Confession: I bought the mouth tape. Yes, that mouth tape. The kind the internet swears will turn me into a silent, nasal-breathing, eight-hours-a-night goddess… or at least a well-rested jellyfish.
What pushed me over the edge, though, was sharing a room with my 10-year-old on a recent trip. She took my phone and recorded me while I slept. What followed was less “gentle, restorative slumber” and more… a one-woman off-Broadway production. Talking. Mumbling. A light, haunting soundtrack.
It made me realize that I needed to do something. And even though the actual science on the benefits of mouth tape is slim, the anecdotal feedback on my feed still influenced me to try. After all, like my fellow aging millennials, sleep is the new going out (shoutout to my favorite Instagram comedian for calling it) and for good reason. New research suggests the “wrong amount of sleep” could raise dementia risk.
So while I wait for a proper sleep study (and if anyone’s ever commented on your nighttime noises, you should, too), in addition to taping my mouth shut, here’s what I’m trying in the meantime:
If a viral recipe has inspired your dinner plans tonight… make sure it doesn’t include these red flags. The last one is an immediate no for us.
Lights, Camera, Acetylcholine
If protein is the Meryl Streep of the nutrient world — permanent A-list — then choline is Anne Hathaway. Versatile, but easily taken for granted.
Your body uses choline to build cell membranes, support metabolism, and produce acetylcholine, which plays a key role in recall and muscle control.
It’s especially important during pregnancy, which is often the one time most women think about their choline intake. The essential nutrient supports fetal brain and spinal cord development, and new research suggests it may also affect inflammation in mothers in ways scientists are still unpacking.
When it comes to choline, true deficiency is rare, but suboptimal intake is super common. And for some people, it matters more than you’d think. Choline is tied to methylation, a process that affects how your body uses genetic information and handles detox. Research suggests your genes may influence how much you need, which helps explain why certain people are more likely to fall short even if they hit their daily value.
Over time, consistently low consumption of choline has been linked to issues like muscle damage and fat buildup in the liver. So… kind of a big deal.
Don’t assume intake = impact. Your body doesn’t use every bit of choline you eat, and your gut plays a role in how much you absorb. So getting enough comes down to consistency.
Is there an "ideal age" to freeze your eggs?
Featured Expert
Anate Brauer, MD
A board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and OB-GYN based in NYC and a Castle Connolly Top Doctor.
“The ‘right’ age depends on your personal goals, medical history, and timeline — not just biology alone.
That said, we generally consider the late 20s to early 30s (around 26–34) to be the most favorable time to freeze eggs. At this stage, eggs tend to be healthier, which increases the likelihood of future success.
Egg quality and quantity decline with age. In our mid to late 20s, around 25% of our eggs are chromosomally abnormal. That number climbs to 40–50% in our early to mid 30s, and up to 90% by age 40 and beyond.
Many people freeze [their] eggs later (in their mid to late 30s) and can still have good outcomes, though it may require more cycles to achieve a larger number of eggs in the freezer.”
While you don’t need marathon-level training to try it, you do need a baseline of strength and stamina that most “I go to the gym a few times a week” routines don’t fully cover.
That tension is kind of the whole point. It looks doable, but it’s hard enough that finishing actually means something. Hence why fitness pros are so obsessed.
Curious where you’d fall on that spectrum? Gym chains like Orangetheory and F45, along with CrossFit and independent gyms, now offer Hyrox-style training.
A colonoscopy reduces your risk of colorectal cancer by about what percent?
While foods like chili peppers, mint, and ginger have long been labeled “anti-inflammatory,” a new study suggests it’s not just what you eat when it comes to spices, it’s what you pair them with.
Researchers looked at how plant compounds from foods like chilies (capsaicin), mint (menthol), and eucalyptus (1,8-cineole) interact inside immune cells. They found that combining them can amplify their effects, sometimes dramatically.
The interesting part: the combos that may help dial down inflammation are the same ones that already taste good together. So instead of overthinking it, try expanding your spice repertoire. Here, some inspo:
