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Articles by Robert Britt
How to Make Your New Year's Resolution Stick
This story was published previously. I’m sharing it here in the Wise & Well newsletter, because our mission is to help make your tomorrow (and your next year!) a little better than today. — Rob Image: Chatcharin Sombutpinyo/Shutterstock. Used under writer’s license. It happens every year: We resolve, then our resolve dissolves, and our behavior devolves back into old habits.
3 is the Awesomest Number
Science-backed insights into health, wellness and wisdom, to help you make tomorrow a little better than today. The power of three is evident in art, writing, speeches, ads, mantras, psychology, nature, and the entire universe. Ready for a bunch of examples? One, two, three… Press enter or click to view image in full size “One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do,” according to the rock band Three Dog Night. “Two can be as bad as one.” Three, however? Three is awesome.
Early Warning Signs of Dementia
Poor heart health, shrinking, smushing brains and numerous lifestyle choices predict dementia risk, new research reveals Press enter or click to view image in full size Our understanding of dementia — the signs, causes and remedies — has increased significantly in recent years, and the latest research reveal both sobering and encouraging realities of this harrowing disease. Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia are not inevitable and not a natural part of aging, the studies show.
Who Really Needs Dietary Supplements and Why
A comprehensive guide to what’s helpful, worthless or dangerous, based on the latest science and interviews with nutritionists Advice on dietary supplements is all over the place, thanks to a lack of convincing research on many products coupled with scant governmental regulation that allows misleading marketing claims from manufacturers. Then there’s the ill-informed advice from social media influencers and friends who offer glowing anecdotal “evidence” for their favorite pill or potion.
9 Things I’m Doing to Stay Sane These Days
This feature story, originally published on Medium, is reproduced here for my Substack followers. I hope you find it helpful. Your weekly Wise & Well newsletters will continue to arrive on Fridays. —Rob How am I doing, you ask? I’m hanging in there. Not great, really. I’m upset about what’s going on in our country. I’m immensely sad about it. I’m angry. It’s not like me. Like many people, I have my good and bad days.
9 Things I’m Doing to Stay Sane These Days
Amid all the insanity, anger and sadness in politics and culture, I’m leaning into science to stay afloat Press enter or click to view image in full size How am I doing, you ask? I’m hanging in there. Not great, really. I’m upset about what’s going on in our country. I’m immensely sad about it. I’m angry. It’s not like me. Like many people, I have my good and bad days. But it used to be mostly good — I’ve generally been an optimist and an annoyingly happy person. Not so much lately. You know what I mean.
Making Sense of Crazy Times
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, where you’ll find informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. Compiled by Robert Roy Britt. We may never know exactly why any human does an awful thing, but sometimes looking at the science of it can help us understand not only a terrible event, but also offer some insight into the darker parts of humanity in general and maybe learn something about our own emotions.
One Heartfelt Reason Why We Need More Medical Research Involving Women
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, where you’ll find informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. Compiled by Robert Roy Britt. We’ve long known that women are woefully underrepresented in medical research. That long history of exclusion has real consequences, and this week one of our favorite family doctors offers up a story every woman (and everyone who cares about women) should read.
Struggle Sleeping? You May Face Mental Decline and Dementia
Struggling to sleep now and then is common. I have good nights and bad nights, and I've written a whole book about how to sleep well. I know all the tips and tricks. But I'm human, and I'm prone to occasional anxiety (bad for sleep), and sometimes I stay up too late (also bad). Now and then I have one too many drinks (really bad) and, well, you get the idea: There are plenty of ways to ruin a good night's sleep.
AI is Messing With Our Minds
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, where you’ll find informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. Compiled by Robert Roy Britt.
Pooping on the Phone Raises Hemorrhoid Risk
You know the type. When they disappear into the WC, you might not see them for months or years. They become the butt of easy jokes. Did you fall in? Everything come out OK? Once upon a time, these toilet loiterers would've been lost in a trashy magazine or a cheap novel. Now they're saddled with smartphones that encourage endless scrolling. Well, for all ye who poop-scroll, I've got some crappy news to pass along.
Wise & Well Weekly 8/29
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, where you’ll find informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. Compiled by Robert Roy Britt. Debunking ADHD Medication Myths Decades after treatments for ADHD entered the marketplace, you’d think doctors, psychiatrists and other experts would agree on which meds work and how best to use them. You’d be so, so wrong.
