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Health

Boomers and older Gen Xers share 40 innovative ways they keep their brains sharp

They do so much more than crosswords.

brain health, sharp brain, sharp mind, memory tips, healthy aging

Image via Canva

Older people share surprising and simple ways they keep their brains healthy and sharp.

One of the biggest battles of healthy aging is staying mentally sharp. Having a healthy brain is important for mental and physical longevity.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 6.7 million older adults in the United States have Alzheimer’s disease, the most common type of dementia. The CDC notes that by 2060, that number will double.

However, being proactive about brain health can help keep aging brains thriving. In an online forum of Boomers and older Gen Xers, they opened up on how they keep their brains sharp and memory strong. These are 40 surprising (and simple) ways they've maintained healthy brains as they've aged.

aging, healthy aging, mental sharpness, sharp brain, aging well Aging Old Man GIF by A&E Giphy

"I take on-line college courses. Pick one out that piques my interest and sign up. The advantage at my age is I can study whatever I want, I'm not really concerned with advancing my career. Ancient Mediterranean History? Sure why not? History of Beer? Why not? Psychology of Evil? Sounds interesting. All on-line, all cheap. Keeps my brain active." - mike11172

"I'm way into fitness and still work out with weights. Also walk a lot and do fun things outdoors. I make sure that I get outside at least an hour every day. I'm careful to eat good foods that meet nutritional requirements, especially since I work out. I drink plenty of fresh filtered water. Taking care of your health in these three ways really makes a difference in one's mental sharpness and attitude. I belong to a religion that encourages me to treat others kindly and to be thankful for the life I have. Participate in activities that involve helping others. That really makes anybody feel good, have a purpose, and be glad they have the means to give of themselves. My husband and I make a point to always treat each other like we're newlyweds. Keeping the stress in your home to a minimum improves your mental state. In my down time, I've gotten into paper art. It's fun and an easy way for anyone to stay creative. I make cute things and greeting cards for others." - Bebe_Bleau

knowledge, learning, brain health, sharp brain, sharp mind Learn The More You Know GIF by @InvestInAccess Giphy

"I write novels and memoir essays. The novels require a lot of research about settings and history. Unexpectedly, even the memoirs require research, because I took for granted behaviors and ideas that need to be explained for modern readers since nobody takes them for granted anymore. I volunteer for a local organization that helps provide food and medicine to households who have run out of money before the next paycheck. I work with recent immigrants who speak little English and am constantly learning new things about what it's like to struggle for survival in lives of utter poverty." - Building_a_life

"Just use it. The brain works a lot like muscles in the sense that it will degrade quickly if you don't use it but can maintain its abilities for a long ass time if you do use it. I've met so many older people who basically just stop doing anything that requires a lot of thought when they get older because thinking is a lot of work. And you can definitely tell that kind of person when interacting with them. Conversations with them feel more like talking with a bunch of pre-recorded responses. Just do stuff that requires a lot of thought. Learn new skills. Read about complex, interesting ideas. Do puzzles. Play chess." - Yak-5000

"Started flying a small airplane a few years ago at 64. Mentally challenging." - slick62

wordle, puzzles, wordle puzzle, doing puzzles, brain health New York Times Running GIF by PERFECTL00P Giphy

"All the many word puzzles: Wordle, Quordle, Octordle, Connections, Squaredl, Blossom, etc. Crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, hour + walks per day. Writing, reading, cooking. Day trips and quick trips of 1-3 nights. Working really got in my way!" - Conscious-Reserve-48

"Counseling. It is important to keep processing your feelings, otherwise they pile up." - arkofjoy

"I quit smoking and started juggling. I'm no performer, but it keeps the nervous system active and it's fun for the whole family. Learning new tricks that are counterintuitive is the hardest, especially with new devices. I mostly stick to 3 balls, as I prefer to get good with simple things." - Tempus_Fuggit

"I'm fixing up an old sailboat when I'm not doing house maintenance /upgrades." - darkcave-dweller

gen z, gen z gif, gen z kids, gen z life, gen z culture Nick Kroll Fx GIF by Adults Giphy

