, sleep included. Using a fan or white noise machine at night in your bedroom can also make it easier to fall asleep. A therapist who practices cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can also help change how you react to the ringing and break the stress loop that makes your brain focus on it. The Benefits: Most people see significant improvement after about three months of 24/7 sound enrichment. CBT also has solid evidence behind it and the backing of […]
Personal Growth 
Is Meditation the Key to Happiness? Researchers Say It Might Be
Studies of Buddhist monks suggest years of meditation leave measurable marks on the brain. Here's what the research says about meditation and happiness, and four small habits you can try yourself.
Personal Growth 
How to Boost Your Energy This Autumn
Personal Growth