Do you really know?

What is Focus Friday?

Let's be honest: being productive at work on Fridays can be a real challenge. A 2019 study by Accountemps found that Friday was the least common choice for American workers when naming their most productive day of the week. The slump is likely down to having worked hard over the first four days of the week, as well as thinking ahead to the weekend. What’s more, your colleagues are in the same frame of mind too. But in recent years, a method has emerged to combat this phenomenon and potentially turn Friday into the most impactful day of the week. It’s known as Focus Friday. How does it work? How can you implement it on your own? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: How to use less water? What is Pokémon? What is ecological debt? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How to use less water?

Water footprint matters because scientists have calculated that the climate crisis makes drought 20 times more likely, while the UN predicts that demand for fresh water will exceed supply by 40% by 2030.  You might think that you only use water when you drink, cook, wash, or flush the loo, but actually, you use much more water than that. According to Water UK, the average person in the UK uses  142 litres per day. That’s the amount of water that is needed to produce the food, clothes, and other products that you consume. How can you reduce your water footprint? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : What is attachment theory? What is the best time of year to find work? How can I beat a hangover? A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is attachment theory?

Each of us has our own unique experience of social bonds, influenced by our childhood, previous relationships, and personality. And there’s actually a psychological theory that helps explain how we experience our relationships: attachment theory. In psychology, attachment is the strong bond between an individual and an "attachment figure." In most cases, our first attachment figure is the parent who takes care of us by meeting our needs from birth. Later on, the bond can become reciprocal between two adults, friends, or lovers. Who theorised attachment? What are the different attachment styles? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : What is house hushing? What is a caffè sospeso? Why do my eyelids twitch when I’m tired? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the best time of year to find work?

The SeptemberSurge hashtag has accrued 12.9M views on the platform at the time of recording. The trend suggests that September is the ideal time to find a job. You worked for hours on perfecting your CV and cover letter. You've already applied for ten different jobs at ten different companies. But despite having all the right credentials, you’re just not hearing back from anyone. Maybe the problem isn’t actually what’s on your CV, but when you’re applying for a job. Why is that? Are there periods to avoid?  In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : What is house hushing? What is a caffè sospeso? Why do my eyelids twitch when I’m tired? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which foods should I avoid after their expiry date?

Some expired food products are easy to identify, due to an unpleasant smell, mould, swollen packaging or abnormal colour for example. But others show no visible changes in texture, colour, or smell. In such cases, you might well ask yourself if the item is still safe to consume. To begin with, it's important to note that some products don’t expire, as long as they’re stored in the right conditions, as indicated on the packaging. For example, pasta, tinned goods, rice, sugar, flour, coffee, dry cakes, honey or vinegar. These tend to have an indicative "best before" date on the packaging, usually noted in the month-year format. But even if you go past that date, the product won’t be unfit for consumption. However, it may have lost some of its sensory qualities like taste, texture, or appearance. So, which expired foods should definitely not be eaten? Does an opened product still have the same "use by" date? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : Why do my eyelids twitch when I’m tired? Is sleeping naked good for you? Do anti-anxiety patches really work? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is astropsychology?

Regular listeners will remember how astrology has undergone somewhat of a revival in recent years. Knowledge of terms like “Saturn return” and “retrograde Mercury” is now actually pretty common, in particular among young people.  The topic of today’s episode actually blends astrology with the modern insights of psychology. The idea behind astropsychology is that the positions and movements of celestial bodies, such as planets and stars, can influence human behavior, emotions, and personality traits. It’s a personal development discipline which has been gaining in popularity for a while now. Where does astropsychology come from? What happens when you go to see an astropsychologist? How can I be sure it's not a scam? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : Why do my eyelids twitch when I’m tired? Is sleeping naked good for you? Do anti-anxiety patches really work? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is house hushing?

House hushing is a decluttering method that aims to create peaceful spaces in your home by reducing visual noise. Visual noise refers to anything excessive, jarring, or inharmonious in your environment, such as clutter, mismatched colors, or loud patterns. According to interiors blogger Myquillin Smith of The Nester, "Everything in your room has a voice… taking up visual, physical and even emotional space. Quieting your space removes all those voices in a room at once." Why is house hushing beneficial? And how do you hush a house? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : Why do my eyelids twitch when I’m tired? Is sleeping naked good for you? Do anti-anxiety patches really work? A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is sleeping naked good for you?

According to a YouGov study from 2022, 20% of Brits sleep naked. Men are actually more likely to do so than women, with a rate of 25% compared to 15%. And those who do so tend to talk up the health benefits. For example, science suggests that sleeping naked might help regulate your body temperature more effectively. Our bodies naturally fluctuate throughout the night, and wearing heavy pajamas can interfere with this process. What are the other advantages? Won't I get cold if I sleep naked? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : Which foods shouldn't be eaten together? What is xylazine, the so-called zombie drug? How can I stop smoking? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do my eyelids twitch when I’m tired?

