February 27, 2019 at 10:42AM by CWC When you’re a kid, you just don’t appreciate how easy it is to fall asleep. It’s like a million times more likely that the biggest stress keeping you awake at night is wondering where you misplaced your favorite Lip Smacker than it is a case of sleep FOMO. In grown-up real life though, there are many culprits behind your shut-eye struggles, from a snoring bedmate to worrying about work and general anxiety. But something you can’t do anything about? Being genetically prone to insomnia. A meta-analysis published in the journal Nature Genetics looked at data from more than 453,000 people and found that 57 gene regions are associated with insomnia. Because the discovered links weren’t affected by common risk factors of insomnia—such as “lifestyle, caffeine consumption, depression, or recent stress”—the findings provide even more evidence that the risk of the sleep disorder can be inherited. “Our findings confirm a role for genetics in insomnia symptoms and expand upon the four previously found [gene regions] for this condition,” says lead author Jacqueline M. Lane, PhD, in a press release. “All of these identified regions help us understand why some people get insomnia, which pathways and systems are affected, and point to possible new therapeutic targets.” So basically, there’s good news and bad news. The bad news is no matter what steps you take to fight insomnia, it could simply be part of your genes. And the good? Having a better idea of the cause provides doctors more insight
Category: 2019 Health
A deep dive into dirty talk—and how to do it without feeling like an awkward llama
February 27, 2019 at 09:46AM by CWC F*ck me like someone who closes deals. That is an actual line I actually once said. Verbatim. Out loud. To my partner. When he was inside me. Why? Because he had just closed a deal at work, so that felt like a good thing to say in the moment. What ensued was the kind of sex I imagine inspires romance novels. But after, we burst out laughing as we repeated my bold outcry in different accents back and forth to each other. Dirty talk. So many of us think it’s hot (in fact, research has shown that those who communicate pleasure during sex are more likely to experience sexual satisfaction than those who did not). But outside the bedroom (or kitchen counter, or really wherever the urge strikes), those grunted phrases come across as naughty and awkward in the best of scenarios and filthy and degrading in the worst. So what is it exactly about erotic-leaning chatter that is such a turn on for so many people? Below, experts dish on why the discourse can be so sexy—plus, seven tips for how to talk dirty without feeling like an awkward llama. Why dirty talk can be a turn-on Beyond being undeniably hot, talking dirty also appeals to our brains, our bodies, and it flips the bird to standards of societal decorum. Furthermore, it introduces an additional sense (hearing) to any sexcapade, and is therefore able to stimulate the brain more so than touch alone.
Pencil down these 4 pro tips for dealing with regret if FOMO is your nemesis
February 27, 2019 at 09:43AM by CWC When you’re bombarded with social media at every waking moment—AKA photos of people living their best lives (supposedly)—it’s easy to begin to feel unsatisfied with the trajectory of your life. People tend to portray their most ideal selves on their profiles, so it’s only natural to look back at a lovey-dovey photo of you and your ex and think, “Why did that relationship end? We looked so happy.” Or you could wonder what would’ve happened if you didn’t turn down that opportunity over a year ago once you see that a friend just made an exciting career move. In other words: Social media can lead to an avalanche of “What if?” thoughts, which can leave you feeling not-so-pleasant. That uncomfortable, gut-level feeling has a name: regret, and it’s not fun for anyone. But, like any emotion, it has a purpose—it sends you a message about what you should do with your behavior, and indicates that something is occurring in your environment. Essentially it’s a flag that you need to work through something. To help, I tapped licensed social worker Shannon Thomas and clinical psychologist Dr. Lara Fielding for the 411 on the all-too-common feeling that can plague you. “Regret stems from a major disappointment that things haven’t worked out—that deep, soul-level disappointment that things aren’t different,” says Thomas. She believes that hindsight really is twenty-twenty. “Sometimes it’s about having to step back and realize that you did what you did with the information
4 questions a personal stylist says can help you figure out how much clothing you actually (I mean, really) need in your life