Wise & Well Weekly 8/22/25
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, where you’ll find informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. Compiled by Robert Roy Britt. The Secret Superpowers of Women and Girls On the surface, it’s obvious that guys are bigger and more muscular, on average, than women. But strength means many different things, and it when it comes to survival advantages, I’m sorry guys, but we’re the weaker sex.
Why We Make Bad Decisions Over and Over
New research reveals common human decision-making mistakes, at work and in life, and how to avoid them Regardless of culture or home country, most people ignore the advice of others and make their own decisions — an approach they ironically don’t think others should rely on. It’s classic I’m smarter than most thinking which, statistically speaking, cannot always be true.
Weekend Exploits Fuel ‘Social Apnea’ Sleep Problems
Most sleep problems aren’t actually sleep problems, per se, but rather manifestations of underlying physical or mental conditions, unhealthy habits and behaviors, and situational factors such as ambient bedroom temperatures.
Secrets of Remarkable ‘Superager’ Brains Revealed
Linda Delene’s mind is remarkably sharp for an 86-year-old. Though the Michigan resident has had her share of physical setbacks — gall bladder removal, heart surgery, even brain surgery — she remains highly active, riding a stationary bike several times a week, reading and watching mysteries, and keeping up with friends. Those traits, plus her can-do attitude, are thought to be among the reasons why her brain functions like that of someone much younger.
Survey Says: Polls Can Be Wildly Misleading
Survey Says: Polls Can Be Wildly Misleading I’m conducting a survey. Here are the questions. • Are you an honest person? • Do you believe what you read in the media? • Do you think surveys are biased? Your answers would be really interesting to me, but I won’t be reporting the results. Because they will be meaningless. You’ll soon understand why.
Wise & Well Weekly 8/1/25
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, where you’ll find informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. Compiled by Robert Roy Britt. Please note that as of this issue, I’m streamlining the newsletter to get you straight to the week’s insightful features. The Dumbest Reasons People Come to the ER When I was a kid, injuries were typically treated with three words: Walk it off. Sick? Have some chicken soup and go to bed.
How Your Brain Knows Things vs. Stuff
How Your Brain Knows Things vs. Stuff Two of my favorite nouns, to the chagrin of grammaticasters* everywhere, are thing and stuff. Great words, both. As a writer, I lean on them when I want to be purposely vague about the nouns and let the rest of a sentence shine. Which one to use always seems intuitive, so I’ve never looked up the strict definitional difference, which turns out to be the stuff of considerable cogitation.
Exercise and Mental Health: Context Matters
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, written by Wise & Well’s editor, Robert Roy Britt. Below you’ll find several informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. First, this week’s news brief: We’ve all heard that physical activity is good for the body and mind. What you don’t hear so much about is how some softer-tissue factors can play a role in whether a given session of exercise is good for mental health.
Can You Grow New Brain Cells?
New research suggests a final answer to this long-running scientific debate Somebody implanted in my childhood mind the idea that every time I blew my nose, I was snorting out brain cells, and I should be careful because I had only so many to work with. I’ve long wondered if that explained a few things about my aging brain.
The Art and Science of Swearing
New research reveals the most popular curse word and which countries swear the most. Plus: Linguists explain why people are swearing more than ever. Content Warning: This exploration into the linguistics and sociocultural implications of cursing contains vulgar swear words. A lot of them. “Fuck,” I overheard a contractor shout the other day as he realized a mistake on his project.
What MAGA Means to Americans
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, written by Wise & Well’s editor, Robert Roy Britt. Below you’ll find several informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. First, this week’s news brief: Few terms have ever divided a country as much as MAGA, an acronym that no longer needs to be spelled out. The movement has generated joy, hope, anger and despair in seemingly equal parts.
Why. It’s. So. Hard. To. Focus.
And what to do about annoying distractions This is a relatively short story about… look at that squirrel!… the common human inability to… geez it’s hot out today… focus on anything important for more than a few seconds. I’m struggling to get the story rolling, so I think I’ll take a quick break — a tactic known to improve focus — and come back to deliver the news. OK, I’m back. Here’s the news: A new survey out today finds three-fourths of US adults struggle to stay focused on a regular basis.
The New and Hopeful Science of Hope
Viewed as a strong emotion, hope cultivates meaning, which leads to happiness, new research argues. Here’s how to find some even when things seem hopeless. Philosophers, psychologists and other deep thinkers have been cogitating and pontificating on the nature of hope for millennia, and they still can’t seem to agree on what it is, how it affects the human condition, and whether it’s even good or bad.
