Stanford neuroscientist Andrew Huberman says double inhaling is “the fastest way that I’m aware of — that’s anchored in real known biology to calm oneself down — is an inhale through the nose, and then another inhale at the top.” — MF

This will be my third year participating in “Sober October.” The first year was really hard for me. Last year was easy. And this year, I was actually looking forward to it! I sleep better, exercise more and find myself with a lot more free time I didn’t know was possible. My favorite part of “Sober October” is socializing. I sometimes use a glass of wine to stave off social anxiety, but being fully present around friends benefits me emotionally, mentally and physically. Here are a list of 99 sober activities by The Good Trade that are productive and promote well-being. — CD

I stopped using a neti pot to irrigate my sinuses with salt water because of the risk of infection. I switched to pressurized aerosol saline mist, called Simply Saline by Arm & Hammer. It’s sterile and convenient. It never fails to get rid of my phantosmia whenever it flares up. — MF

I bought this $55 Actigun percussion massager after my neighbor raved about hers. Instead of just buzzing like most vibrating massagers, a percussion massager rapidly beats your muscles with a hard rubber ball (or other included attachment). It works wonders on my calves, which often get sore because I walk at least five miles every day on a treadmill desk. One day a couple of weeks ago I foolishly wore rubber sandals on the treadmill and my calves were so sore the next day I could hardly walk. A few minutes with this massager made them feel much better. — MF

This TED article outlines the 7 types of rest you might need and how to go about getting it. The 7 types are: physical, mental, sensory, creative, emotional, social, and spiritual. Obvious advice would be to make sure you are carving out time for exercise, sleeping, screen-breaks, nature, and meditation. But two types of rest that I’ve never had words for before are emotional rest and social rest. Emotional rest is giving yourself time and space to freely express your feelings. (I think my twice-monthly therapy sessions satisfies this.) And to experience social rest spend time with positive and supportive people that “revive” you, and stay away from the relationships that drain you of energy. — CD

A tip from Reddit: “As soon as you start to go for ‘volume’ of chips in your mouth, instead of taste. Put away the bag.“ This rule applies to nuts, berries, wasabi peas, and any other snack food. — MF

I’ve been subscribing to Plan to Eat for about a year, and have found it useful for storing recipes and generating shopping lists. When I’m at a website that has a recipe I like, I just click on the Plan to Eat bookmarklet in my browser bar to automatically import the recipe to my collection. I can add recipes to a calendar, and print a shopping list with everything I need. — MF

I volunteered to join a covid vaccine trial near me by using this site, Covid Dash. Points me where to go so I can sign up. There are currently 70 other vaccines still in development around the world. By volunteering, I help science and all people, and I may get a vaccine earlier. — KK

I recently went down a late-night internet rabbit hole and was surprised to discover that tree-dwelling apes began using wooden pillows to improve their sleep sometime between 5 and 23 million years ago. Thankfully we’ve come a long way from wooden pillows and I think the best I can do for my sleep is to stick with my memory foam cervical pillow. My husband started using one a couple years back and it took a while for me to get on board, because I’m a side sleeper, but I definitely notice a difference in my quality of sleep when I use it versus nights when I don’t. I wake up less and feel more rested. — CD

I’m upgraded my old period tracker for the Stardust Period Tracker (iOS only). It integrates science and astronomy to link my menstrual cycle to the moon cycles and makes “predictions” for my symptoms, cravings and moods, and you know what? It’s pretty spot on! I appreciate getting “day of” notifications warning me that my progesterone levels might be high and to avoid “the dark side” (aka mood swings). — CD

When I was growing up we used adhesive tape on bandages. Several generations of tech later, I now use 3M Transpore Tape ($3.80). Transpore Tape is like duct tape for skin. It sticks great but does not leave any sticky residue when removed. Skin pores can breathe, while still being waterproof. And the tape rips by hand easily, even easier than duct tape. It’s what you’ll find in the bag of any doctor, nurse, or EMT today. — KK

About six months ago I bought an EyeQue Personal Vision Tracker for $25. It looks a bit like a microscope and attaches to a smartphone. After installing the app I was able to check my vision with it. The app gave me the same information as an optometrist’s prescription, which I used to buy inexpensive prescription eyeglasses online. I still plan to get eye health exams from  an ophthalmologist from time to time, but this is a cheap and convenient way to find out what kind of lenses you need, especially in the middle of a pandemic when going into an optometrist’s office poses an infection risk. — MF

There’s a lot of back-and-forth about the effectiveness of facemasks to prevent the spread of Covid-19. The ragmask is one you can make on your own by following the PDF instructions. It looks more comfortable than wrapping a bandana around your face. — MF

This deep stretch for hips YouTube video by Sara Beth Yoga is 20 minutes long, but flows so well and it’s easy to follow on my phone. It’s relaxing, rewarding and always helps me get rid of the tightness in my hips. — CD

When I first started shaving in high school my dad gave me a stytptic pencil. When this chalky stick is touched to razor nicks and cuts, it immediately stops the bleeding. One stick seems to last forever. Two new stytptic pencils cost $3.50. — KK

The second best thing to use for foot blisters is duct tape. It’s way more sticky than a bandaid or moleskins or adhesive tape, and when I hike I always carry a tiny bit of duct tape rolled around a pencil in my bag anyway for all kinds of emergencies. But the very best thing for blisters is a bit of flexible kinesiology tape (which is not its intended use). This is even more sticky on skin, but with less residue than duct tape, and also conforms wonderfully to curves and shapes and toes and heels. There are tons of brands. My walking pal Craig Mod, who walks for weeks at a time and has tried every type of tape or pad made, recommended this variety: Laneco Kinesiology Tape, which is what I now use. One roll is a lifetime supply. — KK

My husband has suffered from chronic neck pain for a few years. He does posture exercises and uses a cervical pillow, but could not find a way to massage the pressure points that radiate pain up and down his neck. Then he found this cheap and wonderfully designed neck massager ($12) and can not stop touting its effectiveness. He loves it so much he even packed it and brought it on our current overseas trip. — CD

Sometimes you can purchase a prescription drug yourself for less money than paying your insurance co-pay. And when you buy, drug prices vary wildly between retailers. Go to GoodRx website to find the cheapest source for a drug, including online pharmacies. They also supply coupons at steeply discounted prices, up to 80% off (their biz model). It’s free, no account or personal info required. — KK

I use superglue (cyanoacrylate) to close small cuts and stop them bleeding. Dab it dry, apply glue, hold together. You can use any kind of “krazy glue” occasionally for first aid; it’s really handy in a workshop. Sometimes instead of stitches doctors use an expensive variant of cyanoacrylate called Dermabond, which is medical grade glue. Second best is cheaper vet-grade glue, Vetbond, which some also use to heal skin cracks. — KK

Last year I made the very important decision to not have children. This quiz helped me figure out the true reasons I wanted to be a parent and I realized that those reasons were not really aligned with what I wanted for my life. After that came a lot of reading and therapy before I became confident that this was the best decision I ever made for myself. So in case anyone else is on the fence, here’s a place to start. — CD