Just One Thing - with Michael Mosley

In this episode, Michael enters the world of creative fiction to discover how simply reading a story for half an hour a day can bring big benefits to your body and brain - from reducing stress and helping stave off depression, to strengthening your social skills and even helping you live longer! With the help of Professor Raymond Mar from York University in Toronto, Canada, Michael discovers why r...

In this episode, Michael uncovers the secret of mindfulness - how just a short mindful meditation a day can enhance your mood, your immune system and your brain. Our willing volunteer Peter has a go at ten days of daily mindfulness practice, and Dr Sara Lazar from Harvard University expertly guides Michael through the mechanisms by which meditation can train your attention, improve working memory,...

In this episode, Michael speaks to nutritional neuroscientist Dr Simon Dyall from the University of Roehampton to get to the bottom of the many benefits behind oily fish and Omega-3s. He finds out how consuming Omega-3 could affect your mood, your brain and even your walking speed! They discuss the different types of oily fish, other sources of Omega-3 fatty acids, revealing why these fatty acids...

Coffee drinkers rejoice! Did you know that a simple cup of coffee can improve your mood, boost your workout and even stimulate your brown fat, helping you burn calories? In this episode, Michael Mosley finds out all the benefits of our beloved bean - with research suggesting that it could help your brain and heart. What’s more, if you time it right, a simple cup of coffee could help you get more o...

In this episode, Michael gets out his dancing shoes & shines some light on the many benefits of dancing, revealing that dancing has been shown to be BETTER than traditional fitness exercises for improving your muscles, your balance and even the size of your brain. He speaks to professional-ballet-dancer-turned-neuroscientist Dr Julia F Christensen at the Max Planck Institute in Frankfurt, to f...

Michael reveals how getting some shut-eye during the day could boost your memory and your heart health - and even help your productivity! Research reveals that a simple daily nap could slash your risk of heart attack by half, and have a noticeable impact on your brain, by helping improve your emotional control and boosting memory. In this episode, our volunteer Caroline catches some Zzzs in betwee...

In this episode, Michael reveals how the part of your workout that often feels easier - running downhill after a brutal run up to the peak, or lowering down weights rather than lifting them up - is one of the quickest ways to improve your strength and enhance your workout. It’s the flip side of a lot of movements you’ve already been focused on. To find out more, he speaks to Prof Tony Kay at the U...

In this episode, Michael explores the extraordinary effects of beetroot on your body and brain – from helping lower blood pressure to keeping your brain healthy as you age. He speaks to Professor Andy Jones from the University of Exeter who has found that simply drinking a shot of beetroot juice can improve your endurance during intense exercise by 16%, and finds out why these bright red jewels ca...

We are sitting more than ever before - and our sedentary lives are having a big impact on our long term health. In this episode, Michael stands up to the allure of the couch and reveals the science behind how just standing up - without even doing any exercise - can burn more calories and lower blood sugar levels. With Dr John Buckley, Michael explores how the experience of astronauts in space prov...

Did you know that even mild dehydration can have damaging effects to your cognition, mood, and physical and mental performance? But drinking litres of plain water every day isn’t necessarily the solution. In this episode, Michael debunks the many myths about how much water we should drink, and enlists the help of Dr Stuart Galloway, Professor of Exercise Physiology from the University of Stirling,...

Pumping iron in the gym is the only way to improve strength, right? Wrong. In this episode, Michael explores the power of the mind to boost strength by up to 24%... Our willing human guinea pig Tom has a go at improving his goal-shooting skills with his mind, and Michael speaks to cognitive neuroscientist Dr Helen O’Shea to reveal how your thoughts can influence your muscles and why it’s surprisin...

Not only do they look good, but surprising research is revealing the health benefits of houseplants. In this episode, Michael Mosley explores the science, discovers which houseplants have the biggest impact, and reveals just how many you need in a room to feel the effects. Michael speaks to Dr Tijana Blanusa of the Royal Horticultural Society, to explore the science behind how houseplants can not...

