Reader’s Digest New Zealand

An Effective Cure It was my good luck that the article ‘A Day At The Beach’ (January) appeared when I needed it. I was under the weather and desperate for some motivation. So, like the doctor advised in the article, I went to a happy place with good memories. All four ‘prescriptions’ were short but impactful. The last prescription, ‘Write your worries on the sand’, eased my anxiety and shifted the focus to inner happiness and peace. SANA SHOAIB Singing Along All Wrong ‘Like a Dino in the Sky’ (My Story, February) resonated deeply with me. It’s hilarious how creative the mind can be when you don’t know the actual lyrics; automatically filling in the empty spaces with words that sound similar to make it more convenient to sing along to. I am very proud to…

Connecting With Others GOSSIP, RUMOUR-MONGERING, HEARSAY, call it what you will, it seems that few of us are immune to this very human, some say flawed, activity. But not all gossip is bad – it can be one of the best ways to connect with others. In ‘Gossip: Why We Need It’ (page 120), we learn why psychologists think gossiping can genuinely be a good thing, and discover their tips on how to keep it civil. Also featured in this month’s issue is an interview with Oscar-winning actor Cate Blanchett (page 22) and an investigation into the diseases and conditions close to big breakthroughs (‘The Future Of Medicine’, page 32). We also meet the people trying to save Ukraine’s centuries-old masterpieces (‘Saving Ukraine’s Sacred Art’, page 66). Oh, and for crossword fans,…

My long-distance cycling career of 13 years and 35,000 kilometres ended as I approached 75 in 2019. The realisation of this dawned on me slowly during my last ride in the US summer of that same year. Over the 13 years I cycled across Australia from Sydney to Perth, four times across North America, west to east, the UK from Land’s End in the south to John O’Groats in the north, and finally up the east coast of the US, from Key West, Florida, to Bar Harbor, Maine. Although I am now no longer strong enough to endure the long days and big climbs, day in and day out, I have my memories. One of the challenges of ageing is coping with change. Things are never as good as they were when we…

Parental Instincts XINMING WANG Last year in early summer, I was walking up the hill to my house in suburban Brisbane when I saw two birds, each about 60 centimetres tall, standing in my driveway. They didn’t seem to notice me until I was right in front of them and then they immediately scattered into the nearby bushes. I was quite excited by the idea of two special birds making a nest in my front yard, although I didn’t really expect them to as wild birds don’t usually nest so close. A few weeks later, the birds reappeared. I found them crouching beside a tree off to the side of my driveway. As I approached them, I imagined that they’d run away like they did last time, but instead they stuck out their heads…

Is the great cat/dog debate any more than another way of stereotyping ourselves? Recent research suggests not. Studies have found common traits held by cat people and dog people, giving us paws for thought. CURIOUS CATS In a 2010 study of over 4500 participants, cat people were found to be 11 per cent more open minded – with more appreciation for art, culture and more progressive ideologies – than the self-confessed dog people, who received lower scores on openness, tending towards more conventional ideas and traditions, thus being categorised as less curious than cat lovers. CLEVER CAT? Six hundred students were asked their preference over cats or dogs and subsequently given an intelligence test. Those who preferred cats scored higher on the intelligence test overall. However, according to a poll of over…

Naps don’t just feel amazing – they are amazing. A study published in the journal Heart found a link between healthy napping and a lowered risk of heart disease. The American Psychological Association points out that naps can improve memory, learning capacity, immune system function and mood. Cognitive neuroscientist Professor Sara Mednick and author of The Power of the Downstate, explains that when you fall asleep, your body moves through stages that each play a role in health: STAGE 1: the ‘dozing off’ period; STAGE 2: muscles, heart rate and brain activity slow down; STAGE 3: deep, restorative sleep; STAGE 4: REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, when brain activity increases and you’re most likely to dream. Ideal napping times are based around this four-stage cycle. THE 20-MINUTE NAP Between 20 and 30 minutes is a napping…