Lifestyle
Alongside taking care of other people and the planet, make sure you take good care of yourself. The Lifestyle section at the Optimist Daily has solutions for everyday wellbeing on topics like food, beauty, fashion, and the latest trends. Curious about caring for houseplants, eating plant-based, or parenting tips? It’s all in there.
Brain health in old age starts taking shape far earlier than most people realize
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In long-term studies where people had their cognitive ability tracked from youth into old age, one finding keeps standing out. “One of the most important factors explaining someone’s cognitive ability at age 70 is their cognitive ability when they were Read More...
What OB-GYNs want every mother to know about how pregnancy changes you
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM With Mother’s Day just behind us, conversations about everything that mothers give are top of mind. However, the biology of pregnancy has something more to say: the exchange runs in both directions, and some of it lasts a lifetime. There is a phenomenon Read More...
What Hanoi learned by tearing down its park fences and opening up to everyone
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In many cities, entering a park is a deliberate act. You adjust your route, find a gate, and cross from public pavement into a space that operates by its own rules, even if those rules are minimal. Hanoi is dismantling that dynamic. Across four major Read More...
4 reasons your lawn looks thin this spring and how to fix them
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Most lawn care advice focuses on the grass itself: the seed variety, the mowing height, the fertilizer schedule. Tony Burris, Lawn Services Supervisor at Killingsworth Environmental, says that framing misses the mark. “Soil with poor nutrient Read More...
Pro parenting tips to spark your children's life-long love for the great outdoors
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In today's digital world, the pull of screens can be difficult to overcome, particularly for kids. However, the dangers of spending too much time indoors are serious. Carlene Fider, Ph.D., a core faculty member at Pacific Oaks College, emphasizes the Read More...
What doctors want you to know about GLP-1s and bone loss
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A study presented at the 2026 American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons annual meeting found that among nearly 147,000 adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity, GLP-1 use was associated with higher rates of osteoporosis, osteomalacia, and gout. The finding Read More...
8 sky events all stargazers should catch this month
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The flower moon came and went on May 1. Most of what makes this month interesting is still ahead. This week: the Eta Aquarids The Eta Aquarids run from late April through late May, but their peak falls overnight on May 5 and 6. They’re fast, bright, and Read More...
Friction-maxxing and the case for a less convenient life
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Something about the phrase “friction-maxxing” struck a nerve. When Kathryn Jezer-Morton, a columnist for New York magazine’s The Cut, published an essay in December 2025 naming the feeling of wanting to push back against frictionless technology, the Read More...
What an economist says young adults should know about modern dating
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM When Rebekka Grun von Jolk, an economist whose research sits at the intersection of love and behavioral science, spoke with students at Georgetown University recently, she expected a polite Q&A. Instead, when the formal session ended, many students stayed Read More...
Intermittent fasting works, but probably not how you think
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM “The main benefit of fasting is weight loss,” says Krista Varady, a professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois Chicago and a co-author of related research, and the data supports her. In a peer-reviewed clinical trial at the University of Read More...