Something You Should Know

Have you ever had a headache that seemingly came on for no apparent reason? This episode begins with an interesting and unusual list of reasons why headaches happen and you likely haven’t heard of many of them before. https://www.webmd.com/migraines-headaches/common-headaches-17/mild-moderate/slideshow-headache-triggers Are humans meant to work long hours? Could it be that working less could actually make us more productive and happier? That’s the case made journalist Celeste Headlee author of the book, Do Nothing: How to Break Away from Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving (https://amzn.to/3cKMOJ8). Celeste reveals the benefits of working less including more profit for business and better health for workers and offers examples of famous, productive people who worked a pretty short day. Ever wonder why people look back so fondly on the past, yet we often fear and worry about the future? There is something called “hindsight bias” and I’ll explain what it is and why we often long for the good old days. (Source: Dan Gardner, author of the book Risk (https://amzn.to/2S6MpIW) 90% of all spread sheets in the world likely contain at least 1 error. And that is just one of the many ways math screws things up in our world according to Matt Parker. Matt is a math teacher, YouTuber and author of the book Humble Pi: When Math Goes Wrong in the Real World (https://amzn.to/2S8kdFF). Matt joins me to explain some fascinating truths about math, why it is so important in our lives today and how it often goes wrong. You can find him here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDn3y3MGcBc This Week's Sponsors -AirMedCare Network.Go to www.AirMedCareNetwork.com/something and get up to a $50 gift card when you use the promo code: something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You probably never think about it until you get a rental car – but why do some cars have the gas tank door on the left side and others have it on the right? This episode begins with the unusual and very practical reason why. http://www.rd.com/advice/travel/car-gas-tanks/ Everyone complains. Some people complain A LOT more than others. Yet, when you stop and think about it, complaining does little good and it tends to turn other people off. Will Bowen has spent a long time exploring the world of complainers. He speaks on the subject; he distributes bracelets that remind people not to complain (over 11 million so far) and he is author of the book A Complaint Free World (https://amzn.to/3bxdtZR). He joins me to explain why people complain and explains the spectacular benefits to not complaining – and a great strategy to stop it. To order a bracelet go to: www.AComplaintFreeWorld.org Every cook has wondered if adding a bay leaf to a recipe really makes a difference. Well, it’s been tested. Listen to hear the results. http://skillet.lifehacker.com/do-bay-leaves-even-do-anything-1793275685 There is no shortage of worry and there is no shortage of things to worry about today. However, if you are not careful, you can worry so much that worry becomes the problem. Joining me to help get a handle on worry and actually make it work for you during these troubling times is Kathryn Tristan. assistant professor of medicine at Washington University School of Medicine and author of the book Why Worry (https://amzn.to/2RZhBdg) This Week's Sponsors -AirMedCare Network.Go to www.AirMedCareNetwork.com/something and get up to a $50 gift card when you use the promo code: something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you swear? Sometimes – at least for some of us – it is hard NOT to. And it just may be appropriate when you are in pain. Some fascinating research offers some real benefits of profanity – when used sparingly. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4826634/Swearing-raise-tolerance-pain-study-reveals.html There is an interesting phenomenon in sports – and that is, how some teams dominate a sport for several years. They become a dynasty. So what is it that causes that? Is it superstar players or excellent coaching? No. Those things are important but not the differentiating factor according to Sam Walker. Sam has been an editor and sports columnist at the Wall Street Journal for 20 years and author of the book, The Captain’s Class: The Hidden force That Creates the World’s Greatest Teams (http://amzn.to/2wBoB6H). Sam discovered one special element of winning teams that you will never guess. And it turns out it is applicable to teams in business and organizations as well as sports. Does it matter whether you read a book on a Kindle or some other e-reader? Does reading a real book with paper pages improve your understanding and comprehension? The answer may surprise you. http://mic.com/articles/99408/science-has-great-news-for-people-who-read-actual-books Is it really a good idea to have – or strive to have – the perfect home? While it might be nice to follow Martha Stewart’s example, perhaps it is impossible for most people. Weighing in on this is Lisa Quinn is a former self-described Martha Stewart impersonator who has her own TV show on The Live Well Network called "Home with Lisa Quinn". She is also author of the book called Life is Too Short to Fold Fitted Sheets (http://amzn.to/2w9SaLq). She offers some relief and practical suggestions for those who would like the perfect home but find that is daunting if not impossible to maintain it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You probably aren’t spending as much time outside as you used to and that can be a big problem. This episode begins with the important reasons why you should be spending more time outside – even if you have to wear a mask or be all by yourself. http://www.rd.com/health/wellness/benefits-of-nature/ Having friends is vital. You may be realizing that now more than ever since you aren’t able to be with friends like before. Friendship seems to be a human need according to Lydia Denworth, a science journalist, contributing editor at Scientific American and author of the book Friendship: The Evolution, Biology, and Extraordinary Power of Life's Fundamental Bond (https://amzn.to/3bhQFNl). Lydia joins me to explain the fascinating science of friendship and how people become friends. If you are having trouble sleeping, there is one simple thing you can do to improve your sleep and more importantly, improve your DEEP sleep. Listen and discover what that is. http://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-you/sleep/6-ways-to-improve-your-sleephygiene?slide=2#0QEJXJSRL7wAxmyT.97 Coding is hot. Kids are being encouraged to learn coding – it is job and career that appears to be growing rapidly. So what is it really? What do coders do? What does code look like? And why is it important to understand? For the answers to those questions we turn to Clive Thompson. Clive is a tech writer and author of the book Coders: The Making of a New Tribe and the Remaking of the World (https://amzn.to/3boOckA). He joins me to explain what coding is all about. This Week’s Sponsor -Better Help. Get 10% off your first month by going to www.BetterHelp.com/sysk and use the promo code: sysk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since you only have one chance to make a good first impression, this episode begins with some scientifically tested techniques that will instantly make you look better and smarter to the people you meet. http://www.menshealth.com/best-life/12-ways-to-look-smarter We all know it is important to be a good listener – but beyond listening is “validation.” When you can validate the person you are talking to, amazing things happen according to Michael Sorenson who is a podcaster, coach and author of the book I Hear You: The Surprisingly Simple Skill Behind Extraordinary Relationships (https://amzn.to/2Kao7JL). He joins me to explain how to validate someone and why it is so powerful. Also, here is the link to his podcast: https://michaelssorensen.com/i-hear-you-podcast/ We hear a lot about the importance of washing your hands to wash away germs and bacteria but washing your hands may also help you wash away bad luck and bad experiences. Listen as I explain this unusual phenomenon. http://newsroom.ucr.edu/2686 Mental toughness is not something reserved for elite athletes or elite soldiers. You, I and anyone else can develop mental toughness according Jason Selk, former director of mental training for the 2011 World Series Champions, the St. Louis Cardinals and author of the book Organize Tomorrow Today (https://amzn.to/3eo5m3B). Jason explains a simple strategy that can help you perform at your very best no matter what. This Week’s Sponsors -AirMedCare Network.Go to www.AirMedCareNetwork.com/something and get up to a $50 gift card when you use the promo code: something -Grubhub. For $10 off any order of $15 or more (for new diners only), download the Grubhub app and use promo code SYSK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Noise is more than just annoying. Noise can affect your health, your work and your mood. This episode begins with a look at just how much trouble noise can cause in your life. http://www.shape.com/lifestyle/mind-and-body/7-ways-noise-can-affect-your-health Your personality is what makes you – you. But where did it come from? Can you improve your personality? Professor Brian Little, author of the book, Who Are You, Really? The Surprising Puzzle of Personality (http://amzn.to/2vWHYm7) examines why you are who you are and how much of your personality is changeable and how much is set in stone. If you think someone is lying to you, there are a few words and phrases to look out for. Liars tend to use certain language that can help you determine if they are being truthful or not and I’ll tell you what to listen for to spot a liar. Source: You Can’t Lie To Me (https://amzn.to/3elH4an) by Janine Driver Also, have you ever just clicked with someone? You know that feeling of instant connection? It can happen in a romantic way but also happens platonically and with people at work. Ori Brafman, author of the book Click (http://amzn.to/2vWATSC) has studied this phenomenon and believes strongly that these relationships are special. Ori says we shouldn’t just brush it off as “love at first sight.” Listen and understand why these relationships are worth exploring. This Week's Sponsors -Best Fiends. Download this fun mobile game for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You know you shouldn’t go food shopping when you are hungry because you will end up buying more junk food. It turns out that when you are hungry, you shouldn’t go shopping for ANYTHING – not just food. Listen as I explain why. http://www.womansday.com/life/work-money/default/a49921/dont-buy-anything-on-an-empty-stomach/ You know the phrase, “It’s not rocket science.”