Do you really know?

According to the Mental Health Foundation, one in six adults in the UK suffers from conditions such as anxiety or depression. However, when the figures are broken down by gender, it becomes one in five women, and one in eight men.  Although this discrepancy, became quite noticeable during the Covid-19 pandemic it was in fact already present. In England, the National Centre for Social Research, rep...

During this year's International Women’s Day celebrations, you’re likely to see demonstrators in many cities around the world bearing purple flags and wearing purple ribbons or wristbands. Now International Women's Day actually has  three official colours: Purple, white and green. but it’s fair to say that purple stands above the others as the undisputed colour of feminism in this day and age. For...

Most people who can afford to go on holiday tend to want to spend their time in glamorous, picturesque locations. But there are actually some people who choose to visit disadvantaged areas instead, to see the less glamorous side of countries that are often romanticised. This is known as ghetto tourism, or slum tourism, and it’s been the subject of some quite fierce debate over the years. Some peop...

Have you ever wondered about that bump you see on the front of men’s necks? You can usually notice it moving up and down when someone swallows. Well, it’s known as the Adam’s apple and it’s actually made of cartilage rather than bone.  This cartilage wraps around the larynx, which is part of your throat. How prominent it is really varies from person to person, depending on their anatomy and how mu...

Saving money can be challenging, especially in these uncertain times. But it's not impossible. With some planning, discipline and creativity, you can achieve your savings goal and improve your financial situation. Saving is important for many reasons; It can help you prepare for unexpected emergencies, achieve your personal or professional goals, or simply enjoy life more. Saving 1000 pounds in a...

Let's face it, we’re so accustomed to seeing those little pop-up windows when landing on a website that we barely pay any attention to them anymore. Cookies have become ubiquitous, and whether it’s out of convenience or sheer habit, we tend to accept them without much thought.  But those innocuous-seeming cookies actually harbour a wealth of information about us. The UK’s Information Commissioner’...

All our organs contain water, even our bones. In total, more than half of our body is made up of it, or 45 litres for a person weighing 65 kg.  The water we drink is needed to eliminate waste: 3 litres disappear every day via urine, perspiration and breathing. It also helps maintain our body temperature at around 37 degrees and is essential for digestion.  The recommended daily intake of water is...

We’re only a quarter of the way through 2023, and already we’ve seen a number of unexpected images go viral. Examples include Pope Francis wearing a white Balenciaga puffer jacket, Donald Trump being arrested at the foot of the Trump Tower in New York, and Barack Obama and Angela Merkel sharing an ice cream on the beach.  So what do these viral images all have in common? Well of course they weren’...

According to the British Fertility Society, between 9% and 15% of couples will encounter fertility problems, while Fertility Network UK says that “over 3.5 million people in the UK go through some kind of fertility challenge.” Interestingly, the total fertility rate in England and Wales actually increased slightly in 2021, according to the Office for National Statistics. But that was the first inc...

There’s a lot of popular ideas out there about body hair removal. Shave too much and the hair becomes thicker. Wax, and it will gradually start thinning out. It can be hard to know who or what to believe. Both women and men increasingly spend a lot of their time and money removing body hair, even though it acts as a barrier to bacteria, and sexually transmitted diseases in the case of pubic hair....

According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of births in the UK continues to fall. Experts are even talking about a “baby bust”, the opposite of the “baby boom”, to describe these statistics, which have reached the lowest level since records began in 1938. One explanation for this could be that people are having children later than previous generations, leaving them with a reduced...

We're well aware of its negative impact on our waistlines and heart health, but sugar also takes a toll on our brains. And it's not just found in the obvious sources like refined sugar from sugarcane or sugar beet – it's lurking in fruits as fructose and in dairy as lactose.  Back in 2015, the World Health Organisation released guidelines recommending adults and children “reduce their daily intake...

Over on TikTok, the #idontchaseiattract hashtag is nearing in on 20,000 publications at the time of recording. It really took off in late 2023, especially after Kendall Jenner said the following in an interview with Enews.  Behind the simple statement are young women advocating that with enough belief, you can manifest whatever you want in life. You might have also heard of "Lucky girl syndrome" a...

Did you know that the alarm clock actually serves a greater purpose than simply rousing us from sleep? Whether it's the buzz of your smartphone, a breaking news update, or a soothing classical tune, your alarm sets the tone for the day ahead. And it can be quite the dilemma choosing between a jolting alarm which is guaranteed you wake you up or nature sounds that might end up lulling you back to s...

You may remember we talked about whether or not opposites attract in a recent episode of Do You Really Know. As it turns out, more often than not, couples tend to share a lot of characteristics, and it’s relatively rare for them to be substantially different. When you think about it, it kind of makes sense. After all, it's often easier to be in a relationship and share your life with someone who s...

When it comes to cold weather we're not all in the same boat. Some of us can cope with low temperatures, while others are super sensitive, especially on their hands and feet. For some people extremities can become  numb, painful, change colour or even develop into frostbite.  Usually, when it's cold, vasoconstriction  helps to protect us against low temperatures, by prioritising blood flow to vita...

Polish-American man Leo Gerstenzang is credited with inventing the humble cotton bud in the 1920s, an item which has since gone on to be used for many different purposes, having originally been thought up as a baby hygiene product. Yougov research from 2019 found that 62% of Brits use cotton buds to clean their ears, and 22% of us only use them for that purpose. That’s particularly true for men, g...

Many of the shady or downright forms of toxic forms of behaviour seen in modern relationships are actually nothing new, but the emergence of specific terms has helped us to pinpoint them better. Once you're in the know, it's much easier to spot them. With that in mind, let’s move on to the topic of today’s episode. As a single guy or girl, it's not uncommon to have someone you flirt with on and of...

You know the feeling: you’re running, cycling, or doing some other physical activity, and suddenly you feel a sharp pain in your side, just below your chest. It’s like someone is stabbing you with a needle, and it makes you want to stop and catch your breath. Although there is no precise definition of exactly what a stitch is, everyone knows how to recognise it. This pain, which often prevents you...

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...

Have you ever noticed how revisiting films from your childhood, listening to old tunes, or flipping through cherished books can bring on a certain sense of solace. Your past is intricately woven into your present; it shapes who you are and influences the person you go on to become. With its comforting embrace of fond memories, nostalgia seems to breathe new life into past moments, giving us a boos...

It's becoming a more common topic of discussion. According to BUPA.co.uk, “around one in every 10 older children and adults are thought to have lactose intolerance”. It might be thought of as a disease by some, but in fact it’s quite the opposite. Lactose intolerance is due to a natural process, which sees people’s bodies produce less of an enzyme called lactase as they age. Lactose is a natural s...

Single women in your late 20s or early 30s, has anyone ever suggested that you absolutely must find a partner or you’ll end up being a “cat lady”? What an annoying, not to mention ignorant, stereotype, right? It might be tempting to explain all that to the person saying it, but do they really deserve your attention? Let’s talk about where the cat lady character actually comes from. Isn’t there a ‘...

She's one of the most influential women in the world. Taylor Swift, a country star in the United States who has become a global pop star, is shattering all records. She has been named the Personality of 2023, and has won Album of the Year for the record-breaking 4th time. In November 2024, Joe Biden, the President of the United States, is standing for re-election. His main opponent is still Donald...

Despite its many benefits, sex can also bring on a bit of stress at times. You feel like you have to fit into a certain mould. Have sex often enough, but not too much or you might seem overly fixated. Don't lose your virginity too early, but don't wait too long either. Even sexual performance is expected to meet certain standards. Ultimately, sex, which is supposed to be one of the most intimate a...