February 08, 2019 at 09:53AM by CWC For years, I was lucky enough to sleep like a baby. Not to brag or anything, but for me, it was really a pass-out-the-second-my-head-hits-the-pillow kind of situation, and I wouldn’t wake up until my alarm blared come morning. But now, that’s not always the case: My once-flawless sleep schedule has sometimes turned into lying awake in bed for hours, making me incredibly tired the next day. And I know I’m not the only one dealing with these issues. While it’s recommended to sleep at least seven hours a night, 1 in 3 adults don’t meet those requirements, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And there are many reasons for that, like technology—yes, Netflix binge-watching, that includes you—and stressing about money and your job. In fact, one study found 71 percent of millennials wake up worrying about something at least three nights a week. Unfortunately, that lack of sleep can seriously affect your health and well-being: According to Harvard Medical School, it not only impacts your “judgment, mood, and ability to learn and retain information,” but it can also increase your risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, and death. We’re passionate about this issue at Well+Good, and that’s where you come in. Take a few minutes to fill out the sleep and fatigue survey below to help us understand what’s keeping you up at night (maybe literally) regarding sleep and fatigue. You’ll be helping us better serve you and your needs—and hopefully together we can
Category: 2019 Health
Rihanna-loved designer Adam Selman gives us all the details on his debut activewear line, A.S.S.
February 08, 2019 at 09:52AM by CWC Let me be blunt: If your closet’s curated in a blend-into-the-background kind of way, Adam Selman‘s work is probably not for you. After all, this is the designer who crafted Rihanna’s show-stopping “naked dress” from the 2014 CFDA Awards, not to mention OTT tour costumes for Katy Perry and Lady Gaga. But if you’re not afraid of a little neon, leopard print, or sparkle—after-hours or at the studio—then you should probably Kondo your gym bag to make space for his latest endeavor. The new Adam Selman Sport collection, cheekily dubbed A.S.S. for short, sets out to fill a pizzaz gap in studio-to-street fashion. “When I was researching the landscape, I really felt like fun was missing from the market,” says the designer, who’s also fronted his own ready-to-wear line since 2013. “Everything felt very sweet, fresh-air, safe, or black. Nothing in between.” By tapping into the sartorial legacy of iconoclasts like Florence Griffith Joyner—the ’80s track star known for her killer nail art and asymmetrical running costumes—Selman’s debut activewear effort is infused with a “bold, playful spirit” that’s made for the Instagram age. For instance, a pair of sheer animal-print leggings—already sold out on Carbon38—lend modern Jane Fonda vibes to a barre-class mirror selfie. Crystal-studded sports bras, bike shorts, post-gym mini-dresses, and track pants could convince me to bring my KiraKira app out of retirement. Many pieces in the collection, like a Carbon38-exclusive quilted bomber, are designed to be gender-neutral. (Los Angeles-based fitness instructor Jason Wimberly wore
I did yoga every day for a year and learned a ton about myself in the process
February 08, 2019 at 09:26AM by CWC Hi, my name is Avery, and I have practiced yoga every day for the past year. Truly, if I’m being honest, while I have not skipped a single day in the past 365, I don’t think I’ve missed more than a handful over the past five years. That might sound crazy to those alarm clock snoozers or early-to-bedders, but I’m here to tell you that it has totally changed my life. Allow me to explain. A little over five years ago, I quit my full-time office job at a glossy fashion magazine to go out on my own as a freelance writer and stylist. Back then, I hadn’t exercised for more than a collective week since high school, and (spoiler alert!) that was longer than I cared to admit. So on that first Monday in May (yes, it really was…) I woke up before the sun—my very own boss—and was invigorated by the new non-scheduled schedule I was about to set up for myself. I started the day with a hot power yoga class. I had dabbled in heated yoga in high school, and then again in college, but it never really stuck. Now, with little structure to my full-of-work days as a freelancer, I needed something to jump-start that energy. So, I slipped into my leggings and tank top, threw my yoga mat in my bag, and off to Earth Yoga I went. Quietly sitting in the back of the class, it
WTF is the Hoffman Process and why do celebs love it?