? The implication of that is that rocket science is really hard and rock scientists must be really smart. And they probably are. So how can you think like one? Former rocket scientist Ozan Varol joins me to explain. Ozan is now retired from rocket science. Today he is a law professor and podcaster (his podcast is called Famous Failures) and he is author of the book, Think Like A Rocket Scientist (https://amzn.to/2VxeHh1). We all know that eating fruits and vegetables is good for your health and your looks. Listen as I discuss how eating produce can also make you more attractive. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3296758/ It’s weird to think that such a huge portion of the world’s population drinks coffee every day. Why is that – is it really because it tastes so good or is it just that we are hooked on the caffeine? And how did drinking coffee become so popular? Augustine Sedgewick spent a long time investigating the origins of our love affair with coffee and he joins me to share this remarkable story. Augustine is a teacher at City University in New York , got his PhD from Harvard – and he is author of the book Coffeeland: One Man’s Dark Empire and the Making of Our Favorite Drug (https://amzn.to/3b642jW). This Week's Sponsor -AirMedCare Network.Go to www.AirMedCareNetwork.com/something and get up to a $50 gift card when you use the promo code: something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to be more attractive? There has actually been some interesting research on what makes people appealing to others and this episode begins by exploring ways you can instantly make other people notice you – and like what they see. http://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-attract-the-opposite-sex-2013-7?op=1 It is conventional medical wisdom to take a pill to lower your fever or to put ice on a sprain or to be sure to take all your antibiotic pills even if you feel all better. Yet all those common practices and others, are bad medicine according to Dr. Paul Offit, a professor of pediatrics at Children’s Hospital in Philadelphia and author of the book Overkill: When Modern Medicine Goes Too Far (https://amzn.to/2RoRAUp). Listen and Dr. Offit offers an eye opening explanation of why we persist in doing these types of things and what we should be doing instead. It is easy to let exercise slip, especially with gyms and parks being closed and all of us cooped up inside. Yet exercise is exactly what we need to help get us through. Listen as I explain some of the amazing benefits of exercise that you may not have heard before. http://www.businessinsider.com/psychological-benefits-of-exercise-2015-6 Are you prepared to die? What I mean by that is, do you have everything in order, or do you at least have a will? More than half the U.S. population does not yet every single one of those people will die someday. Chanel Reynolds’ husband didn’t have a will and when he was suddenly killed in a car crash, she had to navigate and figure out what to do since he left no instructions. She has since become an advocate to get people to plan for the inevitable. She wrote a book called What Matters Most (https://amzn.to/3aPU7P8) and she joins me to explain the importance of having a will and other legal documents ready as well as the nightmare it creates when you don’t. Her website is www.ChanelReynolds.com This Week's Sponsors -The Zebra. Compare and save money on car insurance. Go to www.TheZebra.com/sysk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Many grocery stores now boast that they sell “locally grown” produce. Perhaps you’ve wondered just how local it is – where does that locally grown produce actually come from? We begin this episode with an explanation of just how far away produce can originate and still be called – locally grown. http://time.com/2970505/organic-misconception-local/ Also, let’s take a look at how you think. In particular, a look at the flaws in how you think. Matthew May is an innovation strategist, speaker and author of, Winning the Brain Game: Fixing the 7 Fatal Flaws of Thinking (http://amzn.to/2tRYBiL). He joins me to explain how we so often go wrong when we solve problems, make decisions or come up with ideas. He has tested thousands of people and found that almost all of us make some pretty common mistakes that prevent us from coming up with the right solution. Listen as he offers simple strategies to get your thinking back on track. Perhaps you’ve heard that many people now cover up their webcam with a piece of tape to prevent hackers from spying on them. Is that really necessary? I’ll explain what the experts say you should do. http://www.rd.com/advice/work-career/laptop-camera/ Plus, we explore the importance of failure. Sure, failing at something really sucks but sometimes it is necessary – and it isn’t the end of the world. Megan McArdle, author of The Upside of Down: Why Failing Well is the Key to Success (http://amzn.to/2vJGPQp) explains why it is important to embrace failure as a process toward success. It isn’t just the old clichés of “learn from your mistakes”, failure serves a real purpose if you don’t let knock you down. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The best way to solve your problems may be to pretend they are someone else’s. This episode begins with an interesting way to look at your problems that can help you come up with much better solutions. http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2014/06/09/0956797614535400 The coronavirus shutdown has many of us worried about money. Joining me to discuss ways you can make money quickly as well as into the future is Chris Guillebeau. Chris is the host of the podcast Side Hustle School (https://sidehustleschool.com/) and author of several books including his latest, The Money Tree: The Story About Finding a Fortune in Your Own Back Yard (https://amzn.to/2Rab2nQ). Chris has been a guest before and he is really good at helping people find news ways to make company. Do CDs and mp3s make music sound worse? Some people think so. Could you tell the difference between a CD and a high-resolution recording? Listen as I discuss what your ears may or may not be missing out on. https://groups.google.com/forum/#!msg/rec.music.classical.recordings/m_kbHvHuQm0/QmhFwKbT5McJ Why are Americans so much heavier today than ever? What happened? More importantly, what can be done about it? Andy Boyle is a journalist who investigated why we have grown fatter. Andy reveals the causes and the solution that can help anyone lose weight. In fact Andy followed these simple practices and lost 100 pounds! He joins me to discuss his investigation and his journey to a slimmer self. Andy is the author of the book Big Problems: A Former Fat Guy’s Look at Why We’re Getting Fatter and What You Can Do to Fix It (https://amzn.to/3dRZMGn) This Weeks' Sponsors -Better Help. Get 10% off your first month by going to www.BetterHelp.com/sysk and use the promo code: sysk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Need something to pass the time? This episode begins with an activity you and the family can do that will kill some time and also put money in the bank. http://lifehacker.com/what-to-do-with-all-that-loose-change-youve-been-hoardi-1792821108 Unless you are careful, it is easy to accumulate a lot of stuff. It is not a stretch to say that Americans have too much stuff. So how did we get it and what should we do with it? To the rescue is Peter Walsh. Peter has been helping people organize and declutter - as a coach, a TV host, a writer and on YouTube. His latest book is called Let It Go (https://amzn.to/3dKkb0a). Listen as he offers some incredible insight into why we accumulate so much stuff and has some great techniques that can help you evaluate whether you should keep it, toss it or give it away. How many times have we all heard about the importance of good communication? So how does a good communicator – communicate? Leadership and communications consultant Alain Hunkins, author of the book Cracking The Leadership Code (https://amzn.to/39vSAMB) joins me to explain what it means to be a good communicator and offers excellent suggestions that will help you communicate better. His website is www.alainhunkins.com Chopping onions is one of the most unpleasant jobs in the kitchen because onions make you cry. But they don’t have to. Listen as I explain some simple ways to chop onions without the tears. https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2013/04/tested-the-best-tear-free-tricks-for-cutting-onions/ This Week's Sponsors -AirMedCare Network.Go to www.AirMedCareNetwork.com/something and get up to a $50 gift card when you use the promo code: something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I suspect we all mispronounce words from time to time. Either we learned them wrong or we get lazy. I know I usually pronounce affidavit as if it has a D on the end instead of a t because it is just easier. It’s wrong but it is easier. We start today’s episode by looking at some commonly mispronounced words because some people will judge you harshly when you don't say words correctly. http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/style-and-usage/mispron.html What happens when you die? Of course we don’t know for sure – or do we? Dr. Mary Neal is a medical doctor who drowned in a kayaking accident in Chile several years ago. She was dead for 30 minutes. But she came back. Wait until you hear the story she tells of her experience of dying and returning to tell the tale. Dr. Neal is the author of the best-selling book To Heaven and Back. (http://amzn.to/2yFC7EL) If you are a wine drinker, you have no doubt gone to take a sip only to see a fruit fly swimming in your glass. Should you toss out the fly and drink the wine or start all over? There is a little science you need to hear. https://www.winespectator.com/articles/can-fruit-fly-ruin-glass-wine-53891 Why are procrastinators made to feel bad that they always wait until the last minute to accomplish a task? What does it matter as long as it gets done? According to clinical psychologist Dr. Mary