Everyone needs a little help being a human. From sleep to saving money to parenting and more, host Marielle Segarra talks to experts to get the best advice out there. Life Kit is here to help you get it together.
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Discover how "good posture" isn't about sitting up straight but about dynamic movement and varied body shapes. This episode explores how repetitive static positions lead to pain and injury, guiding listeners to identify their own "body constellations" and counter unwanted habits. Learn practical strategies for integrating movement breaks, optimizing your environment, and embracing natural fidgeting to achieve better alignment and reduce discomfort.
This episode features Kevin Curry of Fit Men Cook, who shares practical advice for navigating food insecurity. He discusses how to access free meals and groceries through hotlines, food pantries, and community programs. Kevin also provides strategies for maximizing grocery budgets, including finding deals and utilizing apps, alongside his unique batch cooking methods for affordable, healthy meals.
This episode outlines a comprehensive five-step process for couples to mend conflicts and strengthen their bond. It emphasizes the critical first step of self-regulation before engaging, followed by structured communication where partners take turns sharing their subjective experiences. Key takeaways include active, empathetic listening, understanding when to seek professional support for deeper issues, and recognizing that effective repair is an ongoing practice essential for secure, lasting relationships.
In this episode, architectural and interior designer Vern Yip offers practical advice for creating meaningful home spaces. He emphasizes defining a room's purpose and emotional goal, gathering personal inspiration, and making compromises with housemates. Yip also provides strategies for choosing paint colors effectively and decorating on a budget by prioritizing quality and allowing rooms to evolve over time rather than striving for instant perfection.
Prescription drug prices can be shockingly high, leading to difficult choices or even tragic consequences. This episode offers a comprehensive checklist for finding discounts and managing costs, starting with checking for errors and exploring online coupons like GoodRx. It also advises on working with your doctor for alternative medications or samples, utilizing patient assistance programs, and strategically reviewing insurance formularies during open enrollment to plan for future medication costs.
Discover how introverts and extroverts can bridge their personality gaps to foster healthier friendships. Expert Jennifer Kahnweiler and host Yo-Wei Shaw share insights on understanding individual traits, avoiding judgment, and communicating needs effectively. Learn practical "hacks" for better interactions and why appreciating each other's unique gifts strengthens bonds.
Navigating holiday travel can be stressful, but this episode provides actionable advice to minimize disruptions. Travel expert Scott Keyes shares strategies like booking early morning, nonstop flights and avoiding peak travel days. Learn about your federal rights to cash refunds for canceled flights, how to manage delays at the airport using apps and international hotlines, and what protections your credit card might offer. Plus, discover when travel insurance is truly beneficial and essential items for a more comfortable journey.
Collagen supplements have been widely promoted on social media, with claims that they'll strengthen hair and nails, lessen wrinkles and even ease joint pain. But are there studies backing these claims? NPR health correspondent Maria Godoy dives into the research and shares science-backed tips for better skin that are more effective. Fill out our survey at npr.org/lifekitsurvey. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share...
This episode emphasizes that parents are primary role models for their children's technology use, highlighting the negative impacts of parental distraction and the importance of conscious engagement. It offers practical strategies for parents to manage their own device habits, including self-assessment questions and the crucial rule of keeping all electronics out of bedrooms overnight. The discussion also covers setting parental controls, guiding children's media consumption based on age, and exploring differing expert opinions on when children should get smartphones, ultimately encouraging families to make personalized decisions aligned with their values.
If you feel overwhelmed or stuck in a close relationship, therapist KC Davis, author of Who Deserves Your Love , has a list of questions to help you decide whether you should continue to engage. Davis provides guidance on how to create boundaries you feel good about without cutting people out of your life. Take our survey at npr.org/lifekitsurvey Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Su...
Naps can offer significant benefits, from emotional regulation to improving memory and athletic performance. But there are right and wrong ways to snooze. A sleep psychologist and a sleep physician explain the factors of the perfect nap and the importance of daytime rest. This episode originally published Feb. 26, 2024. Take our survey at npr.org/lifekitsurvey . Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at li...
In this episode, James Beard Award-winning chef Roy Choi shares his philosophy for making nutritious meals bursting with flavor. He provides practical tips on effective meal prep, choosing essential pantry staples like aromatics, oils, salts, and versatile ingredients like MSG and gochujang. Roy also discusses specific recipes from his cookbook, "The Choi of Cooking," and emphasizes the importance of tasting and adjusting while cooking to elevate every dish.
Rachel Rodgers, author of Future Millionaire, guides aspiring entrepreneurs on developing a thriving business idea. She outlines four essential qualities for a successful offer: providing a clear transformation, meeting market demand, being enjoyable for the founder, and scalability. Rodgers also emphasizes starting lean, leveraging existing skills, and how a side hustle can open doors to new opportunities.
Libraries are more than just books; they are community hubs offering vast free and discounted resources. This episode explores how to get a library card, discover unexpected borrowable items like museum passes and tools, and access essential services such as tutoring, legal aid, and maker labs. It also highlights engaging events, digital media access, and tips for being a supportive library patron, ultimately helping you save money.
In this "Dear Life Kit" episode, licensed therapist Moraya Seeger DeGeare addresses anonymous listener questions about various relationship dilemmas. Topics include supporting a friend who returns to an abusive ex, a couple's emotional struggles and differing paths after multiple failed IVF attempts, managing marital tension due to conflicting work-from-home habits, and establishing boundaries with a partner's mentally ill ex. DeGeare provides empathetic guidance on communication, grief, self-worth, and defining love.