February 08, 2019 at 08:24AM by CWC We’ve long suspected that Justin Bieber is laser-focused on the latest wellness trends and a recent interview confirms that fact. The Biebs opened up to Vogue about his experience with soul-searching at the celebrity-approved Hoffman Institute, which hosts supposedly transformative weeklong retreats in St. Helena, California. Feeling like he wasn’t prepared to meet the demands of the Hoffman Process, the newlywed pop star left the program after a few short days. But we’re still curious about what goes on behind closed doors. Several celebrities have eagerly endorsed the Hoffman Process. Katy Perry cited her time at the California campus (there’s another one in Connecticut) for providing a “soul foundation.” Sienna Miller depicted her week as “terrifying but extraordinary.” Still, for those who haven’t participated, the Hoffman Process is somewhat shrouded in mystery. I hopped on the phone with Raz Ingrasci, a teacher who worked alongside the late founder of the Hoffman Process, Bob Hoffman. He described the institute as a place for people who want to “change.” “We encourage people to lean into the pain that they’re carrying in a certain way, with instruction and observation,” he said. “They learn to become more comfortable about the parts that were painful and shameful. And a wholeness comes to the emotionally and spiritually from doing that.” In practice, the process includes journaling, guided visualizations, and lectures administered in individual and group settings. The curriculum centers on Bob Hoffman’s proprietary method to combat “negative love syndrome,” a term he coined for the
A reason to play nice in dating pool? Literally losing sleep when things don’t end swimmingly
February 08, 2019 at 07:53AM by CWC Even if you really, truly think you mean it when you brazenly text an ex “I’m not losing any sleep over this,” new research suggests that, uh, you may be seriously kidding yourself. A recent study published in Personal Relationships found healthy relationships in your twenties are correlated with better sleep in your thirties. Alternatively, troublesome relationships are correlated with…well, maybe just invest in some lavender oil. Researchers note that those who had a positive long-term romantic relationship at age 23 were ultimately exposed to less stressful life events by age 32 and also rewarded with heightened sleep quality by middle-adulthood at age 37. All of this prompts some pretty big questions—namely, what kind of lucky, well-adjusted unicorn has a steady, healthy, positive relationship at age 23? Well, a lot of the findings draw from research conducted on first-time mothers in the mid-’70s below the poverty line who agreed to have their child tracked for relationship effectiveness from birth to mid-adulthood. The kids who stayed onboard through age 37 contributed to the findings on “relationship effectiveness.” Higher scores tended to reflect relationships with, “mutual caring, trust, and emotional closeness; concern for, and sensitivity to, the other’s needs and wishes; sharing of experiences and enjoyment of each other; and faithfulness, loyalty, and honesty.” So while at age 23, most of my friends were still learning how to cook beyond the confines of a box of Kraft mac and cheese—for themselves, mind you—it does make sense for sleep quality
Omega 3 deficiency is wildly common, and that’s not great news for skin
February 08, 2019 at 07:31AM by CWC It took but one deep-diving DNA test to tell me that I was severely deficient in Omega 3s (and 6s, the full-package deal) which are widely known to help improve cardiovascular health and even brain function—not to mention skin condition. There are complexion-boosting benefits to both ingesting essential fatty acids and applying them topically that should be taken seriously—especially since according to Arivale, the new wellness platform that tests nutrient levels in comparison to thousands of clients, most of us are likely lacking. “Arivale tests labs related to your Omega 3 levels, called an Omega 3 index. At the initial observation, 88.62 percent of Arivale members were out of range,” says Erica Mouch, RDN CD LD and Arivale Coach, who adds that since we can’t naturally create more, it’s time to be an adult and seek them out. “To have the right levels in our bodies, they must be consumed or taken as a supplement. Together, Omega 3 and Omega 6 support reducing inflammation, which may be most visible in your skin.” Ingesting Omega 3 and 6 for skin health A quality supplement is a must, which has been the focus of Omega 3 Innovations, who follow Norway’s sustainable fishing regulations to produce cod liver oil (with zero fishy taste, mind you) masquerading as delectable treats like dark chocolate truffles and gluten-free cookies that deliver the same amount of fish oil as eating a 5-ounce filet of salmon. The easy sweet-tooth swaps are serious business
Aly Raisman on why “strength” has taken on a new meaning for her this year
