selfcare

In part four: host Manoush Zomorodi explores the connection between our posture and our mood. A lot of us associate our neck and back pain with spending hours hunched over our phones and laptops. But what if that hunched posture is also making us feel tired, stressed, and anxious? Neuroscientist Peter Strick discusses his groundbreaking research on why exercising our core muscles lowers our stress.Also in this episode: how a faulty, incorrect study went viral — claiming smartphones were causing people to grow horns on their backs. Science journalist Nsikan Akpan sets the record straight. Later, writer Paul Ingraham shares his daily strategy for doing movement snacks and strength building while balancing deadlines.Click here to find out more about the project: npr.org/bodyelectricAre you signed up for Columbia's study, or following along with the series? We want to hear from you! Send us a voice memo at bodyelectric@npr.org. Talk to us on Instagram @ManoushZ, and on Facebook @tedradiohour.

In part five: host Manoush Zomorodi investigates what information overload does to our physical and mental health. Could our tech use be interfering with the critical dialogue that takes place between the body and the brain? Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Sahib Khalsa shares his latest research on interoception — the brain's ability to sense how the body is feeling — and how finding time to unplug from our devices can help us tune into our body's natural signals.Also in this episode: neurologist Caroline Olvera takes us inside the "TikTok tics" outbreak — exploring why thousands of teens developed Tourette's-like symptoms after watching TikTok videos in 2021. Plus, how a school in Washington, DC helps kids stay connected to their bodies by creating a high-movement, low-tech environment.Click here to find out more about the project: npr.org/bodyelectricAre you signed up for Columbia's study, or following along with the series? We want to hear from you! Send us a voice memo at bodyelectric@npr.org. Talk to us on Instagram @ManoushZ, and on Facebook @tedradiohour.

In this special series, host Manoush Zomorodi investigates the relationship between our technology and our bodies and asks: How are we physically adapting to meet the demands of the Information Age? Why do so many of us feel utterly drained after a day spent attached to our devices?Part one kicks off with an exploration into how economic eras have shaped the human body in the past with author Vybarr Cregan-Reid. Then, Columbia University researcher and exercise physiologist Keith Diaz and Manoush discuss his findings and propose a challenge to listeners: Let's see if we can end this cycle of type, tap, collapse together. Click here to find out more about the project: npr.org/bodyelectricTalk to us on Instagram @ManoushZ, and on Facebook @tedradiohour, or record a voice memo and email it to us at BodyElectric@npr.org.

In part two: host Manoush Zomorodi delves into how we met and fell hard for the personal computer—and why we continue to have this committed, yet tortuous relationship. We hear from historian Laine Nooney on how the computer revolution forever changed the way we use our bodies at work, at school and at home. Manoush also visits the Exercise Testing Laboratory at Columbia University Medical Center where researchers collect data on how her body responds to a day of sitting compared to a day of constant movement breaks.Click here to find out more about the project: npr.org/bodyelectricAre you signed up for Columbia's study, or following along with the series? We want to hear your thoughts! Send us a voice memo at bodyelectric@npr.org. Talk to us on Instagram @ManoushZ, and on Facebook @tedradiohour.

One quiet day last December, I walked my dog Zaffy off-leash in the woods behind my house. As she bounded and bounced in the piercingly white snow, I was struck by the contrast between her and my f…

Are you a 'Parisian perfectionist'? How about a 'messy perfectionist'? Psychotherapist Katherine Morgan Schafler believes there are 5 kinds of perfectionists in the world. Find out which one you are.

People who engage in random acts of kindness may not fully recognize the impact of their behavior on others

What do you plan to do over winter break to reflect, rethink, and recharge?

Experience a moment of calm by connecting to the rhythm of nature. A digital wellbeing experiment, inspired by the Carl Linnaeus Flower Clock.

The ultimate measure of your wisdom and strength? How calm you are when facing any given situation. Yes, calmness is a human superpower. The ability to not overreact or take things personally keeps your thoughts clean and your heart at peace, which instantly gives you an upper hand regardless of your circumstances. Thus, the biggest […]

Saying “no” can be really hard. But Christine Carter has a three-step plan to get there.

When we're waiting, we often have the urge to distract ourselves—but a new study finds we’d enjoy doing nothing but think.

Newsletter #13

Feeling burnout? In this episode, Kasey chats with Amber Harper from the Burned-In Teacher podcast. Amber shares strategies to help teachers avoid toxic influences, improve their mindset, and take steps to overcome teacher burnout. This is more than a bubble bath and going for a walk, take radical steps to set boundaries and do what's best for you and your students.

In my writing on technology and culture I try to be judicious about citing scientific studies. The issues involved in our ongoing wrangling with digital innovations are subtle and often deeply human. Attempts to exactly quantify what we're gaining and losing through our screens can at times feel disconcertedly sterile. All that being said, however,

Susan Cain's new book argues that life is richer and more poignant when we accept pain, sadness, and bittersweet feelings.

Stop beating yourself up for flaws and mistakes.

Easy online tool to help you incorporate the practice of simple calming breathing techniques like box breathing or 4-7-8 breathing into your everyday routine.

Next time you need a break or calming sounds for meditation, transport yourself to the serene scenes of these relaxing YouTube channels set in nature.

Jonathan Malesic shares about his book, The End of Burnout, on episode 395 of the Teaching in Higher Ed podcast

As we look toward a new semester, it’s worth thinking about the fact that kindness toward the self is foundational in being kind toward others.

I let my daughter stay home from school yesterday. We had a doctor’s appointment in the morning, and I wasn’t going to be able to pick her up from school, and we had had a swim meet ove…