Lamia, author of the book, What Motivates Getting Things Done: Procrastination, Emotions, and Success (http://amzn.to/2zGr0Md), procrastinators should stop feeling bad and stop trying to change. First of all it is almost impossible to change and secondly, there is no reason to. She explains all of that in today’s episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Would you like to hear some really good and solid advice that will make your life simpler and easier? This episode begins with some excellent bits of wisdom I am sure you will use in your life. http://www.raptitude.com/2015/02/67-short-pieces-of-advice-you-didnt-ask-for/ If you ever have or ever will buy, sell or drive a car, you must listen to my conversation with Jack Gillis. Each year for 40 years, Jack has written a new edition of The Car Book (https://amzn.to/2X0tFOP) which details virtually every new car that model year in terms of safety, maintenance, customer complaints etc. He joins me to discuss what every driver needs to know about cars and offers some great advice on how to buy one. Are you holding a grudge against someone? If so – or if you ever have in the past, I have some wonderful insight into how a grudge does you absolutely no good and why you need to let it go. (Source: Interview with Fred Luskin Director of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project) Do you ever find yourself ruminating and overthinking things over and over again? If so you may have noticed it is not very productive and in fact in can be harmful. Anne Bogel is a blogger, podcaster and author of the book Don't Overthink It (https://amzn.to/2JgntKA). She joins me to discuss why we overthink, the damage it can do and how to stop it. This Week's Sponsors -Grubhub. For $10 off any order of $15 or more (for new diners only), download the Grubhub app and use promo code SYSK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don’t you just hate it when you burn your tongue from drinking or eating something too hot? This episode begins with some first-aid for the next time you inadvertently put something in your mouth that is way too hot. http://www.yogawiz.com/blog/home-remedies/home-remedies-remedy-for-healing-burnt-burning-tonguepain-sensation.html Wouldn’t it be great if you could solve problems BEFORE they happen? You can – in fact you do. You change the oil in your car to prevent problems before they happen. With a slightly different way of thinking, we can solve a lot of problems that way according to Dan Heath author of the book Upstream: The Quest to Solve Problems Before They Happen (https://amzn.to/3atB1Os). Listen as he explains this fascination method of problem solving. Is it better to exercise first thing in the morning or in the afternoon? Listen as I explain the pros and cons to both. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/best-time-to-work-out-to-lose-weight Many people are working from home during the coronavirus pandemic who don’t normally work from home. If you are one of them, you have likely discovered that it is more difficult and challenging than you probably thought. Productivity expert Maura Nevel Thomas author of the book Attention Management (https://amzn.to/3ajnskJ) joins me to discuss how people working from home can overcome the distractions and stay focused. This Week's Sponsors -AirMedCare Network.Go to www.AirMedCareNetwork.com/something and get up to a $50 gift card when you use the promo code: something -Better Help. Get 10% off your first month by going to www.BetterHelp.com/sysk and use the promo code: sysk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You know when you head up the entrance ramp on a freeway, you have to really “floor it” to get your car up to speed. Is that good for your engine to put the pedal to the metal like that? This episode begins by explaining what revving your engine actually does. http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/a25286/how-to-make-you-car-last-longer/ Would you like to be more persuasive? Jay Heinrichs is a real expert at this, having written several books on the topic. One of those books is Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion (http://amzn.to/2uDWt1U). Jay joins me for a lively discussion on what works –and doesn’t work in persuading other people to understand your point of view. When you have to shut down your Wi-Fi or other device, the advice is often to leave it off for 30 seconds or so before restarting. What’s the reason? And do you really have to? http://serverfault.com/questions/32787/where-did-wait-30-seconds-before-turning-it-back-on-come-from And, we take a look at the practice of networking. We have all been told how important it is to get out there and meet people because, well, it can lead to something. But often it only seems to lead to a big pile of business cards and not much else. Larry Mohl, former Chief Learning Officer for Motorola Cellular and American Express and is author of the book Networking is Dead, (http://amzn.to/2tjFpKC) explains how traditional networking doesn’t usually work – and he offers some more efficient and effective ways to connect with people who can help you. This Week’s Sponsors The Zebra. Compare and save money on car insurance. Go to www.TheZebra.com/sysk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While it’s natural to brag a little about your kids or your job or anything else you are proud of., you really have to be careful. A little bragging goes a long way and too much can be a turn off. This episode begins with a discussion on how much is too much. https://www.readersdigest.ca/health/relationships/things-need-stop-bragging/ Ever wonder why some things are really easy for you to learn and other things are hard? And what is the best way to learn something that doesn’t come naturally to you? Daniel Willingham is a cognitive scientist who studies learning and memory and he is author of the book Why Don’t Students Like School (https://amzn.to/2x8uc6l). Listen and you will hear some surprising insights into how humans learn – or don’t learn and you will hear some wonderful strategies to help you learn anything better. There has likely been a time in your life when you or someone you were with forgot their toothbrush. Consequently, you probably wondered if it was okay to share a toothbrush - just once. Find out in this episode. http://www.rd.com/health/healthcare/sharing-a-toothbrush/ Life has changed dramatically due to the coronavirus. As a result, there is a sense of sadness or even hopelessness in the air. To inject some hope and optimism into the situation is Dr. Shane Lopez who was one of the leading experts on hope. I interviewed him a few years ago and sadly, he died shortly after that interview. Dr. Lopez authored a great book on the subject called Making Hope Happen (http://amzn.to/2j7su8N) and after you listen I think you will feel much more hopeful about your life and the future of mankind. This Week’s Sponsors -AirMedCare Network.Go to www.AirMedCareNetwork.com/something and get up to a $50 gift card when you use the promo code: something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Staying at home with nowhere to go can certainly put you in a bad mood. So this episode begins with some scientifically proven ways to improve your mood right away. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4234616/Six-ways-make-happier.html Some people seem to just have that ability to just be likable. How do they do it? You are about to find out when you listen to my guest Nicholas Boothman, an expert on personal communication and author of the book How to Make People Like You in 90 Seconds or Less (https://amzn.to/2TYCK8J) Hand sanitizer is hard to come by. But you can make your own without too much trouble. In this episode you will hear a simple recipe from a former CDC official to make effective, homemade hand sanitizer. And you can find that recipe here: https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-make-hand-sanitizer Complaining is a problem – whether you are a complainer or you live with one. In fact, complaining makes you stupid and ruins your chances for success. Trevor Blake author of the book, Three Simple Steps (http://amzn.to/2rmLFUw) explains some of the science behind complaining and why being around a complainer can suck the life right out of you. This Week’s Sponsors -Better Help. Get 10% off your first month by going to www.BetterHelp.com/sysk and use the promo code: sysk -Upstart. See how low your interest rate is at www.Upstart.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone knows that coffee can help you think and focus and can even improve your mood – especially that first cup in the morning. Years ago, coffee advertising contained the tagline… “Coffee, the THINK drink.” But it just may be that all the research showing how good coffee and caffeine are for mental function is flawed. If you are a coffee drinker, you are going to want to hear this. http://www.forbes.com/sites/travisbradberry/2012/08/21/caffeine-the-silent-killer-of-emotional-intelligence/ Then, we look at all the math you use in everyday life. Mathematician, Jordan Ellenberg, author of the book How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking (http://amzn.to/2uyMDx6) reveals just how important math is and how it is constantly changing. He also discusses how not to be tricked by statistics and numbers that are designed to mislead you. People do better work when they get a reward. It applies to people at work or kids at home – and it comes as no surprise. What’s interesting is that it actually depends on the type of reward. It doesn’t have to be a big reward, it just has to be the right reward to get people to do their best work. I’ll explain. Source: Dr. John Hoover, author of the book “The Art Of Constructive Confrontation” (https://amzn.to/2UcskBf) Why don’t diets work? Diet books and programs are as popular as ever but we continue to get heavier. Yoni Freedhoff, M.D., author of the book The Diet Fix (http://amzn.to/2vMM55m) explains the reasons why your next diet is likely doomed to fail and what works better to get the weight off and keep it off. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You have probably been eating peanut butter since you were a kid. And that turns out to be a really good thing. This episode begins with a look at the amazing and little known health benefits of eating peanut butter – as long as it is the right kind of peanut butter. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/323781#health-benefits Changing someone’s mind is difficult if not impossible - or so it seems. However, minds do change so clearly it can be done. Jonah Berger joins me to explain how. Jonah is a marketing professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and his latest book is called The Catalyst: How to Change Anyone’s Mind (https://amzn.to/33hpVJE) . Listen as he explains the fascinating research on how to get people to agree with you. The experts are saying that one of the ways to prevent the spread of coronavirus is to NOT touch your face. Good luck with that! Listen as I explain why trying to not touch your face is almost certainly going to make you touch it even more. https://www.wired.com/story/cant-stop-touching-your-face-science-has-some-theories-why/ Could machines really get so smart they could take over the world – or is that just in the movies? Some scientists have expressed real concern that we could create machines that actually become self-aware and could in fact become smarter than we are. Joining me to discuss whether that is a real possibility or just science fiction is John Markoff, a science writer for the New York Times and author of the book Machines of Loving Grace. (http://amzn.to/2j55XgN) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you have an iPhone, you have likely struggled moving the cursor around in a text message or email. However, there is a very simple way to easily maneuver the cursor to exactly where you want it to go - that many iPhone users don't know. This episode begins with an explanation of exactly how to do that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMevwmsbrTk You are deceiving yourself about yourself. Everyone does it. We rationalize and excuse our behavior and tell ourselves things to make us feel good. Clinical psychologist Dr. Cortney Warren is an expert on self-deception and she offers some valuable insight on how we deceive ourselves, why we do it and the harm it causes. She also has some strategies to help you to stop doing it that I know you will find helpful. Cortney did a TED Talk on the topic which you can see here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpEeSa6zBTE Her website is https://choosehonesty.com/ You may think that while you sleep not much is going on – but in fact there is a lot going on. Yes your body is resting but it is doing so much more. Listen and find out all the things that happen to you while you sleep. http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/conditions-diseases/what-happens-during-sleep#slide-9 So much of what you do is determined by the weather. And there are a lot of fascinating things about weather that you probably don’t know – but you are about to. Listen as I talk about the weather with meteorologist Simon King, a very popular weather presenter for the BBC in England and he is author of the book What Does Rain Smell Like (https://amzn.to/2xjnD0M) This Week's Sponsors -Indeed.com Post your job today at www.Indeed.com/something and get a free sponsored job upgrade on your first posting. -Theragun. Try it risk free for 30 days and get a free charging stand (a $79 value) when you go to www.Theragun.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you were to stand in downtown Detroit and start walking south for as long as it took, what is the first foreign country you would encounter? This is one of the fascinating questions/facts that I know you will find interesting – and might even win you a drink in a bar bet. Then, it is so weird what things influence your opinion and enjoyment of the food you eat. You might like to think you are too smart to be fooled by things like the color of the plate, or the music being played or the weight of the silver ware. But you are. Researcher Charles Spence, author of the new book, Gastrophysics: The New Science of Eating (http://amzn.to/2sk9L3f) will amaze you with what he has discovered. You often see celebrities who claim that drinking gallons of water is what keeps them looking so youthful. But is that really true? Listen and find out. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/beauty/drinking-water-for-better-skin Listen as film director and writer Steve Stockman, author of How to Shoot Video That Doesn’t Suck (http://amzn.to/2trbnrR) offers some brilliant and simple techniques that will help you take better, more interesting video that people will actually enjoy watching. This Week's Sponsors -Grubhub. For $10 off any order of $15 or more (for new diners only), download the Grubhub app and use promo code SYSK Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What makes a good dancer? Some of it is subjective but there is one particular body part that seems to make all the difference. This episode begins with an explanation of the magic of good dancing. http://www.nature.com/articles/srep42435 How do you get to be the best at something? You might think those elite performers are just naturally gifted in some way. However, science says no. Anders Ericsson has been studying what it takes to get to the top of your game for several years and he joins me to discuss the surprising results. Anders is the author of the book Peak: Secrets of the New Science of Expertise. (https://amzn.to/3athIoj) People disagree over whether vitamin C can do anything for a cold – but there is no disagreement over the benefits vitamin C offers when you are under stress. Listen as I explain what it does and how much you need to take to get the benefits. https://www.psychologytoday.com/articles/200304/vitamin-c-stress-buster You’ve heard your whole life - “If you need help, all you have to do is ask!” Well that turns out to be more true than you probably ever imagined. Wayne Baker has spent a long time researching this. He is a professor of Business Administration & Faculty Director of the Center for Positive Organizations at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. He is also author of the book All You Have to Do is Ask (https://amzn.to/2VMts12) and he joins me to explain the amazing power of asking for what you need. This Week's Sponsors -Indochino To get an extra $30 off any purchase of $399 or more go to www.Indochino.com and enter the code SYSK at checkout. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot of items you buy at the grocery store are actually a lot cheaper at the drug store. This episode begins with a look at where the bargains are in your neighborhood pharmacy. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning-organizing/germs-in-new-clothes Wouldn’t it be nice to get some clear and unbiased advice on nutrition? You are about to. David Katz, M.D. is founding director of the Yale-Griffin Prevention Research Center who studies the latest science about nutrition. Recently he teamed up with food writer Mark Bittman to write a new book called How To Eat: All Your Food and Diet Questions Answered (https://amzn.to/2I5Vsor). Dr. Katz joins me to discuss what the latest science says what you eat. Do you use emojis when you write? While some people think they are a little silly they can serve a very important function when you write texts and emails. Listen as I explain and you might find yourself popping an emoji into your next email. Source: Daniel Goleman, author of Social Intelligence (https://amzn.to/2TrrDE4) Ever been in a rut? Most people have and it’s interesting because as boring as it is to be stuck in a rut, it can also be very hard to motivate yourself to get out of it. Michael Platt joins me to talk about why we get into ruts and how to get out of one more easily. Michael is a professor of marketing and neuroscience at Wharton School of Business and his website is http://plattlabs.rocks/ This Week's Sponsors -Upstart. To discover how LOW your interest rate is, go to www.Upstart.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When was the last time you cleaned your credit or debit cards? Or the remote for the TV? There are a lot of things around the house you never think to clean – but you will after you hear this. https://www.fitandfabliving.com/general-health/6435-seven-surprisingly-dirty-surfaces/ How spiritual are you? Psychiatrist Dr. Anna Yusim, author of the book Fulfilled: How the Science of Spirituality Can Help You Live a Happier, More Meaningful Life (http://amzn.to/2tglpsf), discusses what it means to be spiritual and what recent scientific research says about the benefits of spirituality both for your health and happiness. Don’t you hate it when you grab a pen to write something and no ink comes out? I’ll tell you what the experts say to get the ink flowing again quickly. https://www.wikihow.com/Restart-a-Dry-Ball-Point-Pen There’s a problem with your survival instinct. Dr. Marc Schoen, Assistant Clinical Professor at UCLA’s Geffen School of Medicine and author of the book, Your Survival Instinct is Killing You (http://amzn.to/2uK7sHw) explains how our survival instinct was meant to keep us safe from imminent danger – like a lion who wants to eat you. But today, we don’t need it for that. Consequently, that instinct can cause problems if we don’t learn to regulate it. It can cause us to act inappropriately and can take a toll on our health. So he explains how to manage that instinct and turn down the intensity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Yawning is contagious. We have all experienced that. What’s interesting though is when you notice how soon someone yawns after you do. This episode begins with an explanation of why some people might yawn right away while others might not yawn for a few minutes after your yawn – and what that means. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4137654/ The world is full of irrational people and they can drive you crazy. Since we all have to deal with these people it would be helpful to get some effective strategies. Here with some really good one is Dr. Mark Goulston. Mark is a psychiatrist and author of several books including Talking to Crazy: How to Deal with the Irrational & Impossible People in Your Life (https://amzn.to/2HYz2oL). Mark is also the host of the podcast My Wake Up Call and his website is www.markgoulston.com. You can access the podcast from his website. The next time you are in a bad mood, you might want to head to the kitchen. Not to eat but to do something else that has been shown to really lift people up when they are feeling down. Listen as I explain what it is and why it works. https://bit.ly/2VuERSW You have probably heard and most likely experienced that colors can affect your mood as well as your behavior. Why? Is it conditioning or is it biological and how does it work exactly? Joining me to explain is Brit Garner a PhD student who has a YouTube channel all about science called Nature League https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjkUQ-_fGADyBYrIWviibmg. I think you’ll find what she has to say about color quite fascinating. