What People Are Saying: Supporters say it works by homing in on physical sensations (like muscle tension, posture, breathing patterns, and movement) to release stored emotional stress. Techniques range from breathwork and grounding exercises to guided movement and body scanning. While more therapists have been arguing the body holds onto these experiences that talk therapy just can’t reach, skeptics note it’s difficult to define somatic therapy, and say we still need rigorous research on it.

What to Know: Forms of somatic therapy date back to the 1970s, when researchers began studying how trauma lives in the body. A 2017 trial showed promising results for PTSD, but the overarching evidence hasn’t caught up to that of established therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). If you’re still curious, look for a licensed practitioner with formal training. Not everyone using the now quite popular term has the credentials to back it up.

When you can see what’s changing, you stop second-guessing your meals, your workouts, and your routine. You make smarter adjustments, faster, because your body is no longer a mystery.

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The Benefits: The more science-y term for muscle memory is “procedural memory.” It’s different from other types of memory, as it’s tied to remembering actions, not words. With repetition over time, a task can become automatic. Muscle memory isn’t as affected by dementia as other types of memory for this reason. People with dementia might forget their spouse’s name, but they could still know how to knit. Continuing to learn new skills as we age, however, has a protective benefit against age-related cognitive decline.

How to Do It: To learn a new skill, you have to work through the uncomfortable learning phase, which requires deep focus and concentration. Create a frequent practice schedule. Sleeping afterward has been found to improve retention.

Going Deeper: A new study from the University of Maryland identified a previously unknown signaling chain in the hypothalamus, the region of the brain that controls hunger. When you eat, blood sugar rises and triggers specialized cells to release a compound called lactate. That lactate reaches another cell type, which then activates the brain's fullness neurons. Researchers also found that lactate may simultaneously dial down hunger neurons, hitting the brakes from two directions at once.

The Takeaway: The brain's “stop eating” signal is more complicated than anyone realized until now, and this newly mapped pathway could eventually open doors to better treatments for obesity and disordered eating, potentially working alongside existing options like GLP-1 medications.

Keep In Mind: The research was conducted in animal models, so the next step is testing whether manipulating this pathway actually changes eating behavior in humans.

We partnered with researchers at the Buck Institute for Research on Aging to make sure every trial has science behind it. The waitlist is open now. Spots are limited and waitlist members will get access to tickets first.

After a long day, sometimes you just need an easy way to get dinner on the table. This recipe leans on pantry staples like preserved lemon, harissa, and jarred (or canned) tuna to transform simple rice into a quick, satisfying meal with bright North African flavors. Fresh ingredients like scallions, cilantro, red bell pepper, and green beans add a bright crunch, making it perfect for those evenings when the fridge is nearly bare but you still want something delicious.

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