October 26, 2018 at 09:42AM It’s no secret that taking a hot bath is good for the soul. I mean, you’re literally immersing your body in steamy warm water and sitting there to enjoy it without any other distractions from the world (looking at you, cell phone). But even science is now saying that that tub has got benefits beyond its job as being your locale for self care and relaxation. According to a new study done at the University of Freiburg in Germany, bathing can help treat depression better than working out. Now that‘s major. While only 45 people were measured, the half that took 30 minute baths each day (set to 104 degrees, to be exact) had their points on a depression scale lowered twice as much as those who engaged in 40 to 45 minute exercise twice a week, reports Health. Over the course of eight weeks, these two groups—which were split in half—did their prescribed self-care method while measuring their mood on the designated scale. The bath-takers scored about six points happier than when the study began, while the exercisers scored three points. The study may be small, but plenty of other studies have proven baths to at the very least be stress-busting. So the potential to bring on positive vibes just adds one more amazing benefit to the oh-so-delightful practice of hitting the tub for a soak. To make your soak an even better experience, try one of these editor-approved bath products. Photo: Byredo Byredo Bal’d
Day: October 26, 2018
A spa treatment with a side of hotel points? What a world
October 26, 2018 at 08:53AM If Exhale Spa and Hyatt have anything to do with it, your on-the-road routine will soon be as healthy as your at-home regimen—sweat sessions and self-care and all. Last year, the Hyatt team announced the acquisition of the buzzy spa that brought you the Core Fusion barre workout. And earlier this month, the hotel chain doubled-down even more on its efforts to make wellness and travel seamlessly intersect by integrating Exhale into the World of Hyatt loyalty program. Meaning, (this is *not* a drill) your spa treatment or hotel stay can bank you points for more self-care or travel in the future. “This is a true first for my industry,”says Annbeth Eschbach, CEO of Exhale. “It’s a loyalty program that allows our Exhale guests and members to earn towards a vacation, or earn towards their next Exhale visit. But more importantly, they’re going to earn points every time they prioritize their self-care.” For every dollar spent at participating Exhale locations, Hyatt rewards you with 10 “Base Points” to use towards lodging at future destinations, fitness classes, or spa services. For example, 2,000 points (or $200 spent) earns you a free space in one of the spa’s barre, cardio, HIIT, or yoga classes, and those with unlimited memberships at Exhale New York will earn five free hotel nights—just by paying their dues. (You can head here to see how you’ll personally benefit!) For every dollar spent at participating Exhale locations, Hyatt rewards you with 10 “Base Points” to use
Noise canceling headphones are the solution for basically everything
October 26, 2018 at 07:59AM More often than not I come home to be bombarded by the noise of endless ongoing construction outside my apartment. Even once they’ve called it a day, there’s so much other noise at any given moment (thanks, noise pollution!). It’s these experiences in the city that (unfortunately) never sleeps that has lead to me the opinion that noise canceling headphones are among the greatest achievements of the modern world. Beyond my potentially specific situation, a good pair of noise-canceling headphones is pretty versatile for any and all situations. Having trouble focusing at work? Put those suckers on. Need to get in a quick medication during a particularly stressful commute to work? Slide your headphones on. Surrounded by screaming children on a 15-hour flight? That’s right, headphones! The pairs of I’ve curated before can bring you silence in an extremely loud world, but they also of course—work with audio. Whether you need to blast Beyonce to get through your morning run or need a guided meditation to recenter, these noise canceling headphones will do the trick. Check out these 7 great noise canceling headphones below. Headphones and earbuds Buy Now Marshall Mid A.N.C Headphones $269 Buy Now TaoTronics Active Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Headphones $57 Buy Now Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones $180 Buy Now Bang & Olufsen B&O Play H9 $499 Buy Now Sony Noise-Canceling On-Ear Headphones $50 Buy Now Plantronics Backbeat Pro 2 $179 Buy Now Phiaton BT 330 $125 If you’re stressed out by your boss, here
Another reason to take some ‘me time’: A new study says stress might be wreaking havoc on your memory
