That’s because taking melatonin nightly—especially in doses higher than 0.5 to 1 milligram at a time—can potentially cause unpleasant side effects, downregulate your natural production of melatonin, interfere with certain medications, and, not to mention, prove ineffective at improving sleep quality. With that being said, most people should have no problem giving up melatonin in one fell swoop as there’s little evidence that it is habit forming. Others may have better luck gradually taking a lower and lower dose as the days go on—again, as overseen by a doctor....

That’s the premise behind the famous “36 questions that lead to love,” an experiment popularized by a viral essay and inspired by real psychological research on how intimacy forms. Today, people are bringing the quiz with them on first dates, and marriage therapists assign the activity to couples looking to emotionally reconnect. Here’s how the 36 questions work and the science behind them. The experiment became massively popular after the New York Times Modern Love column published an essay by Mandy Len Catron in 2015 about her experience trying the questions with an acquaintance whom she went on to marry....

Broadly speaking, if detected, STIs are no big deal. All sexually transmitted infections can be cured or treated, after all. “Sexually transmitted infections are only dangerous if you do not know that you have one,” says Emily Rymland, DNP, FNP-C, a doctor of nursing practice, AAHIVS-certified HIV specialist, and director of clinical services at Nurx. Left undetected, sexually transmitted infections can progress into sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), which means they cause unfavorable symptoms and/or other issues....

Like many at-home testing options, testosterone tests are painless and provide results relatively quickly. Since these tests are becoming more common, we spoke with experts and compared and contrasted each of the options, to provide you with the best at-home testosterone tests available today. Keep reading to find our picks and to learn more about why healthy testosterone levels are important in people of all genders. The pituitary gland, which sits right in the center of your brain, controls the production and regulation of testosterone....

While a great (and potentially life-changing) concept, opinions are mixed on whether these devices can actually help relieve stress. To learn more about the science behind stress and how these devices are meant to reduce it, we spoke with experts and researched the options available today. Below, find our picks for the best wearable stress relief devices of 2023—and hear what experts have to say about this technology. These vibrations are often made through low-frequency (20 to 200 hertz), or infrasonic sound waves (below 20 hertz), which are extremely quiet and often barely detectable by the human ear1....

While a great (and potentially life-changing) concept, opinions are mixed on whether these devices can actually help relieve stress. To learn more about the science behind stress and how these devices are meant to reduce it, we spoke with experts and researched the options available today. Below, find our picks for the best wearable stress relief devices of 2023—and hear what experts have to say about this technology. These vibrations are often made through low-frequency (20 to 200 hertz), or infrasonic sound waves (below 20 hertz), which are extremely quiet and often barely detectable by the human ear1....

Research1 has shown a connection between lack of sleep during pregnancy and complications such as increased pain during labor, preterm birth, and low birth weight. So if you’re preparing for pregnancy (and planning the best approach to your nutrition, physical fitness, and sleep), now is a good time to evaluate your mattress, too. Below are a few of the best mattresses for pregnancy that will keep you snoozing comfortably, before and after the baby has arrived....