Have you ever noticed how your eyelids tend to start twitching at the end of a long day, or when you haven’t got enough sleep the previous night? Well, first of all there’s no need to panic, it’s actually a benign phenomenon. It’s known as benign fasciculation syndrome, or myokymia. But still there are some things you can do about it. What can be done to avoid this? What if the problem persists over time? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : Which foods shouldn't be eaten together? What is xylazine, the so-called zombie drug? How can I stop smoking? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do anti-anxiety patches really work?

There are different types of anti-anxiety patches, but one of the most popular ones is from a company called NuCalm, they say that its discs provide the neurochemistry to accelerate the onset of the relaxation response. You may have seen them on celebrities like Meghan Markle, who was recently spotted wearing a NuCalm biosignal processing disc on her wrist. It’s a small blue sticker which claims to have a calming effect on the wearer by emitting signals or frequencies that affect the brain and the nervous system. But how does NuCalm work, and is there any evidence to back up its claims? What do experts say about NuCalm’s patches? And does it work? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : Which foods shouldn't be eaten together? What is xylazine, the so-called zombie drug? How can I stop smoking? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What are Incels?

Incel is a portmanteau word which is short for “involuntary celibate”. These people are single despite themselves, and have abandoned any hope of one day finding love or even sex. The incel community is overwhelmingly made up of young men, who are particularly active online, expressing their hatred towards women. Members of this subculture are obsessed by the fact that women apparently refuse to have sex with them. Ironically, the term itself was actually invented by a woman. How can that be the case? Has Incel anger ever manifested itself in physical attacks? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : Which foods shouldn't be eaten together? What is xylazine, the so-called zombie drug? How can I stop smoking? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. First broadcast: 07/11/2020 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which foods shouldn't be eaten together?

Avoiding weight gain is just so difficult sometimes, isn’t it? It’s not enough to eat only healthy foods, you also have to combine those healthy foods in the right way.  That’s because when we eat different types of foods together, they interact with each other in our digestive system. Depending on their characteristics, some foods get digested faster  than others. What can happen to our bodies if we combine the 'wrong' foods? And which are the worst combinations? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : What is the olive theory from Tiktok? How does the vagus nerve affect your health? What is climate shadow, the newest way to measure your impact on global warming? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is xylazine, the so-called zombie drug?

In July 2023, the White House recognised that the United States was facing a “grave threat” in the form of a highly addictive drug called xylazine, introducing a six-point plan in response.  Dealers mix xylazine into supplies of fentanyl, itself a dangerous drug which kills thousands of Americans each year. The street name for xylazine is “tranq” or “tranq dope”, but it has also been called the “zombie drug”.  What is it made up of? Why did people name it the zombie drug? Has it been seen outside of the US? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : What is the olive theory from Tiktok? How does the vagus nerve affect your health? What is climate shadow, the newest way to measure your impact on global warming? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do we lose our appetite when we fall in love?

A lot of things happen to our bodies when we fall in love. Some of the obvious physical reactions are getting butterflies in the stomach, dilated pupils and a racing heartbeat. Another one that many of us have experienced is losing our appetite.  You know the feeling: you're so smitten with your new crush that you can barely eat a bite. You skip breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and instead spend hours daydreaming about them or talking to them on the phone. What's actually going on inside the body when this happens? How do you explain that some people put on weight when in a relationship? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : What is the olive theory from Tiktok? How does the vagus nerve affect your health? What is climate shadow, the newest way to measure your impact on global warming? A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the olive theory from Tiktok?

The olive theory actually started trending on Tiktok as of early 2023, leading younger generations to get familiar with How I Met Your Mother and one of its most popular relationship theories. At the time of recording, the #olivetheory hashtag has accrued over 130M views. Fans of 2000s sitcom How I Met Your Mother can no doubt remember how the main character Ted Mosby is a hopeless romantic, and spends the duration of the series searching for his soulmate. But only the most hardcore of fans will remember the very first episode of the Hulu series, when Ted introduces something called the olive theory when talking about relationships.  What on earth do olives have to do with romantic compatibility? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : Does sleeping next to someone improve sleep quality? Why is the BRICS bloc expanding? How can you clean your hair without using shampoo? A Bababam Originals podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How does the vagus nerve affect your health?

