Robert Roy Britt
@robertroybritt.bsky.social
Independent science and health journalist. Founder/editor of Wise & Well on Medium. Former editor-in-chief of Live Science and Space-dot-com. Author of Make Sleep Your Superpower.
Several new and recent studies add to a solid bed of research on the serious health effects of just one night of insufficient or ineffective sleep: reduced productivity, cognition and immunity, and more fear, anxiety and pain, among other next-day effects.
One Night of Bad Sleep Causes All These Bad Effects
Reduced productivity, cognition and immunity, and more fear, anxiety and pain are among the many next-day downsides
medium.com
December 20, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Several new and recent studies add to a solid bed of research on the serious health effects of just one night of insufficient or ineffective sleep: reduced productivity, cognition and immunity, and more fear, anxiety and pain, among other next-day effects.
These two spices have some good science behind them, at least for some conditions. This neuroscientist offers a spicy deep dive on both.
Can Saffron or Turmeric Really Heal Your Brain?
Studies suggest spices can help with depression, dementia and ADHD, but reservations are warranted
medium.com
December 19, 2025 at 2:33 PM
These two spices have some good science behind them, at least for some conditions. This neuroscientist offers a spicy deep dive on both.
Women describe Pap smears as anything from uncomfortable and inconvenient to a dreaded experience. They've been recommended for routine cervical cancer screening since the 60s. A new test can instead be done by the woman, at home, and is more like inserting and removing a tampon, this doctor writes.
New Pap Test Empowers Women to Take Charge of Their Health
A recently approved at-home cancer screening device offers women comfort, reliability, and convenience — no speculum required
medium.com
December 18, 2025 at 4:44 PM
Women describe Pap smears as anything from uncomfortable and inconvenient to a dreaded experience. They've been recommended for routine cervical cancer screening since the 60s. A new test can instead be done by the woman, at home, and is more like inserting and removing a tampon, this doctor writes.
The Trump admin, which is demoting nursing graduates by no longer considering their post-grad education a professional degree. It's not just a professional sleight. It means people studying to become nurses won't be eligible for as much student loan money. Which means fewer qualified nurses.
Are Nurses Professionals? Of Course They Are. But…
The US government now says nursing isn’t a “professional” degree? Nurses would like a word.
medium.com
December 18, 2025 at 2:37 PM
The Trump admin, which is demoting nursing graduates by no longer considering their post-grad education a professional degree. It's not just a professional sleight. It means people studying to become nurses won't be eligible for as much student loan money. Which means fewer qualified nurses.
You might think curing #cancer would have a huge effect on longevity and the average human lifespan. It would be a wonderful thing, for sure, but this writer offers a surprising analysis of the fact that if one disease doesn't get you, another one will.
Here’s How Much Longer We’d Live if We Cured ALL Cancer
Researchers have done the math, and it’s likely not what you’re guessing
medium.com
December 17, 2025 at 3:58 PM
You might think curing #cancer would have a huge effect on longevity and the average human lifespan. It would be a wonderful thing, for sure, but this writer offers a surprising analysis of the fact that if one disease doesn't get you, another one will.
Betty White taught just to eat a Snickers bar when we get hangry (not the best advice, btw.) Meanwhile, scientists just figured out the the real reason hunger fuels irritability (it’s actually in your head) and how self-awareness (and real food) can prevent you from getting hangry.
What Really Makes People Hangry
New research reveals the real reason hunger fuels irritability (it’s actually in your head) and how self-awareness can prevent you from…
medium.com
December 15, 2025 at 9:51 PM
Betty White taught just to eat a Snickers bar when we get hangry (not the best advice, btw.) Meanwhile, scientists just figured out the the real reason hunger fuels irritability (it’s actually in your head) and how self-awareness (and real food) can prevent you from getting hangry.
The idea that kids become adults at age 18 has always seemed a stretch to me, even when it was me. But a new theory of brain maturation puts the start of adulthood much later, around age 33. That explains a lot!
Adulthood Arrives Later Than We Think
The brain develops in 5 stages, affecting our key life decisions and mental health, new science says
medium.com
December 11, 2025 at 7:13 PM
The idea that kids become adults at age 18 has always seemed a stretch to me, even when it was me. But a new theory of brain maturation puts the start of adulthood much later, around age 33. That explains a lot!
When the brain can't stop weighing options, it becomes impossible to make decisions, to finalize things, to resolve one challenge and move on to the next. This psychologist explains exactly what causes overthinking, why it's so detrimental, and how to get out of the negative spiral it creates.
How to Escape the Trap of Overthinking
Worry and rumination hijack the best of intentions. But you can break the cycle of anxiety and sleepless nights.
medium.com
December 11, 2025 at 5:11 PM
When the brain can't stop weighing options, it becomes impossible to make decisions, to finalize things, to resolve one challenge and move on to the next. This psychologist explains exactly what causes overthinking, why it's so detrimental, and how to get out of the negative spiral it creates.
Joking about unhealthy behaviors is a common approach to justifying bad habits while telling yourself it's inevitable the body and mind will slow down, so you might as well live it up. New research reveals the folly of that thinking.
