Healthy Living, Simplified

Can Playing Video Games Burn Calories?

You Should Know: Fair or not, playing video games doesn’t have the best reputation among non-gamers. Chief among them? Gaming often equals too much screen time and too much sedentary time. In 2021, however, an e-sports platform funded research that got quite a lot of media attention, particularly as gaming had increased during the COVID-19 lockdown. The study found that male gamers burned 420 calories in a two-hour gaming session (the equivalent of doing 1,000 sit-ups), but new research appears to have debunked this claim. Going Deeper: Perhaps unsurprisingly, a recent systematic review of five studies on calorie expenditure while playing video games found that gaming does not actually burn many calories. The metabolic output is more along the lines of light physical activity — certainly not on par with running or cycling. Gamers’ heart rates did increase while playing, but researchers attributed that to a stress response to competitive play, not physical exertion. Takeaway: Gaming can offer benefits for stress relief, emotional regulation, creativity, and cognitive growth, but burning calories isn’t one of them. Bottom Line: If you want to play video games, play video games. If you want to burn calories, work out.

Psychology Might Explain Your Netflix Paralysis

Spoiled For Choice: Netflix has been having a rough year. A look at its top shows found that audiences declined by 30% to 70% after their second seasons. Some of that comes down to cancellations and a shrinking content pipeline, of course. But part of it may also be connected to choice overload, which is what psychologists call the exhausting experience of facing an endless wall of options. The Study: In 2000, researchers Sheena Iyengar and Mark Lepper set up a tasting booth at a grocery store. One day they displayed 24 flavors of jam. Another day, they displayed just six. More people stopped to sample the bigger selection, but customers who saw only six flavors were far more likely to make a purchase. The same pattern showed up when students were offered extra credit essay topics, where fewer options led to more completed assignments and better writing. The Takeaway: Too many choices can make us freeze instead of act. So if you find yourself getting stuck scrolling quite often, pick two or three options ahead of time and choose between just those. Keep in Mind: Choice isn’t always a bad thing. People with strong preferences or expertise often do […]

The Best Breads for Steady Blood Sugar

Three women walking briskly outdoors on a tree-lined path, exploring whether does walking build muscle when paired with pace and terrain changes

Does Walking Build Muscle? How to Get More From Every Step

Walking won't replace strength training, but a few smart tweaks — hills, intervals, and bodyweight moves — can make every step build a little more muscle.

a woman learns how vitamin b12 can help with muscle growth in the gym

Is Vitamin B12 the Muscle Nutrient You’ve Been Missing?

Most of us think of B12 as the energy vitamin for anemia. But new research ties it directly to how muscle cells make energy — especially as we age.

Fitness

Nutrition

Sleep

Does Walking Build Muscle? How to Get More From Every Step

Walking won't replace strength training, but a few smart tweaks — hills, intervals, and bodyweight moves — can make every step build a little more muscle.

Sniffing Chocolate Might Actually Help You on Leg Day

You Should Know: Now here’s a weird one for all you weight lifters out there. A new study says sniffing dark chocolate before and between sets (yes, you read that correctly), could help you squeeze out more reps, no eating required. Going Deeper: Researchers wanted to know if scent alone could change weight lifting performance, not just how it feels. So a group of men who train regularly sniffed dark or milk chocolate against a control (water) before doing leg extensions following an overnight fast. Dark chocolate added about 18 more reps than water, while milk chocolate only added about 9. Researchers think the smell of chocolate, particularly dark chocolate, perhaps tricks the brain into feeling full before you’ve actually eaten anything, which ultimately helps performance. Takeaway: This fits with other research on scent and exercise, like peppermint and citrus affecting mood during workouts. Sadly, eating chocolate hasn’t shown the same performance boost. Bottom Line: Don’t count on chocolate scent to improve your workout. For a more reliable boost, avoid lifting on an empty stomach and have a light snack with carbohydrates beforehand.

a woman riding a stationary bike while holding a drink for glute strength

Does Cycling Build Glutes — and If Not, What Does?

Does cycling build glutes? Here's what the science says about glute activation during cycling, plus how to boost it and actually grow bigger glutes through training.

a woman performing an exercise with dumbbells as part of a workout routine

How Many Different Exercises Should You Do Per Workout?

Most people only need 4 to 8 exercises per workout. Learn how weekly volume, not exercise count, drives real strength and muscle gains.

