National Geographic | Mind, Body, Wonder

This week we explore cortisol, learn new ways to keep burnout at bay, get new help against sweltering heat, see if pickleball really helps you ... or is it better to stay in the pool? Also, is there a link between birth control and reduced injuries for women athletes?

A computer illustration showing the internal and external anatomy of a kidney and adrenal gland as it secretes hormones.

ILLUSTRATION BY AXEL KOCK, SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY

SHOULD YOU TINKER WITH YOUR CORTISOL?

Should you even be worried about it? Also known as the “stress hormone,” raised cortisol levels are in the spotlight. Should you be concerned with high cortisol, try to lower it yourself? Here’s what experts say.

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What is serotonin—and can you really boost it?

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The 7 hormones that influence how much—or how little—you eat. Can you influence them?

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Why dopamine drives you to do hard things—even without a reward

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How to get high on your own hormones—naturally

A crowd of people walk over a city bridge. Seven women at the front pose for a group selfie together

PHOTOGRAPH BY BRIAN FINKE

SLOW IT DOWN: HOW TO AVOID BURNOUT

There’s a way: That’s the encouraging message of Cal Newport, author of Slow Productivity. In a Nat Geo interview, Newport rails against multitasking and shows how slow productivity can help you.

LESS STRESS, BETTER HEALTH

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Take this quick test right now: How stressed are you?

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Can scientists ‘solve’ stress? Here’s what we know.

The shadow and legs of a pickelballer chasing down a ball during a match

PHOTOGRAPH BY LINDSEY WASSON, THE NEW YORK TIMES

CAN PICKLEBALL MAKE YOU HEALTHIER?

It’s America’s fastest-growing sport … but are there actual health benefits to playing pickleball? With its similarity to tennis and ping pong, one would think so. We talk to experts about what—if anything—pickleball can do for you.

TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY?

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Why swimming might just be the best exercise

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What lifting weights does for your body and mind

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15 gifts for the pickleball lover in your life

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E-bikes are good for the environment—but what about your health?

A grape harvester, seen from behind, his shirt drenched in sweat as he walks between rows of grapevines

PHOTOGRAPH BY KARLA GACHET, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

WHEN HOT IS TOO HOT

With extremely high temperatures now becoming more frequent—and deadly—figuring out when sizzling conditions outdoors are potentially hazardous can be tricky. A new tool that offers color-coded heat warning levels and seven-day forecasts could help those especially at risk.

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Here’s what extreme heat does to the body

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Hot outside? Here's why taking an ice-cold plunge could be deadly

TOP STORIES FROM NAT GEO

How exercise can help—or hurt—your digestion

‘Forever chemicals’ are hiding in your kitchen. Where could they be? And what can you do?

What is topical steroid withdrawal? If you have eczema, here’s what you need to know.

Does meditation actually work? Here’s what the science says.

Is the 5-second rule real? Science has an answer.

Why are vitamins named after letters?

Last week’s most popular: Vintage photos of moms around the world

A dancer's knee, with an injury

PHOTOGRAPH BY JODI COBB, NAT GEO IMAGE COLLECTION

CAN BIRTH CONTROL LOWER INJURY RISK?

Maybe. Compared to male athletes, women athletes taking birth control pills were five times less likely to develop muscle or tendon injuries. But this raises another question—are the benefits worth the risks?

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Birth control pills: what you should and shouldn’t worry about

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