It’s Never Too Late To Reclaim Your Health
Two recent studies support the notion that midlife and late-life choices matter for healthy aging. These strategies can help you get on…
medium.com
December 11, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Joking about unhealthy behaviors is a common approach to justifying bad habits while telling yourself it's inevitable the body and mind will slow down, so you might as well live it up. New research reveals the folly of that thinking.
The brain loves shortcuts, because they're efficient, and so we often don't properly process the inputs that generate our emotions, and therefore the emotions get stuck inside the mind. The solution, as this neuroscientist explains: Develop a more robust emotional vocabulary, and then use it.
Most Adults Have the Emotional Vocabulary of a Potato
Lack of EQ, as it’s called, messes with all our relationships. Fortunately, there’s a really easy fix.
medium.com
December 10, 2025 at 8:14 PM
The brain loves shortcuts, because they're efficient, and so we often don't properly process the inputs that generate our emotions, and therefore the emotions get stuck inside the mind. The solution, as this neuroscientist explains: Develop a more robust emotional vocabulary, and then use it.
My life has been upside-down and full of anxiety lately, and I woke up Sunday morning realizing I had not meditated for weeks, which is idiotic given how beneficial I find #mindfulness to be. And so I did, and the #meditation instructor delivered three words that changed everything.
Words to Live By: ‘Let Change Happen’
Three simple words give me chills, quell my anxiety, and alter my outlook on life (note: you don’t have to be into mindfulness meditation…
medium.com
December 10, 2025 at 5:44 PM
My life has been upside-down and full of anxiety lately, and I woke up Sunday morning realizing I had not meditated for weeks, which is idiotic given how beneficial I find #mindfulness to be. And so I did, and the #meditation instructor delivered three words that changed everything.
Beyond their mid-20s, most people develop a sense of their younger self that becomes increasingly misaligned with their chronological age. For this writer, who has #autism and #ADHD, the time warp has suddenly become more acute, manifesting in a sudden desire for something she long resisted.
Growing Older, Feeling Younger: Why My 40s Feel Like an Identity Plot Twist
I thought I could ignore the beauty industry forever, but aging is testing that belief (and being AuDHD makes it even harder)
medium.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:26 PM
New research links bad dental hygiene to little scars on the brain that indicate cognitive decline and predict high risk of stroke. So: Brush and floss!
medium.com/wise-well/po... #health
medium.com/wise-well/po... #health
Poor Oral Health Damages the Brain, New Research Suggests
One more reason to brush, floss, and get regular checkups.
medium.com
December 8, 2025 at 3:27 PM
New research links bad dental hygiene to little scars on the brain that indicate cognitive decline and predict high risk of stroke. So: Brush and floss!
medium.com/wise-well/po... #health
medium.com/wise-well/po... #health
This week's Wise & Well newsletter:
> Good Health is No Good Without Wellness
> How to Slash Your Healthcare Costs
> Fidgeting Might Be Good For You
> More Brains Would Benefit from Taking this Antidepressant
> The Most Vexing Problem of Chronic Pain
Plus: medium.com/wise-well/fo...
> Good Health is No Good Without Wellness
> How to Slash Your Healthcare Costs
> Fidgeting Might Be Good For You
> More Brains Would Benefit from Taking this Antidepressant
> The Most Vexing Problem of Chronic Pain
Plus: medium.com/wise-well/fo...
Food Manufacturers Sued Over Ultra-Processed Food
Can legal challenges improve our food supply? Do you really want to wait to find out?
medium.com
December 5, 2025 at 6:21 PM
This week's Wise & Well newsletter:
> Good Health is No Good Without Wellness
> How to Slash Your Healthcare Costs
> Fidgeting Might Be Good For You
> More Brains Would Benefit from Taking this Antidepressant
> The Most Vexing Problem of Chronic Pain
Plus: medium.com/wise-well/fo...
> Good Health is No Good Without Wellness
> How to Slash Your Healthcare Costs
> Fidgeting Might Be Good For You
> More Brains Would Benefit from Taking this Antidepressant
> The Most Vexing Problem of Chronic Pain
Plus: medium.com/wise-well/fo...
There's no solid evidence for effectiveness #marijuana on chronic pain, anxiety or insomnia, according to a large new analysis. Upshot: More and more rigorous study on #cannabis is needed to get beyond anecdotal reports that it actually helps with these and many other medical conditions.
Marijuana’s Medical Effectiveness Questioned
For help with chronic pain, sleep problems and anxiety, encouraging anecdotes abound, but actual evidence is lacking
medium.com
December 4, 2025 at 5:28 PM
There's no solid evidence for effectiveness #marijuana on chronic pain, anxiety or insomnia, according to a large new analysis. Upshot: More and more rigorous study on #cannabis is needed to get beyond anecdotal reports that it actually helps with these and many other medical conditions.
They say work isn't work if you love it, right? There's some truth to that way of thinking, what psychologists call "intrinsic motivation." But there's a perilous flip-side, too. Because, um, what if you don't love what you do?
