Do you really know?

What is Stendhal syndrome? Stendhal’s syndrome is a rare and unusual psychological disorder. It’s a psychosomatic condition whereby certain people suffer from a rapid heartbeat, fainting or even hallucinations, when exposed to objects or works of art of great beauty. The condition takes its name from a famous French writer who experienced a similar state of intense emotion upon visiting Rome, Napl...

"Here’s my yoga instructor’s number”, "You must try this detox juice", "Download this diet app right now!". Have you ever heard people give this kind of ‘friendly advice’ to others in the past. Perhaps people have said things like that to you, with a little too much insistence for your liking. These days, there’s a certain demand for people to pursue physical and mental well-being, which has becom...

Remote work was thrust upon many companies as soon as the Covid-19 pandemic hit. All of a sudden, workers had to perform their job effectively in a pretty different environment, which isn’t always as easy as it might sound. Some struggled to be as efficient as in the office, a potential source of frustration for employee and manager alike. If you’re wondering how you can improve your productivity...

A report from CyberCrew revealed how UK residents spend an average of 110 minutes per day on social media. Many of us start scrolling before we’ve even got out of bed in the morning, in an almost automatic way. Social networks can have a similar effect on the brain to certain addictive substances. According to Healthline.com, they stimulate the brain’s reward system. When you log in to your favori...

For many, slipping into socks before bed is as natural as brushing their teeth. It’s comforting, like a warm hug for your feet. But not everyone’s a fan—some can’t stand the thought of socks at night. Preferences aside, there’s more to this bedtime debate than comfort. So, is snoozing in socks a secret health hack? But does it really help you drift off quicker? Sounds a bit contradictory, right? I...

Some psychological and addiction experts say that making and sticking to resolutions can do wonders for your health. And just because it’s not the New Year right now, that doesn’t mean you can’t start a resolution right away. After all, there’s no time like the present, right? Let's face it though, sticking to a resolution can be tough, especially when it comes to giving up something you’re used t...

According to The Cleveland Clinic, around one in four people are affected by bad breath. It’s also known as halitosis and bad breath can be a source of embarrassment. It’s sometimes caused by consuming certain well-known foods, like garlic, onion, cheese, and coffee for example.  But it can also be a symptom of an underlying health condition, such as pneumonia, gum recession, kidney disease and ga...

It’s great to be remembered by friends, colleagues, and family at Christmas, but despite people’s best intentions, they don't always get you what you want. So now the festive season is over and the wrapping is off it might be time to take some of those gifts back rather than let them gather dust in a cupboard.  If you bought something, in-store or online and it is faulty then by law you can get a...

Almost all kids are afraid of the dark, and sometimes that fear even lingers into adulthood. It's a shame really because, contrary to what you might think, darkness is actually not our enemy but a friend when it comes to drifting off to dreamland. Being exposed to light at night can have negative consequences on person’s health in the long-term. That’s according to a study by researchers at Northw...

Did you know that each of us has a truly unique body odour, which is influenced by a mix of genetic, hormonal, age-related, environmental, and lifestyle factor? And your diet plays a role in shaping your natural scent. Some foods have their own noticeably strong odours, like garlic or onions for example, and can in turn cause us to sweat more. The same goes for spices and chili, which makes sense...

Christmas is seen as a season of joy, but it can also be a testing time for many people, whether it’s mentally, emotionally, physically or financially. And 2022 may be worse than most years in that respect. Most of the population are feeling additional pressure due to the cost-of-living crisis, and Christmas tends to be an expensive time. Furthermore, upsetting news stories have been dominating he...

According to the UK’s Department for Education, girls still make up fewer students choosing A-level maths and physics and even fewer go on to study engineering or computer science at university. Yet these subjects often lead to some of the best-paid jobs. So, does this mean girls just aren’t as good at maths? So, what’s behind that shift? So what can be done to change that? In under 3 minutes, we...

Faecal transplant, also known as faecal microbiota transplantation or FMT, is the transfer of stool from a healthy donor to a patient with a disease. The idea is to restore the balance of bacteria in the gut, which can be disrupted by factors such as antibiotics, diet, or infection but it could potentially help with a range of problems from irritable bowel syndrome to Alzheimer’s.  Why is faecal t...