Chronic Pain Trigger Discovered
Malfunctioning nerve cells persistently signal “ouch” even though there’s no actual source of pain, suggesting new treatment possibilities Persistent, intractable pain is one of the most mysterious human ailments, vexing those who suffer as well as doctors who try to treat them and scientists who are still trying to understand why chronic pain so often exists without any identifiable cause.
Productivity Peaks in a Goldilocks Zone Between Boredom and Burnout
A new electronic face tattoo measures mental effort to find the sweet spot where stuff gets done. When you’re disinterested, disengaged or otherwise bored with a challenging task, it’s hard to get much done, research shows. On the other hand, if you put too much mental effort into it, the brain can fry pretty quickly. Somewhere in between — what some psychologists call a Goldilocks zone of mental effort — is the best way to maintain productivity. But how do you know when your effort is just right?
Low-Back Pain Benefits from Walking More, More than Walking Faster
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, written by Wise & Well’s editor, Robert Roy Britt. Below you’ll find several informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. First, this week’s news brief: Numerous studies have shown that walking is among the best activities to boost overall physical and mental health, and also to alleviate many types of chronic pain.
The Fear and Hope of Constantly Outliving a Cancer Diagnosis
Life advice from a man who has been facing death for 20 years now “You can handle more than you think you can.” — Jonathan Gluck, in An Exercise in Uncertainty If you’re not a Medium member, you can use this friend link to read the entire story. Jonathan Gluck is two decades into his battle with multiple myeloma, a cancer that gets into the very marrow of bones, making them brittle while simultaneously destroying a person’s immune system and sometimes causing kidney failure.
Dementia Flows from Plumbing Problems in the Brain
How your head’s waste disposal system works, and how we might make it function better, according to new research Every day, your brain fills up with toxic chemicals and bits of harmful detritus, the effluent of thinking and doing, the cost of cognition. If you are healthy and sleep well, a natural sewage disposal system kicks in overnight and cleans and clears your mind while you’re zonked.
My Problems with the Man Hug
I wasn’t around when my best guy friends started hugging each other. I still struggle with the emotional and choreographic complexities of this unique form of male affection. I grew up back before men hugged each other. We shook hands when introduced to somebody new, greeted acquaintances with a polite nod, and mumbled “Hey, dude” to best friends we hadn’t seen in a while. I was fine with that. But times changed.
Search, and You Shall Find What You Believe
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness. I’m Wise & Well’s editor, Robert Roy Britt. Below you’ll find several informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. First, this little tidbit: Search “why is science wrong so often” and you’re apt to see links to stories that explain the worst aspects of science, outlier cases when research went awry.
Why I Chose ‘Pretirement’ over Retirement
My happy place is somewhere between the corporate treadmill and a La-Z-Boy Retirement looks wonderful on Facebook and Instagram, all blue oceans, sandy beaches and tropical drinks. But in the real world, this monumental shift in life can be a catalyst for declining physical and mental health on the way to an early grave. Which way it goes depends largely on whether a retiree finds purpose and meaning in life’s final chapter.
35 Surprising Little Ways to Improve Your Stories
Simple but effective nonfiction writing tips ripped from my daily editing When I edit the nonfiction writing of others, I like to explain my fixes or make suggestions so the writer can make the changes, which reinforces learning. Many of the suggestions are variations on common themes, yet there are infinite ways to explain and fix the common shortcomings common to all of us who write. Sometimes I share these suggestions via Substack Notes.
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness. I’m Wise & Well’s editor, Robert Roy Britt. Below you’ll find several informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. First, a little tidbit to chew on… One of the problems with dieting is that the cravings tend to hang around, even return with a vengeance.
Recapturing the Lost Art of Boredom
Good things happen when we embrace dull moments, rather than trying to scroll our way out of them This story exists only because I got bored. I was sitting outside on a hot Saturday afternoon, hoping to come up with my next story idea. Nothing developed, and I grew bored of the effort. But I didn’t mind so much. Things have been hectic lately, and a little boredom was rather nice.
Simple Survival Tips for Your Crazy Life
Welcome (or welcome back) to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, aiming to help you make tomorrow a little better than today. If you haven’t engaged for a while, I invite you to explore our weekly batch of informative and actionable feature stories below, written by our team of experienced journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. I’m the publication’s editor, Robert Roy Britt.
Do You Trust Your Neighbors? Do You Even Know Them?
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness. I’m your host and publication editor, Robert Roy Britt. Below you’ll find several informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. First this tidbit… When the world spins out of control, as it’s been wont to do in recent years, many of us find solace in close friends and family. When they’re not around, at least we have our neighbors, right?
Is 8 Hours of Sleep a Myth?
Most people sleep less and do fine, and new research finds ideal duration varies significantly across countries and cultures Few health maxims are repeated more often than the advice to get 8 hours of sleep. It’s not a terrible target to aim for, but the advice is flawed, based on pure myth, not science.
World’s Oldest Person Dies at 116. Again.
Science-backed insights into health, wellness and wisdom, to help you make tomorrow a little better than today. Follow publication Lifespans of the worlds “oldest people” suggest a limit on longevity Sister Inah Canabarro Lucas didn’t quite make it to her 117th birthday. She died last week at the very ripe old age of 116 and 326 days. Lucas, a Brazilian nun, had become the world’s oldest person when Tomiko Itooka, a Japanese woman, died at 116.
Happiness Comes from Everyday Things
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness. I’m your host and publication editor, Robert Roy Britt. Below you’ll find several informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. First, this week’s news brief… It’s well established that for the most part, happiness doesn’t result from stuff. Science also shows chasing happiness is a fool’s errand.
I Could Watch Clouds All Day
Science-backed insights into health, wellness and wisdom, to help you make tomorrow a little better than today. Follow publication On being out here, not in there When I disengage from the routines of life, every little thing seems more precious and amazing.
You Have Only 3 Options for How to Spend Your Time. You’ll Want to Choose Wisely.
Which one you lean into during your 24 daily hours can greatly affect how well your brain works There are three mutually exclusive states of being, explains Maddison Mellow, PhD, a researcher in health and human performance at the University of South Australia: At any given moment, you can be physically active, sedentary, or asleep. You can’t be in more than one state at a time, and to some extent most of us have considerable choice over which to be in.
Wise & Well Weekly for 4.19.25
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, written by Wise & Well’s editor, Robert Roy Britt. This has been an incredibly busy week for me, doing offline life stuff, so I’m skipping the usual health news brief and going straight to our informative and actionable stories by our team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. I love dogs. Let me rephrase that. I love good dogs.
Our Quest to Find the Perfect Mattress
Science-backed insights into health, wellness and wisdom, to help you make tomorrow a little better than today. Follow publication In which I learned what to look for, and why mattresses often aren’t the problem Soon after we started sharing a bed a quarter-century ago, my wife and I got what must’ve been a first-gen Tempur-Pedic memory-foam mattress. I think Neil Armstrong invented it. Or maybe I made that up. Anyway, it served us well for years and years.
The 7 Worst Diet Mistakes Dietitians See Over and Over
Image: Kues/Shutterstock. Used under the writer’s license. Member-only story Pitfalls to avoid if you want to feel better, be healthier, lose weight, be stronger or live longer Robert Roy Britt · Follow Published in Wise & Well · 8 min read · -- The diet industry rakes in billions of dollars a year selling diet schemes with catchy names, low-calorie foods and drinks that sound good but are often unhealthy, and dietary supplements that are unregulated and unproven.
The Courage to be Creative
This writer is painting again, and the failures are humbling, instructive and immensely satisfying. Science explains it all. Robert Roy Britt · Follow Published in Wise & Well · 8 min read · -- “Creativity takes courage,” the French artist Henri Matisse once said. I assume he meant the courage not only to give something a try — he was a painter, draftsman and sculptor — but to fail miserably, and even to hang your embarrassing work on the wall or — ack! — put it out there for the world to deride.
Microplastics Now Clog Our Bodies and Brains
Illustration: Studiovin/Shutterstock. Used under the writer’s license. Member-only story Dementia is added to the suspected health risks, which include cancer, heart disease and premature births. Learn what you can do to help curb the output and lower your intake.
Physical Activity Lowers Risk of Dementia, Anxiety, Sleep Problems, Etc. Etc.
Welcome back to your weekly dose of wisdom and wellness, helping you make tomorrow a little better than today. In this weekly newsletter you’ll find links to several in-depth, actionable stories by Wise & Well’s team of journalists, topical experts and practicing professionals. First, this week’s health news brief: You don’t have to run a marathon or pump iron daily to gain the benefits of physical activity.
Life Expectancy Flatlines
Member-only story We’ve become our own worst enemies, as environmental, societal and behavioral factors make us sicker than we should be Robert Roy Britt · Follow Published in Wise & Well · 7 min read · -- Image: Pixabay For more than a century, innovation in science, technology and medicine drove human life expectancy dramatically higher around the globe. That era of longevity advances appears to be ending, and we’ve got no one to blame but ourselves.
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