The vagus nerve is the longest and most complex of the cranial nerves. It carries both motor and sensory information and supplies reinforcement to the heart, major blood vessels, lungs, stomach, esophagus, and intestines. It is often called the “rest and digest” system, because it helps the body to calm down and conserve energy after a stressful situation. It plays an important role in the parasympathetic nervous system, the parasympathetic nervous system is a part of the autonomic nervous system, which controls the functions of the body that are not under our conscious control, such as breathing, heartbeat, digestion, and so on. So, what are the benefits of stimulating the vagus nerve? And how can you stimulate it ? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: Does sleeping next to someone improve sleep quality? Why is the BRICS bloc expanding? How can you clean your hair without using shampoo? A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is climate shadow, the newest way to measure your impact on global warming?

The idea of carbon footprint dates back to the early 2000s and ironically was introduced by oil giant BP. But recently, a new concept was created: the climate change shadow. It's a relatively recent addition to the ever growing list of terms relating to climate change. American writer Emma Pattee introduced the idea of the climate shadow in a blog post for Mic.com in December 2021, as a more comprehensive metric for each person’s impact on the climate crisis.  What exactly contributes to my climate shadow? Isn’t that very similar to a carbon footprint? How useful is the concept of a climate shadow? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions ! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here: How can you clean your hair without using shampoo? What is the Batman effect? What is cookie jarring in the dating world? A Bababam Originals podcast, written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. First broadcast : 10/08/2022 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Does sleeping next to someone improve sleep quality?

Have you ever cursed your luck at having a partner who snores, or spends the whole night tossing and turning in bed? It can be tempting to consider abandoning them to go and sleep on the sofa instead. Evidence suggests that sleeping next to someone does indeed have a pretty significant impact on adults’ sleep, whether that’s a partner, family member or even a pet. Researchers from the University of Arizona looked into the matter, and published the results of their study in Sleep journal in June 2022, under the title Bed Sharing Versus Sleeping Alone Associated with Sleep Health and Mental Health.  Was it a positive impact? And what if my partner snores loudly or wakes up suddenly during the night? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : How can you clean your hair without using shampoo? What's the ideal temperature to stay healthy at home? What is cookie jarring in the dating world? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why is the BRICS bloc expanding?

During the 15th annual BRICS summit in Johannesburg in 2023, the South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that 6 new member countries would be joining the bloc in 2024.  Historically composed by Brazil, Russia, India and China, the BRICS countries control a significant amount of natural resources, making it a key actor in the world. They started to organize summits as an intergovernmental organisation in 2009 and the annual summits have taken place ever since.  But if they are already so powerful, why are they expanding? Which countries have joined? And what are the goals behind that? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : How can you clean your hair without using shampoo? What's the ideal temperature to stay healthy at home? What is cookie jarring in the dating world? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can you clean your hair without using shampoo?

You might think that shampoo is essential for keeping your hair clean and healthy, but there  are other ways to wash your hair that don’t involve harsh chemicals or plastic bottles.  In fact, some people claim that ditching shampoo altogether can make your hair softer, shinier, and more manageable.  Why do we use shampoo in the first place? So, how can you clean your hair without using shampoo? What are the advantages of shampoo? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : Can you get food poisoning from raw fish? Should you be reducing salt in your diet? Why do we get nightmares? A Bababam Originals podcast, written and realised by Amber Minogue. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is cookie jarring in the dating world?

Do you have an ex who seems to always get back in touch whenever they’re feeling lonely and have no one else in their sights? Or how about this: Perhaps you had a crush on someone, and that person played along, taking you out from time to time only to eventuall you they’ve finally hooked up with another person they’d been in love with for ages, but never told you about? Well if either of those scenarios sounds familiar, you may well have been a victim of cookie jarring. Where does the name come from? What forms can cookie jarring take? How can I avoid being cookie-jarred? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : Can you get food poisoning from raw fish? Should you be reducing salt in your diet? Why do we get nightmares? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is the Batman effect?

For many people, asserting themselves at work is a real challenge. There’s a lot of possible reasons for that, including stress, anxiety, new responsibilities, deadlines, personal issues or a lack of self-confidence for example. But there is an active congitive strategy, actually a pretty simple one, based on the psychological concept of "self-distancing," that could help you overcome these obstacles and become more confident in the workplace: the Batman effect. Why Batman? Does it work for adults too? How can I use the Batman effect then? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : Can you get food poisoning from raw fish? Should you be reducing salt in your diet? Why do we get nightmares? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do our tastes change as we get older?

Think back to when you were a kid and there was a type of vegetable you simply wouldn’t go near, let alone eat. It might have been broccoli, Brussels sprouts or spinach for example. Or perhaps another type of food like seafood, which now as an adult you actually quite like, or  can tolerate at least. It’s not a coincidence; there are scientific explanations for why our taste preferences evolve with time. What tastes do children actually like most then? Does this hypersensitivity decrease with age then? Do other factors play a role in changing our food preferences? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : Why do we get nightmares? Has the climate breakdown really begun? What is a frenemy? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Can you get food poisoning from raw fish?