February 27, 2019 at 09:09AM by CWC One day, as I was going through my usual getting-dressed routine—pulling everything out of my closet and then staring at the mess I’ve made until making myself 15 minutes late—I had the radical (ha) thought that maybe more clothing options aren’t better. “How many clothes do I need?” I pondered as I lie on my bed covered with errant clothing, silk blouses and sequins strewn across my duvet. (Okay, that was melodramatic—I really had this epiphany when I was doing laundry and I realized that now that I have to use a coin-op machine, washing all my clothes just became incredibly expensive. But the other image appealed to my sense of drama.) Like, isn’t there a magical number of clothes to own? Which is exactly what I ask Lisey Barela, Chicago head of sales and styling for Trunk Club, a subscription box service that pairs you with a stylist to help you “build a better wardrobe” i.e. one you’ll actually wear and that fits your fashion needs. “I don’t believe there is a magic number. Everybody is so unique in their preferences,” she tells me. (I take this as my cue to continue buying things—come here Dr. Martens currently in my cart.) “I think a specific number is very individual, but I do think having certain basics; however, will help ground your wardrobe.” She is also a proponent of investing in quality items over quantity. “I firmly believe in less is more when it comes
Gommages are the gentlest, most effective way to exfoliate
February 27, 2019 at 09:00AM by CWC When it comes to exfoliating, there are methods aplenty that will get the job done, but many of them can aggravate skin and leave it feeling dried out and sensitive. If that rings a bell, it’s time to get acquainted with gommages, the easiest, gentlest way to tell dead skin to peace out. Gommages actually borrow their name from French verb meaning “to scrub.” Since their advent, they’ve have been used worldwide, and according to Uma oils founder and Ayurvedic expert Shrankhla Holecek, they’re frequently tapped in India, because the gentle ingredients in them align with Ayurvedic skin-care philosophies. “Ayurveda applies powerful but thoroughly gentle ingredients and rituals to ensure that skin is perfectly cleansed, but never stripped of the natural oils it produces as a barrier to fight environmental attack or altered in pH,” she tells me. Essentially, you slather on the typically rough-feeling, textured product (though some can be more of a smooth paste consistency) then leave it on for a couple of minutes before rinsing it off. Rather than sloughing off your dead skin cells (like other exfoliators do) gommages work by simply binding to the external debris on your skin—which comes off with water without leaving your skin sensitized. “Synthetic or traditional cleansers can sometimes be overly stripping, cause unwanted damage to the good skin cells, and negatively impact your pH, explains Holecek. “Facial scrubs use granules to buff the skin, while gommages very specifically bind to what’s external on
These giant Japanese oranges are the seedless citrus treat you and your immune system need right now
February 27, 2019 at 07:59AM by CWC Punxsutawney Phil is a liar: This is the winter that never ends. One week, it’s Polar Vortexing. Then the next, a beautiful sunny day turns into a straight-up ice storm. Since cozy coats can only do so much good in protecting you from the ridiculously cold weather, there’s another way you can ensure you and your immune system stay strong the rest of the season: eating giant, vitamin C-packed Sumo oranges. If you haven’t heard of Sumo oranges, Eva Chen has kind of become an unofficial spokesperson. The fashion editor and influencer recently shared her obsession of the fruit on her Instagram Stories, calling them her “new favorite.” People also started messaging her about the oranges (which she also documented on her Stories), sharing how much they loved them, too. Which gave me a major feeling of FOMOOC (Fear Of Missing Out On Citrus). According to Sumo Citrus—the prime grower of the oranges—Sumo oranges are a cross between mandarin oranges and California oranges (specially, the navel orange, per the New York Times), making them juicy, sweet, easy to peel, and seedless. They’re also a bit more expansive than your typical orange…like, $2.49 a pound at Trader Joe’s expensive…but most people seem to agree it’s totally worth it. (For comparison, the average cost of a navel orange in 2019 was $1.39 per pound.) The other thing about Sumo oranges: They’ve def got their own look. Per the New York Times, the Japanese-developed orange gets its name
OK, TMI…What happens when you take the morning after pill?
