We reached out to wellness experts from that neck of the woods to learn how Scandinavians set the scene for deep sleep night after night, and how people stateside can do the same: Norwegian wellness coach Wenche Reinstein adds that part of living in tune with the seasons means designing a space that maximizes natural light. She tells mbg that bedrooms in Scandinavia often face East, so they get summer sun in the morning but stay slightly darker in the evenings....

Even if you live an active lifestyle outside of work, meeting your fitness goals and moving your body often, sitting for prolonged periods can have significant effects on your physical and mental well-being. Research shows that too much sitting can compromise your metabolic health and increase your risk of premature mortality1. And if you’re sitting in the wrong chair, it can lead to acute or chronic back pain. To better understand what to look for in a comfortable and supportive office chair, we spoke with physical therapists and evaluated a ton of options....

It’s not surprising; trying times challenge your ability to stay collected. The key is to find quick remedies for stress that are easily accessible to you, like squeezing a stress ball, taking a supplement, or treating yourself to some aromatherapy to help ease your mind and calm your senses.* The ancient Egyptians and Greeks used essential oils to for a variety of ailments, and according to the history documented by the International Federation of Aromatherapists, early civilizations even used aromatherapy to ward off evil spirits....

And as we know from research about the “sandwich generation,” or people who take care of their aging parents and a child, this is a major issue for many Americans: 45% of adults say they support both their parents and children, and 15% have contributed financially to both their parents and children within the same year. And of this group who are supporting both generations of family, only 28% say they are “living comfortably” with the overwhelming majority (60%) say they only “meet basic expenses” or “meet basic expenses with a little over....

Here’s everything you need to know about putting coconut oil on your private parts. Here are a few considerations and precautions you should take when using coconut oil as lube. When purchasing coconut oil, you may come across labels like unrefined, preservative-free, and partially hydrogenated coconut oil. While those labels have more to do with cooking and smoking points than anything else, it’s still best to look for coconut oil in its least processed form....

When I first advise my patients to stop flossing, they usually look at me like I’m crazy—it’s been ingrained in their minds that flossing is essential to their health. Unfortunately, most dentists’ advice around flossing is misguided. However, when it comes to removing bacteria from deep under your gums, floss is subpar at best. To compound the issue, simple sugars and carbohydrates nourish the bacteria in our mouths. So when there is an excess of candy, soda, or other items with high fructose corn syrup, bacteria can thrive and multiply under your gum line....

But is this melatonin side effect actually backed by science? Here’s what the research says. “This is critical for many functions,” Teitelbaum tells mbg, but, most importantly, for nudging us to sleep at nighttime. When the sun goes down and your space gets dark, that’s when melatonin can kick in and tell the body that it’s time for bed. What’s interesting is that most people associate melatonin with sleepiness, when the true parallel is between melatonin and a clock....