Episodes

  • A head to toe check in for the fall

    A head to toe check in for the fall
    Sep 4 2025
    It’s not just school kids that could use a back-to-school reset. Like those annual September doctor's check ups, this episode of Life Kit is here to help you check in with your body and get your bases covered. We bring you our favorite advice from an audiologist, an ophthalmologist, a dermatologist and more to get you feeling fresh going into the fall season.

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    23 mins
  • Boost your mood in 15 minutes

    Boost your mood in 15 minutes
    Sep 1 2025
    Sometimes you're just feeling blah: maybe the weather's bad, you can't get out of bed and you're struggling to shake off that listlessness. In these moments, the solution is often simpler than we think. This episode, NPR's Science desk and Life Kit staff present research-backed mood boosters to instantly shake yourself out of a slump and turn your day around. This episode originally published September 3, 2024.



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    24 mins
  • How to deal with intrusive thoughts

    How to deal with intrusive thoughts
    Aug 25 2025
    Have you ever had a disturbing thought pop up into your head? Thoughts that are distressing, repetitive and unwanted are called intrusive thoughts. NPR's Senior Visuals producer LA Johnson talks with a therapist and a researcher to figure out what these thoughts mean, where they come from and how best to handle them.

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    21 mins
  • Ouch, I've got a crick! Neck pain 101

    Ouch, I've got a crick! Neck pain 101
    Aug 21 2025
    Have you ever woken up with a crick in your neck after a bad night's sleep? Or feel like you can't rotate your head? Many people will experience neck pain at some point in life. Luckily, there are science-backed treatments and exercises to ease those nagging aches. This episode, a spine surgeon, sports medicine doctor, sleep expert and physical therapist give tips on working through neck pain.

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    27 mins
  • How to avoid counterfeit and unsafe products online

    How to avoid counterfeit and unsafe products online
    Aug 4 2025
    Nearly 70 percent of people were deceived into buying a counterfeit product online at least once last year, according to research from Michigan State University. And buying knockoff versions of products can be dangerous. Kari Kammel, the director at the Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection at Michigan State University, shares tips for how to avoid counterfeit and unsafe products, especially online. This episode originally published October 22, 2024.

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    22 mins
  • Are seed oils really bad for you? Researchers unpack RFK Jr.'s claims

    Are seed oils really bad for you? Researchers unpack RFK Jr.'s claims
    Jul 31 2025
    Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and others have said that seed oils, like soybean, corn and sunflower oils, are poisoning Americans. But what does the research say? NPR health correspondent Maria Godoy speaks with nutrition and fatty acids scientists about the most common concerns with seed oils.

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    16 mins
  • How to crave movement more than screen time

    How to crave movement more than screen time
    Jul 10 2025
    Oftentimes, it's easier to scroll through our phones than do some squats. So what can we do to motivate ourselves to pick movement? In this episode of Life Kit, we speak with clinical psychologist Diana Hill and movement specialist Katy Bowman about how to retrain your brain to crave physical activity more than your phone.

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    20 mins
  • How to avoid mosquito bites

    How to avoid mosquito bites
    Jul 8 2025
    In this episode of Life Kit, reporter Andee Tagle talks to entomologist Sammy Ramsey and environmental health professor Brian Byrd about why some people get bitten more than others, which ingredients to seek in bug repellents and what you can do to protect yourself against those itchy bites.

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    23 mins