February 27, 2019 at 07:15AM by CWC IMO, nothing kills a hookup mood quite like a birth control mishap. Seriously, I’ll take an awkward sex dream about my high-school math teacher any day over an unplanned pregnancy scare. Of course, Americans now have affordable, over-the-counter access to emergency contraception pills in case of SOS situations like these. But that doesn’t necessarily make a birth-control fail any less stressful. As someone who’s personally had to take the “morning after” pill a few times in my life, in each instance I’ve worried about how it’s going to affect me. Will it actually work? What will that high dose of hormones do to my body in the long-run? (After all, hormones affect everything.) Since I know I’m not the only one who’s grappled with those questions, I asked a few doctors to address what a person might expect from their emergency contraception experience if it ever arises in their life. First, a few caveats. No two people’s bodies are the same and everyone’s experience (especially side effects-wise) will be a bit different. Plus, it’s important to respect the “emergency” part of EC when you’re thinking about taking the morning after pill—it doesn’t prevent STIs and isn’t designed to be used on the reg, so experts all agree that it should never be considered your primary form of birth control. However, it can definitely be a helpful ally in certain circumstances. So read on, whether you need the advice right now or not—because you can never be
How ‘Star Wars’ inspired this Brooklyn energy worker
February 27, 2019 at 06:00AM by CWC As Black History Month comes to a close, Well+Good introduces Wellness in Color, a new series highlighting prominent wellness practitioners of color who are doing healing work in their communities. Featuring conversations led by Latham Thomas, a Well+Good Council member and the founder of Mama Glow, these stories will shine a spotlight on energy workers, nutrition experts, sexuality doulas, and other wellness luminaries. The series kicks off with Daoud Abeid, a Level 4 Reiki master in Brooklyn whose philosophies will inspire you to be more in tune with your own energy. Latham Thomas: Daoud, to start: What is it that you refer to yourself as, in terms of your life’s work? Daoud Abeid: I do healing work. I don’t really consider myself a healer; I consider it more of creating opportunity for other people to activate their own healing and embrace the possibility of healing themselves. I do spiritual work, helping people through advice and holding counsel for them. A lot of what I do is helping people get to the root of the things that are causing the issues that they have—as opposed to just treating the symptoms, which is generally how Western medicine works. My goal is that, hopefully, people don’t have to keep coming back to see me. Beautiful. If someone were to ask what Reiki is, what would you say to them? Reiki is really love energy. It’s life-force energy. It’s a person who is attuned to channel their energy
The secret to sleeping better and longer just might be giving yourself a break at the office
February 27, 2019 at 05:00AM by CWC If you’re burned out at work—which, let’s be honest, most of us have been at one point or another—you’ve likely fantasized about crawling into bed and sleeping for, like, an avocado’s entire lifespan. But if you’ve ever actually tried to snooze deeply when you’re drowning in deadlines, you know all too well that restorative rest can be really hard to come by during a period of serious stress. (Seriously, cortisol and adrenaline levels aren’t working in your favor here.) This connection between burnout and insomnia, which probably seems fairly obvious to anyone with a demanding job, has real science behind it: A study of 1,300 financial workers showed that job strain only represents a risk factor for burnout if coupled with insomnia. And, for a lot of Well+Good readers, work and stress—and work stress—is, indeed, interfering with shut-eye: In a recent survey, we asked what keeps people up at night; 55 percent cited work or school, 60 percent said anxiety, and 65 percent said general stress. The first step in fixing this stress insomnia is accepting that it’s is a problem. “If the stress you’re experiencing is impacting other areas of your life, like relationships, friendships, physical health, or sleeping habits, then it may be time to pause and reassess whether or not that stress is turning toxic,” says Paige Rechtman, LMHC. “If the stress you’re experiencing is impacting other areas of your life, like…sleeping habits, then it may be time to pause and reassess whether
This $5 drugstore concealer is saving my face from the worst pimple of my life
February 27, 2019 at 04:02AM by CWC One morning last week, I woke up with the worst pimple I have ever seen in my life—on my own face or anyone else’s. It’s smack in the middle of my right cheek, one of those deep, cystic suckers that’s the size of a silver dollar, swollen to all hell, and a shade of deep crimson that makes it look like it could burst open at any moment. Oh, and it hurts. A lot. To say that I have tried everything over the last six days would be a serious understatement. From the lethal combo of benzoyl peroxide, salicylic acid and tea tree oil, to the far less traditional method of rubbing it with ice and a clove of garlic (thanks, Instagram followers), to even having a dermatologist inject it with cortisone, I can say with full confidence that I have exhausted every single method of pimple extraction that my knowledge as a beauty editor, the Internet, and my actual doctor has to offer. Without doing the devil’s work of popping it, that is. Soooo all I can really do now is wait it out and hope that eventually it gets better (and if that doesn’t happen, it may be time for cortisone shot number two). While I’ve tried to embrace my latest facial accessory and let it breathe as much as possible, there have been a few instances—like on a Saturday night out, and going into a big meeting—where I’ve had to