Treating Love for Work as a Virtue Can Backfire
The problem with counting on “intrinsic motivation“
medium.com
December 4, 2025 at 3:18 PM
They say work isn't work if you love it, right? There's some truth to that way of thinking, what psychologists call "intrinsic motivation." But there's a perilous flip-side, too. Because, um, what if you don't love what you do?
Much to my surprise, tapping your foot, squirming in your seat or otherwise fidgeting may have benefits, as a study indicates the calories burned in fidgeting add up to your overall calorie use during the day. (Of course, there are other productive ways to burn calories!)
Fidgeting Might Be Good For You, New Research Suggests
Even minor movements add to your total calorie burn, and they add up quickly
medium.com
December 2, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Much to my surprise, tapping your foot, squirming in your seat or otherwise fidgeting may have benefits, as a study indicates the calories burned in fidgeting add up to your overall calorie use during the day. (Of course, there are other productive ways to burn calories!)
When I see someone step on a rake, slip on the ice or otherwise fall or get whacked—in a video or IRL—I feel an actual stab of pain. A new study helps explain why some of us "feel what we see," and what mental traits contribute to this physical phenomenon.
I Feel the Pain of Others. Science Finally Explains Why.
When someone gets smacked in the privates or falls on their butt, I get a real sensation in my own body. I’ve long wondered if it’s just…
medium.com
December 1, 2025 at 5:42 PM
When I see someone step on a rake, slip on the ice or otherwise fall or get whacked—in a video or IRL—I feel an actual stab of pain. A new study helps explain why some of us "feel what we see," and what mental traits contribute to this physical phenomenon.
What gets too little attention among all the #health quick-fix advice, this octogenarian doctor notes, is overall #wellness, which involves having the physical strength to handle basic life tasks. Here's how he does it, with a prescription for you.
Good Health is No Good Without Wellness
You can be perfectly healthy, but not at all well, if you’re not strong enough to handle routine life tasks
medium.com
December 1, 2025 at 4:10 PM
Technological #evolution is far outpacing your biological progress, a pair of scientists argue. So: Today's stressors are wildly different than our ancestors faced, and our modern minds and bodies are woefully unprepared, in terms of #psychology, to handle them. That's really bad for your #health.
Modern Life Has Outpaced Human Evolution
Today’s stressors are wildly different than our ancestors faced, and our modern minds and bodies are woefully unprepared to handle them…
medium.com
November 26, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Technological #evolution is far outpacing your biological progress, a pair of scientists argue. So: Today's stressors are wildly different than our ancestors faced, and our modern minds and bodies are woefully unprepared, in terms of #psychology, to handle them. That's really bad for your #health.
Even faint night lights can negatively affect #sleep. Light passes through our translucent eyelids, sending wakey wakey signals to the brain. New research links light at night to poorer heart health, suggesting a link between the light, poor sleep, and the ultimate #health effects.
Your Bedroom Light Could Raise Your Heart Attack Risk
Even faint nighttime light can quietly damage the heart, new research shows
medium.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Holiday meals bring together loved ones and wonderful dishes and… lots of leftovers. After #cooking our #Thanksgiving dinners, it's common to leave the #food out for hours so everyone can come back for more through the evening. Big mistake.
How Long Can Cooked Food Sit Out?
Whether you cook for a large gathering or just yourself, you’ll want to know what happens after just two hours, and especially after four…
medium.com
November 25, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Holiday meals bring together loved ones and wonderful dishes and… lots of leftovers. After #cooking our #Thanksgiving dinners, it's common to leave the #food out for hours so everyone can come back for more through the evening. Big mistake.
Some seek hedonic happiness. Others find meaning in selflessness. Philosophers and psychologists get stuck these two ways. But there's a better path to fulfillment, this story posits: curiosity and the pursuit of constant challenge and change.
The Little-Known 3rd Path to the Good Life
Conventional wisdom says a good life is built on either joy or purpose. But now, science maps an intriguing third way — one that leverages…
medium.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Some seek hedonic happiness. Others find meaning in selflessness. Philosophers and psychologists get stuck these two ways. But there's a better path to fulfillment, this story posits: curiosity and the pursuit of constant challenge and change.
People with "executive dysfunction," which is unlike dementias you normally hear about, appear to be doing great, even as aspects of their life -- like dealing with routine tasks like paying the bills -- go undone.
The Dementia You Have Never Heard Of (Until Now)
A superager doctor faces his own mental decline and tells how to cope
medium.com
November 24, 2025 at 3:08 PM
People with "executive dysfunction," which is unlike dementias you normally hear about, appear to be doing great, even as aspects of their life -- like dealing with routine tasks like paying the bills -- go undone.
Three is arguably the most important number in the universe. 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… medium.com/wise-well/3-... #art #science #nature
3 is the Awesomest Number
The power of three is evident in art, writing, speeches, ads, mantras, psychology, nature, and the entire universe. Ready for a bunch of…
medium.com
November 21, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Three is arguably the most important number in the universe. 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… medium.com/wise-well/3-... #art #science #nature