February 08, 2019 at 07:26AM by CWC When Aerie asked gymnast Aly Raisman to identify her superpower for its latest campaign, she chose the word “strength.” At the 2012 and 2016 Olympics, the world watched Raisman show off her physical strength by helping Team USA win history-making, back-to-back gold medals. But in the past year and a half, the word has taken on an entirely new meaning in her life. In November, 2017, Raisman came forward alongside over 160 other women to accuse her former gymnastics coach, Larry Nassar, of sexual abuse. During her 13-minute testimony at his sentencing hearing last January, she delivered a powerful message, at times looking her abuser straight in the eyes. “Abusers, your time is up. The survivors are here, standing tall, and we are not going anywhere,” she said. And in the months since, Raisman’s made it abundantly clear that she plans to hold true to that promise. She has become an advocate and activist, sharing her story across the country and acting as a source of support for other victims of abuse. But as she told me when we sat down together at Aerie’s headquarters in New York City on the day of her campaign launch (which she stars in—un-retouched—with other badass ladies we love like Busy Philipps, Iskra Lawrence, and Cleo Wade), the only way she can be strong for others is if she prioritizes taking care of herself. As a journalist, I know how unprofessional it is to gush about my subjects. But as
Help your houseplants get properly lit with a super pretty DIY grow light
February 08, 2019 at 05:27AM by CWC This winter has been particularly rough for my indoor jungle. My prized monstera, once thriving and cheerful, is now droopy and depressed. With limited sunlight throughout the day, even through South-facing windows of my apartment, I can only do so much to give my plants what they need. Needless to say, I was thrilled to find out that you can fake it with a DIY grow light. Easier to construct than I expected, a grow light will mimic the sun, bathing my plants in all the brightness they deserve. Grow lights can be expensive, not to mention ugly. While I want my plants to be healthy, I’m averse to the idea of dropping hundreds of dollars on an eyesore. But Adam Besheer, co-owner of the botanic design company Greenery NYC, has a genius solution. You’ll find his indoor vertical gardens and green walls throughout New York City—all of which depend on grow lights to stay healthy. “Plants require certain wavelengths of light to grow, and different wavelengths cause different grow patterns. Too much can burn them, but too little and they starve to death,” he tells me. “Grow lights still aren’t as good as sunlight—they still aren’t able to cover the breadth of wavelengths emitted by a burning mass of hydrogen we can’t really conceive the size of. But they’re a great substitute.” How to build a DIY grow light When creating your own grow light, there are a few things to consider, such as
How your Venus sign influences your love life
February 08, 2019 at 05:14AM by CWC There are so many ways to show love—from public declarations like going “Instagram official” to subtly sweet gestures like a home-cooked meal and perfectly folded piles of laundry. Some love is sappy and sentimental. For others, it’s all about physical connection like packing on the PDA and keeping things interesting in the bedroom. And all of it makes sense from an astrological perspective because, depending on where your Venus sign falls on your birth chart, your ideal love language can look like a lot of different things. Like your sun sign, the placement of Venus in your chart can influence your views on how to give and receive love. (Helpful intel ahead of Valentine’s Day, no?) Venus’ placements represent your attitude toward love, relationships, and generally the things you want in life. “For example, Gemini Venus people are usually a little aloof when it comes to matters of the heart,” says astrologist Jaadee, a personal reader for stars of a different type like singers SZA and Kehlani. “As a result, you give off the impression of being detached from your lovers. But the reality is, you’re absolutely crazy about them!” After figuring out what zodiac sign rules your Venus, the fun can really start. Through conscious actions, you can really get in touch with the Venus elements inside you and nurture them to strengthen your romantic intentions. “The best way to get in touch with your Venus sign is to give yourself the
Real talk: Gluten just isn’t that bad for most of us
February 08, 2019 at 05:11AM by CWC [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wn9XGWtvL1s] Cutting out gluten has never been more mainstream than it is today (popular eating plans like Whole30 and Paleo require it), but for what? In the latest installment of our YouTube series You Versus Food devoted to debunking nutrition myths, registered dietician Tracy Lockwood-Beckerman gets real about the doughy proteins in our carbs. First off, gluten is a protein found in wheat, and it serves a real purpose in food. As anyone who watches The Great British Baking Show knows, gluten gives wheat bread its structure. “Think of gluten as the glue that holds together your favorite wheat-based treats,” Lockwood-Beckerman says. There are some people who genuinely cannot eat gluten—but those numbers are pretty small. Lockwood-Beckerman says just 1 percent of the population has been diagnosed with celiac disease (about 3 million people), an autoimmune disorder that renders your body unable to process gluten. Meanwhile, about 6 percent of the population (as many as 20 million people, she says) have non-celiac gluten sensitivity, when people test negative for celiac but still have some digestive issues when eating gluten. This is a pretty new phenomenon, she says, and thus hasn’t been researched a ton. For those people, cutting gluten makes total sense. But for everyone else…Lockwood-Beckerman has some real talk. “Going gluten-free is just for gluten-free’s sake is as much of a trend as fanny packs or those tiny useless sunglasses that everyone seems to be wearing,” she says. “It’s possible you’re losing out on some