Eating raw fish like sushi and sashimi has never been more popular, whether that’s in restaurants or on supermarket shelves. The good news is that such dishes are rich in fatty acids and vitamins from the A, D, and E groups, which brings a host of health benefits. But on the flipside, they can also be sources of contamination. It’s mostly down to improper handling and storage at seafood markets, or cross-contamination. Some fish caught from polluted waters may contain toxins. It’s important to know that raw fish can carry parasites. What kind of contamination? What are the parasites that can contaminate fish? How can I avoid getting contaminated? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : Why do we get nightmares? Has the climate breakdown really begun? What is a frenemy? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Should you be reducing salt in your diet?

Salt is a common ingredient in many foods, and it’s essential for our health. Salt is made up of sodium and chloride, two minerals that help regulate fluid balance, blood pressure, nerve and muscle function.  According to the World Health Organization (WHO), adults should consume less than 5 grams of salt per day, which is equivalent to about one teaspoon. However, most people eat more than that. But how much salt do we need, and how much do we actually consume? What happens if we eat too much salt? Does that mean we should avoid salt altogether? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : Why do we get nightmares? Has the climate breakdown really begun? What is a frenemy? A podcast written and realised by Amber Minogue. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is shrinkflation, the sneaky tactic manufacturers are hiding from consumers?

Marketing technique shrinkflation is becoming more and more common in large retail stores, in particular down to the ongoing war in Ukraine. It sees manufacturers quietly reducing the size of their products, but maintaining prices at the same level. Shrinkflation is often a result of an increase in raw material prices and other production costs, but is seen as a form of hidden inflation and has been heavily criticised in many places. In the context of the current cost of living crisis, it’s definitely a sensitive subject. According to Merriam Webster, the portmanteau term was coined by British economist Pippa Malmgren in a tweet back in 2015. Do you have any specific examples? Is shrinkflation illegal? As a consumer, how can I avoid falling victim to shrinkflation? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions ! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : How can we choose the right sunscreen product? Could Male Polish be the next big thing in men’s fashion? Why are there so many spin offs in the world of cinema? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. First broadcast : 30/06/2022 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has the climate breakdown really begun?

On September 6th, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres released a 96-word statement in which he referred to “climate breakdown” having begun. It was in response to a report from the World Meteorological Organization, which highlighted the impact of record-breaking heatwaves across the globe this summer. June, July, and August 2023 are the hottest three-month period ever recorded. The WMO says that the increasingly frequent and intense heatwaves we’re experiencing are causing air quality to decline, impacting human health. What’s the definition of “climate breakdown”? Was this summer expected to be so hot? Is there any way back? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : What is a frenemy? Which colours go well together according to science? Why is sitting with your legs crossed bad? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why do we get nightmares?

According to the American Academy of Sleep medicine, 50% to 85% of adults experience occasional nightmares, with 2% to 8% of people having nightmares that cause sleep problems. No one likes having nightmares, do they? These vivid, distressing bad dreams often cause us to jolt awake, heart pounding, in fear or anxiety. They can feature threatening scenarios, monsters, or deeply unsettling experiences. How exactly do nightmares work? What is the purpose of nightmares? What should you do when nightmares become recurring? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions! To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : What is a frenemy? Which colours go well together according to science? Why is sitting with your legs crossed bad? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What is a frenemy?

A frenemy is a person who is both a friend and an enemy. In fact the term is a blend of the words “friend” and “enemy”, and it was first used in print by the American journalist Walter Winchell in 1953. Although Jessica Mitford, of the infamous Mitford sisters also claimed in 1977 that the word was invented by one of her sisters: "... an incredibly useful word…coined by one of my sisters when she was a small child to describe a rather dull little girl who lived near us. My sister and the frenemy played together constantly…all the time disliking each other heartily." Essentially a frenemy is someone who acts friendly or supportive, but also undermines, competes with, or betrays you.  So how can you tell if someone is a frenemy? How can you deal with a frenemy? To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : How do I know when to end a friendship? What is social jet lag? Are cold showers good for you? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Which colours go well together according to science?

It's often said that colour preferences are simply a matter of personal taste, but actually some have been backed up by science, especially in the field of art history. For the last two centuries, it has been customary in art and design to come up with colour combinations based on what is known the colour wheel. It’s a visual representation of the spectrum of colors, organized in a circular format. This wheel divides colours into primary: red, blue, and yellow, secondary: green, orange, and purple, and tertiary colors, creating a harmonious spectrum. But what is it? Where does it come from? What’s the point of it? To listen to the last episodes, you can click here : How do I know when to end a friendship? What is social jet lag? Are cold showers good for you? A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance. In partnership with upday UK. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices