Officially in our “self-preservation” era

All it takes is one scroll to get a pit in your stomach that no amount of gua sha can fix. This isn’t just “take a bath” stress. How are you supposed to feel OK when the world very much does not?

Dialing back, it’s important to note that we’ve been in a prolonged stress cycle for years. And some mental health experts believe we’re still processing collective trauma postpandemic. Add a steady stream of distressing global news, and you’ve got what many describe as a kind of always-on, low-grade anxiety.

This is where the gear shifts from “self-care” to self-preservation. If the goal is to feel even 5% more grounded, start here:

• Drink water. Even mild dehydration could raise cortisol levels by… a lot and make anxiety feel louder. 

• Spiral the right way. Research shows structured worry may actually be constructive. Didn’t see that coming. 

• Watch something a little creepy. There’s science behind “jittery cinema” and why your brain likes it. (Yes, Tom Felton being creepy counts.)

• Get real with your kids. If you feel it, chances are they do too. Here, experts share eight tips for how to talk with them about global conflicts — we can all benefit from number seven.

— Anna “I De-Stress by Brushing My Guinea Pig” Davies, writer

That nightstand glass of water becomes a bacteria breeding ground after how many hours?

Your phone could be damaging your skin… even if you don’t hold it up to your ear.

The whole “cut sweets, kill sugar cravings” thing? New research says not so fast.

Drumroll, please: The 2026 Exceptional Women in Medicine list just dropped. If you’re in the market for a new doctor, consider this your referral list.

Here’s a science-backed reason to finally let go of that grudge. Block and be free.

This “micro-dreaming” technique can help you fall asleep faster. Anxious overthinkers, this one’s for you.

If you’ve been seeing headlines about a looming “Title X funding cliff,” chances are they’ve focused on one thing: birth control access.

That’s not wrong. But it’s also not the full story.

Title X is one of the country’s main safety nets for basic sexual and preventive health care for people who are uninsured or underinsured — tens of millions of Americans. STI testing and treatment, HIV screenings, cancer screenings, maternal health services, and, yes, birth control all fall under its umbrella. These funds cannot cover abortion, but they do support care people rely on before, during, and after pregnancy. 

How we got here. The federal government missed its usual timeline to release grant applications, then dropped them with a one-week turnaround, leaving hundreds of non-profit clinics and local health departments scrambling. If applications don’t get processed in time, money may not go out by April 1. Even a short gap could mean clinics cutting hours, staff, or services. And for many patients, there’s no backup plan.

Why this is bad timing for birth control. Hormonal contraceptives are getting the most attention, and for good reason. But birth control has many uses beyond pregnancy prevention, particularly during perimenopause. If funding stalls, that access could shrink for people without insurance or with limited local options — at a time when its safety and use are being publicly questioned. 

At last week’s inaugural Health and Human Services Women’s Health Summit in Washington DC, skepticism around the “overprescription” of birth control dominated the conversation, including from surgeon general nominee Casey Means, MD, who echoed concerns circulating online. Major medical organizations, however, continue to support birth control as safe and widely used, leaving patients to navigate mixed messages at a time when access itself may be tightening.

Taking a "10,000-foot view.” When talk about Title X stops at birth control, however, it misses the bigger picture — that in the coming weeks it may be harder for tens of millions of people to get routine preventive and sexual health care.

For Your Sanity:

• Check your access. If you rely on low-cost clinics for STI testing, cancer screenings, or prescriptions, look into what’s available in your area now to get ahead of availability changes.

• Have a BC backup plan. If you use birth control (for any reason), consider checking refill timelines or asking about longer prescriptions if access becomes less predictable.

• Support local clinics. Many Title X providers accept donations and rely on them to bridge funding gaps when federal dollars stall.

“In many cases — yes. We’re in an era of 10-step routines driven more by marketing than medicine. From my perspective, the essentials are surprisingly simple: daily broad-spectrum sunscreen and a nighttime retinoid. Those two alone have decades of evidence behind them.

Antioxidants like vitamin C can help — if they’re well-formulated — and chemical exfoliants can be useful, but overuse can damage the skin barrier. A gentle cleanser and moisturizer round out the routine.

Trendy ingredients like peptides and exosomes are intriguing, but the science is still evolving. I regularly see irritation, breakouts, and pigmentation from doing too much. Healthy skin doesn’t require a complex or costly routine — just consistent, evidence-based basics.”

PS: Start your vitamin C research here with this list of the best serums of bright, glowy skin.

Just in time for peak spring break travel — with a record number of people expected to fly in March and April — the CDC has raised the alert level for polio in multiple regions, including parts of Europe and the UK.

Right now, it’s tracking polio in 30-plus countries through wastewater surveillance and clinical case reporting. Add declining global vaccination rates, and public health officials are paying closer attention — not because of widespread outbreaks, but to prevent the virus from spreading across borders as travel ramps up.

This doesn’t mean you have to cancel plans. Most adults in the US were vaccinated as children, which provides strong protection against severe illness. Global guidance from the WHO focuses on staying up to date on routine vaccines, while the CDC adds that if you’re heading to one of these countries, you may benefit from a one-time adult booster. If you’re unsure of your vaccine status, a quick check-in with your doctor can help clarify.

We’re getting so many Costco chicken hacks on our feed. The concept: Shred an entire rotisserie Costco chicken, mix with rice, veggies, and dressing, and you’ve got a bowl for a week of meals. 

Here’s a classic how-to. Add coleslaw mix for additional crunch, and get creative with DIY-ing your dressing.

Just one thing: Heat and plastics don’t mix. Consider combining in a non-plastic bowl, then portioning it out from there.

To us, gummy vitamins are equal parts little treat and a pat on the back. And, while nutritionists agree the best vitamins and minerals come off your plate, they also know that sometimes, you need a little extra support. Here, their favorite options:

Here’s the full list of the best gummy vitamins, according to experts.

Have a question, comment, or just want to be friends? Reach out to us at well@theskimm.com

Written by Anna Davies. Edited by Jordan Galloway and Kylie McConville.
Fact-checked by Jordan Mamone and Sara Tardiff.