Any one of these can help you fall asleep faster and sleep more soundly. Together they create a virtuous 24-hour cycle. — Sleep is not an isolated act of unconsciousness, but part of a 24-hour cycle programmed by evolution into all the systems of the brain and body. In writing dozens of articles on sleep science and healthy habits that promote good sleep, and interviewing numerous experts, I’ve realized that making the…

What ‘having to go’ says about your health — Waking up once or twice during the night to pee is annoying, especially for me if it happens around dawn, when the odds of falling back asleep are near zero. But one or two nocturnal bathroom trips are normal. It’s also natural to urinate a lot during the day. Exactly…

We’ll soon find out. Here’s my plan to survive… and inspire. — UPDATE 5/13/22: I made it! It was a heckuva challenge, especially the last 15 miles, and especially mentally. My 21-year-old son joined me for the last 30 miles, and having a riding buddy along helped a lot. Anyway, the article below remains as originally written. And now, I encourage you…

You should definitely give this sleep aid a try, scientists say — Cognitive neuroscientist Sara Mednick, PhD, argues that we should all have more sex in order to rev up every cell in the body and brain and release feel-good hormones that set us up for a good night’s sleep. “To all you insomniacs out there, to the anxiety-prone people who spend…

You’re soft, and you know it. So here’s a 9-step guide to getting out of your comfort zone for sheer exhilaration and improved well-being. — For two years I’ve been trying to climb a nearby mountain. Well, a hill actually, but a very steep one. On my mountain bike. At my age! Monthly I’ve tried and failed at what would’ve been a cinch in my 20s. But I never faced this particular mountain back then…

It’s never too late to improve who you are. Here’s how… and why. — Never will I claim to be a wonderful person. I think I’m an okay person. I have not killed anyone yet, haven’t stolen anything since I was about 10 years old, and a good chunk of the stupidest and most annoying things I’ve done to other people seem to be…

Hype around meat substitutes and the problems they supposedly solve is questioned by experts in many fields — Trying to eat a healthy diet with an eye toward sustainability is bewildering these days. The recipe for perplexity includes long-running arguments over the nutritional and environmental merits and demerits of meat vs. plant-based foods, the supposed need for more protein around the world, and the latest spicy ingredient: fake…

A skeptic’s journey into mindfulness meditation leads to more introspection, less stress and anxiety, and even a little more happiness — When a remedy for well-being or a blueprint for happiness seems too good to be true, I’m naturally skeptical. Take mindfulness meditation, said to alleviate stress and anxiety and battle depression, dampen fears and control anger, improve sleep, reduce guilt, improve cognitive function, lower blood pressure, tamp down chronic pain…

Myths, mysteries and frustrations over body-temperature differences — Temperatures rise around our house whenever my wife is too hot, or I’m too cold — or vice-versa. We clash over control of the thermostat, have heated discussions about whether windows should be open or closed, and wrestle blankets on and off the bed at night. …