"I have in-depth conversations with my GenZ kids. No restrictions on topics. They are phenomenally smart, well-informed, and engaged." - CommissarCiaphisCain

"Crossword puzzles. More importantly I work with teens who teach me the latest jargon among other things. I adore them all." - Kissoflife1

"I've spent most of my life living in foreign countries and really don't know any other life. My budget in old age allows me to annually travel solo to third world countries. I'm keeping my mind active by always trying to figure things out like communicating in some foreign language, organizing my own hotel reservations, traveling arrangements etc. Things frequently get off the rails, so I have lots of practice figuring out the answer to the questions like, what the heck should I do now?" - nonsense39

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"I learned to play a musical instrument and I’m taking Spanish lessons. These activities really challenge the brain." - ClawhammerJo

"I consume very little mainstream news. The more mainstream news you watch, the less you understand about the world--it's not meant to inform, it's meant to divide us and manipulate our prejudices. Finally, I've adopted the idea that pessimists are pessimistic because they imagine they can predict the future. I know and accept that I can't predict the future, so I'm optimistic. The possibilities are, as they've always been, infinite. I don't dwell on the past, and I don't worry about the future." - crackeddryice

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"Line dancing. It uses the brain and the body, and in my area I’ve found I can dance several times a week." - littleoldlady71

"I read a lot of books. I listen to a lot of music. I hike as much as I can. I meditate daily. All seem to be important for my brain." - WingZombie

"A good brain takes regular practice. Think like a young person by talking to young people…asking them about their thoughts and ideas…they aren’t interested in my opinions much. Read about technological advances, social studies, philosophy and art. Learn and practice languages. And ride a motorcycle on and off road. My wife and I go somewhere or do something new once a week. I like getting strangers to laugh. I also smile and share joy wherever possible." - gorongo

"My Amazon deliveries are made to a set of lockers onsite. I will never walk up to the lockers and THEN pull out my phone to look for the code. I will look at the message with the code and force myself to remember it before I ever enter the building so I can just walk up to the lockers, enter my code and get my stuff without anyone having to wait on me. I find that my brain will spontaneously make all sorts of associations to the numbers that help me remember them. Whether this helps in the long run, who knows? I just know it kind of makes those trips to the locker like a game for me." - chonnes

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All In

Craveable snacks. Quality organic ingredients. Positive community impact.

Pop Culture

All In: 5 Ways This Week

From the silly to the sentimental, there are so many ways people like to go “all in” on something. Here are our five favorite examples we found this week across the internet.

5 ways people are going "All In" this week

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When you hear the words “all in,” what do you think? You might picture a Dancing with the Stars trend gone viral or maybe bridesmaids who fully supportive of the bride's favorite movie (and recreates an iconic scene). Whatever you picture, the idea is the same: Someone who does something with 100 percent total commitment. Going “all in” means giving your all—going completely over the top, no second guessing, no holding back. Just full-throttle enthusiasm, with some flair and creativity thrown in. And when people go “all in,” something truly special usually happens as a result.

The internet abounds with examples of people giving it their all—whatever it is. In this roundup, we’ve found the very best examples of people going “all in”—moments where passion, creativity, and commitment take center stage. Some are sentimental, some are silly, but all of them are a reminder that giving 100 percent is truly the only way to leave a mark on this world. Get ready: These folks didn’t just show up, they went all in.

1. An Iconic "snow-coaster"

One thing about going all in - it can be crazy and childish at times. That’s something that makes going all in special, connecting with that side of you that takes things less seriously in order to have some fun. Shira Goldstone and her husband took to that mindset when it started snowing in their backyard. Shira’s husband picked up planks of wood (and whatever other tools are required) and within the same night, in the falling snow, built a “snow-coaster” for the two of them to play on.

