Reclaim Downtime To Refresh Your Brain

PLUS: Feeling feverish and coughing? Do this.

Shots Yiu Yu Hoi/Getty Images Too Busy? Make Time To Do Nothing "Your brain doesn't distinguish between the work that you do at your job and paging through Facebook while you're in bed," says author Celeste Headlee. "To your brain, you're still working." Maybe especially right now, it’s important to take breaks from tasks and screens. A public radio host and longtime journalist, Headlee has researched and written a new book – Do Nothing – that lays out the evidence. "Any time that phone is visible,” she says, “part of your brain is expending part of its energy on preparing for a notification to come in. It's like a runner at the starting gate." Spending a little time each day puttering –  or meditating or doodling or going for a walk – can unleash the creativity and deep relaxation that gives your brain a needed break from work, to-do lists and 24/7 news. Read on for tips on how to power down when you need to. BONUS: Be Here Now: Meditation’s Benefits For Body And Brain   Newsletter continues after sponsor message Guido Mieth/Getty Images You’re Hacking And Feverish. Now What? Without a lab test, there’s no certain way to rule out or confirm a diagnosis of COVID-19, infectious disease specialists say, and coronavirus testing is still limited in many places. But, for most people, the treatment advice for what to do if you have a mild or moderate respiratory infection of any kind is the same: Stay home and rest up until you’re well. And take steps to avoid giving whatever you have to anyone else. Call your doctor for guidance if you’re sick with these symptoms, especially if they dramatically worsen, or you’re short of breath. Otherwise, just "stay hydrated and take a fever-reducing medicine [such as acetaminophen] if you feel like you need to,” says epidemiologist Jennifer Nuzzo of the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. Cover your cough and wash your hands a lot. Visit with friends by phone, not in person. Hunker down until at least a couple days after your fever and symptoms subside. Sleep. Read a book. Watch corny TV shows. Just get some rest. And try to relax.  Read on for advice on keeping the family of a sick person well.   Max Posner/NPR Social Distance With A Smile Just because it’s smart to give others extra space and skip hugs and handshakes right now doesn’t mean we should skip eye-to-eye, heartfelt greetings. Psychologists and public health experts find good evidence that smiles and those brief interactions with strangers on the street, or with your neighbors or mail carrier, or with folks in the dog park or at the grocery store will ease loneliness and lift your mood. NPR’s Allison Aubrey looked into how people around the world are welcoming each other without handshakes, and found some fun variations. Heel clicks anyone? Meanwhile, Italians this week have been taking to their windows and balconies in song – showing the world that social distancing needn’t mean isolation.  Read on to learn more about alternative greetings that will make you smile. BONUS: Kids Around The World Are Reading NPR's Coronavirus Comic   More of this week's health stories from NPR Why Staying Home Now Can Saves Lives Coronavirus And Parenting: What You Need To Know  COMIC: How Do You Not Touch Your Face?   We hope you enjoyed these stories. Find more of NPR's health journalism on Shots and follow us on Twitter at @NPRHealth. Your Shots editor, Deborah Franklin   What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: shots@npr.org Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Goats & Soda, Daily News, Best of NPR and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Health emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy