Speed friending: one cafe's answer to America's growing friendship recession
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY'S EDITORIAL TEAM Something has shifted over the past three decades in how Americans relate to each other. In 1990, about three percent of Americans said they had no close friends. Today, that number sits somewhere between 12 and 20 percent, depending on who you ask. Jaimie Read More...
Why the kiwiberry might be the most nutritious fruit you've never tried
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM For most of human history, the kiwiberry was valued for its flowers while the fruit was just an afterthought. These days, that seems almost hard to believe, given what scientists are finding. But the kiwiberry spent centuries being grown as an ornamental Read More...
Your allergies aren't getting worse with age. The pollen season is.
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM If your spring allergies feel worse than they did five years ago, there is a reason for that, and it is not you getting older or more sensitive. A study published in 2021 found that pollen season now starts 20 days earlier than it did in 1990 and produces Read More...
Overthinking is a learned habit, and therapists say you can unlearn it
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM "Just stop overthinking" is advice that tells you nothing useful about how to actually follow it. The mind that automatically converts "they haven't texted back" into "they must be furious with me" isn't doing so out of weakness. It's doing its job, badly but Read More...
You can't spot-reduce belly fat, but you can lose it. Here's what the science says works.
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Every few years, a new product promises to "blast belly fat" or help you target your midsection. None of it works. Spot reduction, the idea that you can direct fat loss to a specific part of the body, simply isn't how human physiology operates. "You can't Read More...
Why 24 minutes of music may help reduce anxiety, according to research
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM When anxiety starts creeping in, many people instinctively reach for music. A calming playlist, a pair of headphones, and a few quiet minutes can make a noticeable difference. Science increasingly backs up that instinct, with new research suggesting that the Read More...
How to find your personal aesthetic when the internet keeps showing you everyone else's
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Style has a way of feeling most elusive exactly when you're looking for it. You know what you're drawn to. You know what you like on other people. But translating that into something that feels genuinely, consistently you? That's where things get Read More...
Where and when to catch peak cherry blossom bloom across the US this spring
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM The beauty of the cherry blooms doesn't last long, but that's what makes it a spectacular phenomenon to catch each year. Once the trees are fully open, you typically have one to two weeks before wind, rain, or a temperature swing brings them down. Knowing Read More...
How to spot early signs of frailty and build strength for the long run
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Frailty may seem like an inevitable part of getting older, but it’s actually a diagnosable medical condition that affects resilience, independence, and quality of life. According to Dr. Linda P. Fried, geriatric medicine expert and dean of Columbia Read More...
The 7 types of rest you need to feel truly refreshed
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Have you ever woken up from a full night's sleep feeling more drained than when you went to bed? Or do you find yourself zoning out while in conversation, even after having a good night's sleep? If you've felt exhausted despite getting enough sleep, you're Read More...