Do you really know?

Side, stomach or back; what kind of sleeper are you? Some people say that our sleeping position reflects what kind of person we are. .. While we can’t really comment on how much truth there is to that, we can say for sure that it has an impact on sleep quality and consequently our mood in the morning. Let’s take a few minutes to talk about our personal favourites. Well I usually sleep on my back w...

Do you ever feel like you’re always in a rush, constantly getting things done at the latest possible time? It could be paying a bill, cleaning our home or even recording a podcast! Well you’re certainly not alone in that respect. According to Deacon Joseph Ferrari, who specialises in the area, 20% of us are chronic procrastinators. And a 2020 survey by Micro Biz Mag found that just 15.6% of people...

Lying is the act of deliberately making a false statement or concealing the truth. People might lie for different reasons, like to avoid getting into trouble, to get something they want, to make someone feel better, or to look good in front of others. However, lying is not always easy or comfortable. When people lie, they have to deal with two conflicting realities: the truth and the lie. This can...

Having beautiful white teeth of course depends on good oral hygiene to a degree. But brushing and flossing alone aren’t the only factors. The structural integrity of our tooth enamel is actually determined by genetics, meaning some of us are more likely to experience decay than others.  The same goes for dentine, which is the calcified tissue that lies underneath tooth enamel, protecting the denta...

Most of us never really forget the person who first made our heart race or that awkward, wonderful, or maybe disappointing teenage kiss. Whether it was magic or a mess, that first experience often leaves a mark that shapes the way we see relationships as adults. How can one relationship have such a lasting effect?
So, do we keep comparing every relationship to that first one?
Does it matter if tha...

On paper, fish have everything required to be an excellent staple to many diets. They’re rich in protein, vitamins, trace elements, long-chain omega-3 fatty acids, and aren’t too high in calories. The only downside is that fish live in an increasingly polluted environment. What with heavy metals and plastic waste invading the oceans, more and more people are concerned about the pitfalls of eating...

As Ronald Reagan’s US Secretary of State during the 1980s, George Shultz played a key role in bringing an end to the decades-old Cold War. He helped build relations with USSR leader Mikhail Gorbachev, as well as countries in the Asia-Pacific region.  In 1989, Shultz was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his services, the United States’ highest civilian honour. He passed away in Februar...

On average, we remember just one dream per week, and around 5% of us never remember any. But in reality, we all dream; it’s just that some of us never have any recollection of doing so. So why is it then that certain dreams stay with us, while others fade away immediately? It’s important to be aware that over the course of a night, we go through various phases of slow sleep, including deep sleep a...

According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, there are as many as 430 deaths per year due to wrong-way crashes in the United States alone. That might be hard to believe as for most of us driving on the “right” side of the road is as automatic as brushing your teeth. But there is of a course a divide between countries that drive on the left and those that drive on the right. In ancient times...

Covid allowed many people to work from home for the first time and created a world where more flexible, hybrid working, mixing office work and working from home is now possible. But there are things to keep in mind to optimise this type of experience According to Prof Jonathan Trevor at the University of Oxford’s Saïd Business School he suggests that it is better to match the task to the environme...

You thought they were the one. You could already see yourselves growing old together… and then it just fell apart. A few arguments, one or two mistakes, and that was that. Except that between love, resentment, nostalgia and shared memories, sometimes the urge to ‘go back for seconds’ creeps in.  Is it really that common? But why do people do it - what’s the point of sleeping with your ex? Is break...

An often cited estimate suggests that children smile an average of 400 times per day, while when we reach adulthood that figure drops to just 50 times, even for the happiest of us. For most adults, it’s more like 20 times. Now of course most of the time we smile involuntarily in response to something bringing us joy or making us laugh. But it’s also possible to smile intentionally, which can actua...

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...