Why Pickle Juice Is Summer’s New Sports Drink

The Trend: Pickle juice is the new sports drink. Once reserved for pickleback shots, the salty brine is now showing up in sports drinks, sparkling waters, cocktails, and aid stations at endurance races. The numbers suggest it’s more than a passing fad: The global pickle juice drinks market is projected to grow from $920 million in 2025 to over $2 billion by 2034, while analysts say Gen Z and Millennials are fueling demand for bold, sour flavors with a functional twist. In the UK, 56% of Gen Z and young Millennials say “challenging” flavors make drinks more exciting, compared with 36% of consumers overall. What People Are Saying: Fans claim pickle juice helps prevent muscle cramps, replace electrolytes after sweaty workouts, and supports post-exercise recovery. Indeed, pickle juice is rich in sodium, so drinking it can help replenish what’s lost through sweat. Research also suggests its famous anti-cramp effect may come from triggering nerve receptors in the mouth. Some call pickle juice the “pumpkin spice of summer.” What to Know: Pickle juice is extremely high in sodium, so if you’re watching your salt intake, it’s best to skip this beverage. It also contains very little potassium, so it may not […]

a woman looking curiously at whole and sliced eggs on a table, representing the question if eggs are good for gut health

Are Eggs Good for Gut Health?

Wondering if eggs are good for gut health? They're easy to digest and low-FODMAP, but with zero fiber and no probiotics, they don't do much for your gut on their own. Here's what the research says, plus how to pair eggs for real digestive benefits.

Does Alcohol Really Cook Out of Food?

You Should Know: Love a good chicken marsala, bananas foster, or penne alla vodka? The common thinking is that the alcohol in dishes like these evaporates during cooking, making it OK for kids and non-drinkers to consume. While heat does reduce the alcohol content, it doesn’t always remove it completely. Going Deeper: Not all of the alcohol dissipates during cooking — and a substantial amount could remain. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Nutrient Data lab, you’d need to cook a dish for at least three hours to fully eliminate any trace of booze. How much alcohol remains in the finished meal depends on the cooking temperature, length of cooking time, and the surface area of the pan. Takeaway: Every dish is different. Long-simmered recipes like beef bourguignon lose most of their alcohol, but dishes cooked or baked for 15 minutes retain 40% of the alcohol, and even after an hour, about 25% may remain. Dishes that have alcohol added near to the end of cooking could retain as much as 85%. Bottom Line: If you’re cooking for children or for someone who’s sober, skip these and prepare one of the scores of dishes that don’t contain any […]

Your Diet Might Be Playing a Bigger Role in Heart Disease Than You Think

Getting to the Heart of the Matter: Diets high in ultra-processed foods have repeatedly been associated with poorer health, although scientists are still debating how much of the risk comes from processing itself versus factors like added sugar, sodium, saturated fat, and low fiber. A new modeling study estimates that ultra-processed food consumption may account for between 23% and 38% of cardiovascular disease cases and deaths among Canadian adults. The Study: Researchers combined Canadian dietary data from 2015 — when ultra-processed foods supplied 43.4% of adults’ daily calories — with national cardiovascular statistics and estimates from the Global Burden of Disease study. Their model suggested that reducing UPF consumption by 20% to 50% could have prevented approximately 16,800 to 45,900 new cases of heart disease and stroke, along with 3,100 to 8,300 cardiovascular deaths, in Canada in 2019. The Takeaway: Even a relatively modest population-wide reduction in ultra-processed food consumption could potentially prevent thousands of cardiovascular cases, according to the model. Keep in Mind: These are hypothetical estimates, not cases and deaths directly observed in people who changed their diets. The analysis relied on older dietary data, observational risk estimates and several modeling assumptions. Ultra-processed food intake also overlaps with […]

Cannabis plant leaves in close-up, related to cannabis and sleep quality

What Cannabis Really Does to Your Sleep

THC gummies can help you drift off faster, but sleep experts warn that regular cannabis use suppresses REM sleep, builds tolerance, and may leave you more tired than when you started. Here's what the research says about cannabis as a sleep aid — and what actually works better long-term.