October 26, 2018 at 07:59AM The day-to-day hustle can make cherished alone time can be hard to come by (#relatable). But if you’re not yet scheduling “me time” in your Google Cal, a recent study—which found a link between stress and harm to your memory—might convince you to prioritize your most treasured unwinding activities. The study, which was published in the journal Neurology, looked at existing data from the Framingham Heart Study that has been collected from participants and their offspring since the 1940s, reports Forbes. By looking at MRIs from middle-aged participants (the average of whom were 48 years old), Harvard researchers found a correlation between higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol and reduced total cerebral brain volume in the frontal and occipital lobes of the brain. And when stressed participants participate in cognitive memory tests (like repeating a story after a 20-minute break), they also performed slightly more poorly than their counterparts. “We know in animals that stress can lead to cognitive decline. In this study, higher morning cortisol levels in a large sample of people were associated with worse brain structure and cognition.” —Sudha Seshadri, MD, DM “In our quest to understand cognitive aging, one of the factors attracting significant interest and concern is the increasing stress of modern life,” says study author Sudha Seshadri, MD, DM. “We know in animals that stress can lead to cognitive decline. In this study, higher morning cortisol levels in a large sample of people were associated with worse brain structure and cognition.” More research
The case for bringing your moisturizer everywhere you go
October 26, 2018 at 07:04AM It’s no secret that moisturizing is a key component of a glow-inducing skin-care regimen. Hydration is essential for quenched skin, the product works as an outer layer to lock in the serums and other skin-enhancing steps used before it, and the moisture-boosting ingredients in your cream of choice keep your complexion nice and supple. But it’s even more than a must-have beauty product—your moisturizer is doing a whole lot of glow-inducing magic. Case in point? It’s working as a humectant to pull even more moisture—straight from the air—onto your skin. “Humectants keep your skin moist at all times,” says Ginger King, cosmetic chemist and founder of Grace Kingdom Beauty. “Ingredients like glycerin and hyaluronic acid are examples.” This is why you may want to keep your moisturizer of choice on hand wherever you go, as model and actress Elizabeth Hurley does (and trust me, after seeing her in person, you can bet that I’ll take any beauty advice she divulges). “To me, it’s always about hydrating [your skin] whenever you can,” says Hurley, who’s helping The Estée Lauder Companies in their Breast Cancer Campaign. “I find as I get older, I need to use more and more moisturizer on my face, on my eyes, on my hands, my body—your skin just gets really dry, so I think it’s important to put a lot of really nutritious things onto your skin.” “It’s always about hydrating [your skin] whenever you can.” —Elizabeth Hurley As the temperatures dip and fall-into-winter
How to tell if tattoo ink is really vegan
October 26, 2018 at 06:52AM Tattoos have become increasingly commonplace in the last few years. It’s to the point where body artists are now making office visits and being booked at events to send guest home with permanent party favors. But if you’re vegan and thinking about getting one, here’s something you should know: Like makeup, which often contains animal byproduct or uses insects to create pigments, many types of tattoo ink use similar ingredients including insect parts, charred bones, gelatin, and glycerine made from animal fat. “Sometimes, there are resins from bees in it,” says Lou Rubino Jr., founder of the vegan and animal-friendly World Famous Tattoo Ink line and owner of SOHO Ink in New York City. He says that unless explicitly stated or highlighted, you should always assume that your ink is non-vegan. To know for sure, he says, “Just ask the artist what type of inks they use and go directly to the manufacturer yourself and ask.” They should be able to tell you pretty quickly and confidently whether or not their ink meets your requirements. Another option is to start your search by using this online database of vegan tattoo parlors. Having to do a little extra research, however, doesn’t mean that vegan ink is hard to come by. Rubino Jr. says have vegan ink varieties are widely available at this point. You just have to ask—it’s kind of like the body art version of Starbucks’ secret menu in that way. If you’re not ready for the permanent stuff quite yet, try out
This pill (not *the* pill) helps to banish hormonal acne—here’s what to know
October 26, 2018 at 06:05AM If I could swallow a pill and it would magically rid me of a single skin affliction, I’d choose hormonal acne. This breed of breakouts is particularly fickle, as it starts with those unseeable chemicals in the body that are difficult to control. Yes, there are topical skin-care treatments (I’m looking at you, retinol), anti-inflammatory diets, and certain supplements that can help—but sometimes they’re just not enough to stop the cyclical pimples in their tracks. But then I discovered that such a pill does actually exist, by way of prescription from one’s doctor. As someone who’s tried every hormonal acne treatment under the sun, I’d pretty much given up hope that my skin could ever be clear—until I was introduced to Spironolactone. It’s a prescription that regulates your hormones to stop these breakouts from happening. Fast forward six months, and I literally don’t get acne anymore. At all. Photo: Getty Images/Maskot How Spironolactone works Here’s how it works: “Spironolactone is popular for female cycle acne, the kind that happens every couple of weeks and is associated with a menstrual cycle,” says Purvisha Patel, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare. “Progesterone and testosterone surges cause oil glands to increase production at these times, and Spironolactone binds to the same hormone receptors to decrease oil production during these same times.” It’s interesting because it’s also used for other things that are unrelated to acne. “It’s a blood pressure medicine that has a side effect of blocking