Ever noticed how good singing makes you feel? In this episode, Michael is joined by comedian Sindhu Vee to embrace the joys - and health benefits - of singing on the top of your voice. He finds out all about its unique mood-lifting ability and how singing can produce similar effects to cannabis. He speaks to Dr Daisy Fancourt to find out about her research on revealing how singing can boost your i...

Do you struggle with multi-tasking, filtering out distractions, and prioritising your to-do list? Believe it or not, video gaming might help. In this episode, Michael Mosley enters the world of gaming to find out how it can benefit our brains! He enlists the help of cognitive neuroscientist Professor Daphné Bavelier to find out how, to Michael’s surprise, video games could actually help improve ou...

Can’t face cutting down on your favourite foods? In this episode, Michael Mosley speaks to Dr Emily Manoogian from the Salk Institute in California to find out how simply changing when you eat - not what you eat - could help you lose weight, lower your blood pressure and cut your risk of Type 2 diabetes. They reveal what exactly happens when your eating times work against your body’s internal rhyt...

It can be hard to fit a full workout into every day - but it turns out you really don’t need to! In this episode, Michael enlists the help of Marie Murphy, Professor of Exercise and Health at Ulster University, to explore why doing short bursts of exercise can actually be more beneficial than a hard gym session. A brisk 10-minute walk here, taking the stairs there, and it really does add up.

Could eating two squares of dark chocolate a day really help you reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease - and enhance blood flow to your brain? In this episode, Michael Mosley champions the wonders of chocolate. With the help of Professor Aedín Cassidy at Queen's University Belfast, he reveals the secret ingredients behind the benefits and why we should start to embrace the bitter taste of hig...

In this episode, Michael reveals the power of the sun’s rays to lower blood pressure and improve your mood, bones, muscles and immune system. He challenges TV presenter Mehreen Baig to sunbathe herself healthy, and speaks to Professor Ann Webb at the University of Manchester to shed new light on how going out in the middle of the day is the best way to boost your Vitamin D, and how to do it safely...

Surprisingly simple ways to boost your health and wellbeing - in one easy step.

In this episode, Michael takes a long soak in the bath, and explores why it might be good for our heart, metabolism and sleep. He speaks to one of the UK’s leading sleep experts, Professor Jason Ellis, Director of the Northumbria Sleep Centre, to find out why a hot bath a couple of hours before bed can help us get to sleep. They discuss the interplay of responses in your brain and body that work t...

In this episode, Michael reveals how slowing down and focusing on your breath can have a wide-reaching effect on your body and brain - from reducing pain, to improving concentration. He speaks to psychologist and neuroscientist Professor Ian Robertson, Trinity College Dublin, who’s discovered how spending just a couple of seconds to control your breath can act as a powerful reset button for your b...

In this episode, Michael is reborn as a one legged yogi to reveal why the one leg stance is one of the best things you can do for a longer and more active life. He speaks to Professor Dawn Skelton at Glasgow Caledonian University, to find out what happens to your balance as you get older, why our balance is getting worse with each generation, and how regularly making yourself wobble could help imp...

Michael explores the science behind the soothing power of nature, revealing how nature not only makes us feel good in the moment, but how it also has a more lasting effect on our stress levels and our mental health. Michael speaks to Professor Ming Kuo at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, who has been looking into the surprising ways nature could be having an effect on your immune sy...

In this episode, Michael reveals the best exercises you can do – to help your heart and your brain. He now does press ups every morning – having discovered research that shows being able to do 10 could help you live longer, and doing 40 nearly doubles your protection against heart disease. But strength exercises can do more than just improve your muscle tone and heart. Michael speaks to Professor...

From easing your nerves to improving concentration, in this episode Michael explores the hidden brain benefits of taking up a new hobby. He finds out why learning a new skill is one of the best things you can do for mental agility and speaks to Professor Alan Gow at Heriot-Watt University to discover the best - and most fun - ways to keep your brain active, and how taking on a new challenge could...