2. A Truck That's Feeding It's Community

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You already know our friends at All In—they’ve got some seriously tasty snacks that are not only healthy and affordable (scroll to the bottom of this article to see how you can snag a free bar), they help fund food banks, gardens, community fridges, meal programs, and other amazing things

For Giving Tuesday, All In teamed up with Fresh Truck, a weekly mobile market that brings fresh and affordable produce to neighborhoods in the Boston area. Fresh truck hosts weekly markets, pop-up events, and an online storefront, all to help strengthen communities who need it the most. They’re going all in on local nutrition and food access, and we’re here for it.

3. All In on Madam Morrible

I’m always all in on a good TikTok trend. This week, I’m going to share with you a classic that has come out of the Wicked franchise and the incredible actress Michelle Yeoh.

Michelle, who plays Madame Morrible in the Wicked movies, is an outstanding actress. She’s known for iconic films like Everything, Everywhere, All At Once, as well as Crazy Rich Asians and Star Trek. But her legacy might be this one quote, which she’s said in interviews countless times, and now people can’t stop making videos with the phrase “Madame Morrible, M.M…flip it around, W.W. Wicked Witch!”

You might have to take a look at how people are going all in yourself, the sound has taken off with already 14.3K videos, and the variations are unstoppable...defying all odds and maybe even...defying gravity?

4. Spotify Wrapped: All in on "Coconut Mall"

TikTok · Ale

www.tiktok.com

There’s nothing better than finding a song that hits just right and gets you feeling productive. For some people, it’s lofi beats. For others, it’s orchestra music. For TikTok user @aleinmotion, it was the “coconut mall” song from the Mario Kart racing soundtrack. Ale never realized how much she listened to the song until it became #1 on her Spotify Wrapped. Sometimes you’ll be surprised by what you love most, and I’m thinking this is one of those moments for Ale.

5. A Family Prank Everyone Enjoys

This girl said her boyfriend had an ugly hat, so her family decided to go all in on supporting him instead. This is when love and humor come together, a perfect prank that actually made the boyfriends day…and taught his girlfriend that nothing is really that serious! They even got the daughter her very own hat as well, and she looked happy to wear it!

As someone who grew up with a dad who always wore floppy hats to protect him from the sun, I understand the embarrassment. Maybe it’s time I go all in and show my support with a matching hat and white long sleeve sun shirt!

Snag your free (!!) snack bar here while this deal lasts. Simply sign up with your phone number, pick up your favorite flavor of an All In bar at Sprouts, and then text a picture of your receipt through Aisle. They’ll Venmo or PayPal you back for the cost of one bar. Enjoy!

Sustainability

A student accidentally created a rechargeable battery that she says could last 400 years

"This thing has been cycling 10,000 cycles and it’s still going."

batteries, energy, sustainability, power, breakthroughs

Steve Zylius/University of California, Irvine.

UCI doctoral candidate Mya Le Thai has developed a nanowire-based technology that allows lithium-ion batteries to be recharged hundreds of thousands of times.

A quote widely attributed to the Roman philosopher Seneca says, "Luck happens when preparation meets opportunity." In 2016, a doctoral candidate at the University of California Irvine proved that this is indeed the truth.

Nine years ago, Mya Le Thai, PhD was playing around in the lab when she made a colossal discovery that could lead to a rechargeable battery—that could last up to 400 years. That means longer-lasting appliances, laptops, smartphones, cars and so much more, plus fewer lithium ion batteries piling up in landfills.

A team of researchers at UCI had been experimenting with nanowires for potential use in batteries, but found that, over time, the thin fragile wires would break down and crack after too many charging cycles. A charge cycle is when a battery goes from completely full to completely empty and back to full again.

charging station, battery, charging battery, charge, batteries Phone charging.Canva Photos.

But one day on a whim, Thai coated a set of gold nanowires in manganese dioxide and a Plexiglas-like electrolyte gel.

"She started to cycle these gel capacitors, and that's when we got the surprise," said Reginald Penner, chair of the university's chemistry department. "She said, 'this thing has been cycling 10,000 cycles and it's still going.' She came back a few days later and said 'it's been cycling for 30,000 cycles.' That kept going on for a month."