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When you have a big decision to make, all kinds of things can influence that decision. But one thing I bet you never thought of was the lighting in the room. Yet, it turns out that lighting can have a significant impact on a decision you make. I’ll explain how and what is optimal lighting to make important decisions. http://media.utoronto.ca/media-releases/education/new-research-shows-the-way-a-room-is-lit-can-affect-the-way-you-make-decisions/ I’m very excited to have Brian Greene as my guest on this episode. Brian is a theoretical physicist, string theorist (and occasional guest star on “The Big Bang Theory”). He is also author of several books including, The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos (http://amzn.to/2tMA9lz) which will really get you thinking about reality and the universe we live in. In fact, as Brian explains, there may be several parallel universes and alternate realities. I know, it sounds space-y but Brian explains it so well, I think you’ll be fascinated. Why do people blush? Ever since grammar school, I’ve been a blusher when I have been embarrassed or made a mistake. But what does science say about WHY people blush? What good does it do? https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/06/why-do-people-blush/489572/ What is the difference between a tough boss and a bully? Workplace bullying is a real problem and it usually (but not always) comes from the boss. Tracey Jones, author of, A Message to Millennials (http://amzn.to/2sFJbNa) reveals the seriousness of the problem and what individuals can and must do to stop the bullying. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Everyone knows that as you age, your mental function declines. But when does that begin? Age 40? 50? I’ll tell you what the science says. http://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/memory-decline Then, we look at the history of your home. Every room in your home has a story to tell. The bedroom is particularly fascinating and wait until you hear about your bathroom! Lucy Worsley, Chief Curator at Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace State Apartments and other royal palaces in London, is author of the book, If Walls Could Talk: An Intimate History of the Home (http://amzn.to/2rRAbov) takes you on a fascinating tour of your own home – that you never knew. Also, if you love tomato juice – good for you! If you hate it, give it another try. If you still hate it, try it again on airplane. Listen and I'll explain why. https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/why-tomato-juice-tastes-better-on-airplane And if you hate confrontation – you will LOVE this. Barbara Pachter, author of the book The Power of Positive Confrontation (https://amzn.to/2SOymsE) explains how confrontation works, why it gets out of control and how to use confrontation to get what you want every time – if you do it properly. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why should you take a photo of your passport and keep it on your phone? That’s just one of several important travel tips I discuss that you probably haven’t heard before. https://www.dreamandcotravel.com/20-travel-hacks-to-save-you-time-space-money/ You constantly receive criticism and feedback from people – some of it is welcome some not. Some of it is warranted and some of it not. So how can you learn to evaluate the feedback coming at you so you can determine what is true and what is false – and not get defensive? And then how do you use that feedback to your advantage? Sheila Heen author of the book, Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well (http://amzn.to/2pelwW0) has studied this and you will find what she has to say extremely helpful. Why do so many marriages and relationships go bad? Dr Harville Hendrix has been studying relationships and has worked with couples for over 30 years. He has authored several books on the topic including Making Marriage Simple (http://amzn.to/2pYzh9k) . He shares some incredible insight into how any relationship can be made better – instantly if at least one person is willing to make some simple changes. And who doesn’t love bacon? Just the smell of bacon cooking is enough to make you crave it. So what is it about bacon that makes it so desirable? I’ll explain the science of bacon in this episode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=133&v=27EBed9rzs8 This Week's Sponsors -AirMedCare Network.Go to www.AirMedCareNetwork.com/something and get up to a $50 gift card when you use the promo code: something -Theragun. Try it risk free for 30 days and get a free charging stand (a $79 value) when you go to www.Theragun.com/something Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We all make mistakes. However, wouldn’t it be nice if you could make fewer of them? This episode begins by revealing two simple strategies that have been proven to help people make fewer mistakes when they attempt to accomplish a task. (Source: Joseph Hallinan author of Why We Make Mistakes https://amzn.to/39OVFrM) When you have a problem, you need to find a solution. Maybe though, the better course of action should be to change or reframe the problem. That’s the advice of Thomas Wedell Wedellsborg, who is author of the book What’s Your Problem? To Solve Your Toughest Problems, Change the Problems You Solve (https://amzn.to/3bUChLN) . Listen as he explains the fascinating process of changing the problem to find a better solution. When you have a cold or the flu, doctors recommend bed rest. Why? What’s so special about bed rest? Listen as we discuss what bed rest does to help you get better – and the benefits are real. https://www.wsj.com/articles/fighting-the-flu-when-you-need-to-stay-home-and-in-bed-1423504355 While you like to think that you look at the world through objective eyes, it just isn’t true. Humans have very distinct biases that color your view of things, events and people. While these biases are often helpful, they can also get in the way. Listen as I discuss this with Dr. Daniel Krawczyk, a professor of behavioral and brain science at the University of Texas in Dallas. He is also the co-host of the Mental Models podcast (https://www.mentalmodelspodcast.com/) and co-author of the book Understanding Behavioral Bias (https://amzn.to/2vOw3MY). You’ll get some great insight into to how biases influence your thoughts and decision making. This Week's Sponsors -AirMedCare Network. Go to www.AirMedCareNetwork.com/something and get up to a $50 gift card when you use the promo code: something -Better Help. Get 10% off your first month by going to www.BetterHelp.com/sysk and use the promo code: sysk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do you lose most of your body heat through your head? What’s the best way to stop the hiccups? We begin this episode with a look at these and other interesting medical myths and facts. https://www.realsimple.com/health/first-aid-health-basics/old-wives-tales-retold What exactly is the Internet – and where is it located? We think of the Internet as being virtual but there is a physical Internet – there has to be. Those network connections all have to connect somewhere. Journalist Andrew Blum author of the book, Tubes: A Journey to the Center of the Internet (http://amzn.to/2tAUJ8u), takes us all on a journey of the physical Internet – where it is, how it works and what it smells like. Do you know what to do when lightning strikes? Much of what we hear isn’t true. I’ll tell you what the experts say about staying safe in a lightning storm. https://www.yahoo.com/health/lightning-strikes-myth-vs-fact-93152046102.html When I say “self-discipline” you probably think of it as sacrifice and painful and not much fun. However, when it comes to achieving success in anything, a little self-discipline can be a very powerful tool. Rory Vaden, author of the N.Y. Times bestseller, Take The Stairs: 7 Steps to Achieving Success (http://amzn.to/2tfQsVP) explains how self-discipline really works, how powerful it is and why there are a lot of myths and misconceptions about it. This Week's Sponsors -Automation Finance. Go to www.automationfinance.com/sysk to review the investment memorandum and sign up for an account. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens if you try to make a photocopy of a $20 bill? This episode begins by revealing why it is so hard to do and why a picture of money won’t open in PhotoShop either. http://www.businessinsider.com/money-counterfit-eurion-constellation-copy-scan-photoshop-2017-1 Financial guru Suze Orman has been preaching the importance of financial responsibility for a long time. Listen as she offers some effective strategies to help you keep more of your money and help it grow while still enjoying life to the fullest. For information about the document package she talks about go to: https://www.suzeorman.com/products/must-have-documents Temptation often wins over willpower. But the next time you need a little burst of willpower to overcome that urge you will later regret, there is a strategy that really seems to work. http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/psyched/201104/clenching-your-fists-increases-willpower All the talk about artificial intelligence and robot technology can sound scary. What will be left for humans to do? Futurist Steve Brown, author of The Innovation Ultimatum: Six Strategic Technologies That Will Reshape Every Business in the 2020s (https://amzn.to/2ORNJOt) joins me with some good news about all of this. He also offers a glimpse into some amazing technology that will be able to detect cancer just by listening to your voice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the best way to sign-off an email? Well, it depends on what you want the outcome to be but if you re hoping for a reply, there is one sign-off that is more likely to get someone to respond. This episode begins with me revealing those magic words. http://www.businessinsider.com/best-way-to-end-an-email-2017-2 Why is your brain in your head? Why do your eyes face forward but a fish’s eyes are on the side of it’s head? These are just a few of the interesting questions about your body that I discuss with Mark Changizi. Mark is a cognitive scientist, he has a YouTube series about science (https://www.youtube.com/user/mchangizi) and he has authored some science books – one being The Vision Revolution: How the Latest Research Overturns Everything We Thought We Knew About Human Vision (https://amzn.to/2SwLNMs) Wrinkles are inevitable. However, there are things we can all do to minimize how many you get and how prominent they are. Listen as I discuss some expert advice from Good Housekeeping magazine and I’ll also reveal the best way to tell how many wrinkles you will likely get. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/beauty/anti-aging/things-you-didnt-know-about-wrinkles When you make buying decisions, a lot of factors go into it – some you aren’t even aware of. And then there are customer reviews. Are they a could way to determine if you should buy or not buy a product? That’s what I discuss with Bart de Langhe, a behavioral scientist and a marketing professor at ESADE Business School in Barcelona, Spain and an expert on buying behavior. He has a TED talk on the subject you can watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=13&v=d8TxoQWFW7E&feature=emb_logo This Week's Sponsors -Blinkist. Go to www.Blinkist.com/sysk to start your free 7 day trial and get 25% off your subscription Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Some people love rollercoasters and scary movies – but why? What is the appeal of being scared half to death? Today, you’ll find out why. http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/10/why-do-some-brains-enjoy-fear/280938/?single_page=true We’ve all been in the situation where we HAVE to perform well and because of that we lose our confidence, get nervous and catastrophize all the horrible things that could happen if we fail. Why on earth do we do that when it does nothing but makes us perform even worse? The trick is to “psych yourself up.” Daniel McGinn, senior editor at Harvard Business Review and author of the book, Psyched Up: How the Science of Mental Preparation Can Help You Succeed (http://amzn.to/2sv4p4Q) offers some suggestions, based on research, that can help you perform better when there is a lot on the line. How many times did you hear a teacher say to never to end a sentence with a preposition? Is it really such a sin? A grammar expert explains the truth about where that rule came from and whether or not it is important to follow it. http://mentalfloss.com/article/68490/4-fake-grammar-rules-you-dont-need-worry-about Why does it seem that when families get together, it always leads to trouble? Family therapist Eric Maisel, author of the book Overcoming Your Difficult Family (http://amzn.to/2rjwPui) explains why when families gather they have trouble getting along and what you can do to rise above it all and save your sanity. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is all gasoline the same? Actually, there is a difference. This episode begins with an explanation of the difference between regular gas and “Top Tier” gas and why you might want to check out the website https://toptiergas.com/ In life, there are finite games and infinite games. Your career or marriage are examples of infinite games. There is no ultimate winner in those games. It turns out a lot of life is an infinite game even though we sometimes don’t treat it that way. Simon Sinek author of the book The Infinite Game (https://amzn.to/31I4y3G) joins me to explain how we are all players in both finite and infinite games – and how you play those games determines your success in life and career. You touch a lot of things during the day and the cash in your wallet is one of the grossest. Listen as I explain just how gross it is and what disgusting organisms are clinging to your money. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/dirty-money/ The role parents play in their children’s lives has changed. Parents are far more involved than they used to be. That’s not a good thing according to psychologist Madeline Levine, author of the book Ready or Not: Preparing our Kids to Thrive in an Uncertain and Rapidly Changing World (https://amzn.to/38aTdLE). Madeline joins me with a look at the problems created by this new modern parenting and offers some ways to make it better. This Week's Sponsors -Blinkist. Go towww.Blinkist.com/sysk to start your free 7 day trial and get 25% off your subscription Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

They tell you on airplane that in the event of an emergency an oxygen mask will drop from the ceiling and when you breathe into it the mask may not inflate. Why don’t they know if it will inflate or not? This episode begins with the answer to that and other things about the plane’s oxygen system you should know. http://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/oxygen-masks-on-planes People spend money for a lot of different reasons. Sometimes those reasons are irrational. Other times we are not really aware of how much money we are actually spending on things. Michael Norton is a professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School and author of the book Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending (https://amzn.to/3baWJaX). He joins me to discuss why we spend money on some things and why we regret NOT spending money on other things. He also offers some great advice on how to get a good handle on your spending so that you spend money on things that are important without wasting money on things that are not. What makes for a good and safe password? Most people think random characters are best. Listen and discover why there is something else that is really important and it has nothing to do with randomness. http://www.businessinsider.com/common-password-format-worst-protection-2017-1 Indulging in pleasurable activities can make you feel guilty. But it shouldn’t. Treating yourself to pleasure is one of the best things you can do for yourself. That’s according to Dr. Nan Wise, a psychotherapist and author of the book Why Good Sex Matters (https://amzn.to/390avvc). Listen as she explains why some hedonism (not just sex – any pleasure) is somethings humans need. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The number of parents of who spank their kids as a means of discipline has dropped significantly over the past several decades – but some parents still do it. And in other countries, spanking is much more commonplace. But for those parents who still spank, there is a new reason to stop – and it has nothing to do with the kid – and all to do with the parent’s well being. Source: “30 Lessons for Living” by Karl Pillimer (https://amzn.to/36Pv8bV) Just how does modern technology affect you? It’s a fascinating discussion you’ll hear when I speak with Clive Thompson, a longtime contributor to the New York Times magazine, a columnist for Wired and author of a book called, Smarter Than You Think : How Technology is Changing Our Minds for the Better (http://amzn.to/2s5W9Ir). Clive makes the case that despite some negative effects of technology – it is mostly a positive influence on us. But it’s complicated. Plus, in this episode, I have some fascinating ways to save money you probably haven’t heard before. Here’s one: Even non-members can use the pharmacy at Sam’s Club and Costco and save a lot of money. And there are several more…https://www.rather-be-shopping.com/blog/2015/06/29/things-you-can-do-at-costco-without-a-membership/ And what you don’t know about your health can really hurt you. Dr. Richard Besser, former chief health and medical editor for ABC News and author of the book, Tell Me the Truth Doctor (http://amzn.to/2s5uuqW) explodes some myths and offers some important health facts you need to know to stay healthy and live a long time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A lot of us tend to over-apologize. This episode begins with an explanation of why we do it and why we should stop doing it. Then when you do have to apologize, I’ll tell you how. (Source: Harriet Lerner author of the book “Why Won’t You Apologize” (https://amzn.to/37NoYug)) Sleep is important. It’s probably more important than most people realize in terms of health, performance and longevity. Joining me to explain just how important it is and how to make sure you are getting enough sleep is Dr. Jennifer Ashton, chief medical correspondent for ABC-TV and author of the book, The Self-Care Solution (https://amzn.to/2tlwDkw). Wash, condition, rinse. That’s how you wash your hair. But you might want to change up the order. I’ll explain how and the reasons why. http://www.rd.com/health/beauty/condition-before-shampoo/ Arguments and disagreements can be interesting but often not very productive. The reason may be that we are going at it all wrong. Julia Dhar is a partner at Boston Consulting Group and author of the book The Decision Maker’s Playbook (https://amzn.to/36MlZkq). She joins me to discuss some fascinating research on disagreements and she offers some excellent strategies to use when you disagree so that the conversation is actually productive – or at least not destructive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I know you’ve watched a sleeping dog twitch and move it's feet like it is running. So, is it just that the dog is dreaming or is there more to it than that? And should you be concerned if your dog does it? Listen and I’ll reveal what exactly is going on. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/612590/why-dogs-twitch-in-their-sleep People claim to want to find love. Then once they find it, it is hard to keep it alive. Why is that? Social anthropologist Helen Fisher author of the book Anatomy of Love: A Natural History of Mating, Marriage, and Why We Stray (http://amzn.to/2EvFAvd) returns to discuss the inner workings of love between 2 people, what often goes wrong and how to keep the romance alive. Helen was a guest on episode 147 talking about how to find love. You can hear it here: http://www.somethingyoushouldknow.net/147the-best-way-to-find-someone-to-love-how-to-come-up-with-better-ideas/ How many times have you heard someone complain about the bad weather and claim it causes their aches and pains to feel worse? Listen as I explore the science regarding the connection to weather and pain. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4105520/Don-t-blame-weather-pain-scientists-discover-no-linktwo.html When you create a goal for yourself, there is a tendency to focus on how hard or even painful it is going to be to achieve. There is some really interesting research that indicates that’s about the worst thing you can do. If you change the way you look at the goal, it becomes easier to achieve. One of the people conducting the research is Emily Balcetis a social psychologist and associate professor of psychology at New York University. She is author of the book Clearer, Closer, Better: How Successful People See the World (https://amzn.to/2RBvUF7) and she joins me to offer you advice on achieving your goals with less struggle. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