When a loved one faces cancer, knowing how to help can be challenging. This episode guides listeners on providing support, from leveraging individual strengths for practical tasks like accompanying them to appointments or organizing meals, to understanding their unique needs and taking initiative with thoughtful gestures. It also stresses the importance of mindful communication, focusing on listening and presence rather than imposing feelings or offering unsolicited advice, ultimately aiming to be a "hearing heart" for those in need.
This episode provides essential strategies for managing and eliminating credit card debt, a common financial burden. Learn how to leverage credit cards effectively, build a crucial emergency fund, and choose the right debt repayment method like avalanche or snowball. It also covers negotiating with card issuers for better terms and understanding your legal rights if debt enters collections, offering a clear path to financial freedom.
Toddlerhood is a big and beautiful period of self-discovery. Kids are picking up new cognitive and motor skills and learning language a mile a minute. But there are some behaviors in this age range that can be confusing, frustrating or spirit-breaking for parents, like tantrums, hitting, stealing toys and more. This episode, Life Kit reporter Andee Tagle helps you decode your toddler's behavior and address it more strategically. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here...
Financial expert Jill Schlesinger presents her "Fabulous Five" steps to evaluate your finances for major life shifts like career changes or relocation. The framework guides you through calculating assets, liabilities, housing considerations, and spending habits, culminating in understanding external obligations and creating best, middle, and worst-case scenarios for your desired future. This structured approach helps determine feasibility and build a practical path forward.
Chef Sohla El-Waylly demystifies soup making, highlighting its flexibility and comforting appeal. The episode covers the essential role of a flavorful broth, fundamental cooking techniques like sweating aromatics, and safety tips for blending hot liquids. Listeners will discover key ingredients for enhancing flavor, creative topping ideas, and practical advice on storing and reheating delicious homemade soups.
Higher education journalist Jeffrey Selingo discusses why college admissions has become overly focused on prestige, leading many students to apply to numerous top-tier schools that may not be the right fit. He shares essential factors beyond rankings, such as supportive first-year experiences, strong mentorship connections, real job experience opportunities, and a college's financial health. Ultimately, the episode encourages a broader perspective on what defines a "dream school," emphasizing thriving and meaningful connections over a prestigious name.
As bad as it feels, anxiety is essential, says psychotherapist Britt Frank, author of The Science of Stuck. It can be a helpful warning signal that something is off, or even dangerous. But when anxiety hits, it's hard to remember its importance. In this episode, Frank explains what we can do to feel more centered when we anxiety makes us feel overwhelmed -- so we can listen to what it's telling us. This episode was originally published on May 23, 2023. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up...
If you're in an interracial relationship, there can be additional concerns even with lots of love and care: cultural misunderstandings, family members who say hurtful things, disagreements over values or communication styles and larger power imbalances at play. This episode, writer Davon Loeb shares advice on navigating racial differences in your relationship and creating a stronger connection with your partner. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode...
What happens when you get a medical bill for something your insurance should have covered? KFF Health News reporter Jackie Fortiér outlines who talk to, what to say and how to appeal a denial from your insurance company. Have a question about navigating the health care system? Contact us here and you might be part of an upcoming episode of Health Care Helpline. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lif...
When a crush turns into a harmful obsession, you might experience limerence, romantic infatuation characterized by extreme emotional highs and lows, intrusive thoughts and idealization. In this episode, we talk to neuroscientist Tom Bellamy, author of the book Smitten , about how limerence works in the brain, what you can do to stop it, and how to replace limerence with healthier interests. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you ...
There are a lot of misconceptions about sleep. Sleep scientist Rebecca Robbins and her colleagues looked into common myths about sleep to help everyone get a better night's rest. This episode originally published Janaury 9, 2024. Want better sleep? Sign up Life Kit's Guide to Better Sleep, our special newsletter series. When you sign up, you'll receive a series of emails over one week with tips you can try that very night to prioritize and improve your sleep. Sign up at npr.org/sleepweek. Follow...
Chef Samin Nosrat shares her philosophy on creating meaningful community meals, moving beyond the pressure of perfect hosting to embrace shared experiences. She discusses the benefits of ritualizing gatherings with consistent times and locations, and offers practical advice on collaborative cooking and navigating group dynamics like income and dietary preferences. Nosrat also highlights ideal recipes for groups, including her famous Pane Criminale garlic bread.
A new semester has begun, which means college students across the country are taking on debt, opening credit cards and navigating meal plans and housing on their own. Budgeting and managing money, especially as a first-year college student, can be daunting. In this episode, we cover how to plan for student loans, look for scholarships, get part time work and more. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at ...
Discover effective strategies for locating misplaced items with insights from cognitive psychologists and search professionals. Learn how stress impacts your search, why focusing on distinctive object features can speed up discovery, and the power of recreating the last known scenario. The episode also emphasizes the importance of changing your search perspective, employing systematic grid searches, and maintaining persistence, all designed to make your search calmer and more successful.
It’s not just school kids who could use a back-to-school reset. Your body could use one too. This episode of Life Kit, medical professionals share advice to help you care for your ears, eyes, teeth, feet and skin. We hope these tips leave you feeling healthy and strong as the fall season begins. Follow us on Instagram: @nprlifekit Sign up for our newsletter here. Have an episode idea or feedback you want to share? Email us at lifekit@npr.org Support the show and listen to it sponsor-free by sign...