This discovery is mind-blowing because the average laptop battery lasts 300 to 500 charge cycles. The nanobattery developed at UCI made it though 200,000 cycles in three months. That would extend the life of the average laptop battery by about 400 years. The rest of the device would have probably gone kaput decades before the battery, but the implications for a battery that lasts hundreds of years are pretty startling.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

“Mya was playing around, and she coated this whole thing with a very thin gel layer and started to cycle it,” Penner added. “She discovered that just by using this gel, she could cycle it hundreds of thousands of times without losing any capacity.”

“That was crazy,” he added, “because these things typically die in dramatic fashion after 5,000 or 6,000 or 7,000 cycles at most. ”"The big picture is that there may be a very simple way to stabilize nanowires of the type that we studied. If this turns out to be generally true, it would be a great advance for the community."

Not bad for just fooling around in the laboratory!

science, discovery, lab, batteries, Bill Nye, gif bill nye chemistry GIF by NETFLIX Giphy

Since her discovery, Mya Le Thai earned her PhD and has gone on to a successful career as the Principal Scientist with the Enevate Corporation, a company set "to develop innovative battery technologies that accelerate adoption of electrified mobility," according to their website.

She has also filed patents for her various inventions, the most recent of which being "Cells with blocking devices for delayed heat propagation" in July 2025. Her full list of patents can be found on Justia.

This article originally appeared eight years ago. It has been updated.

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Joy

New study reveals which European country speaks English as a second language best

Speaking English gives people a big advantage in life.

france, germany, netherlands, english, european people, eu

via Canva/Photos

A French woman, German man, and Dutch woman.

Even though the United Kingdom isn’t in the European Union, English is the lingua franca throughout the region because it's the standard language for international commerce. A lingua franca is a common language that two people who don’t speak the same language use to communicate. When one person speaks French and the other German, they can use English to communicate.

There are 27 countries in the European Union and 24 native tongues, but a whopping 43% of the nearly 450 million people who live there speak English, and German is a far second with 16% of people in the EU fluent in the language.

According to the EF English Proficiency Index, if you travelled to Europe and wanted to go somewhere where people are best at speaking English,, the best country is the Netherlands. Croatia and Austria finish 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

dutch woman, netherlands, dutch people, dutch street, happy woman A happy woman in the Netherlands.via Canva/Photos

The top 10 countries in English proficiency as a second language are all in Europe:

1. Netherlands

2. Croatia

3. Austria

4. Germany

5. Norway

6. Portugal

7. Denmark

8. Sweden

9. Belgium

10. Slovakia

Ranking countries in English proficiency isn’t just about finding places where Americans, British people, or Australians can go on vacation; it has to do with the number of opportunities that people, especially those who are economically disadvantaged, can have.

“Working adults who speak English in addition to their other languages have access to a wider range of information and more diverse professional opportunities. For individuals in marginalized groups or geographically disadvantaged locations, a professional level of English may represent a pathway to financial independence they could not otherwise attain,” the EF English Proficiency Index writes in their 2025 report.

Having a large number of English speakers also bodes well for a country’s economic development. “English proficiency reflects a workforce's capacity to engage with the global economy beyond national boundaries. In economies transitioning toward knowledge-based sectors, comfort with English often signals adaptability to international standards and practices,” the report continues.

- YouTube youtu.be

Why do the Dutch speak English so well?

This study raises an important question: Why are the Dutch so good at speaking English? The first reason is that in the Netherlands, television shows aren’t dubbed. So, if you are watching an episode of Happy Days, you hear it in the original English, but it is subtitled in Dutch. In countries such as Germany, Spain, or France, TV shows are dubbed into the local language, so viewers hear less English.

Second, the Dutch economy is predicated on international trade. It’s a small country with just 17 million inhabitants; however, it has the 18th-largest economy in the world. This means that people in the Netherlands have to be great at speaking the international language of business if they are going to get by. The Dutch tradition of international business dates back to 1602, when the Dutch East India Company became the world's first multinational corporation.

