Sleep / Investigation11 min
Are we trying too hard to sleep?
The booming sleep industry promises control over our most instinctive state. The evidence tells a more complicated story.
How we feel now
Mind
Psychology, relationships, attention and the complicated business of being a person in the present tense.
Stories / Guides / The evidence
Cover storyRead next
Selected storiesPsychology01
The problem with making everything a boundary
A useful therapeutic idea has become a blunt instrument for ordinary human friction.
Attention02
Your phone is not the only reason you cannot focus
Work design, stress and uncertainty are also competing for your cognitive bandwidth.
Relationships03
The underrated intimacy of doing nothing together
What companionship looks like when nobody is performing closeness.
WellnessTactics field guide
What the evidence says
A fast, clear reading of the claims currently taking up space in the mind conversation.
Magnesium
Helpful for deficiency; less certain as a universal sleep aid.
Sleep scores
Measurement can help—or create a new source of anxiety.
Morning light
A simple cue for the circadian system.
CorrespondenceOne good thing,
One good thing,
every Friday.
The week’s most useful research, one considered recommendation, and the things genuinely worth your attention.