Just 78 Minutes Less Sleep a Night Could Lead to Weight Gain

Tip the Scales: Good sleep is essential for keeping nearly every system in our body working properly, including our hormones, brain, and heart. Need more incentive to catch more zzz’s? A new study has found that losing even a modest amount of sleep could contribute to weight gain. The Study: Researchers studied 95 people who were already at risk for heart or metabolic disease and normally slept between seven and eight hours a night. Each participant experienced two different sleep conditions over a six-week period. During the “adequate sleep” window, they slept their normal seven hours or more. During “sleep restriction,” they went to bed 1.5 hours later than normal, losing 90 minutes of sleep time. Participants wore wrist trackers to monitor sleep and activity levels. Their hormones, BMI, body composition, and waist circumference were measured multiple times. The Takeaway: Participants who slept an average of 78 minutes less per night gained nearly one pound of weight compared to when they got adequate sleep. They also gained an average of a half-centimeter around their waist and had 17 more minutes a day of sedentary time. Keep in Mind: Because the study was small and lasted only six weeks, it can’t […]

Why Do I Wake Up Groggy? The REM and Deep Sleep Connection

You logged a full eight hours and still feel foggy. If you've wondered why you wake up groggy, the answer is usually about sleep quality, not quantity — here's what's going on and how to fix it.

Why Do We Sleep Worse in the Summer?

You Should Know: Summer may feel like a time to rest and recharge, but when days stay lighter for hours longer and sweltering nights make it hard to get comfortable, our sleep often suffers. Going Deeper: We may sleep less in the summer because of vacations or extra socializing, and bedtimes and wake times get later when days are longer and warmer. The extra summer sunlight affects our circadian rhythm, which regulates the sleep/wake cycle. Darkness and a drop in body temperature helps trigger melatonin production and induce sleep — both of which can be hard to come by in summertime. Takeaway: You might need to do a little more in the summer to sleep better. Keep blinds or curtains open to get as much sunlight as possible during the day, and dim the lights an hour or two before bed to signal to your body that it’s time to sleep. Keep your bedroom cool and take a warm bath or shower before bed to help trigger the needed drop in core body temperature. A consistent sleep schedule, even on weekends and on vacation, can also help you sleep more soundly during the summer months. Bottom Line: Simple steps you […]

Mindfulness

Beauty

Personal Growth

Is There Really a Global Loneliness Epidemic?

Oh So Lonely: Loneliness has been described as a global epidemic and one of the defining public health challenges of our time. But new research suggests the reality is more nuanced: Loneliness is widespread, but who reports feeling lonely varies considerably according to health, education, employment, household composition, social support, and geographic region. The Study: Researchers analyzed Gallup World Poll data from more than 218,000 adults across 148 countries. About one in five respondents said they had felt lonely for much of the previous day, but rates varied dramatically around the world. Loneliness was most common in low-income countries, while high-income countries generally reported lower rates. However, in wealthier nations, loneliness was more strongly associated with lower current life satisfaction. The researchers found no evidence of an overall worldwide increase between 2023 and 2024, although trends differed considerably by national income level. The Takeaway: Loneliness is not simply a matter of whether someone has enough friends. Health limitations, unemployment, household composition, education, perceived social support, and the broader economic and cultural environment were all associated with those who reported feeling lonely. Building meaningful relationships matters, but so do the circumstances that make connection easier or harder. Keep in Mind: The […]

Why Smoking Is Making a Comeback Among Gen Z

The Trend: What goes around comes around when it comes to trends and fashion, and it appears we’ve reached the “come around” moment for one that was seemingly gone forever: smoking. Cigarettes are making a comeback, particularly among young Gen Z adults. The resurgence can be attributed to multiple elements: more images of celebs smoking on social media and on the screen, the wave of ’80s and ’90s nostalgia and desire for anything analog, a need for stress relief, and a dose of nihilism and rebellion. What People Are Saying: Public attitude toward smoking also appears to have softened. In November, more than 2,000 New Yorkers smoked cigs together in Central Park for a planned communal “five-minute group smoke.” On social media, people lament the loss of the smoke break, which allowed you to go outside, unwind for a few minutes, and bond with other smokers. What to Know: Anti-smoking campaigns have waned in recent years, so Gen Z hasn’t been as inundated with this messaging like older generations were. It might be recently back in style and have a “good old days” nostalgic vibe, but smoking is still dangerous and still causes cancer and death.

That Strange Feeling of Déjà Vu — Explained