Their culture's openness to hearing other languages and dependence on global trade have made it so that up to 93% of Dutch people can carry on a conversation in English.

Ultimately, the EU’s embrace of English isn’t just historical happenstance—it’s closely tied to the region's growing economic, social, and cultural interconnectedness. For many, speaking English is a gateway to opportunity and participation in the global economy. The Netherlands is an excellent example of how learning a second language can lead to incredible prosperity.

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Humor

People share how this iconic, 5-year-old SNL Christmas sketch 'changed' their holidays forever

"I got a robe."

snl, christmas, holidays, satire, comedy, kristen wiig, saturday night live, humor, youtube, christmas presents, moms

SNL/YouTube

Classic SNL Christmas sketch has people rethinking the holiday dynamics in their family.

Five years ago, one of the most iconic Christmas sketches ever aired on Saturday Night Live. It's called simply, "Christmas Robe," and it depicts an average American family excitedly waking up on Christmas morning, running to the tree, and opening their presents. In song form, each member of the family takes turns rapping about their own gift haul: A hat, a drone, a pinball machine...

Except for poor mom, played perfectly by Kristen Wiig, who only got a robe—that was 40% off. Things only get worse for Mom as she discovers that her stocking is also empty and she must now go make the family breakfast while everyone plays with their new gifts.

If you haven't seen it, here it is. It's well worth watching in its entirety:

- YouTube www.youtube.com

The sketch got a lot of laughs and resonated deeply with people—especially moms—who watched it.

It's no big secret that moms are the primary makers of Christmas magic in most Western families. While they get joy out of making the holidays special for their families, it's a lot of exhausting work, made worse when it goes unnoticed and unappreciated. It's implied, of course, that Kristen Wiig's character bought everyone their presents while no one in the family bothered to think of her at all.

Jessica Cushman Johnston writes for Motherly: "[Making Christmas magic] is not something my husband or my kids put on me, it’s my own deal. It’s also a tinsel-covered baton handed down from generation to generation of women. As a kid, I just thought the warm fuzzy feelings I felt on Christmas morning 'happened.' Now I know that the magic happens because someone is working hard, and now that someone is me."

Kristin Wiig's character beautifully says it all with the dead-inside expression as she feigns excitement over her lonely robe. In just two and a half minutes, the cast and writers managed to capture a frustrating feeling that millions of women relate to.

The sketch spawned discussions, think pieces, and even parodies when it aired in 2020. Real moms took to social media to "show off" their own robes in an act of solidarity. The sketch had, one could say, a moment. And then, quietly, it retired and took its place in the SNL holiday hall of fame, destined to be re-watched for years to come.

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And then something funny happened. People kept tuning in. The skit continued to reach new viewers, and somewhere along the line, a few people actually learned something from the extremely silly sketch.

Saturday Night Live's YouTube and social media are full of comments from viewers who say the sketch opened their eyes in a very real way. And even better, that they're changing their behavior because of it:

"As a retail worker, I actually heard multiple people reference this sketch while buying presents for their wife/mom this year. Thanks SNL!"

"This skit changed Christmas in our house. The year it aired my husband made sure I didn’t get a robe and since this aired (okay, two Christmases have gone by) it’s a joy to see boxes under the tree and a full stocking- now in our house when I’m forgotten my husband says, “you got a robe” and adjusts the situation. Never thought a skit could change my life."

"I just saw this first time. I'm definitely going to buy better present next Christmas to my mom."

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"A few years ago, I got a robe. This year, I got a new iPad plus all the accessories. SNL doing all the moms a solid."

"As a grown man, this skit is the first time I've realized how true this is. And now I feel so damn awful :( Gonna bombard moms with the presents this year"

"Seriously! I got a bunch more stuff for my mom after seeing this! It's so accurate. No more robes for mom!"

"I was laughing at this, then realized my mom's stocking was empty and ran out and bought her a truckload of stuff. Love you Mom!"

