Try This

How are altruists different from the rest of us? Host Cristina Quinn talks to neuroscientist and psychologist Abigail Marsh about what it means to be an altruist and how you can build your altruistic muscle.

Join Try This for a breathing exercise! Host Cristina Quinn walks us through a 5-minute box breathing exercise. You’ll feel better at the end!

Breathing is powerful — it can help fight off stress. Host Cristina Quinn sits down with Washington Post Brain Matters columnist Richard Sima and UCLA neuroscientist and psychiatrist Helen Lavretsky to unpack what chronic stress can do to the brain and how simple breathing exercises can help.

About half of dementia cases are potentially preventable – even if it runs in your family. In this episode, host Cristina Quinn talks with Laura Baker of the U.S. POINTER study and Monica Parker about simple lifestyle changes we can make to reduce our risk of cognitive decline.

Our brains are always adapting to our environments and routines. Host Cristina Quinn talks with Washington Post “Brain Matters” columnist Richard Sima about what a healthy aging brain looks like and when we should worry about forgetting where we put our keys.

Weight lifting isn’t just for athletes or bodybuilders. Host Cristina Quinn talks with Washington Post health columnist Gretchen Reynolds about what strength training is and why even a small amount of it can improve your overall health.

Finding your own personal style can be easy. Host Cristina Quinn chats with The Washington Post’s fashion critic Rachel Tashjian and Style Memo newsletter writer Shane O’Neill about finding your style amid a barrage of trends, dressing authentically, and feeling good in your clothes.

Travel reporter Natalie Compton shares the latest tips on how to book better, pack lighter and travel smarter no matter where you're headed.

Host Cristina Quinn introduces Gut Check, a new five-part newsletter from Try This that explores gut health science minus the stress, supplements, or hype.

Learn what to eat to make your gut microbiome flourish. Trisha Pasricha and Karen Corbin will explain the do’s and don'ts of what it takes to have a gut-healthy life.

Foods affect your gut health – and science proves it. Nutrition and metabolism researcher Karen Corbin talks to host Cristina Quinn about her first-of-its-kind study on how the gut responds to different foods and helps to manage our body’s energy.

What's going on inside that microbiome of yours? Host Cristina Quinn talks to gastroenterologist Trisha Pasricha about the leading role the gut microbiome plays in our digestive health and how certain foods support its function.

What separates good talkers from great communicators? Host Cristina Quinn talks with author Charles Duhigg about the neuroscience of connection, why asking deeper questions matters, and simple ways you can instantly become a better listener and conversationalist.

Physical and social boundaries to reduce screen time, like keeping your phone out of the bedroom and creating device-free time with family, are as important as digital ones. And this isn’t just a personal challenge; it’s one we need to tackle together.

Small changes like setting app limits and reorganizing your home screen can have a big impact on your focus. Host Cristina Quinn and Washington Post tech columnist Geoffrey Fowler lay out techniques for how to take back control.

How to resist digital temptations, reset your dopamine levels and take back control of your attention.

Why do we get so hooked on our devices, even when we know they’re not great for us? Host Cristina Quinn talks to psychiatrist Anna Lembke about the neuroscience behind digital addiction, how dopamine drives our scrolling habits and what we can do to break the cycle.

Host Cristina Quinn and “The Joy You Make” author Steven Petrow dive into practical ways to bring joy to others and to yourself — whether it’s through helping a neighbor, writing an anonymous letter or even sharing a simple moment with a stranger.

Learn creative exercises to help you embrace joy in everyday life. Steven Petrow, author of “The Joy You Make,” teaches host Cristina Quinn how things like wandering without a destination and rediscovering play can open the door to more joy, even during life’s toughest moments.

Happiness, it turns out, is a science — even though what makes each of us happy can vary pretty widely. Host Cristina Quinn talks to happiness scientist Emiliana Simon-Thomas about exactly what makes us happy, and how much of our joy is within our control.

In our third class about how the electoral college works, host Cristina Quinn talks with historian Alex Keyssar about potential alternatives to the way the U.S. elects presidents. The class explores the merits and flaws of the current system, and lays out the challenges to putting a different one in place.

In the second class in our series about how the electoral college works, host Cristina Quinn talks to historian Alex Keyssar about the compromises that drove the Founding Fathers to land on a complex, winner-takes-all system rather than a straightforward popular vote.

Become a better-informed citizen through this course on how Americans elect their presidents. The first class takes listeners through the details of the electoral college system. You’ll learn how it works, including the complicated way electoral votes are assigned and awarded, plus what happens between Election Day and Inauguration Day.

With the election just weeks away, the team at The Washington Post’s daily news podcast, “Post Reports,” explains how public opinion polling works and how to be a savvy poll reader.

Humans have a tendency toward confirmation bias — or interpreting information and experiences to support our existing beliefs. Host Cristina Quinn learns how you can change long-held beliefs by using confirmation bias in your favor and take action toward your goals.

Affirmations — statements or phrases steeped in our personal beliefs — can help us remain steady when negative experiences threaten our sense of self. Host Cristina Quinn digs into what kinds of affirmations are most effective and the science of how they work.

We’re wrapping up this cooking course by bringing together some leftover ingredients and tips to make cooking feel less daunting.

How to think of cooking as less of an item on your to-do list and more of an act for you.

It turns out, making the same kinds of things over and over again is not only okay, but a useful way to take the drudgery out of cooking and build up your kitchen confidence. Learn how to identify recipes that resonate with you, master them and make them your own.

Learn how to enjoy cooking by identifying parts of your personality outside the kitchen that will set you up for success in the kitchen.

In the third and final class of our course on how to make the most of your friendships, we offer guidance for what to do when things go wrong.

In class two of our course on friendship, you’ll learn how to get out of your comfort zone when it comes to fostering new friendships or resuscitating old ones.

In the first class of our course on making the most of your friendships, host Cristina Quinn learns what it means to be socially fit — and why it’s never too late to start getting those reps in.

In class 5 of our course on how to get better sleep: the melatonin factor. Learn what experts say about whether the supplement could be something to work into your nighttime routine.

In class 4 of our course on how to get better sleep, learn about the concept of sleep drive, and how getting it right might be the solution to falling asleep faster and getting a better night’s rest.

In class 3 of our course on how to get better sleep, we focus on what to do if you wake up in the middle of the night and can’t fall back asleep.

In class 2 of our course about how to sleep better, learn why trying to suppress your difficult feelings from popping up at night might be counterproductive. Sleep expert Lisa Strauss explains a technique for identifying and changing negative thought patterns.

In the first class of our course on how to sleep better, learn why worrying about not falling asleep can make things worse. There are steps you can take during the day that can help lessen the anxiety at night.

“Try This” is a series of audio courses from The Washington Post full of smart, snackable solutions for life’s everyday challenges.