What it means when you feel lonely in a committed relationship
October 26, 2018 at 05:50AM A major benefit to being in a committed partnership is knowing you have someone who genuinely wants to hear about your day when you get home from work; a reliable plus-one to accompany you at every (usually boring) networking event you attend, and someone to cuddle with under your comfy duvet. What more could a person want, right? Well this is exactly why it can feel so unnerving to lay in bed next to your special someone, wide awake, wondering, why do I feel do damn lonely? While it’s definitely a question worth exploring, rest assured that it isn’t unusual to feel this way, says clinical psychologist Jennifer Taitz, PsyD. In her book, How To Be Single And Happy, she points out that just like it doesn’t mean you’re lonely when you’re alone (we all know that Kelly Clarkson song), being in a relationship doesn’t automatically mean you feel content, connected, or emotionally satisfied all the time. It also doesn’t automatically mean there’s something wrong with your relationship. (Annnd exhale.) Check out the psychological 5 reasons people feel lonely in healthy relationships—as well as ways to overcome it. Photo: Getty Images/Zing Images 1. You expect your partner to fulfill all your needs “I think a lot of people get into this headspace that their partner is their everything,” Dr. Taitz says. “Just because you’re in a romantic relationship doesn’t mean you don’t need meaningful platonic relationships. A romantic relationship is going to actually be a lot
Settle in for a spooky-flick marathon—it’s an expert-approved way to boost mental health
October 26, 2018 at 04:34AM Humans have been scaring up stories for centuries in order to pass on vital information for survival. And, sure, while the 47th Saw movie may not be your go-to guide to life, fear (and the response it elicits) still plays a vital role in our modern-day lives. “We have four basic emotions: happiness, sadness, anger, and fear,” explains Mary Poffenroth, a San Jose State University biology lecturer and fear scientist. “Fear is there to keep us alive, and it’s something that is so inherently part of just being human, but we have this really kind of dysfunctional relationship with fear. In our society, what is the big messaging? ‘Be fearless!’” If fear is such an important emotion, how do we go about exploring the things that frighten us without feeling embarrassed or ashamed? That, says Poffenroth, is where scary movies come in. “The horror genre gives us a safe space to express our fears, to talk about our fears, to say that ‘I was scared!’ without having the kind of personal obligation to say that you are a fearful person,” she says. And this exploration can have a myriad of mental and emotional benefits beyond the those obvious evolutionary ones. Yep, that’s right—a date with Michael Myers could actually help relieve anxiety and boost your mood, among other things. Check out three ways scary movies can benefit your health. Photo: Getty Images/vladens 1. Believe it or not, they’re confidence boosters An awareness of how your
Yerbe mate tea is the underrated caffeine source you need to know about
October 26, 2018 at 04:31AM There’s no shortage of hot beverages with healing properties: hot water with lemon, golden milk lattes, moringa tea… One more—with its own unique health benefits—to add to the list? Yerba mate tea. Yerba mate tea is a traditional South American drink that’s said to taste like tea, have the energizing hit of coffee, and the joy-inducing benefits of chocolate. Sound too good to be true? Keep reading for the complete low-down of its benefits, potential side effects, and a recipe to try it at home. Here’s everything you need to know about yerba mate tea. What is yerba mate tea? Made from the dried twigs and leaves of the “ilex paraguariensis plant” (say that five times fast), yerba mate tea is typically steeped in hot water and then sipped with a metal straw from a container called a “gourd”—which can be as simple as a hollowed-out gourd or as intricate as a homemade ceramic. The eco-friendly, re-usable straw, called a “bombilla,” has filters out the tea leaves. (So don’t worry about any getting stuck between your teeth.) In countries where yerba mate is popular, drinking it is often a social event. Think of it kind of like a post-yoga matcha date with your friends. The biggest difference is that at these social meetups—which typically take place outdoors, like in a park—individuals sit in a circle, passing around the gourd, as each person takes a single sip from the same cup, before passing it on. Of course, this