"Thanks, SNL. After watching this with the family, I had the most bountiful Christmas ever!! And the gifts were wrapped instead of left in the bags the came in."

"This video did more to stimulate spending on Moms this year than almost anything else, guaranteed. Look at SNL actually making a difference with their humor"

The comments go on and on, with the video now reaching over 12 million views. Some moms changed their behavior, too, after seeing the sketch:

"This is spot on, and exactly why I now buy myself Christmas presents, without feeling guilty about it."

The trouble of moms unfairly shouldering too much labor around the holidays (and, well, most other times of the year) is not a new problem. Not by a long shot. So why has this skit reached people when other forms of messaging has failed to sway them?

Marie Nicola, a pop culture historian and cultural analyst, says that no amount of deeply serious essays or shrugged off "mom is complaining again" can fix what satire easily addresses. That's the power of comedy at its best:

"It allows the audience see what was historically unseen or ignored, and it validates the labour as visible and concrete, without being accusatory because it wraps the whole thing up in camp comedy and exaggeration. The skit makes it safe to laugh. This is what psychologists call benign violation," she says. "SNL is showing viewers that something is wrong but they have made it safe enough that people can laugh at it instead of feeling attacked. Once the defenses drop, then recognition can flow through that opening."

The Humor Research Lab writes that humor occurs when an accepted "norm" is violated in a benign way—that's the benign violation Nicola's referring to. "Jokes ... fail to be funny when either they are too tame or too risqué."

The best pieces of satire—the ones that reach the highest levels of cultural relevance—thread that needle perfectly. The norm, in this case, according to Nicola, is that it is "a privilege to curate the perfect holiday experience for the family, the gift is the joy in the moment and their memories for years to come." We're not allowed to talk about the dejection and exhaustion that come from all that hard work. This sketch gave a lot of people permission for the first time to do so.

It’s not the first time that SNL’s comedy and satire have had a palpable effect on how we view the world.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

Once SNL performed the "More Cowbell" sketch, none of us could look at the bizarrely overproduced "Don't Fear the Reaper" the same way again. An old Eddie Murphy sketch got a lot of laughs out of the idea of "white privilege" long before it became a commonly known concept. And people had a hard time taking Sarah Palin seriously after Tina Fey's spot-on yet over-the-top impersonation, with studies later investigating the "Tina Fey Effect's" impact on the election.

And now, the more than 12 million people who have seen "Christmas Robe" are going to have a hard time looking at Mom’s empty stocking without being reminded of Kristen Wiig’s pitch-perfect performance.

Of course, "Christmas Robe" continues to land and connect with viewers today in part because it has not solved the problem of household inequities. The phenomenon continues to exist in spades. But the fact that it’s made even a small dent is pretty remarkable for a two-and-a-half-minute parody rap song.

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Science

Science confirms whose farts are smellier—women's or men's—and what that means for Alzheimer's.

Finally, the science news we really need.

farts, fart research, farting all the time, flatulence, gas causing foods, science, study, research

Photo credit: Canva

What's bad for the nose is good for the brain.

Everybody farts. Upwards of 23 times a day, in fact. It’s one of the most universal human experiences, cutting (the cheese) across age, culture, and personality. Yet for something so common, it somehow feels very different coming from a woman than it does from a man.

But according to research highlighted in a now-legendary study, there indeed is a difference between man farts and lady farts. This unexpected fact about the battle of the sexes carries an even more unexpected health benefit.

Yes, this is a story about farts. But stay with us.

The doctor who wanted to know what makes flatulence smell

farts, fart research, farting all the time, flatulence, gas causing foods, science, study, research Thumbs up media3.giphy.com

Back in 1998, Dr. Michael Levitt, a gastroenterologist known among colleagues as the “King of Farts,” set out to understand where that unmistakable scent of human flatulence comes from. To answer the question, he recruited 16 healthy adults with no gastrointestinal issues. Each participant wore a “flatus collection system,” described as a rectal tube connected to a bag.

After eating pinto beans and taking a laxative, the volunteers provided samples that were then analyzed using gas chromatographic mass spectroscopic techniques. Levitt and his team broke down the chemical components inside each bag and invited two judges to help evaluate the results. The judges did not know they were sniffing human gas (which in retrospect sounds diabolical). They rated each sample on an odor scale from zero to eight, with eight meaning “very offensive.”

Their assessments pointed clearly to one culprit. Sulfur-containing compounds were responsible for the strongest and most memorable odors, especially hydrogen sulfide, which produces that classic “rotten egg” smell.

So where does the gender difference come in?

Here is the twist researchers did not expect: although men tended to produce larger volumes of gas, women’s flatulence contained a “significantly higher concentration” of egg smelling hydrogen sulfide. When the judges rated the odor of each sample, they consistently marked women’s gas as having a “greater odor intensity” than men’s.

farts, fart research, farting all the time, flatulence, gas causing foods, science, study, research Woman in chair. media0.giphy.com

The unexpected health connection

Hydrogen sulfide may smell intense and unpleasant, but inside the body, at low levels, it plays a key role in helping brain cells communicate. It works by chemically adjusting proteins through a process called sulfhydration. This process tends to decline as people age, and it declines even more sharply in patients with Alzheimer’s disease.

That singular fact sparked a new wave of research.

In 2021, scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine conducted experiments on mice genetically engineered to mimic human Alzheimer’s. The mice received injections of a hydrogen sulfide carrying compound called NaGYY for 12 weeks. The results were remarkable. Behavioral tests revealed that treated mice saw a 50 percent improvement in cognitive and motor function compared with untreated mice.

In conclusion: women's farts are worse for the nose, but better for the brain.

A reframing of an everyday experience

The science suggests that the very compound behind a silent but deadly toot may also be a quiet guardian of brain health. Something that has historically been a source of embarrassment, especially for women, might actually reflect a built in biological benefit.

Sometimes the world offers good news in the most unexpected places.

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Family

Reasons why you should take candid photos and videos of your family doing absolutely nothing

"These little slices of life are the things people treasure years later."

pictures, memories, mementos, photography, love

Photo credit: Canva

Take pics of your kids just playing. You won't regret it.

Do you have a treasured picture or video of a loved one during a candid moment? No posing, no big event, just them being them?

We often ask loved ones to pose for a photo on their birthday or record moments like a friend getting married or a child singing in the school choir—milestone events we want to remember. However, many folks end up revisiting pictures or videos of their parents, kids, friends, or pets just being themselves.

"Some of the most precious footage I’ve ever captured as a cinematographer has never been the perfectly posed moments, it’s the quiet ones," cinematographer Jason Saracoglu told Upworthy. "The way a dad hums while making coffee, the way a nan folds a jumper with absolute precision, the way siblings chat away about nothing in particular at a family gathering. These little slices of life are the things people treasure years later."

@pinboardbored
love when ppl do this 📷🎹💽🏞️ #aesthetic #targetaudience #pinterest #girlhood

Many regular folks agree with Saracoglu and went on Reddit to share some of their treasured "boring" or quiet moments they've caught on camera—and why it’s just as important to preserve those as the classic "set up and say cheese" shots:

"I did this with my kids, and as much times I would get goofy smiles or pouty frowns, nothing tops just them playing with their Hot Wheels for me. Just something about that pocket of memory for me makes the bad days turn bright."

"Those little unposed moments end up carrying so much weight later. It’s like capturing their whole personality without them even realizing it."

“The best ones are when they don't even know I'm recording. Got a video of my mom singing along to the radio while washing dishes last week.”

“I've got a 30-second clip of my grandma staring out the window doing absolutely nothing and it hits harder than any posed photo.”

“I used to think this kind of stuff was hokey, but my dad made me and my brother DVDs with some old home videos for Christmas a few years ago, and I heard my grandad’s voice for the first time in over 20 years and immediately burst into tears. I really didn’t think it would affect me so much, but I loved it.”

“My cat just passed away and I recently took a video of her snoring while she was sleeping. That video means everything to me now.”

“Oh man, we had The Cousin We All Hated, because her camcorder was attached to her shoulder at every single family gathering. She's still horribly annoying, but years down the road, hearing my grandfather's voice again, seeing my great grandmother, hearing silly family arguments over stuffing or slapping someone away from the bacon on the turkey is all the feels wrapped up in a tiny bundle.”

“This hits hard. Someday those casual, unplanned clips become the closest thing to reliving a moment you didn’t know would matter so much.”

Whether it's capturing a child's personality and voice or preserving the presence of a grandparent, unstaged, real moments often become the most treasured memories of the people or pets we love at that point in time. They either become true reminders of a person that's no longer with us or a time capsule to revisit youth gone by.

If you haven't been recording or photographing slice of life moments and want to start, you might be wondering about the best ways to capture them. Fortunately, Upworthy talked to professional photographers, documentarians, and cinematographers to get some tips on how to capture those candid, slice-of-life moments.

Pick recording a video or a taking photo based on what you want to capture

"Choose your medium based on what piqued your interest in the first place. If it's my kids' laughter that drew me, I'm likely going to shoot a video rather than still photos because it's those magical chirpy sounds that I want to remember," said wedding photographer Jocelyn Voo.

Don’t worry if you don’t have a good camera, just a phone will do

"The equipment that you need is what you have in your pocket or purse: your phone," said photographer/videographer Bob Mackowski. "Phones take fantastic photos and videos, and they're less cumbersome than toting around a camera or camcorder."

"You don't need fancy equipment; your phone will do just fine if these photos are just for you," said elopement and wedding photographer Angela Tyler.

"[Phones are] also less conspicuous because people are used to seeing a phone glued in front of their faces," added Mackowski. "People are somewhat less likely to turn and pose when you use a phone versus when you use a camera."

"A pro camera app can also help if you’re feeling adventurous. It lets you lock focus and exposure so the clip doesn’t keep shifting every time someone moves," added Saracoglu. "But honestly, the heart of a good candid video isn’t expensive gear. It’s timing. Don’t wait for perfection. Just press record."

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Just keep taking pictures, the more of them, the better

"Don’t be afraid, get trigger-happy," said documentary filmmaker Cole Robinson. "Real moments shift quickly. Even if a couple of the shots feel forced and inauthentic, there are often frames surrounding them that will have the candid feel you’re going for. Also, the more photos you take, the quicker you’ll learn."

"The more often you have your camera in your hands, the more chances you'll have, and the more comfortable people will be around you while holding a camera, since they'll become so used to it and be more likely to start ignoring the camera altogether," said photographer/videographer Kaitlyn Holeman of Skyewater Photo + Film.

"Keep your camera on standby and look for the little moments and the things that precede them—the subtle glance between friends, the moment your grandmother reaches for her husband's hand, things like that," said Tyler. "The more you pay attention, the easier these things are to spot."

"Identify an opportunity," said Voo. "Maybe you hear your toddlers giggling, or your parents are making their regular Sunday roast, or your friends are shooting hoops together. Investigate from a distance without inserting yourself into the situation."

"Whether that's having your child complete a puzzle with their grandparent, asking your family to roast marshmallows around a bonfire, or having all the siblings play a game outside, a good distraction prevents them from stopping to pose for the camera," said Holeman.

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"Remember, at first your friends and loved ones may be a little awkward and shy," said Robinson. "But after a while, once they get used to you taking photos, having a camera on you regularly, it’ll become a lot easier to catch them in their best moments, and the real, authentic versions of the people you love will start to show up in your photos."

"You can't take too many pictures. The thousands of photos I have of my dog prove this," concluded Tyler. "I recently lost my grandmother, and the number of times I've reached for a photo of her sitting at the kitchen table mid-laugh surprised even me. But in the end, it's those everyday moments you miss most when they're gone."

It might be worth being that annoying "Cousin We All Hated" that takes pictures or records video all of the time. You never know which small "nothing" memory will become a treasured one.

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