Do you really know?

The word nomophobia means a fear of being without our smartphone, and it’s affecting more and more people with each passing year. Back in 2021, a phone addiction study by researchers from King’s College London found that 38.9% of young people qualified as smartphone addicts. Many admitted being unable to control their usage and that it got in the way of other activities like work or studies.  So,...

A lot of people think that morning erections are triggered by erotic dreams, or a need to pee, but in fact they're a physiological reflex linked to sleep. That’s right - they’re not dependent on sexual arousal at all. And in a somewhat similar way, women actually also experience increased blood flow to the clitoris during the night. Now, the scientific term for a nighttime erection is nocturnal pe...

Eating a healthy diet that includes a lot of fruits, vegetables, legumes, and fish can help you keep your brain in tip-top shape. There are plenty of brain boosting foods but here are five that you might want to start including.  First of all, oily fish. When people talk about brain foods this is often at the top of the list. This type of fish includes salmon, trout, tuna, herring, and sardines, a...

It is a bit of a stereotype that the Brits love to moan, with the weather and Brexit being among the most common causes of grumbling around the country. It might not always be pleasant around someone who’s complaining, but there is something deeply authentic about it. What’s more, moaning can provide a form of relief and allow people to express their dissatisfaction, frustration or bad mood. That’...

According to the UK Office for National Statistics, September 26 was the most popular day to be born over the last two decades, which falls 39 weeks and two days after Christmas day. Babies are born with certain reflexes that result in involuntary movements. These are called primitive reflexes, and the movements happen automatically without the baby sending a message to their brain. Such reflexes...

We’ve all heard about the importance of getting a balanced diet, but some people choose to ignore that advice completely, and those following the carnivore diet are a prime example. As you may have guessed from its name, the carnivore diet involves eating almost exclusively meat, sometimes raw, sometimes cooked, and might also include fish. Healthline.com says that “other animal foods like eggs an...

Many people tend to exercise less during the colder months, preferring to stay indoors and avoid the chilly weather. But doing exercise in winter is a good idea for lots of reasons so don’t let the cold put you off.   Exercising in cold weather can offer many advantages for your physical and mental health. For example, according to a study published in March 2023 in BMC Public Health, winter worko...

Every January, many of us set ambitious resolutions for the year ahead. We jot down our aspirations, fueled by goodwill, and promise ourselves that this time, we won’t give up after just a month. But somehow, as the year unfolds, our motivation wanes, and those once-clear goals seem increasingly elusive. If you’re tired of this cycle, it might be time to consider a fresh approach: the twelve-week...

Sex is generally synonymous with pleasure, but sometimes it can bring on headaches that are unpleasant at best. They’re known as sex headaches or orgasm headaches, but the scientific term is “primary headache associated with sexual activity”. And they don’t just kill the mood in the bedroom. The resulting pain usually lasts at least a few minutes according to The Mayo Clinic, but it can be a matte...

Talk of energy has been storming the headlines recently. A long, cold winter is approaching and prices are soaring, due to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict... Russia has long been Europe’s main energy supplier, but reducing dependence on Russian energy has now become critical, with many countries putting sanctions or boycotts in place. Meanwhile Russia stands accused of sabotaging gas pipelines...

When it comes to health, it’s clear that gender differences play a significant role. It's now recognized that the occurrence of diseases, their onset age, symptoms, severity, and even responses to medications differ between men and women. The question of whether men and women perceive pain differently has been a topic of scientific discourse for quite some time. It’s an important matter too, as it...

It's back to school! Do You Really Know is dedicating a special week to sport. Because moving and doing regular physical activity is important for our physical and mental health! Listen again to our episodes about sport! With many types of personal goals, actually doing the task is only part of the battle. Being mentally prepared is also hugely important and can sometimes be overlooked. Sports and...

In the UK, owning a home is still seen as a key sign of financial stability. For many, it means security against life’s uncertainties - job loss, illness, or income drops and a way to build long-term wealth instead of paying rent. Today, according to the comparison site Finder the average age of a first-time buyer is just under 34. In London, it’s closer to 35. That’s several years older than in t...

When it comes to what counts as being unfaithful in a relationship, everyone has their own definition. Some might say that only physical contact with another person is cheating, whereas others will argue that even a mildly flirtatious conversation is unacceptable. That's where the concept of micro-cheating comes into play. Micro cheating refers to seemingly minor actions that suggest a person is e...

Sleepwalking is a disorder that comes on during the deep sleep phase, from one to three hours after falling asleep. Episodes can last from 5 to 30 minutes and despite the condition’s name, they don’t always involve walking. Often people just rub their eyes, sit up on their bed or talk in their sleep.  According to the NHS, one in five children will sleepwalk at least once in their life. Meanwhile,...

Friendship is often said to be eternal, to withstand the test of time and distance. We expect friends to accept everything about us, but it's not always that simple. Just like any relationship, they can become complicated and sometimes toxic. Not all friendships are always worth keeping, and certain signs can indicate when one is nearing its end. Friendships should be a source of joy, support, and...

For a number of years now, our smartphones have played a central role in many aspects of our lives, from work to personal relationships to entertainment. There’s a close and sometimes addictive connection.  Just think of doomscrolling for example, which is a phenomenon we’ve discussed in the past on Do You Really Know. It’s a form of behaviour which sees us compulsively scrolling through depressin...

You’re standing or sitting perfectly still, but yet you feel like everything is spinning around you, as if you were on a theme park ride. You’ve been getting nausea and throwing up too. Well, the chances are you’re suffering from vertigo.  According to the NHS: "Vertigo can also feel like you're being pulled, tilted, or pushed to one side…[and is] often accompanied by nausea, vomiting, problems wi...

Not everyone has the same relationship with social contact. Introverts, for example, recharge by spending time alone. Meanwhile extroverts get their energy from being around other people. But here’s the thing: being introverted or enjoying solitude isn’t the same as being lonely. Loneliness can actually become painful, and even harmful, when it drags on for too long. What happens when loneliness b...

Making a slip-up at work might not seem like a big deal most of the time, but on occasion it can lead to disappointment and frustration. And no matter how careful we try to be, all it takes is a moment of distraction or a misunderstanding, and boom – mistake made.  The thing is it happens to all of us, every day. Posting on Linkedin in 2016, Leading Edge Safety Systems CEO Graham Edkins wrote that...

If you've ever strolled down the dairy aisle of your local grocery store, chances are you've come across these little tubs of Icelandic goodness. Skyr yoghurt has really grown in popularity in the last five to ten years. But is it really as healthy as it’s touted to be, or is its reputation down to marketing hype?  It's a traditional Icelandic yogurt, which is said to have been brought to Iceland...

As much as society might tell us the opposite, sex isn't actually always about pleasure. And that's especially true for men affected by the condition we're going to talk about today. It's known as postorgasmic illness syndrome, or POIS for short, and it's considered a rare disease. According to a review published in Sexual Medicine Reviews journal in 2018, there were only 50 recorded diagnoses, bu...

What is a tumour? The word tumour comes directly from the Latin word for “swelling”. A tumour appears when a group of cells multiply and form a mass. Even though some tumours are malignant, or cancerous, most are actually benign, or non-cancerous. When normal cells multiply and remain localized, there’s nothing to worry about. These can be, for example, moles or warts. Can benign tumours develop a...

The idea that light-colored eyes are generally more fragile is pretty widespread. They’re less resistant to sunlight and require more protection. According to Medical News Today, it’s estimated that around 8-10% of people in the world have blue eyes. When our eyes are open, rays of light pass through the pupil, the black opening in the center of the iris. As you may know, the pupil dilates when it...

During winter, we tend to huddle indoors in an understandable bid to stay warm. But while this makes for a cosy setting, it also becomes a major breeding ground for virus transmission. The dry air in offices, public transport and our homes can strip the moisture from our nasal passages, leaving us more susceptible to infections. The nose, mouth, and eyes serve as the primary gateways for viruses t...