If there are any teenagers out there listening in, chances are you have faced an acne breakout at some point in the recent past, or perhaps you're even going through that now. Rest assured, that was the case for many of us adults too when we were your age, and for some people, acne continues to be a nuisance into adulthood. It’s tied to a number of factors including hormonal shifts, genetics, life...

You have surely felt butterflies in your stomach before a big event or had a ‘gut’ feeling about something. You might even say you need to ‘digest’ some big news. Our stomach is sometimes dubbed the ‘second brain’ and it's more than just a metaphor.   The term gained traction in the West in 1999, thanks to Dr. Michael Gershon’s book “The Second Brain.” However, the concept isn’t new. Ayurvedic med...

After clocking out, who doesn’t crave a hearty meal after a hard day's work? But here’s the thing: your dinner choices could be tipping the scales. You’ve likely heard the old saying, “Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dinner like a pauper.” And yes, that pauper’s plate might skip the starches. Why? How so? So, can you cozy up with carbs at night? In under 3 minutes, we answer yo...

In September 2025, Dutch production company Xicoia caused quite the stir in Hollywood. At the Zueich film festival they unveiled Tilly Norwood: the world’s first non-human actress, created entirely by AI. The Guardian described Norwood as an “uncanny fusion of Gal Gadot, Ana de Armas and High School Musical-era Vanessa Hudgens”, and a panel was told she has “attracted the attention of multiple tal...

In the Western world, we celebrate Christmas on December 25th to honour the birth of Jesus, a tradition dating back to around the year 300 AD. But well before that, various cultures had been marking the end of the year as a symbol of life's renewal. Over time, Christmas has transcended its origins and found unique expressions in different corners of the globe, from Brazil and Ethiopia to Japan and...

Getting restorative sleep and putting an end to back pain are both good reasons to opt for quality bedding. And if another reason was needed: on average, we spend 7-9 hours in bed every night and around a third of our lives sleeping in total. The problem is it can sometimes be like diving into a sea of options when it comes to mattresses. The most common type is the foam mattress, which adapts to...

A lot of people are reluctant to go out in the cold during the winter season. It's a real shame, as there are many ways in which you can protect yourself from low or even sub-zero temperatures. You've probably been told it a million times since you were a kid, but it bears repeating: you need to wrap up warm! The clothes you wear outdoors trap warm air inside. A good starting point is wearing a co...

According to The Sun, scientists say that “the average person in the UK now consumes more than eight kilograms of chemical additives every year.” Of course with that being an average figure, it can shoot up even further for those who eat a lot of ultra-processed foods.  If you’ve ever looked closely at ingredients lists on the packaging of food you buy in your supermarket, you’ll have noticed the...

If you believe the marketing slogans printed on their packaging, light or reduced-calorie food products offer you the same enjoyment but with fewer calories. It seems like a no-brainer, right?! In order for a product to be labelled as “light” (with either “-ght” or “-te” at the end), current rules in the UK state that it must be “at least 30% lower in one typical value (calories or fat) than that...

Sniffling, sneezing, itchy eyes, asthma flare-ups, and even sleep disruptions. If you're wondering why you're dealing with all the telltale signs of hay fever smack in the middle of December, you might just be grappling with what's commonly known as the Christmas tree syndrome. In a nutshell, it's a seasonal allergy triggered by the presence of mould in the needles and trunk of the tree. The cosy...

In the days of yore, clothes were scrubbed with soap, brushes, and sheer elbow grease. But today, laundry detergents have revolutionized the way we clean our garments. These modern marvels remove stains without requiring Herculean effort. But navigating the overwhelming array of choices in the detergent aisle can be overwhelming.  The French consumer magazine 60 millions de consommateurs carried o...

Panto, short for pantomime, has become a staple of British Christmas celebrations but surprisingly its origins are neither British or Christmassy. It has its roots in the ancient Roman festival of Saturnalia, which was celebrated in December and involved dressing up as the opposite gender, swapping roles, and having a lot of fun. The word ‘pantomime’ comes from the Latin ‘pantomimus’, which means...