Popular Science

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The more things change

Popular Science • Vol. 293, No. 1

How does PopSci relax?

Downtime, USA

Life finds a way

What makes Bob Ross so relaxing?

What can silence a ringing ear?

Is CBD the next miracle therapy?

Why does screaming make you feel better?

How can entertainment help us relax?

Explain hibernation like I’m 5

Why do happy lamps banish the blues?

What’s the most soothing sound in the world?

Can stress be the death of you?

Branching out

Tools of the tirade • AS CATHARTIC AS DEMOLITION IS, IT’S ALSO AN ESSENTIAL STEP IN ANY RENOVATION. THESE SMASH-HAPPY IMPLEMENTS MAKE THE MOST OF A REMODEL RAMPAGE.

Head rests • THAT LUMPY PILLOW IS DESTROYING YOUR SPINE. PICKING A NEW ONE BASED ON HOW YOU LIKE TO SLEEP ENSURES YOUR NIGHTS WON’T BE A PAIN IN THE NECK.

Off the gridlock • SELF-DRIVING CARS COULD EVENTUALLY SAVE US FROM TRAFFIC-INDUCED STRESS HEADACHES. IN FACT, UPCOMING AUTONOMOUS VEHICLES, LIKE THIS ONE FROM ZOOX, MAY BE COMFIER THAN YOUR LIVING ROOM.

Steep dreams • TO MAKE A PERFECTLY SERENE CUP OF TEA, SKIP THE LIPTON AND TOSS YOUR STAINED OLD MUG. INSTEAD, HEAT UP YOUR DAY WITH THIS QUALITY BREWING GEAR.

Have a nice trip • I tried for years to address my PTSD through therapy and conventional drugs. Then I decided to get high on ketamine.

Somebody’s gotta do it • Coping advice from people with the most intense jobs on the planet

The dimmer switch • When bright lights threatened to flood their skies, a small Colorado community worked to restore the darkness—and all that relies on it to thrive.

Why can’t we sleep? • We face many obstacles in our search for shut-eye, from bad beds to faulty genes. Fortunately, wrapping our heads around what keeps us awake can help us catch those z’s.

Breathing room • A new take on the staff lounge helps frontline workers avoid burnout by tapping the brain’s natural cues to chill. The good news for the rest of us: You can try this at home.

The shape of things • Creatures of the sky and sea can conspire to form mesmerizing displays of synchronicity. For them, these aerial and aquatic ballets are just a way of life.

Massage away that headache

Calm and tranquility live in the cloud, too

Chill, dog

The ultimate comforter

Meditating in motion

Take your most relaxing bath ever

Music for the menagerie