New clothes are not necessarily CLEAN clothes. In fact, there is a good chance other people have worn your new clothes before you. We start this episode discussing why and how to wash new clothes before you wear them. http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning-organizing/germs-in-new-clothes Also, how self-aware are you? Do you really understand who you really are and do you understand how other people really see you? Surprisingly, few of us know – even though we like to think we do. Organizational psychologist Tasha Eurich author of the book Insight: Why We’re Not as Self-Aware as We Think (http://amzn.to/2psRFGC) explains how to become more self-aware and why it is important to your success at work and in life. Your 5 senses can affect your attitude and behavior –and it is going to sound strange. For example, feeling something soft can “soften” your personality. Feeling something warm can create warm feelings for another person. I know it sounds nuts but Dr. Thalma Lobel author of the book Sensation: The New Science of Physical Intelligence (http://amzn.to/2raTg7Y) explains the science behind this. More importantly, she reveals how to use this knowledge to your advantage. Have you ever been stuck in a traffic jam that appears to have no cause? Listen as I reveal why that happens and other fascinating things about the way traffic does – and does not move. http://www.msn.com/en-us/autos/autoinnovation/just-a-few-self-driving-cars-on-the-highway-could-cut-random-traffic-jams-by-half/ar-AAfi1mD Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s fun to play the lottery. If you do, you probably spend more on it than you think. This episode begins with a look at how much people really spend on lottery tickets and what the real odds are of winning the Powerball jackpot. http://www.fool.com/retirement/2017/01/07/heres-what-americans-are-spending-on-lottery-ticke.aspx eBay has made it a lot easier for people to sell stuff they don’t want anymore to someone who does want it. So, do you have stuff that other people want – and how much do you think it is worth? Aaron Lapedis author of The Garage Sale Millionaire (https://amzn.to/2NR3btP) is an expert on buying and selling stuff at garage sales, eBay, Craigslist and elsewhere. Listen as he tells you what just might be luring in old boxes in the attic that could be worth a lot of money. And what to do with it to get it sold. Sometimes you need to charge your phone fast. Listen as I explain some tips that can really speed up the process and getting your battery back up to 100%. Source: David Pogue author of "Pogue's Basics: Essential Tips & Shortcuts" (https://amzn.to/2RN1cb8) We have rules for sleep. For example, mom and dad sleep together in one room. Kids sleep in their room. We go to bed when we are supposed to – but says who? Where did these rules come? According to Benjamin Reiss, professor at Emory University and author of the book, Wild Nights (http://amzn.to/2lWdPP7) claims that our rules for sleeping today are very different than they have been for most of human history. Hear what he has to say and you be liberated from a sleep routine that doesn’t really work for you. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Don’t you hate it when people ignore your emails? Well, there may be something you are doing in your subject line that increases the odds you will be ignored. This episode starts by revealing what that is – and the simple fix. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/291896/subject-line-typos-decrease-email-engagementrates.html It appears to be human nature that bad things feel bad more than good things feel better. As an example, it feels worse to lose $20 than it feels good to win $20. It’s called the negativity effect. Consequently, we will do more to avoid bad things happening than we will do to make good things happen. This has amazing implications to your life you have likely never thought about.. John Tierney is a writer has researched and written a book about this called The Power of Bad: How The Negativity Effect Rules Us and How We Can Rule It (https://amzn.to/30Gn3EQ). He joins me to explain how the negativity effect plays a role in many parts of your life. Some people can swallow a pill without drinking water with it. But just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Listen as I explain the dangers of dry-swallowing medication. http://www.rd.com/health/wellness/swallowing-pills-without-water-danger/ Why do some people have so much trouble maintaining a reasonable body weight while it is no problem for others? While there is no simple answer a lot of it has to do with environment, genetics and how you respond to your sense of hunger. Joining me to discuss this and what science says can really work to lose weight and keep it off is Dr. Giles Yeo. He is a geneticist with over 20 years’ experience dedicated to researching the genetics of obesity and author of the book Gene Eating: The Science of Obesity and the Truth About Dieting (https://amzn.to/3arsV9C). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every credit card bill comes with a due date. And if you pay the balance every month by the due date – you don’t pay any interest. But if you carry a balance month-to-month, the rules are different. You pay interest every day on the unpaid balance. So, the question is, if you make your payment earlier than the due date, do you save money? We start this episode by doing that math. http://www.bankrate.com/finance/credit-cards/pay-credit-card-bill-early-and-save-1.aspx Starting your own business is a romantic idea. But is it practical? Chris Guillebeau, author of The $100 Startup (http://amzn.to/2rc9dv4) shares the results of his fascinating research on people who started a successful business with very little money – and explains how anyone can do it. There is one particular app that is sucking your smartphone dry. And by that I mean it is sucking a lot of battery power and storage space. Which app is it? I’ll reveal which one and explain how you can easily live without it. http://mashable.com/2016/02/08/delete-facebook-app-iphone-battery/#OStOxq1kk8qi If you are one of those people (or you know one of those people) who works all the time and never takes a vacation or takes weekends off, you need to hear award-winning journalist Katrina Onstad, author of The Weekend Effect (http://amzn.to/2qPxRRl). She explores the harm this “all work – no fun” approach to life does to a person’s mental and physical health as well as to the quality of work they do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you breathe through your mouth you are doing it all wrong. This episode begins with a discussion on how to breathe properly and why breathing through your nose is so much better. http://www.breathing.com/articles/nose-breathing.htm Physical intelligence is that thing that allows you to never forget how to ride a bike or allows you to play a musical instrument or a sport. Scott Grafton teaches neuroscience at the University of California Santa Barbara and he is author of the book Physical Intelligence: The Science of How the Body and the Mind Guide Each Other Through Life (https://amzn.to/3aiI4dm). Scott joins me to explain how our physical intelligence helps us navigate the physical world and how our world is actually getting too easy for us to navigate. No matter what your age is, your posture today is probably not as good as it used to be. Still, good posture is important and I discuss some things you can do (and not do) to improve your posture. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4082990/Don-t-old-tortoise-Want-old-age-head-held-highJust-follow-expert-s-brilliant-tips-fit-flexible-past-40.html#ixzz4UiBJYSuY You’ve probably heard the advice that too make a change you need to break it down into smaller steps. But maybe it would be better to break it down into even smaller – tiny steps. That’s what BJ Fogg says works better for humans. BJ Fogg is a social science research associate at Stanford and founder of the Stanford Behavior Design Lab. He is also author of the book Tiny Habits: The Small Changes that Change Everything (https://amzn.to/2RnpgRl). Listen as he explains how the tiniest of changes can lead to big and lasting changes in your life. This Week's Sponsors -Best Fiends. Download this fun mobile game for free on the Apple App Store or Google Play. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Have you heard of “Imposter Syndrome?” It’s that feeling that you don’t really deserve the success you have achieved. A lot of people suffer from it so we begin this episode with an explanation of where it comes from and how to stop feeling like such a fake so you can truly enjoy your success. http://mentalfloss.com/article/75699/what-imposter-syndrome-and-what-can-you-do-about-it Would you take relationship advice from a divorce lawyer? Think about it – who knows better why relationships fall apart than a seasoned divorce attorney? And perhaps with that knowledge you could reverse engineer a relationship, so it stays together. That’s what my guest James Sexton is going to discuss. James is a divorce lawyer and author of the book How to Stay in Love: Practical Wisdom from an Unexpected Source (https://amzn.to/39XlfvB). From his unique perspective he has some suggestions that I think will resonate with you and that you will find very practical if you want to keep your relationship or marriage going smoothly - or at least understand why it isn’t. One reason people eat yogurt is because it has bacteria in it that is supposed to be good for you. Well, it turns out it might not be as good for you as you think. Listen as I discuss what yogurt really does – or doesn’t do to promote “gut health.” http://www.businessinsider.com/ed-yong-explains-yogurt-not-healthy-2016-9 Your sense of taste is rather amazing. It turns out it is so much more than the flavor you experience on your tongue. And it also changes. Foods you hated as a kid you may enjoy as an adult. And why do you like some foods that other people hate? Camilla Arndal Andersen is a food scientist in Denmark who studies people’s sense of taste and she joins me to explain the fascinating, complicated and very subjective sense of taste. Camilla also has a TED talk on the subject which you can watch here: https://www.ted.com/talks/camilla_arndal_andersen_what_happens_in_your_brain_when_you_taste_food?language=en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People who overeat tend to do so at the same time on the same days. This episode begins with me telling you exactly when those times are so you can defend yourself against temptation. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2306736/Fat-oclock-7pm-Sunday-revealed-time-likely-comfort-eating.html Solving problems and developing new ideas doesn’t come from focus and concentration as much as it does from “unfocusing” and letting your mind wander. Psychiatrist Dr. Srini Pillay author of Tinker, Dabble, Doodle, Try: Unlock the Power of the Unfocused Mind (http://amzn.to/2pMIVy3) explains the science behind how the creative brain works better when it is distracted rather than when it is trying to be creative. There is something called “double standard parenting.” In other words, when you accidentally break a lamp – well it’s just an accident. But what happens when your kid accidentally breaks a lamp? Does he or she get punished and shamed for doing it? We’ll explore some sage advice on why you shouldn’t hold your kids to higher standard than you hold yourself. Source: The Awakened Family by Dr. Shefali Tsabary (https://amzn.to/2R9kLtC). The world of video games isn’t all about war, aliens, shooting people and blowing things up. Andrew Ervin, author of Bit by Bit: How Video Games Transformed Our World (https://amzn.to/2NeohBU) reveals an entirely different world of video games and also discusses the importance of video games as a true art form. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Listening to music is more than just a pleasant experience. It is also good for you in several ways. This episode begins with a discussion of how valuable music is to your mental and physical well-being. http://www.emedexpert.com/tips/music.shtml Could your genes or microbes or even a parasite actually dictate parts of your personality? Likely so, according to Bill Sullivan, a professor at Indiana School of Medicine and author of the book Pleased to Meet Me: Genes, Germs and the Curious Forces That Make Us Who We Are (https://amzn.to/2t2VOYT). Listen as he explains how these forces can actually determine and even alter what makes you – you. You’ve probably heard that you shouldn’t store tomatoes in the fridge or that you shouldn’t fry food in olive oil. These are just a couple of common kitchen practices that may not stand up to scientific scrutiny. Listen as I explain why. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4539884/Should-continuously-stir-risotto-soak-onions.html It can sometimes be hard to explain something to someone so they really and truly get it. Listen as scientist, Dr. Dominic Walliman offers the four key ingredients that will help you explain anything to anyone. Link to Dominic’s YouTube Channel: https://bit.ly/2TaTOIW Link to Dominic’s books: https://amzn.to/39TRko7 Link to his TED talk: https://bit.ly/2FGCMKp Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When a woman cries it can have a dramatic effect on a man. Not only because she is sad but also because of how hears smell – seriously. This episode begins with an explanation of the connection between a woman’s tears and a man’s testosterone. http://healthland.time.com/2011/01/06/the-crying-game-womens-tears-dial-down-testosterone/ Many New Year’s resolutions are about exercise because for some, staying active is hard to do. Well, for some amazing motivation, listen to Kelly McGonigal, research psychologist and lecturer at Stanford and author of the book, The Joy of Movement (https://amzn.to/2N2wide). Kelly explains not only the long-term benefits of movement but the instant and satisfying benefits of moving your body even just a little. Why are there revolving doors? They are heavy and hard to push and some people hate them. So where did they come from and what was the original purpose. Listen to hear a very surprising story. https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/63378/whats-point-revolving-doors Talking to strangers can be tedious. After all, what’s the point of having a 15 second conversation with someone in line at the supermarket who you will never se again? Perhaps that is not the way to look at it. Kio Stark has been seeking out strangers to talk to for a long time. She loves it. Kio is author of the book When Strangers Meet (https://amzn.to/2s2ihEU). Listen to hear her explain why and what benefits you can get for investing in those brief conversations rather than avoiding them. You can see her TED talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/kio_stark_why_you_should_talk_to_strangers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Want to keep your fresh cut flowers, fresher? My grandmother always said put aspirin in the water and I’ve also heard you should put a penny in the water or some sugar. Well someone actually tested all these things out – and you’ll hear the results and discover what works best. http://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/gardening/gardening-flowers/keep-cut-flowers-fresh/flower-food You constantly receive criticism and feedback from people – some of it is welcome some not. Some of it is warranted and some of it not. So how can you learn to evaluate the feedback coming at you so you can determine what is true and what is false – and not get defensive? And then how do you use that feedback to your advantage? Sheila Heen author of the book, Thanks for the Feedback: The Science and Art of Receiving Feedback Well (http://amzn.to/2pelwW0) has studied this and you will find what she has to say extremely helpful. Why do so many marriages and relationships go bad? Dr Harville Hendrix has been studying relationships and has worked with couples for over 30 years. He has authored several books on the topic including Making Marriage Simple (http://amzn.to/2pYzh9k). He shares some incredible insight into how any relationship can be made better – instantly if at least one person is willing to make some simple changes. Who doesn’t love bacon? Just the smell of bacon cooking is enough to make you crave it. So what is it about bacon that makes it so desirable? I’ll explain the science of bacon in this episode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=133&v=27EBed9rzs8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Did you set any New Year’s resolutions? The chances of them sticking for a long time are pretty slim. However, there is something you can do to improve your odds. This episode begins with a strategy to help make life changes really stick. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/new-years-resolutionspsychology_us_5862d599e4b0d9a59459654c Do you know what your circadian rhythm is? It’s your internal 24-hour clock that controls you in ways you probably never knew. Dr. Emily Manoogian is a post-doctoral fellow at the Salk Institute (https://inside.salk.edu/fall-2018/emily-manoogian/) and is an expert in chronobiology which is the study of our internal clocks and how they affect us. Emily joins me to explain how these clocks work and how they control your life. Watch her TED talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=20&v=SrBYSinpEtU&feature=emb_logo Getting ice off your windshield in the morning can be a slow process. However there is a fast, safe and effective way to do it. Listen as I explain what it is. http://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/defrost-car-windshield Some people like meetings but I suspect more people don’t. Why? Because meetings are often a waste of time. David Grady is a writer and communications expert who created an interesting TED talk on how to save the world from bad meetings (https://bit.ly/37CnJxE) and he joins me to discuss how to get out of meetings you shouldn’t be in – and how to make better the ones you do have to attend. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As you just found out over the holidays, finding the right gift to someone can be difficult. However, there is some science to it that can make gift giving a little easier. This episode begins with some interesting insight on finding the right gifts for everyone the next time you need to. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4017156/The-science-perfectgift-Focus-experiences-make-sure-usefull-NEVER-suprise-someone.html Have you ever wondered why you are the person you are? Where did your personality come from? Does it change – and can you change it if you want to? Christopher Soto is an associate professor of psychology at Colby College in Maine (http://www.colby.edu/psych/personality-lab/) and has studied personality for a long time. Listen as he explains why you are you and why you might be a better you, later on. Procrastination is generally considered to be a bad trait. Still, we all do it. So maybe it isn’t all bad – maybe it serves a purpose. Dominic Vogue is Senior Associate Director of The McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning at Princeton University (https://mcgraw.princeton.edu) and is an expert on the subject of procrastination. I think you’ll find what he has to say quite fascinating and may make you feel less guilty the next time you decide to put something off. Police give out speeding tickets for several reasons: they punish fast drivers, they deter other drivers from speeding and they are a source of revenue for government. But there is also a problem. The practice of handing out speeding tickets can be dangerous. Listen as I explain why. http://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/news/a31850/study-finds-that-strict-speedenforcement-is-actually-a-danger/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices