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Brain scans reveal that just a little of this personality trait boosts happiness. Even a small amount of generosity towards others makes people happier, psychological research finds. In fact, merely promising to be more generous is enough to trigger changes in our brain that lead to greater happiness. People in the study did not need to be extremely generous to see the benefits to happiness levels. Dr Philippe Tobler, one of the study’s authors, said:     “You don’t need to become a self-sacrificing martyr to feel happier. Just being a little more generous will suffice. ” Brain scans revealed that even the intent to be generous was linked to activity in the ventral striatum, an area important in the feeling of happiness. Dr Tobler said:     “It is remarkable that intent alone generates a neural change before the action is actually implemented. Promising to behave generously could be used as a strategy to reinforce the desired behavior, on the one hand,...

Even native English speakers don’t always know where some peculiar idioms of their mother tongue come from. But learning idioms and collocations isn’t just a useful thing for someone who wants to master a language — it can also be lots a fun! We at Bright Side always try to find ways to make your days more interesting. So we came up with a list of common phrases that can spice up your speech, improve your English, and simply bring some excitement to some of the most ordinary things! 1. “ Breakfast of champions” Forget that boring porridge — it’s time for a breakfast of champions! This one consists of all things tasty — champagne, beer, wine...joking, of course! Porridge is good for you, but the expression “breakfast of champions” actually originated from a Wheaties advertising campaign featuring famous sportsmen. The expression is metaphorical, however, since it means that you would consume unhealthy foods and drinks for your first meal. Winston Churchill, the prominent Briti...

 At the beginning of any relationship, people tend to think that it’s going to last forever. Later, to our regret or happiness, real life puts everything in its place. However, there are universal ways to find out whether your relationship is going to be everlasting or not. Bright Side collected information about 10 factors in your relationship that can predict whether you’ll live happily with your partner all your life. However, you should understand that not having matches with all of them, is not a reason to be upset — everything is very individual. At the end of the article, there’s a bonus that will help you distinguish true love from a simple crush or infatuation. 10. You have approximately the same social status.   At the beginning of any relationship, these differences usually go unnoticed because we are deeply in love and don’t notice inconsistencies. But think about the fact that your partner was brought up in a different way, he or she has a different attitu...

By Jayne Leonard    Reviewed by Holly Ernst, PA-C        Barrier methods, Hormonal methods, IUDs and implants Other methods People who are sexually active and want to avoid pregnancy should be aware of their options when it comes to birth control. There are many types of contraception available to help avoid pregnancy. However, the only completely reliable method for avoiding pregnancy is abstaining from sex. The Family Planning Association (FPA) in the UK, claim that up to 90 percent of sexually active women will become pregnant in 12 months if they do not use contraception. A person risks becoming pregnant every time they have sex without contraception, including the first time they ever have sex. Some methods are available without a prescription, but most require one. Each form of birth control has advantages and disadvantages. Read on to learn more about the different types of contraception designed to help people avoid pregnan...

By Ana Sandoiu    Fact checked by Tim Newman    What do you do when you're asked to make a speech or give a presentation? Do you freeze or do you thrive in the spotlight? Most people are afraid of speaking in public because they think having an audience will cause them to " mess up," but a new study shows that, if anything, knowing that you're being watched enhances performance. Having an audience might make your presentation better, not worse, says a new study. " According to most studies," says comedian Jerry Seinfeld , "people's number one fear is public speaking. Number two is death." "This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy." This is not just the setup of an otherwise brilliant joke, but also a fact, as attested by a poll of over 2,000 people. Most people are, indeed, more afraid of speaking in public than they are of dying. If you're one o...

        I.             Mistakes are proof that you are trying.       II.             Falling in love is easy, staying in love is a challenge, letting go is hard, and moving on is the hardest     III.             People often pretend to be happy simply because smiling tends to be easier than explaining to others why they're upset.   IV.             Four is the only number that has the same amount of letters as its actual value.     V.             When you stand up too fast and get dizzy, it's because gravity has caused blood to collect in your legs, depriving your brain of oxygen.   VI.   ...

Now we know why some men undo more shirt buttons than they should. A hairy chest signals higher intelligence in a man, research finds. Dr Aikarakudy Alias, a psychiatrist, has found that hairy chests are more frequent among men who are highly educated, such as doctors. Dr Alias surveyed male trainee doctors in the US and found that 45% of them were ‘very hairy’. This is in comparison to the 10% of men in the general population who are very hairy. The same was also true when Dr Alias looked at the academic rankings among students. Among engineering graduates, the top students had more body hair than the students who ranked lower. The evidence doesn’t stop there — even if you are wishing it would! A survey of 117 male members of the high intelligence society Mensa found they were more likely than average to have hairy bodies. The most intelligent also had hair on their backs. Had enough yet? Yes? Tough. There’s more. Dr Alias has also looked at the body hair of boxers. After examinin...

One question can diagnose your future mental health. Just one question is enough to get a general idea of someone’s future mental health. It is: “ In general, would you say that your mental health is excellent, very good, good, fair, or poor? ” Surprisingly, around 60% of people who are depressed nevertheless rate their mental health as ‘ good ’. One year later people who were positive about their mental health were less likely to be in serious psychological distress, even without any treatment. Good mental health is about more than just a lack of symptoms, it includes being able to cope with life, having meaningful relationships and feeling purposeful. A rating of ‘ fair’ or ‘ poor ’ could suggest that some help would be beneficial. Dr Sirry Alang, study co-author, said:     “Self-rated mental health is a very powerful construct that can be useful in clinical practice if we consider it a potential screener for mental health. Positive ratings of mental health even in...

Amy Sciarretto Who doesn't love a daily shower — whether it's first thing in the morning, right before bedtime, or both? You wash away the dirt and dust of the day (or night), cleanse and pamper your skin with scented, hydrating, and softening products, and attend to all of your otherwise neglected body parts. It's a self-care ritual and a comforting and relaxing routine that makes you look, smell, and feel good. But what actually happens to your body when you stop showering? Just like our emotions and amount of exercise can impact our body, it turns out there's also a lot going on with our bodies when we stop showering. While there are plenty of reasons people may give up showering, such as water conservation or refusing to adhere to societal norms, it's way more problematic than you might think. You don't simply become somewhat gunky and start to smell a little funky. There are plenty of physical changes that take place and can lead to bigger and uncom...